[NEWS] Here be the musics!

[Phlogiston]

It's time for another introduction, it would seem. My name is Eirik, but I'm known to many as "chiptune artist" Phlogiston.

I will be supplying music and sound design for Spelunky XBLA.



You're welcome to check out my website.


I've been working on this score for several months now, and it's been a blast! I'm not going to write a ton about it, at least not at this point, but I wanted to show off a little bit of it, to give you guys an idea of what it'll sound like.

TEASER MP3 - medley of various songs from the game

Basically, I wanted the soundtrack to be a mix of retro-sounding videogame music and more modern-sounding music utilizing actual instruments.  I guess I imagined it would sound like a mixture of FM-based music (arcade, SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive, 80's music), sample/tracker based music (Amiga / 90's demoscene) and just regular pop/rock (70's/80's/90's). Hopefully you guys can tell me if it came through or not.

More as it progresses!

[Phlogiston]

RESEARCH IS KEY

[marsgreekgod]

Intersting music, seems a bit off still, but I like it, reminds me of the music a friend of mine made.. have you gone by other online names?

wait you have music for kissing booths? thats what it sounds like...

wait this sounds.. noir dectivey ? what in the?

ah this last one sounds like it's for the temple, and sonicy.

yes I am typing this as music plays. and happy music? doesn't sound like wining music tho...

[Ultros]

Part 1: I could see this working for the credits; it's a fair bit too cheery and upbeat for anything else.
Part 2: Fits the mood of the caves quite well.  And damn you for cutting it so short; I wanted to hear more
Part 3: Jungle?  The bit at the beginning felt a little too frantic; I don't think it meshed well with the part after the other instruments kicked in.
Part 4: Heh, I'd love to hear this in a kissing booth.  Can't see it working anywhere else.
Part 5: Guessing Black Market for this one; sorta a mix between music I'd associate with speakeasies and middle-eastern street bazaars, which is perfect for that.
Part 6: Hm, not sure where I'd place this one.  I'll guess Temple, but could also see it in the Black Market for the middle-eastern street bazaar vibe I mentioned above.
Part 7: Score room, I'd say; it's more relaxed than most of the others, which would work well there.
Part 8: Game over!  Good night.

Enjoyed the medley overall, save for that issue I had with part 3.  And I happen to love chiptunes; I'll have to check out your other work.  Is there any piece you're especially proud of?

[Derek]

Thanks for the feedback!  Keep it comin'!

By the way, Spelunky has a Twitter that I'm trying to update fairly regularly during development: http://twitter.com/spelunkyworld

[marsgreekgod]

Thanks for the feedback!  Keep it comin'!

By the way, Spelunky has a Twitter that I'm trying to update fairly regularly during development: http://twitter.com/spelunkyworld

hey derek! did you get my PM?

*checks the feed*

[transit]

Just downloaded the teaser mp3 and it's cool!

Derek, if you want to use any of my tracks for your game, feel free. You can find them here:
http://www.mirandow.com/initials/

There is an 8 bit mix section.

[Arucard]

That sounds pretty nice, I think I agree about the Lush-sounding one though. Either the accompaniment is too loud, or something (pretty descriptive huh?). Just sounds a bit off, but not too bad.

[bryck]

tis bitchin cool. them squnkey megadrive noises dont get heard enough in retrotype music imo

[Terriblesteed]

Music is shaping up well, I like the middle tune that had that middle-eastern vibe. Definitely for the black market. Can't wait to see and hear more from this project, I'll be one of the very firsts to buy 

I'd also like to help out in any way I can. Here's a song I made a while ago that I think would fit perfectly for the icy levels. There are sounds that bring to mind the flying saucers as well. You're free to use it if you'd like!

Defluo- Random Particles

http://www.mediafire.com/?ancytngjlzw

[Chief027]

No offense, but I'm going to miss the old music...

[glennrieck]

No offense, but I'm going to miss the old music...

Though I like the sounds of the new ones (which will definately go with the new graphics), so will I.

[Delmion]

Hmm . . .

No offense, but I'm going to miss the old music...

Though I like the sounds of the new ones (which will definately go with the new graphics), so will I.

Isn't this another one of those places where the player will have the option to switch between them?  Or am I misremembering that as a feature?

Anyway, on the music itself: this definitely has its good points, and I hope it continues to evolve.  My problem is that, when listening to it, I presumed it was a chronological sampling of music, and so the very first piece we heard must be for the title screen.  I hope it is not.  Think about how much of the title music the average player hears--namely, about five seconds while deciding whether to start over after the most recent death or do something else.  This means that, after a hundred deaths, the player will hear the thudding-and-fake-brass sounds of the start of that piece a hundred times, and grow to hate it.

If the instrument were a real one and therefore a little gentler on the ears, or if the start had more motion to it, it would probably be fine.  As soon as the segment actually gets going in this sample, I have no problem with it.

--Delmion

[Phlogiston]

Thanks for all the feeback, guys. I'm taking it all into account.

[marsgreekgod]

Thanks for all the feeback, guys. I'm taking it all into account.

You see this is what people do when they make games do well.

You are 43% cooler now.