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A jam submission

Digital LoversView project page

Embark on an Auditory Journey to Bring Back the Sun
Submitted by elitestratman (@paulcomposing) — 19 hours, 54 minutes before the deadline
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Digital Lovers's itch.io page

Results

CriteriaRankScore*Raw Score
Overall#24.2064.206
Creativity#34.2504.250
Quality#34.2224.222
Impression#44.1674.167
Correlation to theme#44.1944.194
Composition#54.1944.194

Ranked from 36 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.

Description
Astrologers proclaim this winter will be the longest in recorded history, lasting years or even decades. Fresh off an online romance, a young teen hero must embark on a journey to bring back the sun, stir his digital lover out of her seasonal depression, and finally meet in person under the summer sky.

Game Title: Digital Lovers
Music Genre: Electro Pop / Ambient
Game Genre: Adventure

The soundtrack to Digital Lovers features a hybrid of electronic and acoustic textures, including guitars, brass, and piano. It was created in Logic using a variety of synths and sampled instruments.

The 6 tracks loosely follow the story of falling in love, setting out on an adventure through snow and ice, struggling to overcome obstacles along the way, and returning home again.

The amazing cover art was drawn by my incredible partner!

Message from the artist:
While I have a few vivid scenes and images in my head, I am hoping to leave the details of the journey ambiguous. It's my hope that you, the listener, will take inspiration from the songs, titles, and lovely artwork by Chloé Le Moing, to paint your own imaginary story to go along with this imaginary game!

Enjoy!

Theme:

Story of Seasons

How does it fit the theme?
The story follows the hero's quest to banish an endless winter and bring back the summertime. I wanted to focus on these two seasons to highlight their contrast - the times of the year with the most and least sunlight, and how this affects us mentally and emotionally. Plus it reduces scope ;)

Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
https://soundcloud.com/paul-devito-270647719/sets/digital-lovers

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Comments

Viewing comments 21 to 2 of 21 · Next page · Last page
Submitted(+1)

Ok, wowzers. I'm really liking the instrumentation it's really amazing. I love how you have different textures rising and dissolving most notable in "Frostbyte" heart. The brass section that comes in on "Second wind" was crazy. I like how you continue using it in "Daemon." I also really like the return of the original sound and thematic material from "Digital Lovers" in "Digital Summers." This is just really such an awesome ost. I would 100% def play this game for the ost. My only problem as cheesy as it sounds is I just wish the tracks were longer, I really wanted to be in each soundscape more. Altho I def got that w/ "Digital Summers." It was like a grand put together w/ the harmonic function in the strings. Really well done! It reminds me of an epic version of something the piano guys would do. 

Developer(+1)

I love the piano guys! And I totally agree I wish the songs were longer too. The only time I had to write was in the first weekend of the jam. So as tempting as it was to keep going I tried to limit my time spent on each track once I had a "complete" idea down. Glad you liked it though, and as far as criticism goes, I'll take it! 

Submitted(+1)

This is such a great OST! I thought that “Frostbyte Heart” was very beautiful and I loved the intensity of “Daemon”. I definitely got the summer vibes from “Digital Summer”! You did an amazing job on this!

Developer

Thank you :)

Submitted(+1)

Wonderful OST! Reminds me works of Moroder or Vangelis, very beautiful, I like epicness of "Daemon" and then totally happy ending "Digital Summer"... Now I wanna play this game!

Developer(+1)

Moroder and Vangelis are legendary! Wish I could play it too...

Submitted(+2)

Nice one, this would go well in a movie too!

Developer

:)

Submitted(+1)

Beautiful pieces men! I enjoyed how you could hear the journey and remember the different motiffs on the music,  i enjoyed them. Also amazing artwork and i really loved the concept and the history it's really good!

Developer

Thanks! And hooray more love for the art and the story :)

Submitted(+1)

Beautiful compositions and production. You made the blend of orchestral and synthetic instruments feel incredibly natural. I can already tell that the main leitmotif is going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Great job!

Developer

Thank you! It'll probably be stuck in my head for the rest of my life along with everything else I've ever written... and the only cure is to write more!

Submitted(+1)

First off, that cover art is fantastic, fits the theme perfectly.

Very pleasant score overall, sonically soothes the ears. Even Daemon, while intense with ominous notes, is produced in a way that's easy on the ears. Additionally, I like that you used plenty of non traditional instrumentation but the tracks still sound like they could easily be transcribed to an orchestra. 

1:15 on Digital Summer is my favorite part of the whole score. What an absolutely gorgeous string lead. It's sweet, sad, grand, and a whole host of other adjectives. Quite moving. 

Developer(+1)

The cover artist says thank you! And so do I :)

Part of the soothingness you're referring to might have to do with my cutting out of some rather aggressive high frequencies from almost all the percussion. It just sounded better to me to do that. Maybe because the synths have nice warm mid-lows. Otherwise I have to thank the libraries for the tone.

The lead at 1:15 in Digital Summer is a combo of strings and electric guitar. My favorite part too :)

Submitted(+1)

No problem!

Thanks for some of the behind the scenes details, I love hearing that stuff. It's always super interesting to hear how other people approach production/instrumentation. 

Submitted(+1)

Absolutely incredible! This is my favorite submission! Really love you style. I love all songs. Very cool using delay. Hope to see you at 1st place!

Developer

Submitted(+1)

This is dope! The starting track is so chill and soft, but the build over the course of the album is masterful. The digital effects are 10/10, beautiful work there. And what a great take on the theme, the story hooked me really well, both in the description and the music. You integrated everything so well in the mix too, I'm loving this one. The only thing I would want is having even more of this soundtrack. Nicely done!

Developer(+1)

Thank you! I'm glad you like the story. There is a kernel of truth in it. My biggest worry was that no one would listen through to the end so I kept it short. But now that some time has passed I'm feeling like I want to make more too!

Submitted(+1)

I already rated this 2 days ago but I just had to come back cause you really did a great job on these songs. One of my favorites out of all the ones I've rated, good job, keep it up.

Developer

Means a lot! I'm giving yours another listen right now. Great mood setter to get me through the rest of the workday

Submitted(+1)

This was really fun to listen to: I really like the mix of textures, it has a really nice ambience to it. "Daemon" was particularly cool for me, I like the use of main melody pushed into a minor key and the big brass section build ups make this feel really epic and exciting, great climax to the whole story. The artwork and imagined/story are super cool and unique and creative too: well done!

Developer

Wow thanks! Your comments really make me feel like I did my job right as a storyteller, and I'm glad you like the art! I'll pass the message along to the artist :)

Submitted(+1)

The brass sections are the primary statement to the quality of the soundtrack as a whole.

The reprise of the main theme in Digital Summer is superb, I don't even know what to say. 

Developer(+1)

The reprise is my favorite part too! Glad you liked it and thanks for the kind words :)

Submitted(+1)

 Title track: The build-up and drop makes this feel like an intro to an awesome game! I like how you set up two main ideas with the rhythmic pad as well as the main melody. The 1-2-1-3 melody line is simple but is very effective and ties the whole soundtrack together.

Cold start: The march-like feel that you give this variation of the title theme makes me imagine the main characters trudging through the snow. I think this is a great example of taking a main theme and adapting it to a new situation to help tell your story.

Frostbyte Heart: I love the pun in this title. :) If “digital snowscape” had a prototypical sound, this would be it!

Second Wind: This is a great transition segment. I haven’t seen many others include stingers in their soundtracks so this sets you apart!

Last Struggle: Your adjustment to the main theme making it minor and taking away some of the syncopation helps focus the attention to the conflict at hand and does a great job conveying associated emotions.

Digital Summer: This main theme reprise is excellently reorchestrated to give the sense of achievement and release of tension.

Overall: I think you started with a couple very solid leitmotifs and were able to manipulate them to fit all the different scenarios in your game very effectively! Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work!

Developer

Thanks man! I really appreciate the time you took to listen and notice the details. Well... not only notice them, but break them down for me! Makes me feel like i succeeded in making something that not only I enjoyed :D

You know I spent an embarrassing amount of time getting the stinger to transition nicely into the next song and then SoundCloud goes and adds a gap between them! Sometimes you lose.

Submitted(+1)

I downloaded them and the transition was silky smooth on my audio player! :)

Developer

Submitted(+1)

Loved it! Realy could feel the emotions in each track! Great job!

Developer

Thank you :)

Submitted(+1)

Even if it's short, I like that I can hear an actual story through the whole soundtrack. Quite unique, sounds great even if it's not really my style... Maybe apart from "Daemon" which with some arrangement changes to the second half could easily sound like something from Bloodborne :D

Developer

Thanks for your honest feedback. I did try to avoid writing anything long or repetitive for this jam... I also didn't have time to go too crazy lol. Daemon is kinda my usual style of writing. Even though I was hoping to branch out and try something new, I couldn't help but come back to my comfort zone :)

Submitted(+1)

Love that shivering synth ! Also kudos to the efficiency, this is like a small pocket album for a small pocket game. Particularly liked the last track, Digital Summer.

Developer

Thanks! Digital Summer is the first track I wrote and probably my favorite too :)
Doesn't sound too bad coming out of a handheld device either haha

Submitted(+1)

definitely paints a vivid sentimental feeling. I like the use of using synths amongst the orchestra and the electric guitar during Daemon was a nice surprise. The beginning of Daemon vaguely reminds me of pac-man world 2 while the orchestra melody seems reminiscent of what I'd hear out of a marvel film - both what I'd consider good things.

Developer

Thanks for listening! It's my first time trying an electric guitar / orchestral hybrid sound, and I'm glad you liked it. That particular guitar sound is layered into a lot of other parts of the album. Cheers!

Submitted(+1)

the textures and orchestration here tell a beautiful story, super well-executed and a joy to listen to

Developer

Thanks!

Submitted(+1)

I haven't changed my diagnostic
It's an electro pop banger, i would really see that in a Pixar movie

Congrats ^^

Developer(+1)

You sir are quite kind. Pixar does have those wholesome happy endings :)

Submitted(+1)

It's well deserved and you are very welcome :)
It's like a more lyrical oriented Wall-E ^^

Developer(+1)

LOL Wall-E is high key romantic at the end of the day

Submitted(+1)

True! who doesn't love a good robot love story x'D
I named this one specifically because there are some nice blends between electronica and orchestra that i wouldn't be surprised to hear in a movie like Wall-E ^^

Submitted(+1)

I like the melody you created, it fits well!

Developer

Thanks!

Viewing comments 21 to 2 of 21 · Next page · Last page