(Brood War) Ghosts of the Past

[Falchion]

I quite believe your soundtrack is decent, but still it somewhat lacks an intention or a message it wants to pass on. Track 1 curiously reminded me (Especially it's beginning.) of House MD. Track 2 reminds of the old days playing Twinsen's Odyssey, and track 3, despite the effort put into the guitar riffs, still remain calm. These simply sound like soundtracks players will rather miss while playing, not either giving boost or drain to their gameplay.

But I'm not criticizing, just commenting on those. Still, I believe a soundtrack is meant to have a message or intention, meant to demonstrate action, emotion or something more like it. Not that I'm talking about Hans Zimmer or his style or work method, but were not for his soundtrack, I honestly doubted works like Sherlock Holmes or Inception would play out quite well. Music, for me, isn't only meant to blend in the world you want to show (Which basically is a traditional V for Vendetta playout), which mostly should be building innards and cityscapes, but also participate somewhat on the matter.

A good example I can show you, Legion, is the attachment of this soundtrack made for Southern Rising, that Red Alert 3 mod of mine, yet one that never made it to the mod because I abandoned it. The composer, Gareth Coker, one of the few rising starts in music industry I had the privilege of knowing, made a decent work here, despite I wanted a rock style. Still, it was one fit, and one which transmitted something.

This track, which I named 'A Flower of Steam and Steel', spoke about the SLIM (Singapore Liberation Militia), one of the two new factions I'd introduce in this mod (The other being the more cliché sci-fi directed brazilian Forth). The SLIM were the usual steampunk faction with a vietnamese/asian twist, utilizing outdated tanks, helicopters, weaponry and even machines like spiders, gundams and turtles all made from old equipment, rusty iron and an insane creativity the stereotypical asians (besides japanese) would have - the very rifle for the basic SLIM soldier is a cross between an AK-47 and a crossbow.

The track contains emotion and even tells a story. A story of beginning, the battle, the victory outcome and what would come after, the next threat looming on the horizon. It speaks of the SLIM and the people within it, the oppressed masses and the fallen, patriotic Singapore generals who only want their land free from the clutches of the Empire of the Rising Sun, protected from the Forth invaders, and away from the preying eyes of Allies and Soviets. It speaks of the drama and hope of this low-life, yet determined people.

In other words, this is how soundtracks for me should feel. Delivering an emotion and a story, speaking through instruments instead of words. Not only entering the world, but also participating in it, delivering immersion. This is the kind of soundtrack players will want to play through as that faction and even stick around the menus all time long for the sake of it.

Still, you made quite a start on this area, Legion. The tracks are fairly decent on their own.

[Legion]

While I do thank you for your contribution, I'm likely not going to take away much from what you said.

As I said before, I work with samples. I change notes here and there, I "play" some notes that I feel should be there, sure, but I've hardly been 'composing'. I know what I'm looking for and these tracks actually suit my needs. If I wanted to incorporate messages and emotions in this music, I'd be spending unreasonably much time on this project's score alone.

Players won't miss the tracks, like you said. They'll notice they're different from Starcraft's own. They'll find the tracks to be accompanying the campaign's story and action and that's that.

[IskatuMesk]

I guess what I'm trying to make clear is that hopefully the music will sound like one long track.

I think this is what you are achieving. They do sound like they were meant for each other. This is good, and a difficult thing for many projects to get right.

[Church]

Good music, Legion! The first track is my favourite.

Any screenshots or anything for us?

[Legion]

A full production update is coming up this week, but in the meantime, I figured I'd just show you a very uninformative screenshot.

http://img.imgcake.com/legioncake/shot1jpgun.jpg

Note Lily Weathers' nonexistant portrait? That's 'cause she still has Raynor's face but she's a girl! I haven't modded yet.

[Falchion]

A full production update is coming up this week, but in the meantime, I figured I'd just show you a very uninformative screenshot.
http://www.imgcake.com/my.php?img=legio ... 1jpgun.jpg

Note Lily Weathers' nonexistant portrait? That's 'cause she still has Raynor's face but she's a girl! I haven't modded yet.

Let's welcome her, then, the first She-Male character in campaign history!

(Yes, that was a joke. Sue me.)

[Legion]

I have been working diligently on the first map - a commando-style mission. The map itself has gone through several rehashes (you should see my starcraft\maps folder, it's a mess) but I have a feeling I'm getting there. I'll post some screenshots Sunday when I'm back home.

So far, the player's been introduced to some of the heroes and the two opposing factions, the Freedom Militia and the Covenant of Novac (CON). More on those later, too.

Have a nice weekend!

[Legion]

Update February 1st: Three production shots of the first map. Big update's taking longer, because of a massive rehaul of first maps.

[IskatuMesk]

I have to say those "reflective" tiles look extremely out of place when the regular floor files cut off their reflections.

[Legion]

I know, but hey- I didn't do that. It's Starcraft.

[Falchion]

I know, but hey- I didn't do that. It's Starcraft.

Better yet: It's the interns who worked in '98.

[Eredalis]

I have to say those "reflective" tiles look extremely out of place when the regular floor files cut off their reflections.

No, wait, that's much simpler as you think! Those reflective tiles are just made of minerals, while all the others are made of concrete and steel. You also can see in that tileset those green tanks in the walls, which simply filled with Vespene Gas. If you look close enough, you'll find logical explanations for everything in StarCraft.

[Evilhog]

As for me, I don't see anything wrong with those tiles.

[HelpMe]

Reflective tiles are the cancer that's killing SC.

... Not really. I don't mind those, myself. Looks kinda cool if you ask me.

As for the terrain itself, I know it's a work in progress but you do intend to correct those walls, right? It looks very random as it is. I'm one of those people who prefer to use the same tile for each wall piece, looks better IMO.

[IskatuMesk]

I know, but hey- I didn't do that. It's Starcraft.

I know. But I never really used installation terrain in anything I did, so it was the first thing that stood out to me when I looked at them. I thought - "Hey, what is wrong here? Oh! That's why they look so strange!"

I don't know how it took, what, 12-13 years for me to notice that...