Board 8 > B8 helps azuarc rank OSTs, part 2 [reverse ranking]

(+) Yeah! (+)

dowolf - yup, go with 512
raetsel - 513
FL81 - I believe 407 is...oh. Okay, go with 408.
Snake - yup, go ahead with 407
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Block 209

+5 Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Kaze no Ne
+4 Star Control II - Supox Theme
+3 Gimmick! - Cadbury
+2 Touhou Mahoujou ~ Book of Star Mythology - A Tangle of Mystic Flowers ~ Warning Glory!
+1 Dustforce - It's Not Supposed to be Snowing

Man why do the good songs come in chunks like this. Liked all of these songs. I feel like my blocks have been extremely lopsided in quality in this contest.

Taking the next 200's block unless azuarc has a problem with that.
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Block 408:
+5 Half-Minute Hero 2: The Second Coming - Reunion ~ Theme of HERO 55 ~
+4 Gimmick! - Paradigm
+3 The House in Fata Morgana - The House in Fata Morgana
+2 Xenogears - Flight
+1 Star Control II - Supox Theme

comments in spreadsheet when I get to it
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I would like to claim block 309 since 310 contains one of my songs
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+5 Deadbolt The Way of the Dodo
+4 The House in Fata Morgana Sanctus
+3 Touhou Mahoujou ~ Book of Star Mythology Illness Illusioner
+2 Gimmick! Lion Heart
+1 Xenogears The One Who Bares Fangs At God

I would like to claim 515 since I've already gotten two of my own noms and want to skip the third. I'll leave 514 to the other two.
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pyresword posted...

I feel like my blocks have been extremely lopsided in quality in this contest.

Ok just for the heck of it I decided to roughly order all 25 songs I've ranked so far in one list. Turns out I ended up giving a +1 to my #10 favorite song just because 5 of my top 10 happened to be in the same block. In addition to that the +1 from the block I just ranked ended up in position #16, which isn't that out of order I guess but still feels like that song got screwed. And then also one of my +5's ended up at #15, so there's that also.

I'm salty.
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Sceptilesolar posted...

I would like to claim 515 since I've already gotten two of my own noms and want to skip the third. I'll leave 514 to the other two.

Understood.

KCF0107 posted...

I would like to claim block 309 since 310 contains one of my songs

309 comes before 310...? Wouldn't you take 9 first anyway?

pyresword posted...

Turns out I ended up giving a +1 to my #10 favorite song just because 5 of my top 10 happened to be in the same block.... And then also one of my +5's ended up at #15

I'm salty.

It happens. The alternative would be to rank larger blocks, but that sometimes scares people off or makes it really hard to differentiate. If you think that would be better, I'll consider that for if/when I ever do this again. Certainly won't be any time soon, though, since VGMC is on the horizon.
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No I think this is fine I'm just complaining because it seems like I got the bad luck of the draw.
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+5: Silent Hill 3 - Walk on Vanity Ruins
+4: Street Fighter EX Alpha - Precious Heart (Theme of Sakura)
+3: Gimmick! - Cadbury
+2: Half-Minute Hero 2: The Second Coming - Last is Doon!
+1: Dragon Quest VIII - Sanctuary

I had low expectations for "Walk on Vanity Ruins" and almost dismissed it entirely once it started off with the same horrific intensity one would expect from a Silent Hill game. Then it...got strangely upbeat, kinda, in spite of the spooky piano? Then someone randomly started quoting Shakespeare in the background? What the hell did I just listen to and why do I love it?

I don't think this upbeat jazz music actually fits Sakura, but I absolutely adore this song and only nominated SFEX+@ for this one song. I kinda feel bad about having to rank it, but that's just how things worked out... then I wound up preferring a Silent Hill song of all things and nothing makes sense anymore.

Is it just me or does Cadbury sound like the opening theme of a late night talkshow? I almost expect an announcer to introduce Mr. Gimmick and the very special guests he's welcoming tonight.

Last is Doon! gives me a headache. The incredibly fast-paced music, combined with the choir and that deep voice in the background, it's just very unpleasant for me to listen to. On the plus side, I'll at least remember the song and I'll always take a song I strongly dislike over one that I actively don't care about.

I really don't care about Sanctuary. It just feels like a generic JRPG track that I've heard a million times before. I just really don't get the love for this soundtrack and, seriously, I am sorry that I somehow wound up ranking so many of them.



And that makes my fifth Block. I don't have time to rank anything else tonight and don't want to get greedy and try to steal the last block from the fifth rotation, so dowolf can take it if he wants (assuming Scept stands by not taking 514). I will be free tomorrow if for some reason they'd both rather I take it.
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+5 Bullet Heaven 2 - The Count of Darkness
+4 Touhou Mahoujou ~ Book of Star Mythology - Great Magic of the Power of Words ~ Starry Wisdom -
+3 Deadbolt - The Banality of Eternity -
+2 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - A Part of Their Story
+1 Star Control II - Thraddash Theme -

Starry wisdom's really cool. And yet it comes in second. The top two are incredible. Meanwhile, Star Control stuff continues to give me headaches and just no. *shrug*

And take 514 I will!
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For the folks who are finishing up rotation 5, you are welcome to grab one of the other blocks IF you can find one available that doesn't contain a track you already ranked. The odds of that aren't terribly good, but you're certainly allowed to look.
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New block please

this one's only going to be my 4th rotation :(
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+5 Touhou Mahoujou ~ Book of Star Mythology - Amaterasu of the Nine Luminaries ~ Sunlight Reburst
+4 The House in Fata Morgana - Giselle
+3 TitS the 3rd - Cradle Where Feelings Rest
+2 Deadbolt - Defunktorum
+1 Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Depature

Giselle is easily the best thing I've heard from Fata Morgana. Funk is not my thing at all sorry.
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+5 Star Control 2 - Spathi Theme
+4 Dragon Quest VIII - Traveling With Wagon
+3 Gimmick! - Sophia (Take 2)
+2 Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Daemon's Court
+1 Half-Minute Hero 2: The Second Coming - Last is Doon!

Not a very strong block, was bound to happen I guess. Taking 213.
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Hey, hit me with your best shot! Fire away!
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It looks like azuarc has a block (#105) labelled in the Google Doc for you. Not sure if he ever posted it in the topic though.

If you haven't looked at the Google Doc yet, you can find the block by going to the Rotation 1 tab and scrolling down to the 5th block of 5 songs.
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Done with 106 and updated the sheet:

+3 Half-Minute Hero 2: The Second ComingReunion ~ Theme of HERO 55 ~
+1 Dragon Quest VIIITraveling With Wagon
+2 Final Fantasy: Crystal ChroniclesMonster's Dance
+4 DustforceUpside Down Stalagmite
+5 Divinity: Original Sin 6Sins and Gods

I unfortunately did not enjoy this block at all. I tried really hard to remain unbiased as Dustforce OST is one of my personal faves, but the only thing that deserved a second listen was the holier than thou Divinity track. I would say Dustforce could have had a better rank if it wasn't this song in particular, of which I find a bit repetitive.

The bottom 3 are just repetitive period, if not a bit cliche. The bottom score was to me, incomplete. It had that buildup but no climax to end things with.

Anyways, I await the next block.
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FL81 posted...

New block please

this one's only going to be my 4th rotation :(

409. Why the sad faces?

SaveEstelle posted...

Hey, hit me with your best shot! Fire away!

pyresword posted...

It looks like azuarc has a block (#105) labelled in the Google Doc for you. Not sure if he ever posted it in the topic though.

If you haven't looked at the Google Doc yet, you can find the block by going to the Rotation 1 tab and scrolling down to the 5th block of 5 songs.

I did (although saying so was incredibly oblique). I'm also prepared to bang out whatever's left in 1 if we hit the point where it's the last rotation to finish, which it could be, but I'll hold back for now to let you and simoun do however much you're going to do.

@DragonImps I remember you saying you were going to cool your jets because you had done 5, but are you including 412 in that? Because I only see 4 from you in the spreadsheet.
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I'm about to dive into 110. That okay?
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go for it. Didn't realize you finished 106. You posted while I was contemplating the contents of my post.

Simoun posted...

the holier than thou Divinity track.

Incidentally, that's for the first part of the final encounter of the game, and it fits the mood of that scenario perfectly. The second part is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIXUv3CREj8
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azuarc posted...

go for it. Didn't realize you finished 106. You posted while I was contemplating the contents of my post.

Simoun posted...

the holier than thou Divinity track.

Incidentally, that's for the first part of the final encounter of the game, and it fits the mood of that scenario perfectly. The second part is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIXUv3CREj8

This is so nice. Divinity's OST reminds me of Guild Wars 2's score. I've been meaning to play this game but my brother sort of wants to go at this together.

Anyways, all done:

+1 Silent Hill 5Flower Crown of Poppy
+2 Bullet Heaven 2Of Sand and Wind
+3 Dragon Quest VIIISanctuary
+4 Gimmick!Lion Heart
+5 DustforceCider Time

I'm loving Gimmick's chiptunes. Never heard of that game till now.

Do you want me to skip to block 113 so I don't cover my own song?
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Oh also the Of Sand and Wind song from the Bullet Heaven 2 OST had a faulty link in the doc, so I listened to this instead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbXyhCRD7Sc

It said the video wasn't available anymore but I don't know if it's just me.
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azuarc posted...

@DragonImps I remember you saying you were going to cool your jets because you had done 5, but are you including 412 in that? Because I only see 4 from you in the spreadsheet.

What I meant was, that I'd stop once I did five. And I wasn't still planning on doing 412, figured that'd be annoying considering that you were explaining the rules because of me specifically.

Snake hijacked 406 by the way XD I don't mind, in fact it'd be better off with him because he actually gives hos thoughts on each track. Just atm my name's paired with his rankings and thoughts.

By the way I may not be able to get to whatever block is currently reserved for me until tomorrow. I'll definitely get to it then if not tonight, but on the off-chance that block is holding up completion of the rankings feel free to let someone else claim it instead.
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Block 309

+5 Dragon Quest VIII - Sky, Ocean, and Earth
+4 Gimmick! - Sophia (Take 2)
+3 Deadbolt - The Banality of Eternity
+2 The House in Fata Morgana - Dira "Minchia!"
+1 Touhou Mahoujou ~ Book of Star Mythology - Great Magic of the Power of Words ~ Starry Wisdom

DQVIII is one of my favorite games of all-time, and easily my favorite JRPG. I love its soundtrack, and I greatly enjoy orchestral music in general. Sky, Ocean, and Earth was all but guaranteed to score high with me.

It's not easy, imo, for a chiptune to be so relaxing and almost zen-like, so kudos to Gimmick!'s composer!

I really liked the "waiting period" for Banality before reaching its even better destination. In a worse block this would have a chance of scoring the most points.

I will say that Dira never gets boring.

Starry Wisdom is not a bad Touhou song like I was expecting it to be. It does fly off the rails at points in typical Touhou fashion and is way too long for its music style, but it's certainly better than the majority of Touhou songs that I've heard.
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I'm going to wait awhile for NFUN to catch up some and possibly see if a newcomer will join our ranks before claiming another block.

Now watch me claim one later tonight anyway
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Oh I was waiting for you to catch up lol
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Oh, you already ranked block 308? I must have overlooked that.
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Simoun posted...

This is so nice. Divinity's OST reminds me of Guild Wars 2's score. I've been meaning to play this game but my brother sort of wants to go at this together.

Do you want me to skip to block 113 so I don't cover my own song?

Sins and Gods was clearly my #5 track, and I had to think about which song to use. I considered Fight for Divinity instead. I just like the main theme enough to be drawn to a reprisal of it.

And nah, not if it's just the one time. I just didn't want to rank my whole nomination. Besides, there's 111 and 112 to go through first.

pyresword posted...

By the way I may not be able to get to whatever block is currently reserved for me until tomorrow. I'll definitely get to it then if not tonight, but on the off-chance that block is holding up completion of the rankings feel free to let someone else claim it instead.

I think you've got at least a day before we have to worry about that. Even then, I fully expect to be waiting on somebody to finish their last set. As long as you're conscientious about it, I don't care.

KCF and NFUN stuff

I wouldn't wait for anybody new to show up. Yes, if I get a walk-on, they're going with you guys, but the only person we've had come in after the first day was SaveEstelle, who I put on my rotation, which was in a similar position...other than that I've already done 6 blocks and don't know how many I should do personally.

I'm assuming since KCF wanted to avoid 310 that he'll do 11 and NFUN gets 10.
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I'll take a block.
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+5 Dragon Quest VIII - Over the Sorrow
+4 Bullet Heaven 2 - Of Sand and Wind
+3 Star Control II - Thraddash Theme
+2 Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Departure
+1 Silent Hill 3 - Uneternal Sleep

Taking 214.
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Imma take 411

Arti posted...

I'll take a block.

Great, welcome. I'll ask you to start with 312.

DragonImps posted...

Imma take 411

Got it. If you're quick, you might end up with 412 after all.
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+5 Street Fighter EX Alpha Strange Sunset (Theme of Guile & Allen)
+4 Bullet Heaven 2 Odyssey to the Deep Star
+3 Silent Hill 3 End of Small Sanctuary
+2 Xenogears Emotions
+1 Dustforce Upside Down Stalagmite

That's my 4th ranking overall, but it also finishes up Rotation 5. I'll look around for blocks with new songs for me, maybe I can claim those.
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Sceptilesolar posted...

I'll look around for blocks with new songs for me, maybe I can claim those.

I think you can do 114.
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Looks like 313 would be fine for me, I think it's not taken.

EDIT: Or that, also. I'll do 114 then.
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(I'll post mine before bed tonight btw!)
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+5 Touhou Mahoujou ~ Book of Star MythologyGreat Magic of the Power of Words ~ Starry Wisdom
+4 Star Control IISupox Theme
+3 Gimmick!Strange Memories of Death
+2 DeadboltBlood on the Dancefloor
+1 Bullet Heaven 2The Caves of Va'No

A very good set on average, even though it doesn't have a song I really loved like others did.
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Ok I lied I was able to get to it today.

Block 212

+5 Trails in the Sky The 3rd - The Black Ark
+4 Street Fighter EX Alpha - Precious Heart (Theme of Sakura)
+3 Deadbolt - The Way of the Dodo
+2 Xenogears - Emotions
+1 Dustforce - Cider Time

Another strong 5 pack. No true standouts, but all of these are pretty good songs. Bottom three could all be interchanged relatively easily.
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And I guess I'll take the last block in rotation 2 then.
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I've got 6 blocks KCF and you have 3. Claim whatever
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Block 409:
+5 The House in Fata Morgana - Giselle
+4 Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Depature
+3 Deadbolt - Defunktorum
+2 Xenogears - Emotions
+1 Silent Hill 3 - End of Small Sanctuary

Meh, everything in this block was too calm, it all kinda blended in.

Next block please! :D @azuarc
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Hopefully I'm doing this right.

Block 105:

+5 Dustforce - Light Pollution
+4 Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Departure
+3 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Sing to Me (Lohse version)
+2 Trails in the Sky The 3rd - Illusionary Blue Flowers
+1 Street Fighter EX Alpha - Precious Heart (Theme of Sakura)

Dustforce - Light Polution: This song kind of makes me strut my head like a peacock. Now I'm swaying my shoulders, even my hips, ngl. It feels like a slow-burning town theme where a nice string of minor character revelations just shattered the player's initial perception of certainly allegedly immutable "facts" within the world's lore. I like the way it's layered. A new instrument emerges midway, and the musician who wields it does it with aplomb. It actually gets rather melancholy, then it cranks up the jam!

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Departure: Gather around the campfire, ye moogles and mooglettes, and let ol' JZ tell ye a story of love lost to the sands of time! Haha, just kidding! But I root for the flute. I really do. When it comes to this charmingly fresh, soft and warm, yet nostalgic track (which I've never before heard, to be clear; it just has that tone) I can't help but feel a little wistful. You know how we never know what we had 'til it's gone? I wish it weren't so. And hey, friends, sometimes? Sometimes it isn't. This song, though... it reminds me of a few things from when I was but a lad naive in spirit. Whoa, hey! Didn't mean to get carried away there, folks. Enjoy the project.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Sing to Me (Lohse version): This is nice. It reminds me a bit of Duvet, the OP for an anime called Serial Experiments Lain. There's something in the singer's voice that's just really lovely. I think the relatively short length for a vocal song (IMO; that's pretty subjective) is my only real knock against it. I'd love to hear it develop all the more. I'm a little eh on the whispered "let's make them scream" at the center, too. Also, the chorus would make for a pretty funny ringtone. Just Saiyan.

Trails in the Sky The 3rd - Illusionary Blue Flowers: This is... trendy? Like some ultra-fancy 90s menu music. I danced in my chair a little bit. Heck, I'm listening right now and dancing in my chair even as I type. So take that as a good sign. But I just chugged 20 fluid ounces of VitaminWater Zero (TM) so I'm not 100% certain it's the song I should be praising. Anyway, it's vibrant and enthusiastic, much like a lass I once fancied.

Street Fighter EX Alpha - Precious Heart (Theme of Sakura): Oh man, this song is so 1992 with its saxophone I thought I was listening to Short Circuit 2. It's got a nice progression, but at no point during my session did I so much as bounce my bangs, and I kind of tuned out at the guitar section, so I'm afraid it's bottom-of-the-barrel in this neat fiver.
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I'm in for another if available!
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@FL81 412 is next. That's the one DragonImps did prematurely, but I think he felt like he can't post that set now, so I basically have to give it to somebody else.
@SaveEstelle unless, I'm mistaken, 111 is available. (Simoun, are you doing another?)
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NFUN posted...

I've got 6 blocks KCF and you have 3. Claim whatever

I'm assuming you two were on 310 and 311. That's why I gave arti 312. If that's not the case, just let me know so I plan accordingly. Sceptile sounded like he might swoop in for specifically 313.

In general, folks, I think I've kept the Blocks tab up to date. It's not super important if that's accurate, but it's a handy blueprint for what's been done so far.
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111 done.

+3 XenogearsThe Wind is Calling
+4 DeadboltHeynong Man
+1 Silent Hill 6End of Small Sanctuary
+2 Bullet Heaven 2Christmas is Here!
+5 Dragon Quest VIIISky, Ocean, and Earth

I loved all the songs so this was alot harder to rank properly. I'll do 112 tommorow.
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azuarc posted...

@SaveEstelle unless, I'm mistaken, 111 is available. (Simoun, are you doing another?)

Simoun posted...

111 done.

I'll do 112 tommorow.

I guess that means you should do 113 instead.
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I shoulda never brought up 412. It probably ended up looking like a cheeky "Hey, y'know that rule I broke that you just got done explaining? Can I break it again? XD" thing. I've only brought unrelenting cringe on myself.

Also Estelle's a magnificent wordsmith.

Block 411:
+5 Dustforce - It's Not Supposed to be Snowing
+4 Gimmick! - Strange Memories of Death
+3 Trails in the Sky The 3rd - The Black Ark
+2 Bullet Heaven 2 - Christmas is Here!
+1 Dragon Quest VIII - Traveling With Wagon

-That effect of cutting off parts of the piano's echo is just really cool and unique.
-I like that popping synth that Gimmick!'s soundtrack uses, it's kinda like psudo-percussion... Or maybe it counts as actual percussion? The standout is that call and response (?) thing going on with those strong decending notes.
-It's pretty boss how this seems to represent a fight against some intimidating primal enemy, and then an orchestra gets mixed in and makes the theme more hopeful.
-This is actually really nice, it just that the second half could've done more. As it is now, it just kinda repeats main melody instead of keeping things interesting or flowing into the loop.
-It's alright, seems like half of a bigger track though. I like how it starts to sound kinda uncertain in the later half.

@azuarc Got it. 113 it is.
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