Deciding the Next Special Update (Spring 2022)

[Libera]

Having all had plenty of time to relax since our colours update last year, it is time once again to have another special update!  As per usual, we will start by taking nominations for themes from our users.  Each user can suggest just one theme in the thread here.  The nomination phase will be open until this Sunday evening (2200 GMT, Sunday 17th April).  The restrictions are the same as they always are:

• The theme cannot be limited to a single game/series or musical style.
• No duplicates of previous themes (colours, replacements etc.)

The best themes are the ones that are easily applicable to many different types of video games and musical styles, whilst also being coherent.  If you want to see the previous nomination thread, you can find it here.

Like last time, before voting begins the updaters will draft a shortlist of the options first.  This is to simplify the voting and also to ensure that the options will be the ones most viable as the focus of an arrangement project.  Once the shortlist is announced, the voting will be open for around five days.  After that, submissions will open for a fixed period of time (more details to come when nominations are closed).

[Atcero]

April Showers bring May Flowers

Essentially, a project based on the weather of spring such as the beautiful rainy and stormy days, as well as the brighter and flowery feeling days. I think it'd be nice to have the range of both, but understand if it should be split up into two different themes later on or should be taken as only Storm or Sunny.

Examples would be stormy levels with rain, kinda like Shovel Knights final level or a grassland theme from Kirby

Edited for clarity :kekdog:

[LeviR.star]

Because they're really good ideas, I'll be referencing Kricketune's post from here, and picking my favorite. Credit to him, not me.

The Go Outside, Touch Grass Update - Field themes, exploration, any sort of adventuring themes!  A fun listing could also work for this too.

(And yes, I am also lazy.)

[Kricketune54]

I appreciate you using my idea Levi!

I'm actually going to not option any of the project ideas I previously listed out, and instead propose we do a "Request Update", all credit to Static who proposed this back in 2020.

My nomination this time is "requests." We have over 70 pages of unfulfilled requests - that's over 1400 pieces to choose from, and there's a wide variety. I think it might be cool as a way to kinda give visitors what they have been looking for (even if we're 10 years late lol).

There's a ton of options there (already found a few I would consider), and might be a good excuse to clean that board up bit

[Whoppybones]

I love that idea, Kricketune! I've been starting to work on a couple songs from those, so that could be fun.

As far as my own... Food theme. I love food, and food is in most games. Songs related to kitchens or any type of food. I think that's nuff said? If I'm wrong, plz correct me so I can fix it

I've been corrected and told that food has already been done. What about a celebration theme? There's always a need for celebration, and most games have at least a couple. This could be anything from a carnival to a victory theme to a celebration dance to a royal banquet/coronation.

[LeviR.star]

I love that idea, Kricketune! I've been starting to work on a couple songs from those, so that could be fun.

As far as my own... Food theme. I love food, and food is in most games. Songs related to kitchens or any type of food. I think that's nuff said? If I'm wrong, plz correct me so I can fix it

Uhh

About that

[Fantastic Ike]

Dunno if it'd necessarily fit in spring, but a space/sci-fi theme could be fun. (Sci-Fi Spring? May the 4th? Something like that?)

[NineLives]

Dunno if it'd necessarily fit in spring, but a space/sci-fi theme could be fun. (Sci-Fi Spring? May the 4th? Something like that?)

I'd be up for that. A Space Travel one would be neat. You could have different planet themes like from Star Fox, Kirby, Mass Effect, Halo, Metroid, Pikmin and so on. There are definitely plenty of games to fit that bill. It could even just include games with the one space area, like Super Mario Odyssey with the moon and similar.

[LeviR.star]

sci-fi theme

Let's hope I don't end up abusing this one if it gets picked...

[Maelstrom]

Project idea: New Beginnings
This includes songs songs that would be the first you hear when booting up a game (e.g. intro songs, or title screens if there is no intro), first level themes, and any song with the word first/beginning in it or the words that indicate start of something new(e.g. First and the Last from Xenoblade)

[Latios212]

I'm actually going to not option any of the project ideas I previously listed out, and instead propose we do a "Request Update", all credit to Static who proposed this back in 2020.

It seems like a nice idea but I don't feel like this would be particularly entertaining or helpful. With everyone picking random requests, the update would appear to anyone as an arbitrary collection of sheets not unlike a regular update. And... the vast majority of requesters are not currently active, so picking a random request from x years ago wouldn't necessarily be a more fitting addition to the site than something that's relevant today. If we had some way to prioritize requests based on how popular they are, that'd be awesome, but picking up any request from the board seems kind of arbitrary.

[LeviR.star]

It seems like a nice idea but I don't feel like this would be particularly entertaining or helpful. With everyone picking random requests, the update would appear to anyone as an arbitrary collection of sheets not unlike a regular update. And... the vast majority of requesters are not currently active, so picking a random request from x years ago wouldn't necessarily be a more fitting addition to the site than something that's relevant today. If we had some way to prioritize requests based on how popular they are, that'd be awesome, but picking up any request from the board seems kind of arbitrary.

I didn't want to have to say this, but I'm glad someone else put it into words for me; these are my feelings as well. If this is what we ended up picking for a theme, each arranger would just cherry-pick selections from their favorite franchises. Having a cohesive theme is what makes these special projects, well, special, and I don't think we'd achieve that with a request-themed project.

[Kricketune54]

I appreciate the feedback then, I realize now while I had at least one request that I think the person would've had a good chance seeing, I can see how this wouldn't work out super well.

If it's okay, I'd like to replace my project idea to one of the themes I had suggested in my own thread

NSM Sports Club - Racing, fishing, Olympics, any sort of sporting activities or tournament type themes!  Maybe could be set up like the food update but a sports club with different events or leagues

The idea for this update is kind of explained already, but I really wanna emphasize some flexibility in the definition of sport - I think any sort of challenge theme (i.e. like the Kirby minigames or time trial themes, Street Fighter themes, Chocobo racing, dojo themes, Sporty/tournament locations etc.) could also work for this, just to make sure options are open for those who maybe feel like they're restricted to Mario sports, Wii Sports, or Mario and Sonic at the Olympic games. There's a lot out there!

[Libera]

Nominations are now closed, and the voting begins!

Voting will work in the same way it did for the previous projects (you can see the details of the method that we are using here).  To vote, you need to PM me (using the forum PM system is my preferred method) a ranked list of the options from most favourite to least favourite.  Here is an example vote message (themes made using my own patented neural network).

Spoiler

<username>
1 - Music appearing in memes
2 - Featuring Dante From The Devil May Cry (tm) Series
3 - Music to drift to
4 - Himbo themes
5 - Extremely dissonant music
6 - Credits Themes

[close]

In your vote you need to rank every option, with no ties allowed.  If you don't do this, your vote will not be counted.  Also, just like in previous times, arrangers (those with at least one sheet on-site) will have their votes count for double.

The updaters didn't see the need to trim the nomination list this time, so you can vote for any of the nominated themes (as listed below):

The Shortlist

-April Showers bring May Flowers
-Go outside, touch grass
-Sports
-Celebrations
-Space Travel (combined from this.)
-New Beginnings

You have exactly five days (120 hours from the time of this post) to send in your votes to me, after which I will announce the winner and open up submissions.  More details surrounding how the submissions will work will be given at that time, although it will mostly function similarly to how it has done in the past.

[Libera]

Voting is now closed.  I will be posting the results shortly...