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A jam submission

Queen Bubblene Blast!View project page

She's A Mean One
Submitted by Jofes (@jofes123456) — 2 days, 21 hours before the deadline
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Queen Bubblene Blast!'s itch.io page

Results

CriteriaRankScore*Raw Score
Correlation to theme#414.1494.149
Creativity#703.9863.986
Overall#1513.7343.734
Composition#2553.5273.527
Impression#2583.4663.466
Quality#2793.5413.541

Ranked from 148 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.

Judge feedback

Judge feedback is anonymous.

  • What a delightful musical journey! I smiled instantly upon listening. This has a wonderfully playful tone that I found immediately charming. I really like how you’ve set up a clear set of ideas and stuck to them across a variety of different tracks— it can be so easy to allow the music to become unfocused, but I always felt like I was in good hands. It is often very difficult to achieve a sense of *variety* while still holding the entire thing together in a *coherent* way, but I definitely think you’ve achieved it here. I love the bassoon (I think that’s what it is?) in “So You’ve Been Turned Into a Bubble” (also: *killer* track name here!). Your instrumental choices really help you out, and I appreciate that you stuck to the sonic palette you set up in the menu theme. Over the course of tracks for so many different situations it can be easy to “wander”, but you stay disciplined and “on-message”, tonally, for the whole thing— this really helps hold the whole thing together! I would encourage you to write actual endings to your tracks (rather than just relying on a fade out) as this gives you one more option in implementation (you can always fade something out if you want to, but you can’t insert an ending that doesn’t exist). Overall, the word I’d use to describe my feelings here is “delight”— just a really fun, skillfully-executed set of tracks that set a clear musical goal and then achieve it brilliantly. Very, very nice work!

Description
The total length of all the music is 11:08

The style of game I imagined is a precision based fast paced 2d platformer where you die it one hit and have to restart from the start of the stage. you are a bubble so the jumps have a slow fall time allowing for really long stretches of time away from the ground
There would be 8 stages and a boss at the end kind of like a Megaman game in structure
The levels would be kind of like geometry dash but with more freedom of movement but with a constant death wall from behind so you always have to stay on the move.

The tracks in order represent a different part of the game each

Queen bubblene Blast! - Title screen music
So you've been turned into a bubble - Theme of Queen Bubblene
The H2Zone - Town/stage select theme
Nonstopped Unpopped - Level theme
Taking in some air - Pause menu theme
Octo-Popper Supreme - Final Boss Theme
Surfacing - Credits theme

I wanted to compose each track to be fun and easy to lise yourself in. I didn't want listeners to get bored so each song is only as long as necessary since I wanted to make sure people would remain engaged and have good impressions of each song.

many of the songs have intros to really set a mood for each track

I also included a leitmotif in almost every single the a series of 8 notes that goes - High Mid Low High Mid Low Mid Low - with varying tones, distances, and feelings.

I used FL studio to compose and generally started with the bassline and percussion since they were the most important part of the vibe I wanted.

Message from the artist
I'm sorry about the novel I wrote below I just had so many ideas about my music I wanted to share and I didn't want to leave anything out.

I HIGHLY RECCOMEND WATCHING THE YOUTUBE VIDEO as it has animation as well as a lot of worldbuilding for the game I made up in my head that is fun to read.

I will also describe some story elements in the "how does it fit the theme" section as well as explanations for a lot of my musical decisions.

Please enjoy!

Theme

Inside my world
Picture theme

How does it fit the theme?
My interpretation of the theme Gameplay and story wise is that the player character is the bubble seen in the picture and the little girl is the one that brought you into "her" world. As such, I thought it would be a fun twist to make her the villain of the game.

Her name is Queen Bubblene and she is the ruler of this little underwater kingdom. Using her magical bubble wand, She turns lots of people into bubbles for her own amusement since seeing them get popped and die is cathartic since humans keep fishing up all her loyal tax-paying subjects. (the fish)

She of course doesn't just instantly pop the people she brings her though, she makes them go through rigorous stages filled with her fishy minions so she can watch you struggle.

There are 8 stages to get through before she decides to stop the playing and get serious. If the player manages to beat all the stages it is revealed that the pathways leading out of the city to each stage was actually the tentacle of a huge octopus that Queen Bubblene takes control of for the final battle in which she uses all 8 tentacles in a background-foreground boss fight scenario.
The player needs to destroy each tentacle 1 at a time in order to beat the boss.

once defeated you use the Queen's bubble wand to return to the surface and unbubble yourself.


My interpretation of the theme in the music is as follows, First generally, and then each song individually.

The main thing I did to emphasize the "Inside my world" theme was to not use ANY traditional percussion. No snare drum, No bass drum or kick, and no cymbals of any kind.
The only percussion used are things like cowbells, tambourines, cabasas, guiros, claves, Vibraslaps and etc.
I did this to make it seem a bit more alien and a bit more like unfamiliar territory to really drive home the feeling that this isn't your own world anymore.
Most if not all of the instruments have a filter on to sound a tad muffled since everything is taking place underwater and a lot of the instruments I used have connotations to being underwater.
The xylophone and marimba both made of wood already give an underwater vibe especially the marimba with its deep timbre.
The harp is reminiscent of Banjo-Kazooie with how that game uses a harp solo for underwater sections.
The steel drum is heavily associated with the beach and the ocean in general.
The bass has a deep timbre like the marimba and the tubas are also a very muffly but also regal instrument so they fit the underwater vibe as well as the royalty of the villain Queen Bubblene
The high strings give a lot of the songs a great ambience
The bassoon is another low timbre and muffly instrument to provide something a bit more ear catching than the tubas for variety
and the high horns for one song are there muffled to be a climactic new instrument for the climactic finishing part of the game.
now for each song individually

Queen Bubblene Blast! - I wanted a strong and captivating opening song to grab and hold peoples attention and the first verse after the intro prominently uses the leitmotif of the game.

So you've been turned into a bubble - This was the first track I made and it represents Queen Bubblene herself. I wanted it to be royal and naughty at the same time hence the heavy use of tubas and bassoon

The H2Zone - I wanted the town theme to be simple and catchy. bouncy enough to get stuck in your head and simple enough that it feels like a town theme.

Nonstopped Unpopped - I wanted it to be fast but not too fast since it's not meant to be a super speedy game its more like a precision platformer that forces you to not take your time that much.

Taking in some air - Since this is the pause menu theme I wanted it to be simple and short. The bass and strings are the only instruments besides the percussion. and the percussion is meant to sort of mimic menu noises which is why they sort of take the melody.

Octo-Popper Supreme - This song starts at 100 BPM and ramps up to 188 BPM since it is an octopus so I thought that would be a fun use of the tempo to further tie everything together. The song stays at 188 BPM for the remainder but it is played as though it is in half time so it doesn't actually feel that fast since the boss fight plays more like a waiting game of dodging the many attacks of Queen Bubblene before you get a turn to strike so having a to fast paced song would not be as fitting. It is the only song to have the horns since they are regal like the tubas but a lot more leading which fits a final battle as Jazzy as this one.
The rising intro is there as the scene where the boss reveals itself and then does a big scream before commencing the gameplay.

Surfacing - It starts with the leitmotif as a nice sendoff to the game. the harps play upward chords representing your ascent back to the human world. the song is also quite short since the credits would be rather short too for this small little game that I made up.

If you read all of this then thank you! I put a lot of work into making this as good as I possibly could and it means a lot to me that people care about why I made my music the way I did.

Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
LINKS

YOUTUBE:

FULL OST - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSxOonm2tT0


Queen Bubblene Blast! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZC6signojA

So You've Been Turned Into A Bubble - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo5jz7JjfoE

The H2Zone - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaCi1rxrIHg

Nonstopped Unpopped - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXKACnKocDQ

Taking In Some Air - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mm6wrjzsOc

Octo-Popper Supreme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMx-A2RMiJQ

Surfacing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMw7_ZeuN9Y


SOUNDCLOUD:

Queen Bubblene Blast! - https://soundcloud.com/joseph-black-16953843/queen-bubblene-blast

So You've Been Turned Into A Bubble - https://soundcloud.com/joseph-black-16953843/so-youve-been-turned-into-a-bubble

The H2Zone - https://soundcloud.com/joseph-black-16953843/the-h2zone

Nonstopped Unpopped - https://soundcloud.com/joseph-black-16953843/nonstopped-unpopped

Taking In Some Air - https://soundcloud.com/joseph-black-16953843/taking-in-some-air

Octo-Popper Supreme - https://soundcloud.com/joseph-black-16953843/octo-popper-supreme

Surfacing - https://soundcloud.com/joseph-black-16953843/surfacing

Number of tracks
7

Genre

Orchestral

Soundtrack use permission

Yes (CC BY)

Any project

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Comments

Viewing comments 40 to 21 of 104 · Next page · Previous page · First page · Last page
Submitted(+1)

very cute and fun!

Developer

thank you!

Submitted(+1)

So beautiful, reminded me of older sega games for some reason! 

Developer(+1)

I really appreciate that you think it’s beautiful that means a lot to me!

Submitted (1 edit) (+1)

The production here is 😩👏👏. I really enjoyed reading your explanations in the vid along the way haha.

Developer(+1)

Thank you for the ovation!

The story was lots of fun to write and putting it with the video made it so I could dole out information bit by bit instead of a huge lore dump in one spot so that was nice.

Submitted(+1)

The presentation and story on this are amazing! Soundtrack was super cute! I especially loved the credits theme and nonstop unpopped. Only real criticism I'd have is that I'm not huge on the bass you used. It feels like it sits a little far forward in the mix, and is a bit loud.

Compositionally this was amazing! Loved the melody writing and how well all the parts worked together. Highlight in that regard would probably be The H2Zone.

Great work!!!!

Developer

thank you!

I tried to make the bass be really full sounding to give the soundtrack a really driving force which is why it’s sits pretty high in the mix but I think my headphones also undersell the bass a bit which is why it might have been louder to others than it was for me.

Thanks for the feedback!

Submitted(+1)

Very fun OST, nice marimba in a totally different context to mine! Gave a great retro feel overall

Developer

Thank you!

Marimba is great in any context because it is the best instrument!

Submitted(+1)

Nice research lorewise! I liked your bass lines :D

Developer(+1)

Thanks!

the lore was a lot of fun to come up with! (:

Submitted(+1)

Wow, with the little stories, it matches a lot with the music... it feels like a game from the 90s, a bit funky.

I like it <3

Developer

thank you!

Submitted (2 edits) (+1)

(I stopped doing the long form comments because I got tired but I saw you wanted one so here it is!)

(the ratings are purely my opinion and don't really have any objective system for assigning them!)


1.) Queen Bubblene Blast! - 4.5

A nice introduction to a pretty interesting sounding game! I was just listening to some Mario beach themes earlier and this kinda reminds me of that funny enough. Nice work!

2.) So You've Been Turned Into A Bubble - 4.8

A nice and energetic song with a hint of mischievousness, I like it a lot! Definitely sounds like something that'd play from a goofy villain monologue lol, nicely done!

3.) The H2Zone - 4.3

A very chill and groovy track, I enjoyed it! So far the overall vibe of all these songs have been really nice and chill, I'm excited to see how the tracks progress!

4.) Nonstopped Unpopped - 4.7

More or less the same feeling as the other tracks, but with the added bonus of a slightly faster and more energetic rhythm, definitely fits the vibe of a semi-fast-paced stage theme! This is also the first song that I noticed the motif you mentioned in the description, so I'm excited to see if the other songs follow through with it as well!

5.) Taking In Some Air - 4.3

Very calm and simplistic with only a few instruments, but that works in your favor for a pause theme. Great work!

6.) Octo-Popper Supreme - 4.8

Woah! I was blown away by the intro and the rest of the song is a nice take on a boss theme! I'm a sucker for Boss Themes in general so this is a well appreciated track. Once again there's the High Mid Low High Mid Low Mid Low motif, nice addition! Amazing performance from the Tune-A Fishes (and Blobfish)!

7.) Surfacing - 4.5

A very peaceful and happy track to end the OST on! This track definitely makes me wanna get some pizza when I get home, a great ending to a great OST is all I can say. May the Tune-A Fish democracy live on!


Overall you did a great job on this OST! I love the vibe you went with and the story to go along with the tracks. I can definitely see this being in a real game! I'm not so sure if the motif is used that often tho, although that's probably because I'm kinda tired rn and my hearing might be outta wack lol (that doesn't stop me from enjoying these great songs, tho!). If I had to choose a favorite track it'd probably be Octo-Popper Supreme, although that's mainly because of my previously mentioned fixation on boss music. In reality, all the songs contribute to the story you tell in a nice and cohesive way while also being pretty well made. Amazing work all around!

That's all I have to say really, have a great day :D

(P.S. I think Queen Bubblene's actions are justified, how dare we kill the legally abiding tax-paying fish D:)

Developer

thank you for the in depth comment!

I believe the only song I didn’t use the motif on was the pause theme but the only song where I give pause for ONLY the motif is in the stage theme.

In the other songs it’s blended in more as opposed to standing out on its own like in nonstopped unpopped.

Also thanks for reading the story I think it adds a lot to the music!

Submitted(+1)

You had some funky melodies and very creative uses of percussion to keep the vibes up! I don't know what bass you use, but i noticed it went a bit out of tune the higher you went, so maybe see if you can find some other presets that have a wider range. I think LABs has some good free ones if you are interested!

Developer(+1)

Thank you!

The bass I used is just the free one in FL BooBass because I am used to it. I also used a quiet synth to double up of the bass to make it feel more full.
I don’t know where it sound sour of tune but I will keep a sharper ear out for it and also look into different bass tools. 
Thanks for your input!

Submitted(+1)

Love the vibe and the tunes! It fits really well with the entire idea of the game!

Octo-Popper Supreme just makes me feel in my childhood discovering donkey kong and some videogame music from snes!

Cheers!

Developer

Thank you for the compliments! I'm glad my music could bring you to a childhood memory!

Submitted(+1)

Hey, I remember you from the Spring Tune Jam! How's it going?

This is some top notch presentation. That youtube video is amazing! The arrangement and instrument choices were perfect, and it all fit the underwater tropical fun vibe so well. Its so cute! I really liked how even the music where the character was in danger you kept the fun vibes but had a little bit of an edge to separate from the more fun/chill music.

One thing I did notice in your compositions, especially in the queen and town theme, was that a lot of the music stays at the same volume throughout. Add some crescendos and decrescendos, strip away and add layers a bit more often, etc. for a little extra spice. (usually consistent volume is a good thing when you have to balance it with sfx, but you don't have to worry about that here so go nuts lol)

Also, love the artwork.

Developer

Oh yeah the spring tune jam. That was the one about robots that I submitted the one with Mr. Hippo on the cover.

Gonna be honest I almost didn't submit to that one but I just happened to have made a song that involved a robot at the time and decided to enter it.

Thank you for the compliments!

The volume thing is definitely something I thought about while writing the music. I wanted to keep it generally the same volume throughout to really sell the video game vibe since I was going for consistent gameplay music like a 3d platformer. Most of my volume mix-ups happened when I took away the percussion or a bunch of instruments at once to keep the volume relatively consistent but change the feel of the songs.

Thank you for the criticism though. more dynamic volume shifts is definitely something I want to work on!

Submitted(+1)

Grant Kirkhope instantly came to mind. I loved the Rare-ware goofy sounds included throughout. I can see this for the game you described, but I can also see this accompanying a 3D platformer collectathon like Banjo-Kazooie. Wonderful job on creativity, and I enjoyed the groovin' basslines!

Developer(+1)

Thank You! I had just finished making an original Banjo-Kazooie OST a few days before this started so it definitely seeped into this which I am fine with since He is one of my biggest musical inspirations.

Submitted(+1)

I couldnt stop but smiling while listening to your music ^^thanks for that ;)

You used the same instruments overall and it give a cohesion! favorite track being the octo popper for sure x)

I think you should work a bit more on the mix.

This is a really goofy soundtrack and enjoyed a lot for that !

Developer

Thank you!

Submitted(+1)

Wow man... You really put some effort into this! The music is great, it's cohesive to eachother, the compositions kept me intrigued, and the vibe is just so fitting to your story! + I love the artwork! - The bass is a bit loud in my headphones though, but that may vary!

Developer

Thank you so much!

Submitted(+1)

It's such a good soundtrack, I like it, it's relaxing and it reminds me of Hawaii.

Developer(+1)

Thank you! The steel drums do wonders for making it sound beachy.

Submitted(+1)

Great instrument choices, feels very cohesive. The video was really clever and I can tell you put a lot of care into it, it was a great way of presenting the story! Awesome job!

Developer

Thank you for watching and listening!

Submitted(+1)

Very fun listen! Loved the quirkiness in the sound selection, and loved the narrative you provided too! Well done, really fits your game idea well!

Developer

thank you so much! The narrative was a ton of fun to come up with and write out and I had trouble fitting it all in the description which is why I had to put it in the video itself.

Submitted(+1)

This is a really great soundtrack. I love the idea of not using “normal” percussive instruments as a way to signify being far from home. I also loved the bass-lines for most of the tracks you produced. Great job!

Developer

thank you! I was really proud of that idea to incorporate the theme even further with musical ideas.

Submitted(+1)

GOAT tier 

Developer

Thanks! It was really cool seeing you listen to it live!

Submitted(+1)

damn, this music really suits the game, unlike my just music

Developer(+1)

thank you so much! 

I tried my best to make the music fit a game as well as possible.

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