Bronze Age

Bronze Age

Bronze Age is a mod for Unreal Tournament 2004 that is currently being developed on Chico State. The project has incorporated over 50 students, includeing artits, graphic artists and designers, animators, programers, sound engineers, voice talents and myself as the composer for the games score. The game takes place during the bronze age greece and has you choose to play as as as hoplite, slinger or archer. It's a first person fighting game that focuses on close combat vs futuristic weapons. So far only the beta has been released for those working on the game. The final product is set to be available for free download sometime in September 2006, when it will be placed into a video game contest. All the songs here I've composed at my home studio using Logic Pro 7.1, various garage band sample packs, some string suites and the Quanum Leap Rare Instruments collection.

Menu - The first song I did for Bronze Age. As you've probably guessed by the title, this is the music for the menu screen when you first start up the game. A simple piece to help set an epic mood.
Palace of Knossos - The Palace of Knossos is a beautiful citidel where the original myth of the minotaur was first born. This is due to the fact that the palace was built as a giant maze to the point where visitors needed guides at all times. This song is set to be a counter-point to the chaos that goes on while you place the level. There is bloodshed and screaming going on while your surrounded by the splendor of the palace. So the directors wanted music that sounded peaceful and elegent. This is what I came up with. some simple strings, an acoustic guitar and an irish whistle.
Desert Oasis - The desert oasis is a forgotten palace in an unknown area of desert that sits above the minotaurs lair. The palace is surrounded by a tent city and there is an oasis nearby that leads into the underground tunnels. I went for an eastern ethnic sound, which gave me the most trouble. This song incorporated alot of instruments I had never used before, such as an Iraqi Duduk, which is a sort of whistle. There are also string techniques that try to copy the eastern sound, lots of hand drums, and a sort of middle eastern fiddle-like instrument called an Oud. Lots of layers and effects on this song to give it a sort of ethereal feel.
- Desert Oasis Midway - This is how the desert oasis song sounded when I was about half way done with it. I hadn't gotten to the end section where everything comes together, and the fiddles part is a bit bit more sparse before I decided to change it.
Grotto - The gotto level is a large cave that opens up into the sea. Inside the cavern is a dock with ships anchored. This is where the fighting takes place. This being the second rendition for the Grotto, I made it a bit more "bouncy" as per the director's request. It has a sort of naval feel, and I wanted to keep the influence of the ships in the music. However, it's a sort of otherworldly place as well, so the song does have an Afgan duduk in there to give it a bit of air to the song and break it up. Other than the duduk, its just layers of basses, cellos, violas and violins, along with a timpani roll here and there.
- Grotto beta - This is the first idea I had for the grotto level. When I first saw a demo of the level, I invisioned this sort of dark and brooding area. So I used lots of bass and cellos, along with some cello effects, such as scratching the strings and hitting the body to try and imitate the sounds of creaking ships. However, the directors decided it was too dark, so I scratched this idea.
Underworld - The Underworld is the last level you play in the beta version of Bronze Age. The level is not like the western version of fire and brimstone hell, but more where spirits go to rest. The leve itself is a large fog-filled forrest with a river running through it. Because of this, I wanted a sort of enchanted, misty feeling to it, hence the opening to the song. However, it is the final showdown, so I did entensify the song as well. The opening is just piano and harp, along with a femal chior singing "mmm." After that, however, the song adds Japanese Taiko drums, other strings, and cymbol effects, like using a violing bow along the edge. (that long drawn out metalic sound) The chior also changes and I add a mens chior as well. Finish it off with an Irish Low Whistle and you have the song. Rather intense compared to the other songs.
Epic - The epic level is essentially the siege of troy. You have 2 sides to this map, Troy and Sparta. Both teams must use ships to island hope their way accross the ocean and storm the other city. So the overall feel is marching armies. I wanted to keep the general elements and feel I have had in my past songs, so I used the irish flute and Afgan Duduk again. This helps tie songs together so they feel part of the game as a whole, versus each song standing on its own. This time, however, I have added in more dramatic percussion, with lots of heavy hits and busy rhythms. Total time roughly 22 hrs till completion. Done in Logic 7.1 with East and West Rare Instruments and Stormdrum sample sets.
- Epic beta 1.0 - This version is after about 7 hours of work. Its the general foundation for the overall feel of the sound: marching armies. There are just heavy percusions, bass strings and some added accents, along with the Afgan duduk at the begining.
- Epic beta 1.5 - While I had not written anything further along than 1.0, I have filled out the first section of the song, adding in the rest of the marching drums (the softer heavy hand drums you hear), along with adding in more accents such as the gong and cymbol effects. I added in the brass and viola strings to complete the theme....and a snare to help give it that military feel. You'll notice that the snare gets busy near the end of this peice. I decided that it was too busy and took out that line in later versions.
- Epic beta 2.0 - This version was heading towards completion. I have added in, for the most part, the last two sections of the song, the quiet part followed by a final section with everything. The quiet part I brought in the Irish low whistle, which has been in 2 other songs. This helps keep, along with the duduk, common elements in the music, as opposed to each song sounding complete seperate with nothing tying them together. This version, however, did not make it. The main difference with this version is that after the quiet section, you song stumbles over its own feet, so to speak, and loses the rhythm and feel altogether when it switches back to the marching drums. I didn't like this, and cut out that whole section in the final version. Also, the parts in this song have not been balanced and there are still a few lines missing that are in the final version.
Atlantis - Atlantis was an interesting level in the sense that my only discription for the music the directs wanted was "Proud but sad" This level focuses on Atlantis as it slowly sinks into the ocean. So the city itself acts as a wall against the ocean. The "proud but sad" aspect was to represent the idea os the atlantians being a proud people and standing up to the reality that their society will soon collapse. Again using Logic 7.1 and East West Rare Instruments and Storm Drums. The horns bring in the pride and acceptance of the level, while the key itself brings in just a touch of bitter sweetness to it.
Collosus - Collosus was an interesting level to write the music to. The level takes place on the contruction site of the acient collosus. Because of this I wanted the level's music to have a very industrial sound to it. Lots of off beat metal drums and effects. My inspiration for the music was Isengaurd from Lord of the Rings. In 5/4 to keep things off balance. There's a lot going on in the back ground, hammers hitting off beat and heavy drums which add to the feeling of this giant structure being built. Logic 7.1 with East West Rare Intruments and Storm Drums.
Olympus - Olympus is pretty self explanitory. You fight on the top of mount Olympus. The directors wanted a majestic feel to the level. Something proud like the gods. Lots of flowing strings with the Irish whistle. minima hand drums. The song is very short and simple.