I randomly rediscovered an image set of Phantogram while digging around for reference on a side project. The gig was almost a year ago at a little indie record store in Hillcrest, San Diego. I started tweaking a few shots that were not used for the final set and came out with the 3 images above. Not to too sure about the results, but it was definitely fun reminiscing.
I'm frequently swarmed with possibilities and kinda caught off guard when someone ever springs up the question "What is your favorite video game?" I can't help but want to side step the question, but where to begin? So many great selections from nearly each console, computer, and arcade generation. Though, on a recent phone interview I was able to respond both clear and intrinsically "Destiny Of An Emperor". To give a little bit of context - I had never played D&D, had no concept of an RPG, let alone any knowledge of the Chinese Dynasty period drawn by Romance of The Three Kingdoms at age 10. This game hit the U.S. in 1989, before the western release of Final Fantasy and was also my first taste of turn-based, strategic combat.
The game's theme is really driven by its historical resurgence (which it deviates frequently) that makes for some epic story telling components like a cast of memorable abilities, weapons, and characters complete with a suspenseful narrative. Perhaps the best quality was the "accessibility" of the gameplay with an absence of unnecessary complexity, just a very well balanced experience that allowed enjoyment for learning a gamesystem that matches facing new challenges. You persistently manage five generals that represent an army of soldiers - level up your generals = more soldiers which also requires managing "tacticians" who represent the ability casting element. Though that game does lack some visual feedback in the form of particles during combat which would have really accented the immersion factor. Luckily that classic CAPCOM signature music picks up the slack for all the lose ends.
So why my favorite game of all time? Like a book Destiny Of An Emperor manages to streamline the imagination towards materializing something lager than life with such minimal presentation. The impression left behind was a grounding foundation for many games in the years to come. Know your roots!
Went back to tweaking the source composite of this image and decided to try a somewhat minimal approach with only using a busy circle as a focal point. I'll most likely be trying a multidimensional finish that entails using assorted material to overlay on all the circle elements.
Every so often I get those nostalgic 8-bit game music flashbacks that manage to relentlessly loop until that audio itch is scratched via Youtube. Journey To Silius probably had the most underrated NES game score ever conceived. Gameplay was your standard run and gun sidescroller, but the music was such a motivating component of the experience that it was simply a goal reaching other levels just to hear the next set of tunes. The tones a very comparable to the first stage of Double Dragon and even resonate some of the same energy of stages in Mega Man 2 including others in the Capcom library.
The selections above start with the title theme through the second stage (a personal favorite). Enjoy!
"The game was noted for unusually strong music (composed by Naoki Kodaka) for an 8-bit title. The NES DPCM channel was used for sampled bass tones, a choice which was unusual for NES compositions and lent the soundtrack a much thicker timbre.
The sound effects also showed up before in the past sunsoft games, specifically Blaster Master and Fester's Quest."
Last week I had the last second opportunity of interviewing drummer Erik Bodin of the Sweetish synth/indie rock band Little Dragon. We met up with Erik in Silverlake, Los Angeles where he happily greeted us with his luggage in hand as he literally had just been picked from the airport. Just moments after shaking his hand, the band manger rings me saying he has to pick up the keyboardist, then asking if I could drop Erik off at a his hotel afterward. I thought of that request being a bit forward, but honestly didn't mind, so off we went to Secret Headquarters just around the corner to conduct the interview. I'll have that interview up later, but here a few preview images as well as some shots from their gig.
