January 31st update:

Here attached a quick mock up ROM which I designed in like 20 minutes. Sorry about recycling the sleepy Brahms track, I didn't feel like wasting time if not going to continue this project anyways. Also, of course, the graphics do not match the notes. It is a demo mock up of the graphic engine for the notes sprites. And of course, the line where the notes disappear, can be lowered, to give more reaction time, and also the scrolling, being sprites, can be easily adjusted slower or faster to match the tempo. My simple easy NES sound engine which I used in most games I designed, works uniquely with integers, and this is excellent to match the chronological note position with a specific position on screen.

The remaining part of the screen (not used for notes-bars scrolling) can be filled with a background: I did not think about what exactly yet, but I'd like something kind of elegant in theme with classic music, not too fancy or shiny. Or, maybe something more ironic, but again in a simple and clean elegant way.

Like some seem to have already understood, the project I just finished to code yesterday (and I'm definitely happy with the result) was designed for NA user toshi503 (I let him announce it, if and when he thinks so), and if this project is going to be made someday, toshi503 will extremely likely collaborate with testing and music data entry, being familiar with this music engine format, and the relative tools which I made to convert the data from notes and lengths to HEX opcodes, and of course extremely familiar with arranging a classic music theme into a sequence of notes for a triangle channel to play nicely.

This will save me some time, and optimize the productivity. Also, a musician aboard is a great call when making the selection of the themes to be featured. Finally, is a cheerful person always willing to deliver an extra half hour to a project or understand a new concept, and cares a lot about doing things precisely. We both have strong personal opinions on what is best for the game and how things should be done, but for some weird alchemy we always could find a reasonable agreement on every matter really quickly, and had extremely interesting and productive collaborations so far.

Taking a break from NES coding now myself, if this project will have some enthusiastic feedback in the near future about a potential release, sometimes this year it could be tackled. Given the minimalist nature and scope of the project, I consider that 2 or 3, or at most maximum 4 weeks, should be plenty enough to put together and deliver the final beta, before testing it out (this to be done on the producer side) a bit more just to make 101% sure that the code is solid, bug free, and glitch free, under any possible scenario. Also, I'd prefer a 3rd party producer acquiring all rights on it.

If the interest won't be there, no big deal, it was just an idea; I'll do something else when I'll tackle my next NES project.

***

Hi all,

this is just an idea for a NES project to tackle maybe sometimes in this spring or summer. It is few days that I'm thinking about it, and I'd like to know other opinions on the idea.

The idea is a NROM, playing classic music, very simple and compact using only the triangle wave.
Like in this demo: http://vintage.nintendoage.com/fo...
In this way 20 or even more different tracks will surely fit in the ROM space.

Then a very minimal interface which looks nice and thematic, with scrolling animated sprites associated to the input (likely A B down) to be pressed to "perform" the music. I have already a plan in mind on how to code the game mechanics, and to design such interface and subdivide the notes to the three inputs which I think it could work and make the game easy and fun to play, and challenging enough. And I have a score system already in mind, of course.

The advantage in using classic music it is in the freedom to use it (no copyright issues), and in the fact that is something uncommon to listen in a NES. Moreover, using only the triangle channel it makes it sound like a flute, an ocarina, a carillon, or whatever small instrument you can think about, making it even more soft to listen to (someone else would say maybe way pathetic to listen to, but in matter of personal taste, to each its own: I'm fine with minimal stuff, if it is nice and appealing to me, and I know others who think the same), and hence adapt to play classing music melodies.

Finally, adding an option to listen only, without playing, it could be an original alternative to listen to the radio or your favorite MP3s. Another idea that would probably fit it is an in ROM psuedo wiki page for each proposed track in the ROM. Not sure about this one.

Well, that's about what my idea is, so if you think so, let me know what's your opinion about it.
If gamer: would you be potentially interested in playing such game ROM?
If collector: would you be potentially interested in buying such game if released on cart?
If producer: would you be potentially interested in buying the rights to distribute it on cart?
Or do you think it is not a really appealing idea and unlikely to be something the NES needs?

Thanks for reading. Feedback welcome.

Cheers!  

I personally feel like as a player, classical music isn't the sort of thing I want to be challenging me. Like if I wanna listen to classical, it's probably to relax, not to get a high score, which may require a great deal of attention. I think that's why guitar hero works so well with rock and the like, because it's music you can get into the rhythm of and rock along with it.

That might just be me though.

Excellent point indeed. This is something I have doubts about too.
Thanks for the feedback!

The other question is how would it be different than DPad Hero?

Maybe you could have 2 player mode and have Toshi whip up some new tracks  

Someone already had the idea and made a similar game on the NES?
If so, never mind. I'm just silly for not knowing it.  

Edit: Yes, it seems so.
http://www.dpadhero.com/Screensho...

Oh well, live and learn.  

Thanks for the info (and I guess that this topic is over now).

I'm totally down.  

I think this game/idea could be pretty cool (if perhaps some of the best *subjectively speaking* pieces are chosen -- i.e Beethoven vs. Bartok -- which Bartok is cool, but I dig the madman that Beethoven was). 

DPad Hero has ceratainly been around for some time now, but one thing I haven't seen is a "Classical Hero" or a "Baroque Hero". Nonetheless, I guess finding the right audience could be tough, given that most people aren't down with classical music. I dig though.  

Chopin or gtfo.

As you wish.  
(see attachment)

Enjoy!  

That's awesome lol.  

I was thinking - what if you made a game where it's like Kaboom on the Atari, but you catch music notes. If you miss the notes, the music doesn't play, or plays a distorted note. Rather than pressing a button to coincide with like a guitar string, you run around catching notes?





Swap out the robber for a composer, or maybe someone playing an instrument relative to the song being played, and the bombs for notes?

I love this idea! Big fan of Kaboom and would love to see an original iteration of this on NES. It would be killer fun if it could match up with music. Must be VAUS compatible. I wish I was smrt enough to make a game like that.  

Maybe you could have a whole band up at the top, and the notes drop from the right people, or something? Like the drums guy can be the bass noise, a flutist for the high pitched noises, maybe a guitar dude or something. Maybe have the band match the song...?

^__ to the above proposal
That would be boring to design. I designed 1007 bolts partially kind of like that. I designed CYO partially kind of like that. I will not (short term wise at least) design a further game partially kind of like that, also for respect of people acquiring the distribution rights on such other (kind of similar) games which I designed. I was thinking more something like maybe a fixed image in center screen of an orchestra leader (view from back maybe) protagonist, moving just the stick, not a freely moving sprite catching falling notes (when sprite collision happens). And three fixed input: A B DOWN. Two with your right hand, one with your left hand on D-PAD. To match the note to play. Thanks for your feedback anyways. Appreciated!  

Fair enough! I'm new 'round here, so I've not previously seen your work. Now looking at those you've mentioned, I can see how you might not want to make yet again something similar.  

lol I can go for a pint of Chopin. His stuff rocks. Vivaldi and his endless supply of violin concertos would be awesome to play to as well. 

 

Vivaldi: definitely the Winter and not the Spring. I want people burning their fingers on that zin-zin zin-zin zin-zin zin-zin ziin zi-zi-zin zi zin zin zin ... violin piece. Of course, last most challenging (impossible like for regular humans) track of the game.  

And if beta testers complain about being too hard, we make an easy mode with that Brahms piece posted above.  

Or Bach, with an air on the G string, and everything is gonna be alright, everything is gonna be ok, no doubts.  

Chopin: definitely. Any specific suggestion on what you would prefer exactly?

Beethoven: how else? Da da da daa! Fifth, please!  

The pretty famous Verdi ta ta ta ta-ta taaa ta-taa march could possibly be there too maybe.

And the Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner likely too.

Unfortunately, the opening O Fortuna in Carmina Burana by Orff is still under copyright I fear.


Wikipedia References (mostly with audio file):
Vivaldi, The Four Seasons
Brahms, Lullaby
Bach - Wilhelmj, Air on the G string
Bach, Suite No. 3
Sweetbox, Everything's Gonna Be Alright
Chopin, list of compositions
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5
Verdi, Aida
Wagner, Ride_of_the_Valkyries
Orff, O Fortuna (Carmina Burana)
Orff, Carmina Burana

Of course, there is sooo much much wonderful deserving material to ponder about what to include!

Edit: fixed the links list formatting and destination URL.

Here attached a quick mock up ROM which I designed in like 20 minutes. Sorry about recycling the sleepy Brahms track, I didn't feel like wasting time if not going to continue this project anyways. Also, of course, the graphics do not match the notes. It is a demo mock up of the graphic engine for the notes sprites. And of course, the line where the notes disappear, can be lowered, to give more reaction time, and also the scrolling, being sprites, can be easily adjusted slower or faster to match the tempo. My simple easy NES sound engine which I used in most games I designed, works uniquely with integers, and this is excellent to match the chronological note position with a specific position on screen.

The remaining part of the screen (not used for notes-bars scrolling) can be filled with a background: I did not think about what exactly yet, but I'd like something kind of elegant in theme with classic music, not too fancy or shiny. Or, maybe something more ironic, but again in a simple and clean elegant way.

Like some seem to have already understood, the project I just finished to code yesterday (and I'm definitely happy with the result) was designed for NA user toshi503 (I let him announce it, if and when he thinks so), and if this project is going to be made someday, toshi503 will extremely likely collaborate with testing and music data entry, being familiar with this music engine format, and the relative tools which I made to convert the data from notes and lengths to HEX opcodes, and of course extremely familiar with arranging a classic music theme into a sequence of notes for a triangle channel to play nicely.

This will save me some time, and optimize the productivity. Also, a musician aboard is a great call when making the selection of the themes to be featured. Finally, is a cheerful person always willing to deliver an extra half hour to a project or understand a new concept, and cares a lot about doing things precisely. We both have strong personal opinions on what is best for the game and how things should be done, but for some weird alchemy we always could find a reasonable agreement on every matter really quickly, and had extremely interesting and productive collaborations so far.

Taking a break from NES coding now myself, if this project will have some enthusiastic feedback in the near future about a potential release, sometimes this year it could be tackled. Given the minimalist nature and scope of the project, I consider that 2 or 3, or at most maximum 4 weeks, should be plenty enough to put together and deliver the final beta, before testing it out (this to be done on the producer side) a bit more just to make 101% sure that the code is solid, bug free, and glitch free, under any possible scenario. Also, I'd prefer a 3rd party producer acquiring all rights on it.

If the interest won't be there, no big deal, it was just an idea; I'll do something else when I'll tackle my next NES project.

Thanks for reading, sorry for the quite long post.

Cheers!  

I'm a huge fan of rhythm games (guitar here/rock band/band hero ...) and while I enjoyed Dpad Hero, I think that other game in this genre could be great.
I thought myself about making one, but not for now ...
As someone said, classical music may not be the ideal genre of music to use in those games. Or maybe rearranged chiptune version ? Rock music always works great, but I understand that it may be hard to translate to the platform here.
Anyway, I really like the idea, and am looking forward to testing this game if you decide to continue this project.

Thanks for the feedback. Indeed rock music is more suited in a video game.
However, since there is already such completed product out there, like Dra600n already pointed out, it is unlikely that a further one will be perceived like anything new and fresh.

And, most importantly, AFAIK the whole rock music is recent enough to still under copyright.
Copyright laws are complex and messy to understand [citation needed], I want instead to make sure that I can deliver the ROM to a third party acquiring it without any copyright infringement ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cop... ) risk, and classic kind of music (bar few exception like Carmina Burana by Orff) is generically speaking old enough to be safe to use copyright issues wise.

Again, thanks for your feedback. And now that I'm done with coding that other project, I will have some time to find a Win PC and check out the ROM of your entry for the NES Dev competition, I have FcEux 2.2.3 already installed on an USB key.