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    Maelstrom New Horizons


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Musician interested in Composing

TKP

TKP

Musician
Music and SFX
Provisional
Hello,
I'm a student interested in composing for your project. I've been a musician for years, have an abundance of experience with DAWs, and work at a nearby studio. I'm aware that there is no compensation - or not any immediate compensation, but I'm more interested in gaining experience in the field. As well as being prepared to compose for the project, I have a respectable home studio ready for any other sound effect needs. I'd love to get started right away and a reply as soon as possible is greatly valued.

I'm pretty serious and self sufficient about composing, so I don't need gear, software, or really anything else except a green light and some concept art.

Thanks!
TK
 
Concept art wise there is actually a bit of stuff here its just jumbled around alot checkout the mod teams youtube channel as well to gather a better idea of what to expect,
Its really good you have decided to donate your time to this project and im sure the rest of the team will be just as excited as I am to hear whatever you decide to make.
If you would be even more generous what we really need is voice acting and alot of it,
Each and every unit made will not talk but alot of them might.. and it would be so much handier if the samples are done in a professional way.. you could also help us out by perhaps cleaning up any extra voice sampling done by folks like me who while they are not afraid to make a sound clip file will not have as good a way to keep them crisp and game ready.
What words would be said im sure more of the team will comment on this
here are some suggestions of voice clips we may well need
"Welecome Aboard"
"board them"
"Charge"
"attack"
"defend yourself"
"help me"
"nooo"
"no"
"yes"
"yessss !"
"cry me a river"
"spill there blood"
"die dog"
"im too young to die"
"im too old for this"
actually .. ill make a thread and host them seperately look for it soon

In closing... hopefully you will also do us a little voice acting help, but of course everythings optional and I dont wish to scare you off should you want to just do music im sure the team would happly have your help.
 
Ahoy TKP, welcome aboard mate! :dance

It sounds like you have a pretty professional setup there, and we really need some good nautical compositions, as well as some good 16'th and 17'th century tavern music. You are most certainly free to begin composing any time you wish, it may be a little while before we actually need any sound files though. We are not very organized at the moment, we will get there, but we are far from being professionals.

As splat suggests, you should check out the Youtube channel, there are some good examples there for what we are trying to achieve with this game.

Some voice acting will definitely be needed, but again, probably not for a while, we have quite a lot of other things to work on first. I may even record a few things myself when the time comes.
 
Alright, well why don't you throw out some names of some traditional tavern songs just for me to reference, as I'm a tad hazy on the time period. Looking at the concepts you guys were talking about, I was thinking more music similar to Bastion's, but if you wanna go less modern and more traditional it's no problem. I'm just not as experienced in the genere, but I love a good challenge.

As for voice acting, I'm willing to do some of it myself, but for the sake of diversity it might be impractical for me to do all of the soundbites. I've got a pretty good setup at home however, and am ready and willing to mix any ( reasonably recorded) audio files.

Now it sounds like everybody is still in the development phase, so really SFX and voices seem like less of a priority. If you are all still writing gameplay, it might even be a waste of time for me to start now. If you are out of that developmental phase, I would prefer to have a list of all sounds needed for the game ( footsteps, cannons, ships, creaking, etc.). Personally I don't think I'll be able to get many of the sounds, but a list would certainly help for myself and anyone else helping with audio.

As it seems like everyone is still indev, I'll focus on composing some original music for the game.

Sounds like we're all gonna have a fun time-
-Cheers.
 
We are really looking to keep everything as authentic as possible, if we can, I think that will really add to the immersive feeling of the game. I am no music expert by any means, and there are many more around these forums with much more knowledge on the subject than myself, and I am sure someone will post more in this topic at some point. Until then, to get an idea of what we are aiming for, you might have a look at THIS thread. Here are a couple of examples of French and Dutch music on Youtube. While I think we will want certain pieces actually composed during the period, I think it would be fantastic if you could come up with some pieces that were completely original, but had the sound of the period.

Please also keep in mind that we are planning on having many different nationality's in the game, including Dutch, French, Spanish, English to name a few. As we progress with development, we also plan to add locations in the Mediterranean, the Far East and Russia, and the southern coast of Africa and Madagascar. To make them realistic, all these locations will need at least some type of background music to set them apart, so there are many different choices and types of music that you could choose to work on.

Please do not feel like you have to try and do every one, that was not my intention in mentioning them, choosing to work on one period or nation would be more than appreciated! We have other people that will help with music, so please do not feel like we are asking you to take it all upon yourself. The scope of the game that we are aiming for is quite big, and this project will likely take many years to complete
 
Welcome to the forum; music for our game will definitely be much appreciated! :woot

We've been discussing the type of music we'd like before and came to the conclusion that there are some widely varying preferences, mainly:
1. Classical type music altogether
2. Old style swashbuckling movie film music
3. Modern style PotC movie music

My personal preference is #2, but the way we usually work here is that people do what they like doing. So my question is: What type of music would you like to compose?

What I think we could use in any case is some sort of main theme for the game that we could use in promotional movies before the game's completion.
Also, something for the following instances would be useful for the first pre-alpha version:
1. Main menu music (could be the same as the main theme suggested above)
2. Generic, quiet "sailing at sea" music
3. Battle music

That should hold us over for quite a while as it'll be quite a big task already to get up to the first pre-alpha stage of one ship sailing around and battling with itself.
 
For the main theme I was thinking of the tune of the shanty Heart of Oak (that is where I got the name, after all) played as a march (by an orchestra) without lyrics. That would be hard to pull off, but possibly doable.
 
Post Captain said:
For the main theme I was thinking of the tune of the shanty Heart of Oak (that is where I got the name, after all) played as a march (by an orchestra) without lyrics. That would be hard to pull off, but possibly doable.
Click to expand...
That definitely sounds interesting to me. I'd love to hear that! :woot
 
So, I think the best path is to create more modern versions of traditional classics. I know Post Captain mentioned it would be cool to see "Heart of Oak" played as a march, but I'm not sure I can supply you with that. I'm just a student, so really an orchestra seems out of budget and out of my experience. To hire an entire orchestra is expensive, let alone record it. If thats really what you're set on I'd suggest to continue searching for a veterans marching band, or something of the sort willing to help.

In my opinion the main priority audio wise, is to get more of a main theme and feel for the game. There are some things I will need to know- Where is the main setting? What will the characters look like? What will the gameplay's focus be on? Logistics? Battles? Politics? Where most of the game will take place?

My initial response is to go in the direction of more jazz/latin/ska takes on traditional pub music. A good example is the LucasArts game: The Secret Of Monkey Island- wich seems to have the pirate feel while maintaining light-hearted. Pirates of the Caribbean was originally based on the game as well....

These songs would be better for the theme or for general gameplay music (not battle music).
A good example:
 
Monkey Island???? :walkplank

These are our rock stars.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gpalg0tpyyfcivy/bFu1I0-ovb/POTC screenies/Connie-4.jpg

This is our world.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gpalg0tpyyfcivy/ib5ddbagU0/POTC screenies/Port Royale.jpg

This is what we do.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gpalg0tpyyfcivy/MWl2UAuVcl/POTC screenies/Boarding.jpg

And sometimes we have a bad day.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gpalg0tpyyfcivy/MP9eJVuWrP/POTC screenies/Davey Jones locker.jpg

Sailing will be the largest part, but there will be a lot of land action as well as a dynamic economy. We want it all. :ship
 
TKP said:
My initial response is to go in the direction of more jazz/latin/ska takes on traditional pub music. A good example is the LucasArts game: The Secret Of Monkey Island- wich seems to have the pirate feel while maintaining light-hearted. Pirates of the Caribbean was originally based on the game as well....

These songs would be better for the theme or for general gameplay music (not battle music).
A good example:
..........................................
Click to expand...

I don't think that really fits the game all that well. It sounds... cliched? This game will be pretty serious, and it won't be a "pirate" game, per say. You'll be able to play as a pirate, but you'll also be able to play as a privateer, naval officer, merchant,or anything else you'd like. With everybody trying to kill you, Piracy won't be all that rewarding when compared to the more legal routs. Of course there won' be anything to stop a merchant or privateer from engaging in piracy. Gameplay will be based on Sailing, logistics, battles, strategy, politics...

What capabilities do you currently posses as far as musical genres go? We could even try to fake an orchestra using software, if need be.

The game will cover from about 1430 to 1815, in separate eras with their own characters and vessels, and will start out in the Caribs. We're attempting to make it as historically accurate as possible.


I'll record all the necessary shipboard sounds. I have access to that kind of stuff, but I don't have the proper recording equipment. Just a digital camera. See the reference videos thread under the brainstorming forums for examples. There is on video taken purely for the sound which is in there somewhere.

Edit: Oh... And I'll post a list of folk songs from the periods covered in game. I'm pretty familiar with old music from 1700-1815 and 1500-1600. There's actually some really good stuff from even earlier that no one listens to anymore.
 
Fair enough. I was just unclear on the scale of the game. So if you want music thats more...epic for lack of a better word, I may need a lot of time with it. If you wanna go hardcore classical, there's a give and take. I'm thinking music more in the style of the OST of Assassin's Creed. And, take note, when I talk about style and stuff, I'm talking more about instrumentation and techniques- no matter how modern I make any music, I'm still going to implement era harmonies and styles. :)

As far as music software goes, honestly i'm set up for contemporary music. I have guitars and what not, but not orchestra instruments. I can use samples and what not to fake classical instruments, I do it quite often, but know that a full orchestra has no substitute (without a lot of money). If you really want a full orchestra-type OST, I'm sorry, but there's no way to do that on no budget. Realistically, It would be probably to do some chamber type music or quartet music, but I think full on classical scores are...unlikely and an unrealistic goal. I'm more set to do music like the OST for Splinter Cell: Conviction, or more ambient gameplay....If you want a very classical score, there is no substitute for classical musicians and a classically trained composer.

I also really need to know the final goal for the game...Will it be an MMORPG? Or just a freeroam (like the pirate equivalent of Red Dead Redemption)? From what I hear, it sounds like you guys want gameplay more like Civilization, but on a squadron sized scale.

And, I was using Monkey Island just as a good example of pub music. If it takes place in the cari, I'd try to implement those kinds of instruments the way Monkey Island does. I'd agree that the OST is cliched, but it does a good job of being reminiscent to the time period. Thematically however, I would make it much darker and...muskier.
 
Ideally, we'd be using fifes, fiddles, period drums, etc., but you just can't fake those realistically. I purchased a fife a month ago, and playing it is coming along pretty well, so I plan to contribute in two years or so after I get really good at it. That will work for tavern music. I even know a decent fiddler who might be willing to cooperate. His wife has a bodrain, and he also owns a hurdy gurdy. That has us covered for most of the time periods in the folk department. No promises there. I can also get shanties from Pilgrim's crew. We'll see as the game progresses. An acoustic guitar might work with some classical guitar music.

As far as gameplay goes, it will be very similar to Age of Pirates: CoAS, and PotC. (The games this forum mainly deals with.)
There should be a few YouTube videos somewhere...

This will not be a pirate game though. This will be more of an Age of Sail game, if you will. The general consensus seems to be that we'll be avoiding cliches at all costs.

For further inspiration, take a look at the models being made in the Storm Engine Modelling forum, and my reference videos and concept art threads in the brainstorming section. I have more concept art that better conveys what we want the game to be like, but it hasn't been scanned yet. This week is very busy for me, so I probably won't be able to get them posted until next week.
 
Post Captain said:
With everybody trying to kill you, Piracy won't be all that rewarding when compared to the more legal routs.
Click to expand...

Pirates WILL be a big part of this game, whether you choose to play as one is entirely up to personal choice. As for rewarding, that all depends on what you mean by the term, freedom from being pressganged into service for some obtuse monarch is it's own reward. Of course the risk of ending up swinging from a yard is a lot higher, but freedom always comes with a price! :duel:

Anyway, back on topic. There may be a few parts of the game were we would want to at least approximate a small orchestra, perhaps at a palace or governors mansion, for most of the game though, 1-4 instruments at most would probably suffice. A hurdy gurdy would sound good, but lute's, violins and flutes would be more appropriate.
 
Thagarr said:
A hurdy gurdy would sound good, but lute's, violins and flutes would be more appropriate.
Click to expand...

Not for 1500-1630 or so they wouldn't. Violins weren't even in common use by then, and were still in their infancy. I'm fairly familiar with music from that period, and hurdy gurdies were very common.

A lute would work, but you'd be just as likely to encounter a hurdy gurdy. And the other problem: Where are we going to find someone who can play a lute?

Edit: You could find a fife aboard just about any Napoleonic man of war.
 
As much as I would like a full orchestral score, I understand that would not be realistic to accomplish without a budget.
So we would have to resort to either a few real instruments or a digital orchestra. Apparently it IS possible to come up with some fairly good stuff with a digital orchestra though.
But I understand that would be more work and more difficult to accomplish.

As for the type of game we are aiming for, it is supposed to become a single player seafaring game that allows you free play at sea and ashore and do whatever you want in a realistic world.
Scripted storylines will eventually be developed that may include fantasy elements, depending on what any storyline writers decide to add.
There will be the ability for multiplayer ship-to-ship battles, etc. but it will not be an MMORPG. This video may give you an idea of what we're intending to do:
 
Easy Jack Rackham. I for one have zero interest in the Napoleonic era or navies. There will be pirates. :cheers
 
Personally, what matters to me is that the music sounds right and is appropriate for the situation. That doesn't necessarily mean fully orchestral music.
Individual instruments, or small groups of them, would be just as pleasing in many cases.

Thagarr said:
Pirates WILL be a big part of this game, whether you choose to play as one is entirely up to personal choice. As for rewarding, that all depends on what you mean by the term, freedom from being pressganged into service for some obtuse monarch is it's own reward.
Click to expand...
Bah. Rule Britannia! :p

Seriously though, I agree piracy cannot be neglected, even if we're trying to avoid many of the modern day clichés associated with it.
Many people would much prefer that to having to choose a nation to fight for, and if we leave out that option, we lose a lot of potential players.

Jack Rackham said:
Well if this is the general opinion I'm not interested. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Isn't Post Captain's description very similar to what New Horizons has become? One can do as they please in terms of choosing a side, and sea battles are a large part of the gameplay.
At the same time, it's not a 'pirate game', because of the freedom of choice we have given the player. We want to cater for pirates and privateers alike, not just one or the other.
 
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