Board 8 > VGMC 11 bracket and discussion thread

(+) Yeah! (+)

It's finally here! You want the damn bracket? You can have the damn bracket. =)

Hello, and welcome to Video Game Music Contest number eleven. The nomination period is over, and now the time has come for the actual contest to begin.


Wait, what is this?

The video games music contest is an annual tradition of Board 8 which began precisely one decade heretofore, wherein we nominate our favorite songs from video games, make a March Madness style bracket out of those songs, and then vote on them to determine the winners.


Important links:

The bracket - http://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=466312

Master spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d-N92Sis_Ghh-QYE2cQqClPP5H3T-idwlk0CUHOv2ew/

Youtube list - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1RFteVUCpIsmLHRwqLStaQJD
Youtube list for side bracket - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1RE35F2S4u6Ie8w1o0jHPKXB
Retired list: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Er_iw4jHiCCF4ntFD8LSS6OcNMsFKw84hBhpTTEtkMM
List of all past entries - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K1XdLWiUKB2kX99qYBgnRbLU_sCz4dvZSByKKJHCT6o
Info on last year's contest - http://board8.wikia.com/wiki/VGMusic_Contest_10


Contest timing

At the time of this thread being posted, it is Thursday, March 16. The contest will begin on the night of Tuesday, March 21. Bracket predictions will remain open for a short time afterward.

Ideally, each day's matches will start at 10 PM EDT, consisting of (initially) two main bracket matches and a third match from the side bracket, unless replaced by a tiebreaker.

Standard voting rules will apply. Listen to the full songs. Vote by the songs. You can post advance votes here. Et cetera.


What's this side bracket?

In the past entries sheet, there is a tab for "top performers" based on past history. It automatically filters out retired tracks, and sorts by a score calculated by match appearances * average yearly placement. The side bracket consists of nearly every song that had a score of at least 16 and an average placement of above 2.5, but was not represented in the main bracket. In what I'm calling for now (and might rename) the VGMC Masters Tournament, you'll find songs that have been annual staples with 5+ appearances, tracks who made a lone appearance to round 4 and never returned, and others with respectable middle grounds.

So basically, it's all the songs that we tend to see year after year, but somehow didn't get in this year.

It's a pretty strong bracket, TBH. And since last year we did a Tournament of Champions among the more recent retirees, I t

Crap, I won't be able to listen to all the songs prior to filling out the bracket. I guess there is one silver lining to VGMCs containing too many of the usual suspects.
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Tag
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For reference, I picked "I like both" in the poll.

I like the dynamics and aesthetics of the support round method, but it's also more upkeep, a little less exciting at the end, and probably more taxing on everyone else to go through two rounds. It has some very clear upsides, too, though.

What's the difference between the old way and classic method?
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Tag.
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barreldragon88 posted...

What's the difference between the old way and classic method?

none. Just different names for the same thing. The poll is about this year's (and previous years') method vs last year's.

Filled out a quick favorites bracket for each. I could actually see my bracket B one doing okay if only because both my finalists should go deep.

man, B2 is stacked

and man, A2 sucks
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Yay, two Ace Attorney tracks made it... two of my very favorites. Time to watch them lose .
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Oops I forgot to submit nominations. O well.
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Oops. voted for the first option because I thought it meant last year's method.
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Made favorites brackets for brackets A and B based on memory (which means votes might change when I actually listen to them again during the actual contest). They actually might do a lot better than I would expect for one of my favorites brackets since I have a few popular songs doing well like Undertale, goldenslaughterer, and Don't Speak her Name. I know neither of my division winners stand a chance in hell though and are probably out in round 1 :(

Also bracket B >>> bracket A
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Also to make a post about format--I liked the format from last year better. The one thing I really don't like is when there's a strong incentive in place to hold on to your initial noms. I'd rather the contest was just people voting for songs they like rather playing this weird game of chicken and trying to game the system. While last year's format doesn't do much to change that, it is at least partial fix.

If it were up to me I'd vote to make a much larger change actually. What's immediately coming to mind as a potential idea is some kind of progressive lock system. Like after five days, 2/10 supports have to be locked in, and then after another two days you have to lock in another two, etc. Or some system like that, I don't know what the specific numbers would be. That seems like it would do a bit to combat this though.

(edit: for the record I voted option 3)
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... Aquaria - Fear the Dark made it into this?

I haven't paid attention to this contest ever before but I think I should start now. You guys are alright.
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Mobilezoid posted...

... Aquaria - Fear the Dark made it into this?

I haven't paid attention to this contest ever before but I think should start now. You guys are alright.

It only got in because two people liked it enough to double nom it (myself being one of them), which seems more like a technicality than actually getting in on it's own popularity. I can nearly guarantee it gets slaughtered in round 1, even if it weren't playing against what's probably a pretty strong opponent.

On the other hand looking at the spreadsheet I guess that quite a few songs are in the same situation, so who knows.
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pyresword posted...

It only got in because two people liked it enough to double nom it (myself being one of them), which seems more like a technicality than actually getting in on it's own popularity. I can nearly guarantee it gets slaughtered in round 1, even if it weren't playing against what's probably a pretty strong opponent.

For what it's worth, I think a lot of the songs you nominated are boring ambient stuff that I don't care to listen to on their own, but Fear the Night is quite good and definitely better than its opponent.
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Did a lightning fast favorites bracket and discovered how much I dislike this bracket.

this placement is evil

HIGHLIGHTS:

Hidra Heteromycin getting Scrap I/O in Round 2. A1 is pretty mean in general but geez.
In retrospect, A2 seems weak if I have LINCA coming out of it given the carnage happening elsewhere.
SHOUT OUTS to the best two songs in A3 facing off in R1 with Yomitsu Hirasaka Corruption and Ar-ciel Ar-manaf. Holding the retirement match early!
A4 pretty solid.
where do i even start with B1. The Merciless Savior going for the all time HARDEST VGMC ROUTE challenge. vs. Into the Light in R2 (shout-outs again to this match), Reincarnation in R3 (oh my god) and Liela Xea to retire (somehow this is the breather match.) god even R1 is solid too. B1 op plz nerf.
B2 looks like a joke in comparison
shout outs to B3 for having a weak top half but then a bottom half designed to torment me. feeding lastpandemic to blue radiance in r1 dammit.
shout outs to B4 for giving a B1 a run for most ridiculous division. Hana Kagerou, XIO_PROCEED, Daddy Mulk, Fallen Angel, This Silence is Mine, Sinister Gale, and Rose-Killing Carmilla. special shout outs to Sinister Gale v Rose-Killing Carmilla being a r1 match.

Retired Songs and Beyond:

Scrap I/O > EXEC_LINCA/.
Ar-ciel Ar-manaf > Fateful Confrontation
The Merciless Savior > Location of Power
Desire Blue Sky > XIO_PROCEED

Scrap I/O > Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Desire Blue Sky > The Merciless Savior

Desire Blue Sky > Scrap I/O

The Scrap I/O, Desire Blue Sky, The Merciless Savior trio is especially subject to change. Could rank those 3 in any order depending on mood.
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wait.. Aquatic Ambience never retired? and i notice this right after reading that Mandela topic...
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Mobilezoid posted...

... Aquaria - Fear the Dark made it into this?

I haven't paid attention to this contest ever before but I think I should start now. You guys are alright.

I was the original nominator of it. It was the first time that I was successful in nominating an Aquaria song.
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working on favourites bracket for the side bracket

I'm pretty early in since I'm making sure to actually listen to everything but I still have some things to say

the original Halo theme is better than I first realised
I'd forgotten how fun Right Hand From Behind is
Parting Shots vs Dreams of Cobalt is an evil R1 match
I keep surprising myself with the things I find myself taking into R3. Expect to have D4 > Hills of Radiant Wind or Tuxedo Knight, on review end up with U.N. Owen Was Her? > R-Type Title instead :P

Oh cool. How long do I have to fill out a bracket?
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azuarc posted...

The contest will begin on the night of Tuesday, March 21. Bracket predictions will remain open for a short time afterward.

Nm, I finally see it.
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First half of the side bracket done now, gonna do the other half after I wake up.

I might be the one who still overrates Awakening the most nowadays, but even then, I very nearly ended up taking Halo over it in R3.

The part at 2:35 in Dreams of Cobalt was enough for me to barely take it over Parting Shots, but it was not quite enough to take down Right Hand From Behind. Tough pick. Easily betrayed RHFB in favour of Awakening the round after though, of course.

UN Owen Was Her vs Liberi Fatali was probably the weirdest match I had to decide on. I went with the latter, but it was a lot closer than I expected. Had UN Owen been slotted up against like RHFB or the Halo theme I feel like I'd have actually picked it then.

Ended up taking Liberi Fatali to the finals. Will I pick something from the right side of the bracket over it? Only time will tell.

The side bracket is incredibly awkward, and likely prone to some very goofy results.

Mac Arrowny posted...

boring ambient stuff that I don't care to listen to on their own

This is more of a general comment against the board as a whole, but why does this matter?

Like the function of nearly all soundtrack music is quite literally to serve as a background track to something else, so why is there the need to treat it otherwise when judging it? Soundtrack music doesn't have to stand on its own to be good at what it does.
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Ok actually I suppose a more accurate way to say what I mean is that soundtrack music is supposed to support something else rather than stand on its own, but my overall point remains the same.
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Well, when listening to music as a focus, most people like stuff that has a strong melody. They like to enjoy what they're listening too. Think about the stuff Snake nominates: it's mostly BGM from horror games that's made to be kinda unpleasant and ratchet up the tension. It's effective at this, but who wants to listen to music that's unpleasant in non-horror situations?

Also, it's not like music can't be effective at both. You're Not Alone made for one of the most powerful scenes in the game, and it's also wonderful to listen to independently. I'd say that most of the music that does well in these contests works well in-game too, really.
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it depends on the way it's unpleasant

twelfth chapter and crazy bus title are the delightful kind of unpleasant
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okay side bracket favs done

Stayed with Liberi Fatali in the end

things that surprised me include

the fact that I forgot how good New Castle Legions was
the fact that I actually took a CT song I don't care about over a FF9 song I kinda do care about
the fact that I took Layton's theme to round 4
and the fact that a song as bad as Make Up Time is even in it

th3l3fty posted...

it depends on the way it's unpleasant

twelfth chapter and crazy bus title are the delightful kind of unpleasant

I want to see somebody edit The Room so that whenever suspenseful or dramatic music is supposed to play Crazy Bus plays instead.
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nothing all day, huh

soon

Wait, does Nefertiti not have vocals...?
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as a fan of Touhou music, I find it depressing beyond words that reach for the moon and ghost lead were nominated. I don't get how people can enjoy bland garbage tunes so much. Those 2 are like that nickelback you remind me song.
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1. RftM is great and one of the best Touhou songs
2. Everyone who nommed it is stupid for nominating it, yes
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Board 8 in general hates 2hu. RftM only exists for meme status at this point (despite my unironic love for it).
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Mac Arrowny posted...

Wait, does Nefertiti not have vocals...?

Not the original version of it, no.

I was thinking I'd get started on my favs brackets for the main brackets today

but then I found myself inundated in irl problems for most of today, and I'm going somewhere tomorrow too

even if I have time after that, my enthusiasm to power through all of it has waned

I'll probably just settle for what I've done once or twice in the past and do it as the contest progresses, aiming to have it all done when all the R1 matches are done. Much as I'd like to try my luck at winning an individual bracket or two again this year with the power of blind favouritism and zero foresight (never forget VGMC9), I'm okay with just leaving them as late brackets this time.

EDIT: oh yeah I won bracket B last year too. lost A but I cared less for the songs in it so *shrug*

the problem with touhou is the songs chosen to be nominated tbqh

The earlier Touhou games have some good music but that didn't go anywhere when I tried to help out. The ULL songs that got in this time are good too, so let's see how that goes.
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I'm curious how well a random Touhou song would do if nobody knew it was Touhou. Would it overperform?

I hope to get around the filling out a bracket today
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azuarc posted...

I'm curious how well a random Touhou song would do if nobody knew it was Touhou. Would it overperform?

You mean Battle Against a True Hero?
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trdl23 posted...

azuarc posted...

I'm curious how well a random Touhou song would do if nobody knew it was Touhou. Would it overperform?

You mean Battle Against a True Hero?

https://youtu.be/yx-C08oeeVM?t=1m53s

azuarc posted...

I'm curious how well a random Touhou song would do if nobody knew it was Touhou. Would it overperform?

There's a reason I nominated Rose-Killing Carmilla!

;)
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musta missed the nomination topic
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Dang, I procrastinated...guess I'll just briefly listen to each song for first impressions to help fill out the more unknown songs for a favorites bracket, and only give them a full listen for the contest itself. Though I should probably extend the courtesy of a full listen to the first few songs since they'll be in action tonight.

And quick impression: Shit, man, Movin' Out vs. Hidra Heteromycin in Round 1? That's cruel! But no contest; Hidra Heteromycin it is, and goddamnit you'd better run BOST this year because seeing how well the Ar Tonelico/Ar Nosurge tracks have tended to be received, there has to be something on the Stella Glow soundtrack that people would like and I need to figure out what it is. Based on EXEC_LINCA/. only having a single 1st-round exit, though, I think there are a few songs I can rule out, though I'll reconsider that if it somehow goes on a run this year.

Other thoughts: Why did we nom Kolima Forest, anyway? I got on board because I'm a huge Golden Sun fan, but it's a kind of dull track imo. Also...I didn't really expect to like Seymour Battle, seeing as how I remember voting for the original version in its eventual retirement round because I didn't really care that much for its opponent, but would have much rather seen that song return for future contests than Seymour Battle. I remember being told that that's not the reason you're supposed to vote for something to retire, but that was my reasoning--I wanted it out of the contests. I kind of see where I might have disliked part of it, but...actually, I guess I can see why I might have liked it less when it wasn't HD. ...That said, I think I still prefer its first-round opponent.
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trdl23 posted...

azuarc posted...

I'm curious how well a random Touhou song would do if nobody knew it was Touhou. Would it overperform?

You mean Battle Against a True Hero?

I've considered nominating Himorogi, Burn In Violet just to see if the Touhou name really does hurt things, but it's not as if The Decisive Battle has a stellar history itself--one round appearance in an early VGMC, then gone for six years and 1-and-done when it returned.

But yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if an Undertale song would be able to qualify for that distinction; back when Homestuck songs were allowed in the contest, I had every intention of circumventing the franchise limit for Touhou by nominating Heir Conditioning. I actually did briefly have a nomination in this year for a song that is sort of a disguised Touhou remix in parts, but only vaguely.

ImTheMacheteGuy posted...

as a fan of Touhou music, I find it depressing beyond words that reach for the moon and ghost lead were nominated. I don't get how people can enjoy bland garbage tunes so much. Those 2 are like that nickelback you remind me song.

RFtM isn't one of my top Touhou tracks, either; I generally only throw support behind it if it's actually in danger, because Touhou is still better than no Touhou (that's why I ended up throwing support behind tracks others nominated even though I'm not familiar enough with the most recent games to have though to nominate much from beyond UFO myself).

But it is a song that B8 likes, in its own weird way. A few years ago, I ran a Touhou-only music contest, and RFtM lost in the second round...only to finish third in the X-stats, as it only lost by 1 vote and its vanquisher put up the best fight of any of the eventual champion's opponents. The next year, I ran another one, and while its own loss wasn't quite as close, bumping it down to 10th in the X-Stats (besides, "3rd" was actually tied with 2nd, as the champion won its Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchups by identical scores), it once again lost to an opponent that immediately turned around and lost to the eventual champion by a margin close enough to make it #2 in the X-Stats.
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Huh. There's a limit on edits? I'm not at the hour mark... Well, I wasn't when I started this, but seeing that, I waited until I'd finished to post this.

So, next opinion...ugh. An Atelier Ayesha track against something from a KVA VN? Well, I guess I'll go with the latter since that's just snoozy.

I was really surprised to discover that Spike in a Rail was one of the "newcomers"; I guess I just know it from BOST. It's really good, though. But that's by design, right? I know you tried to channel the spirit of Ed Bellis, and that means giving tough first-round opponents to Touhou songs. And Touhoulikes, apparently; Swordfish seems to have gotten off just as badly as Movin' Out did. ...Or not. Huh, glad I listened to this stuff before making up my bracket; I wouldn't have expected to be choosing either of the Acceleration of Suguri 2 matches the way I did.

...I'm going to have to try to listen through a lot of these songs all the way through just to get opinions, aren't I? I know how these vocal songs work; they often take a long time to get moving.

Again, why can't we get any good Bravely Default songs into this contest? I've played the game; I know they exist!

xp1337 posted...

Hidra Heteromycin getting Scrap I/O in Round 2. A1 is pretty mean in general but geez.

I think you mean Hidra Heteromycin getting To Make the End of Battle. Though I'll agree that that's an absolutely brutal 4pack--a brutal eightpack, actually; I ended up having to redo my first round because I just instinctively went towards the ORAS song in Round 1, then when I went to "confirm" that Hitomi no LAZhWARD was the only song in that 8-pack that I wouldn't be happy to see come out of that 8pack, I discovered that...I actually want it to come out of that 8pack. I think. Paradission's really good, too.

Speaking of "What's with Board 8 and bad taste in [x]", S3&K is full of great 16-bit music and the board keeps taking crappy remixes. I'm still happy that Big Arms retired, but it's inferior to the original, and this Flying Battery is far inferior to the original; I think I'm actually picking against it as early as R2, and the original is one of my favorite VGMs ever.

Ultimate choices for Bracket A retirement round and finals:

Battle! Zinnia > Hitomi no LAZhWARD
Birth of a God > Septette for the Dead Princess
Swordfish > Dungeon of Dreams
MAXIMUM HIGH SPEED > Soar

Battle! Zinnia > MAXIMUM HIGH SPEED

...what. I know that FF music didn't really start getting awful until the PS2 era, but I didn't expect to pick against Septette this early, and certainly not for an FFVII song. Well, at least I still ultimately went with something I was already familiar with as my favorite in Bracket A.
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