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Dink Smallwood Battle Chess MIDI Pack

Description
Dink Smallwood's Battle Chess Music Pack

Music composed by Scott LaRocca and LolitaChix
arranged and edited by LolitaChix

These music files originated from the computer animated chess game, Battle Chess produced by Interplay (copyright © 1988-1993), and are arranged by me. Credit goes to music composer Scott LaRocca who wrote these pieces (except for those indicated otherwize with five asterisks *****. Those that have three asterisks *** next to the title are composed by Scott LaRocca but have extended composition by me).

Battle Chess was one of the first computer chess programs produced for Commodore and Amiga back in the 80's (or if I'm mistaken, a decade before). Ever since, there have been upgrades and various versions to fit the new computer models like Mac and Microsoft. In the latest upgrade (copyright © 1988-1997), there were background music pieces played during inactivity to set a mood for the certain situation of the game (e.g. if the human player was losing the game, the melancholic music piece "the End is near" played). The music clips that I call "Indication Music" were music files played during the animated movement of the chess pieces across the board (when the human player's queen was to move, the file which I called "Fair Mistress or Queen Enters" here played). Except for the Title Screen theme piece, all of those music files and pieces are arranged using NoteWorthy Composer (v1.75c) and are included here in this pack.

In this pack, you will have two different kinds of music clips, Indication Music and Background music. What they are is described below.

Files and Description-
a. Indication music files: These MIDI's are used not for background music but to indicate that a certain figure, whether human or thing, has entered or exit a screen. They can also used to indicate the figure's certain action (A hypothetical scene where the queen calls upon the town's citizens to gather for good news may want to use the "Queen Enters" or "King Enters" Indication music clip. Or, if the news is bad, "Rotten Mistress or enemy Queen enters" or "Cast King Enters" Indication may be used). Clip lasts anywhere from 5 to 9 seconds.
1) "Ally Soldier"- Music in Major containing Flute, drums and tamborine. Can be used to indicate a Dink-friendly soldier entering the screen. Ideal for an armored soldier delivering a note to Dink.
2) "Enemy Soldier"- Music in minor containing Flute, woodwind, drums and tamborine. Can be used to indicate a Dink-hostile soldier entering the screen. Ideal for an entrance of, exit of, or an action done by a cast member in a screen.
3) "Fair Mistress or queen enters"- Music in Major containing string orchestra, harpsichord, timpani and cymbals. Can be used to indicate a queen (or a royal female figure allied with Dink) entering the screen.
4) "Rotten Mistress or enemy queen enters"- Music in minor containing string orchestra, harpsichord, timpani and dark-sounding cymbals. Can be used to indicate a queen (or a royal female figure hostile to Dink) entering the screen. (A perfect example of using this clip is in a sceen in Simon Klaebe's D-Mod, "The Stone of Balance," where Dink appears before the angry queen and the pigging-out King and is about to be executed for being caught not singing in their majesties's town.)
5) *****"Queen Enters"- Music in Major containing string orchestra, harpsichord, timpani and cymbals. Can be used to indicate a queen entering the screen.
6) "Holy figure entering church or synagogue"- Music in Major containing synthetic vocal parts. Can be used to indicate a pastor's entrance in a screen inside of a church. Can also be used when Dink is healed from a healing spring/fountain.
7) "Devil figure entering church or synagogue"- Music in minor containing synthetic vocal parts. Can be used to indicate an evil pastor's entrance (e.g. in a forest screen in the original Dink Smallwood game where Dink discovers the evil Bishop and his followers fonding over the dead dragon coprse). 8) *****"Winter mistress appears or Church ahead"- Music in Major containing tubular bells and strings. Can be used to indicate a church screen. Other specific uses maybe to indicate the entrance of a catholic nun (if such an object is created for D-mod) or an outside sermon by a church lady.
9) *****"Evil Snow mistress appears or ungodly, wicked church ahead"- Music in minor containing tubular bells and strings. Can be used to indicate a screen of a church that's hostile to Dink.
10) "Grim Reaper Awakening"- Music in Major containing bass strings, sopranillo tubular bells and orchestra hit. Can be used to indicate entrance, exit or action of a grim reaper or other figures related to the doings of death/regeneration. Can also be used to indicate the entrance or dialogue of a myth-like beast who aids Dink in his quest (e.g. the sceen with the large lizard in Simon Klaebe's D-Mod, "Pilgrim's Quest")
11) "Monster Awakening"- Music in minor containing bass strings, dark tubular bells, orchestra hit and bass musing beat. Can be used to indicate entrance, exit or action of a hostile monster, like a bonca or dragon. (The perfect example of this is in a sceen in Marpro's "The Fall of Tahmar" where Dink encounters the gargantuan eye monster)
12) "Valient Knight"- Music in Major containing trumpet, bass strings and timpani. Can be used to indicate an entrance, exit, or action of a heroic soldier.
13) "Enemy Knight"- Music in minor containing trumpet, strings and timpani. Can be used to indicate an entrance, exit, or action of an infamous soldier.
14) "King Enters"- Music in Major containing trumpet, french horn, string orchestra, cymbals and timpani. Can be used to indicate Dink's appearance before King Daniel or another Dink-friendly King.
15) 'Enemy King"- Music in minor containing trumpet, french horn, string orchestra, cymbals, tubular bells and timpani. Can be used to indicate Dink's appearance before the Cast King or a Dink-hostile King.
These are only my personal suggestions as to how to use these music pieces. There are several other ways to use them.
b. Background music file- These MIDI's are quality music files (or so I wish) used for creating moods in a certain setting. Clips last between one and four minutes.
1) "Battle Chess Suite"- Music piece in Major containing string orchestra, french horn and flute. Ideal background music for the royal hall or any lengthy dialogue between Dink and King.
2) "Despair in a minor"- Music piece in minor containing string orchestra, plucked strings and oboe. Ideal background music for the dark forest scene or a night scene of uncertainty.
3) ***"The End is Near/Mourn in g minor"- Music piece in minor containing string orchestra, harpsichord, slow strings and synthetic vocal parts. Ideal background music for "game over" indication or a death scene. (The perfect example is a scene near the beginning of the original Dink game where Dink's Stonebrook neighbors mourn the death of Dink's deceased mother who died in the fire.)
4) "Call to Victory"- Music piece in Major containing bass strings, french horn, trumpet and timpani. Ideal background music for a scene where Dink is commended for achieving a small honorable task. Also ideal bachground music for Dink winning smaller battles.
5) ***"Victory March in G Major"- Music piece in major containing string orchestra, trombone section, trumpet section, tubular bells, cymbal and timpani. Ideal bachground music for winning a D-mod or indicating a major Victory for Dink. (The perhfect example is when Dink defeats the specific Boss at the end of "Stone of Balance").
These are only my personal suggestions as to how to use these music pieces. There are several other ways to use them.

If you have any questions and/or suggestions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me at gochauder14@msn.com. Thanks for downloading! I hope you enjoy these MIDI's as much as I enjoy creating them

~~~LolitaChix~~~
gochauder14@msn.com
Released:January 31st, 2009
File Size:28.32 KB
Downloads:204
Release Notes:Background music has slightly better stereo sound. Timpani sound better in "Victory March in G". Also, "Despair in a minor" is not elongated.

Finally, the read-me is updated. Unlike in the original version, where my attempt to describe the pieces sounded more like endless ranting, this version is more comprehendable and more to the point.
December 10th, 2014
v2.00
Score : 8.0 good
spike.gif
Most of the music files are just short chimes, sound effects from the game LolitaChix arranged these midis from, [some version of] Battle Chess. They're not well suited for use in dmods, but don't let me stop you. There are five full-length midis, most of which I did not like. 'The End is Near' is good, however, and 'Despair in a minor' is absolutely great. It's thanks to these two songs that I'm giving this midipack the score I am. You don't have to use the poor pieces, after all.