Blog - New Paul Robertson Film
Friday, March 28, 2008The article on machinima (found under my writing page) that I wrote was inspired by a sort of argument implied by the film 8-Bit. That documentary discusses all the art inspired by video games: art games, machinima, and chiptune music.
I originally wrote the paper for a class, focusing in that early draft for class on both chiptune music and machinima. See, chiptune music I am far more familiar with and had by that point actually produced. Machinima I was only slightly curious about and had seen a few episodes of Red vs Blue but that's about it.
(By now I've done some experiments in machinima production, although nothing I feel like showing yet)
In any case, I was interested in the curious split between the aesthetics of those two new-media, machinima and chiptune.
Machinima was inspired by and almost always uses newer game technology, 3D game engines.
Chiptune, however, thrives on ancient game hardware, trying to bring back nostalgia of games past.
I wondered why there weren't machinima films being made that took the aesthetic of chiptune in visual form, i.e. films that looked like older 8-bit games.
I cut out the bits on chiptune, though, when I rewrote the paper for publication on gamecareerguide, but by then had found (and mentioned in the article) Sprite Artist/Animator Paul Robertson's film Pirate Baby's Cabana Battle Street Fight 2006
Although not technically machinima, it has exactly the aesthetic I was thinking of, and was created using some very machinima-like techniques. I'll choose to describe it as psuedo-machinima.
Well, Paul Robertson released a new, similar film a few days ago that I just watched.
It's story is madness, and it hurts the eyes with epilepsy-inducing flashing light effects.
It is, however, another great example of his work. A film that resembles and nods to the aesthetics and conventions of video gaming's past.
Links to it can be found on his blog, which I linked to above.
Or, if you want to search around for it, it is entitled Kings of Power 4 Billion%.
It is not entirely work-safe, much like his previous animation, as a warning.
Very bloody and contains some nudity. posted by Brian Shurtleff @ 11:26 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Blog - the Korg DS-10
Sunday, March 16, 2008Well so much for posting every day this week. I was in the middle of writing an entry when the power went out. But it's back on this morning so here's what I was in the middle of writing:
A few people now have told me about Korg DS-10, synthesizer software for the DS based on Korg's MS-10 synthesizer.
This interests me for two reasons:
1.)
I am a synthesizer playing geek, and my main synth I use is a Korg.
(My MicroKORG, modified into a sort of homemade keytar thanks to my addition of a guitar strap mounted on the case.) I am also obviously a gaming geek.
So, combining Korg synthesizer tech with video game hardware is a magical combination in my book.
2.)
Through my electronic music production geekiness, and thanks to also being a gaming nut, I've been very curious for a long while now in the chiptune music scene, and dabble in it a bit myself. I already own synthesizer software cartridges for older gameboy models (Currently rocking Nanoloop (version 2.0.1), but I was told by one of the 8-Bit Peoples (specifically, Nullsleep) that they have been given permission to produce and sell new copies of LSDJ on their site, so I might snatch up a copy of that as well when it's available.)
I also own synthesizer cartridges for the Atari 2600, and for the original NES.
While we're on the topic of game hardware I use in my music, I also once programmed an interface to use a guitar controller as a MIDI instrument, with a DDR pad as the effects pedals.
In case you hadn't already thought of it, I had: I've indeed combined that setup with the above MIDI-controllable NES cartridge I own, and so, yes, I have in fact played music on an original NES using a Guitar Hero guitar and a DDR pad. In case you were wondering.
Game hardware has been utilized in music for quite a while now, and people have been making trackers and homebrew synthesizer solutions for them for years.
Although I'm not sure if the Korg DS-10 can be itself classified as chiptune, I have to wonder if its release was inspired by the chiptune gameboy music scene that's been enjoying a small underground popularity for quite a while now.
In any case, I think it's interesting that people are getting more serious about game hardware as a musical platform, because they are becoming extremely powerful for portable devices.
I remember seeing some pretty professional looking music software coming out for the PSP a while back. Now even a synthesizer giant like Korg is getting in on the act? I find it interesting indeed!
Of course, they lack the charm of 8-bit bleeps from the older chiptune tech. They also lack the severe 8-bit limitations that inspire many of the artists who use older gameboy models, etc, in their music.
But hey, portable electronic music still sounds pretty great to me. Bring it on, Korg. posted by Brian Shurtleff @ 4:30 PM 0 Comments Links to this post