Music is degraded to *MONO* 10kHz @ 48 kbit/s?!

[Ace]

*Listens to the music from the composer's site*

 

*Cries* :'(

 

Well I'm glad I didn't release my upsampled versions of those two tracks. While my Sion one actually sounds pretty decent compared to the originals my 'The Sith Lords'/Exile theme didn't sound too great. (the trumpets at the end are very hard to upsample)

[Meshugger]

Here's an article about making the music to TSL. Look at the people and equipment involved in making this soundtrack, such a waste of talent.

 

For christ sake Lucasarts, if you get sound engineers who has been working on Lord of the Rings("!") don't insult their work in such a humiliating way.

[Zach Morris]

How much money could they have saved by doing sound like this?

[Gorth]

Just a guess... they were saving disk space (to make room for the spam/demo etc.) on the allocated # of disks ?

 

No, no idea why they would do such a (stupid) thing actually.

[Msxyz]

Maybe they calculated the needed space before taking out some of the content that did-t make to the final game. Dialogues, some graphics, even speech is still there on the disks but obviously some important files are missing if all the additional endings and many more dialogue options/cutscenes are not accessible anymore.

[Althernai]

How much money could they have saved by doing sound like this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

They didn't save anything except maybe some disk space. It's completely and utterly pointless to spend money on making a high quality version of the music and then only putting a low quality one in the final product.

 

Personally, I don't consciously notice the difference between two versions unless I listen to one and then to the other. I also tend to ignore both graphics and music if everything else is engrossing enough. However, just because it is not consciously noted doesn't mean it has no effect on the experience.

 

That said, MONO!? What gives?

[Volov]

LOL well I never noticed and I actually thought the music sounded good.

 

The original poster does make a good point though. Even though the point is hidden in a rant.

 

I for one haven

[markussun]

Hi everyone,

 

I've updated my original post in this thread with a link to LucasArts' online feedback form, which is the only way you can send them feedback and let them know what's troubling you about KOTOR2.

 

I've supplied this direct link here, because I found that many people can't find it on LucasArts' website. They make it very difficult to find (only after using their online troubleshoot system and then only after it fails to help you, and even then the link isn't obvious).

 

It seems LucasArts isn't too keen about hearing from their customers...

 

Anyways, if you are one of the people who enter threads at the last page, I encourage you to read the original post on PAGE 1 of this thread to learn about the music issue in KOTOR2.

 

If you're not in the mood of reading a lot, here is my short plea:

 

Please contribute just a few minutes of your time to make a difference and email LucasArts:

 

CLICK HERE to request the proper 44kHz *STEREO* music for KotOR2

 

Telling LucasArts how you feel about the degraded music is arguably the single-most effective way you can contribute to this effort. If continuing feedback shows them that this is a bothersome issue to more than a handful customers, they will do something about it (as history showed with KotOR1).

[Jedi_Master_Darkor]

That was some ferocious attacking, markussun. But I found the music in TSL fine. Anyone else?

[markussun]

And it was well-deserved for a blunder like this. LucasArts should be ashamed to be associated with a parent company who has perpetually strived to raise public awareness for high-quality audio reproduction.

 

I know no game in the industry that would deliver music in MONO and at such a low quality. Only titles 8 years and older would do that, and that's because of technical limitations at that time. That's why MIDI music was so prevalent in games 10 years ago, and it was of course also in STEREO.

 

I'm glad for you that you were able to enjoy the music in its current state. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. Some people can't see (or hear) what they're missing until they have a chance to A/B compare. If I could demonstrate to you the impact it has on the game's atmosphere to go from MONO music to STEREO music, you wouldn't want to defend the MONO music in its current state anymore.

 

I have done these tests within KOTOR2, and I can assure you it makes the game come alive! You go from a narrow & small atmosphere to a grand & epic one. Words are very lacking to express concepts that touch on audio and music.

 

You simply don't know what you're missing... (w00t)

 

KOTOR1's music was in high-quality *STEREO* (like all other games in the industry). Give me one good reason why KOTOR2 should not!?

[Meshugger]

I e-mailed Lucasarts techsupport about this today markussun. Hopefully i was just one of many

 

Btw, did you know that the audio in the cut-scenes were actually in 128kbit/stereo? That's a bit strange IMO.

[Jedi_Master_Darkor]

And it was well-deserved for a blunder like this. LucasArts should be ashamed to be associated with a parent company who has perpetually strived to raise public awareness for high-quality audio reproduction.

 

I know no game in the industry that would deliver music in MONO and at such a low quality. Only titles 8 years and older would do that, and that's because of technical limitations at that time. That's why MIDI music was so prevalent in games 10 years ago, and it was of course also in STEREO.

 

I'm glad for you that you were able to enjoy the music in its current state. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. Some people can't see (or hear) what they're missing until they have a chance to A/B compare. If I could demonstrate to you the impact it has on the game's atmosphere to go from MONO music to STEREO music, you wouldn't want to defend the MONO music in its current state anymore.

 

I have done these tests within KOTOR2, and I can assure you it makes the game come alive! You go from a narrow & small atmosphere to a grand & epic one. Words are very lacking to express concepts that touch on audio and music.

 

You simply don't know what you're missing...  (w00t)

 

KOTOR1's music was in high-quality *STEREO* (like all other games in the industry). Give me one good reason why KOTOR2 should not!?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes, I have to agree with you on some points. The K1 music did sound much better than K2's.

[buttfacepoop]

You're forgetting that this game was made for XBOX and then simply transferred over to the PC with no changes. People playing on the XBOX will probably not notice the difference, since they are using their tv speakers which really suck.

 

So what you are really supporting in this petition is having LA/Obsidian make the PC version more than a simple port from the xbox. I still support it though.

[Master Dahvernas]

You're forgetting that this game was made for XBOX and then simply transferred over to the PC with no changes.  People playing on the XBOX will probably not notice the difference, since they are using their tv speakers which really suck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You don't really know what the XBox is capable of, do you?

 

It gives you 5.1 Dolby Digital sound if you hook up a home theater system to it. Unfortunately, this doesn't matter in this case because the core music files are in mono... As they are on the XBox I might add... So there is no added benefit of having a high end sound system on either a PC or a home theater with regard to TSL's score...

 

Which is why a lot of people are upset considering this is the company that supposedly criticized early theater sound and developed their own technologies (THX) to enhance the theater-going experience. Kind of hypocritical don't you think?

[Jad'en]

The in-game sound was Dolby 5.1....

 

Meh so what the music came from all directions the same... its not like i wanna be hearing violins behind me rather than voices <_<

[vxronin]

No, it's not a joke. Indeed the sound is in MONO. Add this to the long list of complaints....which are all unforgivable. OBSIDIAN = bunch of incopitent no-talent hacks. They are now a *joke to the rest of the gaming community, I hope they never recover and go out of business. If there's any justice Obsidian will go bankrupt within 3 years, and dissapear forever.

[Mark Havel]

It is certaintly not Obsidian who decided to butcher to KotOR II soundtrack...

[Meshugger]

No, it's not a joke. Indeed the sound is in MONO. Add this to the long list of complaints....which are all unforgivable. OBSIDIAN =  bunch of incopitent no-talent hacks. They are now a *joke to the rest of the gaming community, I hope they never recover and go out of business. If there's any justice Obsidian will go bankrupt within 3 years, and dissapear forever.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You do realize that Obsidian has nothing to do with the sound/soundtrack? Obsidian wrote the story, dialogue and the actual gamecontent. Voiceovers, music, sound effects and bugtesting was done by Lucasarts.

[vxronin]

Apparently you both know very little on how the gaming industry, or the entertainment industry in general, works.

 

Obsidian is the *DEVELOPER*. They were given the music, and it was up to them to decide how they wanted to implement it into the game. LUCAS ARTS created the music? Probably. But it was left entirely up to the DEVELOPER [OBSIDIAN] on how it was to be implemented.

 

OBSIDIAN made the descision to make it MONO!

 

SO. THERE.

[Meshugger]

Apparently you both know very little on how the gaming industry, or the entertainment industry in general, works.

 

Obsidian is the *DEVELOPER*. They were given the music, and it was up to them to decide how they wanted to implement it into the game. LUCAS ARTS created the music? Probably. But it was left entirely up to the DEVELOPER [OBSIDIAN] on how it was to be implemented.

 

OBSIDIAN made the descision to make it MONO!

 

SO. THERE.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You're wrong on every account, read Mark Griskey's (the composer) diary at gamespot.

 

When the Xbox version came out, i ripped all the songs to mp3 and asked Obsidian for permission to release it as a torrent. They answered that they don't control it, since they have no involvement in making the soundtrack. They later forwarded my PM to one of the producers of Lucasarts, who said no.

 

Remember that we're talking about Star Wars here, Lucasarts have much more to say than a regular publisher has over the developer's game.

[Trooper]

Hooray for people who have ignorant unbased opinions. Naivity is what makes the world flat. :ph34r:

[Gorth]

Apparently you both know very little on how the gaming industry, or the entertainment industry in general, works.

 

Obsidian is the *DEVELOPER*. They were given the music, and it was up to them to decide how they wanted to implement it into the game. LUCAS ARTS created the music? Probably. But it was left entirely up to the DEVELOPER [OBSIDIAN] on how it was to be implemented.

 

OBSIDIAN made the descision to make it MONO!

 

SO. THERE.

*Tilt*

 

 

This doesn't really need a comment. Sometimes actions speaks for themselves...

 

[vxronin]

You're wrong on every account, read Mark Griskey's (the composer) diary at gamespot.

 

When the Xbox version came out, i ripped all the songs to mp3 and asked Obsidian for permission to release it as a torrent. They answered that they don't control it, since they have no involvement in making the soundtrack. They later forwarded my PM to one of the producers of Lucasarts, who said no.

 

Remember that we're talking about Star Wars here, Lucasarts have much more to say than a regular publisher has over the developer's game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Re-read my post. Lucas Arts probably does own the music, I stated that in my post. That's not the issue. The issue was Lucas Arts owns the rights to the music, but it was up to Obsidian's discretion in how THEY CHOOSE TO IMPLEMENT IT into KOTOR2. And they made the *decision to implement it in MONO!

 

THUS, OBSIDION, NOT LA, IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE.

 

If you still can't get it through your head, maybe someone can translate the above in eubonics for you.

[Darth Drabek]

EU-bonics.... is that that strange language I read on this board with crazy words like "Quinlan Vos," "Ulic Qel-Droma"and that odd "TOTJ" acronym thingie?

[Meshugger]

You're wrong on every account, read Mark Griskey's (the composer) diary at gamespot.

 

When the Xbox version came out, i ripped all the songs to mp3 and asked Obsidian for permission to release it as a torrent. They answered that they don't control it, since they have no involvement in making the soundtrack. They later forwarded my PM to one of the producers of Lucasarts, who said no.

 

Remember that we're talking about Star Wars here, Lucasarts have much more to say than a regular publisher has over the developer's game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Re-read my post. Lucas Arts probably does own the music, I stated that in my post. That's not the issue. The issue was Lucas Arts owns the rights to the music, but it was up to Obsidian's discretion in how THEY CHOOSE TO IMPLEMENT IT into KOTOR2. And they made the *decision to implement it in MONO!

 

THUS, OBSIDION, NOT LA, IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE.

 

If you still can't get it through your head, maybe someone can translate the above in eubonics for you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Who's "OBSIDION?"

 

Are you implying that Chris Parker, producer of Obsidian Entertainment flat out lied when i asked him about it?

 

Also, the soundtrack was recorded at Skywalker sound with a live orchestra, are you saying that Lucasarts payed a sh*tload of money to do a soundtrack, only to toss it at Obsidian saying "Here, do what the hell you want with it!". Not likely.

 

And last, check out the Sound producer and sound engineer for the soundtrack. Guess where they work?