The Ur-Quan Masters Discussion Forum

The 10th of November finally arrived, and the remixing team went into a state of panic. Two remixes weren't ready (Arilou and Druuge), and Riku's computer got attacked by a nasty virus. We kept going all through the day, evening and night though, and finally reached our goal. The second remix package is complete!

By the time I post this message, package 2, called "Neutral Aliens, Don't Shoot!" should be uploading to sourceforge, so watch the news page. In the meantime, all the music is available for listening and downloading in MP3 format at our website: http://www.spacesynth.net/precursors/

We hope you enjoy the music this time too! :)

Espen Gätzschmann & the remixing group

Hey, cool.  The arilou one is so...soothing.  nice.

edit: Actually, so far, I like them all.  While I'm on a 56k and low fi samples probably aren't the best way to judge, so far even at low-fi I'm liking them.   The quasispace theme seems a little menacing though, for some reason.  I think that's kind of cool though.  Probes is amazing, especially considering what the original was, and the sylandro homeworld is class.  Once the package is up and I can get the high quality ones, I'll probably rave some more.

Argh !
Hyperspace butchered !

It used to be Heroic WE MUST SAVE THE UNIVERSE AT ALL COSTS epic quest music.
Now its lets hang around in the hottub for a few minutes longer music.


I apologise for not having any good comments to go with this bad one, all ive listened to so far is Hyperspace.

Man it was a job to get those released. Took 12 hours.. which includes composing Druuge, writing readme, designing cover and uploading the stuff. So tired that you'd better give good reviews ;)   :P

We're having some difficulty with the web page.  If you want to download the addon pack, go directly to the project file list. (http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=59452&release_id=196754)

This far:

• Arilou - Another masterpiece, nothing more to say. It is awesome. (#1)
  
• Quasispace - Better than those who were before, still, something is missing.
  
• Hyperspace - Good, but too mellow! The other mixes were faster, this one's superbly done though.
  
• Druuge - Where did THAT come from. It's amazing!
  
• Talking Pet - Another good one, I like the vocals in the background.
  
• Melnorme - Such an improvement, and the cash register sounds are just in place. Amazing work.
  
• Rainbow Worlds - Great! I love it.
  
• Planet Red Alert - Another masterpiece! (#2)
  
• Slylandro Planet - Keeps the original "happy" feeling.
  
• Slylandro Probe - We've heard the preview, I liked it a lot, others didn't - their problem.
  
• Spathi Home - Wacky and great.
  
  EDIT: I take back my words on Quasispace - It's the best remix of Q-Space I've heard and it doesn't lack anything.
  
  Overall this pack has an ambient feel to it - which I like!
  
  Thanks for the amazing work guys.
  
  

way to go!
I love the Ariolu and Quasipace ones! Hyperspace is very different, but the more I listen the more I like it.  And I couldn't help dancing to the Sylandro homeworld song! Great work.  The water in Orbit II is neat, as is the some of the stereo effects in the probe song.  Druuge is very approprite. Spathi manages to maintain the spirit of the original, but it's much better.  Well these are just my first impressions, and the others are still downloading.  Maybe I'll post more later!

I should probably indulge my inclination for horrible Tolkien puns here instead.  The Arilou theme would work great as "The Grey Havens."  Too bad these Greys are green.

Here is my review -
Talking Pets - Very nice and creepy.
Spathi home - Party time! Gotta love it, even when it starts like new mtv song and continues like warcraft 2 (not the quality!) sound track... Genius the one who created it!
Slylandro - Already heard it, but it seems like some stuff has changed... oh well still good.
Slylandro home - Cute
Orbit II and III - w00t the ..... omg masterpieces!
Melnorme - Liked the "Kaching!"
Hyper Space - something got into your throat? Wtf it suppose to mean...?
Druuge - Godlike!
Arispace - Good, still I liked "mystic of shadows" more.
Arilou - This is the music for them!!! This slow music in the start just feels right, like you rediscover someone you knew and lost.. can't describe it better than it!
Extra

Slyhome- sound the same as the old one
Arispace- the one I liked! The mystics!
Arilou- No offense, but I don't wonder it is called "alien gay disco", delete!

Overall better than the first pack! The only disappointment is the "gay disco" track, but hey! It is from the extra pack and the other one rocks! Success for the remix team! ;D

Much like the first pack, there are some songs that I prefer the original over, and some that I would listen to in my spare time just because they are that badass. Definitely some sweet remixes. My compliments to the remixing team.

My thoughts so far:

Hyperspace - What was Riku thinking?! I can understand making new music for some of the less popular tunes, but you destroyed a masterpiece! I'm sorry, but this is horrible - nothing remotely close to an epic space quest. In fact, some of it sounds like the old slylandro homeworld music, and that is definitely not suited for hyperspace.

Quasispace - Love it, it's awesome! Although it's a little more less mysterious than the original, it sounds cooler and it's about 10x more epic. A masterpiece, even better than Mark's other Quasispace mix.

Druuge - Excellent! It suits the Druuge perfectly. Nice beat, and great sounds.  One couldn't tell you put that together in 12 hours! ;) The singing-like ambient sounds work well with the rock music to show the sorrow of the slaves, but it sounds weird on its own for the first ten seconds of the song. Overall though, very well done.

Arilou - This is the perfect music for the Arilou, a masterpiece. The original was good but not great, but this one suits them so well. It sounds mysterious, but at the same time gives a "familiar" feel. I know I said this with one of the earlier remixes, but some of it reminds me of Lord of the Rings music. Yes, I know I'm probably too into those movies.  ;)

Melnorme - The original was ok, but it got a bit repetitive. This one is a huge improvement. It's relaxed and upbeat, and sorta kinda gives the feeling of bartering over a trade (sorta kinda). Suits the melnorme very well.

Dnyarri - I always kinda liked the old dnyarri music, so I hoped this would do it justice. The first time through, I hated it. But after listening to it again, I've decided that it's decent. However, it really doesn't sound evil enough.

Slylandro homeworld - Awesome! It still feels happy and free, but it's a lot better than the old one, which could often be annoying. It also does a better job of sounding gasbag-ey.

Slylandro Probe - I liked the pre-release one, this is even better. I like how "We come in peace" was mixed in a bit more, and I especially like how it gets cut off and garbled sometimes (makes it really seem like they're not working properly). It's about 100x better than the original, which wasn't even music.

Spathi - The last one I listened to, and this one is the
third masterpiece of this remix pack. It sounds silly and stays far, far away from any action-type music, which fits the bill perfectly for the Spathi.. I love how the end sounds like they're running away, and the beginning sounds like they're coming out of hiding!

Overall - Wonderful remixes! The only one I have a major problem with is hyperspace - will anyone ever mix anything superior to the 3do hyperspace music? However, the other remixes were good, and a few were amazing.  

Both remix packs were great and both had 3 tunes I'd call masterpieces. But I'd say I like the first one better cause it had ditties.

Arilou --  very sweet. I liked it.
Druuge -- great! keeps all the Druuge spirit
Melnorme -- good. Especially cool was these coin machine sounds :)
Slylandro home -- a bit funny, er, to say -- *happy* music. I liked it.
Slylandro probe -- great. Techno, spacy, drumsy.
Spathi -- good. Too fast as imho and i would like it to resemble old one a bit more.
Talking pet -- good music. But.. they are EVIL arent' they?
Orbit II -- well done!
Orbit III -- cool! very *exploring* and futuristic
QuasiSpace -- man, it is a symphony! Simply amasing!
HyperSpace -- Eh.. Where is heroism??  It must be epic saga, not disco!

Thank you very much for your work, guys.

"Property of the Crimson Corporation" has 'the Druuge' and 'video game music' written all over it!  That one is by far my most favorite of the remixes thus far.  And its dark and evil sounding.  I could see hearing it in a Castlevania game or something.

On the thread concerning our expectations from the first remix I wrote:

 

Well, It got more ambient and I do love ambient a lot and this track is well done. BUT the original Hyperspace theme was the one I remembered so well from the original game.
It was 50% of my gaming experience with all the time I spent in hyperspace.
I am forever in debt to Riku for doing both the original and the remix, but still this this isn't what I hoped for.
You can always put saibuster's or Rush's (if you like Gothic bands) mixes instead. (sorry Riku).



Well, besides being too quiet, it is what I wanted. An awesome track with a very interesting sound.



It turned out better. Although all of the other mixers are quite good, TiLT and Void make the music I like the most. They hit my taste almost every time.



Thank god we have Riku! this is exactly what this track needed. Couldn't be done better.



This is the best track I've heard (besides Starbase:Red Sky and Mark's Orbit III). First time I've heard it I was amazed. It couldn't sound THAT good.

Drums and bassline are which makes it sound faster. Infact it is slower than the original, however added bassline and the bassdrum make you feel it is faster. I have idea about chillout remix someday. Spathi at caribbian.. hmm.. I wonder how that would sound. Shakers and steeldrums. :)

Must say, that I wasn't expecting this. Personally I was thinking that those are the weak songs in the pack, especially the Orbit III. Anyway, there will be more Orbits. Probably more than the game can currently support, but choose your favourites then..

Hello friends,

Imagine that you wrote a book which was a success over 10 years ago. The success made many people trying their wings on writing. There were many alike books, with a same story, in the following years.

As the original writer, would you write the same story again after 11 years or would you like to write totally different story with loose links to your previous book? And if you would choose the different way – what would the others do?

Thank you for your comments. It is always a pleasure to me to notice that music is something that you think with your heart.

- Riku  8)

Riku, clearly my replies have offended you.
I appologize.
Let me reiterate what I meant:
I have no problem with the change in some of the tunes, it's just that the hyperspace remix is not what is needed for the Hyperspace travel mode.
The good part of the original game was that it was such a good catchy tune that played over and over and yet you still didn't get tired of.
The fans were hoping for a similar tune with same effects - it could even be a different tune altogether. You would agree that the new remix is great and could be on any retail quality ambient music CD, but it doesn't fit that part of the game it was meant for. The slower tunes in the original game were used for solar systems navigations and orbit for that very reason, while the faster ones were used for Hyperspace and Quasispace.

"Riku, clearly my replies have offended you. I appologize."

Nah, don't apologize because I am not offended. I knew before how you guys will react.  That answer is  to JWJ:s question: What  was Riku thinking?!

Have I mentioned that we originally thought that in the final version of UQM would be multiple Hyperspace themes like in the battles? So the question is, do you want them all to sound the same?

- Riku  8)

If this IS the case then your work has a whole different look to it. The mix that was made is a theme on the original, adding two other different mixes (like both saibuster's AND rush's to create 3 alternating HS tunes would seem like a great idea).
Maybe someone should open a new thread or a poll describing this.

Two question:
A. Who did "alien gay discon"?
and the next question that everyone wants to ask...
When will the next pack be released?

Yeah, I agree with this analysis. The Arilou music sounds like it could be in LotR as a theme for the elves. The music gives the impression of being from a people older than humans. Older, mysterious, and familiar all at once. The vocals were a very nice touch. Kudos.

As for the rest:
Qspace: Nice. I think I prefer bonus arispace, but that's just my preference.
Probe: Definitely cool. Sounded familiar.
Slylandro: Very cool. Had that nice ethereal sound you'd expect from gas beings. (What was the voice saying in the background? I couldn't make it out.)
Hspace: Like most others, I think I prefer the original. Again, what was the voice saying the background?
Orbit II: Nice.
Druuge: Liked the vocals a lot.
Spathi: Pretty cool. Neurotic almost, but I think that suits the Spathi.
Orbit III: Nice, as always. But I'm confused as to the types of planets it's going to be played around.
Melnorme: Definitely a fun one.
Dnyarri: Good.
Gay Arilou: Well, much more like the original. Not bad, but I think I prefer the new track.
bonus QSpace: My preference for Qspace. It has a strong melody and has a good sense of both wonder and adventure.
Sushi: (alt slyhome) Pretty fun. I like the changing instruments.

And I have but one comment. Very very ery well done. This goes for both packs that have been released so far. I mean, I've burned this to cds, just to be able to play it in the kitchen, the car, wherever!

Stated in the ogg file tags and in the readme file (not clearly though so I think we fix that to the readme for next pack). The remixers are Jacques Capesius and Nicolas Simonds.

I suppose I should offer an explanation for that track.  :)

Back in the day, when the remix project was getting started, I sent a message to my friend and longtime SC2 fan, Jacques, asking him if he would be interested in helping out with some music.  Of course, he jumped at the chance, and emailed Riku with all due haste offering his services.  Mr. Nuottajarvi assigned him the Arilou theme, and Jacques asked me if I could come and provide input.

Jacques is, by his own admission, a bit of a "kitchen-sinker", meaning that he has a tendency to throw tracks upon tracks upon tracks, until the song sounds like a jumble of competing sounds; my personal tastes are more minimalist, so my job was to wince in pain whenever I thought it sounded like he was overdoing it, tell him stupid jokes, and play with his cats.  Occasionally, I would turn a knob or adjust a dial if Jacques couldn't reach it, but my role in the production was little more than "enthusiastic bystander" by all quantifiable means.

Neither of us was very fond of the original Arilou theme, and we decided fairly quickly that we'd "throw away" the old theme and use the game's story and artwork as inspiration for an original work.  A bunch of Roswell aliens with fey voices in a dark room with swirling, colourful lights led me to exclaim during a brainstorming session, "Help! I'm trapped in a Gay Alien Disco!"  And thus, the song was titled and its direction set.

Our grand vision of a wholly original, Euro-pop dance tune for our green-skinned friends was quickly dimished by the fact that we could never really find the time to get together and work on it, and the times that we could get together never really lasted long enough to make much progress.  We settled on using the melody from the original theme as a "placeholder" until we could come up with something else, and then never did.  We submitted two unfinished versions to Riku (the latter of which is included in the extras pack) to prove that we were actually working on it, and then completely lost the ability to work on it any further.  :(

I, for one, am quite appreciative that the song has been included in the remixes, but I'll be first in line to say that TiLT's version deserves to the the "official" remix.  Bravo to him.

hear hear. I didn't even hear the song yet and I know that it's lightyears ahead of that jury rig we threw Riku's way.

Riku, I did love the new Commander music, and that was very different. I just don't think the new hyperspace suits the setting. Still, if we are able to choose multiple hyperspace themes, that would be cool.

First of all, I'd like to thank the remixing team for putting together another remix pack for our listening pleasure. Now, on to the reviews:

• Arilou: Soothing and melodic. Suits the Arilou much better than the original (which I also liked), giving the impression of an "elder" (think Tolkien-style Elves) civilisation watching over us. Another good original tune.
  
• Druuge: Sounds like Jarre's "Industrial Revolution" mixed with Bobby Prince's soundtrack for Doom. I can't believe this was a rush job; this captures the spirit of the Druuge really well.
  
• Melnorme: Funky, but in a more controlled sense than the original. This remix truly captures the way commercial thinking permeates Melnorme culture. The general impression is "visit to futuristic corporate HQ". This tune makes me want to spend more money... I mean credits. Great job.
  
• Slylandro gasbags: Another great remix of the original. More melodic than the original, which had a nasty tendency to lose the music in lots of weird noises. This one has weird noises that add to the tune, instead.
  
• Slylandro probes: I've heard this one before. Good electronic stuff with just the right amount of "We come in peace".
  
• Spathi homeworld: Oh my goodness! Full-tilt Spathi hysteria; sounds like a cross between a zany cartoon and widespread panic. If the aim was to convey the impression of Spathi scared to death, you have certainly succeeded. Gets the prize for "Most creative recognisable remix so far".
  
• Dnyarri: Brooding electronic stuff. Suitably creepy, and sounds quite good.
  
• Orbit 2: Another fine planet landing tune. Powerful and ambient at the same time, it really sounds like epic exploration. You could have convinced me Vangelis wrote this.
  
• Orbit 3: "This planet is dangerous, but we have the situation firmly under control.". Stays in the background, but manages to convey a sense of barely controlled danger. Great stuff.
  
• QuasiSpace: Epic symphonic mix of the PC version. My only gripe is that it takes too long to get started; I can travel from the Arilou homeworld to a portal in the lower left while the music is still in the introduction.
  
• HyperSpace: An interesting approach to the HyperSpace music. While I prefer Mark's version for listening outside the game, I think this version actually suits HyperSpace travel better.
  

All in all, even better than the first remix pack. Keep up the good work.

The voice you can hear at around 1:30 is saying "Hello? Hello?" in a swedish accent. What the other voices are saying, is anyone's guess. It's just random tuning noises from a radio.

Well, I didn't liked Spathi remix too much.
Those ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta voices (or something like that) all over the place are just irritating.
Although song would be pretty ok, if they get removed.

I like all of them except Hyperspace and Spathi.

The Spathi music sounds too fast and busy. The orginal made me think of the Spathi as wacky but when I hear the remix I think hyperactive.

Well, I thought the Spathi remix was great. Some of the remixes are kinda blah, but I won't mind unless they do something stupid like make the Ur-Quan theme another trance track. That's where I throw a tantrum.

Good job, guys.

Hyperactive?

"My ichors pulse through my body with unusual ferocity!
Your arrogance has whipped me into a violent frenzy
and I am compelled to engage you in preemptive-defensive action."

I tend to dislike the Spathi music too.  The background cartoony sounds are awfully chaotic, and tend to drown out the melody.  To my ears, it just sounds kind of discordant, and that just doesn't fit my tastes, or my impression of the spathi.  They aren't chaotic or scattered - they're actually quite well organized.  Well organized for the sole purpose of running away, yes, but definitely ordered.

But, hey, different strokes for different folks.

I already made a post on this, and sorry if it offended anyone, but sorry riku, i can't listen to the new hyperspace theme in the game.. it totally ruined the feeling i had of the game while i was a kid.  You are an amazing composer, but i think it is safe to say that many fans wanted something closer to the origional.

I was expecting something upbeat and close to the origional, heck i listen to the 3D0 remix while i work out (call me obsessed, ok?)  but i feel like i am going to fall asleep instead of dance to the music in my seat :(

Not to be unfriendly, but you could have saved yourself a lot of grief  by checkign the FAQ before posting ,and realising that you can use ANY music in the game, original, remix, New Kids On The Block. It's just a matter of work.

As for how it's done, I think either the Technical FAQ or the files that arrive with the  game give instructions. Or do they? Might want to add that otherwise.

Also, there is an older HyperSpace remix, Marc Riveras Electroblast Remix which is truer to the original tone, yet "newer and fresher" so to speak. Again, I'm too lazy to find a link for you, but it ought to be somewhere on PONAF, otherwise I'll happily mail it to you.

Well, it's late so night.

Completely off topic, but hey luki, what you want for your millenium party?

Heh. You probably mean my (Mark Vera) remix. So old, and I hear how the mixing isn't good. anyway.. :) "Marc Riveras" is the most weird version of "Mark Vera" I've ever heard.   :D

Ooops  :-[  Tghat's what I get for writing when I should be sleeping. Indeed, Mark Veras mix was the one I was referring to.