Topic: This is why I like synthesized music.

[Hostile Creation]

I have a bunch of Metroid Prime and Zelda (both WW and OoT) on an MP3 CD, but I just downloaded those off of Kazaa.  You can try that, I suppose, though your selection maybe be somewhat limited.  I found all the songs I wanted, though, and more.

[Grey Ninja]

KnowsNothing, there are several different methods that produce varying results.

1)  The first way is probably the best way, and I believe is the way that most OSTs are made.  In some cases, this method will exceed the quality of the OST if the developer is lazy.  (Square)  What you do is get the soundtrack for the game in a custom format for the system of the game you want to rip.  (NES = NSF, SNES = SPC, PSX = PSF, PS2 = PSF2, Genesis = GYM, etc.)  Popular game soundtracks can be found in various places that I hesitate to mention, but if you tell me what games you want, I can probably find links for you.  This option is not available for all games though, and N64 games haven't yet developed this ability.  It's still pretty new on PSX and PS2 as well, so only a few games have the soundtracks ripped in this fashion.  Anyways, once you have the sound clip playing in winamp, you can use the output to file option to record to wave files of whatever quality you like.  These can be burned on a CD in professional quality, giving you a nearly perfect replication of the original music.

2.  The second way is simply to plug your console's audio out into your computer's line-in port, open up the Windows Sound Recorder, and hit record.  This will usually give you an analog recording (depending on your hardware), and the quality likely isn't the best, but it's definately passable, and almost at the regular MP3 quality.  The trick is getting to a place where the music plays and nothing else does.  Once you have WAV files of all the music you want, throw in a blank CD and burn away.  I have several tracks of Eternal Darkness music created in this way.

3.  The last way is to get MP3s from, or buy the official OST.  Sometimes, such as the case of Eternal Darkness or Killer Instinct, the developers will include extras on the CD that make it very worth your while.  Given that the tracks are in MP3 format if downloaded, and not a WAV, the quality will usually be lacking, but it's definately passable.  The official CDs are well worth your money if you have the money.  Sometimes, the developers will even include a soundtrack CD with the game, as is the case with Killer Instinct, and Silent Hill 3.

EDIT:  Just thought I would mention that most of the VG tracks in my playlist that you see are created by means of option #1.

[KnowsNothing]

Thanks for the speedy response.  I will likely go with #2 becasue honestly, I don't know what you're talking about in the first method.  An explanation would be nice, but don't feel that you have to because latley, you've helped me alot.(Morrowind)

[Grey Ninja]

Bah.  I just got booted from an AA server because I shot a dickhead on my team in the back.  Ah well.  What can you do.

Anyways, method #1 isn't that hard.  just go here and download the soundtrack to any game that you want the soundtrack for.  After that, go here and download the SNESAmp SPC plugin for Winamp.  You can then play SPC files in Winamp.

[mouse_clicker]

You shot one of your fellow alcoholics in the back? You're more messed up than I thought, Ninja.

[Grey Ninja]

lol.  I suppose around here I should type the full word...  In America's Army...  Well basically, I was laying some covering fire down on a popular hiding spot for the defense campers.  I was lying down in a prone supported position firing away with my M16.  One of my moronic teammates jumps in front of me while I was firing off a burst, and I shot him twice in the leg.  A second later he calls me an idiot.  This really pissed me off, as he had killed me the round earlier with a frag grenade when I had ran up front without reporting in, and I apologized to him for not reporting in after the match was over.  I responded to that by standing up and finishing off the job I had started.

He then started a vote to kick me, and people noticed that I had shot him quite deliberately.  I got kicked quite easily.  But at least I had the pleasure of capping him.    The thing about me is that I don't play the game to raise my honor (score).  I play the game to have fun.  If I happen to REALLY not like someone, I won't hesitate to shoot him if he deserves it.  It doesn't happen very often, about maybe once every 7 hours of game time, but it does happen when someone really pisses me off.

Now I am going to go to the liquor store and buy some Sake.  You have gotten me quite thirsty.  

[mouse_clicker]

Sounds like a soap opera there in America's Army- I'd download the game but my computer's a piece of crap. In any case, us underagers gotta do coke, errr, I mean drink Coke.

[Grey Ninja]

lol... it does get pretty nasty from time to time.  I usually get someone trying to votekick me when I jump in front of the 203 operator at the start of the round to keep him from getting cheap kills by firing on the defense team's spawn point.

The thing is that the game has many different philosophies to it, making it seem like a soap opera at times.   There are basically 3 types of people:

1)  Fragrate means everything.  These people are out for themselves.  They will do whatever it takes to up their fragrate, including 203 spamming (learning precise spots to aim to rain explosives down on specific enemy spots), spawn shots (same as above, but in the first few seconds of starting, yielding easy kills), cheating in some cases, and camping in the back where it's safe, while teammates do the dying.  People in this group will usually be cowards, and poor shots when not doing specific practiced shots.

2)  Integrity means everything.  This is the group I fit into.  If it costs me my life and if I lose the round, I will never stoop to 203 spamming, or anything dishonorable.  I fight by the samurai code.  People in this group tend to be very skilled, as they try to fight on an even ground, requiring quick reflexes, and accurate shooting.  Extremists in this group will sometimes jump in front of their teammates at the start of the match to prevent them from getting cheap kills by use of spawn shots.

3)  Hardcore Players.  You've met them in Counterstrike.  They are the ones who go around calling everyone and everything n00bs in an attempt to show how superior they are.  In reality, everyone just wishes they would shut the f*ck up.

[Gamefreak]

Who says Nintendo only uses synthesized music? It uses whatever it needs to in that particular game. For example, while Metroid and Zelda have dynamic music synthesized using MuseX, Smash Bros and Eternal Darkness have good old orchestrated music...and it's aaaall good, homeys....