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XCOMUFO & Xenocide

Xenocide Main Theme Contest


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The Xenocide Project is proud to initiate the Xenocide Main Theme contest. The winner of the contest will have the honor to be featured as the creator of the Xenocide Theme in the free downloadable CD and an interview into the main site.

 

 

Contest Basis

 

 

- Eligibility

* Every composer/performer is elegible to participate in the contest.

* All members/non members are elegible to vote except those that has entered the contest.

* The project leader is not eligible to vote in the contest unless there is a need to untie the election.

 

- Entries requirements

* Maximal 3 entries per contestant

* It is allowed to post produced work from the past as long as it is legally permitted

* All contest entries must provide:

- A short text of maximal 100 words that explains why you think this composition fits Xenocide

- A 320 Kbps encoded MP3

- The track filename must follow the - .mp3 format

- A mail with mp3 file attached providing the following detailed information: Name/s of the Composers, performers and track duration in seconds.

- A track no longer than 5 minutes but not shorter than 3.

 

 

- Scoring

The final voting will be performed by all Xenocide members scoring in the following point given their rank.

* Senior members: 3 points

* Full members: 2 points

* Recruits: 1 point

* General Public: There will be available to distribute the sum plus one of the Xenocide members votes.

 

- General Public counting procedure:

* If there are 20 points awarded by the Xenocide Members, then 21 points are going to be awarded by the general public.

* The counting procedure will distribute the points uniformly based on the porcentage of votes obtained by non Xenocide Members.

* The formula for the points awarded is P = Floor( Percentage ( Votes, TotalVotes ) * 21 )

 

- Winner

* The winner will be selected by majority of points awarded.

* In case of a multiple (2 or more entries with the same quantity of points) tie, the vote will be untied by the project leader.

 

 

- Theme guidelines

* Scary

* Tense

* Deep

* Mysterious

* Slightly militaristic

* Containing a strong melody line

* Preferable containing characteristics of any the following themes:

- XCOM – UFO DEFENSE : http://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7574

- The X-Files: Original Motion Picture Score http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=music

- Gustav Holst – Mars: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=music

- The Abyss: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=music

- 2001: A Space Odyssey - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=music

- Alien Resurrection: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=music

- Predator 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=music

 

- Deadline

All entries have to be submitted to Project Xenocide by email at [email protected] before 16th November GMT+0. After that, the polls will be hold until 31st November GMT+0. The winner will be known on 1st December.

 

- Notes

By submitting an entry to the Xenocide Main Theme contest you implicitly agree that if you will be the winner of this contest your composition will be licensed under the Creative Commons license that governs the Xenocide Development. For more information click here.

 

 

 

Project Xenocide Senior Board takes the right to change the basis of this contest, apply extraordinary elegibility rules, dates or any other actions required to the success of the contest. Proper changes will be promptly communicated via the main site news and the forums.

Edited by ATeX
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I don't know if its the best idea, but perhaps if two or more members, or one creative member could create a two or three part song, in Xcom Apocolypse, it started out with the radio people, then it escalated into the main part, so maybe two or three different parts, like an intro song, a body song, and then a conclusion song, and the video that goes with it could follow the different parts of the song
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one question arises for me (although I have no talent in writing/producing/creating music): should it be a standalone song, or should it be looping? (is it supposed to be something that is played once, or will it be used as background music? or perhaps it should be standalone, to be edited into a looping version later?)
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The most important thing about this contest is to have fun with it. I don't know how it goes for you, but if I get a little competence, it really gets me going. And that's something great!

 

The song doesn't have to loop. It's a standalone theme, like all the listening music out there.

 

cheers,

 

Thomas

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello,

 

I'm new on this forum, so first, I'm going to introduce myself.

I'm 28 and I live in Paris (France).

 

I think this contest is a good idea and I'd like to take part of it. =b

X-Com serie is an excellent source of inspiration and it should be very interesting to create some Sci-Fi songs.

 

Greetings.

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I simply cannot wait to see the results. I currently have 20 Xenocide songs on my mp3 player. Can't wait to add a few more ;)
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi !

 

I was told from one of my friends recently about this contest. I'm a musician and would enjoy a lot in creating songs for this ! :)

 

That's a great challenge for me to make "UFO" songs in less than 2 weeks !!!! =b

 

Mr_S

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you can post in the joining up threads to join, we'll be glad to have you, we need as many talented musicians as we can get

 

 

you can ask Atex for assignments and guidelines on what to do, i'm sure he'd be glad for you to join in

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  • 2 weeks later...

To participate in this contest is a great opportunity to make different music ! I enjoy it !!!! Now, I hope you'll like what I made !!

 

 

 

 

no joining needed. Red Knight made it go public. Just make sure you read the guidelines to know how and when to get your music on the list.

 

cheers,

 

Thomas

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Just one question : you want 320kbps encoded MP3 songs, but if my mailbox refuses to send all my files (even just one) because too big (what will certainly happen), Is it possible to send them in a variable flow rate encoded MP3 format ?
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This topic will be used for comments on the submitted tracks. If you're a development member with recruit status or higher, you may vote at http://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=242024531

 

 

cheers,

 

Thomas

 

 

 

THE SUBMISSIONS

dial up - 128 Kb/s

* Entry 1

* Entry 2

* Entry 3

* Entry 4

* Entry 5

 

broadband - 320 Kb/s

* Entry 1

* Entry 2

* Entry 3

* Entry 4

* Entry 5

Edited by ATeX
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Those are all so amazing!!! :worship: I see that xenocide has very talented musicians as well as artists! But how the heck to choose between 5 great compositions? Some definately fit the x-co....I mean xenocide feeling more, but still excellent work to all who were involved in creating these! =b
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#5 happy? :blink:

Violin can't be happy! #5 sounds like hopeless struggle, last forces of humanity losing the battle for survival.

 

Or maybe I have a twisted perception :).

 

Well, with 'happy' I ment 'we have a chance to win this battle in an all out fight - lift your sprits men! Let's get this invasion over, this instant!'. It needs to be more like 'We simply cannot win this...... but we won't go down without a fight!', meaning the previous piece was too happy. I see it as a hopefull struggle, not a hopeless.

 

And instruments can be used for everything, really. You can use an electric guitar to back up a classic remix of Bethoven played on a church organ, if you want ^_^

 

(I once got permission to play on such an organ - in a church. Played the Final Fantasy 9 startup theme :P)

 

If you're creative, you can play everything with everything. That's the conclussion I get from listening to all kinds of diffrent remixes and electronical such things. No need to dis something due to the instruments.

 

edit: Thanks Azreal from moving. Got a bit off topic.

Edited by mikker
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First of all, all the songs were interesting and easy-listening. I was a bit disappointed because there were no "metal" (heavy or industrial), and because there was no choir in any one of the songs :(

 

The Angelina Choir VST rules by the way :P

 

#1 and #3 aren't really good for main themes IMO

 

The second one reminds me of 80s-90s space movies :)

 

#4 was very nice at first, but after the 2nd minute (exactly at 2:01 actually :P) it got a bit too messy... At least I didn't like it that much :(

 

#5 was some nice music! Unfortunately, it's "mood" is a bit too happy. Somehow I think it would fit a fantasy game better... maybe "Battle for Wesnoth"

 

Once again, no metal? :(

Or at least, some choir?!?!?!?! :( :( :(

 

Excellent work by the way, all of you! =b

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As I mentioned, I expected an "Angelina VST" like choir, the most basic type of choir you may find :P. Something like Rammstein used in "Live in Berlin", in the song "Heirate Mich". And that sound came out of a keyboard synthesizer :P

 

http://bigtick.pastnotecut.org/index.php?a...=PROD&pcode=130

 

http://www.allworldsoft.com/software/0-135-angelina.htm

 

Or the Magnus Choir VST from syntheway

 

edit: Some real choir: "Rotting Christ - Sanctus Diavolos". That can't be generated, you gotta pay for a real choir :P

 

Rotting Christ is a greek heavy metal band, an international one to be exact, quite famous I should add.

Edited by kafros
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(I cut this from my voting thread post so I won't bias others voting)

 

These clips are very impressive! It was hard to make a choice since they all are wonderfully done.

 

General comments: I'm not pulling any punches, but they were all excellent!

 

#1: I really enjoyed the sequence from 2:01-3:10- It's fantastic! 1:10-1:40 I also liked; These sections make me imagine "military conquest"- so maybe they can be either mission loading or mission defeat themes? The beginning seemed to have too much "abruptness" for my taste, though; so much that the "abruptness" became expected instead of shocking...

 

#2: This one has a wonderful cinematic feel to it. It makes me think "intro" music along with silhouettes of alien warships cruising the night skies.

 

#3: I thought this clip was the best "balanced" in my opinion: the sounds move me from tension/foreboding, the calm before the storm, then a resurgence of horror. I feel like this one best captures the essence of the Xenocide world.

 

#4: The theramin-like instrument didn't quite do it for me, but I really enjoyed the choral part. Minus the first 45 seconds and reworking the ending slightly, I think this could be the perfect ending cutscene theme. The choral part could be the Xenocide teams taking out the mother brain in slow motion (no sound effects here), then at 1:56, fleeing for their lives amid violent explosions to the safety of their waiting craft.

 

#5: If Xenocide was a heroic epic, I'd vote for this one in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, it captures heroic glory more than creepy tension. I'd say use this theme for a cutscene when humanity has a major breakthrough- like when the first interstellar ship is successfully tested, or when the X-Corps is about to launch its final attack on Thanatos. The first 17 seconds didn't seem to fit as well, though; the initial instrument is too grating to be played solo, imho.

 

And I'd like to repeat: you guys have done a SUPERB job! :)

Edited by Astyanax
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The main theme is all about the theme played, not the instrument, not the band setup, not the style. The theme is most important and has to come as close to the prescripted guidelines as possible, nothing more.

 

After the theme has been chosen, it is very easy to add a Hans Zimmer feel to it, just by using the orchestral palette and the techniques he uses. Only the melody line and harmony (that form the actual theme) will be used, independent from the instrument that played it before.

 

For example, it would be very easy to make the main theme humoristic, sad, epic, fearful, etc... just by putting the theme into another musical context (rythm, instrument setup, slight harmony changes). Why do the guidelines prescript such emotional values? Because some themes are better suited to put them into the "Xenocide"-context than others. I suggest you choose the one you think that can do that best.

 

 

greetings,

 

Thomas

Edited by ATeX
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I've played the songs over and over.

 

I've come to the conclussion, that if the flute sounds on #3 is removed (the ones at 1:55 among others), I will change my votes. Its the flutes that ruins a solid song. Else it's perfect.

 

I can't stand listening to #1 any more. The veryirretating alien sounds really gets to my ears. Not good. If the changes will not be made for #3, I will move my vote to #5; the second best music piece of them all (in my opinion).

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Number one is way too old fashioned to fit in with Xenocide, It has qualities that sound very MIDI, maybe good for when Xcom UFO came out but now it just sounds too nostalgic to fit in with a modern game. Especially with how advanced xenocide will look I think the music needs to stray from the MIDI.

 

Number three does this excellently and just sounds great. It sounds modern which is what xenocide is. Number three is also quickly catching up to number one in terms of votes! Yeah!! go number three go!! :Pepper:

 

But again I have to mention that I liked them all, they are reall amazing!! =b

Edited by testarossa
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Mikker, read my post again. It's about the melody and the harmony, not the instruments. Base your vote on that, not what instrument it plays. The main theme (yes, only the melody line and harmony) will be used as a basis for the rest of the Xenocide compositions.

 

If you're going to change your vote, please PM me before you do so.

 

 

cheers,

 

Thomas

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I voted #3 as it was the most professionally arranged one, but my favorite was #4.

 

#4 would be excellent for the closing credits. The Theramin adds a bit of humor to the piece dont you think?

 

I dont think we need to derive all the rest of the music from one piece. Take a game like final fantasy III, outstanding music, all not related.

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I couldn't decide betwen 1 and 3, I liked them both, I decided 1 because I felt that the Voices of Doom (I think that's what they are called) in 3 made me remember too much of the old Martian movies, but still excellent both of them. As someone said, 5 is awesome!!!, but unfortunately not for a sci-fic game, it's too... epic, too medieval-sounding, I see it in a Final Fantasy game, for example, but not in Xenocide.
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Good I want to congratulate all of them. All pieces were quite good. For the ones which I didnt vote I tried to suggest where they may be yet incorporated into the final product.
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to be honest, the very purpose of this contest is to choose a theme that will be used as a basis for all the other compositions. Why do so? Because I wanted to create coherence between most of the compositions.

 

Nevertheless, Azrael or dipstick had a good proposition: to put all of the other "non-winning" tracks as bonus tracks on the Xenocide CD. If everyone agrees, we could do that and ask red knight.

 

 

cheers,

 

Thomas

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These themes were all so excellent, it would be a terrible waste to toss all but the winner in the garbage can. Why can't we have these all for **** sake!
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Mikker, read my post again. It's about the melody and the harmony, not the instruments. Base your vote on that, not what instrument it plays. The main theme (yes, only the melody line and harmony) will be used as a basis for the  rest of the Xenocide compositions.

 

If you're going to change your vote, please PM me before you do so.

 

 

cheers,

 

Thomas

 

sorry, didn't read till now.

 

I never said anything about the instruments? What I said came from the comment '.... can't be happy'. The reason I don't like it is because of the alien songs being of low quality...

 

Oh yeah, those in #3..... yeah, but that was because it made the song a diffrent theme alltogether. But yes, if removed it's the best IMO.

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