Hitoshi Sakimoto to score Western games

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Anyways, this is a great step for Sakimoto in reaching out to a wider Western audience, particularly gamers who aren't as knowledgeable about the eastern scene and the riches that it contains.

Should be awesome!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Mr. X

As I said last week when this news was actually announced, I'm not impressed. As Opoona and Romeo X Juliet show, Sakimoto's best work comes when he is actually producing something different and innovative. However, Western developers will probably mostly request more Final Fantasy XII and Valkyria Chronicles like music.

I agree with Blah on this. What makes you think that Sakimoto is going to quite being innovative?

I think you are making too much of way too little.

I also think Sakimoto has achieved enough commercial success and has worked with enough valuable IPS to hold the reins to do what he wants musically for each of his projects.
The connotation that he is going to "lose" his innovative musically while writing for Western games is completely unfounded. See if you still don't feel this way after he has actually released a soundtrack. Otherwise, you are simply talking through your hat.

He's a versatile composer and I very much doubt he is going to betray the instincts which make him an individual voice.

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Originally Posted by Mr. X

Despite the assumptions of RainMan, Sakimoto generally likes to conform to the requests made from companies and it's usually them that decide on the approximate style of music to be adopted.

You could be right. Then again, I am not making assumptions indicating that it will be a bad fit. Nor am I attempting to pigeonhole Sakimoto into why he CAN'T and SHOULD NOT try to write for Western video game music. You assume it will not work. You are assuming a great deal more than I.

Originally Posted by Mr. X

Despite the correct assumptions of my general anti-Americanism, it's not really much to do with East vs. West.

I think it has more to do with this than you are admitting. You started and ended this particular bit of text in a way which contradicts itself. If you don't like what Western VGM is doing, and are 'Anti-American' by your own admission, then it very much becomes a question of east vs. west, though I agree that it shouldn't ever enter the equation for this discussion.

Seeing some of your earlier text, I think it's very clear what you were attempting to say but I don't think this really needs to get into a debate over something so trivial.

Originally Posted by Mr. X

BTW, RainMan, do you realize how your opinions have radically changed with the flick of a light switch. I can definitely remember you stating that you found Western game music commercialistic and homogenous (to which I argued otherwise) and that you found Sakimoto's work on Final Fantasy XII mostly uninspiring (to which I argued otherwise).

My ideas of music are not necessarily static and neither are my opinions. I have the capacity to change my ideas about the way things work. Even so, I don't agree with basically anything you are saying in this thread, so I fail to see the significance of bringing this up.

Originally Posted by Mr. X

It's nevertheless encouraging most people are being so positive about this. I guess Sakimoto hate isn't as prevalent as I thought.

Hitoshi Sakimoto is one of my favorite composers and will continue to hold that distinction based on the work he has created up to this point. Regardless of how his integration into a more western vgm role plays out, I'll continue to support Sakimoto by listening to his music. I believe if anyone can make such a switch without surrendering their musical vision, it's Sakimoto.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Here then... This is not going to become a crap fest, X.

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Sakimoto's best work comes when he is actually producing something different and innovative.

What right do you have to actually claim what is different, innovative or even how this plays a part in detailing the quality of his best work? Why this is note-worthy is that you use these 'findings' to place limitations upon Sakimoto in a way which is quite pessimistic and short-sighted.

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However, Western developers will probably mostly request more Final Fantasy XII and Valkyria Chronicles like music.

What makes you say that? There are a million scenarios that could happen. Not being very scientific, are you? There is no evidence which would state this is the case (final fantasy XII, Valk influence argument) and yet here who you are trying to rattle them off as fact. I am not sure if this is a field you work in, but I don't believe your claims are worth taking seriously, hence my comments.

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Again, it comes across as a contradiction because you're making desperate assumptions. My anti-Americanism is to do with political and social factors, not musical ones --

I assure you I am anything but desperate.

However, whatever you say of this, I think you already know that you don't like western vgm music as much as it's eastern counterpart.

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There is some correlation between my fears of commercialism and expectations of derivative music. However, this applies to East and West.

Might as well get a few things straight then. Music making/game-making is a completely commercial endeavor, for both sides. The business of making a video game is probably a lot more similar between the West and East than you realize. It's an arduous process and they need something to show for it via money. Yes, they are in it to make more money. I believe eastern games can be more creative than western games, but things are changing fast. Maybe Sakimoto acknowledges this to some degree, hence his willingness to try his luck with making a few waves out here in the COMMERCIAL CESSPOOL that is the Western World.

Sakimoto will do fine here.

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'Despite the correct assumptions of my general anti-Americanism' was clearly intended as a trivial ironic statement in response to a trivial ironic post. You wrongly assumed it was something I considered relevant to the debate. *insert Dustin Hoffman picture here*

Well then, I get the feeling that your nose is a bit too stuffy to smell the odors emanating from the rather nefarious farts you are letting out in this thread (in the form of posts of course). This isn't my problem.

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I brought it up because I think you are not actually sure of your opinions but wanted a random debate.

Well let me clear it up for you then. I am disagreeing with you in this thread, and despite the similar stances we may have taken in the past, things change. You've brought up good points before, but none can be found on this page. SORRY. If you ask me, I believe you are being a bit petty and defensive for no real reason.

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I find it really erratic that you posted after Blah despite making a post prior to that.

Well yes, you were being defensive. I wasn't being erratic. I saw the thread, read the basics of the news and made a basic post based upon that.
HOWEVER, I later went back and examined your post after Blah's post. I really don't know if you think this is being helpful or not, but I surmise that you might have better things to do than waste valuable time bickering about such useless points. It makes you look a bit peevish.

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I ask you: Have you actually heard his 2007 and 2008 works? I'm near-certain you haven't so I'm still not convinced of the foundation of your oh so sincere and complete unpretentious opinion.

You forget that I am not referring to your opinions as the END ALL BE ALL FACT, unlike yourself, so I have no need to answer those questions as they don't concern what I am interested in taking from this conversation.
I think you are trying to entrap me into saying something foolish, but I really see that you are hurt that I no longer share a similar view with you in all of this. I am seeing a complete lack of maturity in you, to be quite honest.

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And now I anticipate a load of provocative responses where you continue to make major inaccurate assumptions about my points.

What points? If these are your points, then I think you might be better off just keeping them on the table, so that an otherwise harmless thread, on behalf of a symbol of Sakimoto coming to western games will be greeted a little more favorably.

I think it's a positive thing, ultimately, but only time will tell.

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