Hello there.
You may know me as Casper the Friendly Nomad, for better or worse, or as that guy who really loves talking about music packs.
But even though I don't do much besides lurk around here, because I can't play the game for more than 1-2 weeks every 2-3 years, I still like making music packs.
I don't like my old one very much. It's just 90% AM2R music and doesn't really set out what I wanted to do for it.
So I started from scratch!
Granted, I never finished it, but I thought it'd be nice to leave it here in case anyone was curious. It's good quality, and uses Freelancer's weird ass mp3-inside-wav format, so it's small in size and shouldn't have any playback problems.
Well, I wanted each "zone" to have its own distinct atmosphere with music that at least SORT OF reflects its nature. I wanted it to be more in your face than the vanilla OST, maybe make trading less monotonous with some catchy tunes to vibe to...make battles super intense...or something.
Liberty
This one's unchanged from my original because I thought it actually fit. I use Industrial Complex from AM2r, along with Torizo and Torizo Ascendent. Liberty is a bustling economy, so I thought a track about an industrial complex would be perfect symbolism for churning out all that activity and cash flooooow.
Sigmas
I ran out of ideas for this one to be honest, but I ended up using Hat in Time music. Namely, Battle of the Birds Time Rift and Dead Bird Studio basement. Sigma was already heavy with the synthetic noises and has a bit of a mysterious atmosphere to me, and these two tracks fit that bill (bird pun not intentional). Danger/battle music wasn't changed yet though.
Bretonia
Great Ace Attorney. It was the most British thing I could think of, because the game literally takes place in 90% Britain and the instrumentation is exactly going for that. Rock out like Herlock Sholmes during your Dances of Dedu--- I mean death.
Rheinland
Insert stereotypical german = metal/rock or whatever. Because that's what I did! I didn't know what to use for the space music, so I didn't touch that yet. But the battle music and danger music? Yakuza (irony that it's not being used for the Japanese house). I need say little else.
Taus
I used some music from Rust. The heavy focus on chime-type percussion really fits with the Taus, which I associated with white and brightness, and that feeling of..."air"? Unfortunately didn't get around to the danger/battle music.
Gallia (green just feels like a french color)
STAR. OCEAN. 3. I'll be honest, this is Crossfire bias poking through, but damnit it fits this house. The OST of star ocean feels very regalic, a lot of bells and orchestral composition fits nicely. For the house that most people forget exists, I ironically spent the most time on this (and it's basically 100% altered). I tried to make each track fit the systems they're located in, so hey, maybe this will make you want to actually go to Gallia for a change.
Nomad Worlds/Misc Tracks
=== deadlands_space ===
I used the second theme for the GFS Valhalla from Metroid Prime 3. This track is very discordant and spooky, and should make anywhere this track plays feel much more scary.
=== chysp_tnadrocsid ===
This is the inside of the Dyson Sphere. It's another Metroid Prime 3 track. Originally used in a bio laboratory that loses power while you're in it (while trapped with deadly Metroids that want to kill you), I thought it could fit navigating the interior of a hostile alien structure.
=== music_no_space ===
I'll be honest with you. I don't know what this track is called. I first heard it from the Crossfire mod, fell in love with it, and wanted to use it. Why don't I know the name? If you know, you know. That aside, I believe this is only used in Omicron Delta, though my memory could be bad...but that's what I had in mind. Delta is a huge place of possibility and adventure, it's the premiere "Disco" system, so I wanted a track that screams "ADVENTURE!" like Ivor from Minecraft Story Mode.
=== anticipation_light ===
Another Hat in Time track. This falls more on overly scary rather than building anticipation, but I was thinking of Unknown mostly, so I picked Vanessa Wants to Play. Scary track that's (mostly) subtle but unnerving.
=== no_dyson_battle ===
Obscure random track from an MMO I used to play called Mabinogi. There's not really any specific reason, I just thought it sounded good.
=== vagrants_space ===
Okay. I am proud of this one. This is absolute poetry.
This is also from Mabinogi, but this one is deliberate.
Mabinogi is based on Celtic mythology. In that mythos, there is a god of the seas named Manannan. He resides on his "ship" Scuabtuinne, a moving island that is hidden from view by magic and is pretty much unknown. The track I picked is the theme of his island in the game.
Now consider, Tau-61 and the Nomads.
- Nomads consider space to be a void that they "swim" through akin to water. Manannan is the god of the seas.
- Tau-61 is a system isolated and hidden by the Labyrinth...so it's almost just like the god's island.
You literally cannot get more spot on than this.
=== upcoming_action_light ===
I'll be honest. I don't know why we changed the conn battle music to this. Massive L. Hopefully it doesn't play anywhere else that's supposed to be calm, because I said "screw it. Monken's Beeper from Like a Dragon." There's no theme for Connecticut, so I just picked a battle theme to keep my spirits up while failing basic snub combat and ragequitting.
=== zone_field_mine ===
Metroid Prime, the space pirate lab in Phendrana Drifts has this really simple droning ambience. I think it fits a deadly minefield quite nicely.
=== zone_field_mine_asteroid ===
As far as I know, this only plays in the Suhl Anomaly. I'm probably wrong, but whatever. I went all out for this one. Using Doctor's Lab from SCP: Secret Laboratory as I base, along with a bunch of sound-clips from the original Rheinland music, and a LOT of Audacity effects, I made the terrifying anomaly even scarier with this...thing. Just go listen to it yourself. You'll understand.
=== zone_nebula_barrier ===
Okay the Metroid bias is starting to show again, but hey! It's not my fault it just works. Bryyo Ice from Metroid Prime 3. It's an ice asteroid field, so I'm going to pick an ice-related song like this.
=== zone_nebula_dmatter ===
ohmygoditsanothermetroidtrackblehhhhh Dark Torvus Undertemple from Metroid Prime 2. Dark Matter? Dark Aether? Low-hanging fruit, I know.
And that is unfortunately all there is. Maybe I'll work on it, but unless I come back to play for 2 more weeks, probably not.
