(this post applies to those games that wouldn't obviously be more suited to a more adrenaline-based soundtrack based on rock or hip hop or accordion, etc.)

I'm all for epic orchestral soundtracks. There's nothing like hearing a huge orchestra playing grand themes and sweeping us up in the excitement of victory and moving us to tears in times of strife.

But only in the right games.

Not every game calls for a full orchestra with a choir, just like not every game calls for a hip hop or a rock soundtrack. But so many games could benefit from pulling back a little and experimenting. Especially in the world of indie games where the gameplay is often new and innovative, why not come up with a new and innovative music ensemble to complete the picture?

The first couple of Katamari games did this beautifully. Their ensembles ran a huge stylistic spectrum. There were lovely lush orchestral pieces, but there were also some pieces with almost unidentifiable instruments playing the Katamari themes in new and interesting ways. And it was all executed masterfully. The mish mash of ensembles fit the gameplay, just like the way the ball grows bigger by collecting a mish mash of random objects.

It would be refreshing to hear a soundtrack that had only piano. Or maybe a soundtrack that had classical instruments, but only two at a time. Not every game art style uses the same palette of colors. Why should the game audio style? It really comes down to the game. I've just seen too many games with a forced orchestral soundtrack.

Granted, this isn't a huge problem. But it does seem that far too often the first template game composers go for is the orchestral one. Why is this? Well, probably because writing for an orchestra is actually easier than writing for smaller ensembles. You have an incredible amount of colors to choose from. There is a wide variety of cliches to throw in, ever so effortlessly. A bigger ensemble being easier to write for seems a bit counterintuitive. And certainly, making a fresh and interesting orchestral piece is very difficult. But to throw together something acceptable is a cinch with an orchestra.

Part of the reason for this blog is to help improve the quality of game soundtracks and "acceptable" doesn't cut it. We want "awesome" or "yowza, I'm speechless!", right? Originality within the music and within the music's colors heads us in the right direction. This isn't all on the composer's shoulders, of course. All you game devs out there should think carefully about your music direction. Sure, consider an orchestra. But maybe step back a second and think if there is any other sound you might like. Solo guitar? Some Jethro Tull flute and cello? Give it a shot.

But, I digress:  This time of evening, words begin to jumble in my brain. (Yes, I need to post more things late at night.) Unfortunately, I forget what I went online to post, so that may not work well.

I was writing with almost wonderful MS Word. That's it. Do they actually have people design these programs who have never written a document in word processing in their life?  Or are they all just color blind?

I refer to the idiocy of having fifteen colors available to highlight with and only seven of those colors are light enough so that you can read a black, bolded word that has been highlighted in them. Now, I can change the colors of the text to unlimited possibilities, and I can change the color themes also. I can change just about anything, except the frikkin highlighting. 

Let me guess, the guy in charge of highlight is the same guy who designed VISTA.

And, please, yes write me and tell me how wrong I am. Just be sure and give me directions how to do it because I can't find them anywhere else.

Hers was light purple—not necessarily the color she wanted . . .

This isn't a bad start to the sentence, but what I don't like is the "light purple". That just sounds a little too vague to me. If I'm going to describe the color of an object, why not try to be as precise as possible in that description? So I revised the passage to read:

Hers was lavender—not necessarily the color she wanted . . .

This is much better. It's little details like this which can enrich the description of a character or an object in a story.

Also recently, I noticed an instance of needless repetition in two passages from chapters 4 and 5. In chapter, 4, when I describe Leah's first impressions about each of her classes on the first day of school, I write this about her phys. ed. class:

She was terrible at sports and, like so many other things in her life, she preferred to stay on the sidelines as a spectator. And in her case, she didn't think she needed the chance for exercise that the class offered because she walked almost a mile to and from school every day.

But later, in chapter 5, when her phys. ed. class goes outside for a run-walk activity, I write this:

All in all, Leah decided, this activity wasn't so bad, although it did kind of seem like a waste of time to her since she received the same amount of exercise just walking to and from school every day.

Obviously, what I need to do here is cut one of these passages, but which one? Both work well within their respective contexts. I decided to cut the passage in chapter 5 because if I cut the passage from chapter 4, then the paragraph describing Leah's first impressions of phys. ed. class, which is already quite a short paragraph, will be even shorter.

So this is the kind of thing that I'm doing as I read through the book once more. It may seem kind of tedious, but I actually enjoy this phase of writing. I find it strangely fulfilling to make these kinds of little corrections and improvements to the book.

]]> http://washwords.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/dreaming-pink-diamonds/ Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:06:00 +0000 washwords http://washwords.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/dreaming-pink-diamonds/ I've never really been a girly girl. God knows I'm no tomboy (that would imply being sporty, which I am not) but ribbons, make-up, heels, shopping? eh.

Likewise for jewelry. It's not that I don't spoil myself or like the finer things but... spas and five-star hotels are more my weakness than flashy fashions or gems.

Usually.

When I was married, I came to love the sparkly diamond. I missed it when it was gone. But it, much like I probably was to my then inlaws, was a curiousity. I never fully understood or recognized it. It wasn't fully me. People would tell me it was big or it was a particular cut and I would stare back, "mmm?" I had no words, no expertise in this arena.

pink by Peter on flickr

So it was a surprise that this time around, I've been dreaming diamonds. Pink diamonds. Pink like the color, not of the sunset but of the glassy sea in the twilight of the shore. I didn't even know such a thing existed (till, blush, I looked it up and found it). I've dreamed the platinum antique setting - delicate, wiry, dreamed the bliss of it on my finger and the serenity of real, profound joy.

There is some sadness in joy, my wise friend "A" told me on that other long-ago wedding day. And behind this glassy pink sea is sorrow, too. I am sorry that I didn't know how to love like this before, sorry that I didn't know that than, or know at least enough to say I wasn't ready. I am sad that gold and big didn't ever fit me right, though I wanted desparately to meld with that ring.

I mourn the lives we didn't create together, the one that flickered in shared laughs, late-night talks and true, real friendship. And I hope, deep in the core of my being that you are finding your own glassy pink sea and that it is smooth and sparkly and sacred. I hope it suits you and brings you the surprising joy my dreams of pink diamond oceans have brought me. Mine is a joy of lessons learned, rock-solid friendships, love hard found and yet as comfortable as that warm sea, as ancient and as deep.

Thank you.

Sometimes you dream
In the spaces between god.
All the love in one place,
Technicolor pain.

Drop for me,
Fall.

Fail me though your
Thoughts and smiles.
Sliding down your fear,
Ice-cream promises.

Swing for me.
Fly.

Sometimes you dream
With the knife in your eye.
Your faith is on the line,
Forever armless.

Photo by CFPereda
Nubes irresistibles...

Sometimes it's just good to go back to the beginning. I love finger painting ... Remember in school when the teacher would give you those great bright colors that would smell a little like glue and plastic. You'd reach your hand in grab a glob of paint and throw it on that white pristine canvas. You'd keep on adding colors until all you got was a black mess and the only original colors were on you. Great fun! No rules and no one telling you to color between the lines.

I've never been a big fan of rules. I have a tendency to follow my own rules despite the consequences. I also don't like art with rules. I try to look for ideas eveywhere. I'm trying to find a certain look by mashing up a bunch of different design processes. I'm not happy yet, but when I am I'll probably stop making art. But sometimes it's good to go back to basics and just run some paint around the canvas in a very simple way.

Thus the design above in oils. Running paint around where it makes no sense is fun.

Here are some design links that might give you some inspiration:

• Sleevage - Album cover art.
• Art cyclopedia - Find all art here.
• Thumbtack Press - Look at and buy some art.
• Timeline of Art History - Art over time courtesy of The Met.
• The Museum of Bad Art - Is any art really bad? You be the judge

In re-reading “Reading Lolita in Tehran”; I came across a phrase Nafisi mentions briefly toward the beginning of her book.  The phrase is introduced with a small nod to the main character’s painter friend, who when faced with the harsh realities of Iran during the “revolution” and “counter-revolution”, stated “reality has become so intolerable, so bleak, that all I can paint now are the colors of my dreams”. In which Nafisi goes on to ask “who, actually (is so lucky, as to be able to) is able to paint the colors of their dreams?”  I have come to become quite obsessed with the minor phrase. It has occupied an immense amount of my time. The colors of my dreams. Metaphorically, I know, they lie in my future. Ideas, thoughts, plans unknown, which occupy an immense amount of my precious time. But dreams, even when they are an escape, are not just this. Dreams are a reflection of reality. A dream allows the mind to wander to places subconsciously, to explore the deeper meanings of a reality, and often even in escaping a reality, you begin exploring it. What would the colors of my dreams from the past represent? What would they be?

Would they be a mellow blue green, gently carrying me back to the zig – zag oblivion of the afternoon waves in the Mediterranean ocean of my childhood? Or something racy like a hooker red, my favorite shade of finger nail polish speckled with a hint of the golden glitter eye shadow I favor? Would the colors of my dreams smell like the fresh grown rosemary that my parents planted ages ago, however cannot seem to tame? Or are they full of the sweet scent of jasmine on a humid Texas day, softly twirling around a yard stick, engulfing the entirety of our backyard fence without shame? Would they emanate peace and tranquility? Or will they urge me to follow and act upon every impulse I refused to follow through upon in real life? Could they be a passionate purple embodying its history of royals and of those blessed with riches and power and of those who abuse both? Or are the colors of my dreams filled with the dark, deep scarlet, which slowly creeps around my neck serving as a reminder of secrets which are better served kept? Could the colors of my dreams, the sole being of my existence, be something as simple as a sunshine yellow, radiating happiness on a bright sunny day? Or it is a dark, powerful, shade of green, absorbing the jealous taunts I threw at those I loved the most, only to find that in the end, it was me who was flawed? Could the colors of my dreams consist of a multitude of woven tapestries, full of color, life, and light, allowing me to hide and transform those hues I am ashamed of into new shades, magnificent and glowing, bringing me back to the realities which always exist despite of my various attempts to escape?

I’m not quite sure what the future holds, but I do know, I continue to plan on “painting the colors of my dreams” until I am no longer able.

• The budget of a real bride who had a fabulous wedding without breaking the bank. Trust me, this info is valuable and I'm so excited to share it with you all!
• A plethora of affordable bridesmaid-ish dresses in an array of colors!
• An inspiration board of my final (uh, yeah, we'll see) color scheme option... and I think it's the one!!! (Get ready for my mad awesome *read: barely amateur level* photoshop skillz that I used to add bouquets into models' hands!)
• Some monogram designs I've been working on... and perhaps even an invite idea or two!

It'll make more sense when you see it, promise! :) Happy Friday!! Have a good weekend, y'all!

 It represents sunlight which symbolizes power. If a room gets direct sunlight, do not paint the walls with yellow color. Yellow color is perfect for ‘Pooja Room’. Green color represents nature, hope, freshness. It brings harmony, quick healing, good and healthy environment to the room. Most of the hospitals use this color because of its quick healing quality. Let’s look for more tips on colors.  

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www.Gharexpert.com

The selection of colors is based on directions represented by various planets. For example, north rooms of a house represented by the planet ‘Mercury’ can be in light shades of green as the green is representative color of Mercury. The East represented by the Sun can be painted in white color whereas the North represented by the Moon has white affects in the house. Let’s seek more tips on color.  

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www.Gharexpert.com

At times, we need to pause and look closer, and appreciate the colors and beauty of life.

And we can say, it is a wonderful world.

Indeed, it is.

Well at least it is a relief  that the boys study room is ready and looks brand new. I completely loved the colors and impact the stripes are making. I will post a photo soon enough. Also a list of all the things I learnt from my organizing escapade

Here is a list of some of the interesting sites I found which helped in the decluttering and organizing bit :

Do yourself a favor and check out the rest of this refreshing wedding!

But today I figured that blogging would be a good idea.

I started today with listening to DJ Tiësto tunes on YouTube, and quickly discovered that it is the best way to wake up. It is the best thing since sliced bread.
It gives me goosebumps and such a rush of pure energy when I hear the tunes that he plays, the rush of energy flows through me from my toes to my head, and it's the kind of rush that you can only get from a certain something. Even though I have this energy rushing and coursing through me, it is a gentle way to wake up your senses and your body. You arrive at this state of bliss and with your eyes still closed you can feel every last particle of energy that runs through your veins. You can almost see the music and the colors that carry the beat. It gives you that all over body tingle and you are all of a sudden aware of everyone and everythingaround you. Your senses are hightened, you can hear and feel things that you are normally obvlivious to, but you are oblivious to the trivial meaningless things that you are normally so attached and obsessed about. This is why they call it Ecstasy.

My friend Gina and I, she's actually my fiancés best mate, have decided that we are going to the 10th anniversary of Creamfields this year in august together. My parents, bless them, have agreed to buy my ticket for me as a birthday present (I turn 21 in September). This is a relief for me as the tickets are £120 and as a poor student I do not have that kind of cash just laying about. Instead, what little cash I have will be spent on outfits, accessories, and necessities when there, like drink and food etc.

There are so many acts on, that I don't know how we are possibly going to make them all, but there are a few that I am not missing for the world. You couldn't make me miss them even if you tried, and those are DJ Tiësto, Ferry Corsten, Paul van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Underworld and most of the acts on the Tidy stage. Then there are the ones that I'd like to see, but wouldn't start crying if I missed, such as Pendulum and some of the acts on the Swedish House Mafia stage.

I am so excited about this that I am about to implode. I have already ordered 3 t-shirts that are going to make me look fabulous, from the T-Shirt Shack and I am waiting til Friday for my next paycheck to order a pair of custom made trousers from IncyWincy Cyber. And I am looking on ebay and other places online for a cute backpack that I can purchase that won't cost me a small fortune and that I won't be upset if it breaks, to store cameras, water etc in whilst at the gigs. I have purchased two disposable cameras á 27 exposures, but as this is my first hard dance festival I want to immortalize it as much as I can so I am planning on doubling up on the cameras. That way I have two cameras each day to take pictures with, which should be enough.
And as Freefall Feat. Jan Johnston so brilliantly said in their tune 'Skydive (I Feel Wonderful)'
"I feel Wonderful, I could skydive from the Moon"

So self-centered...

Since I haven't quite decided what I shall do with this blog (i.e. creative writing journal or latest and greatest from Japan (and the Far East) blog), for now, I'll keep it about my various obsessions.

One of my current obsessions is Japanese [rock] band Flow. If you have ever heard of Flow, odds are you've watched Naruto, Eureka Seven, and/or Code Geass among other media (video games and J-Drama) they've attached singles too.

I'll admit it, I am an extremely shallow music fan. So generally, when I say I like so-and-so, it mostly refers to a single or two. I have a short attention span, so sue. Anyway, I am totally obsessed with their song, "Colors."

It's really too cute, and rather surprisingly, fitting for Code Geass. I love the part where the guitarist throws down his ax and goes after one of the vocalist, with his band mates rushing him. While I like the song, I think its a bit weird how the music is arranged. Its a little wonky. No?

But yeah, that video is on my PSP (suck it, I-Pod) right beside "Flames on the side of my face..." ;-)

^ If you understand that reference, pat yourself on the back. If you don't, get on netflix and rent Clue, a dark, but excellent comedy. Its not too old either, I'll be 21 in August, so you have no excuse.

Other current obsessions... Lately, I've been thinking of playing video games, rather than actually doing. I mean, that's a new low in terms of laziness, right? I can understand wanting to play Yoshi's Story and Wave Race, both on the Nintendo 64 (I'd have to dust that thing off!). But thinking about playing Odin Sphere and Okami? That's just lame.

Even as I am typing, I am thinking of playing a game. So lazy...

Am I weird? Then again, I am writing about asking myself this question, when no one that I know of is around. Meh, in any case, its time for me to get ready for work. Blech.

-Hellrae

]]> http://tatawaw2008.wordpress.com/?p=68 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:31:52 +0000 tatawaw2008 http://tatawaw2008.wordpress.com/?p=68 Click here for power point presentation-Etasinasteki (colors)