Soundtrack Question

[ZeroEffekt]

Did Lena Raine intentionally rip off Quest For Glory 1's music from the location Erana's Peace for the 'The Shelter' track in this game?

Quest For Glory 1 - Erana's Peace: https://youtu.be/VQt6vRS65Zs?t=572
Lena Raine - The Shelter: https://radicaldreamland.bandcamp.com/track/the-shelter

I knew there was something incredibly familiar about that music when I played this game forever ago, but it wasn't until I recently bought the QFG collection that it finally made sense.

[Murderblonde]

Not at all. I can't speak to her inspirations directly, but there is a yawning gulf between "happens to sound like" and "rip off." There are a lot of themes that use slow guitar (let's not even go into Matt Uelmen's work for Diablo 2 all up ins) - I think she chose that instrument in particular due to the Texan setting, and I recall an earlier experiment using a piano - and I'd say the more complex stringwork on the Quest for Glory one suits a medieval "lute" kind of feel much more. The Shelter theme in Dead State also had to be really flexible to suit as not only a main theme but adjust for low morale - "sad" version - and still be recognizable as a varation and not a different piece.

BUT. I'll add this is part remembering and part conjecture on my behalf, and I'd suggest that if you had questions for Lena, you reach out and ask her directly. She's an amazing composer and has done a ton of different styles, so I'm always going to speak up for her. (And I hope if nothing else a conceptual connection between those two games enhances your enjoyment instead of detracting from it!)

[Umbrella Incorporated]

I can hear the simularities, but I honestly think it's merely a coincidence. The theme in the shelter is much slower and toned down, but some of the chords do sound very much alike.

[ZeroEffekt]

This isn't a case of 'happens to sound like', this is a case of 'sounds identical to' despite the added filler and use of acoustic.
Anyhow, I asked a pointed question if anyone knew if she intentionally ripped it off or not, and the immediate response is a block of text about instruments and how The Shelter has a modified version for low morale; none of which I asked about or made reference to.

I wasn't posting an open question about people's opinion on whether they're the same song or not; they are the same song. The speed, the rhythm, the notes are almost entirely identical; the only true differences are the instruments and Lena's addition of filler (drawn out intro, soft persistant electronic echo, long outro, etc).
Further, for due diligence, if you remove the drawn out intro and outro, the remaining playtime is very close to the approximate 3:38 playtime of Erana's Peace. BUT I DIGRESS.

I was posting a question specifically asking if anyone happened to know if she intentionally ripped it or not. If you don't have the answer to the question, that's fine; I don't expect a whole lot of people to know if she did or not. I was only asking out of curiosity. No need to avoid the question and go into deflect mode.

[ZombieBisque]

Originally posted by ZeroEffekt:

I asked a pointed question if anyone knew if she intentionally ripped it off or not, and the immediate response is...

Originally posted by Murderblonde:

Not at all.

[ZeroEffekt]

Originally posted by ZombieBisque:

Originally posted by ZeroEffekt:

I asked a pointed question if anyone knew if she intentionally ripped it off or not, and the immediate response is...

Originally posted by Murderblonde:

Not at all.

You mean:

Originally posted by Murderblonde:

Not at all. I can't speak to her inspirations directly, ...

See, I asked if what she did was intentional, to which Murderblonde says Lena didn't rip the song off intentionally, but can't speak of the inspirations for it (which also means Murderblonde can't say yes/no if the original song inspired Lena's).

Hence the reason I treated the response as an actual non-answer. This answer boils down to "No, but I don't know/can't say".

Again, I was just very curious. I didn't know if she was subtly paying homage to great music from an ancient game or if she just heard something awesome and decided to muddle it a touch to pass off as her own.
Regardless, the song itself is wonderful. The modified version for Dead State is very suited to the ambient feel one should generally have while futzing around at the shelter.

[Murderblonde]

Apologies if there was a feeling I overtyped. I'll end with
tl;dr - No. ;)

(But I'm very glad you liked the theme!)

[ZeroEffekt]

Originally posted by Murderblonde:

Apologies if there was a feeling I overtyped. I'll end with
tl;dr - No. ;)

(But I'm very glad you liked the theme!)

Ah. So she told you it was her own original without outside inspiration. Got it.

Of course I like the theme. It's mood music. :)