Campaign Creations

Hey! What's your favourite music? This is the mine:

Well these three are mine (Queens (2) and Aerosmith (1))


(I also love the Red Wings)

I have an affinity for many Japanese bands, although I rarely skip over a song on my Zune when its by Beat Crusaders.  They are basically a Japanese band that does all their songs in English.  It's just a thing over there where the english language holds some sort of 'romanticism' to it, so singing in a language not everyone can speak is acceptable.  Anyways, most of their songs are great.



My favorite has to be Sambomaster though.  I really wish they had more songs, just just cause they all have their own unique flare.  The sound quality on YouTube is pretty weak though.  This was the best I could find of a particular song I like:



Also fond of Aqua Timez and Ali Project.  These 4 bands I rarely skip on my mp3 player.  I have several J-Pop and J-Rock albums, dozens of artists, but none can hold a candle to the song quality in each and every album these 4 produce.  I turn to Ali Project when I need help formulating new ideas for my SC2 campaign, puts me in a really creative mood.  Its kind of orchestral mixed with synth I suppose. Here is one from Ali Project: 

Too much favourites, too much time to insert a youtube link for each.

Ali Project is one of them though and Desler has just linked a really nice song from them.

I thought this was "favorite music" not "favorite YouTube video with my favorite music.

Good music should always be advertised.

Revan wrote: Good music should always be advertised.

why is everybody posting all that other music instead then

@Desler: ROFL. I don't know anything about Jpop but I've actually heard of Beat Crusaders, Sambomaster, and Aqua Timez because they did songs for Naruto and Bleach. Thus, I love the songs Tonight, Seishun Kyousoukyoku, and ALONES, but I don't really even know any other songs by any of them. The only Japanese band I've heard (and liked) multiple songs by is Asian Kung-Fu Generation, and that's only because they did songs for Naruto, Bleach, and Fullmetal Alchemist. CONCLUSION: LERL

Needs more aggrotech and powermetal imo

Desler wrote:I turn to Ali Project when I need help formulating new ideas for my SC2 campaign, puts me in a really creative mood.

Heh, what is it about Ali Project and inspiring your creative spirit?  I've been throwing around ideas for a SC2 campaign myself (it probably won't go anywhere ever, but...), and whenever one of their songs shows itself, I seem to come up with a neat development.

Nice to hear I'm not the only one who listens primarily to Japanese bands, though.  Other than that, I have a lot of songs from anime and video games (and of course, mostly the japanese ones).




Anyway, along with some of the ones Desler named, bands I like are Bump of Chicken (above video), Orange Range, and HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR, to name a few.  Most of them have done anime... as it seems all popular bands over there are destined to.

And thanks partly to my infatuation with Death Note, I've recently gotten a little into Nightmare and Maximum the Hormone.  The latter isn't generally the kind of music I like listening to, but for some reason they've intrigued me.



Hmm.

Milldawg wrote: @Desler: ROFL. I don't know anything about Jpop but I've actually heard of Beat Crusaders, Sambomaster, and Aqua Timez because they did songs for Naruto and Bleach. Thus, I love the songs Tonight, Seishun Kyousoukyoku, and ALONES, but I don't really even know any other songs by any of them. The only Japanese band I've heard (and liked) multiple songs by is Asian Kung-Fu Generation, and that's only because they did songs for Naruto, Bleach, and Fullmetal Alchemist. CONCLUSION: LERL

It's hard to find a popular band that doesn't have its hand into one anime or another.  Ali Project does as well, several I think, though I don't keep track.  I know they have the ending song for the first half of the first season of Code Geass.

Aekenon wrote: Heh, what is it about Ali Project and inspiring your creative spirit?  I've been throwing around ideas for a SC2 campaign myself (it probably won't go anywhere ever, but...), and whenever one of their songs shows itself, I seem to come up with a neat development.

Nice to hear I'm not the only one who listens primarily to Japanese bands, though.  Other than that, I have a lot of songs from anime and video games (and of course, mostly the japanese ones).

Anyway, along with some of the ones Desler named, bands I like are Bump of Chicken (above video), Orange Range, and HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR, to name a few.  Most of them have done anime... as it seems all popular bands over there are destined to.

And thanks partly to my infatuation with Death Note, I've recently gotten a little into Nightmare and Maximum the Hormone.  The latter isn't generally the kind of music I like listening to, but for some reason they've intrigued me.

Hmm.

Ali Project gets your mind flowing creatively by remembering  your past experiences.  Since orchestral songs are almost always associated in your mind with scenes from a movie, a game, or television, it helps you to think along those lines to create your own scenarios.  You can begin creatively to see some character you thought up in a similar situation, and thats how the idea grows in your head.  If a song inspires an action scene, you can see something you create doing the same thing.  You can see this way of thinking in all of my campaigns.  One specific example is when The Fenix is defending Earth and the 'Independance Day' theme music comes on.  That scene was inspired in my head probably before I even began working on the first map.  You can then take that 'clay' - or scenario - that your mind has created and shape it to fit your style.  Thats pretty much the way I do it anyways.  In fact, I'd say it was my biggest downfall creatively in all my works, because I used to never think about the story much, just the individual scenarios.  So all my campaigns were pretty much about skipping from one scenario to the next without purpose, just to get to the next 'cool scene'.  Its something that I've noticed as a fault.  It's one of the reasons I hate my old work so much - it lacks direction and a true story.  Its more of a compilation of inspirations than it is a true original work.  Fortunately I now use music as a tool to assist me, instead of a means to an end.  Music can inspire the creation of characters too in much the same way.

Maximum the Hormone are great, although I don't get as much from their music as I do other artists.  I've only been able to find one album by Nightmare, though its alright.  I just recently started listening to Rouage, who has a style very similar to Nightmare.  Orange Range is very hit and miss with me.  Some of there songs are kick ass but others just beg me to skip to the next track.  That seems to be how most of the artists are though.  Like I -really- like some of the songs by Glay, but I can't listen to their entire album just cause some of their songs just don't seem to carry me.  I also used to listen to Asian Kung Fu Generation a lot, but they were probably one of the first J-bands that I listened to, so I pretty much just got worn out on em.

Desler wrote:Ali Project gets your mind flowing creatively by remembering  your past experiences.  Since orchestral songs are almost always associated in your mind with scenes from a movie, a game, or television, it helps you to think along those lines to create your own scenarios.  You can begin creatively to see some character you thought up in a similar situation, and thats how the idea grows in your head.  If a song inspires an action scene, you can see something you create doing the same thing.  You can see this way of thinking in all of my campaigns.  One specific example is when The Fenix is defending Earth and the 'Independance Day' theme music comes on.  That scene was inspired in my head probably before I even began working on the first map.  You can then take that 'clay' - or scenario - that your mind has created and shape it to fit your style.  Thats pretty much the way I do it anyways.  In fact, I'd say it was my biggest downfall creatively in all my works, because I used to never think about the story much, just the individual scenarios.  So all my campaigns were pretty much about skipping from one scenario to the next without purpose, just to get to the next 'cool scene'.  Its something that I've noticed as a fault.  It's one of the reasons I hate my old work so much - it lacks direction and a true story.  Its more of a compilation of inspirations than it is a true original work.  Fortunately I now use music as a tool to assist me, instead of a means to an end.  Music can inspire the creation of characters too in much the same way.

Heh, thanks for responding with such wisdom, it's fun to hear peoples' insights about the storytelling business.  And that was actually rather helpful... as that's a vital point to pay attention to.

It's not that the 'cool scenes' aren't important, but yeah, for a writer they can pretty dangerous if you get too wrapped up in them.  Suddenly parts of your project become 'filler' between one important moment and the next, when really everything should be important.

And, uhm... I could probably ramble on from here, but I don't have any particularly good insights myself.  So I won't.

Maximum the Hormone are great, although I don't get as much from their music as I do other artists.  I've only been able to find one album by Nightmare, though its alright.  I just recently started listening to Rouage, who has a style very similar to Nightmare.  Orange Range is very hit and miss with me.  Some of there songs are kick ass but others just beg me to skip to the next track.  That seems to be how most of the artists are though.  Like I -really- like some of the songs by Glay, but I can't listen to their entire album just cause some of their songs just don't seem to carry me.  I also used to listen to Asian Kung Fu Generation a lot, but they were probably one of the first J-bands that I listened to, so I pretty much just got worn out on em.

I'm an odd one.  Music never seems to get old on me.  So I still listen to Asian Kung Fu Generation.  It's not my favorite band, but it never disappoints!  I've heard about Rouage, but sadly I haven't heard any of their music yet.  If their style is similar to Nightmare (or at least... Nightmare's better tracks, like Alumina), though, I should definitely give them a listen.  Glay I have heard, though, and I'll have to agree with you about them.

You heard much Akeboshi or Takacha?  I like the calm style of Akeboshi, and the instruments chosen in most tracks.  And Takacha is just good fun.  Not especially amazing, but still fun to listen to.

Aekenon wrote: You heard much Akeboshi or Takacha?  I like the calm style of Akeboshi, and the instruments chosen in most tracks.  And Takacha is just good fun.  Not especially amazing, but still fun to listen to.

I'm aware of Akeboshi, like a couple of that songs.  I could even sing to a couple of them, mostly this one:



I have to look up the lyrics on the Japanese songs though, otherwise I just mumble something close since my Japanese is just one step ahead of non-existent.  "One step behind the door..."  It's a bit repetitive but it has a good sound.  Just the lyrics themselves are creatively inspiring.  Sort of a 'folk' song group, but not really.  Just easy listening, unique.  I really should give them more a chance.

I'm sure you could sing along to Wind :p

"Cultivate your hunger before you all realize, motivate your anger, before you...."  something something...  Yeah.  I suppose.  It's a good song, never really thought about singing along though.