Aphex and Rez (Dreamcast)

Had a search but couldn't find any topics regarding this as far as I can tell.

Some adventurous hacking into Beta versions of the Dreamcast classic 'Rez' revealed some very interesting

insights as to what the game was originally going to be like and also indications of where the planned but scrapped

music that was to be used originally was going to be. Underworld, Aphex and the Chemical brothers amongst others

were to be used in the game but the rights were denied in the final version.

Does anyone know why the deal with Warp and Sega to use (speculation is that "Come to Daddy" was

the main track to be included) Aphex's music fell through? Was it Richard's decision or Warp's. It's interesting

because Rez on the Dreamcast was intially a commerical failure in Japan but went on to achieve a cult following and

then of course was later re-released for PS2 and in its Xbox HD version. Were Warp asking too much for Aphex's inclusion? Maybe

they didn't think the game was going to be a hit.

Grab taken from a Rez Beta .

Come To Daddy would have been a horrible choice for that game.

  On 2/8/2012 at 4:26 AM, Smettingham Rutherford IV said:

Come To Daddy would have been a horrible choice for that game.

Yeah, it's one of those things where it's hard to imagine the music in a game being anything else but what was finally released but I do think

Aphex's music in that level would have made the feel quite different. Some progress was made into dissecting the game's internal sequencer in the Beta versions and apparently the way it utilizes midi files is unusual and fairly complex for its time. Had "Come to Daddy"

actually ended up in the game, it might have been quite different to how we imagine because of the way the game triggers certain

layers of music at certain points. I reckon it would have been pretty effective. But it could have been a different, more suitable track by him of course.It is just speculation that it was "Come to Daddy" they were tying to use in the game.

People messing with the beta have been so far unable to find a way to impliment custom music into the game (unlike say, hacks of Guitar Hero).

I only played Rez once about 10 years ago but I seem to recall the music reminded me a lot of the AI comps and early Warp stuff, I reckon Polygon Window would have fitted right in.

Ah good spot - It's probably just place-holder text for the kind of track they wanted to get for each level but is interesting all the same. I know for sure that development builds did indeed feature music by Underworld (hey, why do you think the game is called Rez for a start!) though probably rights (or cost ...) probably prevented their use in the end.

Here's a video when it was still known as K-Project / Vibes featuring Underworld's Cowgirl/Rez :

damn thats a real shame. did sega/uga actually approach warp/richard? richard couldve given them his rephlex stuff unless he also wanted a lot of money for it...

Games publishers are (from what I've heard) really fucking stingy with royalties, in most cases only paying the musician a flat fee in the sense of a remix.

if indeed Aphex was meant to be in it, I'm sure he probably told them to fuck off when they offered a pittance.

and I don't blame him.

its better it wasn't included anyway; the soundtrack as is is perfect for that game.

  On 2/8/2012 at 2:24 PM, Jonas said:

Is this a fact or your assumption? Could just be wishful thinking, fantasizing on the part of the developers?

\

No, it's fact. Basically, if the talks hadn't fallen through all three artists would have been included as intended.

I was just wondering if anyone had any more dirt on the Aphex deal!

There was also a bunch more stuff found that I didn't go into, unused enemies and textures.

The original game was intended to be an even deeper and less on the rails experience with more buttons used but in an interview

with the programmer, apparently the project leader, Mizuguchi-san wanted the game to be more minimal to appeal

to a far wider audience. I wonder if he had a final say in the music choices too? I do agree it didn't suffer and I

wouldn't change it either, it's a classic.

Here's a bit more on the development history of the game. The relevant stuff is near the end. : )

http://www.localditch.com/sega/rez/

Mcbpete, great video of the "Vibes" incarnation, cheers! It really did transform heavily throughout before it became Rez.

Cash as a few of you have stated is undoutedly what brought an end to these groups being included.

One last but intriguing thing. I did find something interesting and although it's not Warez as such, It's still a Beta and could be frowned upon

so I won't be linking. Check out K project Beta. However, in the description of the build, at the end this is stated. "IMPORTANT-It's a prototype version of Rez, which uses the original Licensed music (Aphex Twin, Chemical Brothers), instead of the music which was in the release version.".

As far as I knew, no discovered beta build of Rez so far actually had the music implimented (not including Underworld) and only the screen grab I posted had any reference to Aphex. So if the music is actually in this build, I suppose it will finally confirm whether it was indeed "Come to Daddy" that was intended.

that's fucking killer.

Rez is one of my favorite games of all time and I can only imagine what it would be like with a properly fitted Aphex track..

Thanks for posting this!

i just thought about some possible aphex that may have fit and worked well with the themes, and it would mostly be that abrasive early techno stuff

Isopropanol would be amazing in Rez, same with 73-Yips

grass from SAW II...oh wait that was fallout. srsly tho they couldve probably done the whole game with anything richard made/gave them, i really wish he was into it like trent reznor was with quake, he got paid practically nothing but the stuff was amazing.

i cant think of any reason why rich wouldnt want to work on somthing like this, hes got nothing against games and rez wasnt exatly billed as guitar hero. he never came across (to me) as greedy he said he just wanted to make enough so he didnt have to work at mcdonalds.

Well, things get more intriguing! I just found this (really early) concept video of Rez in development.

Check out a very disembodied "colour of the fire" by BOC on the soundtrack at the start!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGwlMwWASNQ&feature=player_embedded

Genocyber, I'd agree with you there regarding Richard. I think he'd have been happy to have been included, everything seems to point

to talks with WARP falling through but I can't seem to pinpoint what happened.

i liked that really minimal bare-bones hiphop beat immediately after

Just came across this on the ol' intertubes, I recognise the start bit on the Trance Mission level but I don't remember any of the other bits being in the level -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB2j2TtGLxM

EDIT: Ahh it's from the OST CD - http://www.discogs.com/Various-Rez-Gamers-Guide-To-/release/178746

Also, Richard's music has appeared in other games, so don't think he refuses all offers...

  On 4/16/2012 at 4:26 PM, Joyrex said:

Also, Richard's music has appeared in other games, so don't think he refuses all offers...

which games? the only game i know is wipeout pure and in that case it was probably warp that shoved his stuff into the game, i doubt hed want his tracks on a compilation next to tiesto and royksopp. i reckon warp never even told him when they were approached by sega who probably couldnt afford it.

  On 4/18/2012 at 3:56 AM, genocyber said:

it was probably warp that shoved his stuff into the game, i doubt hed want his tracks on a compilation next to tiesto and royksopp.

Sort of spooky you mention that. "Windowlicker" is included on the new PS Vita game "Lumines Electronic Symphony", along with (ironically considering the REZ tracklist talked about previously) The Chemical Brother,Underworld and Ken Ishi and a bunch of others like The Petshop boys and Howard Jones!

  On 4/18/2012 at 3:56 AM, genocyber said:

  On 4/16/2012 at 4:26 PM, Joyrex said:

Also, Richard's music has appeared in other games, so don't think he refuses all offers...

 

which games? the only game i know is wipeout pure and in that case it was probably warp that shoved his stuff into the game, i doubt hed want his tracks on a compilation next to tiesto and royksopp. i reckon warp never even told him when they were approached by sega who probably couldnt afford it.

hmm, seeing how both the tracks he gave them were originally on the Analords which is from Richard's own label (Rephlex), and not Warp, I'd have to disagree. I guess 'Naks Acid' was on the LFO/AFX release, that was sold through Warp mart but I'm still saying no to the Warp thing

Windowlicker also appears on the recently released Lumines: Electric Symphony for the PS Vita.

  On 4/19/2012 at 6:50 AM, PhonicBoyOnDope said:

  On 4/18/2012 at 3:56 AM, genocyber said:

  On 4/16/2012 at 4:26 PM, Joyrex said:

Also, Richard's music has appeared in other games, so don't think he refuses all offers...

 

which games? the only game i know is wipeout pure and in that case it was probably warp that shoved his stuff into the game, i doubt hed want his tracks on a compilation next to tiesto and royksopp. i reckon warp never even told him when they were approached by sega who probably couldnt afford it.

 

hmm, seeing how both the tracks he gave them were originally on the Analords which is from Richard's own label (Rephlex), and not Warp, I'd have to disagree. I guess 'Naks Acid' was on the LFO/AFX release, that was sold through Warp mart but I'm still saying no to the Warp thing

which analord release were naks/masplid on? it says that the lfo/afx release was on warp http://www.discogs.com/LFO-AFX-Untitled/release/494794

i really wouldn't be surprised if Richard himself gave them the rights directly, after all exclusively rephlex records artists were featured on Man Hunt by Rockstar games. I think even the OST for the game was a disc off rephlex records (if i remember correctly)

Yeah, Rephlex did release the Manhunter CD OST, with tonnes of Rephlex celebrity remixes.

  On 4/20/2012 at 8:11 AM, genocyber said:

  On 4/19/2012 at 6:50 AM, PhonicBoyOnDope said:

  On 4/18/2012 at 3:56 AM, genocyber said:

  On 4/16/2012 at 4:26 PM, Joyrex said:

Also, Richard's music has appeared in other games, so don't think he refuses all offers...

 

which games? the only game i know is wipeout pure and in that case it was probably warp that shoved his stuff into the game, i doubt hed want his tracks on a compilation next to tiesto and royksopp. i reckon warp never even told him when they were approached by sega who probably couldnt afford it.

 

hmm, seeing how both the tracks he gave them were originally on the Analords which is from Richard's own label (Rephlex), and not Warp, I'd have to disagree. I guess 'Naks Acid' was on the LFO/AFX release, that was sold through Warp mart but I'm still saying no to the Warp thing

 

which analord release were naks/masplid on? it says that the lfo/afx release was on warp http://www.discogs.c.../release/494794

  Quote

I guess 'Naks Acid' was on the LFO/AFX release, that was sold through Warp mart

that's exactly why I said that bud... anyways I still consider it analord as I'm sure others do, it's other track besids 'Naks Acid' is '46 Analord-Masplid' where it's said it's an obvious addition to the analord series, also the original analords are right around 45 tracks or so depending on how you break them down, previously discussed here

  On 4/20/2012 at 5:10 PM, Joyrex said:

Yeah, Rephlex did release the Manhunter CD OST, with tonnes of Rephlex celebrity remixes.

http://www.discogs.com/Craig-Connor-Manhunt-Remixes/master/151750

This wasn't released by Rephlex, was it? And if you get a list of Rephlex's releases and ctrl+f "manhunt", no results show up