UFO:Alien Invasion

Development => Sounds and Music => Topic started by: tackle on February 05, 2008, 06:09:53 pm

Title: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: tackle on February 05, 2008, 06:09:53 pm
Hey again, I'm basically finished with my geoscape track

I need to know what ogg bitrate to use when converting it, as I tried to put my song into the game with a bitrate of 256, and when it looped back it started playing back with weird artifacts.

Also, the overall volume is an issue. I use a limiter on my tracks, as one usually does, and my tracks turn out significantly louder than the rest of the songs.

I suppose the answer would be just to match the rest of the songs, so that's what I'm going with. However it's worth mentioning, to keep this under control throughout.

Edit: Actually, the more I listen to original tracks the more they seem uneven in volume against each other.
I'm not sure how to approach this the best way since I have no knowledge on who does what in the programming and so on...

Also I noticed the rest of the tracks use different bitrates, so I suppose the problem I had isn't due to that.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: SpaceWombat on February 05, 2008, 07:38:49 pm
Since .ogg format relies on quality classes according to a value and .ogg sounds better than mp3 (less loss) using the same bitrate I would say .5 quality (about 160kb/s) would be enough. Just my opinion though but 256 seems a bit high according to my xp.

Btw can we listen to the music already?  ;D
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: tackle on February 05, 2008, 08:51:04 pm
Sure, see what you think, if it'll fit and work in it's context.

Could possible be too "happy" about 4/5 into the song

http://www.karlmacklin.com/karlmacklin_geoscape.ogg
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: BTAxis on February 05, 2008, 09:10:50 pm
I've listened to it, and I think it's pretty good. As far as I'm concerned, it's the new default geoscape track.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: SpaceWombat on February 05, 2008, 09:30:48 pm
Wow  :o

I love it. It is a good mixture of different styles so it won't bore the player even after listening for over an hour.

The beginning would also perfectly fit to some storyline events (videos, text scrolls...) in my opinion.
Maybe you can make some kindo of "spin-off" for that purpose when some of these things are done.

Thanks for your nice piece of work.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: Blywulf on February 05, 2008, 11:07:12 pm
Sounds awesome, well done tackle. One question though :), will the music change during UFO interceptions?
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: BTAxis on February 05, 2008, 11:12:10 pm
No. There's no support for it yet.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: SpaceWombat on February 06, 2008, 12:28:50 am
No. There's no support for it yet.

Does this mean there might be a possibility to change music according to game situations (tac missions as well) someday in the future? That would be great.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: BTAxis on February 06, 2008, 12:37:29 am
At the risk of going badly offtopic, what situations in tactical combat would justify a music change?
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: tackle on February 06, 2008, 01:27:21 am
basically everything that's going on in tac combat

first there's a calm sense of what's to come.. anxious music, foreboding evil

then wham, you either put a bullet thru an alien skull or you have one of your own killed, and that's when shit's starting to go crazy

when your team starts to panic this can also be illustrated in music

I don't know where to start, but tons of games have dynamic music that change depending on what's going on, and with fitting transitions
I could make fitting transitions, if I knew the rules for them
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: BTAxis on February 06, 2008, 01:43:41 am
I can't really see it happening in tactical missions given the turn-based nature of the game, at least not on that scale. We should definitely have something like that for the UFO interceptions, though.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: TroubleMaker on February 06, 2008, 03:30:15 am
I can't really see it happening in tactical missions given the turn-based nature of the game
Well-well. Would you remember the first (?) RTS of "Dune-2: Building of a Dynasty"? There were implemented the changes in musical atmosphere during different battle situations.

I can't criticize the job of UFOAI team, so "just my 2 cents"
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: Winter on February 06, 2008, 09:38:57 am
Well-well. Would you remember the first (?) RTS of "Dune-2: Building of a Dynasty"? There were implemented the changes in musical atmosphere during different battle situations.

I can't criticize the job of UFOAI team, so "just my 2 cents"

I certainly do remember Dune 2, but it was a real-time strategy game, not turn-based like UFO:AI (and per BTAxis's point). In RTS games, the situation changes fluidly and quickly. In TBS games . . . not so much.

Regards,
Winter
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: SpaceWombat on February 06, 2008, 11:13:52 am
Well I would like a transition like this:

A gloomy music when your team enters the map - your turn, tactical positioning.
When finished it's the aliens' turn and one appears right around the corner and opens fire - increase in music dynamic.

That's how I see it but you are right, might be a bit over the edge in certain situations. If possible we could give it a shot and see how it fits.
It is definitely nice on geoscope when the terror mission appears on the map and threatens the population or an ufo fight is going on.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: Zorlen on February 06, 2008, 12:10:43 pm
The dynamism of the music can change depending on number of spotted aliens even within your turn. Battle sequence being played as your soldier stops movement upon visual contact with the enemy would add adrenaline, I think!
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: SpaceWombat on February 06, 2008, 06:25:32 pm
Yes it should reflect sudden dangers like an adrenalin boost in reality would do. This shoul emphasize the excitement in tactical missions as well.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: Surrealistik on February 06, 2008, 10:27:11 pm
Yeah, playing appropriate music for a duration after a trigger event like gunfire and enemy contact would be a nice touch.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: BlakeD on February 07, 2008, 07:33:34 am
Great track... Just converted it to MP3 and loaded it onto my iPod.  It'll get some playtime outside of the game even. =)  I like stuff like that when working certain tasks at the jobplace.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: tackle on February 07, 2008, 03:31:25 pm
Glad you like it! Check out a couple of other tracks I've made at:
www.karlmacklin.com
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: BTAxis on February 07, 2008, 04:52:32 pm
I have just added this track to the SVN repository.

Tackle: What license will you use for this track? Creative Commons 3.0 okay with you?
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: tackle on February 08, 2008, 01:57:14 am
Yes, that'll be fine
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: Destructavator on February 12, 2008, 01:38:31 am
Quote
Sure, see what you think, if it'll fit and work in it's context.

Could possible be too "happy" about 4/5 into the song

http://www.karlmacklin.com/karlmacklin_geoscape.ogg

Wow, this is nice, definitely a nice break from the old geoscape music - what software/hardware/gear did you use to make this?

It certainly has a feel to it that fits, especially with the 3d geoscape, looking at the Earth out in space and not knowing what's coming next...

Just in my personal opinion though, I think the music should also change to something different when the base and equipment screens are pulled up, for a different mood/feel.  (Perhaps for the UFOPedia also?) Variation in soundtrack is always a good thing.
Title: Re: Completed song - ogg bitrate, overall volume?
Post by: TumbleWeed on February 12, 2008, 03:01:59 am
I don't know, dude... I've always hated that in games when the music changes too often. Sometimes you get to hear only the beginning of a good track.
And to Tackle: Awesome geoscape music. Why people use drugs when there exists music like this, is beyond me. Thanks for this 'fix'. :)