Telltale Games

pilouuuu · 08/05/2009, 12:31 am

Being a big fan of Michael Land's music I must say I was pretty unimpresseb by the music of TOMI Ep. 1.

Replaying it again I configures my sound with higher volume for music and I must say it is rather lovely. The interactive music in Flotsam downtown is pretty impressive and reminds of MI 2 which I consider having the best soundtrack of any video game ever. Probably that's the reason it is MIDI quality and not the fact that the game is also in Wii as most think.

The thing is I don't want to lose interactivity in future episodes. Maybe Mr. Land could add some real instruments as background, like some contant percution, so it would have better bass and still have interactivity.

Or maybe adding a few songs with just live instruments with little or no interactivity. And also more variety. All songs in Ep. 1 felt a bit too subtle, in the search of a better word to describe it.

Michael Land's music has always been a trademark of Monkey Island and I'm sure he has a few ideas for future episodes. It's great to hear new MI compositions after so many years!

Fury · 08/05/2009, 12:34 am

I thought the music was really good in TOMI, and I'm sure most people agree. There were a lot of remixes and songs that sounded very similar to earlier games in the series music, and I'm pretty sure this was intentional from a design standpoint.

I've been playing Sam and Max seasons 1 and 2 recently, and the music got better in each installment. I think the same will happen here, but I currently give the music a 9/10 so far, Micheal Land rocks.

pilouuuu · 08/05/2009, 12:42 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fury

I thought the music was really good in TOMI, and I'm sure most people agree. There were a lot of remixes and songs that sounded very similar to earlier games in the series music, and I'm pretty sure this was intentional from a design standpoint.

I've been playing Sam and Max seasons 1 and 2 recently, and the music got better in each installment. I think the same will happen here, but I currently give the music a 9/10 so far, Micheal Land rocks.

My basic problem is that I compare TOMI with Sam & Max music. S&M had so much great music with real instruments... But I could pass on live instruments if we're going to have great interactivity. I think Woodtick music is one of the best music ever!

Ash735 · 08/05/2009, 11:35 am

The quality is showing here, even though the music is back to being MIDI based (THANKS WII!) Land still put a lot of effort in, from episode 1 my fave tracks would Flotsam Town (Default not influenced by any place or character version) and the Pox'd version of it.

petethepanda · 08/05/2009, 01:26 pm

Why do people think the Wii is the reason for MIDI music? There were plenty of Gamecube and PS2 games with orchestral music, and the Wii is just a slightly beefier Gamecube... I don't see the reasoning.

I loved the shifting music in the town as well. A background track of orchestral stuff with MIDI stuff shifting around in the foreground could be really cool.

Badwolf · 08/05/2009, 01:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by petethepanda

Why do people think the Wii is the reason for MIDI music? There were plenty of Gamecube and PS2 games with orchestral music, and the Wii is just a slightly beefier Gamecube... I don't see the reasoning.

They didn't have 40mb size caps on them though, unlike Wiiware games.

But yeah, I really liked the music. I still think MI2 and CMI have the best soundtrack so far, but there's another 4 episodes to go before I can say anything for definite.

Jace Taran · 08/05/2009, 01:53 pm

It would be nice to see music quality more like CMI (that was instrumental, right?).

By the way, is Badwolf intended as a Dr Who reference?

The Commissioner · 08/05/2009, 02:18 pm

Well, as the first two Monkey Island games had MIDI music and you liked those, how come you aren't thrilled about MIDI music in ToMI? Maybe it was intentional or Michael Land's special thing - retro MIDI music.

hplikelike · 08/05/2009, 02:50 pm

I would love at least one song puzzle. I'm still humming the last one. A pirate I was meant to be, dum dum dum dum dum dum de...

Badwolf · 08/05/2009, 02:54 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jace Taran

By the way, is Badwolf intended as a Dr Who reference?

Yup.

Well, it's more that I really couldn't think of a username for some online game I wanted to join a few years ago, and I'd just started noticing the badwolf references in Doctor Who. The name's sort of stuck since then.

Ash735 · 08/05/2009, 04:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Commissioner

Well, as the first two Monkey Island games had MIDI music and you liked those, how come you aren't thrilled about MIDI music in ToMI? Maybe it was intentional or Michael Land's special thing - retro MIDI music.

That's different though because it was what the game was restricted to at the time, using that argument you may as well say ToMI should be VGA Pixel vision again for the Retro thing. Saying it's Michael Lands thing is an odd statement because he's shown that as the technology grew his style did too, to this day the soundtrack of Curse was brilliant because of all the details in the music and Land had full control over that soundtrack as he does now, and whilst he's doing a brill job with Tales, I dunno, just lacks detail he had with Curse and the Melee Island tracks from Escape.

MusicallyInspired · 08/05/2009, 05:01 pm

Where is everyone getting the assumption that the music in TMI is (in) MIDI (format)? Is the Wii soundtrack actually audibly different from the PC soundtrack? If so this would be the first Wii game I've ever heard of (actually, the first console video game I've ever heard of) to use a MIDI format for the soundtrack. If it's not an actual audio waveform like OGG or MP3 or WAV than I think it would actually be something closer to a MOD than a MIDI since a MIDI by definition is just a series of notes and instrument patch information that uses external sources for audio output of instrument sounds. A MOD-like format has its own instruments within itself without having to rely on any external MIDI output device.

Radogol · 08/05/2009, 05:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MusicallyInspired

Where is everyone getting the assumption that the music in TMI is (in) MIDI (format)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by [TTG] Yare

The midi music is to fit inside of WiiWare file size limitations. I think we did higher quality mp3s (or something) for the PC version, but they're still not actual recordings.

http://www.telltalegames.com/forums/...1&postcount=16

MusicallyInspired · 08/05/2009, 05:42 pm

I still don't think it's actual MIDI files, though. But again something more like a MOD. Perhaps some clarification?

chad_valiant · 08/05/2009, 05:42 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radogol

http://www.telltalegames.com/forums/...1&postcount=16

Didn't read these original posts, but when they talk about midi hear I think they just mean that it was sequenced on sampled/synthesized instruments, rather than recorded with real instruments. The audio files in the game, though, are still real audio (mp3 or similar - I haven't checked) which is different to MI1&2, which were just midi files which played back using the actual midi synth built into a computer's sound card. Which sounds pretty nasty!

I agree that the quality of the music is inferior to MI3 and MI4 though - weaker compositions and lesser quality... but I still enjoyed it.

MusicallyInspired · 08/05/2009, 05:52 pm

Actually, Will informed me that it actually is a MIDI format playing a custom sound bank for the Wii version.

chad_valiant · 08/05/2009, 07:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MusicallyInspired

Actually, Will informed me that it actually is a MIDI format playing a custom sound bank for the Wii version.

Oh ok - haven't had a chance to check that out, would be interested to investigate the Wii's audio capabilities...

Jace Taran · 08/05/2009, 08:39 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badwolf

Yup.

Well, it's more that I really couldn't think of a username for some online game I wanted to join a few years ago, and I'd just started noticing the badwolf references in Doctor Who. The name's sort of stuck since then.

Blaidd Drwg.

"I tracked you down with this. It's my timey-wimey detector. Goes "bing" when there's stuff. Can also boil a hens egg at 30 paces. Whether I wan't it to or not actually, so I've learn to stay clear of hens; not pretty when they blow."

Sorry to everyone else for getting off topic.

The Commissioner · 08/06/2009, 04:29 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash735

That's different though because it was what the game was restricted to at the time, using that argument you may as well say ToMI should be VGA Pixel vision again for the Retro thing.

I think people were using that argument mindset for complaining about the game being in 3D instead of going for retro 2D. I prefer the game in 3D, because that's what the current tech is capable of, instead of what was restricted to at the time.

As for the music, I was just saying that maybe they mandated to Michael Land that they explicitly wanted it in MIDI instead of instruments. To fit on a Wii...

*Silverwolfpet* · 08/06/2009, 04:31 am

^ That was The Commissioner, Max! There seems to be an issue regarding the music from the Monkey Island game! Max? Where are you, little buddy?

08/05/2009, 12:31 am	#1
pilouuuu Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Deep at the World's End Posts: 314	Music in future episodes: analysis of interactivity and quality Being a big fan of Michael Land's music I must say I was pretty unimpresseb by the music of TOMI Ep. 1. Replaying it again I configures my sound with higher volume for music and I must say it is rather lovely. The interactive music in Flotsam downtown is pretty impressive and reminds of MI 2 which I consider having the best soundtrack of any video game ever. Probably that's the reason it is MIDI quality and not the fact that the game is also in Wii as most think. The thing is I don't want to lose interactivity in future episodes. Maybe Mr. Land could add some real instruments as background, like some contant percution, so it would have better bass and still have interactivity. Or maybe adding a few songs with just live instruments with little or no interactivity. And also more variety. All songs in Ep. 1 felt a bit too subtle, in the search of a better word to describe it. Michael Land's music has always been a trademark of Monkey Island and I'm sure he has a few ideas for future episodes. It's great to hear new MI compositions after so many years! __________________ Monkeying around since 1990

08/05/2009, 02:18 pm	#8
The Commissioner Mysterious phone voice Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 383	Well, as the first two Monkey Island games had MIDI music and you liked those, how come you aren't thrilled about MIDI music in ToMI? Maybe it was intentional or Michael Land's special thing - retro MIDI music. __________________ "Now you guys are sure this won't emancipate me from my ridiculous striped pants?"

08/06/2009, 04:31 am	#20
Silverwolfpet Wolfy Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Romania Posts: 3,042	^ That was The Commissioner, Max! There seems to be an issue regarding the music from the Monkey Island game! Max? Where are you, little buddy? __________________ I am a community moderator, here to assist, keep the peace, and keep these boards clean and friendly for all. I am a volunteer, and not a Telltale employee, and my opinions are my own. Something awesome this way comes... ^.^ www.silverwolfpet.com

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08/05/2009, 12:34 am	#2
Fury Banned Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Homeless (until I get a new car) Posts: 1,363	I thought the music was really good in TOMI, and I'm sure most people agree. There were a lot of remixes and songs that sounded very similar to earlier games in the series music, and I'm pretty sure this was intentional from a design standpoint. I've been playing Sam and Max seasons 1 and 2 recently, and the music got better in each installment. I think the same will happen here, but I currently give the music a 9/10 so far, Micheal Land rocks.

08/05/2009, 11:35 am	#4
Ash735 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,149	The quality is showing here, even though the music is back to being MIDI based (THANKS WII!) Land still put a lot of effort in, from episode 1 my fave tracks would Flotsam Town (Default not influenced by any place or character version) and the Pox'd version of it.

08/05/2009, 01:26 pm	#5
petethepanda Man of Low Moral Fiber Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 85	Why do people think the Wii is the reason for MIDI music? There were plenty of Gamecube and PS2 games with orchestral music, and the Wii is just a slightly beefier Gamecube... I don't see the reasoning. I loved the shifting music in the town as well. A background track of orchestral stuff with MIDI stuff shifting around in the foreground could be really cool.

08/05/2009, 01:53 pm	#7
Jace Taran Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 138	It would be nice to see music quality more like CMI (that was instrumental, right?). By the way, is Badwolf intended as a Dr Who reference?

08/05/2009, 02:50 pm	#9
hplikelike Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 555	I would love at least one song puzzle. I'm still humming the last one. A pirate I was meant to be, dum dum dum dum dum dum de...