Entire video game soundtrack category would be a massive punt for me.
I don’t play PC games at all, and haven’t played a console game that wasn’t a sports game or multi-player Mario stuff in like a quarter century.
I couldn’t name current one, let alone one from 20 to 30 years ago. Video game soundtracks aren’t something I pay much attention to.
Basically what you all are telling me is that you know zero video game music at all which seems really strange if not unbelievable, but I guess that makes it not a good category in the same way that traditional balalaika music wouldn’t be a good category.
I suggest not overthink categories. The fun part of the game is finding or remembering great music and send them to respected members of the community to shit on because they have terrible taste.
3 Likes
I do this all the time in real life, it’ll be nice to have a reason for once
Just speaking for myself, a good category for a grab bag will have at minimum thousands of reasonable picks. I’d guess half the participants don’t play video games so that makes this one a little tough.
Apparently it’s even worse than you say, because the people claiming to be gamers here can’t think of a single game that has good music let alone an individual track.
My general tips for coming up with a category are:
A broad genre/topic you like but want to learn more of.
Something that most everyone can contribute to without turning to google.
Something that excludes the eligibility of symphonic metal.
4 Likes
Ok actually the problem I’m having is my usual strategy of ‘taking songs I already know and shoehorning them into categories where they might not actually fit’ isn’t working for these, since I don’t typically listen to anything from the 1930s-40s, or country, or with spoken word, or electronic…
My category doesn’t do this and, gulp, may actually encourage it! Actually another good judging note for me is that I generally turn off the screamy or really hard stuff that people submit to other categories.
I don’t mind searching for stuff, and I will try with all the categories.
I just want more time for submissions, because I don’t even know where to start with some of these.
There’s no deadline yet for submissions, only for submitting categories. You’ll have time.
What Cassette said above as I was typing this
Didn’t I say that earlier? Is no one paying attention to my rants?
1 Like
Category host name : smrk4
Category : A song invoking or evoking the ancient mythology of any culture. Mythology may include current religions if you like, but I’m going to draw a line at gospel and plainly devotional music (as in don’t submit these for this category), though songs with Christian or Islamic chants and such would be acceptable for example. I’d nudge you away from songs that only occasionally name check a Greek God or something, but if you’re stuck and the song is good, that’s ok also. The master LouisCyphre won my category in the last walrus with this submission: https://youtu.be/hurWzo01FpM and something like that would work well here, although I’m relaxing my judging notes to say you don’t have to send me metal, I’m going to be basically open to whatever comes for this one.
Musical tastes: I like metal (but not the screamy stuff), most rock, some blues, some pop. Also into a lot of new-age electronic stuff, but maybe not dance music per se. Neutral on punk and hip hop. Country is generally a no go. I don’t like huddle around the campfire folky stuff, sorry.
3 Likes
I’m feeling bad for you guys. Maybe mine should just be “a good song.” Open things up a bit.
5 Likes
an okay song will be easier
5 Likes
Let’s not get ridiculous.
You’ve played the GTA games right?
If you’ve put on the radio, you listened to a game soundtrack.
I‘ve played half of GTA IV. It was released after 2005 and mighf also be disqualified for obviousness.
Update to my category: it should also not be from a musician or band that you can assume everyone on the forum has already listened to music from e.g. The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Beyonce, etc despite there not having been many previous walrus submissions by them. If it’s someone that one or two other people have submitted over the entire history of walrus that’s probably fine; the whole point is to make sure we are keeping our walruses from becoming stale.
I’m also definitely planning on participating unless I end up not having time to do any research for songs.
2 Likes