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I never do this. This will be a series of blog posts about a score as I’m writing it, which is something I would normally avoid like the plague. But this is a chance to try something new and expose the creative process mid-stream. Hopefully it’s interesting! But first, some history…
I had the great pleasure of meeting Matt Nava while working together on Journey from 2009–2012. Matt was thatgamecompany’s Art Director and — as I’ve said many times — his style and aesthetic were the single biggest inspiration for what made Journey’s music what it was (a sentiment we seemed to mutually express). In 2012, he founded Giant Squid and their debut title was ABZÛ. I was again privileged to work with Matt and, in contrast to the stark desolation of Journey, ABZÛ was all about the simultaneously affirmation and stewardship of life. The game doesn’t exactly mask its ecological conservationist subtext, but I always felt it was more of a general celebration of nature.
After the success of ABZÛ, I was very grateful that he again asked me to collaborate with he and Giant Squid. This time, the project is called The Pathless, and it’s quite unlike any of our previous titles. The game focuses on a lone hunter, marooned on an island. Right off the bat, the most immediate difference is the open world nature of it, relative to the linearity of both Journey and ABZÛ. And while ABZÛ was far more lively than Journey, both shared a relatively introspective quality which stands in major contrast to The Pathless’s energetic gameplay. The pacing of the game, and even the animations, are explosive with exuberant rhythm.
Immediately, the challenge was clear: the music had to reflect the lonesomeness of the hunter and the legitimate danger she faces while also encapsulating the joyful nature of the gameplay. As with all of our previous collaborations, this began with trying to find a theme.
This was the first piece I wrote in an effort to accomplish all that, and later a condensed version was used in the reveal trailer.
With that in your ears, here’s how I approached it:
The importance of melody and texture
Games have a wide variety of musical and narrative requirements. When starting a new project, the first thing I tend to do is search for that kernel that forms the basis for everything that will come after. This often manifests as trying to find the perfect theme; that quintessential succession of notes that seem to summarize all of the subtext or even literal nature of the game, its characters, and its story. I am a believer that a great theme — and in particular a great melody — can provide a shortcut into a player’s subconscious and communicate the desires of the game developers in a way that is complementary to, but definitely not overlapping with, the mechanics, art direction, etc.
Matt is certainly a believer in this also. We talked a lot about theme and melody and the way in which it would evolve. The open world nature of the game means that things have to be executed differently this time around (more on that in future posts!) but it is nonetheless a deeply melodic score.
Trying to find the melody
Zeroing in on what exactly that melody should sound like is always the million-dollar question. In this case, there is something ritualistic, or even tribalistic, about the premise of the game. The hunter is dropped off on this island and we slowly absorb her purpose and her traditions. So much is communicated through suggestion and implication, so I want the music to bridge a lot of the gaps in the players’ minds. It should almost feel like a folk song from a culture we’ve never visited and as a result,the melodies should feel as though they are settings of ancient forgotten poems. Even though there are no lyrics, it should feel like a folk song — or even a hymn — from her society. After a week or two of fiddling around, I came up with this melody. It was actually not as difficult as it can sometimes be, and I can only attribute that to how much I’d already fallen in love with this latest Giant Squid world.
Choosing the instruments
The next key decision is finding some kind of unique instrument or sound to carry the theme, and indeed to be emblematic of the score as a whole. In the case of ABZÛ, Kristin Naigus’ oboe solos formed the heart and soul of everything, and were an important jumping-off point for most every cue in the game (likewise with Tina Guo’s cello solos in Journey). For The Pathless, I have a slightly different feeling — I want the island to feel simultaneously familiar yet foreign. In a way, it feels like an amalgamation of many different cultures but, in that combination, creates its own. So, any solo instrument that is deeply attached to a specific tradition seemed like it would be misleading. A lot of the times, orchestral instruments can be useful in that situation because the orchestra has been so nearly universally adopted throughout the world that its instruments don’t necessarily evoke the specifics of their European origins anymore (a cello solo like those in Journey doesn’t scream Germany or Italy, etc). At the same time, I wanted something more distinctive, so I decided to form a sort of pan-cultural folk ensemble.
The lead instrument of this is a Nyckelharpa, played by Morgan O’Shaughnessey (who you can hear in the trailer). The Nyckelharpa comes from Sweden and there are remarkably few people who play it. I tend to think of it like a steampunk violin, and can be simultaneously beautiful and incredibly violent and aggressive. Juxtaposed with that are instruments like the Turkish Oud, and a wide range of Eastern flutes and reeds. The list is actually far deeper than that, but I will cover that in subsequent posts. The other equally important soul of the score is the Tuvan ensemble called Alash. Throat singing and the instruments they play form a genetic strand that threads its way across every moment of the game. More on that later!
The reveal trailer below shows how I blended all of that with a simple orchestral palette consisting mostly of strings, percussion, and low winds. It has already been two years (as of this writing) since I composed it, and the score has evolved a lot. Part of the idea of this blog is to share insights of the score in-progress in a way that I am not accustomed to doing. You are hearing a snapshot of my conception for The Pathless from two years ago, so forgive my self-consciousness! More to come…
And PS, if you don’t follow Giant Squid’s blog already, it’s worth following for other in-progress looks under the hood.
Stardock Entertainment continually breaks new technical ground across our catalog of PC game titles spanning 4X and Real-Time Strategy and Action Adventure. We are currently seeking a Graphics Programmer to work on our next-generation game engine for both announced and unannounced titles to build up our team of dedicated and experienced talent! This is a salaried, full-time position at our Plymouth, Michigan studio.
Primary Responsibilities Include:
Work with the artists and designers to produce next-generation graphics
Troubleshoot technical issues related to graphics
Optimize graphics to run on a variety of platforms and machine specifications
Create and maintain tools for artists to visualize and debug their assets
Education and/or Experience Desired:
A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or related field
3+ years experience in C++ required
Familiarity with 3D math, including quaternions and matrix math required
Shipped at least one commercial game
Experience with all core areas of graphics development (Shaders, Animation, Post-Effects, PBR Materials, and particles) while demonstrating a specialization in one of those areas required
Critical eye for attention to detail
Familiarity with 3D graphics hardware and driver stack
Experience with at least one graphics API: OpenGL, Direct3D, Vulkan, Metal; and a shading language like HLSL or GLSL
Experience developing on current generation or next-generation console is a plus
Whether you’re just starting out, looking for something new, or just seeing what’s out there, the Gamasutra Job Board is the place where game developers move ahead in their careers.
Gamasutra’s Job Board is the most diverse, most active, and most established board of its kind in the video game industry, serving companies of all sizes, from indie to triple-A.
Call of Duty Mobile has continued to evolve and morph since it launched last year, and in its latest community update, the development team addressed free-for-all mode's removal and took aim at cheaters who could ruin the experience for everyone else. The team's policy is clear: If you cheat, you will be banned.
Writing in the game's official Reddit community page, the development team said it has received several reports of cheating over the past few weeks and they have resulted in "enforcement."
"We don't want cheaters in our game, and we don't want them ruining your experience, manipulating our systems, and destroying the balance of the game," the team said. "If we see cheating we will enforce on it with our [Call of Duty Mobile] Security & Enforcement Policy in mind."
Scratchy Spring Sale Day 6: Private Division Sale, up to -82%
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Cuphead Celebrates One Year On Nintendo Switch With A Special Anniversary Sale
There’s another anniversary taking place and this time it’s to celebrate Cuphead on the Nintendo Switch. Yep, believe it or not, but Cuphead and Mugman have now been on the hybrid system for an entire year!
One year ago, this news was the headline act of a Nindies broadcast – with Nintendo thanking its friends over at Microsoft. The creator Studio MDHR was just as thrilled at the time, explaining how the run ‘n gun shooter was a descendent of retro action games such as Contra on NES, and noting how it was “surreal” to finally be on a Nintendo system.
To celebrate this special occasion, you can get the game for 25% off its regular price until April 25th. Here’s the official confirmation of this via Twitter:
In this time, it’s even scored its own Mii Fighter costume and event in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. There’s also an expansion coming out titled ‘The Delicious Last Course‘ and it includes a new character called Ms. Chalice. If you haven’t yet played Cuphead yet, be sure to check out our review. We said it was an absolute blast provided you could handle the intensity.
Will you be taking advantage of this anniversary sale? Leave a comment down below.
[Resolve] IndexError: List Assignment Index Out of Range
When does the IndexError: list assignment index out of range appear?
Python throws an IndexError if you try to assign a value to a list index that doesn’t exist, yet. For example, if you execute the expression list[1] = 10 on an empty list, Python throws the IndexError. Simply resolve it by adding elements to your list until the index actually exists.
Here’s the minimal example that throws the IndexError:
lst = []
lst[1] = 10
If you run this code, you’ll see that Python throws an IndexError:
Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\xcent\Desktop\code.py", line 2, in <module> lst[1] = 10
IndexError: list assignment index out of range
You can resolve it by adding two “dummy” elements to the list so that the index 1 actually exists in the list:
lst = [None, None]
lst[1] = 10
print(lst)
Now, Python will print the expected output:
[None, 10]
Try to fix the IndexError in the following interactive code shell:
Exercise: Can you fix this code?
So what are some other occurrences of the IndexError?
IndexError in For Loop
Frequently, the IndexError happens if you use a for loop to modify some list elements like here:
# WRONG CODE:
lst = []
for i in range(10): lst[i] = i
print(lst)
Again, the result is an IndexError:
Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\xcent\Desktop\code.py", line 4, in <module> lst[i] = i
IndexError: list assignment index out of range
You modify a list element at index i that doesn’t exist in the list. Instead, create the list using the list(range(10)) list constructor.
You’ve learned how to resolve one error. By doing this, your Python skills have improved a little bit. Do this every day and soon, you’ll be a skilled master coder.
Do you want to leverage those skills in the most effective way? In other words: do you want to earn money with Python?
If the answer is yes, let me show you a simple way how you can create your simple, home-based coding business online:
Scratchy Spring Sale Day 5: Dovetail Spring Sale, up to -75%
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The 172nd GalaQuiz will be LIVE soon, win up to $25 in GalaCredit!
[www.indiegala.com] The GalaQuiz will take place in less than 5 minutes from this announcement Today's GalaQuiz[www.indiegala.com] hints are up. The theme will be Oscars #2.
The annual Unity Spring Sale is on now. The Spring sale features over 500 of the best selling assets from the Unity Asset Store for 50% off, starting today April 15th and running until April 29th. Additionally each day of the sale there is one asset that is 70% off for a single day only.
Keep in mind, for these items the sale only lasts for a single day, then the price will revert to normal. All of the above links contain a code that pays GFS a small commission, so thank you if you use them. You can learn more about the Unity Spring Sale in the video below.
New AirPods could launch in May alongside MacBook Pro refresh
By Malcolm Owen Sunday, April 19, 2020, 12:52 pm PT (03:52 pm ET)
Apple is still anticipated to launch a new model of AirPods in the near future, with the latest version now apparently prepared and ready for its official unveiling, an event that could take place in May.
AirPods Pro
Apple is believed to be working on new models of AirPods, with rumors pointing to new models including the “AirPods Pro Lite” and the “AirPods X Generation,” along with long-rumored over-ear headphones. While there were expectations for a March launch, seemingly affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it is suggested Apple is very close to making an announcement on a new model soon.
According to a Sunday tweet by Jon Prosser, AirPods “which were supposed to be at the March Event” are now apparently “ready to go.” While it is unclear what specific model is being referred to by Prosser, he does add in it will “probably” appear alongside a refreshed MacBook Pro in May.
New AirPods (which were supposed to be at the March Event) are now ready to go.
Prosser has made a name for himself relating to recent leaks, nailing the new iPhone SE’s launch date as well as other rumored details about the smartphone. Given the accuracy track record in the short term, as well as the plausibility of the rumor, it seems quite likely that the information in the tweet is quite true.
The most likely candidate for the launch would be the “AirPods Pro Lite,” a variant of the AirPods that would offer some of the features of the AirPods Pro, but at a more wallet-friendly cost. In March, it was suggested mass production for the model would start late in the first quarter of 2020 or early in the second quarter, a window that seems to line up with Prosser’s claims.
Random: Super Mario Reimagined With Striking ‘Cel-Shaded’ Look By Cosplayer
We’re often amazed by the talent within the cosplay scene. Recently, we saw that US-based cosplayer Akellyz was featured on Gamer Network’s new Cosplay Central website for his Borderlands-style depiction of Mario himself.
The cosplayer wore the outfit during events in 2019 and was even crowned winner at New York Comic Con taking home a cool $3,000 for his efforts.
When quizzed about the outfit by Cosplay Central, Akellyz had the following to say:
Whenever you play a videogame, it allows you to sumerge on a new world. Thanks to cosplay, I was able to bring those worlds and characters into the real life. Mario’s Cosplay is inspired in a realistic and post-apocaliptic Mario bros. The creation of this cosplay took around one year. Starting with design, wardrobe and make up to continue with material selection, sawing process, prosthetics elaboration and props.
With a distinct lack of high profile events this year we’re sure that the talents of Akellyz and others will only come back with even more impressive outfits once ‘normal life’ resumes.
It’s a bold look for Super Mario, don’t you think? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
in GalaCredit!
