Gametime 2009 - Interview with Chance Thomas (Avatar: The Game)

Gametime 2009 - Interview: Chance Thomas (Avatar:  The Game)

Recorded December 16, 2009

Published December 19, 2009


Episode Highlights

00:33 - Introduction and Welcome
01:40 - Did you feel "extra" pressure working on Avatar:  The Game?
03:06 - How was James Cameron involved with the game music?
05:00 - Working with James Horner
09:05 - Finding "the sound" for the game.
11:15 - Comparing the game score and the film's score
16:55 - Freedom of the prequel
18:10 - Other 2009 projects:  LDS Church and United Way

Music Clips (Select music clips contained in this podcast)

00:05 - Virgin Flight (Avatar: The Game) by Chance Thomas
07:52 - Becoming One of "the People... (Avatar) by James Horner
15:25 - Aerial Combat Acrobatics (Avatar: The Game) by Chance Thomas
17:35 - Mystical Gatherings (Avatar: The Game) by Chance Thomas
24:36 - Virgin Flight (Avatar: The Game) by Chance Thomas

Download the interview here

Check out the full HIGH SCORE! feature here

Listen to 5 Tracks from Assassin's Creed 2 by Jesper Kyd

On November 16, Jesper Kyd's latest project, Assassin's Creed 2, will be available, but we give you an advanced listen to 5 tracks from the upcoming, 35 track release!

More on Assassin's Creed 2

Award-winning composer Jesper Kyd has created an epic soundtrack for Assassin's Creed II, the sequel to the fastest-selling new IP in video game history. Following his atmospheric score for the original Assassin's Creed, Kyd takes the music in an adventurous new direction and crafts an immensely diverse, melodic and progressive musical palette featuring acoustic and symphonic orchestrations with emotional depth and diversity. The original score was recorded with A-List musicians and a Hollywood orchestra and choir at the world-renowned Capitol Studios. The Assassin's Creed II Original Soundtrack will be available for digital download from popular music stores on November 16th.

Assassin's Creed II features a new hero, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a young Italian noble, and a new era, the Renaissance. The game tells an epic story of family, vengeance and conspiracy set in the pristine, yet brutal, backdrop of a Renaissance Italy. Ezio befriends Leonardo da Vinci, takes on Florence’s most powerful families and ventures throughout the canals of Venice where he learns to become a master assassin. The music propels the action, captures the allure and mystery of the story and immerses players in the breathtakingly detailed settings.

Patrice Desilets, Creative Director at Ubisoft: "Jesper Kyd’s score for Assassin’s Creed II brings players into the Italian Renaissance by providing a true sense of depth for the poignant moments, while also giving a jolt of adrenaline to the action-packed sequences. We are thrilled to have Jesper Kyd back with us in making Assassin’s Creed II an epic title on all levels."

Jesper Kyd: "We created a unique musical identity for Assassin's Creed II that reflects the character and story of Ezio and elevated the music, both in terms of creativity and live production, to a whole new level."

Assassin’s Creed II is the product of over two years of intensive development by the original creative team behind the Assassin’s Creed brand. Assassin’s Creed II is scheduled to launch on November 17th, 2009 for the PLAYSTATION® 3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PC. For more information about Assassin’s Creed II, please visit http://www.assassinscreed.com/.

Give ear here! or Pre-Order the soundtrack here

Gametime 2009 - Interview with Jason Graves (Section 8)

Gametime 2009 - Jason Graves

Interview: Jason Graves (Section 8)

Recorded September 2, 2009

Published September 5, 2009

Episode Highlights

00:16 - Opening - Jason Graves introduction

01:49 - The Dead Space effect

05:00 - Unique Gameplay of Section 8

09:08 - The variety and balance of music in Section 8

13:37 - Aliens and Starship Troopers

16:15 - The Crowded FPS Space

20:52 - Alpha Protocol

25:38 - Dead Space: Extraction for the Wii

27:47 - Silent Hunter 5

33:10 - Section 8 Soundtrack release?

34:25 - Closing

Music Clips (Select music clips contained in this podcast)

00:04 Clavius System, New Madrid - Section 8 (Jason Graves)

02:25 Severed Limbs Are Hazardous Waste - Dead Space (Jason Graves)

08:18 8th Armorded Infantry, 1st Recon - Section 8 (Jason Graves)

11:52 The A.R.M. of Orion - Section 8 (Jason Graves)

19:55 Your Weapon is Choice - Alpha Protocol (Jason Graves)

24:29 Can't We Discuss This Like Gentlemen - Alpha Protocol (Jason Graves)

28:00 Main Theme - Silent Hunter 4 (Jason Graves)

33:07 Welcome Aboard The U.S.I.S. Texas - Section 8 (Jason Graves)

Download the interview here

Check out the full HIGH SCORE! feature here

Gametime 2009 - Interview with Ron Fish (Batman Arkham Asylum)

Gametime 2009

Interview: Ron Fish (Batman: Arkham Asylum)

Recorded August 21, 2009

Published August 24, 2009

Episode Highlights

00:27 - Opening - Ron Fish introduction

02:57 - Part I - Disney Imagineering

07:20 - Part II - Collaborative experience

09:32 - Part III - Writing for the cinematics

10:40 - Part IV - Dark environment, dark score

12:40 - Part V - How did your sound design experience play a role?

14:00 - Part VI - Modern influences in a video game score.

16:46 - Part VII - Modern score and listening fatigue

20:25 - Part VIII - Long distance collaboration

24:39 - Part IX - Breaking down boundaries in video game music

30:53 - Part X - The Sweet Spot

32:24 - Closing

Music Clips (Select music clips contained in this podcast)

00:00 Garden Silent Pred - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Ron Fish)

02:09 Thugs Ambush - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Ron Fish)

08:52 Joker Escapes - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Ron Fish)

10:47 The Asylum Cells - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Ron Fish)

15:36 Only Three - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Ron Fish)

23:52 Batmobile Attack - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Ron Fish)

31:28 Crackin' Heads - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Ron Fish)

Download the interview here

Check out the full HIGH SCORE! feature here

Gametime 2009 - Review: Killzone 2 and Interview with Joris de Man

For our most recent Gametime 2009 update, we give you our review of the original score for KILLZONE 2. The mega-hit sequel to the game Killzone has sold upwards of 1.5 million copies and Sony's eventual release of JORIS DE MAN's original score for this sequel has been eagerly awaited for months. While word remains that the iTunes release is imminent, we bring our full review of the promotional tracks right now...including three streaming clips from this powerful score.

Here is an excerpt from Marius' glowing review of Killzone 2:

The world of First-Person Shooter games is hardly under-populated, and the general expectations for musical quality have been high thanks to standards set by the Medal of Honor series and others besides. So it's no surprise that sometimes a title slips onto the market without getting the recognition it should for music. When the original Killzone hit stores in 2004, it received largely mediocre reviews and seemed to be considered a title that lacked distinguishing features. While the game itself may have been unremarkable, JORIS DE MAN's musical score for it was one of the most superbly well-crafted efforts in the game music world. Taking the military game score stereotypes and raising them to new heights of symphonic majesty, DE MAN's score flowed from soaring brass fanfares, to remarkably lyrical sections, to epic marches, to aggressive modern elecontrics...all while demonstrating clever, lush orchestration and narrative musicality. It was an under-appreciated gem. Considering DE MAN's extensive musical background and experience, it's not surprising that he managed to raise the bar and deliver a cinematic and enthralling sequel score for KILLZONE 2.

Read the full review here.

To tie right in with this review, we have just published our full transcription of the podcast interview we conducted with Joris de Man back in February of this year. Included on the interview page is a fantastic documentary on the creation of the score, produced by Open Door.

Check out the full interview here

Gametime 2009 - Interview with Jim Dooley and Mel Wesson (Infamous)

You've played the game (or at least heard the positive buzz about it). Did you wonder about that unique musical palette used for the INFAMOUS' original score? Well, our latest Gametime 2009 update features two of the composers: JIM DOOLEY and MEL WESSON. The two, long-time collaborators joined Amon Tobin, Jonathan Myers, and Martin Tillman to create the game's electrifying music. Dooley and Wesson's collaborations go all the way back to Hans Zimmer's score for HANNIBAL. They have since gone on to work on titles such as: PUSHING DAISIES, ANGELS & DEMONS, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, and THE DARK KNIGHT.

Check out our latest podcast interview where the two share about their experiences in working on the score for Sony's INFAMOUS.

Listen in here!

Gametime 2009 - Interview with Garry Schyman (Bioshock 2) and Diego Stocco (The Conduit)

Behold our lastest update to High Score! Well, maybe it's "be-listen" more than "behold." In any event, we've posted our latest podcast interviews with another two composers: GARRY SCHYMAN, who shares about returning to Rapture in BIOSHOCK 2 and DIEGO STOCCO, whose innovative sound design and composing style undergirds the Wii FPS, THE CONDUIT.

Insert Coin Here!

Gametime 2009 - Interview with Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco (Prototype)

Well, it's GAMETIME once again here at Tracksounds! Once a year, we like to get our game (music) on around these parts...and we like to bring you along for the ride. This "new era" of video game music continues to provide, not only gamers, but many traditional fans of film music, with hours of experiential music to feast upon. Video game titles are getting at least as much attention as major feature films these days. People are hunting for every tidbit of information they can scrounge up on their favorite game franchise. We are waiting for hours in line to be among the first to dive into a new gaming world or back into a world we have devoted countless hours to already. The world's love-affair with video games continues to grow and in the answering of such great demand, comes a lot of exciting music that should not be overlooked. High Score! exists to put the spotlight on some of this great music.

To launch things, we have a great podcast interview with composers Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco who share about their most recent collaborative work for the video game, PROTOTYPE.

Check the interview and full feature here