Difference between revisions of "Rocket Ranger (NES)"

From Video Game Music Preservation Foundation Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
m (→‎Recording)
m (→‎Credits)
 
(24 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
{{Template: Infobox Game
+
{{Infobox Game
 
| Title          = Rocket Ranger
 
| Title          = Rocket Ranger
−
| BoxArt          = Rocket_Ranger_-_NES.jpg
+
| BoxArt          = Rocket Ranger - NES.jpg
−
| PlatformName    = NES
+
| Platform        = {{Platform|Nintendo Entertainment System|NES}}
−
| PlatformPage    = Nintendo Entertainment System
 
 
| Year            = 1990
 
| Year            = 1990
−
| DeveloperName  = Beam Software
+
| Developer      = {{Developer|Beam Software}}
−
| DeveloperPage  = Beam Software
 
 
| Amazon          = B00004SVU1
 
| Amazon          = B00004SVU1
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
'''''Rocket Ranger''''' was a computer game that was based off of the Rocketeer comics. In this game, you play as the Rocket Ranger who must save Professor Barnstroff and his daughter Jane from aliens known as the Leutonians. You must go to different countries to collect pieces of a rocket. After you've done so, you can then go to outer space and kill the aliens. After that, you've saved the professor and the girl...right? Wrong! You have to fight a big scary alien for a final battle, which just happens to be one of the easiest final boss battles in video game history. Just shoot the eyes and he's done.
+
'''''Rocket Ranger''''' was a computer game that was based off of the Rocketeer comics. The developer Beam Software had a contract with Cinemaware to produce NES versions of their computer games. The other Cinemaware NES titles Beam worked on include Defender of the Crown and The Three Stooges. In this game, you play as the Rocket Ranger who must save Professor Barnstroff and his daughter Jane from aliens known as the Leutonians. You must go to different countries to collect pieces of a rocket. After you've done so, you can then go to outer space and kill the aliens. After that, you've saved the professor and the girl...right? Wrong! You have to fight a big scary alien for a final battle, which just happens to be one of the easiest final boss battles in video game history. Just shoot the eyes and he's done.
  
 
The game was originally developed as Nazis winning World War II and the Rocket Ranger has to wipe them out, but due to Nintendo's censorship policy, they were forced to change the storyline.
 
The game was originally developed as Nazis winning World War II and the Rocket Ranger has to wipe them out, but due to Nintendo's censorship policy, they were forced to change the storyline.
 +
 +
The NES version of Rocket Ranger had a very small production staff; programming by Nigel Spencer, graphics by Russel Comte, directed by Patrick Cook, morale by Don Kurtz, discipline by Gregg Barnett and music/sound effects by Tania Smith.
  
 
==Screenshots==
 
==Screenshots==
−
<br clear="all" />
 
 
{| align="center" |
 
{| align="center" |
 
|
 
|
 
{{Screenshot
 
{{Screenshot
−
| Image      = Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Title_Screen.png
+
| Image      = Rocket Ranger - NES - Title Screen.png
 
| Description = The title screen.}}
 
| Description = The title screen.}}
 
{{Screenshot
 
{{Screenshot
−
| Image      = Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Final_Boss.png
+
| Image      = Rocket Ranger - NES - Final Boss.png
 
| Description = That thing is gonna give me nightmares! Especially the sound it makes!}}
 
| Description = That thing is gonna give me nightmares! Especially the sound it makes!}}
 
{{Screenshot
 
{{Screenshot
−
| Image      = Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Ending.png
+
| Image      = Rocket Ranger - NES - Ending.png
 
| Description = Don't wink at me like that!}}
 
| Description = Don't wink at me like that!}}
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
{{Issue Screenshots}}
  
 
==Music==
 
==Music==
−
The music in Rocket Ranger features an 8-bit conversion of the computer versions' soundtrack composed by [[Bob Lindstrom]]. The NES version's music was arranged by Beam Software composer [[Tania Smith]]. She did an amazing job since Bob used Sonix for the Amiga and Tania had to program the music using Beam Software's audio driver. Most of the notes form a chord of some sort, making the notes come together well. The game's instruments use the hardware decay settings that were in the APU of the NES chip. The music in the game does not loop. If you've heard the music to [[Hillsfar (NES)]], you can tell the beginning of the ending theme in Rocket Ranger sounds like the beginning of the title theme in Hillsfar. This is just a coincidence, since Hillsfar wasn't developed by Beam Software.
+
The music in Rocket Ranger features an 8-bit conversion of the computer versions' soundtrack composed by [[Bob Lindstrom]]. The NES version's music was arranged by Beam Software composer [[Tania Smith]]. She did an amazing job since Bob used [[Sonix]] for the [[Amiga]] and Tania had to program the music using Beam Software's audio driver. Most of the notes form a chord of some sort, making the notes come together well. The game's instruments use the hardware decay settings that were in the APU of the NES chip. The music in the game does not loop. If you've heard the music to [[Hillsfar (NES)]], you can tell the beginning of the ending theme in Rocket Ranger sounds like the beginning of the title theme in Hillsfar. This is just a coincidence, since Hillsfar wasn't developed by Beam Software.
 +
 
 +
There is a part at 0:16 at the title theme where the note is supposed to be a natural C but instead is a C#, something that the original composer was embarrassed by.
  
 
Since we have obtained some, but not all of the source code to this game, some of the songs have their original song names listed.
 
Since we have obtained some, but not all of the source code to this game, some of the songs have their original song names listed.
 +
 +
Tania did not wish to comment on the soundtrack.
  
 
===Recording===
 
===Recording===
−
{{Table Recording
+
{{TrackListBegin
−
| Caption01 = #
+
| Extra1  = Internal Name
−
| Caption02 = Title
+
| Arranger = Y
−
| Caption03 = Composer
+
| Extra5  = Programmer
−
| Caption04 = Arranger
+
}}
−
| Caption05 = Length
+
{{TrackListEntry
−
| Caption06 = Size
+
| Track      = 1
−
| Caption07 = Listen
+
| Title      = Ticket to Nowhere
 +
| Extra1      = MAINTHM
 +
| Composer    = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
 +
| Arranger    = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
 +
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
 +
| DurationMin = 1
 +
| DurationSec = 9
 +
| Game        = Rocket Ranger
 +
| Platform    = NES
 +
| Recording  = 01 - Rocket Ranger - NES - Title.ogg
 +
}}
 +
{{TrackListEntry
 +
| Track      = 2
 +
| Title      = Main Menu
 +
| Extra1      = FORTDIX
 +
| Composer    = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
 +
| Arranger    = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
 +
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
 +
| DurationMin = 0
 +
| DurationSec = 24
 +
| Game        = Rocket Ranger
 +
| Platform    = NES
 +
}}
 +
{{TrackListEntry
 +
| Track      = 3
 +
| Title      = Dogfight in the Clouds / Mission Impossible
 +
| Extra1      = DOGFIGHT
 +
| Composer    = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
 +
| Arranger    = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
 +
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
 +
| DurationMin = 0
 +
| DurationSec = 43
 +
| Game        = Rocket Ranger
 +
| Platform    = NES
 +
| Recording   = 03 - Rocket Ranger - NES - Dogfight in the Clouds & Mission Impossible.ogg
 +
}}
 +
{{TrackListEntry
 +
| Track      = 4
 +
| Title      = Heart of the Jungle
 +
| Extra1      = JUNGLE
 +
| Composer    = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
 +
| Arranger    = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
 +
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
 +
| DurationMin = 0
 +
| DurationSec = 51
 +
| Game        = Rocket Ranger
 +
| Platform    = NES
 +
}}
 +
{{TrackListEntry
 +
| Track      = 5
 +
| Title       = Night Approach
 +
| Extra1      = -
 +
| Composer   = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
 +
| Arranger    = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
 +
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
 +
| DurationMin = 1
 +
| DurationSec = 4
 +
| Game        = Rocket Ranger
 +
| Platform    = NES
 +
}}
 +
{{TrackListEntry
 +
| Track      = 6
 +
| Title      = The Rocket Lab
 +
| Extra1      = FIST
 +
| Composer    = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
 +
| Arranger   = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
 +
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
 +
| DurationMin = 0
 +
| DurationSec = 32
 +
| Game        = Rocket Ranger
 +
| Platform    = NES
 
}}
 
}}
−
| 01
+
{{TrackListEntry
−
| [[Title / Ticket to Nowhere - Rocket Ranger (NES)|Title / Ticket to Nowhere]] (MAINTHM)
+
| Track      = 7
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
+
| Title       = The Zeppelin
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
+
| Extra1      = -
−
| 1:09
+
| Composer    = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
−
| 2.65 MB
+
| Arranger    = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
−
| {{Song-List|01_-_Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Title.ogg}}
+
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
−
|-
+
| DurationMin = 0
−
| 02
+
| DurationSec = 43
−
| [[Main Menu - Rocket Ranger (NES)|Main Menu]] (FORTDIX)
+
| Game        = Rocket Ranger
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
+
| Platform    = NES
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
+
}}
−
| 0:24
+
{{TrackListEntry
−
| 953 KB
+
| Track      = 8
−
| {{Song-List|02_-_Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Main_Menu.ogg}}
+
| Title      = Game Over
−
|-
+
| Extra1      = -
−
| 03
+
| Composer    = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
−
| [[Dogfight in the Clouds / Mission Impossible - Rocket Ranger (NES)|Dogfight in the Clouds / Mission Impossible]] (DOGFIGHT)
+
| Arranger    = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
+
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
+
| DurationMin = 0
−
| 0:43
+
| DurationSec = 22
−
| 1.64 MB
+
| Game        = Rocket Ranger
−
| {{Song-List|03_-_Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Dogfight_in_the_Clouds_&_Mission_Impossible.ogg}}
+
| Platform    = NES
−
|-
+
}}
−
| 04
+
{{TrackListEntry
−
| [[Heart of the Jungle - Rocket Ranger (NES)|Heart of the Jungle]] (JUNGLE)
+
| Track      = 9
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
+
| Title      = Mission Complete
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
+
| Extra1      = -
−
| 0:51
+
| Composer    = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
−
| 1.98 MB
+
| Arranger    = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
−
| {{Song-List|04_-_Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Heart_of_the_Jungle.ogg}}
+
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
−
|-
+
| DurationMin = 0
−
| 05
+
| DurationSec = 38
−
| [[Night Approach - Rocket Ranger (NES)|Night Approach]]
+
| Game       = Rocket Ranger
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
+
| Platform    = NES
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
+
}}
−
| 1:04
+
{{TrackListEntry
−
| 2.47 MB
+
| Track      = 10
−
| {{Song-List|05_-_Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Night_Approach.ogg}}
+
| Title      = Ending
−
|-
+
| Extra1      = -
−
| 06
+
| Composer    = {{TrackListComposer|Bob Lindstrom}}
−
| [[The Rocket Lab - Rocket Ranger (NES)|The Rocket Lab]] (FIST)
+
| Arranger    = {{TrackListArranger|Tania Smith}}
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
+
| Extra5      = [[Neil Brennan]]
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
+
| DurationMin = 0
−
| 0:32
+
| DurationSec = 34
−
| 1.24 MB
+
| Game        = Rocket Ranger
−
| {{Song-List|06_-_Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_The_Rocket_Lab.ogg}}
+
| Platform    = NES
−
|-
+
}}
−
| 07
+
{{TrackListEnd}}
−
| [[The Zeppelin - Rocket Ranger (NES)|The Zeppelin]]
 
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
 
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
 
−
| 0:43
 
−
| 1.63 MB
 
−
| {{Song-List|07_-_Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_The_Zeppelin.ogg}}
 
−
|-
 
−
| 08
 
−
| [[Game Over - Rocket Ranger (NES)|Game Over]]
 
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
 
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
 
−
| 0:22
 
−
| 851 KB
 
−
| {{Song-List|08 - Rocket Ranger - NES - Game Over.ogg}}
 
−
|-
 
−
| 09
 
−
| [[Mission Complete - Rocket Ranger (NES)|Mission Complete]]
 
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
 
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
 
−
| 0:38
 
−
| 1.46 MB
 
−
| {{Song-List|09_-_Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Mission_Complete.ogg}}
 
−
|-
 
−
| 10
 
−
| [[Ending - Rocket Ranger (NES)|Ending]]
 
−
| [[Bob Lindstrom]]
 
−
| [[Tania Smith]]
 
−
| 0:34
 
−
| 1.28 MB
 
−
| {{Song-List|10_-_Rocket_Ranger_-_NES_-_Ending.ogg}}
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
===Credits===
 
===Credits===
Line 130: Line 173:
 
* '''Recorder:''' [[User:Doommaster1994|Doommaster1994]]
 
* '''Recorder:''' [[User:Doommaster1994|Doommaster1994]]
 
* '''Game Credits:'''
 
* '''Game Credits:'''
−
** '''Sound:''' {{Template: Credits|Tania Smith|Tania}}
+
** '''Sound:''' {{Credits|Tania Smith|Tania}}
−
** '''Uncredited Composer:''' {{Template: Credits|Bob Lindstrom|Bob Lindstrom}}
+
** '''Not Credited Composer:''' {{Credits|Bob Lindstrom|Bob Lindstrom}}
 +
** '''Not Credited Sound Driver:''' {{Credits|Neil Brennan|Neil Brennan}}
  
 
([[:File:Rocket Ranger - NES - Credits.png|Source]])
 
([[:File:Rocket Ranger - NES - Credits.png|Source]])
 +
 +
The game lists four people who worked on the game. All but Tania use their full names while Tania's first name is only displayed. It is unknown why her full name isn't shown, especially since they could have fit it in the credits screen. Unlike the original game where waiting at the title screen brings you the credits, you have to cheat in the NES version in order to access them. To do this, you must transfer all of your guards to Lutonia and then hold start and select. This cheat will also let you play the final part of the game.
 +
 +
Tania converted some of the digitized sound effects from the Amiga version to the NES version, including the battle cry and death sound of the final boss, the latter of which is only used in the Amiga version when the Rocket Ranger dies from falling out of the sky.
 +
 +
This was the first NES game by Beam Software to have credits. Prior to that, the developer Beam Software had a no-credits policy to prevent staff poaching.
 +
 +
===Game Rip===
 +
{{Rips
 +
| Formats = {{Format|NSF}}
 +
| File    = Rocket Ranger (NES).zip
 +
}}
 +
 +
Ripping NES music is a very arduous process that is beyond the scope of this site.
  
 
==Releases==
 
==Releases==
Line 140: Line 198:
 
{{Publication
 
{{Publication
 
| Title        = Rocket Ranger
 
| Title        = Rocket Ranger
−
| BoxArt        = Rocket_Ranger_-_NES.jpg
+
| BoxArt        = Rocket Ranger - NES.jpg
−
| PlatformName  = NES
+
| Platform      = {{Platform|Nintendo Entertainment System|NES}}
−
| PlatformPage  = Nintendo Entertainment System
+
| Publisher    = {{Publisher|Kemco|Kemco▲Seika}}
−
| PublisherName = Kemco▲Seika
+
| Released      = 1990-06-??
−
| PublisherPage = Kemco
 
−
| Released      = 1990/06/??
 
 
| Country      = USA
 
| Country      = USA
 
}}
 
}}
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
==Links==
 +
 +
[[Category: Needed Song Descriptions]]

Latest revision as of 02:36, 13 August 2021

Rocket Ranger
Rocket Ranger - NES.jpg
Platform: NES
Year: 1990
Developer: Beam Software
Buy: Amazon

Rocket Ranger was a computer game that was based off of the Rocketeer comics. The developer Beam Software had a contract with Cinemaware to produce NES versions of their computer games. The other Cinemaware NES titles Beam worked on include Defender of the Crown and The Three Stooges. In this game, you play as the Rocket Ranger who must save Professor Barnstroff and his daughter Jane from aliens known as the Leutonians. You must go to different countries to collect pieces of a rocket. After you've done so, you can then go to outer space and kill the aliens. After that, you've saved the professor and the girl...right? Wrong! You have to fight a big scary alien for a final battle, which just happens to be one of the easiest final boss battles in video game history. Just shoot the eyes and he's done.

The game was originally developed as Nazis winning World War II and the Rocket Ranger has to wipe them out, but due to Nintendo's censorship policy, they were forced to change the storyline.

The NES version of Rocket Ranger had a very small production staff; programming by Nigel Spencer, graphics by Russel Comte, directed by Patrick Cook, morale by Don Kurtz, discipline by Gregg Barnett and music/sound effects by Tania Smith.

Screenshots

Rocket Ranger - NES - Title Screen.png

The title screen.

Rocket Ranger - NES - Final Boss.png

That thing is gonna give me nightmares! Especially the sound it makes!

Rocket Ranger - NES - Ending.png

Don't wink at me like that!


Issue - Screenshots.svg

This page needs more screenshots.

Icon-Help.png

Music

The music in Rocket Ranger features an 8-bit conversion of the computer versions' soundtrack composed by Bob Lindstrom. The NES version's music was arranged by Beam Software composer Tania Smith. She did an amazing job since Bob used Sonix for the Amiga and Tania had to program the music using Beam Software's audio driver. Most of the notes form a chord of some sort, making the notes come together well. The game's instruments use the hardware decay settings that were in the APU of the NES chip. The music in the game does not loop. If you've heard the music to Hillsfar (NES), you can tell the beginning of the ending theme in Rocket Ranger sounds like the beginning of the title theme in Hillsfar. This is just a coincidence, since Hillsfar wasn't developed by Beam Software.

There is a part at 0:16 at the title theme where the note is supposed to be a natural C but instead is a C#, something that the original composer was embarrassed by.

Since we have obtained some, but not all of the source code to this game, some of the songs have their original song names listed.

Tania did not wish to comment on the soundtrack.

Recording

# TitleInternal Name ComposerArrangerProgrammer Length Listen Download
01 Ticket to NowhereMAINTHM Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 1:09
Download
02 Main MenuFORTDIX Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 0:24
Download
03 Dogfight in the Clouds / Mission ImpossibleDOGFIGHT Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 0:43
Download
04 Heart of the JungleJUNGLE Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 0:51
Download
05 Night Approach- Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 1:04
Download
06 The Rocket LabFIST Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 0:32
Download
07 The Zeppelin- Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 0:43
Download
08 Game Over- Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 0:22
Download
09 Mission Complete- Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 0:38
Download
10 Ending- Bob LindstromTania SmithNeil Brennan 0:34
Download

Credits

(Source)

The game lists four people who worked on the game. All but Tania use their full names while Tania's first name is only displayed. It is unknown why her full name isn't shown, especially since they could have fit it in the credits screen. Unlike the original game where waiting at the title screen brings you the credits, you have to cheat in the NES version in order to access them. To do this, you must transfer all of your guards to Lutonia and then hold start and select. This cheat will also let you play the final part of the game.

Tania converted some of the digitized sound effects from the Amiga version to the NES version, including the battle cry and death sound of the final boss, the latter of which is only used in the Amiga version when the Rocket Ranger dies from falling out of the sky.

This was the first NES game by Beam Software to have credits. Prior to that, the developer Beam Software had a no-credits policy to prevent staff poaching.

Game Rip

Format

Download

NSF.png

Download

(Info)


Ripping NES music is a very arduous process that is beyond the scope of this site.

Releases

  USA.svg   USA
Rocket Ranger - NES.jpg
Title: Rocket Ranger
Platform: NES
Released: 1990-06-??
Publisher: Kemco▲Seika

Links

Retrieved from "https://vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Rocket_Ranger_(NES)&oldid=138597"