Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu Soundtracks

[jasoncslaughter]

I'm in the middle of writing a scholarly article on the various soundtracks for DDP DFK (including 1.5, Black Label, and the iOS soundtrack), and I would love some input from the forum. My article will include in-depth musical analysis, synesthetic issues, recent research on types of listening, and general reception (among other things). I intend to include the usual analytical diagrams, music and video examples, etc. I hope for this to be a seed project, as I intend to do my Ph.D. dissertation on the history and evolution of arcade shmup music.

I've gathered some general feedback from various threads here, but I would like any input you guys have.

Do you prefer one version over the others and if so, what role does the soundtrack play in your preference? Feel free to be as specific as you would like. Do you feel one soundtrack (or the music for one particular stage) is more effective than the others, and why?

Any other comments regarding the various soundtracks are welcome, and I might pose some follow up questions depending on the responses.

Of course I will share the article in some format when I am finished with it in a couple of months. Thanks in advance for your responses!

[kid aphex]

Now that's a dissertation I'd like to read.

[ondafly]

I <3 Black Label's soundtrack - in particular how the melody changes so fluidly

i.e.
here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... QPBc#t=54s
and here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... Bl6o#t=45s

[AntiFritz]

I personally really love both the Black Label and Black Label arrange soundtracks. The only exception to this is the final boss theme, whereas I much prefer Longhena Cantata from 1.5 compared to Black Labels Desperado. Longhena Cantata to me just sounds more epic and I love the symphonic elements to it.

Black Label arrange of course is very different as it's based on the original Ketsui soundtrack. It has mostly more of a metal sound then the originals drum and bass(?).

I don't like much of the Daifukkatsu Arrange album at all besides the Boss2 theme, I enjoy that one.

I have never heard the iphone soundtrack so cannot comment on that.

[matrigs]

i presonally prefer the black label ost but solely because i'm a fan of electronic dance music above all.

imho every soundtrack has it's own purpose, and i try to play every mode with the intended ost.

i think that the whole reason for changing the music was to affect the gamers play style. dfk 1.5 is a pretty laid back and slow mode, and the music provided suits it very well. it affects your gameplay a lot. now cave wanted black label to be played much more aggresively (at least i assume so), so the music had to follow suit. the music is more moving, so you are moving yourself too.

i think there is a huge difference how a player behaves when listening to one or the other soundtrack in the same mode. i would really would want to see you emphasize on that. it would be nice to be able to count the amount of inputs on the joystick/buttons, maybe evey movement or even simply heartbeat and blood pressure, switching the soundtracks.

[O. Van Bruce]

Welp... I value a soundtrack that brings the elements (or hidden elements) of the story. It gives you a greater amount of inmersion than a good but completely unrelated OST.

In that sense, both the DFK 1.5, Black Label and Black Label Arrange are completely lacking except in one song:

The stage 5 track of DFK 1.5

This track really brings out the hopelessnes of the battle you are doing. The title is completely fitting. The piano, written in a minor scale (I'm not sure which... maybe F?) screams to yourself "Why am I doing this?" it becomes really depressing after you learn the true ending.

In contrast, most of the music in 1.5 sounds generic or doesn't relate to the story at all. The 1st stage theme is actually quite good as a "shmup starter" but the constant rythim makes it lacking of energy.

The 2nd stage music, I found it completely out of place... too bright and cheerful for a shmup in which you are actually destroying Tokyo and an army of robots

The 3rd stage music is actually quite good as a standalone theme. It also brings out the crazyness of the stage with all the movement the camera impose. It also fits well as a night theme with all that synth.

and finally, the stage 4 music gets a good timing done most of the time with enemies appearances on the screen. This is very good for a shmup because it helps memorization. Despite this, the use of a constant and slow rythim makes you wonder if you are really playing the stage 4 of a CAVE shmup... specially when those are pure carnage in the screen.


On to Black Label:

This is actually the favorite of most people here, I presume and for a good reason. The selection of synths and instruments is wonderful and as standalone music is fantastic. What happens in the end is that it doesn't relate to the story at all. Despite this is great shmuping music and pumps you up for giving your all when playing.

The stage 1 music is a masterpiece. Great shmup initiator music and, incontrast to stage 1 of 1.5 it really delivers a good punch to the player. You'd like to play only for experiencing gameplay + music even if you are gonna be dead on stage 2.

The stage 2 music brings out a "technical appeal" to the player. The tempo is done quickly but the "instruments" aren't overused. You'll find "solos" and parts with few instruments that will help the player concentrate to get those big stars right on time.

The stage 3 music becomes stage 4 1.5 music in the tempo In the middle, the composer puts lots of typical night music stuff that makes it even danceable. A great song but I dunno if it fits an stage like that.

The stage 4 music becomes even grittier than in 1.5. It's almost like a last boss music "THE WAR IS HERE" Anyway, the melody becomes so edgy and gritty that it's actually distracting for me. combined with the "peaceful" moments the stage gives you and I find myself distracted. In resume, the music takes away protagonism from what is happening in the screen.

Finally stage 5 music is another masterpiece. It has everything a last stage music should have. Seriousness and sobriety that helps the player stay focused on the hardest and longest stage of the game and melodical highlights that let you taste the action and pressure you are receiving from the game. This, for me, is the "welcome to danmaku heaven" theme. God, there are so many challenges for a shmuper during the last stage that, if it weren't for the gentleness and smoothness of this theme, they would be more difficult.


Anyway, sorry for not saying anything of the boss themes. I don't like then too much generally so i'd better not talk about something I don't like, right? I hope that my feedback is of some value to you.

[ciox]

Pretty much agreed with everything, just adding that boss themes sound a lot better in the 1.5 OST to me, more like Namiki though I couldn't find out if he did them or not, in Black Label they sound like random thrashing to me.

[KAI]

DO-DON-PACHI DAI-FUKKATSU for iPhone ORIGINAL SOUND TRACK is an excellent soundtrack.
Battle for the Last is my favorite Last Boss song of all times.
IMO DDPDFKBL OST is the best of the 5.

[Pallerå]

DO-DON-PACHI DAI-FUKKATSU for iPhone ORIGINAL SOUND TRACK is an excellent soundtrack.

While it has the best stage 1 music i've heard, the rest of the level music makes me want to mute the damn phone.


This is just the topic made for me, i came here because i listened to all the DKF soundtracks because they sound like rhythm game music.

I'd like to list my favourite tracks from each scene:

I'm not too fond of the iPhone Main menu music, i like the xbox 360 version menu music a LOT more (No youtube link to give, the only one there is like sped up 120% and it sounds weird)

I'd say i like the BLK arrange ship select music the most, but it's because i like the Ketsui part of it more than the remixed features, so i'd say the iPhone version is the best here. Original is great too but Boarding Gate makes you want to get up and dance just before slaying the armies of evil

I already said that Fly Above The Sky from iPhone version is one of the best songs i've heard in the series. However, a familiar sample in Vertex from BLK also made me throw a backflip the first time i heard it.

I only now realized i never was a huge fan of any of the Stage 2 musics, but i'd say Xanadu from BLK takes the cake with this part. I like BLK Arrange music here a lot, but again, i only like the Ketsui part of it and not the remixed parts.

Now is the time we throw that iphone away. Samba metropolitania is the worst kind of music i'd expect from an action game of any sorts, and it generally sounds terrible too. This is where BLK Arrange gets hardcore with CANAL FLEET, and now it sounds like something that's not just the ketsui song with a metal guitar glued to the side.

And now for my first place favourite, Presentiment from BLK. Specifically the A version exclusive parts. iPhone stage 4 song sounds like a first stage song wtf. Shadowing World from the original gets the thing done too, but heavy electronic sounds overrule techno guitars in me heart all the way.

Okay the OSTs have boss songs in this place before stage 5, i quess i'll do that too. I liked the Futari stage1-boss-results-2-3-4... layout better.
I'm not too sure if i should grade Boss 1 and 2 musics differently, but because i don't really like ANY of those too much, but i quess Element Daughter from original has the best "i got to kill this big ass robot lady" feeling to it. I like the "broken" parts of Endorphin from BLK, but not much the rest of it.
THE NEXT GAME HOWEVER!

Result music, eh? iPhone version isn't too bad here, just out of place in the later levels. The vocal samples in Superb from BLK make it my favourite here. I don't like how the original and BLK arrange last a few seconds and then leave you with an awkward feeling that i can't really explain. I like for the beat to keep going on!

Okay now's the Stage 5s turn. It seems BLK arrange forgot most of the metal sounds here, despite it being the hardest level ahead. I don't think i ever played the iphone version this far with the new music, but listening to it from the ost, i hate it. In fact i'm not a big fan of any of the stage 5 songs, but the original The Battle Was Just to Continue that Future still makes me want to punch holes to the wall by reminding me of those abominations of game desingning. I mean the flying turret circles. The unkillable pieces of shit. Never had the xbox last long enough to hear the BLK music in it's usage, as it RROD'd when i reached the blk stage 3 right after buying it :/

Final Boss, the last music i'll ever hear in shmups with my reflexes of a sloth and attention span of a goldfish. Longhena Cantana all the way here, someone already explained it with great words. I don't even know which of the songs in the iphone OST is the last boss anymore, but all the songs after the result music are horrible. I liked the original ketsui LB song but BLK Arrange Scaffold got rid of those vocal samples that made it for me. BLK remix of Longhener (like the manual writes his name, which sounds more like a name to me) song sounds more like a normal boss music. Maybe it's supposed to, because BLK has 3 "last boss"es anyway.

NOW FOR THE THING THAT DEFINES THE GAME FOR ME. And the song that without i'd never even know this whole type of games. Mercilessness from BLK. I won't even explain this. The instant you hear it, you know it's the best song in the series. NO REMORSE from BLK A sounds like a song too, but i'm not too fond of not including the melody that made it for me in ketsui.
Don't like ]-[__34_#! and zatsuza at all, random noise gabber. Not the good noise gabber.

I'd like to enter my name to a high score with Without Knowing Anything... the most. I wonder about the naming though, it sounds like if you beat TLB the song would be different.

To me, LAST WORDS from BLK A feels like it would extract the happiness after a difficult clear the most.

Why do these OSTs have horrible vocal tracks.

I think i like listening to the music more than playing these unforgiving games.

[CloudyMusic]

I'm not going to do some sort of detailed analysis here, but I prefer the Black Label soundtrack overall. It's not objectively "better" or anything, it's just more my style and I happen to like the individual tracks a lot more: 1-1, 1-2, 1-4, and all of the boss themes (save for the Normal Route boss theme) all get my blood moving. I don't have much listening experience with the iOS soundtrack, but I don't recall being particularly amazed by it.

Though I will say that the Black Label ending theme is objectively the best.

[drunkninja24]

Personally I like the iPhone mode Stage 2A ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gOzNPHNhl0 ), Boss 2 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNEeWPn3uhM ) and Stage 5 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu2TixUgsnQ ) themes.

[jasoncslaughter]

Thanks for all the feedback! Due to length constraints, I'm going to focus on the 1.5 and Black Label soundtracks. I'd rather explore each more in depth than spread the article out too much.

My general feeling is that the changes in the style of the Black Label soundtrack fits the changes in gameplay, as DFKBL rewards more aggressive play. At any rate, I'll keep you posted on my progress.

[Despatche]

white and black are the important ones anyway

white arrange is just experimental and black arrange is just ketsui, while iphone is just dumb

[Erppo]

My general feeling is that the changes in the style of the Black Label soundtrack fits the changes in gameplay, as DFKBL rewards more aggressive play.

Could you elaborate on this? I'm not sure if I'd use that word to describe the game, considering you're often rewarded from taking your time killing things and sometimes even ignoring them completely. I see aggressive gameplay referring more to something like Psikyo style where you normally want to kill everything as fast as possible.

[jasoncslaughter]

My general feeling is that the changes in the style of the Black Label soundtrack fits the changes in gameplay, as DFKBL rewards more aggressive play.

Could you elaborate on this? I'm not sure if I'd use that word to describe the game, considering you're often rewarded from taking your time killing things and sometimes even ignoring them completely. I see aggressive gameplay referring more to something like Psikyo style where you normally want to kill everything as fast as possible.

Sorry it's taken me forever to respond. After spending a little more time with 1.5, I think I might have to retract my statement. I was specifically referring to the red mode, since it causes an increase in enemy fire, but also acts as a reward since more enemy fire = more bullets to cancel. After playing both a bit more, I think I have to admit my error.

The reality may be that both versions are very aggressive in terms of enemy attacks, and this may have something to do with the preference for the BL soundtrack (I'm assuming a general preference based on both forum posts and the fact that a large number of the 1.5 videos on YouTube are played with the BL soundtrack), which is more aggressive timbrally and rhythmically, as well as more harmonically direct. There are other reasons people may prefer the BL soundtrack as well, particularly synesthetic issues/synchronization.

I'm also a bit puzzled by a statement Namiki made about the soundtracks in the Cave Shooting History book:

"it was my experience with Daioujou that formed the firm base for me. Everything since then has been about how can I build off that base, and it has never once failed me, except once. That was for Daifukkatsu Black Label. Well, I shouldn't say it failed, but rather that I wanted a different taste there."

I'm not quite sure how to take this statement. It is interesting to note that Namiki did not write all of the music for 1.5, and wrote even less for BL. For anyone who is interested in who wrote what:

1.5
Stage 1 - Manabu Namiki
Stage 2 - Azusa Chiba
Stage 3 - Manabu Namiki
Stage 4 - Yoshimi Kudo
Stage 5 - Manabu Namiki
Boss 1 (Stage 2 & 4) - Manabu Namiki
Boss 2 (Stage 1 & 3) - Manabu Namiki
Final Boss - Yoshimi Kudo
True Final Boss - Manabu Namiki
Ending - Azusa Chiba

BL
Stage 1 - Manabu Namiki
Stage 2 - Azusa Chiba
Stage 3 - Noriyuki Kamikura
Stage 4 - Yoshimi Kudo
Stage 5 - Manabu Namiki
Boss 1 (Stage 2 & 4) - Yoshimi Kudo
Boss 2 (Stage 1 & 3) - Noriyuki Kamikura
Final Boss - Noriyuki Kamikura
True Final Boss - Yoshimi Kudo
Zatsuza - Manabu Namiki
Ending - Kimihiro Abe

[qmish]

Thanks for all the feedback! Due to length constraints, I'm going to focus on the 1.5 and Black Label soundtracks. I'd rather explore each more in depth than spread the article out too much.

My general feeling is that the changes in the style of the Black Label soundtrack fits the changes in gameplay, as DFKBL rewards more aggressive play. At any rate, I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Any update?

As for me, I prefer 1.5 music over BL. Even though BL songs are cool (especially gabber/breakcore), the original soundtrack still resonates much more with me. Perhaps I'm in minority with this taste, judging by forum posts.
I was writing down my favorite tracks from both, but I pressed wrong button and it all disappeared... so maybe next time.

[To Far Away Times]

Black Label OST with White Label gameplay is my preferred way to play it.