Popcio
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Deadlock pretty much even in its current state is a perfect Moba to me and I love the personality and atmosphere of characters. That being said, there's one Moba that did one thing that I feel could also still be applied and with Valve having access to talented people working on Audio (or made Team Fortress 2 Orchestra) I really want them to try what Awesomenauts did with its OST. Basically, each character having a normal theme you hear in lobby when you mouse over them/play as them in the lobby and more dynamic version when you get a killing spree with them. It just helps flesh each character more and despite the setting I feel like you could do a lot of varied stuff. I currently suck as music composer/theorist, but I did try to come up with something for each character. If you have your own ideas and suggestions, then go for it in the comments!
(yes this is just repost from reddit, but I'm genuinely curious about the ideas people can have)
Doorman: First one I came up with and the one I feel would be easiest to compose. Baroness’ Elevator song. The intro is almost chill and this one few second loop, and it's omnipresent in the entire theme, either in the background, distorted or in a different way. Other radio tunes from Valve games get mixed in in Killing Spree ver. to give it the feeling of Omni-dimensional being which there's more to.
Bebop: I MEAN. His name literally comes from the jazz term of complex harmony and rhythms. I can imagine it being a complex melody just with only one instrument as his theme but killing spree intertwines mechanical sounds, percussion and just more components on top of an already complex melody made with passion, just like Miss Shelly made him.
Lady Geist: I wish she had a sorrowful but menacing and with the class French shanson, maybe with lyrics. The Killing Spree version plays with tempo more, getting super fast, then slowing down from age, I feel like there’s a crazy potential to tailor said song to Geist specifically. Closest thing that comes to my mind and fits what I mean: https://youtu.be/6gee9Qh6iVg?t=7
Billy: Obviously punk inspired. Probably his main theme is similar to what you hear when he uses in his 3rd skill, but it turns into proper at least 70s rock punk song upon killing spree theme.
Yamato: Honestly just make an oriental melody using erhu/koto fonts and add a sick beat and you’re covered, so something like this: https://youtu.be/a2Bw-eZLtEM?list=PLRJMyiugYfVJ7vNIiMdez-3E-YkblaXLy With a killing spree I’d add extra drums, but maybe even add guitar just to show much different side, not the one Yamato wants to show, but one others see of her, the alien/intimidating one.
Paige: Library feeling chill music. In Killing Spree the same melody transcents into Irish folk music/medieval march with trumpets.
Victor: Genre I’m unsure about, but something in style of Planescape: Torment’s/Pathologic OST or Disco Elysium could work. Melody that doesn't want to end, emotional in a bit, almost begging to be finally over.
Abrams: Detective Noir feel, trumpets, a bit of sounding like a police chasing theme.
Celeste: Obviously circus music inspired. Probably best thing to use as an inspiration: https://youtu.be/XORwfYUH23Y?si=TLlvRi7Na0jmId97 Sorry for clowning on you Celeste
Ivy: 1920s latina music, but also a bit inspired by Hechizeros Band - El Sonidito. Could be one of the few character themes with lyrics. A bit like “Spiderman” song but just “La
gárgola” or something idk
Holliday: Influenced by old western music, but more chill and focused.
Warden: Only leitimotif I have more so a cool idea for a name, "Philosopher's Copper" - I know it’s dumb, sorry. Also I know eurobeat and police sirens would be very out of place and time but I almost wish someone would try something like this.
Rem: “Music to count sheep to sleep 24/7”, maybe with potentially a dark undertone
Sorry that both references sources are from Touhou, but those both have the closest thing that comes to my mind imho, maybe just with more ambience.
Graves: Slow but powerful anthem you’d expect out of a necromancer, even if she’s super young https://youtu.be/PrZvWzbj3ek
I know, I know, most people prefer Necropolis’ theme from HoMM3. I’m not most people. But either would work as an amazing inspiration. Killing Spree can add in banshee screams and bone rattling like percussion.
Grey Talon: Obviously Native American sounding theme, maybe closer to movie music. With a normal song sounding something like this: https://youtu.be/laOHHEU4m14?si=-3WorFO_0GiNStFN and killing spree well, I think it’d be hard to replicate impact of this: https://youtu.be/vy7rD7H0wv0 but I believe in Valve
Drifter: I don’t really know besides including his signature whistle of course. But honestly I don’t think his theme needs to be exactly ‘pleasant’, can be just ambience that sounds imposing. The closest thing that comes to my mind is taking this: https://youtu.be/5OUP_Z3iZPs?si=et7qGLuGodcT7c2J and doing horror-GMinor version of it and without the kazoo ofc
Venator: Gregorian/latin chanting, maybe transcending into madness. Just listen to Hellsing OST to get what I mean: https://youtu.be/xsx17OIpxQY
Haze: If only Mr. Sandman by The Chordettes was in public domain then I think sampling it into this deep cover sounding song would’ve been perfect. It even fits the timeframe to the T. Giving her Bond-like track also fits, since I dunno’ if we’ll ever get Raven in.
Infernus: Theme being one you could hear at Jezebel’s. Killing Spree however becomes more distorted, sounds of steam, you can hear it’s about to explode, a steadily progressing track.
Mina: VampireCourtMusic.mp3 or something Violin and harpsichord?
Potentially close to this: https://youtu.be/HBM4HBYelU0?si=N8zhbw3XqfmxMRIl was my first thought
Paradox: Go wild, mixing in different genres from different eras from oldest to newest, to truly showcase her time traveling thief origin. For Killing Spree could be same melody, but arranged with genres in reverse, starting off menacing and futuristic but ending up slower and traditional.
Vindicta: She hums “Simple Gifts”. Something with a similar feel to it, but ofc occult subtext AND please try to mix in reloading of sniper rifle to the song as percussion, I swear it’ll sound good, at least for her normal theme to not confuse players in game. For killing spree I’d actually prefer less noise/percussion in her theme so players can focus on sniping and I think it’ll fit her character.
Sinclair: Magic show music, duh. But also almost sounding like a rollercoaster about to crash, a lot of conflicting melodies to represent Savannah and Henry. Something like this: https://youtu.be/kcNqjp3cU5s?t=11 ? Killing Spree of course adding snare drums building up to something. I can also see it being a musical palindrome (aka music written so it sounds the same/similar when played in reverse)
Seven: “APOTHEOSIS” would of course need a lot of electric muffled effects, electric guitar/snare drums, limiter and maybe flanger, to the point you can almost feel the unpleasant rage. But it should still be listenable. Closest thing that comes to my mind that has only half of what I’ve mentioned but still: https://youtu.be/o45I5kpKUZM and killing spree ver.: https://youtu.be/zHU-DMnyhFY
Apollo: I feel like I don’t know enough about him or of Ixian culture. But could be something very European/ellegant, like OST of Howl’s Moving Castle: https://youtu.be/f7SS57LFPco, but Killing Spree adds SFXs of fencing sword and builds up tension with percussion and pauses.
Mirage: Something Arabian Nights inspired. I think Civ’s OST is often a good with trying to capture different exotic cultures like that: https://youtu.be/kG2pSymg098?si=GdmoA5kkiq2ZQysA
Wraith: Casino/heist music, honestly a lot of tracks from Persona 5 could easily work as an inspiration https://youtu.be/69Km895ntNc or even without the vocals one like Price https://youtu.be/pbwljew1UbE
Mo & Krill: Same as Wraith. Either that or something Turkish or Arabic. I blame Mohammed & Kareem memes.
Silver: I have no good way of describing what I have in mind so I will just say - anime tribal/battle music. I know, it sounds strange, but it’s the vibes I get from her, maybe because of the ears/tail, but like something less powerful, but in the same style of this: https://youtu.be/o45I5kpKUZM for a normal theme and killing spree being closer to it.
Pocket: No clue actually. Pocket’s theme in either version will definitely need some frogs croaking SFXs. I do think Pocket deserves 'Main character' sounding theme.
Shiv: Weirdly enough I want his normal song to be fucked up on purpose, as in it builds up to something really promising but just as it’s about to do it… it doesn’t, it does a fake out and instead loops back to the beginning. Killing Spree finally lives up its potential. No clue on the genre, but I do think said idea for composition’s structure would make a lot of sense for Shiv.
Viscous: Something experimental. Borderline ambient that would take some time getting used too. Also would love some meaty bass in his character. Maybe take some inspirations from Metroid series, but still keep it in Major key.
Kelvin: My first thought was Discovery Channel documentary music. And turns more epic and emotional with the killing spree version. Maybe some bells to make it sound winter-y. Closest thing from VG: https://youtu.be/5b3LMIEcd-A
Dynamo: A lot of synth and space-like sounds to fit with a stargazer that also seems lost in research and his job. Idk why but this track for normal song: https://youtu.be/duAYs4K8yzc?si=JTCsn1D-3EHDtAyz and this one for killing spree: https://youtu.be/luxZl7ZP7tM?si=yX0Q0cbwzoKL7ao_ but ofc different and not bitcrushed instruments. I’m not a music theorist but yeah the chords and progression of this are very close to what I also had in mind for Dynamo.
Lash: Lash is too good to be summarized by one song or music genre. Honestly after making Bebop’s theme just try making something completely opposite to that and it’d be it.
McGinnis: Monotonous song where most of the sounds come from mechanical SFXs and what not with steady beat. My first thought was always being the Magitek Factory/Devil Lab from FF6: https://youtu.be/gurWqfpIzzI but y'know more modern.
Vyper: something with a lot of toxic attitude, but despite leaves crazy good impression. Idk why but the first thought that came to my mind was Trash Pack from Pyre OST.
Normal version: https://youtu.be/MkoRlRCZc1s
For Killing Spree: https://youtu.be/5LMZYnOml54
Honestly this works out better than I thought it would’ve. Maybe it could fit Billy or Shiv more tho?
Cadence: She literally has/had her song in the files. Killing Spree version would probably remix said song into something like this: https://youtu.be/1CGMk_roNaE?list=PLtzah_dj5hUXk--M73cM1oq8twaKW_Axe&t=84
Ratking: Severance OP
Doorman: First one I came up with and the one I feel would be easiest to compose. Baroness’ Elevator song. The intro is almost chill and this one few second loop, and it's omnipresent in the entire theme, either in the background, distorted or in a different way. Other radio tunes from Valve games get mixed in in Killing Spree ver. to give it the feeling of Omni-dimensional being which there's more to.
Bebop: I MEAN. His name literally comes from the jazz term of complex harmony and rhythms. I can imagine it being a complex melody just with only one instrument as his theme but killing spree intertwines mechanical sounds, percussion and just more components on top of an already complex melody made with passion, just like Miss Shelly made him.
Lady Geist: I wish she had a sorrowful but menacing and with the class French shanson, maybe with lyrics. The Killing Spree version plays with tempo more, getting super fast, then slowing down from age, I feel like there’s a crazy potential to tailor said song to Geist specifically. Closest thing that comes to my mind and fits what I mean: https://youtu.be/6gee9Qh6iVg?t=7
Billy: Obviously punk inspired. Probably his main theme is similar to what you hear when he uses in his 3rd skill, but it turns into proper at least 70s rock punk song upon killing spree theme.
Yamato: Honestly just make an oriental melody using erhu/koto fonts and add a sick beat and you’re covered, so something like this: https://youtu.be/a2Bw-eZLtEM?list=PLRJMyiugYfVJ7vNIiMdez-3E-YkblaXLy With a killing spree I’d add extra drums, but maybe even add guitar just to show much different side, not the one Yamato wants to show, but one others see of her, the alien/intimidating one.
Paige: Library feeling chill music. In Killing Spree the same melody transcents into Irish folk music/medieval march with trumpets.
Victor: Genre I’m unsure about, but something in style of Planescape: Torment’s/Pathologic OST or Disco Elysium could work. Melody that doesn't want to end, emotional in a bit, almost begging to be finally over.
Abrams: Detective Noir feel, trumpets, a bit of sounding like a police chasing theme.
Celeste: Obviously circus music inspired. Probably best thing to use as an inspiration: https://youtu.be/XORwfYUH23Y?si=TLlvRi7Na0jmId97 Sorry for clowning on you Celeste
Ivy: 1920s latina music, but also a bit inspired by Hechizeros Band - El Sonidito. Could be one of the few character themes with lyrics. A bit like “Spiderman” song but just “La
gárgola” or something idk
Holliday: Influenced by old western music, but more chill and focused.
Warden: Only leitimotif I have more so a cool idea for a name, "Philosopher's Copper" - I know it’s dumb, sorry. Also I know eurobeat and police sirens would be very out of place and time but I almost wish someone would try something like this.
Rem: “Music to count sheep to sleep 24/7”, maybe with potentially a dark undertone
Graves: Slow but powerful anthem you’d expect out of a necromancer, even if she’s super young https://youtu.be/PrZvWzbj3ek
I know, I know, most people prefer Necropolis’ theme from HoMM3. I’m not most people. But either would work as an amazing inspiration. Killing Spree can add in banshee screams and bone rattling like percussion.
Grey Talon: Obviously Native American sounding theme, maybe closer to movie music. With a normal song sounding something like this: https://youtu.be/laOHHEU4m14?si=-3WorFO_0GiNStFN and killing spree well, I think it’d be hard to replicate impact of this: https://youtu.be/vy7rD7H0wv0 but I believe in Valve
Drifter: I don’t really know besides including his signature whistle of course. But honestly I don’t think his theme needs to be exactly ‘pleasant’, can be just ambience that sounds imposing. The closest thing that comes to my mind is taking this: https://youtu.be/5OUP_Z3iZPs?si=et7qGLuGodcT7c2J and doing horror-GMinor version of it and without the kazoo ofc
Venator: Gregorian/latin chanting, maybe transcending into madness. Just listen to Hellsing OST to get what I mean: https://youtu.be/xsx17OIpxQY
Haze: If only Mr. Sandman by The Chordettes was in public domain then I think sampling it into this deep cover sounding song would’ve been perfect. It even fits the timeframe to the T. Giving her Bond-like track also fits, since I dunno’ if we’ll ever get Raven in.
Infernus: Theme being one you could hear at Jezebel’s. Killing Spree however becomes more distorted, sounds of steam, you can hear it’s about to explode, a steadily progressing track.
Mina: VampireCourtMusic.mp3 or something Violin and harpsichord?
Potentially close to this: https://youtu.be/HBM4HBYelU0?si=N8zhbw3XqfmxMRIl was my first thought
Paradox: Go wild, mixing in different genres from different eras from oldest to newest, to truly showcase her time traveling thief origin. For Killing Spree could be same melody, but arranged with genres in reverse, starting off menacing and futuristic but ending up slower and traditional.
Vindicta: She hums “Simple Gifts”. Something with a similar feel to it, but ofc occult subtext AND please try to mix in reloading of sniper rifle to the song as percussion, I swear it’ll sound good, at least for her normal theme to not confuse players in game. For killing spree I’d actually prefer less noise/percussion in her theme so players can focus on sniping and I think it’ll fit her character.
Sinclair: Magic show music, duh. But also almost sounding like a rollercoaster about to crash, a lot of conflicting melodies to represent Savannah and Henry. Something like this: https://youtu.be/kcNqjp3cU5s?t=11 ? Killing Spree of course adding snare drums building up to something. I can also see it being a musical palindrome (aka music written so it sounds the same/similar when played in reverse)
Seven: “APOTHEOSIS” would of course need a lot of electric muffled effects, electric guitar/snare drums, limiter and maybe flanger, to the point you can almost feel the unpleasant rage. But it should still be listenable. Closest thing that comes to my mind that has only half of what I’ve mentioned but still: https://youtu.be/o45I5kpKUZM and killing spree ver.: https://youtu.be/zHU-DMnyhFY
Apollo: I feel like I don’t know enough about him or of Ixian culture. But could be something very European/ellegant, like OST of Howl’s Moving Castle: https://youtu.be/f7SS57LFPco, but Killing Spree adds SFXs of fencing sword and builds up tension with percussion and pauses.
Mirage: Something Arabian Nights inspired. I think Civ’s OST is often a good with trying to capture different exotic cultures like that: https://youtu.be/kG2pSymg098?si=GdmoA5kkiq2ZQysA
Wraith: Casino/heist music, honestly a lot of tracks from Persona 5 could easily work as an inspiration https://youtu.be/69Km895ntNc or even without the vocals one like Price https://youtu.be/pbwljew1UbE
Mo & Krill: Same as Wraith. Either that or something Turkish or Arabic. I blame Mohammed & Kareem memes.
Silver: I have no good way of describing what I have in mind so I will just say - anime tribal/battle music. I know, it sounds strange, but it’s the vibes I get from her, maybe because of the ears/tail, but like something less powerful, but in the same style of this: https://youtu.be/o45I5kpKUZM for a normal theme and killing spree being closer to it.
Pocket: No clue actually. Pocket’s theme in either version will definitely need some frogs croaking SFXs. I do think Pocket deserves 'Main character' sounding theme.
Shiv: Weirdly enough I want his normal song to be fucked up on purpose, as in it builds up to something really promising but just as it’s about to do it… it doesn’t, it does a fake out and instead loops back to the beginning. Killing Spree finally lives up its potential. No clue on the genre, but I do think said idea for composition’s structure would make a lot of sense for Shiv.
Viscous: Something experimental. Borderline ambient that would take some time getting used too. Also would love some meaty bass in his character. Maybe take some inspirations from Metroid series, but still keep it in Major key.
Kelvin: My first thought was Discovery Channel documentary music. And turns more epic and emotional with the killing spree version. Maybe some bells to make it sound winter-y. Closest thing from VG: https://youtu.be/5b3LMIEcd-A
Dynamo: A lot of synth and space-like sounds to fit with a stargazer that also seems lost in research and his job. Idk why but this track for normal song: https://youtu.be/duAYs4K8yzc?si=JTCsn1D-3EHDtAyz and this one for killing spree: https://youtu.be/luxZl7ZP7tM?si=yX0Q0cbwzoKL7ao_ but ofc different and not bitcrushed instruments. I’m not a music theorist but yeah the chords and progression of this are very close to what I also had in mind for Dynamo.
Lash: Lash is too good to be summarized by one song or music genre. Honestly after making Bebop’s theme just try making something completely opposite to that and it’d be it.
McGinnis: Monotonous song where most of the sounds come from mechanical SFXs and what not with steady beat. My first thought was always being the Magitek Factory/Devil Lab from FF6: https://youtu.be/gurWqfpIzzI but y'know more modern.
Vyper: something with a lot of toxic attitude, but despite leaves crazy good impression. Idk why but the first thought that came to my mind was Trash Pack from Pyre OST.
Normal version: https://youtu.be/MkoRlRCZc1s
For Killing Spree: https://youtu.be/5LMZYnOml54
Honestly this works out better than I thought it would’ve. Maybe it could fit Billy or Shiv more tho?
Cadence: She literally has/had her song in the files. Killing Spree version would probably remix said song into something like this: https://youtu.be/1CGMk_roNaE?list=PLtzah_dj5hUXk--M73cM1oq8twaKW_Axe&t=84
