Nectarine

2/1/2019
Oki, James introduced me to Paul this morning. I don't have seen yet any images of the forcoming C64 game project. I just know it's a Shoot'um up game... so i'll take few minutes to search about instrument and ambient for the forcoming tunes. Anyway, till early 2019, i was in stress especially during jobs days so... the first ideas i had was some kind of DnB Prodigy/Streets of Rage stress theme that i imagine to be played during final boss waves, like they were in my favorite C64 game Warhawk, but quickly Paul informed me, there was no boss in Relentless ; )

Technicaly, i started working with a "memory saving" approach and i tested the "+3" option that let me you the same pattern changing the semi-tone inside the order list.

2/28/19
The next day, Paul gimme more information about the original Relentless game project first coded for the Amstrad CPC and i listen to the original musics written from that version by Hervé Moncharte. Anyway first of all, there were no "in-game" music in the CPC version, so that mean i can have full creativity for that part of the game. So i'll try to kept the feeling touch of the CPC introduction song to write something personnal and i quickly find an energic arrangement ruled by a rock bass-line that i'm sure my firend Laurent 'Parmesan' Mazzapicchi loved to play !

Sure, i had something that sounds kwel and first test with that bass included in the game on my brand new C64-mini gimme the power to reach the second zone !

Around the end of februari, i'll found gimmicks and C part, but the main melody still not good enough.

So that night, i've take my new musical assistant, my iPad with the free audio app : Synth One to search the perfect melody. Also helped my little kid Tongo Charly recording me working ; )

And yes, i'll get the perfect tune to play again and again on a shoot'um up game boosted by an energic tune like Rob Hubbard did for Warhawk or Laxity for D.N.A. Warrior

So well after that will come some different test on that song with the SFX as most of Shoot'm up game from the 8bits generation should make a choise Only SFX or Music... and sometime a muted parted on the song as the SFX need to use one of the 3 SID channel.

If i'll check my favorite shoot game. DNA Warrior have incredible musics but no SFX at all by default.

The musical ambient of Warhawk was a freezing space introduction with the same song during the in-game but each sfx cutted the melody. Or in a plateformer game, cutting a part of the music during some action could be acceptable, but in a shoot game where player shoot all the time. It was not my favorite approach.

I remember i also have played a lot to Armalyte in 2 players mode with my bros Pype. But i don't have kept the music in mind.... By the way, expect an introduction theme ambient, there a no music in game, but kwel SFX, i should admit, as for sure SFX give to the player the action feeling, and feedback about his action. Compare to that the music give him the energy and power to fight again, go further and play again. Both are need...

So we make some test with Paul to find the best fine tuning approach. The SFX will have impact of the drum last channel. That mean they could muted a hi-hat, a snare or a drum. But we make a priority between SFX or instrument. 1 Basdrum, 2 Snare, 3 SFX, 4 Hi Hat. I had investigate special sfx used in case of the instrument played, but it was not so remarkable compare just do that priority.

I also would like to have SFX not cutting the instrument played if it was used just after it, but it needed more complicate coding.

So well, at that moment, feedbacks from my bros Pype, Paul and James were enthousiams and i also take good vibes when i play the game !

4/25/2019
So with some pause moment, i still have in mind working on the introduction theme. I made a lot of test to be close to the original theme written by Hervé Moncharte, anyalizing his introduction CPC theme with Arkos Tracker, but i finally decide to not have something more personnal and not so "complexe", something that fit to C64 sounds and not use too much memory. So i'll kept the arpegiattor (that also let me remember the musics of Top Gear from Barry Leitch) and chord from that original theme that will guide all the new OST.

So during april and march, the bass-line used in the first part of this hi-score theme was the introduction theme of the game and switched later to song used for the hi-score panel entry when i'll find the final melody that suites to this moment on Synth One iPad session, back from my holidays in Bretagne.

5/4/2019
Well, during some searching ideas for the introduction theme, I'll just use the note variation to make a quick loop sounds that announce the danger. Dunno if it could be use, not enough memory, close to death... I'll keep it during the development as it didn't use a lot of memory with the possibility to just changing inside the order list the high of all the note with a +3, +5

Adding some SFX from in game session in that quick loop is a good transition.

5/4/2019
So well, dead line approaching, till 2 month to finish the game and the musics. I'm still not ok with my introduction theme but now I'm sure I like how sounds the "Hi Score" Panel theme. So I'll propose to Paul to completely emancipated from the original theme of Hervé Moncharte and just keep the essence of the CPC version. Now I'm able to focus to how I would have to start a shoot'm up introduction music. With some "space sounds" taking the place close to the arpège notes switching to something that boost the player and then fade to a more quiet complexe melody that let me think to Warhawk ambient.

Sure It would be kwel to complete that with a second part more energic with that melody... perhaps as a second level... but 16kb challenge for a game, is also a challenge for musician ; )

6/3/2019

So June arrived, we still need a Game Over and Win theme if possible. Sure it possible. I quickly write the those jingle and then work on a looped theme that would be played to take a breath, be zen before to grab back the joystick and defeat those alien's starship again !

I'll find easily a quiet R'n'B theme that make think to music my kids listen to... A "Me me me me, sexy me".. Just the ambient... Finally, we should cut the melody part, not enough memory, but that theme had also the potential to be a third in-game theme ; )

6/5/2019
So well, writing a "winning" theme was not so easy as in my head, the Hi Score theme was already an ode to victory. That means I need something more Kwel... You're the best, you save de world, so will make now a dancing choreography for this hero !

Oki, so then I'll remember once again that Kid's song "Me, me me sexy, me" from the game Just Dance I play with kid... I would like to have a same energy, something where the player could dancing face to the screen :p (like the Fortnite emote maybe).

Using most part of existing notes, themes and pattern to use the less memory I can, I put that funky bass pattern that sounds like Laxity can do and come that victory song !