Saturday 12 October 2019

Gamerz Xtreme Theme Recording

A few days ago, Cosine released 'Gamerz Xtreme Intro 2', a C64 intro featuring music by me.  Information about the intro can be found here...

I wrote the music using a PC based tool called Goattracker.  The SID music from the intro has been recorded using a 8580 SID equipped C64c, run through my Dolby amp.

I've uploaded a recording to my SoundCloud account.  Listen to the music below; if the player does not appear, hear it on it's SoundCloud page here...


Thursday 10 October 2019

Gamerz Xtreme Intro 2

Cosine has released "Gamerz Xtreme Intro 2" which features a new SID tune by me!  T.M.R coded this intro after a request by Psycho Stick and will be used on the "Gamerz Xtreme" streaming channel, which I believe is moving from Twitch over to Mixer.


According to T.M.R on the Cosine website:

"..the final version of this [intro] was delivered in source code form with a configuration file and build script so, along with being able to add new text for the scrolling message, Psycho Stick could also tweak various visual elements including the raster effects. As the scrolling message notes, it's like an intro maker but without a user friendly interface... This intro would be valid as an Intro Creation Competition (ICC) entry since it only occupies the first 16K of RAM, but it's possible for the scrolling message to extend outside those boundaries if the need should arise."

T.M.R also has a personal blog entry sharing further thoughts about the intro.  Read that here.

As for the music, I was asked by T.M.R a few months back to compose an original tune and was given "S-Express" by C64 legend Jeroen Tel as a reference.  From this tune I surmised that a late 1980's sound was required, thus the "Gamerz Xtreme Theme" (as it became known to me) features quite simple sounding instruments with no filter use or effects. As was customary in the late 80's, the bass line and drums share a channel, while arpeggios chirp away on their own channel and a simple synth lead claims the third channel.  Hopefully I achieved the "sound" I was aiming for!

As mentioned above, T.M.R seemed insistent that the final intro build fit the requirements of an ICC entry, so while composing it occurred to me to set a similar challenge for myself.  There is a compo on CSDb called the "Crack Intro Music Competition" which, like the ICC compo, has a set of "rules" for music.  I followed these rules so in the end the music in this valid ICC entry is also valid for entry in the stand alone music compo!

And now the downloads; multiple sources as usual!  Grab the intro from CSDb here or from the Cosine website here.  If you fancy grabbing the intro as well as the music in SID format, along with the original Goattracker music work file for you to poke and prod, download from this blog here.

T.M.R has recorded a video of the intro in action.  It should appear below, but if not can be viewed on YouTube here.