AST soundtrack remastering thread

Here's a little project I've started almost in secret (only KiddoCabbusses knew about it):
A COMPLETE REMASTERING OF THE "BS THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: ANCIENT STONE TABLETS" SOUNDTRACK!

This was something I wanted to do for a long time, but thanks to the discovery of full playthrough videos on Nico Nico Douga, it was finally possible!

How to use:
- Open your favorite media player
- Listen to the whole introduction track of the week you want to play
- Load the gameplay track, but don't start it yet
- Open your favorite SNES emulator
- Load the corresponding AST ROM
- Upon hearing the minute-changing SFX at boot (or at 18:06 Zelda time), immediately start playing the previously-loaded track in your media player
- Play the game!
If you want to be able to pause the in-game timer without desyncing the gameplay track, be sure to set the same hotkey for pausing your media player than the keyboard shortcut to pause your emulator.

I'm open to comments & suggestions, feel free to share your opinion!

AST week 1 introduction track preview, 18:00 to 18:06 Zelda time:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=I0JHN0SB

AST week 1 gameplay track preview, 18:06 to 18:20 Zelda time:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=P13ZBAWW

You may notice something that there is no dialogs in the previews. Actually there will be a talkie version and a musical version. I want to use GlitterBerri's translation for the talkie version, but there's a problem: I can't do all of the voices!

If anybody is interested to become a voice actor for the talkie version, please post here or send me a PM! Voice samples would be appreciated! (EDIT: check this thread instead.)
Here's the list of all talking characters (incomplete):
- Agihna
- Fortune Teller
- Ganon?
- Narrator (male)
- Soldier
- Zelda

This post has been edited by SmashManiac on Jan 6 2013, 06:25 AM

Dear SmashManiac:


I would like to play the part of the fortune-teller, especially since I actually DO THAT, but my old computer hardrive, which I used to play BS Zelda on, suddenly went DEAD, and now I have to start ALL OVER AGAIN, GETTING BACK THE GAMES!!!!



Just give me some time to get them back, and I'm sure I'll be a good voice actor!!!!

And just one other thing: I can't get my sound to work without earphones, at least, but maybe if I have earphones it'll work!!!!

I will note that I recall Berri having a fandubbing group ready for some projects. Hrrm.

Either way, here's hoping we can get far enough on this to have whole weeks at a time, and maybe then move on to BS Zelda Map 1 (and on my even more wishful thinking, other Satellaview broadcasts.)

That was me actually.

Anyway, I have not heard from those guys in a long while, so this is certainly wondrous news

I'll get to downloading asap, then post more feedback!

Random note: I've been recmomended by someone to get the music in FLAC format. I'm torrenting down Zelda Sound and Drama in that format now.

If any of the other songs I've brouth up are also going around in FLAC, I'd like to know. ^^;

I actually have already planned a little work on this myself, and as Kiddo mentioned, have two excellent voice actors working with me on the FF7Voice project who would fit the roles of Agihna and the Fortune Teller well. I'd also be willing to take the role of Zelda, unless you know of other interested candidates.

SmashManiac, if you would like to collaborate with me on a voice over project, I would welcome the help. However, I'm keen to be at the helm of this particular branch myself, especially since it might involve adjusting the dialogue I've written to more naturally fit speaking roles.

Send me a private message if you'd like to get in touch, I look forward to hearing from you.

~GlitterBerri

Addendum: If there was a possible way to sync this audio with the game automatically rather than manually, I think it would draw more players.

This post has been edited by GlitterBerri on Sep 12 2008, 05:29 AM

For now I've been working with MP3s with a variable bit rate because I couldn't find any lossless release of Zelda Sound & Drama, so that's great news! I won't restart from scratch because the remastering process takes a long time, but I will continue in lossless format from where I currently am, and once it's over I will most probably redo the first 20 minutes in lossless format too.

I'm currently talking with GlitterBerri through PMs to check how we will handle the voice over part of the project. Meanwhile if you're interested to do voice over, continue to post here.

--

As for automatically syncing the audio with the game, this is easier said than done.

The easiest way would be to create a script that launches the emulator and the media player, loads the game and the soundtrack, and start them at sync. Two problems with this setup is that PC performance may possibly change the timing, and in itself is not enough to solve the pausing problem (setting up a specific pause hotkey in the media player) unless the media player comes bundled with the script.

The hardcore way would be to customize an SNES emulator compatible with AST (or other BS-X games) so that it streams the contents of an MP3 or FLAC file during gameplay - don't count on me for that one!

In any case it's a good idea, but I personally won't tackle this problem... well at least not until the week 1 soundtrack is completed.

Oh so that acutally makes it three... all the better

...or two. But this is great, it's good to hear that both aspects (music and voice acting) are properly being worked on!

On the matter of voice actors, if no one is found to fit the role, I may attempt to act as the soldier/guard.
But I'm sure you already have more ocmpetent and experienced candidates.

Smash Maniac has taken the words right out of my mouth concerning the sync.
Now if only we could find someone capable and willing to hack an emulator for us...

Apologies for not having this ready -before-hand-.... but...

EDIT: URL change!

Here's a good place for the FLACs.

This post has been edited by KiddoCabbusses on Sep 18 2008, 12:26 AM

Thanks for the FLACs, KiddoCabbusses!

---

I'm surprised, I have yet to see any samples in this thread. GlitterBerri has sent me an Agihna sample, but that's it.

Guess I'll have to start myself...

Narrator voice sample:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RAVP08ZQ

Soldier voice sample #1:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TYVUTW08

Soldier voice sample #2:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1RC43KTC

Personally, I think I'm well fit for the narrator role, but that I'm just a backup plan for the soldier.

NOTE: This is not a confirmation that I'm going to play any of these roles.

Feel free to send voice samples! May the best voice win!

Berri will likely send you some other VA samples shortly.

Of course, but I still want as many candidates as possible!

SmashManiac, you should come on Skype/Ventrilo with me and read me some lines. I really like your accent, but it's unusual in an English narrator role. However, it could work. I want to hear more of you! Also, you make a very animated soldier. Good to see some enthusiasm. =)

Here are some quick-and-dirty samples of the character voices of my suggested Agihna and Fortune Teller. The intonation isn't perfect, but hopefully you get an idea.

http://boomp3.com/listen/c124q2yan_z/agihna

http://boomp3.com/listen/c1936rkf8_x/masteragihna

http://boomp3.com/listen/17bpiasvy_z/hocuspocus

Sounds good for the voicechat session, you'll be able to hear even more of my enthusiasm! Heh, I know it's an unusual accent, can't blame anybody for not using french-canadian accent in TV shows and movies.

As for the samples, I really like them, especially the Fortune Teller. I can even feel the vibes of his voice throughout my body, it's like if he's coming from another dimension! I also experimented adding echo effects on it (as in the original video), and it's just awesome!

I also like the Agihna one, I never expected to find a good old-sounding voice like that! The major complaint that I currently have with it though is that I have too much trouble understanding what he says. Anybody else agrees?

I'm able to make out his lines OK, although that might be in part due to the fact that I compare the lines with the scripts.

The main issue I can potentially see in that [I'll never settle for a spelling] will be when the character is meant to emote. IIRC there's some particular scenes where the old man has to convey certain emotions, and from what I've heard so far, it might be very difficult to portray such without adjusting the voice range, which would then lead to the potential problem of it suddenly no longer fitting the role...