Alright, then we have a semantic issue here which revolves around the meaning of "original" when addressed to a videogame soundtrack.
I'll leave out the (mostly) meaningless comparison with a movie OST and save us both an headache for another time.
Your point is that whatever comes out from what customers are able to buy in stores is considered "original" and, as such, if you release an OST, you should put on the CD/Vinyl/MP3 what the customer had in its own hand.
I just want to let you know I 100% disagree with this, I understand what you're meaning, but from a sensible/semantic/logical/whatever point, no matter how you're looking at, "original" means in its original form, how it was born/invented/created.
What we get on cartridge it's not original, it's a chopped down version made to sound in a certain way because there'll be sound effects and voices over it.
That's why OSTs of movies/videogames/etc. exist.
But, make no mistake, I get your point, but I think that your concept of "original" is, at least, quite misleading.
and I understand your logic, don't take me wrong, but yes, semantics are important as the whole collecting criteria are based on what's considered original and not.
Edit: ok, I got what you mean, I initially thought you meant the **arranged/NGCD** version mentioned by others, being the "original" because not bound by instruments limits (the composer vision etc), while you were referring to the "master" used while making the AES/ROM ADPCM file...OK, please disregard my pre-edit reply when specifying the difference between OST vs NGCD/AST, as we are now talking about the final ADPCM file vs the ADPCM "source".
So, I stop you right there, yes, totally an OST is not a mere dump of the game ROM file (again, it seems that's what you got from me, but I didn't imply that), my point, in reply to some people's comment, is that an arranged/NGCD version cannot be considered "representative" of the ROM game, that's my bottom line, if I hear violins while they were not existing in the ROM game's music, something's wrong...not original..
on the other hand, I find a mono version of the ROM music being perfectly satisfying, if it was mono in the ROM game as well, given the preservation aspect of it...genuine.
anyway, let's talk about the one below now, with regards to the ADPCM "source" in the OST, necessarily in stereo and full fledged "studio", otherwise not original as you say:
Now, specifically for Pulstar, that "original" above means:
-the AES/MVS version
-mono
-with clearly a questionable bitrate
also, listening to it and comparing for quite a bit, I believe it's fair to say there is no tangible improvement from i.e. the unibios jukebox , except maybe for missing SEs.
Again, I'm not saying such OST is a dump/rip from the cart, I'd expect of course somehow higher bitrate or at least cleaner sound of course, but without tools and listening to both the game and OST files, the difference is intelligible.
In such case seems to me they kept the (original) music really close, if not the same, to how it did play in the game..fine for me...and btw I'm 99% positive it's the same for the Blazing Star Scitron release.
donluca said:
Saying that "the mono AES/MVS version" is the *original* soundtrack is dead wrong
feel free to go and tell Scitron they were dead wrong then, but I guess it may turn out instead, that the landscape likely goes beyond what you are so confidently picturing in here, so let's chill out and do not forget, nobody comes here to teach, we are all here to learn.
as everything with SNK, for other post-94 games the situation could be different, I haven't compared all my CDs thoroughly honestly... how many are stereo? how many mono like Pulstar/Bstar? my understanding may turn out to be equally limited as well, that's why I created the other thread, so, just come and help me making a list of lazy ADPCM ROM games, so we can compare them with the Scitron OSTs and see.