I posted this on Steam's forum also, but wanted it here also as this forum seems more direct. I'm not knowledgeable about coding, so I'm open to any feedback on how/why these ideas will/won't work.
I love the fact that the piano keys respond to key presses. I'm a student music producer so I have some ideas to make music a bigger aspect in the game.
First, I would standardize the piano keys to resemble what DAWs offer if users don't have an actual MIDI keyboard.
Notice that ASD are CDE natural, WE are C# and D#, etc. This convention is pretty standard across DAWs, so it would make sense to use it here also.
There could also be a second craft-able piano that requires electricity or some varied resources and has a second set of controls to make it a programmable soft synth. Wouldn't need anything too fancy, just a simple Dual Oscilloscope with additive synthesis. Those controls could mimic simple polyphonic synths needing only waveform/oscillator controls, filter, envelope, and level (LFO or effect aren't vital). This could add a very interesting creative playstyle and players could create studio spaces to jam together with their own synthesized sound. A way to save a few (3-5) presets would also be a boon.
With this sort of synthesis, one player could create a bass synth, another a plucky guitar-like lead, a third long and sustained soft strings. An entire electronic ensemble could be played in Rising World.
Furthermore, I would try to include a drumset using Leather, Aluminum Rods & Plates, (the next mat could depend on the type of drum, i.e. Lumber for Toms, Aluminum Wire for Snare, Cotton (for the mallet) and Lumber for the Kick, and then simply Copper, Aluminum, Gold/Iron in different amounts for the different cymbals like Hi-hats, Rides, Crashes & Splashes. The individual drums would stand alone unless a player had 1) All required drums, and 2) Paper (to organize them) that matched a given set, i.e. Simple (Kick, Snare, Hi and Lo Tom, Crash, and hi-hat), Jammer (Double Kick, Snare, Hi, Mid, and Lo Tom, Ride, Crash, splash, and hi-hat), or Studio (All of Jammer plus Chimes, Bongos, Tambourine, Cowbell, Squeeze Horn, Triangle, and Maracas).
Controlling the drums would need a radial menu to assign the different drums in a set, but if not in a set they act as individuals and could still be played by one drummer, but they'd have to move from drum to drum and would only use simple buttons to play them.
There is such a thing known as the GM (General MIDI) standard, which is a layout of common drum sounds across a standard Piano keyboard that could be used much like the Piano keys are, or just allow the radial menu to bind user-selected keys. With simpler drum kits in game, since many drums are duplicated in the GM standard map there would be plenty of leftover space to accommodate all the drums and percussion in game.
Lastly, I would alter the gramophone and allow it to record players. it would not record ambient sounds, but only the outputs of the instruments nearby (within the same chunk) and any Voice Chat (in case players want to sing). The player would either have to find a disc to record over or create their own blank with candles and paper at the grinding station.
That's my idea, I hope it's both practical and exciting and I also hope the developer is wanting to expand music, but maybe isn't sure which way to go...if that's the case, here's your answer!
