To me, almost all of my acquaintances not only don't share my passion for Video Game Music, but also most of them ridicule me for being into this. Even people who live by the "yolo follow your interest and don't give a shit"-mantra refuse to acknowledge and respect but more often plainly reject. It's like having VGM as a hobby is unacceptable, is a stigma and if I "come out" this somehow casts doubts above my persona, as if something would not be right with me. People call me "crazy" or tell me "Dude! WTF! This is Super Mario music, how can you listen to this? Grow up!". It's hurting and I feel devalued for being and doing what I like. I feel ashamed.
Usually I'm able to find other common grounds with people so I'm not alone at all and very sociable, click very easily with new people and if finding the bond click very deep with people, but regarding VGM I really have nobody to talk to in person. Given the rejecting experiences in the past I don't tell others I'm into VGM anymore so there's no possible way to relate to somebody.
At least my GF is somewhat tolerable towards it and enjoys listening to me when I play the melodies of Super Mario Kart on my piano, but also says "You're sick" to me for listening 3 hours long to the looped theme of the Woodfall Temple from Majoras Mask while studying on my headphones.
I even imagined doing VGM for a living as a musician with writing, producing, creating etc. since I know my talents in music are way above average, but given my lack of connection to anybody who is somehow affiliated with VGM as a source of income (e.g. VGM enthusiasts, game designers, developers, studios etc.) it's hardly realistic. So I take my way to another voyage but live in everyday doubt that I am wasting my life away in some other, although interesting, job which will never truly be fulfilling to me. Once I read an interview with Virt/Jake Kaufman about Shovel Knight and why he released it as a NSF for everybody to fiddle with and I remember so hard how I was touched by his description of how he truly enjoys creating VGM more than anything else and of all the gigs he had this was his true passion, but this seems so distant and impossible to me.
I out-care even the nerdiest video game geeks. Luckily I have a wife who puts up with it.
People suck. There's no getting around it. If you're a smiley suck-up, people will accept you. I'm not one. I feel an obligation to tell it like it is, to the detriment of my status.
Speaking of which, I'm unemployed, and a damn good programmer ("Software Engineer," "senior-level" whatever the hell that stupid word "senior" means). Hire me today, you nerdy manager!
I call myself a programmer because software isn't engineering (physics). Software isn't rocket science. I eat baby boomers for breakfast. I hate the snooty-ness of software.
Then don't just go and wait for some asshole to hire you and find a job!
And more especially to all the people out there that hate sequenced music and think it's wrong or worse than streamed, I have 2 words: Fuck you.
There, I've said my peace.
Anyway, a lot of people are opinionated about their tastes in music, you shouldn't let that get to you.
edited 5:09 PM EST February 15, 2017
The reason some of us desire to find other VGM fans in person is to have an actual, tangible person to counteract the stigma and relate about our passion. I think everyone needs that in their lives; it just feels more difficult in a case like this as VGM fandom is apparently so rare. I've only ever had two in-person friends I could really share my love for VGM with the way it can be shared online, and I greatly miss both of them these days.
Having someone "tolerate" or "accept" the love is one thing; telling someone how much you love Chrono Trigger's music and getting a return "Me too!" is something else entirely. A lot of people are into movies, tv series, books, etc. that way and simply take for granted that finding someone similar to bond with is as easy as getting to know ten or fifteen people and picking out the half or so of them with similar taste. It's not always that easy or that meaningless, though - especially for those of us who have been into VGM for almost 30 years.
Edit: And by the way, yes, Chrono Trigger kicks all kinds of ass musically and is one of my top 5 soundtracks ever.
Edit2: Thank you for making the initial post.
edited 6:52 PM EST February 15, 2017
edited 6:28 PM EST February 15, 2017
It's just part of people's nature; they dislike those that are different than they are & have an elitist aire about them. Like people who like classical music in 2017; others would make fun of them for liking only classical music, when the classical lover may be so arrogant that he'll see himself better than a Lady Gaga fan.
In any case, it's just stupid, really. Just like what you like, ignore what you don't like & always try to find the middle pillar in all interactions you have; those who can't themselves are the real problem.
I'm not a "butthurt cuck", a "cuttburt huck" or even a "cutthurt buck", but I understand what you mean. But this thread is not about having different opinions, it's about people not respecting your opinions.
edited 3:58 AM EST February 16, 2017
SmartOne: I'm also out of a job after 7 years of working in IT & electronics engineering (QA technician). I'm not going to let that drag me down, so right now, finding a job is my job until I get what I want & need.
As for the whole thread, honestly, why worry like a Fur is Murder protester over people not sharing your interests & wanting to shove them down another person's throat? I have interests in video game music, but also in carpentry, electronics, classical music & even occultism, but I'm not going to complain about being a "special snowflake" here because what does any of that matter when you hang out with someone? Sure, it helps to have common interests, but not everyone's interests will ever match up (i.e.: who gives a crap about video game music when you're working in a garage, where people are just interested in cars & getting them to work?).
edited 11:26 AM EST February 16, 2017
Funny of you to say that though, because by the time I read the first post of this thread I had a impression that this thread seems to be made by a cuck for other cucks to join in because apparently dealing with the way people perceive you just because you have some kind of interest in VGM music while other people has other interests is just too hard.
You don`t believe me? Read the first post of this thread and try to deny the fact that drexl is afraid to talk with anyone that doesn`t share his interests, let alone be mocked for his interests alone despite having someone who shares his interests. Or that dj4uk6cjm decided to throw in a childish insult for those who have different opinions from him, therefore he thinks that sequenced music is and will ever be superior to streamed music and anyone who says otherwise deserves literally no respect. And that`s despite the latter having its moments as well.
@CaptainRon - "As for the whole thread, honestly, why worry like a Fur is Muerder protester over people not sharing your interests & wanting to shove them down another person's throat? I have interests in video game music, but also in carpentry, electronics, classical music & even occultism, but I'm not going to complain about being a "special snowflake" here because what does any of that matter when you hang out with someone? Sure, it helps to have common interests, but not everyone's interests will ever match up (i.e.: who gives a crap about video game music when you're working in a garage, where people are just interested in cars & getting them to work?)."
Exactly.
edited 11:24 AM EST February 16, 2017
But there's a whole stigma against people with interests in technology in general, not just video game music. It's the whole mentality of "why would you stay at home all day, screwing around with video game music when you can go to a bar & pick up some chick for a one-night stand?" To the most retarded of people, drug abuse, promiscuity & living life on the edge (including the edge of the law) is a better hobby than what decent people do & they feel everyone should be following their footsteps.
This is only the most radical case; the normal case is just people saying "Eww! You like ___?! WHY?!"
And you know what; life's all about knowing how to deal with problems, having tough skin & just letting things roll down your back. If anyone here's so concerned about being the outcast just because of your hobbies, tough luck; haters gonna hate. Just let it slide down your back, do what you want to do & do what's right morally, as a person. Cut them off if you have to, but keep your friends close if their attitude isn't that shitty.
edited 11:40 AM EST February 16, 2017
Calm your balls, opinions are nice things to have. I like music from the 80's too, not just VGM.
edited 12:51 PM EST February 16, 2017
edited 12:52 PM EST February 16, 2017
edited 12:10 PM EST February 17, 2017
So, AnonRunzes. You said: "Read the first post of this thread and try to deny the fact that drexl is afraid to talk with anyone that doesn`t share his interests." If you've read more carefully, then you would have read and understood the third paragraph where I am saying that in all of my other hobbies and passions I could find real tangible human beings to click, spend time with and enjoy our interests together, but only regarding VGM I couldn't find anybody else which of course is hard sometimes.
So what you don't seem to understand ultimately is an answer to this by maxton: "Why do you feel such an intense need to find other people in person who like VGM?" Because that's how I am, what I want and how I feel good. I am not only an individual being, but also a social one.
I hope we can keep things civil here. The right answer to "I feel bad" might be "you shouldn't feel bad", but phrasing that as an insult doesn't help. And if you're not trying to help, please just don't say anything.
It might be cool to check out MAGFest or another game music-heavy event, finding a lot of like-minded fans in the flesh might be satisfying. (Though it's arguable how much game cover bands count.)
I read that more "carefully" as "it really is hard to find people who are interested in VGM", because of course it is hard to find these kind of people who are interested in just that outside of video game communities, especially those who are actually interested in video game music.
And by the way, isn't this what the purpose of this whole message board is about? VGM music?
"So what you don't seem to understand ultimately is an answer to this by maxton: "Why do you feel such an intense need to find other people in person who like VGM?" Because that's how I am, what I want and how I feel good. I am not only an individual being, but also a social one."
Sometimes it's okay to have someone who can have different interests, so you don't have to be stuck with finding people who like VGM if that's what you are. Just saying.
@hcs - "And if you're not trying to help, please just don't say anything."
I was just posting for fun, after all I needed to make things interesting to make sure my boredom doesn't reach its full course.
Criticism can also shape a person.
edited 5:46 PM EST February 17, 2017
And honestly, you can't really expect others to be unselfish; that's why I mention about having a tougher skin to deflect that negativity. That's life; life's rough, even if it doesn't have to be, but we're humans & we can shape things for ourselves.
edited 6:04 PM EST February 17, 2017
I'm only telling you an interesting fact about this background music bro.
Anyway, I used to care, but I don't. I do it for a living now and they love the money haha. :D
I'm going to buy myself the rhapsodio solars with the AM3 module, or I'll get this combo.
I used to have a real nasty depression, but VGM acted as an escapism for me. I still have my issues, but when I play the tracks, my imagination goes wild and everything stops feeling so dead and empty. Hell, I like the music MORE than actually playing the videogames. I think I just hate videogames.
I appreciate this board a little more than I do 8chan's /v/, you guys are more relateable and 'homely' in that aspect. I think this is actually the only site where I feel at...home.
I don't feel superior for liking VGM or anything, but I do feel like I see life differently than most people. I'm glad I can share these experiences with you guys through the power of music. You keep me going.
I love you guys.
edited 2:58 PM EST March 1, 2017
I can relate, VGM has always been an escapism for me too (I'm actually remastering the "Omen" theme from Final Fantasy VI RN).
edited 5:12 AM EST March 2, 2017
I used to think about this a lot when I was still in high school, I just stopped giving a fuck after a certain point. I love VGM too much to quit just because it's not relatable to most people.
>"To me, almost all of my acquaintances not only don't share my passion for Video Game Music, but also most of them ridicule me for being into this."
Stop hanging around faggots dude, if these people don't respect you they aren't friends. It's no surprise you're upset.
I know it's hard to find people to relate to but right now you're better off not hanging around these people at all.
>"Woodfall Temple from Majoras Mask while studying on my headphones."
Good shit, I don't know if you listened to Time's End II or not, but the rendition of Woodfall Temple is pretty good.
@dj4uk6cjm
The only reason people don't like sequenced audio here is because it's a pain to rip.
I would /LOVE/ to hear it when you've completed it!
Also, gonna shill my friends soundtrack here.
Bedfellows - FRENZY!!
Listen to it, it's good. Reminds me of Scott Pilgrim and River City Ransom.
edited 7:57 PM EST March 3, 2017
In some way or form, I feel a bit related to the opinion of suffering social stigma for my taste in music. I haven't had anyone in my real life to share this passion of mine with, and whenever I'm confronted with the question "what music do you like" and answer with "video game music", I'm faced with the usual uneducated, mocking response of "but its Super Mario, that's not music". Even though I don't need approval from anyone to like what I like, sensing that kind of uneducated and disrespectful approach to one of my long-time passions *does* feel a bit depressing.
It's really cool to meet other people online that not only share my taste in VGM, but also relate to that kind of outcast-ish vibe behind liking it. It's like VGM is globally misunderstood and unappreciated. I personally don't need an IRL friend that shares my tastes, but I can't deny it would be a plus, whereas not having one and knowing you might never have one is saddening. Over the years, I've just learned to cope with that reality by keeping this taste of mine to myself exclusively, so it's not so bad anymore. Though one has to wonder how pitiful it is to hide a part of yourself so vehemently.
Does anyone here have the trouble, or rather the habit, of keeping your taste for VGM to yourself? Do you always wear headphones when listening to music, or do you not care if others might hear it?
The remaster is done, but unfortunately, it sounds absolutely horrible. Some instruments are too loud (especially the orchestral percussion), and VGMTrans didn't convert the volume changes in the strings and the vibrato in the oboe to MIDI format, so I think I won't do a remaster of a SNES game again until there's a way to convert the live changes in the SPC700 sound chip to MIDI format.
I wish Square would have ported Final Fantasy VI to the DS too, so that game could have been as easily ripped as Chrono Trigger.
@dork
It's not like I'm not able to find people. As I said in my OP I really have easy time finding and clicking with people and sharing the many passions I have. Just with the area of Video Game Music it's hard to find anybody IRL. Even around Gamers! They're more like "dude wtf you're really into this shit". That makes me sad.
@MusashiAA
I just don't care. I listen to it whenever I like but mostly on headphones because people will be upset if you listen to any music for too long and there's like no way I could have a VGM session < 2 hours.
Yikes. I have days where I listen to it for nearly the entire 12 hours, even when I'm the John. What is wrong with me, I need to get serious about my drawing and exercise. I remember the reason I actually bought this thing in the first place was to motivate myself with the power of sound, not to slouch around shuffling my player...
I wish we could meet up and talk about our tastes, but knowing HCS, we are most likely in the other side of the planet.
It's nice when Coachella fest & Stage Coach starts, since you meet very different people, people who are just OUT there but they're all druggy snobs that listen to beyonce or mainstream stuff (They came for that, duh!). Which makes me a bit sad, they HAVE liked the Rhythm for certain songs though! So it's not all a lost cause, you just have to meet the right people. Some of them don't care about the source, they just care that it speaks to them in a spiritual way.
Also, speaking of fests, I've never been to any convention, and I don't think I plan to either. I just think I'm cynical. It's weird, I like to be around different people, even if they don't like what I like, but when I think about going to cons and such, I have a feeling everyone is going to be annoying as hell and completely misunderstand why I like music.
A lot of people don't seem to get that it's not about the source, but it speaking to you on a spiritual level, uplifting and ethereal, or just plan cool, vgm or not. Which I can mostly only get when speaking to people that do drugs. Then again, they might be preachy about it, or their mentality might really be elevated. Who knows, I sure as hell don't.
Feels bad man.
@G-Boy
What program are you using? Is FL good for MIDI?
Achievement unlocked.
Yes, I used FL Studio.
@SmartOne
You mean like those nutty marxist hyper-feminists that brand everything attractive in videogames as sexist? Or those goons that have a very off-putting sense of humor because they try too hard to find humor where it really isn't? I hear ya. I hear those gals are an easy lay though, daddy issues and all. Then again, I wouldn't dare stick my dick in crazy. Or would I...? Probably not.
Also, that would be good! I'd be better off as a director though, too many games feel bland now imo.
@G-Boy
Ah, I see...
I would feel guilty if my children were to have those crazy people as their mother. I think we do the world and the future of humanity a favor if we don't stick our dick in crazy.
They could have just went & gone to find a better, loyal, more respectable woman, but no. They had to go the deep end to get at some extremist pussy. Now they're basically a puppet to them, probably being cheated on, or in a one-sided open relationship. Very pathetic.
BTW just to stay on topic, I've been lately working on NES covers of Mega Man 8's tracks potentially for a Doom fangame. I've got little help and even smaller chances of said covers to replace the currently used ones, which IMO are subpar in trying to portray the original PS1 tracks.
Who knows, maybe he could have changed her, but he decided to get fucked over.
I do agree that good women are hard to find nowadays, because a lot of them are taken, or you simply meet the right woman at the wrong time. That's what makes it great though! Be the person you want to be with, at least, that's how I see it. Then again, opposites attract. They just don't in a political sense most of the time, but in the "She's clean and he's messy" kind of way. Healthy discussion is fine too, and brings people closer together.
Anyways, back on topic. I've been trying to make a soundfont for superstar saga, due the extracted .midi's floating around. It doesn't sound right at all, the only one that sounds good is "Seabed" and "Joke's End", due to the Marimba. Those sound soooooo good!
This is so not on topic, lol. I'll just shut up about it now. Guess the fact there isn't much to talk about anymore is to blame.
Let's try to keep to vgm, please folks.
edited 3:21 AM EST March 10, 2017
edited 3:51 AM EST March 10, 2017
edited 3:52 AM EST March 10, 2017
edited 3:52 AM EST March 10, 2017
Encyclopedia Dramatica isn`t as worthless as you think.
Anyways, REALLY back on topic.
Personally, I try to find people who have very similar tastes as I do in chat groups like telegram or kik, sometimes in coachella fest (which is coming next month) you get the rich kids (kids meaning like 20 yo's) that like to travel, and some actually have connections to people in the biz.
It's mostly Bioware, Valve and EA stuff though, nothing exciting (for me at least) and it's nice to chat it up with them. As video games becomes less niche (as we've seen since 2007), the amount of people getting INTO vgm still isn't as high as I'd like it to be. It would be awesome if we could have the Zelda orchestra actually performing there, or another one as well. I'm unsure what video games composers would be doing with a bunch of A-Grade celebrities in a SoCal festival, but I'm sure it would be pretty great. It's nothing but a fever dream now I suppose. :(
I wonder what stream file extension switch games are gonna have.
"certain people" Are you talking about me?
I remember when I was even younger, I actually didn't know how the music part was handled. So I assumed it was all sequenced in some fashion or something.
@G-Boy
No. Not you.
You are cool as a cucumber.
Don't worry about who.
edited 2:51 PM EST March 10, 2017
My guess is ".bnstm". After all the letter after .b extension hints at a development name used by Nintendo before they usually decide on a final one.
For example, for the Wii they decided to name their stream files ".brstm", for the 3DS ".bcstm", and for the WiiU ".bfstm" and so on.
edited 3:16 PM EST March 10, 2017
"Mo: Do you remember the first time you met someone who said they loved your work on Mega Man 2?
Tateishi: You're the first, in 2013. No one else has.
Mo: Wow. I'm surprised. I don't even have a follow-up question... how could no one come up and say something.
Tateishi: …
Mo: Now that you know how big Mega Man 2 is outside of Japan, do you look fondly back at the soundtrack?
Tateishi: Yeah, my thoughts have changed since I met you and became more aware of how people felt. But even when I was at Konami, I didn't even bother telling anyone I did Mega Man 2. So the fact you came all the way to Japan to tell me these things makes me very happy I worked on the game all those years ago."
I think the very few who become famous and want to capitalize on it have to eventually find a way to present their work and talent in a way the general public can appreciate, which is usually just to adapt it to mainstream music culture.
For example, people have thought that I have to like Shojo anime and such because I have a Zelda profile picture. And it doesn't help that I'm bad at telling if people are joking or not, but I won't let them stop me from expressing my opinions anyhow.
edited 5:49 AM EDT March 13, 2017
edited 5:51 AM EDT March 13, 2017
For some reason, I feel that thread already exists and is just not sticky'd.
edited 3:31 PM EDT March 13, 2017
EDIT: Seeing the controversy earlier in the thread, my main thing is I'm lonely and feel like I can't even make friends with the people that do share my interests, and it makes me sad and mildly depressed. I thought it was kind of nice to see a place to express my feelings on here, and so took the opportunity.
Original reply to OP: I know how you feel, though not to the extent. I haven't been antagonized to that degree, but people still don't respect VGM or my love for it.
But for me it's debatably worse. I feel isolated from and somewhat rejected even by people like the ones that spend their time here, mostly because I don't know how to work with resources like they do. At this point I know how to get almost any file that plays in foobar2000 to loop or can export it to a lossless format for extension, but that's it. I don't know how to contribute to holy grails like Pikmin 1 & 2 or Luigi's Mansion and I feel like that separates me from the people and work I want to be involved with the most. I'm really, extra willing to learn! Can't someone point me to a teacher? I've tried teaching myself and nothing much ever comes from it ("oh look, a cucco!" is essentially what happens).
edited 3:33 PM EDT March 14, 2017
edited 3:43 PM EDT March 14, 2017
Yeah, but I hate feeling like I'm just leeching off of other people's skills, and there are also projects that are going to take a really long time, if they ever get finished at all, and I'd like to be working on them myself, such as BMS, like you mentioned, or ripping Legacy of Goku II's music.
At first, I refused answering, which made them think I was being rude or weird.
Then I tried suggesting one OST: Ace Combat 3 - Electrosphere. It wasn't well received, and after 3 tracks it got changed to something else.
Then some other day, someone attempted to please me by playing the entire FF7 and OoT OSTs. 2 tracks in, and he was told to switch it off by another workmate.
Then another day, I was told to give a VGM OST suggestion, I mentioned CV Bloodlines. 5 tracks in, someone came into our office asking what the fuck was playing, and suggested to switch it off to something else.
I was literally right in my reasons not to reveal my musical tastes: nobody appreciates it; hell, it even caused some mild disgust, and that hit me kinda hard.
Social stigma and loneliness.
At least you had one person on your side!