Review of The Music Man
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Overall Score
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Graphics
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Sound
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Gameplay
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Story
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Interface
The Music Man Review
By Ting_Thing on
10 May 2008
Pros: Most origional game I've played in a very long time. Fun and unique concept. I had no Idea you could blend music and gaming so well together.
Cons: Piano Sounds overlap creating odd chords.
Very exciting and unique! I love the ideas!
I would Give this game a 6/6 for origionality alone. It's really phenomenal how musical ideas are tied into this game. The graphics I gave 6 stars because even though they aren't "amazing graphics" by defenition, they fit into the game uniquely. Anything more wouldn't make sence behind a musical world you are portraying.
As strange as this would seem, the sound is the only thing that I had a problem with, and for two reasons. One, since all items seem to produce musical licks, and you hear a specific not evey time you jump around, it can make the overall sound seem like a cluser chord... and that doesn't musically make sence here. I would not play the sound of the note you jump on if you recently got a musical item. Use variables and timers for that, not "if !sound_isplaying(sound)" because that chunck of code doesn't respond quick enough. I also like the idea of progressing arpeggios for the title screen and some of the ideas in gameplay, but you can do something more unique than that and still portray a basic musical idea. For example, a Bb Arpeggio, followed by an Eb arpeggio, followed by an F arpeggio. Back to Eb arpeggio, and finally back to Bb arpeggio. Then shift that all up a half step like what you've been doing before and repeat that. Or, since the whole idea of the game is kind of mystical, try a more mystical progression than an arpeggio, which typically produces a "happy" fealing. It could progress like Bb, D, F, Ab, Bb, Ab, F, D, Bb, or possibly Bb, Db, E, G, Bb, G Eb, B, Bb. (Which would be a fully dimished chord) Try more things! Try swinging the notes, play them in octaves, move around some more, whater. It's your game, but there's more more ideas. (I emagion you are a music guy, but if some of my terms don't make sence to you, feel free to PM me)
Whatever the case, GREAT POTENTIAL! Keep at it! Get some extra credit in Band class or something ;)
Bass_EXE said 562 days ago
The only way I can see to prevent the slow-down with the midi sounds is to get my Goldwave .wav program, and record the sounds from the speakers. Not only will this degrade the qualitiy (which I can probably work around anyway), I need a new sound card...the microphone picks up too much static and makes it sound like anything you record--be it voice, instrument, or any other sound--is gurgling chocolate milk.
Bass_EXE said 562 days ago
The reason I do still play the note's sound even when you just got an item is because, like in the Yankee Doodle sequence, the control that I have make the key appear goes by, essentially, what it hears. If I were to take that away, even playing the song perfectly the first time would yeild nothing because of the practice minutes standing above the notes. Once again, proper sound timing would probably prevent this.
Bass_EXE said 562 days ago
Ah, this is exactly what my game needs--a review. not only a review, but a very good one.
The reason the piano tones overlap is because for some reason, midis that you use as sound effects use the speed of the current midi playing, which is also what happens when you fail to set a speed in the midi background music files. If all of the sound effects played at the speed they're supposed to (Quarter=120), the sounds would not run together.
Bass_EXE said 562 days ago
Actually, the arpegios only occur in three places: On the title screen, in Johann's 'kitchen', and in the Overworld. Scoreworld has its own theme, as does the WIP level Pianoplain.
I plan for all levels to have their own music, and it each to be unique. I think that, after Pianoplain, I will stop the sole-piano music and make some real scores, using strings, horns, and, eventually, organ.