"LucasArts Soundtracks" - the site is finally UP - Page 2

Udvarnoky · 12-29-2003, 10:19 PM

Okay, the DOTT soundtrack, quite simply, ROCKS!!!!!!!!!! I do have a complaint, though:

WHERE IS DWAYNE'S THEME?

Please let me know if I'm missing it here. It's the theme played in Dwayne's hotel room in the present time. It is also an alternate theme for Snuckeys in Sam and Max. I noticed it was missing from the Sam and Max sountrack and figured you were saving it for DOTT, but I can't find it. Please tell me I'm an idiot and it's under a name I'm not recognizing.

Laserschwert · 12-29-2003, 11:05 PM

No, you're right, it's neither on the S&M nor on the DOTT soundtrack. Simply because it didn't sound too well on any of my synths... sorry.

Udvarnoky · 12-29-2003, 11:14 PM

My favorite song. Noooooo!

Laserschwert · 01-05-2004, 11:18 AM

Happy New Year, everybody!

For a good start into the new year, I have updated my site again. I've added the soundtracks from "Grim Fandango" and "The Dig"... both including covers, of course.

Enjoy!

sgt janeus · 01-05-2004, 12:17 PM

sorry to get back into the argument topic but...

that annonamous-guys comment was baleated so it appeard (and still appears) that your fighting over a sentance that says (general gyst) this comment was deleated. sooooo what are you gonna do?

**bgbennyboy** · 01-05-2004, 01:15 PM

Quiet you.

Nice one Laserschwert

Laserschwert · 01-05-2004, 03:02 PM

I am not really sure what you mean, Janeus...

I am not going to do anything... why should I? I am a grown up, and poor people like that "anonymous-guest" don't really bother me, since there are a lot of them out there... racism is not a way to insult me, because it's one of the lowest levels - a level I can't even see from up here...

But for your interest, that guy has only two posts, one in here, and one in another one of my threads... if you're interested, CLICK.

But now let's forget about this kid, and let's get back on topic.

sgt janeus · 01-06-2004, 12:33 AM

looking back on it even I don't know what i mean.....
oh well,

Quote:

But now let's forget about this kid, and let's get back on topic

I'll drink to that :-)

I've seen the site and downloaded a few... very impresed
i can safely say this site was the first lucasarts related bookmark i've made :-)

were you going to put Full Throttle on the site?
(I suppose you cant put that much up, seeing as they used the gone jackals)

and lets all hope that that anonymous_guest stops following you around

now im just going to try and change my location to Australia

guybrushthedwar · 01-07-2004, 02:39 PM

Whooa
I mean Whooaaa, was the very first sound I produced when I first visit your web site Laserschwert. I've been making poor riping of LucasArts Games for years and your production has been one of the things tahta has made 2003 a good years after all. Discovering Dark Forces and the two Indiana Soundtracks I went bit funny in the head... but what you've put onilne since has been a little bi disappointing

First, your Sam and Max soundtrack seems to miss a few important themes and the tone of the whole was .. strange, but that must be me.

Then, GF soundtrack was a real deception : short tracks, no "Rusty Anchor".... can we hope for a montage of several cues and themes from the game instead of "simple" rip in a distant future ?
I'm aware I asked a lot but your work has impressed me a lot in the first place so... it's always worth asking.
To conclude two comments :
- why the MI3-MI4 covers are composed here and there of non MI3-MI4 pics ?
- is it me or there's no tag in the mp3 downloadable?
-your site looks great , go on, it's worth it
and that was third free comment <i>pour le monsieur</i>

Laserschwert · 01-07-2004, 05:16 PM

@guybrushthedwar(f?):

Well, regarding the pros and cons, you like the site after all, I guess.

You're right, there's some stuff I didn't put on the "Sam & Max" soundtrack. That was mainly very irritating background music, like "Mystery Vortex" and "Frog Rock". But you're right, now that I look at it, there are all the Snuckey-themes that I probably should have added... maybe I'll add them later. But what about the tone? Probably just you

The "Grim Fandango" section was something that was created in a rush, since many people mailed me, asking when it will be put online. Maybe you've noticed, that the files aren't even on my server, that's just because I didn't upload them, but linked directly to the files from the "Grim Fandango Network" (which I was asked for by the Mojo staff). You say that there are missing tunes, and that's absolutely right, since the files provided are simply a rip of the original soundtrack CD. But I guess I'll add a "More Music from Grim Fandango"-CD as I find time (and yes, I might do montages... no promises though).

What was that about the MI3 / MI4 artwork being interchanged?

1. Huh?
2. Where?
3. What?
4. Does it matter?

And yes, again you're right, no MP3-tags... at least not for most of the stuff (I think "Dark Forces" does). But the idea is to burn that stuff as audio CDs... I didn't create those covers for fun... well, not entirely

guybrushthedwar · 01-07-2004, 05:47 PM

Why!Of course, I really like your site on the whole but well I though that giving a honest opinion could matter...
hem, about the cover tere's been a misunderstanding, what I meant is that for example the pics on the back cover of MI4 isn't extracted from this game...
http://soundtracks.mixnmojo.com/images/mi4back.jpg
and that's a pity...
And it's exactly the same for MI3 :
http://soundtracks.mixnmojo.com/images/3back.jpg

Would it be cooler - and more appropriate- to put a capture from the cutscene instead ?

Laserschwert · 01-07-2004, 06:42 PM

I see... well, I thought those were some very cool looking piratey pictures... so I took them. I had an old version of covers that had pictures from the game on it... but I like these more.

Still, it wouldn't be too much to upload alternate covers as well... be prepared! (Though again: "if I find time")

Laserschwert · 01-18-2004, 11:26 PM

Just a little update on my site:

- I've added the "Knights of the Old Republic"-soundtrack, plus CD-covers.

- I've corrected the links to the "Grim Fandango"-soundtrack (the folks over at the Grim Fandango Network re-uploaded the music at a much higher quality, which made the old links become obsolete)... I got many mails about this issue, and now it's fixed.

woodenstool · 01-19-2004, 01:59 AM

Could you put on the Outlaws soundtrack too?

guybrushthedwar · 01-19-2004, 05:39 AM

Very good jobeven if but links to the KotOR covers are dead .
Jeremy Soule has really brought something different for this game.. Bajakian did great jobs on others Starwars game but the KotOR composer has managed give a astonishing extension to the musical universe of the movies.

Laserschwert · 01-19-2004, 08:08 AM

OK, cover-links are fixed.

As for Outlaws, I guess I'll put it online, since the music only comes with the game, and can't be bought separately.

Alien426 · 01-19-2004, 08:22 AM

Wrong. Look here.

***Jake*** · 01-19-2004, 05:14 PM

Yeah, Outlaws' soundtrack was made available as a separate CD you could purchase alone, as well as the CD tracks that came with the game.

woodenstool · 01-19-2004, 06:34 PM

Hey, I was just wondering, why doesn't any sites (Grim Fandango Network, Soundtracks, iMuse Island) have THE Grim Fandango theme? You know, the one that's incompletely played at the beginning? I remember when Highland Productions was still around, there was a midi file called "The Longest Story Ever" or something around those lines, and it was good, and 2:00+ minutes long.

Laserschwert · 01-19-2004, 07:14 PM

I thought the soundtrack CD only came with a limited edition of the game... but obviously I was wrong.

But still, what do you guys think? Should I put it online or not?

As for that "Grim Fandango"-main theme... it wasn't featured on the official soundtrack... that's why none of the sites is offering it as part of it. But as soon as I have more time, I am going to do a "More Music from Grim Fandango"-soundtrack, with stuff ripped from the game. Then the main theme will probably be featured on there.

**elTee** · 01-20-2004, 11:23 AM

The way I see it, LucasArts can only really moan at you if you're putting stuff up there that people would otherwise have to pay for - although you can still buy the outlaws soundtrack on Ebay occasionally, LucasArts themselves don't make any money from it. Besides, Grim Fandango.net have the Grim Fandango soundtrack online and no-one's complained about that yet.

Laserschwert · 01-20-2004, 05:01 PM

Yeah, that's the way I see it too... I just wasn't sure if that's a way to justify it. So I guess "Outlaws" will go up there, as well as "The Dig".

Laserschwert · 01-27-2004, 10:11 PM

Little update: The CD-covers for the "Dark Forces"-soundtrack are up.

Lundquist · 01-28-2004, 10:33 AM

Awesome, I love your covers

You know you don't have to put my name on the covers, I've noticed you haven't put your own name on the other covers, so it's really not necessary.

Laserschwert · 01-28-2004, 04:28 PM

Well, Ken... it might not be "necessary", but you deserve it for sure. And maybe I'll add my name to the other covers too... someday.

By the way, did you get my e-mail? (the one with the TIE- and X-Wing-MIDIs)

Lundquist · 01-28-2004, 06:01 PM

Yes, I got your mail, I've been trying to get the ingame midis from X-wing but I couldn't for the love of god extract them, but now that you have done it (god knows how), I'll certainly do the X-Wing soundtrack as well.
I have finally pulled myself together to continue the Tie-fighter soundtrack, so it shouldn't take TOO long. The most time consuming is dividing the string patches into violins, violas, celli and basses.

Laserschwert · 01-29-2004, 05:14 PM

A little letdown for you guys: A pure "Maniac Mansion" soundtrack won't happen. I stayed in contact with the guy who said he has the music from the game, but unfortunately it's only 3 tracks... that, plus Puffy64's remix, really isn't enough for a soundtrack. But I think I'll add the remix to the DOTT soundtrack (maybe together with the most requested track for "Dwayne"), and update the covers.

I guess if I can dig up more music, I'll do a "LucasFilm Classics"-soundtrack, with stuff like "Maniac Mansion", "Ballblazer", "Rescue on Fractalus" and so on.

But until then all other things get much higher priority. And there are still covers that I need... like "Loom" and "Force Commander".

Oh, and just yesterday I saw "The Dig" in a DVD-case in the store, and now I am thinking about doing DVD-covers for all (or at least MOST) LucasArts-games... I think I might host them on my site too. (there's a thread concerning the necessary "ridicously large cover scans")

@Lundquist:
I didn't rip the X-Wing soundtrack myself, I got them from MadMarty, a regular at the German site "Die Tentakelvilla". No idea though how he managed to get them out of the game.

woodenstool · 01-30-2004, 04:17 AM

so what about the music? will there be anymore grim fandango tracks? or Outlaws? The CD covers are cool and everything, but it's the music that makes the CD, not the cover.

**elTee** · 01-30-2004, 04:56 AM

Laserschwert: I think Spiffy is doing at least some of the DVD covers, perhaps you should contact him.

Regarding DOTT, I once made a "trailer" mp3 for it. I think you can find a low quality version on my site, if you ever want to use a higher quality version of that on a CD that would be cool. Its ok if you don't want to though, I can handle criticism

daltysmilth · 01-30-2004, 03:57 PM

How did you capture the mp3's from Emperor's Tomb? I would assume you need the PC version to do it. And I already have the XBox version.

Laserschwert · 01-30-2004, 04:51 PM

@woodenstool:

Patience, my young Padawan. There is more music to come, like "Force Commander", "TIE Fighter", "Outlaws" and "The Dig". But I have a job, and am just doing this on the side, and just for fun. Don't worry... more music-updates are going to come.

@daltysmith:

You're just the man I was looking for (or one of those). You're right, I got the music from the PC-version. Conveniently it's stored on the game CD as MP3-files... so not much work to do here.

BUT: The big drawback of those files is the quality, because they were compressed with 96kbps at 22kHz, which isn't CD-quality. Rumours say, that the X-Box version has the soundtrack at a higher quality. Could you please check on that? I guess you can search the CD for MP3-files on your PC. Then just play them with WinAmp (or right-click them, and look at the details) to find out about the bitrate and stuff.

You might mail me about this at Captain_Solo@gmx.net

daltysmilth · 01-31-2004, 04:41 AM

It might well be that there are MP3's of the music on the XBox version, but when I put the CD in the computer, all that happens is that Windows' Media Player pops up and correctly identifies it as an Xbox CD, and basically tells me that I'm an idiot for trying to play an XBox game in my PC. Does anyone know of any ways that I might be able to capture these MP3's if there are any ways to capture MP3's from XBox games? (Besides the obvious method of holding a tape recorder up to the speaker while I'm playing the game?)

Laserschwert · 01-31-2004, 10:05 AM

Good question... anyone?

Actually I thought since the X-Box is based on Windows, it would be no problem. Does anybody know anything about this?

**bgbennyboy** · 01-31-2004, 01:39 PM

I have the xbox emperors tomb mp3's, but I really wouldnt advocate putting them up on the soundtracks site. It seems a bit dodgy when you're taking the mp3 files from new-ish games like ET and putting them up. Meh, i duuno.

Laserschwert · 01-31-2004, 01:44 PM

I don't encourage software piracy. But I think when it comes to music extracted from the games, it would be fair to either realease the music on official soundtrack-CDs, or offer it for download somewhere.

After all, LucasArts wants to sell their GAMES... which I don't prevent people from in any means.

By the way, here in Germany the game is on budget now for around 10 bucks... that officially ends it's "newishness".

Now... are those X-Box MP3s of higher quality than just 96Kb at 22KHz?

The Tingler · 01-31-2004, 05:45 PM

Quote:

I don't encourage software piracy. But I think when it comes to music extracted from the games, it would be fair to either realease the music on official soundtrack-CDs

So you put the entire Grim Fandango CD soundtrack on the website (one of the few LucasArts soundtracks that's easy to get hold of) without adding any new tracks and keeping them in exactly the same order?
Wouldn't a GF soundtrack comprising all the tracks the CD doesn't have be better?

Also, daltysmith - what version of Windows do you have? If it's XP, wouldn't it be worth trying it with, say, 98 - before the Xbox?

daltysmilth · 01-31-2004, 05:57 PM

But how do you capture mp3's from Xbox games? Is there some kind of program you have to use? Also, Laserschwert, the Emperor's Tomb mp3's that are currently up on the Soundtrack site, are they pretty much exactly the way you got them from the game cd? Or did you edit them together? Because it sounds like either you either edited them together or you hooked a tape recorder up to your sound output and just recorded the music as you were playing the game. If the tracks are edited together, I personally would prefer the individual tracks rather than the "several tracks edited together version." But that's just me, and I can't speak for everyone. That's not a complaint, I would rather have the "several tracks edited together" version than no version at all. And also, is the music you have posted all the music that you have access to? Because it's definitely not all the music from the game. And also, every time I've tried to go to Soundtrack site from any of the computers in my house in the past day, they all keep saying that they cannot find it. I know the problem has to be on my end, so does anyone know how to fix it?

**elTee** · 01-31-2004, 08:43 PM

I still rip music from my console games the old fashioned way - stick a lead from the output on the console (usually SCART as component) and plug the audio lines into my line in on my PC. If you have a fairly decent soundcard (mine was new 5 years ago and still works like a dream) you can get some great rips. Its easier if the game has a "music test" option, like Super Smash Bros. Melee or the Rogue Leader games, but if not you can always turn the sound effects and dialogue volumes down in the options, then pause the game and record the music that way.

Laserschwert · 01-31-2004, 11:57 PM

@TheTingler:

Yeah, I'm planning on adding a "More music from Grim Fandango"-soundtrack on the site... but back then, since I got many e-mails from people asking me to add the music from "Grim Fandango" to my site, I decided to take the easy road, and put links on my site to files which I knew were already hosted by the GrimFandangoNetwork. This way I could satisfy some people a little easier than taking the effort of creating an all-new Grim-soundtrack. Eventually I WILL take this effort, but right now I have only little time on my hand, so that I'll add other stuff first.

@daltysmith:

No, the music isn't edited together. After installing the PC-version, there's a music folder, which contains every bit of music from the game in form of MP3s. There are several big pieces amongst those files (the ones I used on the soundtrack you find on my site), and many very short fills and cues. I thought these short parts wouldn't really fit on a soundtrack, since they would interrupt the music all the time. But now with a slight chance of getting those files at a higher quality, I might edit a complete soundtrack together... but that still depends on this X-Box-ripping issue.

Couldn't you just browse the CD with the Windows Explorer? Maybe there's a "music"-folder on the CD, which contains the MP3s.

I don't know how the X-Box works... do you have to install games? Or do you play them directly from the CDs? Because in the PC-version of "Emperor's Tomb" the music-directory is only available on the hard drive AFTER installing the game. So maybe you would need access to the files on your X-Box hard drive...

But Benny already says he has the files, so probably you don't even have to do this.

Laserschwert · 02-01-2004, 10:54 AM

After a little googling around the web, I found some fourm threads saying, that the X-Box version has the music stored as WMA-files... not MP3... so maybe you must search for the file extension WMA.

And obviously it's possible to replace the music files from the PC-version with these higher quality files... and the game would still work... just with better music!