Released on 2nd OCTOBER 2001, GOAT TRACKER came from version 0.9 to current v1.2. To give it's developer feedback and support this interesting piece of software C64.SK organised a competiton lasting since the 8th to 22th october 2001. 11 tunes were submitted, 9 competed, 41 votes collected. And here comes the results:
GOAT RESULTS .D64? ZIPPED .SID & .SNG PACK

[9] : 22. Oct 2001 22:17   

I think GoatTracker is a great tool. Until I got a new C= machine again, I was cursing and kicking walls because I couldn't compose SID music with my machine, and I was not going to use an awful emulator for such purposes (my sucky PC can't handle a high-end emulator with better sound support). So Lasse's creation was kind of a godsend to me. I now got a new 128, but I ain't got the tools to transfer programs yet, so for now Goat proves very useful (and now became the only reason why I'm keeping that stupid beamer compatible :) Keep up teh great work, Lasse

Akira

[10] : 24. Oct 2001 19:59   

Mmmmm...maybe we're judging the tip of an iceberg only. I usually use a Plus/4 with SidCard support (8580) to compose my tunes, and it works fine coupled with the SidWinder V01.23, 'coz it replace the right c64 frq table. But I'm wondering a day of perfect SID emulation on PC, so everybody will be allowed to compose his tune.

Luca/FIRE

[11] : 24. Oct 2001 23:39   

There have been Amiga MOD trackers on the pc for ages, so why not a sid tracker too? Maybe Goattracker in the future will be able to raise the quality of sidmusic to the next level? I think so. All I wish is an easier and more understandable UI....

Skyrider

[12] : 25. Oct 2001 01:05   

To Skyrider - trackers exist on C64 long before this. This seems to be the first one that works under the Windows platform and not a C64. It is hard to use emulation to take performance/quality to the next level because sound emulation needs to go a long way before it sounds like our real SID hardware. I do use emulators for some development, just not for sound/music writing.

Stryyker/Tide/Onslaught

[13] : 25. Oct 2001 09:31   

Stryyker: Yes, I know there has been lotsa trackers for the C64. My point was that as far as I know, this is the first one for the PC (and judging the compo, a pretty good one). Sorry if I made this unclear. Anyway, Im not a C64 scener (Not the way you see it). I've created music, but not at all with a C64. currently I dont even have a C64, so I dont know how well the sidchip is emulated. It may never be 100%perfect. It's true that it has a far way to go. Yet I think it has come far comparing to some years ago...

Skyrider

[14] : 25. Oct 2001 22:45   

I think SID chip emulation has a long way to go as well, but the GT is a great tool in the case you have no real hardware to play with. If you have a HardSID card, even better. What this tool will do, IMO, is increase the number of people interested in SID music composing. This is one factor that might scare a lot of people, because it might bring the SID composing out from the 'underground'. Well, this might not happen but it's a possibility. I have no problems with the UI, it's just great, as a matter of fact I find it a bit more user friendly than a lot of C64 trackers. That's one of the things I liked of GT.

Akira

[15] : 26. Oct 2001 21:54   

Akira, you're right. A large slice of my SID tunes was composed via wave coverting software on Plus/4. Useless to explain how lame they sound on the real SID, 'coz that kind of emulation takes the wavetypes only! But I'd learnt a lot about SID composing by this way...

Luca/FIRE

[16] : 29. Oct 2001 02:09   

Currenlty 28 -sound- votesheets vere submitted 22 More votesheets needed to be filled for to make the results objective enough. This portal has average 200+ unique visitors a day. Where are you people ;-). Anyway Tommorow I'll add some of your very interesting comments (at least for me as an organiser ;-) And try to put together an executable C64 version I wanted to put together on after the compo, but it seems some of you need real C64 executable for voting. Just let me know what do you think about it? I think this demand is right, and apologise for the delay. Remember VOTING deadline is set FRIDAY 2. november 2001.

CreaMD

[17] : 29. Oct 2001 09:42   

Erm - do you want to say that before it was possible to d/l only the PC files for emulation? Well, that should explain why it seems that people aren't interested in voting, me thinks. About the voting deadline: what if by Friday 2. 11. there still isn't your desired 50 voties?

Wotnau/DMagic

[18] : 29. Oct 2001 15:36   

Check http://www.student.oulu.fi/~loorni/goattunes.zip for a primitive "screen" playing all the tunes (single .PRG file) This was a matter of 1/2 hours :-)

Lasse

[19] : 29. Oct 2001 19:19   

Wotnau, if I won't get those +22 voties nothing happens. Lasse, thanx!

CreaMD

[20] : 30. Oct 2001 13:05   

Sorry for the problem with accessibility of VOTER's comments. Now you can check it. Enjoy.

CreaMD

[21] : 30. Oct 2001 15:53   

Skydiver???? Have I been to fast on the keyboard again?

Skyrider

[22] : 30. Oct 2001 16:05   

Ups, sorry. ;-)

CreaMD

[23] : 30. Oct 2001 17:05   

Hehe, It's alright mate!

Skyrider