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Jukebox Heroes: Talking with The Repopulation's Steven Coltart
Massively: Even in the far distant future on alien worlds, we'll still need music. This is why it's great that Composer Steven Coltart is providing The Repopulation with an original soundtrack, because otherwise the silence would be too much to bear. So Steven, can you tell us a little about yourself? Steven Coltart: I'm a full-time professional composer based in the UK and was commissioned to be lead composer on The Repopulation in 2013. Previous projects include Outer Empires, the first MMO of its kind created for iOS, which went on to sell over 200,000 copies and boasted the largest ever network of players online at that time. 2014 has seen me complete the soundtrack for a soon to be announced iOS game, and I'm currently putting the finishing touches to US-based sci-fi film Downward. I've worked incredibly hard to get to this point, but I'm lucky to have what I consider the best job in the world. Writing music for a living and getting to work with talented developers and producers, it doesn't get much better for me!
Jukebox Heroes: Hearthstone's soundtrack
A new Blizzard game is a reason for soundtrack lovers everywhere to celebrate because if there's one thing this studio does well (other than take goofy races very seriously), it's creating incredible scores for its games. Even though Hearthstone is a smaller title with a smaller score, I welcomed it nevertheless. Composers Peter McConnell, Jason Hayes, and Eric Dodds clearly had a lot of fun creating the whimsical, relaxing score for this game, and I must say that the music is perfectly ideal for the material. It hearkens back to the many tavern themes from World of Warcraft without being a complete copycat. You can actually download the entire soundtrack for free on the Hearthstone official site, but before you do that, why not listen to my favorite picks from the score?
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl soundtracks get hitched to iTunes
Diamonds and pearls may be beautiful, but they're also expensive. Unless we're talking about the Pokemon Diamond/Pearl soundtracks, which are now available on iTunes for $9.99. This 149-track compilation includes such memorable tunes as "Opening Movie" and "Obtained a TM!" And who could forget that heartwarming poke-classic, "Trainers' Eyes Meet (Lass)"? The release of the Pokemon Diamond/Pearl soundtracks just leaves Pokemon Black/White and Pokemon Black 2/White 2 to go. The Pokemon Super Music Collection has been steadily releasing since November, with soundtracks for Pokemon X/Y, Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen, Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver and Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire already lurking in the tall grass iTunes store. At this rate, it'll be interesting to see who can get through the entire series first: the Pokemon Super Music Collection or Twitch Plays Pokemon. [Image: The Pokemon Company]
Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #10-1
We're finally here: my top 10 MMO theme tracks. I anticipate that out of all of the weeks, this will be the most controversial, since not only am I proclaiming the 10 best, but you'll realize which of your favorite games I've left out of the top 40 entirely. A final reminder as to my self-imposed rules for this list: I limited myself to just one theme from a particular title, even if there were multiple themes in a game. Entries had to be a main theme or the closest equivalent of that; they had to be from MMOs, not from MOBAs; and I had to divorce my weighting of the track itself from the popularity of and my experience with that game. So there were no points added or subtracted based on my love of the game. I'm counting down the best music, period. If you missed earlier parts of this series, check out themes #40-31, #30-21, and #20-11. Otherwise, hit that continue button and get listening already!
Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #20-11
We're growing ever closer to my top picks for MMO theme songs, but we're not quite at the end yet. This week we are on to the third part of our Top 40 MMO main themes countdown. To repeat my self-imposed rules for this list: I limited myself to just one theme from a particular title, even if there were multiple themes in a game. Entries had to be a main theme or the closest equivalent of that; they had to be from MMOs, not from MOBAs; and I had to divorce my weighting of the track itself from the popularity of and my experience with that game. So there were no points added or subtracted based on my love of the game. I'm counting down the best music, period. If you missed earlier parts of this series, check out themes #40-31 and #30-21. Otherwise, hit that continue button and get listening already!
Composer Jeremy Soule reiterates EverQuest Next exclusivity [Updated]
Composer Jeremy Soule won't be going back to Tyria, as he reminded fans today that he has signed a contract to exclusively create MMO music for EverQuest Next and EverQuest Next Landmark. On his Facebook page, Soule responded to a fan's query about his future projects: "No, I won't be returning to Guild Wars. EverQuest has an exclusive with me for the future projects that involve MMOs. [Guild Wars] was a good experience over many years. As with all good things, it had to come to an end." Soule was the main composer for Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. He has also contributed to The Elder Scrolls Online main theme but will not be doing any other music for that title. [Thanks to Bogotter for the tip!] [Update 3/12/2014: Soule's agent has contacted us to clarify that his exclusivity to the EverQuest games is lime-limited and is unrelated to his abbreviated work on ESO. We may yet see him return to the Elder Scrolls franchise in the future!]
The Daily Grind: Which MMO has the best soundtrack?
As the resident MMO music nut here at Massively (but not the only one, oh no), I spend probably more time than is healthy listening through soundtracks and hunting down pieces of music that ears have not heard in years. I've got my favorites: The Guild Wars and World of Warcraft albums are a no-brainer, but I'm equally partial to Runes of Magic and Lineage II as well. If I have to pick a "best" out of the lot, my brain shuts down, I panic, and I grab the first Hello Kitty Online folder I see. So I'll leave it up to you all: Which MMO has the best soundtrack? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #30-21
We're back with our second part of our Top 40 MMO main themes countdown, this time digging into the middle of the pack. To repeat my self-imposed rules for this list: I limited myself to just one theme from a particular title, even if there were multiple themes in a game. Entries had to be a main theme or the closest equivalent of that; they had to be from MMOs, not from MOBAs; and I had to divorce my weighting of the track itself from the popularity of and my experience with that game. So there were no points added or subtracted based on my love of the game; I'm counting down the best music, period. If you missed the first part, check out themes #40-31. Otherwise, hit that continue button and get listening already!
The Daily Grind: Have you created any pro-quality MMO fan content?
I spent part of the weekend listening to Star Citizen's blowaway-badass unofficial soundtrack. It's unofficial because award-winning composer Pedro Camacho has been tapped to score Cloud Imperium's space sim sandbox opus for realz. Fortunately, though, that hasn't stopped an enterprising group of musicians from creating their own pro-quality digital album and releasing it for free on the SC forums. What about you, Massively readers? Have you created any noteworthy fan content for your favorite game? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Get down with free World of Tanks and World of Warplanes soundtracks
Music sets the mood, and now you can get in a World of Tanks or World of Warplanes mood wherever and whenever you want. Wargaming.net has released the original soundtrack for both games, and fans can download a free copy for their favorite devices from the official sites, Google Music, or the iTunes store. To grab yours and start jamming out, visit one of the following links: For WoT: North American official site European official site Google Music iTunes store For WoWP: North American official site European official site Google Music iTunes store [Source: Wargaming press release]
Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #40-31
MMO main themes hold the potential to be some of the most powerful and magical pieces of music, partly because we associate them with particular games more than anything else. A great theme will dredge up intense memories or euphoria by the third note, and I see composers putting in their all with many of these themes. A long time ago I did an MMO theme countdown of 20 tracks, but since then I've heard a lot more and have wanted to do the list all over again. So this week in Jukebox Heroes, we're kicking off a countdown of the top 40 MMO themes -- in my opinion, of course. I listened to over 150 themes and spent hours ranking them to create this list. Because these choices are bound to be a little controversial and stir up debate (which is encouraged!), I set down a few rules that I wanted to share here. I limited myself to just one theme from a particular title, even if there were multiple themes in a game. Entries had to be a main theme or the closest equivalent of that; they had to be from MMOs, not from MOBAs; and I had to divorce my weighting of the track itself from the popularity of and my experience with that game. So no points added or subtracted based on the love of the game; I'm counting down the best music, period. Let's see what numbers 40 through 31 have in store for us!
Killer Instinct soundtrack coming in March, composer reveals
Following in the bloody, contused footprints of its predecessors, the recent Killer Instinct reboot will be receiving its own soundtrack album, yet again dubbed Killer Cuts, this March. Composer Mick Gordon broke the news during a recent Killer Instinct stream hosted by YouTube personality Maximilian. "Killer Cuts: around the end of March dudes!" Gordon wrote, adding "You heard it here first!" Killer Instinct fans then sought out Gordon on Twitter to ask for confirmation of his earlier claims which Gordon met with a simple, "yes." Later Gordon issued a tweet asking fans for suggestions on what tunes to include on this latest edition of Killer Cuts. Gordon has offered no further details on the soundtrack album, leaving fans to wonder about its price and how the music will be released. The original Killer Instinct and its sequel saw their Killer Cuts pressed to standard audio CDs, but that was before .mp3s and digital distribution made physical media a moribund concept. Update: Microsoft has contacted us to offer an official comment: "The soundtrack for Killer Instinct is something that we would love to bring to our fans. While we are not confirming when this would be available at this time, we can say that it is something we want to offer in the future. Stay tuned for more news and more Fulgore." [Image: Microsoft]
Report: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon soundtrack LP for Record Store Day
Heading out to your local music shop on April 19 for Record Store Day to get some fresh, block rockin' beats? Keep in mind that the soundtrack to last year's radically insane Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon might be among your options of choice jams to throw down during your next spin session. Or ... you know, available as a LP for you to casually enjoy around your house. Wax Poetic's collective list of rumored RSD inventory states that Invada Records will be distributing the soundtrack during the annual event. A tweet from Invada's UK Twitter account earlier today states that it will announce details of its RSD releases in the coming week through its newsletter and social channels. [Thanks, Shawn!] [Image: Ubisoft/Wikipedia Commons]
Jukebox Heroes: Allods Online's soundtrack
I'm particularly excited about this week's journey through MMO music because we're going to touch on one of those scores that doesn't get nearly enough of the respect it should. Like Runes of Magic's excellent OST, Allods Online's music is largely overlooked because the game itself isn't treated as a "serious" or "original" title. But one shouldn't be so quick to throw out the soundtrack with the bathwater (that is both messy and noisy!); Allods Online has several top-notch tracks that should be recognized no matter what you may think of the game. Composers Mark Morgan (Fallout, Planescape: Torment) and Vladislav Isaev (Prime World) collaborated on the large project. "The music in Allods Online combines lots of different elements and styles," they said in a 2009 interview. "These range from dark ambient and ethnic music, symphonies and rock music, as well as various industrial noises. Some tracks in the game retain a Russian melody spirit combined with high a quality production and its own unique sound." I think it's the Russian flair that sets this apart from being yet another fantasy soundtrack. Anything different and yet still catchy is welcome at my dinner table. Let's partake, shall we?
Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire music collection now on iTunes
Need help reminiscing over your time in Pokemon Ruby /Sapphire's Hoenn region? If your old cartridge is lost or in storage, you could always turn to Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire: Super Music Collection. The 109-track collection can't be hunted in tangled grass or gloomy caves, but it can be captured on iTunes with $9.99! Uh ... just pretend it's the Safari Zone, and you're throwing loose change instead of rocks. If you're keeping track, Super Music Collections for Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen, Pokemon X/Y and Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver were released over the past several months. This leaves soundtracks for Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, Pokemon Black/White and Pokemon Black2/White2 off iTunes, all of which are noted as upcoming releases in the Ruby/Sapphire press release. Of course, with Nintendo planning to add GBA games to the Wii U Virtual Console in April and DS games in the works, you could always wait to see if every main Pokemon entry shows up there instead. Other than the 3DS' Pokemon X/Y, of course. [Image: The Pokemon Company]
Capcom has 'no plans' to take action against fraudulent composer
Capcom does not plan to take action regarding composer Mamoru Samuragochi's recent admission that he outsourced his credited Onimusha and Resident Evil: Director's Cut soundtracks to a third party, the company confirmed in a statement to Eurogamer this week. "We at Capcom were truly surprised by Samuragochi's recent admission," a Capcom spokesperson told Eurogamer. "However, as both soundtracks involved are no longer in circulation, we have no plans to take action of any kind." Samuragochi admitted to hiring a ghost composer to create the majority of his credited work over the past two decades, citing a degenerative condition affecting his hearing. The admitted ghost composer, Takashi Niigaki, later claimed that Samuragochi lied about his hearing loss, alleging that the composer "cannot even write musical scores." Samuragochi addressed Niigaki's allegations earlier this week, claiming that his hearing partially returned within the past few years. "In recent years I have started to be able to hear a little bit more than before... since about three years ago I can hear words if people speak clearly and slowly into my ears," Samuragochi said in a written statement. "It is true that I received a certificate proving I had a hearing disorder and that I couldn't hear anything up until three years ago." [Image: AFP]
Jukebox Heroes: Elf music
As probably many of you know, I am no fan of the Elven menace. I won't rehash the reasons n this space, but I mention that because I do try to be a fair man. When I'm not trying to eradicate any pointy-eared immortal know-it-all tree-hugger in sight, I have been known to appreciate the Elves' musical culture. That doesn't make me a hypocrite. It just gives me slight pause before ganking the next Drizzt or Legolas. For whatever reason, Elves bring out the magic and talent in MMO composition. Elven themes are quite often among the best that a particular OST has to offer, particularly if you like airy, magical, ethereal tracks that are big on imagination and almost devoid of percussion. I've been noting the trend of excellent Elf music for years and figured I might as well devote a week to it here before going back to my Elf-bashing ways.
Jukebox Heroes: Free Realms' soundtrack
There's something about the announcement of a game's closure that draws tons of interest to that MMO, the type of interest that it frankly needed long before now, not a few minutes too late. Even so, I had Free Realms on my to do list for a while now and figured that spending an hour with its score was something that needed to be done. Free Realms had had a lot of fingers in its musical pie, including those belonging to Tracy W. Bush, Atli Örvarsson, David Raiklen, and Aaron Kaplan. As a score, it's very reminiscent of The Sims franchise's soundtracks: whimsical, childlike, and quite light on pounding percussion. The many minigames and themed zones probably demanded a good variety of motifs to be developed. It's a very good score overall although not as wide on variety as I would typically like. Let's give this game the musical send-off it deserves!
Jukebox Heroes: It's time to turn the music back on
We're going to take a week off from our tour of various MMO soundtracks to talk about one of the most common statements I hear when the discussion of in-game music comes up. Here it is: "Oh, I turned the music off a long time ago." It's downright hard to get into any good discussion about music when, y'know, people don't listen to it at all, but I can understand why folks have done this. Heck, I've done this at various points. For me, sometimes the music is far too repetitive when I'm in a zone for a really long time, so I have to turn it off to avoid going mad. Other times I disable the sound because I'm working on other sound-related projects (such as podcasts and listening through other OSTs) while I play. But even though it seems that a lot of us shut off the music, I want to make a case for why it's important that we turn the music back on -- if not all of the time, at least once in a while.
Classic game themes get classier in string quartet album The String Arcade
Composer Dren McDonald pays tribute to Galaga, The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog and other fondly remembered classics in The String Arcade, an upcoming album featuring a selection of game music newly arranged for string quartet. Funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign, The String Arcade features 15 original arrangements of classic gaming themes performed by Bay Area musicians and the Boston-based Videri String Quartet. Featured games include Altered Beast, Ecco the Dolphin, Monkey Island 2, FTL: Faster Than Light, and Minecraft. A preview track plucked from PopCap's Plants vs. Zombies is available for download and streaming here. The String Arcade is due for release on February 11. The digital album can be pre-ordered via iTunes for $7.99, and a limited-edition CD featuring two bonus tracks is available for $9.99. [Photo credit: Lorrie Murray]
