Audio Channel Fading

[Exaskryz]

https://twitter.com/PlaytonicGames/stat ... 6037571584

Streamable mirror, because why not? https://streamable.com/1z32

Sounds really nice. Like, so nice, it'd be nice to play this game sometime. Wouldn't you agree?

[Octopeart]

Have they given any update on the orchestration? Either way, this sounds great!

[Scrubber]

I can't hear the underwater music over the swimming sounds.

[Rueckkoppler]

While it sounds great as it's own piece, I find the slower and way spherical sounding arrangement of the Jungle theme a bit too different from the original version. Maybe it's just my blinding nostalgia and I'll like this eventually, but I'm very used to having mostly only the instruments changed while the melody sounds similar in speed and rhythm.

Especially considering the Jungle theme, I'd love to have the notes simply played in by a piano, keeping the same rhythm... it would sound so jolly!

Here's a version by another forum member that I prefer in its core idea: https://youtu.be/D2bh79A_HQo

[Meinhard1]

Interesting. I went back to check out the Banjo channel fades and there is a charm to how they keep the same tempo.

However my reaction to this channel fade clip has been extremely positive ... it's just *very interesting* to listen to, seems to fit the feeling of whats on screen really well

...there is certainly a balance! I found David Wise's use of underwater channel fades in DKC: Tropical Freeze to be less memorable than Grants BK/DK64 stuff. The pieces sounded too different -- he'd often change the melody to include bits of Aquatic Ambiance.

I think the fun of channel fades is:
a) how the different versions sort of embellish one another; how as the song changes mood/color, it brings a new appreciation to the original melody and just makes you love the soundtrack goddamn more!
b) the relative subtlety of hearing these different versions, tailored dynamically to the environment as you explore. Creates a different, sometimes deeper sort of immersion than if entirely different songs were used.

Overall: to me what is in the clip strikes that balance while being admittedly more distinctive than those in BK. (I do like the fan version in that link.)

EDIT: Is this a newer build of the game than any we have thus seen?!

[Taylor]

Sounds amazing.

I understand what some of you are saying about wanting the tempo to stay the same -- the underwater variant is definitely slower and calmer -- but I actually think this approach works perfectly.

The entire atmosphere changes. Everything seems serene and peaceful; a small pause from the upbeat craziness just above the surface. A welcome change of pace to add variety.

[Rasmusic]

[Rueckkoppler]

[GeneralWalnut]

[Taylor]

[dotEXE]

That's actually some pretty impressive technology if they're adjusting the tempo on the fly and keeping all the various audio tracks still in sync. So many neat things in this game that I'd love to just see a snapshot of the code for.

[Rueckkoppler]

Nah, I believe that the tempo is indeed the same across both versions, but they play fewer notes (and hold them longer) in the underwater variation. But since the tempo's the same, they're all in sync. I (or even better, Rasmusic) should overlap both versions some time to show how they sync up

BTW, I think a raw excerpt of this (and some other) variation got released by IGN some time ago. That was a single track with like 3 channel fades.

[Rasmusic]

[Meinhard1]

[Rasmusic]

[Rueckkoppler]

[Rasmusic]

[Meinhard1]

[Rasmusic]

[Taylor]

Watching him play and get almost everything wrong was painful. I guess a lot of platforming elements I understand and take for granted are not as intuitive as I thought?