OpenMPT release package (moved from What is mptm?)

fluor · August 06, 2009, 12:57:59

Quote from: "LPChip"
Quote from: "fluor"how about an option for including VST instruments etc INSIDE the file format? this way I can archive my songs correctly instead of missing instruments when I dig up the files 4 years after.

Unfortunatelly, its not possible to include VST or VSTi's inside a song due to the nature on how they're installed.

You can zip your .IT file together with the plugins so you know which plugins you used for that song if you decide to play your tune after 4 years, but an automated add system simply is impossible. Also it would be very unwise to do that, because some plugins cannot be distributed like that, especially the commercial plugins that have a huge library of >3 gig. You would then be adding the entire library and spreading an illegal VSTi to others where you might have a licensekey, but others haven't.

Really, this issue has been brought up a few times now, and it just is impossible.

How about shipping Modplug with a few standard free plugins? Reverb, compressor and some VSTs?

This would target the first time users. Also include a track that use these VSTS. I would happily help you out with a track if you need one.

Rakib · August 06, 2009, 14:11:41

Can you provide permission from the VST-makers?

Saga Musix · August 06, 2009, 14:17:57

Shouldn't be too complicated for some of the popular plugins, as I've already got permission to host a few 3rd party plugins on my website already. I think the same should be doable for MPT.

uncloned · August 06, 2009, 15:10:28

re: including plugins

this is an excellent idea

LPChip · August 06, 2009, 15:16:41

Is it even allowed to host compiled files on sourceforge?

I mean, we do want to put it in a package downloadable from sourceforge right?

The same problem already exists with unmo3. I don't mind hosting a special version on my servers, but then you always have the with and without packages, creating more work.

It might be better to create a plugin package as "best free choice from modplug" package, and put those in there.

uncloned · August 06, 2009, 15:23:08

I would be more than happy to host and keep up with the upkeep to host the files if that is what is needed.

Saga Musix · August 06, 2009, 16:13:58

It's not as if we didn't break that rule already, if there was one. Also, we want to get rid of sourceforge anyway.

fluor · August 06, 2009, 16:23:47

1. obtain a set of free vst's. 2-3 should be enough
2. host a small competition and compile a set of tunes.
3. create a first run splash on modplug where new users are getting a link they can click for downloading a DEMO package intended for new users. The demo package includes a small installer that creates a directory for VST and inserts the VST's there. Editing config for plugins, songdir (demo dir) and such.

Or.. A registry variable is set, telling Modplug that it should add the VSTs from the installdir the next time it's started.

Saga Musix · August 06, 2009, 16:46:09

No registry flag will be set and no installer will be used. Those two things must be the things that I hate most about programs. Using installers where no installers are needed and writing to the registry.

We had a compo with 2 samples and only the DX plugins lately, those tunes could be used in theory, although the best of them are a bit too cpu-hungry.

uncloned · August 06, 2009, 16:51:11

I suggest something simple for a demo - at least one.

LPChip · August 06, 2009, 17:58:22

How about organising a simple competition with an ordenairy samplepack? The best gets included with OpenMPT? We can do that a few times with different samplepacks to get a variety of songs to ship with OpenMPT.

Or even better: Competition: Make a song with just samples you made your own, no plugins at all. Max filesize is 500 kb. Top 3 gets their song shipped with OpenMPT.

fluor · August 06, 2009, 18:23:19

i guess new composers nowadays are not interested in tracked music like in the amiga days. to attract new audience, you need to provide professional sound. not much is needed to do so using vst. you do not need a new user intro for existing trackers out there, they already know their stuff.

Saga Musix · August 06, 2009, 20:21:22

How could you not be interested in tracked music if you are using a tracker?

Also: 500kb per song is too big for my taste. Just look at aryx, it sounds awesome and is just 20kb.

fluor · August 06, 2009, 20:43:54

I see a lot of trackers here, but you forget that some use Modplug for professional music, adding vocal and VST effects all in the same program. These people don't care if the *.mptm file takes 20GB, as long as it can produce music for 3-4 minutes, giving another track on a new album.

Saga Musix · August 06, 2009, 20:58:16

Is "vocals" your definition of professional music? It's not mine, at least. And I do also use MPT for "bigger" projects, mind you. Still, this is not a justification for including 10mb of demo songs when the program itself is about 1 megabyte in size. You oversee that demosongs are mostly for beginners, and I doubt that anyone starts with MPT as a "professional". Those have to climb up a long ladder, and once they're up there, they don't care about demo songs anymore, so they don't have to be super big for them as well. They will maybe rather be surprised what kind of kick-ass music you can get out of a few kilobytes. Listen to this, for example. It is made by a "professional" who still (again) uses ProTracker (!!!) for his live-sets. And they do kick ass, I've heard it myself. You don't need gigabytes of samples for professional music, you can get awesome sound out of a few kbytes as well.