Magic In C

co-authored: @jlindskov
Overall★★★★★★★★★★3.43
Fun★★★★★★★★★★2.48
Innovation★★★★★★★★★★3.94
Theme★★★★★★★★★★1.88
Graphics★★★★★★★★★★2.93
Audio★★★★★★★★★★4.59
Humor★★★★★★★★★★1.53
Mood★★★★★★★★★★3.98
This is a digital version of Terry Rileys composition "In C".

In C is a musical piece composed by Terry Riley in 1964 for an indefinite number of performers. It consists of 53 short, numbered musical phrases, lasting from half a beat to 32 beats; each phrase may be repeated an arbitrary number of times. Each musician has control over which phrase they play: players are encouraged to play the phrases starting at different times, even if they are playing the same phrase.

In C is often cited as the first minimalist composition.
This is not a game, but a musical experience/experiment.
The composition takes between 30-45 minuts.

You are encouraged to sit and listen. The composition is in constant change and the position and direction you are taking inside the game is influencing your experience of the procedural generated soundscape.
Sometimes it might not be to your liking, but give it a couple of minuts and maybe some new and interesting patterns and melodies will arise from the chaos.

Made by:
Jeppe Emil Lindskov
Mads Vesterager Riddersholm
Ronny S. Mikkelsenlogo.png

screenshot

Comments23

n.feofentov
n.feofentov22 Apr 2020, 09:26
Wow, this one is really something special! Thank you for such an experience. I love game jams especially for brave art experiments like this. Love minimalist design and overall execution. Great job!

P.S. Add some cover image. Without it people may consider the game unfinished. Good luck!
Pilarius22 Apr 2020, 13:20
Quick reminder to get more players: Use a thumbnail for your game. Otherwise your game is presented with this grey box. Some great Games are not played because of a missing thumbnail ... You can still change it by editing your submission page :)
kimist4222 Apr 2020, 21:32
Nice game ! thank you !
WhiteFox22 Apr 2020, 21:45
Interesting game. The intro is kind of weird. After a while it's really nice. I was dancing around the white blob like an indian around a fire. :stuck_out_tongue:.
Max Louis22 Apr 2020, 21:50
Very interesting! I absolutely love how the composition sounds different at different sides of the circle. Really cool to hear the layers come to life like that. We tried to add layers of audio in ours to signify different things taking place but struggled to fit it in haha. You did a really great job of it: :)
Ridderfarauthor23 Apr 2020, 13:45
@max-louis We used Wwise to run the music. It really has some really cool features when it comes to music, which made it all possible. I'm not sure we would have made it using Unity Audio Engine.
Thank you!
Max Louis23 Apr 2020, 14:02
@ridderfar Wow, amazing. Haha, agreed, would have been super difficult! Thanks for sharing that info, very impressive.
Ridderfarauthor23 Apr 2020, 14:44
@max-louis If you want to know more about the system, then I have this short description:

Basically we have 9 instruments, including the metronome. Each glowing sphere represents a musician and the color of the sphere represents the current pattern. Each musician has a switch containing the 53 melodies/patterns, plus a silent pattern 0, which makes sure we can introduce them gradually and they stay in sync. Varius algorithms is then used to create as much diversity and randomization as possible. These include rules like:
- The musicians are allowed to stay within 3 patterns of the current lowest pattern.
- Only 3 musicians are allowed to play the same pattern at the same time.
To make sure the rules are followed and there is a general feeling of cohesiveness and randomization, we use parameters that control the duration of time a musician is playing a pattern and the volume.
Max Louis23 Apr 2020, 15:06
@ridderfar that's really insightful thanks for that. Again great job! :D I really enjoyed working in this gam jam - never done it before!
Ridderfarauthor23 Apr 2020, 21:32
@max-louis Game Jams are great. It's a good way to prototype and experiment. I also find it as a good way of measuring professional progress; What did I learn since the last game jam, do and don't, planning, etc.
DauntlessStudio25 Apr 2020, 21:49
Awesome concept, the objects range of sound allowing you to hear what feels like a different composition entirely simply by walking a few feet away was very cool. Great work.
Nico Thomas27 Apr 2020, 10:31
Interesting concept.. not sure how this fits the theme though.
Duke
Duke27 Apr 2020, 16:18
Interesting experience. I liked the "interactive" (only by repositioning oneself?) musical composition and that's what you were going for, I guess. No idea how the theme fit though. Calling it a game would stretch the definition , but I still appreciate the entry :)
Vladadamm
Vladadamm27 Apr 2020, 16:37
That's an original concept, though it's always a bit hard to rate 'non-games' in a LD due to the lack of real gameplay, but well game jams are still a great place to experiment.

Didn't stay until the end, only for around 10 minutes (the 'game' muting itself while in background didn't help with that), but it was still interesting to see how the music constantly evolves in those 10 minutes.
Alexascher27 Apr 2020, 16:49
Interesting and charming experience! It seems like I found a bug, which can or can not become a feature, dunno. If you unfocus application, in-game time still goes. So, when you focus again, you hear completely new patterns. So, maybe you can make post-jam version with fast-forward, rewind, or random starting points?
Ridderfarauthor27 Apr 2020, 17:49
@alexascher haha, I didn't noticed that! Cool! It definitely would be smart with a pause and fast-forward function!
Eran Haas28 Apr 2020, 11:40
This is fantastic! I will have to sit with it for longer when I have the time.

It felt like there was more going on with the pattern generation than just a simple visualizer.

Great work!
Euforia Games
Euforia Games28 Apr 2020, 11:41
RATED PRETTY WELL! HOPE YOU GET 20 RATINGS
Azathothep28 Apr 2020, 14:28
Very cool experience, it's nice to see this kind of games here! I'd suggest to add a few things that could be interactable, even if it's just to be occupied while listening to the generated music; because currently I don't see the point of beeing able to move and it's a little bit frustrating (I don't know if my movements really influence something, if it's the case you should add something visual that makes it clear). Anyway, congrats for this entry!
Ridderfarauthor28 Apr 2020, 22:32
@azathothep each sphere represents an instrument, hence the visual feedback. When you move or turn, you are mixing the different instruments. A simple act as turning 180 degree might change the the focus in instrumentation.
I'm glad you liked it :)
technodragon25328 Apr 2020, 23:01
This is a fun and very innovative experience! This project is unlike any other anything else I've seen. I might just have to listen to all 40 minuets sometime.
Oh and hi Pilarius.
Altruism5 May 2020, 03:27
Relaxing and interesting, really interesting what kind of new 'games' can be made. Innovation prime!

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