ThaSauce Development Update

What’s going on with VGMix? OverLooked ReMix? ReMix:ThaSauce? Compoverse?

Hi. Hello. Is this thing on? It’s been a while since I’ve made a post on this site.

The days of using ThaSauce.net as a news portal have been behind us for a while, but development on ThaSauce websites has been active for some time. Over the years we’ve inherited a lot of your favorite sites and with them a lot of responsibility. We get a number of questions from time-to-time about the status is of a particular website. The answer is always the same: It’s…coming along. There’s a larger, overarching plan we’re working on and I think I’ve explained it enough times in enough places to finally sit down and write it out. So here it goes…

A bit of history…

Before we can talk about everything that we plan on doing, let me take a short moment to talk about how we got here. What originally started out in 2005 as an idea to make a VGM news portal, eventually tacked on “yet another arrangement site” and then a compo portal? Now things are just out of control.

As mentioned above ThaSauce Network currently consists of this site “ThaSauce.net”, ReMix:ThaSauce, Compoverse (our rebranding of Compo:ThaSauce), OverLooked ReMiX (officially handed to us by richter), VGMix Archive for all known files from former VGMix sites, and a version of VGMix (currently called VG(Re)Mix) based on the vision of the would-be new site as laid out by virt.

The story of OverLooked ReMiX is a pretty short one: richter is just too busy these days and wanted to hand it off to someone who would maintain it. We control the hosting, domains, the full gamut. Future development of the site is…difficult as it’s so closely tied to a particular version of PhpBB and software updates have gotten even harder. We’re describing the current status of the site as “archival,” which basically means it is in a read-only state for the foreseeable future.

The story of VGMix is a more complicated one. In 2013 we started development on what we were initially calling “VGMix 4”. Users had been asking when a new version of VGMix would pop up, and some had even tried to roll out their own, but we decided we’d take the responsibility onto us. After reaching out to virt and getting his ideas for what a new version of VGMix would look like, we went to work. There were a lot of details about VGMix that virt had envisioned, but the basis was this:

  1. Users should be able to upload their own tracks, freely, whenever they want. This includes completed tracks and works-in-progress (or WIPs).
  2. Users should be able to provide feedback to each other for the above tracks.
  3. Users should be able to host impromptu compos on demand.
  4. Users should be able to fully host and release album projects on the site, including submitting applications, WIPs, and feedback.

Much of our vision for the future development of all the sites revolve around these goals and, ultimately, VGMix will likely be the center of this “network.”

The Vision

So VGMix is the cornerstone of the future, but where does that leave all of the other sites? In the current vision for the future, each site plays a role in a sort of “music development pipeline”. A process to take a beginner musician to, potentially, a full video game music composer. Here’s the breakdown:

Compoverse

Everything starts with Compoverse. For the uninitiated, Compoverse is where we host “compos,” or music composition competitions. As the site explains:

Compo is a slang word for “composition competition” commonly used by the arrangement community. It is derived from the demoscene competitions by the same name.

Contrary to this, compos are less of a competition and more of an exercise in composition abilities. Each compo has its own unique format and guidelines and while some are as short as 1 hour, others can last anywhere from a month to a few months.

It’s important to remember that the primary purpose of compos is to hone your skills and abilites by working within, sometimes very constricting, guidelines. These techniques have proven essential to the growth of countless musicians.

Remember: the only way to lose a compo is to not participate.

The site currently hosts about 7 compos on weekly or monthly schedules. One particular compo, One Hour Compo, has been hosted every week for over 10 years. During these compos, users work on tracks, following a particular theme, under a constricting time-limit. In many cases after the compo is completed we host a live listening party on our community Discord server, and users can get live peer review. This process has been invaluable to the growth of countless musicians throughout the years, including VGM composers virt and Danny Baranowski.

Compoverse offers new users an opportunity to develop experience with new tools and techniques and receive live feedback. Additionally, it challenges veteran users to try new things and streamline their workflow.

Compoverse will continue to offer a small number of “ThaSauce-hosted”, regularly scheduled compos. Additionally, the system will be expanded to offer a number of new features to admins that will also allow us to white-label the service to other compo communities. Making it easier for admins of all compos to host and administer regularly scheduled compos anywhere they desire.

VGMix (Part 1: WIPs/Compos)

Once users gain some confidence and experience it’s time to move on to VGMix. Here, users will be able to submit WIPs of more full-featured game arrangements and receive feedback. Additionally, users can join, or create, impromptu compos. These compos can be created by anyone, at any time, and is a great opportunity for a few friends to quickly jump in, create some constraints, host their files, and even have a live on-site listening party.

VGMix (Part 2: Releases)

Once users are comfortable with the feedback they received from WIPs, users will be able to convert their track from a work-in-progress to an actual released track. Once released they can continue to receive private critique, or simply receive public comments like “This song is great!” Users will receive on-site “Achievements” as they progress as artists to help encourage them to keep working as well as try new things. Additionally, VGMix will provide templates to allow for easy submissions to other arrangement sites including ReMix:ThaSauce, OverLooked ReMix, and even OverClocked ReMix.

ReMix:ThaSauce

ReMix:ThaSauce will maintain a similar position to where it has previously been: a bridge between self-released tracks and submission to a curated platform. Users will be able to submit tracks, that will be evaluated by panel, for an opportunity to be included within the curated collection. Consider this to be a badge of pride for user growth.

OverLooked ReMiX

OverLooked ReMix will continue to do exactly what it excels in: provide ridiculous interpretations of video game music and video game culture. Users that want to create joke, parody, or just simply outlandish tracks will be able to submit them here. Again, songs will be evaluated by a panel of passionate administrators for an opportunity to be included within that collection.

OverClocked ReMix

Though not within ThaSauce Network, OCReMix’s existence can’t be ignored. It has long been the center of the video game arrangement community and it too is included within the overall vision of our future development.

As it has always been OCReMix remains the “pinnacle” of achievement within the VGM community. A mountain for users to climb, and conquer along their journey. As previously mentioned, VGMix will work to not only prepare but also help facilitate users’ transition to OverClocked ReMix releases by hosting their tracks and providing them with formatted submission templates. This will, hopefully, make the process easier not only for users of both sites, but also administrators at OCReMix.

VGMix (Part 3: Albums)

Once users have confidence, experience, and prestige, they can move on to creating and participating in full album releases on VGMix. These can be solo albums or collaborative albums. VGMix will facilitate gathering of private feedback, providing consistent MP3 tags, and of course file hosting. Users will be free to host these final releases anywhere, but VGMix will hopefully make the process of collaborating on, and creating full-length albums much easier.

The Process

Whew. Now that we have all that outlined, how do we get there? Over the years we’ve amassed a number of incredibly talented developers, musicians, graphic designers, and other experts to help outline and flesh out our goals. We have a very clear process in mind and we’re confident we can achieve it. It all starts with what we’re calling Akatosh in development.

In the Elder Scrolls lore Akatosh is the name of the Dragon God of Time. The chief deity of the Divines. In ThaSauce development Akatosh represents the backbone of our infrastructure. Users, songs, albums, compos, all exist on Akatosh.

Under the hood, most of these sites follow a very similar structure:

  • A song is posted on the site
  • The song is “owned” by a user or a group of users (bands, etc)
  • These songs can be organized under a grouping (album, compo round, etc).

In the Akatosh system, a song on VGMix isn’t very different from a song on Compoverse or a song on OverLooked ReMix. The difference is the flourishes, and the presentation. All sites will be powered by Akatosh, and users of all the sites will have a single, unified, ThaSauce Network login account. One big community, spanning a number of websites.

Where are we now? What’s the timeline?

Given the nature of the system, it doesn’t look like anything has been done, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Most of our time up until now has been focused on the underlying Akatosh system and structure, so there isn’t much “front-facing” progress. Admittedly as well, we are all employed full-time and very busy with our personal lives. So where are we actually and what are the next steps?

Right now, the Akatosh system is in a pretty solid place as far as structure and efficiency. We’re comfortable with the foundations we’ve laid out, and we’re ready to move on to incorporating actual, useable sites into the system. Compoverse is currently our most active site and, as a result, will be one of the first sites to be integrated into the new system. If you’ve followed the site recently you know that it has been in active development for a bit over a year. The current iteration of the PHP site is at the end-of-life for new features and any new development for the site will be moved to the new platform. This also includes the conversion of all the existing songs, compos, and users to the new system. This will take time as we’re rebuilding the site from scratch, but the timeline here, realistically, will be months, not years, as we continue.

There is also a chance you will see a version of ReMix:ThaSauce pop up soon after, or even before Compoverse. R:TS is one of the simpler, smaller sites, and would be a very straightforward transition. It’s also a great opportunity to test some of the data migration with a small, static dataset.

Conclusion

Still with me? Ok, good. Whew, that was a lot. So I guess what I’m trying to say is we’re still here. We’re still alive. We’re still passionate about the community, and we’re still working really hard to help the community continue to grow, evolve, and thrive in the modern, post-YouTube/Soundcloud internet. It’s been a long road, with a lot of changes and iterations, but we’re not going anywhere any time soon. Hopefully, hopefully, we’ll have some of you along for the ride to see everything through to the end. We’ll get there, and we’re getting closer every day.

Sound Bytes: “Timeless” by PrototypeRaptor

Timeless is the first track on PrototypeRaptor’s sophomore album, Nostalgiarithm.

The album spans multiple genres at around a 70 minute runtime, including 130 bpm electro house like this track, old school prog house, experimental dubstep, ambient works, and includes most of the track IDs I’ve been playing out/putting in sets here on SC.


If you enjoyed the track, you can buy Nostalgiarithm on Bandcamp, as well as check out his remixes on OCRemix.

Quick Look: “Skyrim Main Theme” by Tay Zonday

Tay Zonday, YouTube personality known for the “Chocolate Rain” video, covers the main theme from Skyrim, “Dragonborn”.

Adam Nyerere Bahner (born July 6, 1982), better known by the pseudonym Tay Zonday, is an American actor, singer, musician, announcer, voice artist, comedian and YouTube personality. He is well known by listeners for his baritone singing voice.

– From the Tay Zonday Wikipedia page.

Zonday became famous on YouTube in 2007, when his “Chocolate Rain” song became one of the first viral videos on the site. He has also done covers of many other songs on his YouTube channel (not all video game related, but still worth checking out!)

ThaSauce Wrap-Up: This Week in Review (May 21 – May 27)

 

At the end of the week, ThaSauce Wrap-Up feature posts bite-sized news recaps just in case you missed any juicy articles. Have any interesting video game music-related stories that you want us to look into? Are you an artist, composer, or remixer that wants keep in touch? Shoot an e-mail to [email protected]. If you’re looking for more ways to get your VGM fix, be sure to follow us on Tumblr or like us on Facebook as well.

  • Arecibo Radio Presents Shnabubula’s Starbound Release Party: Our friends over at Arecibo Radio have once again outdone themselves by holding yet another epic listening party in the name of one of our most admired artists, the piano prodigy known as Shnabubula on Tuesday, May 29th.The event will start at 10 PM Eastern (that’s 7 PM PST for you West Coasters).
  • Nubuwo & King Soukutu to Release Rokko Chan Soundtracks: If there was a female version of Mega Man, what would her name be trademarked as? Mega WoMan? Mega Girl? How about Rokko Chan? Nubuwo, one of the best video game music news sites on the ‘Net (besides us, of course), has just teamed up with independent developer King Soukutu to formally release the incredible Rokko Chan Soundtracks.
  • Indie Game: The Movie to be Released Worldwide on June 12: While we’ve praised Indie Game: The Movie when it was first available for preorder, we are more than happy to announce that the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection will be available worldwide in just a few weeks.
  • Internet Promo Machine: Sponsor Adam WarRock’s Upcoming Fall Tour: Adam WarRock, one of our favorite hip hop emcees who brings back the ‘cool’ in all things nerd and pop culture, needs your help! We would like to extend his invitation to those who would be interested in sponsoring WarRock’s tour this coming Fall, scheduled to visit major cities on the East Coast including New York, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and more.
  • ThaSauce Giveaway Extravaganza!: Minibosses Bay Area Tour 2012: Are you a fan of the Minibosses? Do you happen to live in the San Francisco area (or have the means to travel there)? If you’ve answered a hearty ‘yes’ to both questions, we’d like to proudly announce the first official ThaSauce giveaway for the Minibosses 2012 Bay Area Tour.
  • Because We May Sale Offers Games (& Soundtracks!) Directly from Developers: ‘Tis the year for great deals on independent games that gamers may or may not have heard of and what better to celebrate May with even more discounts? Listen to amazing soundtracks while receiving great deals on several award-winning multi-platform games with the Because We May sale, on now through June 1st.
  • Noise Channel’s Rokko Chan Chiptune Album Listening Party: To promote Nubuwo & King Soukutu’s collaborative efforts to bring about Rokko Chan Soundtracks on July 4th, the Nubuwo staff have also teamed up with Noise Channel to host a listening party for the music of Rokko Chan on May 31st that promises to deliver different interpretations by “a stellar list of your favorite chiptune artists”. Be sure to tune in to this Thursday.
  • Quick Look: “Final Fantasy – Medley” by Super Guitar Bros.: Garnering over 3,000 subscribers and 359,800 video views in under a year with only six videos, the Super Guitar Bros. have been making headway with their amazing video game covers. This Quick Look video is definitely a great example of how the pair work to complement each other in an almost ethereal manner, carefully inducing an air of nostalgia that is surely not to be missed.

Sound Bytes: “Just Hold On – zircon (Flexstyle’s Chilloniq Mix)”


Just a quick Sound Bytes feature highlighting Flexstyle‘s mix of zircon‘s original track “Just Hold On”, featuring vocalist Jillian Aversa:

Anyone who’s used FL Studio in the past year or so should probably recognize this song. Made by producer, composer, and sound designer extraordinaire Andrew Aversa, alias zircon, and featuring the gorgeous vocals of his wife Jillian, “Just Hold On” is the demo song in FL Studio 10. I decided to take it warp it into more of a hip-hop/trancey number. This is what I came up with–enjoy!

If you like what you hear, you can also download “Just Hold On (Flexstyle’s Chilloniq Mix)” for free here.  Check out more of what we think are some great electronic tracks from Flexstyle on his Soundcloud.

Quick Look: “Final Fantasy – Medley” by Super Guitar Bros.


Garnering over 3,000 subscribers and 359,800 video views in under a year with only six videos , the Super Guitar Bros. have been making headway with their amazing video game covers. Little is known about their background in music except formal training in classical guitar, but all we really care about is that both Steven Poissant and Sam Griffin take their sessions seriously and really know how to put on a captivating show.

The “Final Fantasy – Medley” video  by Super Guitar Bros. is definitely a great example of how the pair work to complement each other in an almost ethereal manner, carefully arranging iconic songs such as “Chocobo Theme” and “The Prelude” to include a heavy air of nostalgia that is surely not to be missed. Armed with steel and nylon string guitars, these bros (and no, they’re not related) will make you think twice about all those bad YouTube covers you thought you listened through already.

ThaSauce Wrap-Up: This Week in Review (May 14 – May 20)


At the end of the week, ThaSauce Wrap-Up feature posts bite-sized news recaps just in case you missed any juicy articles. Have any interesting video game music-related stories that you want us to look into? Are you an artist, composer, or remixer that wants keep in touch? Shoot an e-mail to [email protected]. If you’re looking for more ways to get your VGM fix, be sure to follow us on Tumblr or like us on Facebook as well.

  • Nerdapalooza 2011 Recordings Released on Bandcamp: Can’t wait to get your Nerdapalooza fix? Team Nerdapalooza has just released the live CD recordings from last year’s event featuring over 30 performers, including such artists and bands like The OneUps, Metroid Metal, brentalfloss, HDninja, Armcannon, I Fight Dragons, The Bossfights, Jeux On, Random Encounter, and much more!
  • Disasterpeace, virt, & 6955 on Indie Royale’s All-Charity Pack: The indie game bundle website Indie Royale releases game bundles every two weeks to help get the word out over games that are worth playing and support developers that are typically passed over in mainstream media. Along with excellent game releases this time around, the All-Charity Lightning Pack features albums every chiptune fan should own, including Jake “virt” Kaufman’s acclaimed FX4, 6955′s IN1ep, and Disasterpeace’s Level.
  • Jordan Steven’s The Lost Angelic Chronicles of Frane: Dragons’ Odyssey OST Available Now: As Jordan “bLiNd” Aguirre since the early ’00s, you may have have heard of Steven’s wonderful trance and house blends over on several OverClocked ReMix projects. However, Jordan Steven has proved that he can put down his mixing expertise momentarily and show how much he has mastered his own skills in composition with the Lost Angelic Chronicles of Frane: Dragons’ Odyssey OST.
  • Quick Look: Danimal Cannon on Chiptunes @ PAX East: We know PAX East 2012 seemed like forever ago. And yes, we’ve probably covered everything from live streams of PAX East to some pretty cool live shows. But we figured that we can give you a little nostalgic run for those who went and for those who haven’t… well, we wanted to give you a more personal glimpse of the event itself. This week’s <i>Quick Look</i> features the awesome Danimal Cannon sharing his seemingly infinite knowledge on chiptunes.
  • No Survivors Tour 2012 with Protomen, Powerglove, & Danimal Cannon: Things are about to get crazy on the East Coast! The Protomen, Powerglove, and Danimal Cannon have hit the road for the next two weeks, travelling to different venues throughout several states such as Massachusetts, Tennessee, New Jersey, New York, and Colorado for the No Survivors Tour 2012.

Sound Bytes: Dj RoboRob’s “A Daughters Revenge (Chun Li’s Theme)”


Like them womp womps? We definitely do when not overdone. This week’s Sound Bytes features yet another unassuming hard-hitter from Dj Roborob with his tribute to one of the leggiest women in gaming history, Chun Li. Just a warning though… hit the brief drop and frenetic wobbles may send your headphones/speakers/ears into a fantastic rhythmic frenzy for awhile. Listen at your own discretion!

Originally experimenting with chip music and eventually progressing through various genres such as house and dubstep, Dj Roborob is no stranger to mixing scene. You can hear more of his fantastic mixes on both Bandcamp and Soundcloud.

Quick Look: Danimal Cannon on Chiptunes @ PAX East

 

Yeah, yeah. We know PAX East 2012 seemed like forever ago. And yes, we’ve probably covered everything from live streams of PAX East to some pretty cool live shows. But we figured that we can give you a little nostalgic run for those who went and for those who haven’t… well, we wanted to give you a more personal glimpse of the event itself. This week’s Quick Look features the awesome Danimal Cannon sharing his seemingly infinite knowledge on chiptunes. Yeah, that’s right. An hour of one of the foremost artists within the chip music genre talking about chip music. Chippy, right? Although intended for a more general audience, we think that it’d be good for you to refresh or maybe even be (gasp) schooled on the subject. Check out the video above and let us know what you think.

Sound Bytes: Dj CUTMAN’s “Transformation (Little Nemo)”

Yeah, yeah. We’re huge Dj CUTMAN fans here at ThaSauce. But can you blame us? With his charismatic presence on-stage, rad live sets that mash up everything from dubstep to hip-hop to chiptunes, and extensive knowledge of the video game music (or even electonic music overall, to which we entertain ourselves with his frequent Facebook updates), Dj CUTMAN really has us going on. This time around, this captivating DJ takes his proficient skills in audio engineering up a notch to remix music from the NES platform Little Nemo: The Dream Master. “Transformation (Little Nemo)” is an intriguing yet nostalgic take on Junko Tamiya’s classic work, adding a more upbeat, house-y vibe that just begs for some rhythmical head-bobbing while listening.

Check out his Soundcloud page to get your quick fix of more Dj CUTMAN goodness. Not enough? For more catchy tunes, you can also explore more similar styles of music on his newly established game music and chiptune netlabel, Gamechops.