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The World Looks Gray's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Creativity | #73 | 3.971 | 3.971 |
| Impression | #277 | 3.412 | 3.412 |
| Overall | #290 | 3.435 | 3.435 |
| Quality | #328 | 3.441 | 3.441 |
| Composition | #363 | 3.294 | 3.294 |
| Correlation to theme | #480 | 3.059 | 3.059 |
Ranked from 34 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Description
generally experimental electronic (ambient?), game is intended to be smth of an exploration (or puzzle?) thing in 2d or top down in pixel arty style with strange surrealist visuals, first 2 tracks are set in a bleak city with little choice and such, everyone works and then sleeps in their pods and then works, and you work in the lab and make discoveries about oddities in the world, but the lab reactor gets detonated in a raid by people who hate the pods because it powers the pods, and then you get yanked from your research into some caves like nothing youve ever seen in your time in the samey gray city, but you push through all the weird colors and crystals and plants and eventually break out of the ground into a forest with no sign of the city, and the forest doesnt stay still in a non euclidian way. everything made in fl studio and everything has down sampling from the effector plugin to various levels, lots of vital manipulation with rudimentary waveforms and some stranger sounds, composition is kinda different between the two of us but its a lot of spontaneous ideas and then some of the opposite, meticulous planning and more automation clips
Message from the artist
hi its 4 am and i have to go to breakfast tomorrow, see you again next time
Theme
How does it fit the theme?
mr unnamed worker is in his world where hes happy and making discoveries about the world in his lab and then hes NOT and everything is weird and hes not in his world anymore.
picture theme mostly was just used for the musical vibe with the ambient but it had a big part on worldbuilding so i feel like i should include that, just bc the idea of a dreamland of sorts
Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
https://soundcloud.com/side-character-c/sets/the-world-looks-gray
Number of tracks4
Genre
Soundtrack use permission
Any non-commercial project
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Comments
Pod: The simplicity and recurrent sounds seem reminiscent of what someone might here in a town where things are very regimented and there is a lack of creative freedom. This is eerie in a way because of the story that people are essentially stuck in these pods.
Lab: The moving pad and the constant arpeggios give a little interest and forward motion to this track making it feel like it has a little more energy than the first track. I really like the harmonies following the 3 minute mark. This just seems to open up so much color from the grayscale preceding it.
The Cave: This track has some colors to it, but it seems to have a darker and more longing color, in a different way than Pod has though. I like how it starts ambient and then the groove kicks in.
The Woods: This track has a stillness vibe to it that makes this area in the video game feel like it would be floaty or slow-paced. I really like the chords you used in this serene track!
Overall: The ambient-like feeling of this soundtrack would fit a casual simple game really well. The simplicity is deceptive because there is a depth to the harmonies and emotions, especially in the final two tracks, which were my favorites for this reason. Well done and thank you for sharing!
What a unique submission! I really dig the atmospheric vibe of this soundtrack. It was a nice change of pace that made for a fantastic listening experience. I'm gonna save these tracks for the next time I boot up some minecraft or something. Awesome job!
Pretty cool and original. You got some nice composition ideas and arrangement. I would tone down a bit the bitcrush on some of the sounds sometimes its a bit too much. The cave is a nice change of pace like the drum, you could probably make the kick a bit more in your face, just a bit I would help give more "boom" to the track. I don't know if you limited yourself with the same sounds and you did a great job with it but you can probably add some cool sound design like you did in the first track mixed with all the others just to spice things up a little bit more. Good job !
These atmospheres you've got have such poise I think, they shift and change and add new elements in a really deliberate way at just the right moment. Completely immersed listening to this. Excellent!
I'm here because of your participation in the community post♥
This is such a wonderful OST! Love the atmospheres results of you work. They were very carefully crafted and that's remarkable.
The Woods, my favorite so far. Those eerie sounds...you nailed it!!
That cover art needs some serious work. You really expect me to like an entry with a Blue and Orange picture! I require it be changed to an Orange and Blue picture this instant!
I personally am not one for ambient tracks I much prefer higher energy stuff I can whistle to but I don't want that to cloud my judgement.
I liked the beeping motif that was present it kind of grounded the whole thing and I really liked it when there was a fun melody that was kind of under the radar. Gave a cool under the surface vibe.
I think some parts in The Cave got TOO crunchy and made it a bit muddied
I don't have much else to say. I don't often have a lot to say on more ambient pieces because it isn't the style I am familiar with writing.
agree with the cave stuff, if you believe it it used to be MORE crunchy which i made him change a bit but it could use a bit more clarity, but still i feel theres a lot you can pay attention to
Nicely done atmospheres! Interesting non-usual submission, well done =)
it takes a lot of courage and patience to sit with minimalism in music. we always have a tendency to want to add more-- another bass, more drums, more melodies. but letting the sounds sit by themselves is such a beautiful way to draw focus to what *is* there, so i really enjoyed this one <3
This is definitely one of the more “out there” soundtracks submitted but I’m here for it! Reminds me a lot of composers from the early days of minimalism and experimentalism with electronics. Super wavy vibes and a calm but cautious atmosphere. Great job!
Pod: This feels so Earthbound! Cool sfx.
Lab: Extremely cool rhythm, nice buildup.
The Cave: Great percussion. Sweet ambience.
The Woods: This is so Minecraft. Love it!
This is a great ambient OST, great work!
This one was an interesting one to listen through!
Personally, and this might be because I don't play many games with ost's like this, it felt more like an "aural" or "audio experience" kinda soundtrack, more than a game soundtrack. I think "Pod" and "The Woods" probably felt the most cohesive and game-ost-like, as I felt they accomplished their goals pretty well. My favorite parts of your songs were the fun use of textures to really itch at the ear drums with such a wide soundstage as well! Good job!
One of the most unique entries in this jam. I think your take on the theme and the way you represented it was really good. Nice listening experience, almost cozy. I particularly loved The Woods, it has that magical and mysterious sound at the same time. Love it!
I love experimental stuff, it's so unique and makes me feel all weird each time, in a good way. I was there on turtle stream, and I fully approve of this cover picture as well, it's so fitting. Lab from 3:00 really stroke me, it got all dreamy and I loved it. The woods was ethereal. Excellent work!
Beautiful stuff throughout, great sounds, melodies and motifs, really well put together.
Really loved this one.
Also sounds pretty nicely mixed to me and I really like the cover!
This is a well put together submission! I love the build from track to track, and I could play Mini Motorways to this OST for hours (I know that's not the type of game you were going for, but that's what I picture when I don't read your concept description lol).
My favorite is The Cave - I just love the percussion you've got in that one.
Great job!
All of the songs here are well made and thought out (even "Pod" has it's charm), liked the mix of ambient and electronic with experimental aspects. I also liked the slow progression on these tracks, it makes the tracks easier to get used to. Good job!
Fav track: probably "Lab".
I agree with the guy that said this sounds like it belongs in the MOTHER series. This definitely reminds me of the early days when composers had to be super creative with their sound design. Really unique style!
i LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!! I think your choice to fully lean into this more experimental style paid off big time, leaving you with a really quaint lil selection of songs that have a very relaxing feel to them, and showcase some really tasteful minimalistic sound design, that you make work really well through excellent usage of the different synths used throughout this, I would love to see more of this in the future, because you do an excellent job in this style! (Please make a minecraft music disc pack, just for me please)
and i agree with turtle the orange and blue picture needs no work, 0 notes never change orange and blue picture
i thought you were saying blue and orange was bad i had a heart attack, thank you! im glad the vibe worked and the simple synths are good, but gotta give credit to mr edge for pushing the change to this minimalistic style since the first one made was cave and i think its the most musically great
I, for one, love the orange and blue picture. As much as I love this OST. Said a lot about it on stream but wish I had the words to say more. Fantastic work here.
Minimalism has a -place- and you my friend nailed it, the variety in this at the same time while it is simple in places, sometimes that is the mark of greatness to mix the two. I had a blast listening. Thanks.
thank you so much friend, we did our best