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Would Dragon Quest be more popular in the West with a different Soundtrack?

Would Dragon Quest more popular in the West with a diffrent Soundtrack?

  • Of course, it's as annoying as a singing Chris Tucker

    Votes: 127 30.1%

  • No. Sugiyamas work is the key to for the atmosphere of the games

    Votes: 157 37.2%

  • Wouldn't mind. But I don't have problems with the music if I have to be honest

    Votes: 138 32.7%
  • Total voters
    422

Deleted member 30151

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 2, 2017
674
​


Was this already a topic? If so, please close this thread and, if you like, please link me to the original discussion so I can read the different opinions there : )

Would love to create a poll, but this isn't possible as a regular user? Anyway, I just start with the topic now:

So, yeah, thread title is straight to the point. Would the series find more appeal with a different soundtrack in the West? Or a special soundtrack exclusively created for the western version.

I've observed debates in forums of my native language and I had a hot discussion with a pal on the weekend who is not the biggest JRPG fan, but likes new games like Final Fantasy XV, Ni No Kuni 2 and now Dragon Quest XI.

About 90% the people active in the threads and my friend who I talked too, they hate the soundtrack. It's not even disliking it, no, they really hate the music from the bottoms of their hearts. There was a person who was so annoyed by the music that he turned it off, another person stopped playing the game (a little too drastic if you ask me). But the overall reaction is: "Dude, this is crap. The music don't fit the situations and it's annoying".

I know there is a mod in the works for the PC version which adds orchestrated versions of the songs to the game. But this won't happen to the console versions, of course.

I kinda liked Sugiyamas work over the years and his music always fits to the Dragon Quest games. With Dragon Quest XI, it's a little different. There isn't much variety in the soundtrack this time. The game is simply to ambigous for such a playful soundtrack. The songs are rather short and especially on the overworld, you can easily get annoyed after the fifth loop of the theme.

I've read a lot of comments on ERA too where people are complaining about the music. Koichi Sugiyama is going straight to his 90s. I think he said that this was his last contribution to the series (correct me if I'm wrong). But if he really retires, in what direction should the soundtrack go? Continue to stick with Sugiyamas style or creating something completely new? Maybe something that will have a bigger appeal for western players? Or do you think, everything is fine and the music is epic?

Currently, Dragon Quest is hard to imagine with a different soundtrack.
 

sheaaaa

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
1,556
The composer is obviously a fuckhead and I'd much prefer orchestral versions of the songs, but playing DQ11 (30 hours in) I've been surprised to find that the songs are... fine.
 
Dreamboum

Dreamboum

Member
Oct 28, 2017
22,971
Is NNK2 at the height of the popularity it should have considering its high budget soundtrack ? No.

At the end of the day, what strikes the vast majority of players is how the game looks, not how it sounds. The presence of Sugiyama is hardly of any concern in the west, which is one more reason that he can be done away with.
 
The Almighty Tria

The Almighty Tria

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,411
What? No.

Also, the music is great. The mixing and MIDI is bad, but the actual compositions are great and the orchestrated soundtrack show that.

It is vintage Dragon Quest.
 

sheaaaa

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
1,556
I'd go so far as to say that the audience that is required to make a game a huge success in the west does not give a fuck about the quality of the music. I doubt the mainstream cares at all.
 
Bananastand

Bananastand

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,439
I am loving DQ11 but the soundtrack is definitely the worst part about it. The midi music doesn't fit the action on screen at all.
 
Dreamboum

Dreamboum

Member
Oct 28, 2017
22,971
The obsession over DQXI's soundtrack is weird however. Dragon Quest XI has around 70 tracks according to the people who datamined the game rip, that's a regular sized soundtrack for most console JRPGs.
It is more than DQ8 itself

What does it do differently that the same criticism was never levied at Dragon Quest VIII ? It was the same overworld no matter you were on a sunny forest or in the middle of a tundra.

I'd assume most people complaining are newcomers, but I'm not even sure myself.
 
DiipuSurotu

DiipuSurotu

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
53,148
Extreme Kiwami said:
Would love to create a poll, but this isn't possible as a regular user?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

You can!

QsYXwwy.png
 
sn00zer

sn00zer

Member
Feb 28, 2018
6,134
Really the game has just dumb looking monsters. It looks like show aimed at young kids.
 
DNAbro

DNAbro

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,022
The music in DQ has always been my least favorite part of the ones I've played. I would honestly be more interested and excited if the music was better. I have bought games because of the strength of their OST, like Bravely Default. DQ music actively keeps me away in some cases.
 
The Almighty Tria

The Almighty Tria

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,411
Dreamboum said:
The obsession over DQXI's soundtrack is weird however. Dragon Quest XI has around 70 tracks according to the people who datamined the game rip, that's a regular sized soundtrack for most console JRPGs.
It is more than DQ8 itself

What does it do differently that the same criticism was never levied at Dragon Quest VIII ? It was the same overworld no matter you were on a sunny forest or in the middle of a tundra.

I'd assume most people complaining are newcomers, but I'm not even sure myself.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Other than the MIDI, I think a lot of people are blinded by the composer being a huge douchebag and have transferred the hate for him into his work, which doesnt make sense. He is one of the most famous and influential music composers in Japan for a reason.

It's pretty much that "look at that bitch eating crackers like she owns the place" situation
 
Nightengale

Nightengale

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,712
Malaysia
Nah.

The metrics for Dragon Quest games in the west in terms of views, search, etc - are all very low.

At first glance, DQ is niche and unappealing. And the franchise's marketing for the past several generations have not found what it needs to flip that perception or draw broader interest outside core fans.
 
Yasai

Yasai

Member
Dec 23, 2017
718
Vault said:
The Localisation team do an amazing job

The marketing people at Square let them down
Click to expand...
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Yeah maybe, but Square also put a lot of money into the localizing team, which means they care for their western audience. At least those who were aware and looking forward to it
 
Dyle

Dyle

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
30,120
The music is probably the 10th or so reason the series is not very successful in the West. It's an issue but far from the most significant ones
 
LuisGarcia

LuisGarcia

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
3,478
Nah not at all. The mainstream that you would try to be appealing to would not give two shits about the soundtrack.

It's not that bad anyway.
 
cw_sasuke

cw_sasuke

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,547
No,
also we dont know how much XI has sold so far in the west....people should stop acting like it bombed or anything.
 
Tibarn

Tibarn

Member
Oct 31, 2017
13,378
Barcelona
No. The OST in DQ XI is easily the worst I listened in a JRPG in years (second one being Nnk2), for the first time I muted the game most of the time when playing, but I think that what the game needs is a big marketing push from SE.

And why would this game should be popular in the west? Even if the game had a good OST, after completing the main quest of DQ XI it's really hard fot me to imagine this kind of game being popular here. The combat system feels really outdated, the area design is basic and uninteresting, the story can be charming at times but the overall feel is "simplistic". I know that the game has lots of fans, but for JRPG players like myself that only played 1-2 DQ games, I think that what the series need is a modernization of gameplay mechanics, a more interesting story and less area re-use.
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 30151

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 2, 2017
674
DiipuSurotu

Thanks! Poll is added. No one will get virtually beaten to death by a myriad of choices. Just added three.

Since I know the Soundtrack for the western version of the Dragon Quest VII remake of the 3DS was changed from orchestrated to MIDI (I think the same happened to the 3DS version of Dragon Quest VIII), was the soundtrack of Dragon Quest XI changed as well for the west from orchestrated to MIDI?
 
cw_sasuke

cw_sasuke

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,547
mrmickfran said:
DQ would be more popular in the west if Square gave a shit about it.
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I shit on SE everytime when it comes to how they handled DQ - but lets not act like they didnt do anything for XI.

Its on PS4 and the DQ8 follow-up many western gamers have been screaming for. They added a bunch of improvement to the western release and even developed a Steam/PC version. The game also received great reviews and is easily one of the best JRPGs of the generation.

All of these point should be enough to put it on the map for everyone interested in JRPGs that owns a PS4 or a gaming PC.

Release period could have been more optimal and getting the Switch version ready for the western release wouldnt have hurt either....but saying that they didnt care about the western version at all isnt wrong. They wouldnt have bothered at all if this was the case.
 
asd202

asd202

Enlightened
Member
Oct 27, 2017
9,685
cw_sasuke said:
I shit on SE everytime when it comes to how they handled DQ - but lets not act like they didnt do anything for XI.

Its on PS4 and the DQ8 follow-up many western gamers have been screaming for. They added a bunch of improvement to the western release and even developed a Steam/PC version. The game also received great reviews and is easily one of the best JRPGs of the generation.

All of these point should be enough to put it on the map for everyone interested in JRPGs that owns a PS4 or a gaming PC.

Release period could have been more optimal and getting the Switch version ready for the western release wouldnt have hurt either....but saying that they didnt care about the western version at all isnt wrong. They wouldnt have bothered at all if this was the case.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Well it's clear some cared about it but the marketing budget went all for Tomb Raider. Also release timing was god awful, game should have launched in August.
 
BassForever

BassForever

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
30,027
CT
No, 99% of people have no idea who Sugiyama is, the awful things he's said, or that he's had a negative impact on DQ soundtracks in the west. Dragon Quest 11's lack of popularity is probably a mix of the following

1) the fan base being largely cultivated on nintendo platforms, the 3ds version wasn't localized, the switch version is mia

2) After the first few games came out in English American's in the 90's did not receive the SNES era DQ games for reasons. Then when DQ7 came out on playstation it had a low print run and didn't stand out in the way the 3d jrpgs of the time did. Dq8 did well by using ff12 demo as a trojan horse but the fan base had not been cultivated in the west during the mid/late 90's.

3) The fact it's a classic style jrpg is not the reason it doesn't do as well since we've seen Bravely defaul and octopath traveler do well above expectations. While some might leap to the conclusion "oh because Nintendo" I don't fully agree since we've see classic jrpgs like the person games do well. I think the issue is expectations bu SE, SE expects FF style numbers from DQ in the west, but it does BD/OT numbers.

I think these are the three biggest reasons these games have not been as big as they could be in the West.
 
mrmickfran

mrmickfran

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
27,180
Gongaga
Yasai said:
That doesn't seem fair considering the effort that was put into the VO
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

cw_sasuke said:
I shit on SE everytime when it comes to how they handled DQ - but lets not act like they didnt do anything for XI.

Its on PS4 and the DQ8 follow-up many western gamers have been screaming for. They added a bunch of improvement to the western release and even developed a Steam/PC version. The game also received great reviews and is easily one of the best JRPGs of the generation.

All of these point should be enough to put it on the map for everyone interested in JRPGs that owns a PS4 or a gaming PC.

Release period could have been more optimal and getting the Switch version ready for the western release wouldnt have hurt either....but saying that they didnt care about the western version at all isnt wrong. They wouldnt have bothered at all if this was the case.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Maybe it was harsh of me to include the entire company in my post, but they could definitely market it better and not release it in such a crowded ass month.
 
Aarglefarg

Aarglefarg

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,075
Extreme Kiwami said:
DiipuSurotu

Thanks! Poll is added. No one will get virtually beaten to death by a myriad of choices. Just added three.

Since I know the Soundtrack for the western version of the Dragon Quest VII remake of the 3DS was changed from orchestrated to MIDI (I think the same happened to the 3DS version of Dragon Quest VIII), was the soundtrack of Dragon Quest XI changed as well for the west from orchestrated to MIDI?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
No, DQ11 had the same soundtrack between regions. But you are right on DQ7 and DQ8 on 3DS. The opposite was the case with DQ8 on PS2 though, with the international release having an orchestrated soundtrack.
 

Deleted member 10060

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
959
I definitely think it would. Outside of the terrible sound quality, the variation is just abysmal. Th same handful of tracks are repeated relentlessly, and it's grating. There is hardly any mood music, and often music doesn't even change when a cutscene pops up. It's incredibly grating, and it's such an amateurish presentation compared to the stellar musical output we're used to from Square Enix.

Sugiyama's older compositions are legendary, but I honestly think future games will be better off with a new composer who takes their work a bit more seriously.
 
BriGuy

BriGuy

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,275
DQ is a very old school JRPG series that hasn't made huge strides in its core game play since the NES titles. That was a niche market in the west even back then.
 
DiipuSurotu

DiipuSurotu

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
53,148
XI didn't even sell all that well in Japan: 3 million units both consoles included. It would be a good number for a random JRPG game but it's disappointing for a DQ game in Japan.
 
Egida

Egida

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,398
DQ XI is shaping to be one of my GOTY contenders. I think the music is fine, but way too loud, so I turned it down in the settings menu and everything is fine.
 
Heromanz

Heromanz

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
20,202
cw_sasuke said:
I shit on SE everytime when it comes to how they handled DQ - but lets not act like they didnt do anything for XI.

Its on PS4 and the DQ8 follow-up many western gamers have been screaming for. They added a bunch of improvement to the western release and even developed a Steam/PC version. The game also received great reviews and is easily one of the best JRPGs of the generation.

All of these point should be enough to put it on the map for everyone interested in JRPGs that owns a PS4 or a gaming PC.

Release period could have been more optimal and getting the Switch version ready for the western release wouldnt have hurt either....but saying that they didnt care about the western version at all isnt wrong. They wouldnt have bothered at all if this was the case.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I saw Zero marketing for this game. Unless you knew about it most people had no way of knowing this game was even out
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 30151

User requested account closure
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674
The monster/creature design in Dragon Quest XI is great. It's an overall great design in the whole franchise. That's just Toriyamas style. The bigger problem are the human characters because there isn't much variety. Most characters are looking like they come straight out of Dragon Ball. The enemy designs, on the other hand, are superb. Even the most hilarious looking ones are nicely detailed. The overall artstyle of the Dragon Quest XI shows what you can achieve with an Anime-RPG.

But back to the music. I heard in the past that Sugiyama is a rather complicated person and he made a few statements, war related, which he should regret. But I don't care for the worldview of an old fashioned man who is 87 years old. His job is do deliver good music and in the Dragon Quest series, he had done a very good job. But like I said, there isn't much variety in the music of XI. Maybe the biggest problem is that the tracks are simply too short.


Aarglefarg

Thanks for clearing things up.
 
Aktlys

Aktlys

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,535
I could not play DQ8 on PS2 because of the soundtrack...
It's repetitive and boring
 
cw_sasuke

cw_sasuke

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,547
Heromanz said:
I saw Zero marketing for this game. Unless you knew about it most people had no way of knowing this game was even out
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This game was never going to be a multi million seller...but you are kidding yourself if you think that JRPG fans dont know about DQ or that XI was being released on PS4/Steam.
 

Deleted member 176

User requested account closure
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Oct 25, 2017
37,160
I don't think most people get far enough to hear the soundtrack.

They should drop Sugiyama though, he isn't that good. Does he have rights to the sound effects too? Those are more important than the songs.
 
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