July 2007
EMG Live* talks to Lorne
EMG Live*, the weekly podcast of Electronic Gaming Monthly, has interviewed Lorne Lanning on the topics of multimedia convergence and Citizen Siege. The audio interview is ‘coming soon’ according to 1UP.com.
Sources: Atusi
Depths of Oddworld resurrected
Forum veteran Hayley (Fan of the Month, November 2002) has brought back her fabled Oddworld fan site, Depths of Oddworld at a new address, currently appearing almost exactly as it did when it went down in 2005.
Sources: Hayley
OddChat revived
Alcar has re‐created OddChat, the Oddworld chat room provided by OddNet. As before, it is a registered IRC channel accessible through both your regular web browser and any IRC client. To connect with your IRC client, find the channel #oddchat on the server slashnet.org.
Sources: Alcar
OddBlog interviews Michael Bross
Monday, 30 July sees the release and shipping date of Music From Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath, Volume 1, the first Oddworld soundtrack released worldwide. To help promote the album, OddBlog has interviewed Michael Bross, composer of the music and the man responsible for getting the soundtrack released. You can find our interview along with out other special reports.
Video interview with Lorne by GamereactorTV
GamereactorTV has published a video interview with Lorne Lanning, conducted at this years’s GDC, where Lorne was otherwise sharing his experience of Burning Man. The interview reminds audiences why Oddworld Inhabitants left game production to focus on the Citizen Siege film, but plays down progress on the Citizen Siege game.
The video is also available on YouTube.
Sources: Atusi
Stranger’s Wrath soundtrack reviewed
The first review of Music From Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath, Volume 1 has been published by Music 4 Games. Jayson Napolitano praises Michael’s music as a ‘blockbuster soundtrack’ ‘composed masterfully’, saying it it ‘some of the most appropriate and catchy material I’ve heard from a title developed by a Western game developer.’
Sources: Music 4 Games
Music From Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath, Volume 1
Music From Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath, Volume 1 is now available for pre‐order from Michael Bross’s online music store in time for its worldwide release and ship date of Monday, 30th July 2007. Volume 1 of the official soundtrack contains 25 tracks accounting for 73 minutes’ worth of music. Previews of each track, and the album artwork, are available.
According to the official press release, digital distribution of Music From Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath by Nettwerk Music Group will offer the downloadable version of the album from iTunes, Rhapsody, Yahoo! Music, and eMusic. The CD version will later be available from Amazon also, but with less of the proceeds going to Michael Bross.
Sources: Bross.com
EXPOSÉ 5 released
Ballistic Publishing has published the fifth title in its flagship annual of digital art: EXPOSÉ 5 was released today by the highly acclaimed publishers who brought us The Art of Oddworld Inhabitants: The First Ten Years. Lorne Lanning was among the Awards Committee judging entries submitted to Ballistic. The final product includes four pieces by Oddworld artist Raymond Swanland: ‘Bladesinger’, ‘Shadowstorm’, ‘A Cruel Wind’, and ‘A Fortress in Shadow’.
Sources: Ballistic Publishing and PR Web
Stranger’s Wrath soundtrack revealed
Michael Bross, music composer for Oddworld Inhabitants’ Xbox games, has revealed that he has recently obtained the rights to publish the music of Stranger’s Wrath. Currently in production, the official soundtrack will come in two volumes, each featuring twenty‐five tracks, and between them including 140–150 minutes of music composed by Bross for OWI’s final in‐house production. The first volume is likely to be released within 2–3 months, the second volume following approximately six months afterwards.
Michael has also been interviewed by the Russian game music site Game‐OST. ‘Meet Michael Bross’ covers Michael’s life, work, inspiration, and techniques, and includes a series of questions about his past and possible future involvement with Oddworld Inhabitants.
Sources: Game‐OST, Ajiellyn, and Stranger’s Maid