How was the Ikaruga soundtrack created?

[wasurechan]

Does anyone have any info on what was used in the creation of the Ikaruga soundtrack? I'd like to know anything about the process, how the NAOMI hardware was used, etc.

Thanks!

[KAI]

AFAIK the NAOMI doesn't have any kind of sound chip to create and play music, it's just streamed sound. Iuchi composed the soundtrack using a shitty midi palette because (as he revealed on several interviews) he sucks at doing music. That's it. Merry Christmas.

[trap15]

NAOMI's sound chip (AICA, same as DC) does let you do quite a few tricks and proper sequencing, but yes I believe most NAOMI games just streamed music, including Ikaruga.

[nZero]

most NAOMI games just streamed music

Yep, usually using ADX.

including Ikaruga.

Nope, synthesized in realtime.

[KAI]

You're right nZero. Just checked some NAOMI rips in native format (DSF) and they all sound like crap as well (specially Guilty Gear X).

[Coryoon]

The soundtrack to this reminds me a lot of the Babylon 5 TV series.

[trap15]

including Ikaruga.

Nope, synthesized in realtime.

Really? I could've sworn Ikaruga was using ADX as well, maybe just the DC version? Or I'm wrong on both counts D:

[ciox]

DC version uses the same system, you can hear the samples fading out at different rates when pausing the game or changing levels.
I don't see why you would consider this "tracker" type of music system a weakness, it has pros and cons, obvious pros being that there's no compression (assuming samples are uncompressed) and the filesize is very small. I think the system was used to good effect in Ikaruga.

[null1024]

including Ikaruga.

Nope, synthesized in realtime.

Really? I could've sworn Ikaruga was using ADX as well, maybe just the DC version? Or I'm wrong on both counts D:

DC version uses sampled audio just like the arcade, not streamed. It's the Gamecube version that streams.

[trap15]

Aha, that would make sense. Thanks.

[Despatche]

Ikaruga's "shitty MIDI palette" > all the junk you hear these days. Ikaruga sounds really good.

Guilty Gear X is completely different, and it only sounds bad because a few instruments are weak; the rest of it sounds like some bizarre FM successor. eXceed2nd finished the job.

(ggx also has a lot of unique sections that were completely thrown out in xx for some reason)

[Keade]

DC version uses the same system, you can hear the samples fading out at different rates when pausing the game or changing levels.
I don't see why you would consider this "tracker" type of music system a weakness, it has pros and cons, obvious pros being that there's no compression (assuming samples are uncompressed) and the filesize is very small. I think the system was used to good effect in Ikaruga.

Yep, it also allows to manipulate the music programmatically with a finer "grain" (at the channel or instrument level) more easily, but actually this requirement seems rare in games, which is probably why almost no games use tracked music today (one of the last PC games I remember doing so was Deus Ex). Most of the time the music is nothing more than a monolithic track played in the background.
Handheld using carts storage is a special case because of the limited storage.

PS. btw, would someone happen to have Ikaruga's "1-chain", "2-chain" etc. samples or know how to extract them ? I love'em

[ctr]

Yeah, it's possible to extract the samples from the GC version. Haven't checked the PC version but it should probably be easier.

Using Dolphin, right click the game in the game list and go to the "filesystem" tab.

Navigate to the CC2_GD directory and extract the se folder by right clicking it and selecting "extract directory".

Then download SPTex from here and extract it in the same directory.

Now it's possible to extract the .DSP files by running this command:

Code: Select all

sptex seDEFAULT.spt seDEFAULT.spd

The DSP files can then be played directly in winamp with the in_vgmstream plugin.

It should be much easier to extract the samples from the PC version but I can't check since I don't have it installed right now.

Here's the voice samples I extracted using this method. The link will expire in 24 hours...

[Keade]

Thanks !

[Strider77]

Ikaruga's "shitty MIDI palette" > all the junk you hear these days. Ikaruga sounds really good.

I find it okay and functional.... It ain't no Panzer Dragoon, Thunder Force 5, etc though.

[Despatche]

I was just referring to the sound, but now that you mention it... I don't know about Panzer Dragoon, but Thunder Force V doesn't have a very good soundtrack. The sound is there, but the composition is very repetitive. Not like Blast Wind or Hyper Duel at all.

...merely functional? No way man, no way. You don't have to like the Ikaruga soundtrack to appreciate how unique it is. Yet another example of people misusing perfectly good terms to hide their simple dislike.

[hermosaguy]

Shitty midi palette? I still listen to the soundtrack for driving music to this day! I'd still love to hear some arrange or symphonic versions someday.

[ciox]

Shitty midi palette? I still listen to the soundtrack for driving music to this day! I'd still love to hear some arrange or symphonic versions someday.

There's definitely a few of those on youtube.

[hermosaguy]

Whoops, should have specified. I meant a proper release, or even something for a videogames live concert, instead another damn version of one winged angel.