My mysterious hand pain adventure continues, although it’s better than it was. At the start of the month my hand was hurting 7 days a week 24 hours a day. It’s still there, but doesn’t seem to wake me up as much as it used to. I’ve been trying to bury myself in other things, hoping that when I’m through my hands will feel better enough to where I can play again. No such luck there, but I did read the Hunger Games trilogy, which was really cool, and real page turners. I really did enjoy the movie, and I’m totally addicted to the Safe & Sound song from Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars. The harmonies are just wicked cool!
Everyone has started speculating on what Last Night on Earth: Timber Peak will have in it. I was a little worried about Timber Peak not having a soundtrack. If things had been better with my hands, I would have considered it, but there was just no way it could happen. The FANG soundtrack was REALLY hard to complete with my hands deteriorating, which is also why the COPE soundtrack is so short. But here’s the strange bonus: Any time a new game comes out the first thing to hate on is the soundtrack, hell before people even hear it, they already hate it and want to throw it out the window. So, I found this on BGG this afternoon:
From Boogalou:
“Hearing music ripped straight from the Atari 2600 always puts me in the mood to kill zombies 
Personally, I’d rather save $1 on the game and not have to throw the “music” cd straight into the trash this time.
For those of you fortunate enough to have not heard the original “music” cd, here is what you can expect should they release another…
“If you like to play zombie games with dance/techno music then this may be up your alley.” – Steven Robinson (TigerTailz)
“I found the cd that came with the game to be right up there with fingernails on chalkboards ( which sounds great for a horror game, but it’s not)” – Randolph Bookman(shieldwolf )
“Midi sounds which do not set the mood for any horror game, never mind a zombie one.” -Rob Robinson (zombiegod)
“Abysmally bad music presumably performed on a Casio keyboard. I had the misfortune of receiving this in my first edition game that I purchased at Gen Con.” – Jeff Pratt (vladdswrath) “Stupid techno music… Use the soundtrack from 28 Days Later instead, to set the right mood.” – T E (apeekaboo)
Drop the cd and save us a dollar or two. I want to buy the game, not help someone’s girlfriend buy a new musical keyboard.”
So good news! They’ll have to find something else to hate on this time! I’m sure they’ll find something. It amazes me how people can claim to love something so much, and yet hate on it so bad.
marybethmagallanes 
I am so sorry for the endless crap people have dished out on the frog cd’s. I’m kinda neutral on them myself, enjoy listening to them a few times when I get a new game then generally leave them in the box. Still, the things gamers say are just darn mean and pointless. Doesn’t seem to matter how many times they are told that the cd is included for free either. One might be tempted to conclude that among game geeks there is a certain percentage lacking in social skills, or, simple politeness.
I like the idea of game music. After all, video games have their soundtracks. Man, who would want a world without Portal’s “Still Alive”? Pelgrane Press has had some nice scores done for Trail of Cthulhu by this guy James Semple. He’s in a league of his own though, sounds like he can do these Danny Elfman like things with electronic tools…
I’d encourage you to keep at it as health permits. You and the frog crew might consider expanding on how you do the game music rather than cutting back. Bringing in other performers/composers/instruments, doing web downloads instead of or in addition to the cd’s. Do some snippets of dialog, sound effects, like in a movie soundtrack, to mix in with the music tracks.
“Do you think we lost them?”
(heavy breathing)
“Maybe, can’t hear anything…”
“Good, I don’t know if I can–”
(screams, gunfire)
Good luck, and thanks for all the tunes!
You are excellent at the music, so try to pay no mind to the people who hate on it (easier said than done I know). I also hope your hands get better soon, I know that’s something you love doing and it truly sucks that your health is curtailing that. Either way, I’m sure there are many other ways you can and do enjoy your creative side. Sometimes good things can happen when you least except them too. Good luck to you…
I happen to enjoy the soundtracks in the FFP games 🙂 I think your music is very good indeed and compliments the games perfectly!
I am very sorry to hear about what you are going through with your hand pain. I enjoy the CDs included in FFG products and I know it must be very hard to have something impact your ability to do what you enjoy. Just please know that many of us out there really do love what you create and are very appreciative. There will always be unkind, tedious people out there that like to lash out over the internet because it is so easy. I really, really hope you feel better soon!! God bless…
I know the critics are always on the harsh side but I really like the uniqueness of FFP games. There’s no other publisher that uses the same style; using real people for the artwork and including soundtrack to their games. I really hope you keep making music with them, I really do. Plus, it’s good that adding the soundtrack cd didn’t jack up the price of the game. I know we’re the minorities here (liking the idea of including the cd) but I hope it’s not too late to change your mind.
– Damien
Please don’t listen to the asshats out there. If they could do better, they would be. Thank you so much for the soundtracks.
keep it up, Mary beth!
I like the idea of having music included in the games to add an extra dimension to it.
Its certainly a plus, those bad comments you received are out of place.
the thing I like the most about the Flying frog games is that you ‘feel’ the persons/creators behind the games; the photographed art and your music gives that personality touch i’ve never felt with any other games/game publishers before.
Don’t listen to them! – keep doing the CD’s! 🙂
In January myself and a group of friends went on holiday in Wales which involved fresh air, wine and much board gaming and we pretty much had the LNOE CD on repeat for the entire week.. seriously, looped.. actually the only time we didn’t listen to it was when we were playing LNOE and watching a zombie movie simultaneously… (and when we were listening to the supermeatboy soundtrack).
The CD has reached cult status amongst my friends to the extent the when the bells toll at the beginning of ‘Faith’ the room falls silent and we all ‘sing along’ (well, “Duuumm dumm dummmmm” along) with that excellent organ bit that kicks in! The more musical of us even considered trying to transcribe some of the songs and having a live recital … however we soon discovered that our transcription skills were not upto the task..
The main point is you made a holiday cottage of people very happy for a week! 🙂
Luke,
Thanks for all your kind words. I’m so glad you and your friends had a great time listening to the soundtrack. I totally have songs that brings back the feeling of travelling or a certain place.
I have not actually listened to the CD that came with the games…always slips my mind…fibromyalgia :).
As for your hand pain, have you tried using those capsaicin creams? It sometimes helps me. I also found a doctor who put me on Lyrica after all the crappy doctors told me it wouldn’t work for me…..she was a nut job though. Keep busy and slowly increase the use of your hands day by day….if it is fibro related, it will eventually help. Have they checked for something like MS? That was another thing they checked me for, as well as vitamin deficiencies.
Anyway, stay strong and know that it will get better eventually (took 2 years for my hands to finally work well enough to knit again).
I may be biased but I hope you know me well enough to know I dont blow smoke up anyone’s butts. I LOVE the CDs. LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I think you are extrordinary. It will always be easy to find haters. But the VAST majority of people like them as well i am certain.
I won’t play ATOE without the soundtrack, as the game itself and the music are married. Something big would be missing from the experience. I for one am very fond of it. God bless… you are a gifted woman, and noone can take that from your heart.
Bastards, all of them! I found your blog because I enjoy the soundtracks in my games so much that I was looking to see if digital downloads of them were available. (Got LNoE, IfOS, and Fortune and Glory. Bought the extended LNoS CD as well.)
Hey, I just want to say that I’m a composer as well (Not as successful as you quite yet, sigh, haha!), and I understand your pain. Or, your painS. I have hand problems too from years of piano and clarinet practice, and I understand when people aren’t fond of your work. It sucks. But there’s always going to be critics, just work through it!
Oh, and I LOVE your soundtrack for LNoE. I don’t listen to music usually when playing board games (I like to concentrate, but sometimes when I’m playtesting new games I put on some tunes), but my Itunes says I’ve listened to your soundtrack dozens of times. You definitely have a fan here!
The themes you’ve created for the different characters are just beautiful (Especially Faith. LOVE that one). For the haters who say they hate the low quality, they should realize that an actual orchestra ain’t cheap. And programs that can imitate orchestras WELL can potentially cost upwards of thousands of dollars. They don’t appreciate the art, they just want the game. While I understand that, I have to say that when I opened up the game and saw the soundtrack, it was one of the coolest things ever. To me, it competed LNoE. Not only is it a frikkin awesome game, but it’s a piece of art. I describe it regularly as a customizable movie in a box, and that would not be the case if not for you.
I really hope your hands get better so you can write me some more stuff to listen to. 😉
~~aem