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Miscellaneous Forums => Archive => Topic started by: stormmedia on 2006-05-11 19:38:19
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Stormmedia Fluid Fantasy Sound(SFFS) Closed Beta V0.1
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What is it
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It's a project that I started because I found the midi quite anoying and creepy in a game... so I started a project that will improve a lot the midi instruments and I modified the midi files so it fits the best possible to my instruments. This project is optimized for FF7/8 but can also be used with any programs.
Note that Since this is a Closed version I will only give the Link to some people so if you are interested in testing it Post here or P.M. me and I will P.M. you the link.
How to install it
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1-Install the MidiYokeSetup.msi (it's a kind of bridge between the game and the synth).
2-Copy the Synth folder wherever you want it doesn't matter where.
3- For Final Fantasy VII
-You have to make an LGP with the "FF7 mid" folder.
-You have to replace the "...\Final Fantasy VII\data\midi\midi.lgp" by the LGP you just made.
-Open the ff7config and in the midi tab select "MIDI Yoke NT: 1" for the MIDI Driver and "General MIDI" as the MIDI Data.
For Final Fantasy VIII
-Copy all the files in the "FF8 SGT" to the "...\FINAL FANTASY VIII\Data\Music\dmusic" folder and overwrite the existing files
-You have to use the Ficedula's FF8 configurator Version 2.2 if you don't already have it you can download it right here:
http://aaronserv.dyndns.org/hosting/ffsf/download_8.html
-Start the Ficedula's FF8 configurator Version 2.2 and select "MIDI YokeNT: 1" as the music device.
5-start the "SFFS.bat" in the "Synth" folder and start the game.
Note that Fluidsynth have many bugs that I fixed ... but there is some that I'm still have to fix... mostly the fact that it have some
compatibility issues with some newer drivers of some sound card... so if you have problem try to use an older driver of you sound card.
Exept the fact that if you have a newer driver most of the bugs you will experience will be CPU related ... I have still many instruments
that eat a lot of CPU usage though I already fixed some of them it still takes a good CPU to run it.
Here some samples:
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Final Fantasy VII:
Hurry2 (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_aseri2.mp3)
Battle Theme (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_bat.mp3)
Aeris Theme (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_earis.mp3)
One Winged Angel (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_lb2.mp3)
Bombing Mission (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_ob.mp3)
Final Fantasy VIII:
The Man with a Machine gun (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_bat3.mp3)
Don't be Afraid (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_battle.mp3)
Legendary Beast (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_bossbat1.mp3)
Landing (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_joriku.mp3)
Waltz for the Moon (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_waltz.mp3)
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Sorry I seem to have server problem again ... but I've upload the file on mega upload so you will be able to download the SoundFont. But until I get a good host for the site the simples won't work so... I'll give you news as soon as I have a new server.
I hope I will be able to find a good host faster than Mega Upload to host the SoundFont because this one is not realy fast.
See you!!
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What the hell did you use to compress this?
I've tried three different unzipping programs and none of them recognize how you compressed this.
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Well... try with Winzip 10 .. that's with this program I've compressed it so I suppose it will be able to unzip it. Well sorry I compressed it at the maximum but I didn't think it wouldn't be compatible. I'll do another zip later but for now use winzip 10.
http://www.download.com/3405-2250-5155091.html?part=dl-WinZip
[Edit]
This is a rar file now so no use to downlaod winzip 10.
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Use 7-zip. It has an extremely high compression ration, and doesn't run into version compatibility issues. It's not as widespread as zip, but as long as you link to their site, it works well.
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Well for now I won't upload it with a different compression. Once I'll get a faster host I'll change the compression and upload it to hte new host, but for now just use winzip10 to unzip it...
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Use 7-zip. It has an extremely high compression ration, and doesn't run into version compatibility issues. It's not as widespread as zip, but as long as you link to their site, it works well.[\i]
7-Zip does normally, indeed, rock, but this time, it failed me...as did WinRAR, and, at the time, WinZIP.
However, I tried WinZIP again, and it worked. Before, it would lock up and stuff.
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Good to hear that it work now. I was begening to worrie about the file being damaged in the upload...
Well see you...
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Here the link to download the soundfont.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MC87C5ZM (204 Mo)
So megaupload was a good suggestion, hey Storm? :roll:
I can't believe he had never heard of megaupload! :?
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Well ... I'm not a mega uploader so ... I didn't heard about it. Anyways I've uploaded it there just for now. As soon as I find something else I'll change because it's too slow... But still thanks for the suggestion it allows you to download it even if my host is down again...
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I was actually talking to stormmedia. He said "I'll do another zip later but for now use winzip 10." and I was suggesting he use 7zip when he does.
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Yeah I understood. But I'll just do a normal compression zip it'll be more compatible. Thanks for the suggestion though :-)
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Didnt work very well for me...
I played the midi either way too fast or just in a very bad way... :oops:
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Well ... did u use the setting I've said in the readme because there is a specific way to setup synthfont so it work properly in realtime. For exemple the too fast problem may be that you have to set the playback buffer to One large circular buffer. You have to set it to Several small buffer of 1024 that's the better way if you have a good machine. You can raise the samples/buffer if you have some problem but keep in mind that more you rise it more you will have some slowdown in the music.
Hpe this will help!
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Hm...I got it set up and everything, but when I go to listen to the sound, it's pretty choppy. I used the default settings and everything...to increase speed, what would I go about changing?
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Listen to the sound .... do you mean to play a midi in synthfont instead of with the input ?? Because if you want to play in sythfont you have to set the Playback buffer to One large circular buffer. But when you want to start the realtime(input) you got to change it to Several small buffer.
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Well, when I listen to the sound, it's extremely choppy. I can barely distinguish the song that's playing.
I want to be able to use this soundfont without the choppiness. I'm not too certain on how I'd go about getting it to do that, and that's what I'd like to know...sorry if I'm being vague here...
EDIT: This all happens while I'm trying to listen to it in the Configuration menu, meaning I already have Input going and everything...
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First, do you use sythfont ?? If yes what is the setting that you use ??
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SynthFont? Yes. Er...setting? I followed your readme, word-by-word, and I did not play with it at all. So whatever setting the one is that you recommended.
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Okey so now you try to read the midi I gave in the pack with sythfont right ?? And it doesn't sound correct.
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Yeah. Choppy as hell, but I suppose it could be a problem with my computer's specs (although I allotted a couple hundred megabytes of RAM for this program alone...).
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No this is not your problem. In playback this program doesn't need a realy powerful machine. If you want to playback in sythfont you must set the Playback buffer to One large circular buffer (in the Synth Engine tab of the setup). But when you want to start the realtime(input) you got to change it to Several small buffer.
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This is so weird.
I can get the midi that you packed this archive with (the ff6 theme) to play pretty good...at first. After a while, it begins to get crackly and choppy, but it comes and goes. This is in SynthFont playback. When I go to do input with my FF7, it doesn't even start off good. It's crackly and terrible all throughout.
EDIT: Wait. I can get it to play PERFECTLY in the SynthFont. Now, how do I get it to play perfectly in input mode?
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If you read my lastest post you have the answers. Also set the total length to the max. set the main output to the lower that you can(I mean the lower that you can hear). The rest of the setup doesn't realy matter. But synthfont is still in developpement and the input mode is note fully developed, I mean it works fine but more option will be eventualy added and I think it'll be faster because for now you got to have a good computer to run it in realtime.
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Hey ppl, I found a new host so the page with the simples is now online and the Soundfont pack will download faster !!!
I dicided to compress it in Rar instead of Zip ... so it's smaller.
Well see you all!
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Well ... did u use the setting I've said in the readme because there is a specific way to setup synthfont so it work properly in realtime. For exemple the too fast problem may be that you have to set the playback buffer to One large circular buffer. You have to set it to Several small buffer of 1024 that's the better way if you have a good machine. You can raise the samples/buffer if you have some problem but keep in mind that more you rise it more you will have some slowdown in the music.
Hpe this will help!
Thanks for your help, but i think ill continue playing with FFmusic and the minipsfs.
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It's your choice. I admit that it's a little hard to setup and it's still in beta version but, concerning the looping you'll get better result with this and you gonna have all the Final fantasy original music but in better quality. Maybe if you explain a little more the problem you are got I could help you more with this. But as I said it's your choice if you don't want to use it ... but if I succed to help you maybe it will help other that got the same problem
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Maybe ill download it again when its done and its no more beta.
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Well, if you got a good machine it will work fine even if it's beta. It's just that the program is not finished yet and the input mode is a little slow. If I say it's beta it's just because I didn't tested it ingame with all the ff7 music... but I tested them with the input and it was working fine so it's suppose to work ingame too. If you use the proper setting and you have a good machine it's suppose to work fine.
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Eh...for me, if the input part of SynthFont ever becomes less resource-intensive, then I may make another attempt at this (or if I upgrade my computer).
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Okey, I'll see what I can do about it ... I've already contacted the programer of Synthfont and he said he'll think about some option ... I don't know how long it'll take though... By the time he gives me news I'll try to find another softsyth that would be better. But as I said in the other post this project is ready if you have a good computer. I have a P4 3ghz with 1024 ram so if your system match with it I'm sure that it will work fine if you follow the ReadMe. Maybe it can work with a less powerfull computer but I didn't test it with any other computer so I don't realy know.
Hey zero88 and Christian could you give me the spec of your computer please (just the CPU and Memory the rest doesn't realy matter) ? I'd be able to make a more specific system requirement.
Well see you! I hope I'll find a solution for the resource-intensive problem soon.
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This computer that I use, it's only a PIII 500 mhz, 384MB RAM. I can use a better computer for it, though, but for all intents and purposes with this game, a computer that's even as good or bad as mine should be able to run this good.
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Thanks for the spec zero88.
I found another softsyth and I'm testing it now. I'll let you know if it's better.
See you
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Hey storm how goes the never ending modding, I wanted to ask on the next Stormmedia Final Fantasy Sound (SFFS) could you upload it to a non commercial site I don't know any. :-( it's just that my internet gives me hassles on those servers)
In the NPC-RP topic there is a guy saying that if you need somewhere to store files he can help anyway I would love to try it but I got problems. :x
Cya!
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Well ... I don't thing he meant to host a 200mo file ... I didn't know that my server had a problem though. You are the first to tell me that. I'll see what I can do.
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OK; i tried it again, and the result is the same. I did what you said in the readME and got this (http://christian59.ch.funpic.de/ff7hinnich.rar) result:
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Okey well thanks for trying hehe. Well I found another softsynth now. I have some trouble to compile it though... it's open source and the documentation on this site is not realy good for windows user. Well I'll make a new update once I got it to work.
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Well ... I don't thing he meant to host a 200mo file ... I didn't know that my server had a problem though. You are the first to tell me that. I'll see what I can do.
Yeeeaaahh, 200mb is a bit much =)
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Hey ppl
I continued working on this project these last weeks and I've found a new realtime engin so soon I'll be able to make a new release but for now I'll just give you one winged angel taped with my present work
http://two.fsphost.com/stormmedia/sffs/one_winged_angel.zip
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So, since i´m not the absolutley genoius here, this makes the music that you have modified to replace the old ones? In that case, good :). And if you are you intressted, i have a suggestion of some more musicfiles to be modified. These are: J-E-N-O-V-A, Those chosen by the planet (Sephiroths main theme which loses all its feeling it had in the PS veresion in the PC veresion), Turks theme, The great norhtern cave, and well thats it :)
Hope you continue keeping this project active, since i cant get Ficudelas patch to fix some annoying issues. Great work ^^
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Well ... once this project will be finished all the music will be modified since it's a soundfont so as soon as you load this soundfont all mid fille that you will play will sound like that hehe.
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Im interested in trying this.. BUt Im not very familliar with this, Ill just have to give it a whirl, ( ACCloud: Ill phone in the verdict! )
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Well it doesn't realy worth to try it with the present release because it's kinda buggy because of the realtime engin I've changed this engin now it's almost ready.
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Haha I noticed, I did a little test, Extracted lb2_awe.mid from the awe.lgp, loaded lb2.sf2 in SyntFont and I recieved interesting results....
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=N0QQPKBY
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Well I took the choir from this file and modified the sound of the choir so it sound a bit better because with my soundfont all the instrument sound like in a concert (more or less) and the choir was sounded a little wierd with these instruments... but I gonna modify most of the instruments later.
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Ha, I loded lb2_awe.mid with yourSoundFont, exept for the woodblock track, I loded lb2.sf2 with that, and it sounds, Awesome!
EDIT: DAMN! The woodblock track hops between tracks, so The "Veni veni venias, ne ne mori facias!" part is missing at the end! Ill fix that
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Don't bother I won't use synthfont anymore I have something better now .. and my soundfont is completely modified. I have now a new softsynth that is faster in realtime and it's sound different so I'm doing a soundfont compatible with this new softsynth.
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Im looking forward to samples! ;)
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Hey ppl
Can you ppl give me your feed back about this test I made:
http://two.fsphost.com/stormmedia/sffs/test.zip
I tried to add some effect (like it was in a storm... or a war with explosion). I think it make this song more dramatic hehe... well tell me what you think.
Edit:
I didn't even mention what song it is haha... it's the World Map song of the 3th cd.
Edit2:
Here if you want another simple of a mid file I've finished toi modify and taped using my soundfont:
http://two.fsphost.com/stormmedia/sffs/earith.zip
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I think this sounds quite good :-)
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Aye, very good indeed! The first one sounds great with the storm sounds and such but the oboe or whatever the main instrument is sounds a bit too far in front of everything else. I remember the original sounding as though it were like a small voice heard from a distance. The sample probably just needs a minor cut in volume to blend more with the surrounding sounds, otherwise great work, can't wait for the finished product.
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Well maphisto I don't realy trying to reproduce the original mix of the simples. You see I try to make all instrument sound better and sometimes I play with the volume to make a main instrument to sound a little more in the orcherstra or in the ambiant. But you are right for this one. Well the volume of this instruemnt may needs to be adjust but I don't think it's a bad thing to hear it a litlle more... I mean it's the main instrument after all... think about it maybe when square adapted the song to midi they might be using a midi mudule that had a flute with a volume like this. So when you use it with another midi device you don't hear it properly. And as I said it was just a test this song is not even finished yet :-P.
Well see you.
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no certainly, I understand the experimental nature of this sample. I was just offering a little creative criticism since I was under the impression that the goal of this project was to improve the soundfonts of the PC music to better resemble or enhance the original intent of the music since the arrangements are already encoded in the individual MIDI tracks.
I'm just saying, don't take it personally, just take whatever I say at face value. Besides, I really like what you've done with the piece, I'm confident that your finished work will be a credit to Final Fantasy.
(btw: My comparrisons were based on the PSFs which I'm lead to believe are recreations of the original PSX music which is how the composer would have heard it originally)
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maphisto: Don't worry I don't take it personnaly... sorry if I did said something to make you think that.... maybe I didn't pass a good day I don't know :-P... But well as I said Im not realy trying to repreduce the original arrangement of the mid files... or else why would I change them. Im changing many thing like the volumes, velocity some instruments to make the music perfect to my hear... and I hope it will be to yours too hehe. And BTW you are right about the oboe I didn't realy mess with the volumes of this MIDI file yet.
Well see you.
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no worries, I have a tendancy to sound a lot more emotional in my posts than I really feel at the time as well. I'm just glad to bring another perspective to the table. I'm a purist at heart you see so every time I see a mod come across my screen that proposes to make any game better (and I believe your project to be one of those) I always try to see if the spirit of the original is preserved while enhancing the overal experience. I think you've acomplished this beautifully with your addition of storm effects into the base instumentation. So far you've done a wonderful job and I admire your talent, I wouldn't know where to begin with a project llike this. Keep up the good work.
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Hi ppl,
I made a new simple of One winged angel with my last modification
here:
http://two.fsphost.com/stormmedia/sffs/owa.zip
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Hi there
I just finished to modify the music files of ff8 to adatpt them to my project here a mp3 with many sample of the ff8 musics render with my soundfont. Some modification may be needed but it's pretty good I think.
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/ff8%20samples.mp3
Well see you!! Give me your feedback please.
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Hey there
FF8 version is finished and ready to publish... but since this project seems not to be so popular lately I think I gonna wait until some ppl tells me it worth to upload it .... until then I'll simply keep it to myself... but still here some samples of my last progress!!!
FF7:
Battle theme
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_bat.mp3
Boss Theme
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_boss.mp3
Bombing Mission
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_bm.mp3
Jenova Theme
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_jenova.mp3
Weapon Theme
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_weapon.mp3
FF8:
Don't be afraid(battle)
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_dba.mp3
The Landing
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_landing.mp3
The Legendary Beast
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_lb.mp3
Waltz for the Moon
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_waltz.mp3
Some piano sample from ff8 (my piano sound pretty good :-D
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_piano.mp3
Hope this project gonna interest someone since I pass sooooo much time on this so it sound as good as this I'd be a shame to keep this for myself.... Well give me your feedback if you are interested.
See you!!
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Damn, those are good.
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...are these the soundfont-modified songs you would upload to the game?
They sound very low quality MIDI-esque. There's so much more than could be done with them.
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They are just samples it doesn't sound as low quality as that don't worry.
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"In this pack you will have all you need to make this work.
-Synthfont (a soft syth compatible with SoundFont) by Kenneth Rundt http://www.synthfont.com (note that the version I added in this pack is not the lastest version but it's the better one in realtime)
-Midi Yoke (a driver that will make the bridge between FF7 and Synthfont) by MIDIOX http://www.midiox.com/
-And My Files (the SoundFont, the ReadME, a midi file for synthfont)"
OK, I get the two first, but... Where can I find YOUR fIles?? I'm newbie, so couldn't find it. :?
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There are corrections that need to be applied to some of the midi files.
the original "underneath the rotting pizza"Â tune makes use of the pitch wheel in the signature bass riff.
X is note, and / or \ are pitch shifts. the periods are the spae between.
ffviipc simply plays each note individually, even in the XG midi, whiuch they shoud know better.
.............XXXX.XX.....................XXXXXXXX.XX.
BUt on psx it goes.
.............X/\X.XX.....................X/\X\X/X.XX.
Is it allowable to post modified MIDI files from the original game? I created a fixed dokubo.mid
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Well to let you know ppl this project is in a serous changes nothing is like it was before... the next release will be with another softsynth so there is no more synthfont... synthfont was good but it wasn't realy made for real time so I changed for FluidSynth witch is realy faster so I can improve a lot the samples without any lag. And I modified all the ff7 mid files to be completly compatible with my soundfont so the in the pack I will publish you will have the new mid files.
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Inmy "project to fix sequencing errors thread, i posted a couple modified midi files. one is dokubo.mid, which is now accurate to the psx one as far as midi data goes. give them a listen(the rules won't let me bump it even though i've edited the only psost about 4 times now. :)
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Hi zaphod77
Well first know that the goal of this project is not realy to make the mid files sound like the PSX version. I'm focusing on making the instrument sound the more realistic I can. As you surly noticed if you heard my samples the instrument are far more realistic than the PSX version. And.... I'm not sure that there is "sequencing errors" in the mid files this is just another interpretation that square made for the pc version... but still I'm not saying that your project isn't good. Far from that ... for ppl who seek for the PCX version of the mid files you did very well I think.... to be honest I didn't realy try the PSX version so I don't realy know but I trust that your did a good job :-).
Well since you mentioned dokubo.mid here the song as it sound with my project:
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_dokubo.mp3
Tell me what you think.
See you!!
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If you compare the PC mid files to the OST, there are some clear differences. Except for the songs that the OST doesn't have, it is probably the best reference point.
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The PC midi files are in fact conerted form hte psx originals. I know this becausea number of midi fiels with thsese exact fielnames and nternal comments got out well before the PC version did!
Changes were made to some of the midi files.
in some cases, they decided a ROM awe sample was "close enough" and didn't get the real psx one. In other cass, a missing feature on the awe32 caused the files to be adjusted a bit.
However some files are definitely misconverted. Dokubo.mid is one of them. I've proven it coudl have been done bbetter by fixing the error.
Btw, your version has the bass wayyy too quiet. its otherwise fairly nice.
Some songs do really need their samples., and soem do not. For the most part, songs that sound good on the XG versions do NOT need their original samples. But some songs defiinitely DO. Still more FIghting is the biggest example. it needs it's Prophet synth, and the dirty percussive B3 organ sample that just hass o muhc more character then any other, and it's guitar sample. FIghting (bat.mid i think?) needs it's breath sample, but can have most of it's others improved. an dof course one winged Angel NEEDS it's choir. And You can Hear the Cries of the PLanet needs it's bell sample, and it's amin synth riff.
Most of the others can be improved.Ones i'm most intereted in hearing now.
Still More FIghting (chu.mid)
J E N O V A (chu2.mid)
Bombing Mission (ob.mid, i think?)
You can Hear the Cries of the Planet (i forget this one, but it's absoluetely butchered anywhere but the psx version and the OST)
Your goal and my goal do not conflict. My goal is not to change the samples, but to correct errors in the file in the raw midi note data that wer intriduced in the conversion. Applying these corections, and then layering yur instruentation on top of it will cause better results. you DID gcompare dokubo.mid with the OST, and with my fixed version, right? on mine the bass riff sounds right , and on the pc versions native midi it's wrong. if you replace your bass track data with mine, then use your sample, and boost it's volume appropriately, you wil hear the improvement.
I am looking for help on the project, particlarly with balancing the midi files to sound right with the awe samples. if i had the original psx discs, i'd be trying to rip the midis again myself, then try to tweak the samples to match and see if that produces consistent results.
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[...] Some songs do really need their samples [...]
Of course they do that's why I took the choir samples of OWA improved it and added it in my soundfont and modify the mid files in order to make the volumes, effects, attacks, velocities, etc. the more like I think it should be ... I even changed some instruments when I find that they don't sound good ... but I don't check the PSX version to compair when I modify my mid files I just do them as I like without any check on the PSX version because I don't realy care about doing it as the original version is I just want to improve it... but that's for sure that I am open to any suggestions.. so I will take a closer look to your bass track when I got the time if you don't mind :-)
So well here the courrent version of OWA(the quality may be eaten by the mp3 format) also I had a lot of work to do on this one just to make this the most perfect I can ... and still have a lot to work on this one... and one last thing no song I share in this tread are made for Ficedula's ff7 music witch mean that they are not looped at all and not optimized for this kind of thing they are just shared as samples...
So here OWA:
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_lb2.mp3
Here Bombing mission since you said you wanted to hear it:
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_ob.mp3
J E N O V A:
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_chu2.mp3
"Still more fighting" I didn't pass much time on this one yet but it still sounds good:
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_chu.mp3
You can Hear the Cries of the Planet.... I don't realy know witch one it is... sorry.
Well see you!!
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Yuo can Hear the Cries of the Planet is the really haunting tune that plays in the city of the ancients. (iseki.mid)Â The awe version has a major sequencing error in it, use the XG version instead as your base, but strip out the sysex. Speciifcally, it is missing the portmanteau controller that makes the main riff "glide" from note to note because the creative labs cards do not support it. Of course fluid probably doesn't support it either. If that is the case, well, have fun with the pitch wheel and channel aftertouch to try and replicate the original groove, and good luck. PLEASE listen to the psx ooriginal from the OST for this one, even if you do not do this for any other.
Having listened to more of your stuff, i realise you do have a a very different focus after all.
YOu aren't just trying to improve the samples, you are tryign to remaeke the tunes the way you want them to sound, with little regard for how they were composed. This is not meantr to sound rude, but i can't think of a better way to put it.
Chu *needs* the "b3" sample from the original soundfont back BADLY. it is otherwise not too bad. The square wave is a reasonable substitute for the Prophet synth sample (and one the XG version makes). The way that particular organ sounds makes the song what it is. (the xg version uses the gm Rock Organ instead, with bad results)
J e n o v a sounds pretty good but the relative volumes of the tracks are off to me. (piano too quiet, for one) The XG version is a good reinterpretation.
on bombing mission, the bass is way too quiet, and so is the piano. I would boost the volume on those tracks. it otherwise seems good. And for gods sake, fix that reverse cymbal. it doesn't last nearly long enough in your version.
One WInged ANgel is actually the best one, except the choir is a bit too quiet i think.
I have nothing againt reinterpretations. in fact some of he ones in the XG midi files are quite spectacular (Makou Reactor, for example, is much better in the XG version than the psx original) but i think the relative balance of the instruments should be kept similar to the original, and to do that you need to compare with the psx original, as the pc version is wrong in spots. if you do not want to use the psx version as a base, use the XG versons as one istead, if you have access to an xg synth or softsynth, as many of themare better balanced then the awe ones.
I consider waht you are doing a remix project at the moment. Not that such a thing is bad, its jsut not waht I was expecting.
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Before juging all my song like you do just wait until I modify all the mid files.... I just made mp3 from the ones you wanted to hear as they sound right now.... it's not for nothing that I have no realase link working for this project... it's because it's not finish .... I noticed that almost all of your suggestion was some volumes problem that I know well ... I just wait to have the time to fix them hehe .... well I'll let you know when those song are finished.
Until then see you and good luck with your project!!! :-)
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I wasn't trying to offend here.
I apologise for working under te mistaken assumpting that those mp3 s weren't still WIPs. But i hpope what i've said on what i think needs fixing is some help.
I hope you followed the standard convention of using bank 1 for the first bank of your ff7 part of the soundfont like the original did.
if these samples are made with uncorrected midi files, then yeah, I'm impressed. :)
WHat midis do you think you've got right? I know i've bene picking all the "signature tunes" that are dificult to get right (laugh)
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Hi zaphod77
Well I must apologise too because I have a gift for making myself looks angrier than I realy am when I write ... I know you wasn't trying to offend and... of course any suggestions helps... just showing that your are interested in this project drives me to continue ... I must admit that I almost stopted working on this project because almost for a mounts or two this thread was absulutly empty... but now that I'm not working only for myself I'm still working on it now :-) thanks for that.
Now a little technical part in this post :-P. Well I used the bank 0 for thte first bank of my soundfont because of two reason.... first this is not a remplacement for the soundfont of the game since no sound card would be able to load such a big file... I need I real time engine that receve all the midi events and render it using my soundfont and then send it to the sound card... witch mean that you don't need to have a sound card compatible with soundfont to use this. The second reason I used the bank 0 instead of the bank 1 is that I use this soundfont not only for ff7 but ff8 and for all the mid files I listen with my computer so I wanted to make it compatible with general midi so every one will be able to do the same as me without having to modify the bank of the mid files they downloaded.
Okey last part of this post ... I made these samples with the original general midi pack of ff7 but I changed some bank and instrument but I didn't realy messed with them yet ... for OWA(one winged angel) I messed a lot more though :-D but there is still a lot to do with the choir ... but the choir you hear in this sample is a lot improved compair to the originial one that square gives. If it sound a little crappy it's because it do not realy fits with the others improved instruments here... that's one of the things I have to fix with one winged angel.
Hope it covered all you wanted to know :-) and do not be afraid to ask or to suggest anything... even if I look like angry something it do not mean that I am :-D
Well see you !
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cool. so did you ever give my awe midis a lisiten?
even if you don't have an awe, the bass effect should come thru anyway.
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Yeah I listen to them that's good work keep it up :-)
Oh and I made a mp3 from "You can Hear the Cries of the Planet" ... I didn't mess at all with this one so the volumes and many thing may not be correct.
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_iseki.mp3
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i didn't expect th glide to come through properly. since the original card dont' support that midi controller, why would fluid do it?
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Well Fluid doesn't pass through the midi device of the sound card. It read directly every midi event render them with the soundfont and then send it to the sound card via a wave form. Witch mean that you don't need to have a sound card that suport soundfont to use it.
[EDIT]
I just looked at the mid file and there is no special effect to the main instument.... I guess what make it glide like this is only the preset in the soundfont because in the mid files it's just notes after notes there is no midi events between the notes.
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load up the XG version of the midi file, and you will see the portmanteau controller event at the start of the track. they are missing from te AWE veersion because the awe doesn't support the portmanteau pedal and portmanteau time CC.
the original awe mid file does nto glide, but the original psx song DOES< and the XG midi version DOES glide as well.
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Nope sorry... must be the XG intrument of the soft synth because even with the iseki.mid of the XG midi set of FF7 there is no midi effect between the notes... Yes they may glide when you listen to them but it's just the instrument... I'm sorry but I'm sure that I'm right ... the software that I use to edit midi list alll the midi events that the mid file have and the main tracks to not have any midi events...
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1:1:000 trn JST
1:2:001 ctl 14 7 75
1:2:002 ctl 14 10 64
1:2:002 ctl 14 11 127
1:2:002 ctl 14 91 72
1:2:003 ctl 14 94 84
1:2:003 ctl 14 74 70
1:2:004 ctl 14 65 127
1:2:004 ctl 14 5 26
2:1:000 key 14 E4 1 0
controller 65 is the portmanteau pedal, and turnig this on causes the glide.
and controller 5 is portmenteau time MSB.
This is what causes the glide in the XG version. if this does not glide when played bak ck in fluidsynth, then fluidsynth doesnt' suport the controller either.
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Ohh I see... I didn't think you meant something that is started at the begining of the midi. Your right I don't think that fluid suport it but it doesn't matter since the instrument makes it sound like it'd glide hehe. Well maybe it's a fonction in fluid that is there but doesn't work properly... like the pich whell... I had to fix it and many features before I could use this software as my softsynth... but I think it worth it since it sound realy better than with synthfont.
Sorry to have doubt you hehe.
See you !!
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I know it's possibl e to work aroudn this, but i'm worried thtat fi i do, it will mess up any future midis tha are played after it. (to get it to glide around i'd have to send pitch wheel sensitivity sysex to get the range at +- 1 octave istead of 2 semitones, and then put in a truckload of pitch wheel events by hand. and stil not sure it wuld sound right.
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Well I wish you good luck and a lot of patience if you want to do it with the pitch whell hehe!!
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God, it's worse then I thought.
the entire midi file needs space inserted at the beginning, for starters... gah! I don't want to give up so soon, but it's going to be a ROYAL PAIN IN THE ***... (laugh)
oh well.
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So i havent been visiting this forum for what now? About 5 months? Anyhow, i stopped by here recently to see how things are going on, and Stormmedia´s patch is certanly the first thing i check on. Since i cant use "FF7music" due to minor problems (like the music itself does not start playing until 2 seconds into the scene when it should) Stormmedias nice looking project is a must to stop my thirst into patching this game to become playable (cant stand the pure Midi sounds)
And things are looking extremely well Storm. I especially liked the batte theme. New tones are always nice. One because i´ve heard the old ones too many times for it to become thrilling, and two because it actually is a nice remix.
All cred to you my friend (and the ones whom i see has been starting to work with you). When this project is done, which i pray the old guy whom lives in the clouds it will, i might get to cheer and hurray that i once bought the PC-veresion of FFVII.
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Hi Enya
First I must thanks you for your support that's mean a lot since It's realy a big project espacialy now that I dicided to remake most of the instruments because some was eating too much CPU. And that's for sure that since I redo them I try to improve the sound as well hehe... but that's a lot of work to do... and I don't have as much time as I once had ...
Oh and well just to let you know zaphod77's more working on a side project witch have the goal of fixing the difference between the PSX and the PC version. But I think when both project will be finish they could get along easily.
BTW zaphod77 did u managed get iseki.mid as you wanted ?? hehe.
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Sounds great Storm. No rush. I´m behind you and Zaphods back all the way. Know that :-)
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no i still haven't been ableto do it. it's a BITCH. i wish i had a windows midi player with fluid to test and see if ti understands that controller myself. would be much cleaner then trying to abuse the pitch wheel for it.
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Hi ppl
I fixed a lot of CPU use this week it doesn't have any lag anymore and even if I improved a little the instuments hehe. I made a little mp3 ingame just to let you hear how it is ingame hehe... you will hear the GM version of Mako Reactor, Fighing, Fanfare and Bombing mission. in this sample it's the original version of the midi so the only difference is my soundfont but I assure you that it makes all the difference... hehe hearing this I think I should look for the sound effect too.. they kinda aren't match the quality of the music :-P hehe.
Well anyways hear this:
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_ingame.mp3
Well see you!!!
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Good work cant wait now
Would say more but i wait till your on msn
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OK OK, but where can I download the other files, I mean the SFFS pack. I've just downloaded MIDIOX and SynthFont, but I need the rest.
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Hi Winter,
So to answer your question ... the first version a made of this project did take realy too much of the CPU because synthfont is not realy good for realtime so I deleted it and wait until I'm done doing the adaptation of my soundfont to Fluidsynth before uploading it. Sorry to keeping you waiting but... it takes a lot of time...
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OK, understood :)
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Heyyy I just finish modifing the battle theme. Now it just play one wav at a time so it's no more cpu eater more than to listen to a wav file with Winamp or Windows Media Player. I just did that for battle theme though... But here the final result.
http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/FF7_bat.mp3 (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/FF7_bat.mp3)
Now that I fixed bat.mid I think that I'll be able to realase something soon... I got to do that with One Winged Angel and to speak with spinningcone about that (it's him that host my files ... since that's a big file I must make sure he don't mind)
Well see you
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Nice tune!
Sounds like the battle theme on speed or something O_o
Sounds neat though ^_^
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Did you use my fixed bat.mid as the base?
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No... I would have aked you first of course hehe. It's almost the original XG bat.mid... I've just changed some instruments.
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there is a bit of harmony missing on the flute bit that kicks in as described in my project thread, and my fixed bat.mid contains this harmony added in. just load up the midi file, and copy the notes over.
Also, the tempo does seem a bit fast compared to the psx original. it should be lowered a bit.
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Well... I listen to your flute thing... well I'll think about something... I don't think I gonna use yours though... and... well I checked the tempo... mine is 180 .. yours is 185... so ... well it's yours that is faster than mine ...
Well one last thing... first I must say that I appreciate a lot the comments and suggestions that you give me.... but can I ask you something?? could you stop comparing my project with the original version ??... I mean .. that's not at all what I'm doing... so far all that you said was a good idea that's for sure so continue to give me commants and suggestions ... but I'm not trying to reproduce the sound of the PSX version... I'm doing my own version.
However you gave me an idea with this "harmony" you were talking about :-) so keep giving me those suggestions hehe... but just don't say : it's not like the PSX.... because it will never be...
Well as soon as I gonna add this I'll upload you the result.
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Well, i don't expect things to sound the same, but when notes are just mssing completely from the song forgive me for wanting them to be added, okay?
Te aim of my work is not to make it sound"just like the psx that has already been covered. MThe aim of my project is to provide accurate MIDI data for people to work with. While said corrections help bring many of the PC midi files closer to the originals when played back under the awe32, as I discovered it's far from a complete fix.I don't think my goals of returning what is missing from the midi data are at odds with yor intent.
I'm simply trying to restore the information that the composer intended to be there. What others do wit hit is up to them.
I do think what i was able to hear of the sample you made sounds nice, and a lot more well balanced then the earlier stuff.
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Well... I'm sorry if I have been misunderstood... Know that I'm glade of all the comments you posted here I realy am... I just wanted to say don't exepect me to make all the song like the PSX version... However I will add the harmony effect you seek in bat.mid... I'm thinking about a way to make it even better ... I'll see what I can do.
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Excuse me, how about .mo3 files? Like other tracker module sound files, it can be looped seamlessly. You can make a .mo3 file using whole recorded music file as a sound sample. (I already made several and set them as BGM...)
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Hi Landarma,
Well I'm not realy familiar with the the .mo3 files but... with I quick search I came to understand that it seems to be a lossless way to engode mp3/ogg files... when you say it can loop ... do you mean it can loop in everywhere in the song or ... like ogg it can only loop from the begining ?
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You can set looping start/end point for sample.
(http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/4197/mptrack001nv2.png) (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mptrack001nv2.png)
And here are my .mo3 files using recorded wav files(from MIDI files) as simgle sample(some may not sound right, and have sound volumn issue):
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=51OOH408
(All samples are compressed by aoTuV ogg encoder. Compressed sample quality: Q6)
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Well Landarma that looks very interesting ... However that's not what I'm planing to do for now... but eventualy I may look further to it. Thanks a lot for the suggestion :-).. for now I just gonna finish the volumes fix(witch is almost finish) and then I gonna publish a version so people can try it and tell me what I can change.
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Okey ppl... I just uploaded a closed beta version of the SFFS project... I need some ppl interested in testing the project... however as I said it's a closed beta so I will just give the link to some ppl. just post here or P.M. me if you are interrested and I gonna P.M. you the link.
[EDIT]
Here some samples:
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Final Fantasy VII:
Hurry2 (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_aseri2.mp3)
Battle Theme (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_bat.mp3)
Aeris Theme (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_earis.mp3)
One Winged Angel (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_lb2.mp3)
Bombing Mission (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff7_ob.mp3)
Final Fantasy VIII:
The Man with a Machine gun (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_bat3.mp3)
Don't be Afraid (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_battle.mp3)
Legendary Beast (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_bossbat1.mp3)
Landing (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_joriku.mp3)
Waltz for the Moon (http://spinningcone.com/ff/stormmedia/sffs/samples/ff8_waltz.mp3)
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Hay storm next time we are both on msn i will help you
cya then
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i'lll test it out
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Those MP3s sound great ! I only play FFVII and FFVIII on a PSX, but if you release the complete new soundtrack in MP3 format, I'll be sure to get it :-D
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ice_cold513: that's good to hear ... I'll give you the info in msn then
Dakotakid44: I'll will send you the link soon I just have to make sure of something first...
Armorvil: Well.. that's not realy in my to do list for now to make mp3 from this... but maybe later... for now I just wanna complete my patch hehe...
thanks a lot for your support all of you :-)
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Np say what did you do to One Winged Angel i liked the one with the ppl chanting
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Well.. the choir are still there :-)... it's just that I cut the sample before they started to sing :-D
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oo good love that part
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Very good, sounds really nice!!!
One major point: One of the trumpets at the end of the "Don't be afraid" sample is off-tune. Otherwise it sounds very good.