Description

Are you a fan of videogame music? Perhaps specifically a big fan of RPG music? Then I suggest reading on!

This event is mainly aimed at the composers of RMN (at least to participate in the event as competitors) but even if you don't compose music yourself, you are welcomed and encouraged to participate by listening to the submissions and voting for a winner!

Now, if you're a composer yourself: have you tried your hand at composing music for RPGs before? Yes? Great! Participate and test your skills against the other composers of RMN in this friendly competition. Even if you don't have much experience composing music for RPGs you're more than welcome to, and encouraged to join in and in the process get some practice under your belt! (none of us is perfect, anyway.)




- The event is divided into 3 phases, each of which require a separate submission per participant.

- Each phase = one musical piece. Each phase has its own set of rules with regard to instrumentation and theme. The theme is announced by a neutral party at the beginning of each phase.

- Contestants will send the submissions to an appointed neutral RMN member in a PM and after the phase in question is over, the submissions will be posted anonymously, so that people can listen to them and vote for what they think sounds the best and fits best the given description and theme of the phase. (Please send your submissions privately via PM to kentona)


- Votes will be counted and published at end of each phase. The person to receive the most votes from all three phases wins.

- Each phase lasts approximately 2 weeks, so that even the busiest people will have a chance of finishing their pieces in time (hopefully.)




Phase 1: Simple
Simple is beautiful. You're required to create a piece matching the description of the theme using no more than 3 instruments (also means 3 layers/tracks). How well can you bring your instruments to life?
Starts 12/25/2011 06:00 PM
Ends 01/09/2012 05:59 PM

Phase 2: Orchestral
Orchestral music isn't a necessity for an RPG but it is very common in the genre and it is a good skill to be able to compose a piece that can be played by an orchestra.

How well can you harmonize multiple voices of different instruments?

The piece you create for the theme of phase 2 doesn't have to follow the professional principles of orchestration, but it's supposed to revolve around orchestral elements and utilize strings, brass and woodwind sections. Not necessarily all of them (though, variety in orchestration is encouraged), but it needs to have orchestral sections, instead of single instruments playing all the tracks.

There can be additional instruments, though modern orchestras already cover a lot of instruments these days. The focus of the theme should still be in orchestration, however.
Starts 01/11/2011 14:00 PM
Ends 01/25/2012 05:59 PM

Phase 3: Inspired
All of us have our own strengths and sometimes when moving out of the comfort zone we don't get to use them as well as we'd like.

In this phase you're free to use any kind of instrumentation and sources of sounds you wish.

If you felt you didn't get to do your own thing in the earlier phases, this is where you can go all-out, any way you please. Though the piece will still need to match the theme of the phase.
Starts 01/30/2011 16:00 PM
Ends 02/13/2012 05:59 PM



- Each piece needs to loop and the song has to last at least 1 minute before the loop point. Phase 2 and 3 pieces may need to last longer than 1 minute before the loop point. (If you're doing a rondo the loop point is naturally when you're repeating the entire cycle of sections)

- You have to demonstrate the loop point by including it in the song by inserting one or two sections that would follow it. If you have a separate intro in your song, your loop point could return the listener to the section following the intro, for example.

- It would be nice if you kept your track private until the voting is done so we'd get a fair competition.

- Audio formats accepted:
.wav
.mp3
.mid
I'd even say .flac and .ogg, but people need to be able to access your piece, so it would be best to go with the three mentioned above.


I hope I'm not asking too much from people with 3 songs. If you think 2 weeks per piece isn't enough time, let me know so we can arrange something else. The reason I thought 3 phases would be the best idea to go with is because people here have varying strengths, so with this it should stay fair and challenging to everyone.

I hope for lots of participants and followers! :)



Phase 1: Simple

The theme for Phase 1 of the RPG Music Challenge is Lava Temple.

Phase 2: Orchestral

The theme for Phase 2 of the RPG Music Challenge is Nostalgic Flashback Scene.

Phase 3: Inspired

The theme for Phase 3 of the RPG Music Challenge is VS Close Friend Battle Theme.
...or more specifically a battle theme when a player fights his/her closest ally.

Please send your submissions privately via PM to kentona


Phase 1: Simple
The entries for Phase 1 have been compiled and posted for listening! Please go here to see the discussion.

MIDI Format:
Entry 1: Dudesoft - Lava Temple
Entry 2: Muninn - Fire Born of Earth
Entry 3: synbi - Flame Fandango
Entry 4: MrChearlie - Journey Through The Burning Winds
Entry 5: Xcalnarok - Lava Temple
Entry 6: Theodoric - Sleeping Fire Temple
Entry 7: SDHawk - Temple of Pyre
Entry 8: moneymenace - Lava Temple

MP3 Format:
Entry 9: sameric - Agony

Entry 10: kentona - A Song of Lava and Fire

Entry 11: harmonic - Contest

Entry 12: LaMasquerade - Dragon's Lair

Entry 13: NewBlack - Ember Ritual

Entry 14: Swint - Fire Temple

Entry 15: Puppet_Master - Inside the Volcano

Entry 16: RolandMelvinZ - Lava Ruin

Entry 17: rickyleung90 - Lava Temple

Entry 18: geodude - Lava Temple

Entry 19: Jude - Lava Temple

Entry 20: _TilT_ - Lava Temple

Entry 21: Lana42 - Lava Temple

Entry 22: Paulman - Lava Temple

Entry 23: Tarranon - Lava Temple

Entry 24: emmych - Lava Temple

Entry 25: Scourge - Lava Temple

Entry 26: VGMusic_4_LIFE - Lava Temple

Entry 27: Wolfe - Igneous Bits

Entry 28: Ruunyth123 - Lava Temple

Entry 29: jasprelao - Shrine in a Volcano

Entry 30: Happy - Spirits of the Immortal Fire

Entry 31: theneonheart - You Kids Stay Off My Lava!

Entry 33: tgnemecek - Lava Theme

Entry 34: CastorOnline - Lava Temple


OGG Format:
Entry 32: Gamesfreak13563 - Fire in the Hole


Phase 2: Orchestral
The entries for Phase 2 have been compiled and posted for listening! Please go here to see the discussion.

MIDI Format:
Entry 1: Puppet_Master - Don't You Remember
Entry 2: Theodoric - Bring Back Memories
Entry 3: synbi - Nostalgic Theme
Entry 4: MrChearlie - Last Hour Memory
Entry 5: Xcalnarok - Nostalgic Flashback Scene

MP3 Format:
Entry 6: geodude - Memories

Entry 7: jasprelao - Melody of Memories

Entry 8: tgnemecek - Nostalgia

Entry 9: _TilT_ - Nostalgia

Entry 10: harmonic - Contest Phase 2

Entry 11: Paulman - Nostalgia

Entry 12: kentona - Mine Baby

Entry 13: VGMusic_4_LIFE - Memoir of a Fleeting Heart

Entry 14: LaMasquerade - March of Memories

Entry 15: Tarranon - Nost

Entry 16: RolandMelvinZ - Memorable Time

Entry 17: Muninn - Final Memory

Entry 18: Swint - Memories of Better Times

Entry 19: NewBlack - Nostalgia in Realtime

Entry 20: theneonheart - Reminisces Near Misses

Entry 21: Wolfe - Memories in Sepia

Entry 22: Happy - Nostalgia 0

Entry 23: Ruunyth123 - Memories on a Windy Hill

Entry 24: Link_2112 - Entry



Phase 3: Inspired
The entries for Phase 3 have been compiled and posted for listening! Please go here to see the discussion.

MIDI Format:
Entry 1: moneymenace - Battle of Regret
Entry 2: synbi - An Old Rival
Entry 3: Xcalnarok - Close Friend Battle Theme

OGG Format:
Entry 4: Cheveyo - Rainbow Rhapsody

MP3 Format:
Entry 5: jasprelao - Why She Has To Be You

Entry 6: Puppet_Master - We used to be bros, man, but then you were a dick so fuck you let's fight!

Entry 7: Swint - Vs Friend

Entry 8: Wolfe - Brotherly Betrayal

Entry 9: tgnemecek - Revenge

Entry 10: VGMusic_4_LIFE - Where Fates Collide

Entry 11: Tarranon - Friend vs

Entry 12: Paulman - Friend Battle

Entry 13: NewBlack - Final Battle Against Harmonic Part One - Confrontation

Entry 14: Happy - Final Battle Against Harmonic Part Two - Metamorphosis

Entry 15: harmonic - Super Duper Final Phase 3

Entry 16: KORA - Brother

Entry 17: MrChearlie - Blood of Heroes

Entry 18: Theodoric - Battle

Entry 19: kentona - Rough Criminal



Phase 1: Simple
Phase 1 voting is in! Here are the results:
Entry #1:Dudesoft - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #2:Muninn - Fire Born of Earth0 votes
Entry #3:synbi - Flame Fandango0 votes
Entry #4:MrChearlie - Journey Through The Burning Winds1 votes
Entry #5:Xcalnarok - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #6:Theodoric - Sleeping Fire Temple3 votes
Entry #7:SDHawk - Temple of Pyre0 votes
Entry #8:moneymenace - Lava Temple1 votes
Entry #9:sameric - Agony1 votes
Entry #10:kentona - A Song of Lava and Fire1 votes
Entry #11:harmonic - Contest9 votes**WINNER**
Entry #12:LaMasquerade - Dragon's Lair0 votes
Entry #13:NewBlack - Ember Ritual4 votes
Entry #14:Swint - Fire Temple0 votes
Entry #15:Puppet_Master - Inside the Volcano0 votes
Entry #16:RolandMelvinZ - Lava Ruin1 votes
Entry #17:rickyleung90 - Lava Temple1 votes
Entry #18:geodude - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #19:Jude - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #20:_TilT_ - Lava Temple1 votes
Entry #21:Lana42 - Lava Temple2 votes
Entry #22:Paulman - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #23:Tarranon - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #24:emmych - Lava Temple5 votes
Entry #25:Scourge - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #26:VGMusic_4_LIFE - Lava Temple3 votes
Entry #27:Wolfe - Igneous Bits1 votes
Entry #28:Ruunyth123 - Lava Temple3 votes
Entry #29:jasprelao - Shrine in a Volcano0 votes
Entry #30:Happy - Spirits of the Immortal Fire0 votes
Entry #31:theneonheart - You Kids Stay Off My Lava!1 votes
Entry #32:Gamesfreak13563 - Fire in the Hole0 votes
Entry #33:tgnemecek - Lava Theme1 votes
Entry #34:CastorOnline - Lava Temple0 votes


Congratulations to Harmonic for being The Most Instrumental of Them All!

Phase 2: Orchestral
Phase 2 voting is in! Here are the results:
Entry #1:Puppet_Master - Don't You Remember0 votes
Entry #2:Theodoric - Bring Back Memories1 votes
Entry #3:synbi - Nostalgic Theme0 votes
Entry #4:MrChearlie - Last Hour Memory0 votes
Entry #5:Xcalnarok - Nostalgic Flashback Scene0 votes
Entry #6:geodude - Memories4 votes
Entry #7:jasprelao - Melody of Memories0 votes
Entry #8:tgnemecek - Nostalgia2 votes
Entry #9:_TilT_ - Nostalgia0 votes
Entry #10:harmonic - Contest Phase 29 votes**WINNER**
Entry #11:Paulman - Nostalgia0 votes
Entry #12:kentona - Mine Baby0 votes
Entry #13:VGMusic_4_LIFE - Memoir of a Fleeting Heart5 votes
Entry #14:LaMasquerade - March of Memories1 votes
Entry #15:Tarranon - Nost5 votes
Entry #16:RolandMelvinZ - Memorable Time3 votes
Entry #17:Muninn - Final Memory0 votes
Entry #18:Swint - Memories of Better Times1 votes
Entry #19:NewBlack - Nostalgia in Realtime1 votes
Entry #20:theneonheart - Reminisces Near Misses0 votes
Entry #21:Wolfe - Memories in Sepia3 votes
Entry #22:Happy - Nostalgia 00 votes
Entry #23:Ruunyth123 - Memories on a Windy Hill0 votes
Entry #24:Link_2112 - Entry0 votes


Congratulations to Harmonic (again) but this time for being The Most Orchestral of Them All!

Phase 3: Inspired
Phase 3 voting phase is completed, and we have a 2-way tie for first place!
Entry #1:moneymenace - Battle of Regret1 votes
Entry #2:synbi - An Old Rival0 votes
Entry #3:Xcalnarok - Close Friend Battle Theme2 votes
Entry #4:Cheveyo - Rainbow Rhapsody0 votes
Entry #5:jasprelao - Why She Has To Be You4 votes*** WINNER ***
Entry #6:Puppet_Master - We used to be bros, man, but then you were a dick so fuck you let's fight!1 votes
Entry #7:Swint - Vs Friend2 votes
Entry #8:Wolfe - Brotherly Betrayal0 votes
Entry #9:tgnemecek - Revenge4 votes*** WINNER ***
Entry #10:VGMusic_4_LIFE - Where Fates Collide2 votes
Entry #11:Tarranon - Friend vs3 votes
Entry #12:Paulman - Friend Battle0 votes
Entry #13:NewBlack - Final Battle Against Harmonic Part One - Confrontation1 votes
Entry #14:Happy - Final Battle Against Harmonic Part Two - Metamorphosis0 votes
Entry #15:harmonic - Super Duper Final Phase 33 votes
Entry #16:KORA - Brother0 votes
Entry #17:MrChearlie - Blood of Heroes0 votes
Entry #18:Theodoric - Battle1 votes
Entry #19:kentona - Rough Criminal0 votes


Congratulations jasprelao and tgnemecek for being the most inspired!


Grand Total
Here are the final vote tallies for the RPG Music Challenge:
harmonic :
21
VGMusic_4_LIFE :
10
Tarranon :
8
tgnemecek:
7
NewBlack :
6
emmych :
5
Theodoric :
5
geodude :
4
jasprelao :
4
RolandMelvinZ :
4
Wolfe :
4
Ruunyth123 :
3
Swint :
3
Lana42 :
2
moneymenace :
2
Xcalnarok :
2
_TilT_ :
1
kentona :
1
LaMasquerade :
1
MrChearlie :
1
Puppet_Master :
1
rickyleung90 :
1
sameric :
1
theneonheart :
1
CastorOnline:
0
Dudesoft :
0
Gamesfreak13563 :
0
Happy :
0
Jude :
0
Link_2112:
0
Muninn :
0
Paulman :
0
Scourge :
0
SDHawk :
0
synbi :
0


Congratulations to harmonic for being the most musical of them all!

Great work everyone! This contest had some amazing entries, and overall it was a huge success! It was a lot of fun participating, listening and voting, plus seeing just how talented the musicians here are was humbling. Amazing work everyone!

Registration

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Posts

Interesting theme for phase 2, and quite a broad one too so I'm looking forward to hearing the entries. I have to up my game for this phase, the quality of the first phase was pretty damn high.
Given the scope, participation and success of this event, the corresponding achievements have been beefed up.

There are now participation achievements for all 3 phases, along with a winner achievement for each phase, along with an overall winner achievement for the entire event.

Good luck everyone!
This kind of contest is a good way to ring in the new year.
I started my entry and I'm thinking that there are going to be A LOT of Final Fantasy VI/VII rip-offs in this round.

author=Puppet_Master
I started my entry and I'm thinking that there are going to be A LOT of Final Fantasy VI/VII rip-offs in this round.
Remember that the theme is about happy memories. FFVI doesn't have a whole lot of those. Mostly two dead girlfriends, a dead father, a deranged father, manipulation and a tragic relationship, and suicidal despair. :P

Okay, the last one isn't really a memory, but it was one of the "sad" versions of a character leitmotif.

To be honest I only played through FFVII once and I can't recall what "happy memory" songs it had, other than Tifa's theme at the beginning. It's been over 14 years now. (did I just make anyone feel old?)
author=Wolfe
Remember that the theme is about happy memories.


Agreed, whether it's memories of childhood or an old flame, nostalgia tends to imply idealized memories.

I realised how old FFVII was when I fired it up on a 42" plasma a few years ago, $pixelation++; (mind you, it wasn't as bad as Xenogears)
harmonic
It's like toothpicks against a tank
4142
Nostalgic memory can take a variety of forms. I would not restrict it to just "happy."
Dictionary says:

a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time: a nostalgia for his college days.

Other forms such as loss, anger, regret, fear etc I wouldn't class as nostalgia. I would agree that nostalgia can make you feel sad, due to the fact you miss the time you are recalling, but as the music is for a 'nostalgic flashback scene' I would expect this to be set during the happy time in question.

I am happy to be proved wrong though, as I absolutely suck at writing happy music.
the whole point of nostalgia is that it's bittersweet
Happy
Devil's in the details
5367
This might be hard one. See, nostalgia isn't exactly about happiness, but the "sentimental yearning for it" as stated above.
author=geodude
the whole point of nostalgia is that it's bittersweet

author=Happy
This might be hard one. See, nostalgia isn't exactly about happiness, but the "sentimental yearning for it" as stated above.


Yeah, that is a more accurate description - not sure if that makes it easier or harder...
it makes me yearn for the time when I was naive to enough to believe that this was a straightforward theme...
author=kentona
it makes me yearn for the time when I was naive to enough to believe that this was a straightforward theme...

You are a fabulous human being.

...just thought I'd let you know. OTL
author=kentona
it makes me yearn for the time when I was naive to enough to believe that this was a straightforward theme...


Hey, at least there'll be no fights about whether 3 tracks means three instruments and whether those three instruments can be played in the same space at the same time by the same person, while playing timpani.
Just don't subject us to 34 entries of reed flute.
I didn't really mean "upbeat and happy," but I don't think it should sound like the time your dog died, your wife left you, your horse ran away, and you tripped and fell in the mud and everybody laughed at you. Not that I was expecting any country music entries...

For "wistful, sentimental yearning," Tifa's theme is actually a pretty good example. Contrast that with "Forever Rachel" or "Daryl's Epitaph" from FFVI.

Didn't mean to make things difficult, I was just saying that you wouldn't have nostalgia for a depressing life event.
author=Wolfe
I didn't really mean "upbeat and happy," but I don't think it should sound like the time your dog died, your wife left you, your horse ran away, and you tripped and fell in the mud and everybody laughed at you. Not that I was expecting any country music entries...

For "wistful, sentimental yearning," Tifa's theme is actually a pretty good example. Contrast that with "Forever Rachel" or "Daryl's Epitaph" from FFVI.

Didn't mean to make things difficult, I was just saying that you wouldn't have nostalgia for a depressing life event.

Ahhh, but there is nostalgia attached! Life events are usually depressing because they're the loss of something that made you not depressed, like a lover, or a life style, or a home town, bluh bluh bluh.

Someone up there mentioned bittersweetness - this is definitely a legitimate flavour for this theme! A memory can be mostly sad, but there might be hints of "oh man I remember when x happened wasn't x great it sucks that x had to end", you know? Like "Forever Rachel" -- it's all "oh man that sucks that my girlfriend forgot me and then died but I did so very much like being in love with her that part was fantastic".
I guess I was thinking specifically of that flashback cene where Cloud and Tifa are on top of that slide and it's the innocent time when they are children, but they know they won't see eachother for a long time and then there's that cheesy shooting star. I think that a lot of people (me included) are going to at least be somewhat inspired by the music during that theme. And for FFVI, the coin toss scene between Sabin and Edgar has the heroic theme played all bittersweetly on the piano. I'm sorry, I elaborated a bit more than I intended.

I'm also thinking it would be really cool to have record popping and scratching but I don't think that would work with what I've written thus far. If anyone wants to take my idea go for it.
I would think of nostalgia as a mixture of happy and sad.

Happy: It was a good time in your life, you were happy then, and (generally) it seemed perfect.

Sad: It's gone. You miss it. It won't come back.

I would say that this is something that would be best done with something sad tinged with happiness, like "Oh, I remember this, it was wonderful then". Kind of reliving the memories, but with the taint that you know it's not reality anymore.