To add some context, this was made for the PICO-8 fantasy console, which (by design) is very limited, so it's immensely impressive to see something like this working on it. Honestly, even just the 3D logo from the intro is impressive, and the rest of the game even moreso.
It was composed by very ingenious composer Stephane Picq and while digging you the original files I figured he did a remaster with the original music advisor, art director and producer for the album: Philippe Ulrich
Well open the Pico8 game, start it and you’ll see it mixes patterns (and imagery perhaps) of original Dune and this Dune II. So partially right, but start a game on the pico8, listen, and you’ll figure it is a version of the same Dune theme.
The confusion between the two Dune games that came out at nearly the same time will forever continue! Fun fact, those two games exist because the publisher wanted to cancel the Cryo game, asked Westwood to make a game, and changed their mind later about the Cryo game because they basically forgot to tell Cryo!
To be honest, the other, Dune I, soundtrack is much more a break-through in both electronic and game music. I'm stating this as s.o. with 25 years of deejay experience in various electronic genres, 20 years of various dev experience, and lots of performances. Also as s.o. who witnessed the evolution of pattern-based music since its very start with ModTracker, ScreamTracker II, FastTracker and Impulse Tracker. I've used them all, and what Stephane Picq did with the original soundtrack is just incredible.
Stephane's work is a combination of masterful composition (complex melodies, progressions, not the typical three-notes of the time), engineering (as the tracks are limited in number in the MOD files) and also synthesis (as most of the sounds he produced himself on various hardware). Of course we could expect more from the mastering perspective, but I doubt this OST ever reached mastering level, and besides - most if not all of the eurotrance that got released in the 90s is subpar to these compositions if you play them side-by-side.
The only times people got close to such engineering feat with early PCs and SoundBlaster/Adlib is within the demoscene, where people like John Valtonen (of Future Crew) could pull. We were all watching and listening in total amaze.
It would help to maintain his legacy if the soundtrack was available somewhere. As it stands, the original Amiga release is not available on my usual sources. And I have multiple sources.
Its kind of incredible the Dune series is known for incredible composers.
Not only is Frank's work on Dune 2 and 2000 considered iconic soundtracks, but so is the original Dune, with its more eclectic style by Stephane who sadly recently passed away.
I'd also add that the new Awakenings game has excellent sound design.
On film, the 1984 Dune movie has an excellent soundtrack as well, with Toto's iconic songs and with Brian Eno's theme. The new movies have a good Hans Zimmer soundtrack, but I would argue a bit less innovative and more safe than the above scores.
Hah. This takes me back. Classic doesn't quite cover it.
I will say it's nice not having to click and Move on the sidebar manually each time you want to move a unit.
I do seem to remember each unit made a sound when you click them like "reporting" and when you move them "acknowledged"? Which again was incredibly repetitious but also quite characterful!
Thx @tosh for the posting this
(My Itch followers suddenly jumped, so I figured something was up - nice surprise! )
Glad everyone seemed to enjoy my "small" passion project,
and that it gave people a chance to reminisce about this classic game of our youth (or mine, at least! )
Yup. Building turrets as fast as possible to the enemy base while harvesting a lot of spice and continuously repairing the turrets you build around was an awesome way to win fast.
You take an existing game/IP and recreate it with lower fidelity, usually due to the platform of choice.
It's common to take a 3D game and then work within the limitations of removing one dimension.
Since PICO is severely limited, that's the novelty and challenge to rebuild an existing game inside it. Super fun.
For someone unfamiliar, it's also worth noting this term is used pretty loosely. (I'm guilty of this too!) E.g. Before Rivals of Aether, the same dev made a Smash clone in the GameBoy artstyle and controlset. It's understood as a 'demake' but it's a PC game and is designed for platforms way more powerful than an N64.
To add some context, this was made for the PICO-8 fantasy console, which (by design) is very limited, so it's immensely impressive to see something like this working on it. Honestly, even just the 3D logo from the intro is impressive, and the rest of the game even moreso.
https://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php
And you can attack by simply clicking on an enemy unit. It manages to have better controls than the original!
The Dune2 soundtrack is forever engraved in my brain. I found a GPLv2 program to play the original files:
https://github.com/adplug/adplay-unix/
The music is in the .adl files and the normal/peaceful music are all on subsong 6 (e.g. adplay -s 6)
It was composed by very ingenious composer Stephane Picq and while digging you the original files I figured he did a remaster with the original music advisor, art director and producer for the album: Philippe Ulrich
https://stphanepicq.bandcamp.com/album/dune-spice-opera-2024...
it seems many people were super-touched by this soundtrack, and is indeed a masterpiece on its own. adding much to the atmosphere of the game.
this Sign of the Worm track most definitely still easily gives chills, and Im amazed it was not extensively remixed through the years.
https://stphanepicq.bandcamp.com/track/sign-of-the-worm-2024...
I'm also amazed they didnt take it for any of the movies, as this is super cinematic-like composition, and very distinctive. https://stphanepicq.bandcamp.com/track/spice-op-ra-2024-rema...
Wrong composer, but I very recently managed to reverse engineer the music driver for Dune (or two out of four, at least).
Here's the AdLib/SoundBlaster Pro version of the track Morning played by a reverse engineered driver, rendered by nukeykt's Nuked-OPL3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0l_CYH4njw
Well open the Pico8 game, start it and you’ll see it mixes patterns (and imagery perhaps) of original Dune and this Dune II. So partially right, but start a game on the pico8, listen, and you’ll figure it is a version of the same Dune theme.
Wasn't it Frank Klepacki that composed the music for Dune 2.
Stephane Picq worked with Cryo interactive for the first Dune game.
The confusion between the two Dune games that came out at nearly the same time will forever continue! Fun fact, those two games exist because the publisher wanted to cancel the Cryo game, asked Westwood to make a game, and changed their mind later about the Cryo game because they basically forgot to tell Cryo!
Dune II, the one demaked here, had its music composed by the inimitable Frank Klepacki: https://www.frankklepacki.com/ost/vg/dune-2
To be honest, the other, Dune I, soundtrack is much more a break-through in both electronic and game music. I'm stating this as s.o. with 25 years of deejay experience in various electronic genres, 20 years of various dev experience, and lots of performances. Also as s.o. who witnessed the evolution of pattern-based music since its very start with ModTracker, ScreamTracker II, FastTracker and Impulse Tracker. I've used them all, and what Stephane Picq did with the original soundtrack is just incredible.
Stephane's work is a combination of masterful composition (complex melodies, progressions, not the typical three-notes of the time), engineering (as the tracks are limited in number in the MOD files) and also synthesis (as most of the sounds he produced himself on various hardware). Of course we could expect more from the mastering perspective, but I doubt this OST ever reached mastering level, and besides - most if not all of the eurotrance that got released in the 90s is subpar to these compositions if you play them side-by-side.
The only times people got close to such engineering feat with early PCs and SoundBlaster/Adlib is within the demoscene, where people like John Valtonen (of Future Crew) could pull. We were all watching and listening in total amaze.
It would help to maintain his legacy if the soundtrack was available somewhere. As it stands, the original Amiga release is not available on my usual sources. And I have multiple sources.
Tunes as captivating and evocative as the day I first heard them.
Its kind of incredible the Dune series is known for incredible composers.
Not only is Frank's work on Dune 2 and 2000 considered iconic soundtracks, but so is the original Dune, with its more eclectic style by Stephane who sadly recently passed away.
I'd also add that the new Awakenings game has excellent sound design.
On film, the 1984 Dune movie has an excellent soundtrack as well, with Toto's iconic songs and with Brian Eno's theme. The new movies have a good Hans Zimmer soundtrack, but I would argue a bit less innovative and more safe than the above scores.
Hah. This takes me back. Classic doesn't quite cover it.
I will say it's nice not having to click and Move on the sidebar manually each time you want to move a unit.
I do seem to remember each unit made a sound when you click them like "reporting" and when you move them "acknowledged"? Which again was incredibly repetitious but also quite characterful!
"Frigate has arrived" is permanently burned into my brain.
I've never met anyone in real life that has the same nostalgia for this game as I do, it's nice to see that HN has my back.
I completed Dune II by building OpenDune from source. It was fun to see how impossible that game would have been with the original controls!
I never played it but my flatmate did, and they're still ingrained in my brain. Especially "frigate has arrived".
Thx @tosh for the posting this (My Itch followers suddenly jumped, so I figured something was up - nice surprise! )
Glad everyone seemed to enjoy my "small" passion project, and that it gave people a chance to reminisce about this classic game of our youth (or mine, at least! )
Thx again & take care, all
I didn't remember you can actually build a structure without putting it on concrete slabs.
Anyways, It's a marvellous work of love.
I think it was possible, but it degraded much more quickly, requiring more frequent repairs.
It starts with half health, if I remember correctly
Yup. Building turrets as fast as possible to the enemy base while harvesting a lot of spice and continuously repairing the turrets you build around was an awesome way to win fast.
Incredible feat to ... fit this all in such a small display. Immediately wanted to play it on a very old CRT.
This is very cool! And very impressive that it was made to work on PICO-8.
A small nitpick: I'm pretty sure the sand worms wouldn't eat foot soldiers in the original, only vehicles.
It also building a refinery over part of a windtrap. :/
Oh dang, really? Never heard of that bug before. Thx for letting me know
what is a demake?
You take an existing game/IP and recreate it with lower fidelity, usually due to the platform of choice. It's common to take a 3D game and then work within the limitations of removing one dimension. Since PICO is severely limited, that's the novelty and challenge to rebuild an existing game inside it. Super fun.
A remake, in video games, is usually a rewrite on a more powerful platform. You get better resolution, better music and event better gameplay.
A demake is a rewrite on a less powerful platform.
For someone unfamiliar, it's also worth noting this term is used pretty loosely. (I'm guilty of this too!) E.g. Before Rivals of Aether, the same dev made a Smash clone in the GameBoy artstyle and controlset. It's understood as a 'demake' but it's a PC game and is designed for platforms way more powerful than an N64.
Quite good.