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Dragon Quest VII 3DS Localisation to supposedly return to MIDI

Piers

Member
http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...gon_quest_vii_fragments_of_the_forgotten_past

n truth, complaints about the UI and menus being boxy and having boring font is hardly going to dampen enthusiasm for this one, and nor should it. Retro aspects are also a positive, too - playing with headphones we certainly got drawn in by the MIDI music, and switching rooms or areas also triggers a delicious Bit-based sound effect. Even if you're unfamiliar with the history and reverence that this franchise commands, this game does a great job of helping you appreciate that legacy through its subtle nods and winks.

Going by the first trailers/footage for DQVII's localisation, it seems my hunch about no orchestrated soundtrack might end up being true.
This is a huge stinker for me, given how much the orchestration added to the game's experience. (Much like in DQ VIII)
 

Rich!

Member
Midi is not necessarily bad - it's just a set of instructions. The quality of the composition and samples is what matters.

That said, was the previous game true live orchestration? Or was it just very good sequenced tracks?
 

aadiboy

Member
I mean...you're making an assumption based on something that could just be a typo. If that was the case they would have said there was MIDI music instead of orchestrated music. Maybe the writer is just unaware of the meaning of the term?
 

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
The ability to switch would be cool, but having full orchestration taken out would be a stinker. Gonna need another preview though.
 

L~A

Member
Was the full soundtrack orchestrated? I doubt Squeenix went to such legnths just for a handheld remake. Pretty sure it's just key tracks, but I don't remember much about the Japanese release.
 

Thoraxes

Member
Midi is not necessarily bad - it's just a set of instructions. The quality of the composition and samples is what matters.

That said, was the previous game true live orchestration? Or was it just very good sequenced tracks?

iirc the US version had symphonic recordings.

Japan had sequenced recordings using generated sounds.

Looking at this gameplay video though, I don't see why they'd reverse something that's already done...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn1cMH5ACas


Oh shit this is about VII, my bad.
 

Piers

Member
Midi is not necessarily bad - it's just a set of instructions. The quality of the composition and samples is what matters.

That said, was the previous game true live orchestration? Or was it just very good sequenced tracks?

It definitely has live vibes about it, and reading a bit on it now, it seems they actually used 2006 2009 symphonic recordings for the 3DS remake.
Saying that, people on GameFAQs have pointed out that the suite didn't cover all tracks in the game, so it leaves weird patches of orchestration vs. MIDI
 

@MUWANdo

Banned
That said, was the previous game true live orchestration? Or was it just very good sequenced tracks?

The Japanese version of DQ7 3DS has true orchestrated music but they replaced that music with sequenced tracks when they ported it to smartphones, and it seems the international 3DS release will also used these sequenced tracks for some reason. No-one knows why: it could be a file size issue, it could be a licensing issue, it could be Koichi Sugiyama being picky, as he is wont to do.

The original PSX game also used sequenced tracks, but the ones heard in the 3D remake are new arrangements.
 
I need Dragon Quest VII &VIII on PS4! who's with me?

great contribution to the thread. absolutely on topic.

this makes very little sense. Probably a mistake

Lets see if they comment on it. Ive never heard the DQ7 OST or even played any version so itll all be new to me.

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...gon_quest_vii_fragments_of_the_forgotten_past



Going by the first trailers/footage for DQVII's localisation, it seems my hunch about no orchestrated soundtrack might end up being true.
This is a huge stinker for me, given how much the orchestration added to the game's experience. (Much like in DQ VIII)

For people who heard both OSTs is the difference like the DS FFIV vs SNES/GBA?
 

CloakBass

Member
I know the music rights for the series can be a little complicated with Koichi Sugiyama and all. If this holds true I wonder if that played a part.
 

Sakujou

Banned
The Japanese version of DQ7 3DS has true orchestrated music but they replaced that music with sequenced tracks when they ported it to smartphones, and it seems the international 3DS release will also used these sequenced tracks for some reason. No-one knows why: it could be a file size issue, it could be a licensing issue, it could be Koichi Sugiyama being picky, as he is wont to do.

The original PSX game also used sequenced tracks, but the ones heard in the 3D remake are new arrangements.

wow, that would be absolutely shitty of nintendo/S-E.

why replace a good orchestrated OST with MIDI!?!?!
 

CloakBass

Member
The way Nintendo Life phrased it, I wonder if they just made an assumption about the music. The difference between MIDI and recorded orchestra should be apparent with headphones though. Is the entirety of the Japanese version orchestrated or is it a hybrid?

Edit: Looks like it was a hybrid based on one of the posts here. Maybe NL was in a portion of the game without live recordings.
 
I mean as much a midi downgrade is a disappointment it's still better then us not getting DQ7 at all which I think 99% of people who cared about had given up on this time a year ago.
 

SuperSah

Banned
Was the full soundtrack orchestrated? I doubt Squeenix went to such legnths just for a handheld remake. Pretty sure it's just key tracks, but I don't remember much about the Japanese release.

They did it for FF4DS.

Remastered the whole game and fully orchestrated the music.
 

Raw64life

Member
After getting 100% confirmation that we'll be getting this game on a physical cart, it's hard to get too mad.

Was the full soundtrack orchestrated? I doubt Squeenix went to such legnths just for a handheld remake. Pretty sure it's just key tracks, but I don't remember much about the Japanese release.

The full soundtrack to every main DQ game gets orchestrated, regardless of whether it ends up being used in the game or not.
 

Eolz

Member
I need Dragon Quest VII &VIII on PS4! who's with me?

Those with you are in another thread.

The Japanese version of DQ7 3DS has true orchestrated music but they replaced that music with sequenced tracks when they ported it to smartphones, and it seems the international 3DS release will also used these sequenced tracks for some reason. No-one knows why: it could be a file size issue, it could be a licensing issue, it could be Koichi Sugiyama being picky, as he is wont to do.

The original PSX game also used sequenced tracks, but the ones heard in the 3D remake are new arrangements.

Noooooo, why would they do that?!
Really reconsidering getting the remake now. They really want to fuck up DQ releases in the west one way or the other... :(
 

CloakBass

Member
I mean as much a midi downgrade is a disappointment it's still better then us not getting DQ7 at all which I think 99% of people who cared about had given up on this time a year ago.

Agreed. I'm also hopeful that fans will re-insert the music if this does come to pass. Would be unfortunate to those that don't have access to homebrew though.
 

Kouriozan

Member
Might have done this to fit more languages in the cart.
Honestly I'm just too happy about finally getting it in Europe and in Multi 5.
 
I'm not sure I believe what could easily be a small mistake in a single site's preview coverage, especially when Nintendo Treehouse's stream had orchestrated music.

But I would actually prefer that it returned to midi since I just prefer it to the orchestrated versions.
 

Kouriozan

Member
This doesn't make sense. Why would they change anything?

The remake has voice acting? That would be a good explanation. Pretty shit if they changed the music though.
It's text only but we keep hearing about how this game script is f*cking huge.

A12u0JL.jpg


The reason Nintendo had to step in for the localization.
 

Eolz

Member
I'm not sure I believe what could easily be a small mistake in a single site's preview coverage, especially when Nintendo Treehouse's stream had orchestrated music.

But I would actually prefer that it returned to midi since I just prefer it to the orchestrated versions.

Did it? Hmmm, can't see us getting an official word on this from Nintendo and S-E, so hopefully we get the word from some other previews :/
 

entremet

Member
It's text only but we keep hearing about how this game script is f*cking huge.

A12u0JL.jpg


The reason Nintendo had to step in for the localization.

This picture is a bit misleading since those documents also contain other non script elements.

I mean other open world games have already surpassed DQVII in actual word content ages ago.
 

Easy_D

never left the stone age
Is it possible that they just put in the sequenced soundtrack for whatever demo Nintendolife got to play though, to save space?
 

epmode

Member
It's text only but we keep hearing about how this game script is f*cking huge.

The reason Nintendo had to step in for the localization.

Yeah, but so long as there's no voice acting, script size doesn't make a difference. The script could be twenty times larger and it wouldn't add anything significant to the file size.
 

FStubbs

Member
I mean, doing this is a blatant f**k you to the customers. You're actively going out of your way to downgrade the game.

"You forced us to release it and we really didn't want to do so we'll make the experience as bad as possible so you don't try forcing us again."

It's some EA on the Wii level stuff.
 

Laggurl

Neo Member
Mmmm, bummer if true. Like Rich said, there's no reason that MIDI can't be well done but after reading that the original JP 3DS edition had symphonic orchestration it is disheartening to hear they may plan to change it (here's hoping for assumptions being just that!)

I've never played this game and so I'll probably fall in love anyways. It's funny, I've never finished a Dragon Quest game but hearing this news about this series in particular bums me out more than if this news came a out about another game. That first time I watched the trailer showcasing DQ VIII's music/world goosebumps washed over me...
 
At this point, i'm just freaking happy we get it in the west at all. But i don't understand why SQEX, if true, would do this downgrade, while Nintendo handles the localization and takes care of the marketing somehow, i just don't see them playing around with the Soundtrack at all.
 
Was the Japanese version all live orchestra? I remember with the US DQVIII only some of the songs were performed live, and the clash between the luxurious sound of those and the pokey low-quality synthesised ones was pretty jarring.
 

Boney

Banned
What other changes did the smartphone version have? This is odd and slightly dissapointing, but oh well.
 

timberger

Member
Has to be a toggle option, surely? I can't think of any good reason to remove orchestral music from the game outright... unless the localisation eats into the memory space on the cart a lot more than the JP version or some shit maybe? I dunno.

Hoping it's not Midi only by the time the game comes out.

Or banned.

Good to see port begging is once again a bannable offense. Hopefully that'll mean the next thread on the likes of the new Spiderman game won't be shitted up like the rest.
 

@MUWANdo

Banned
Was the Japanese version all live orchestra? I remember with the US DQVIII only some of the songs were performed live, and the clash between the luxurious sound of those and the pokey low-quality synthesised ones was pretty jarring.

I believe so, but it's been a while since I played it so don't quote me on that.

It should also be pointed out that DQ8 3DS also has live-orchestra music but it's not the same music used in the international PS2 release, it's a different recording.
 
Was the Japanese version all live orchestra? I remember with the US DQVIII only some of the songs were performed live, and the clash between the luxurious sound of those and the pokey low-quality synthesised ones was pretty jarring.

It was 100% orchestra in the JP 3DS version.
 

Jockel

Member
A9LH your 3DS, use HANS with your cartridge to play with orchestral soundtrack, done. I'm sure if it's cut there's a "good" reason for it. I doubt they'd downgrade the music for the sake of creating a less appealing product.
 

Kouriozan

Member
I never said that they removed orchestrated music because of Multi 5 though, just that I was happy they translated the game in multiple languages.
 

DPB

Member
I mean...you're making an assumption based on something that could just be a typo. If that was the case they would have said there was MIDI music instead of orchestrated music. Maybe the writer is just unaware of the meaning of the term?

That's what I'm thinking, it's just one word, it's not like they've actually said that it's been cut.
 
If it is game card cost cutting that's causing the changes (and this is likely since even FE Fates dropped JP voices and I couldn't see Nintendo shipping that on anything above a 2GB card), they should consider releasing an eShop-only add-on to let the user switch music types in-game.
 
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