Sprites and Midi (Update)

MoodyBlues · Fri 18/06/2004 09:57:22

Fear the randomness of a game in progress without a name!

This is a NPC, tentatively called Azula for now.Ã,Â She's a smart but sarcastic young creature who helps out the main character, Genesis D'Loryan (I'm not done with her yet).Ã,Â And yes, her limbs are nonexistant.
http://www.freewebs.com/luvrayman/AzulaA.PNG
http://www.freewebs.com/luvrayman/AzulaB.PNG

And here's her talky-thingy (such a technical term!).
http://www.freewebs.com/luvrayman/AzulaTalkA.PNG
http://www.freewebs.com/luvrayman/AzulaTalkB.PNG

And here's some practice music that may or may not be used in a game:

A theme for a village or a pastoral, peaceful scene.Ã,Â
http://www.freewebs.com/luvrayman/Villa.mid

An ending theme, perhaps?
http://www.freewebs.com/luvrayman/OneMoreTime.mid

I'm very much a beginner at composing music of any kind, so please let me know what I could do to improve in my music as well as my sprites.

ScottDoom · Fri 18/06/2004 10:25:25

The sprites are really nice. I also like that "peaceful" MIDI. I don't like the sound of the "ending teme" MIDI though. The volume jump is a little strange, and it doesn't seem to fit the style of the first MIDI...

Chicky · Fri 18/06/2004 13:48:46

lovely sprites, any influence from rayman?

Migs · Fri 18/06/2004 14:11:01

Are you really a beginner? You're quite good. The village/peaceful tune is very nice. It loops well, although I would probably add a little more variation within the piece. The ending theme doesn't seem to have any direction, though, and it doesn't really stand out for me. It could use a little extra work, in my opinion.

pixelcat · Fri 18/06/2004 19:07:10

I really like the sprites, they have a lot of detail... reminds me of something from a SNES RPG. Only problem I see is the perspective of her left wing seems off... looks like it's turned toward the screen. Great work.

MoodyBlues · Fri 18/06/2004 20:53:25

Quote from: OSC on Fri 18/06/2004 13:48:46
lovely sprites, any influence from rayman?

Yes, actually

Quote from: Migs on Fri 18/06/2004 14:11:01
Are you really a beginner? You're quite good. The village/peaceful tune is very nice. It loops well, although I would probably add a little more variation within the piece. The ending theme doesn't seem to have any direction, though, and it doesn't really stand out for me. It could use a little extra work, in my opinion.

Actually, I tinkered around with Cakewalk a long time ago, but I never composed anything spectacular. I think you're right about the ending theme; I might try something else.

Quote from: ScottDoom on Fri 18/06/2004 10:25:25
The sprites are really nice. I also like that "peaceful" MIDI. I don't like the sound of the "ending teme" MIDI though. The volume jump is a little strange, and it doesn't seem to fit the style of the first MIDI...

*nod, nod*

Thanks for all your help! I'll see what I can change.

Sluggo · Sat 19/06/2004 06:14:26

The first midi is pretty. One thing that kinda bugged me was that you have the oboe playing notes that don't exist in its range. You could bring it up an octave or just have an english horn play that part instead. FYI: the oboe goes down to the Bb right under middle c, and the english horn to the Eb under middle c. Also you don't have to change this, but I think the guitar part would be much prettier on a harp instead.

The second midi I like too actually. Perhaps there isnt enough contrast to make it interesting enough to listen to by itself, but I think it's fine as background music. Also, maybe you should choose a different sound than the organ. Your voicings are fine, but with that sound it makes all the low notes sound really muddy and it's kind of annoying. I actually played around with it a little bit and it would sound really good arranged for a string orchestra.

edit: Oops I forgot, about the first one, when the second phrase starts (well, when the flute goes back to the original phrase, when the oboe and bass come in) don't have all the instruments come in at once. You had just the flute and guitar and then all of a sudden a couple instruments come in at once. Try to sneak them in. Have a small oboe/EH solo section right before that or something and then combine them in that phrase. And you could have the bass come in half way thru the flute solo, or sneak it in somewhere in there. It just sounds kind of amateurish to layer it the way you have.

MoodyBlues · Tue 22/06/2004 04:25:13

Wow, Sluggo. Thank you so much for your helpful advice!

Are you a music major, by any chance?

http://www.freewebs.com/luvrayman/Villa2.mid
Here's "Villa" again, with quite a few alterations:
1. I changed the flute to an ocarina because I realized flutes can't play that low.
2. I changed the oboe to an English horn for the same reason.
3. I changed the guitar to a harp and the bass guitar to a cello, which seemed to fit the song better.
3. I gave the English horn a little solo before everything else came in.

Aaaaand... that's it! Y'all let me know what you like and what you think I should change.

Sluggo · Tue 22/06/2004 05:42:23

I will actually be a music major this fall

Plus oboe is my principle instrument. About this new midi, it's gorgeous! but the cello can only go down to the c two octaves below middle c. Either bring it up an octave or give that part to a contrabass. And the ocarina is interesting, but it gets covered up in the last section. There exists an alto flute (range to g below middle c) and a bass flute (octave below middle c) also, so I think it'd be ok to leave that part as a flute.

Perhaps you could find an instrument range chart online, I've found one before but I don't remember where, since most of the problems seem to be with that. Or you could just leave it the way it is since it is a midi, I don't think many people will be able to tell. Excellent work!