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Hey. Now here is something. Think of Tony Hawks. Good music is played on it. Right? So what kind of music would you like on a racing game? Or a platformer? I think games need good background music to make you want to play the game more.
I would like rock music on some particularly hard boss in a game. And in a racing game I would have fast music to go with the speed of the racers. Tony Hawks is a prime example of good music in the type of game it goes with. The 3rd version on X-Box will let you download your own music on to the game. It might be a good addition but it may make people download a Hearsay song for example onto some particularly spooky or fast paced level.
Some tunes I really like. Like the heavy metal sort of music on F-Zero-X. It is fast paced for a fast paced game and it also sounds quite cool.
Some tunes really get to me. Like some of the ones in No Mercy. I eventually just switch them off which makes the game more boring but I hte those rubbishy tunes. All wrestling games in my opinion have bad music. Smack Down 2 has terrible music.
In my opinion, good music is needed to make a game flow. What would be the kind of music you would have in a RPG, Racing, Fighting, etc? And do you think the new Tony Hawk X-Box idea is a good or bad innovation?
Thanks 4 reading, Afro.
I would like rock music on some particularly hard boss in a game. And in a racing game I would have fast music to go with the speed of the racers. Tony Hawks is a prime example of good music in the type of game it goes with. The 3rd version on X-Box will let you download your own music on to the game. It might be a good addition but it may make people download a Hearsay song for example onto some particularly spooky or fast paced level.
Some tunes I really like. Like the heavy metal sort of music on F-Zero-X. It is fast paced for a fast paced game and it also sounds quite cool.
Some tunes really get to me. Like some of the ones in No Mercy. I eventually just switch them off which makes the game more boring but I hte those rubbishy tunes. All wrestling games in my opinion have bad music. Smack Down 2 has terrible music.
In my opinion, good music is needed to make a game flow. What would be the kind of music you would have in a RPG, Racing, Fighting, etc? And do you think the new Tony Hawk X-Box idea is a good or bad innovation?
Thanks 4 reading, Afro.
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Some games music is good, but it has to be said that some of it is absolutely dire when you take into consideration the pace at which graphics, gameplay and technology have all leapt over the past two decades. There might be a greater scope for more instruments, undertones and so on, but the actual tunes themselves have barely improved at all. And though there is a case for arguing that games music is the way it is because it's especially suited to games, it's only gamers who listen to games music outside of actually PLAYING a title, because everyone else knows it's a bit rubbish when compared to other music, really.
Don't get me wrong - some games music is absolutely great (Conker's Bad Fur Day has it's moments, and most PC titles are way ahead of any console music - but it's ironic to note that of that music which is notable, most tunes comprise of mocked elements from film or TV music. And some is just ripped straight out of the films they're based on, like Star Wars titles - out of necessity, granted, but it says something about the rest of the industry's beats none-the-less).
As a result, I'm constantly listening to my own music when playing games. Due to my unhealthy obsession with film soundtracks, the two invariably mix very well - so whilst playing GoldenEye or Perfect Dark I'll be listening to, say, the music from Tomorrow Never Dies - and I mean the actual in-film, ambience music, not just the main theme. I'm sure most of us appreciate how much music adds to TV, films and games, so the background tunes can improve the experience massively.
I find that of all games, racing titles tend to be the most versatile, because you can bang along to some really dramatic chase music (The Rock has an excellent theme for that), or smoothly relax to some Mozart or Beethoven. I'm sure rock goes really well too, but for some reason or other my tastes don't really extend too far in that area. I'm much more an orchestral man.
The technology is there for the music in games to improve massively. There are no longer the limits imposed 20 years ago, when you could have only one bleep going along to a rhythm. The next step, I believe, is to get music to diversify itself in response to the action, as is possible in films and TV. You might be creeping about one minute, for instance, to some tense music - then when a bad guy pops out, there's some really dramatic orchestral. This has been experimented with already with some success, but as of yet, it's hardly fluid. Which is a shame, because games are the perfect medium to do it with.
Don't get me wrong - some games music is absolutely great (Conker's Bad Fur Day has it's moments, and most PC titles are way ahead of any console music - but it's ironic to note that of that music which is notable, most tunes comprise of mocked elements from film or TV music. And some is just ripped straight out of the films they're based on, like Star Wars titles - out of necessity, granted, but it says something about the rest of the industry's beats none-the-less).
As a result, I'm constantly listening to my own music when playing games. Due to my unhealthy obsession with film soundtracks, the two invariably mix very well - so whilst playing GoldenEye or Perfect Dark I'll be listening to, say, the music from Tomorrow Never Dies - and I mean the actual in-film, ambience music, not just the main theme. I'm sure most of us appreciate how much music adds to TV, films and games, so the background tunes can improve the experience massively.
I find that of all games, racing titles tend to be the most versatile, because you can bang along to some really dramatic chase music (The Rock has an excellent theme for that), or smoothly relax to some Mozart or Beethoven. I'm sure rock goes really well too, but for some reason or other my tastes don't really extend too far in that area. I'm much more an orchestral man.
The technology is there for the music in games to improve massively. There are no longer the limits imposed 20 years ago, when you could have only one bleep going along to a rhythm. The next step, I believe, is to get music to diversify itself in response to the action, as is possible in films and TV. You might be creeping about one minute, for instance, to some tense music - then when a bad guy pops out, there's some really dramatic orchestral. This has been experimented with already with some success, but as of yet, it's hardly fluid. Which is a shame, because games are the perfect medium to do it with.
Fogmaster wrote:
> you shoudl try writing longer posts Vektor, you really should.
Yeah your right......sometimes I just get lazy :-D
VKTR
> you shoudl try writing longer posts Vektor, you really should.
Yeah your right......sometimes I just get lazy :-D
VKTR
you shoudl try writing longer posts Vektor, you really should.
Music in games? A topic I thoroughly enjoy discussing. Well done froman. Anyways enough thanking I will get onto telling you what I think.
Music is an integeral part of the gsames we play. Not only adding atmosphere they affect the way we play them as well as the way we approach certain things. Each different genre has its own type of music really. Fast paced music for racing games, aggressive music for fighting games and moody music for anything with atmosphere (i.e Resi evil). Each one uses it for different reasons, but each one does the job well.
The hear' say (very grammatically wrong name that) point is very true. I mean your playing a fast paced game....what you really want to be hearing is something to get the heart going the adrenaline pumping around the body....not something that your little sister will be singing along to. In a way its personal preference that wins the day, but most of the times I think it should be the developer who decides what type of music is played when and where.
Aggression.....something you need to be succesful in a fighting game, lay off the opponent too much and they will come in blazing finishing you off in a flurry of hits. However if the music gets you feeling really mental so to speak you will go in for the kill, showing your opponent no mercy. One of the games I really think this happened in was Quake 3. Okay, its ont a fighting game, but you do kill people in it. It has a great feel to the music, hard rock style which gets you playing fast and furious. YOu don't get campers in Quake....everyone is rushing around mentally killing the nearest moving object. It gives you an inner boost.
Atmosphere is another reason music is added. Notably survival horror games use this to their advantage, but we all know this. However music can add atmosphere in other ways than to scare you. It can open up all sorts of other emotions within. Happyiness for one. Your fighting a huge battle, desperately trying to finish it off you eventually succeed, the feeling of joy overwhelms you and suddenly your being played hard rock? Makes no sense does it? Instead what happens is you are played a cheerful song, something to get you to realise that you have ridden the worl of evil and brought peace.
However........atmosphere and how you play a game points aside, there is still one major factor in the way developers choose their choice of music. Another very good reason is their target audience. My two examples will be Wipeout and Tony Hawks.
Now, obviouisly when Neversoft set out to make THPS they were aiming it at the skateboarders among us. NAturally they chose music that is associated with that scene. So thats what they did, had a skateboarding game with skateboarding music so to speak, however this game was played by a vast ,majority of us. Probably something Neversoft didn't imagine happening. It went on to become one of the greatest/most addictive games of its time and practically everyone has played it at least once. However with its success came problems, some people were obviously not going to like the music. So thats probably why Microsoft are taking this action. So more people can play the game, but at the same time listening to the music that they enjoy and not just the music that gets associated with the sport.
Wipeout on the other hand is a different case. This game was in fact one of the most important games to ever be released. It was this game that single handedly tagged games with the stamp "COOL". Games weren't played by geeks anymore....20 year old were realising that they could play games without being called a saddact. The music brought gaming to the masses, but in particular people associated with the club scene. The music was played in clubs.....key point. People could hear the music they heard on a saturday night, but while they were playing the game it went with. Very influential and the best bit was it suited the game down to a tee. Fast music, fast game. Absolutely great!
VKTR
Music is an integeral part of the gsames we play. Not only adding atmosphere they affect the way we play them as well as the way we approach certain things. Each different genre has its own type of music really. Fast paced music for racing games, aggressive music for fighting games and moody music for anything with atmosphere (i.e Resi evil). Each one uses it for different reasons, but each one does the job well.
The hear' say (very grammatically wrong name that) point is very true. I mean your playing a fast paced game....what you really want to be hearing is something to get the heart going the adrenaline pumping around the body....not something that your little sister will be singing along to. In a way its personal preference that wins the day, but most of the times I think it should be the developer who decides what type of music is played when and where.
Aggression.....something you need to be succesful in a fighting game, lay off the opponent too much and they will come in blazing finishing you off in a flurry of hits. However if the music gets you feeling really mental so to speak you will go in for the kill, showing your opponent no mercy. One of the games I really think this happened in was Quake 3. Okay, its ont a fighting game, but you do kill people in it. It has a great feel to the music, hard rock style which gets you playing fast and furious. YOu don't get campers in Quake....everyone is rushing around mentally killing the nearest moving object. It gives you an inner boost.
Atmosphere is another reason music is added. Notably survival horror games use this to their advantage, but we all know this. However music can add atmosphere in other ways than to scare you. It can open up all sorts of other emotions within. Happyiness for one. Your fighting a huge battle, desperately trying to finish it off you eventually succeed, the feeling of joy overwhelms you and suddenly your being played hard rock? Makes no sense does it? Instead what happens is you are played a cheerful song, something to get you to realise that you have ridden the worl of evil and brought peace.
However........atmosphere and how you play a game points aside, there is still one major factor in the way developers choose their choice of music. Another very good reason is their target audience. My two examples will be Wipeout and Tony Hawks.
Now, obviouisly when Neversoft set out to make THPS they were aiming it at the skateboarders among us. NAturally they chose music that is associated with that scene. So thats what they did, had a skateboarding game with skateboarding music so to speak, however this game was played by a vast ,majority of us. Probably something Neversoft didn't imagine happening. It went on to become one of the greatest/most addictive games of its time and practically everyone has played it at least once. However with its success came problems, some people were obviously not going to like the music. So thats probably why Microsoft are taking this action. So more people can play the game, but at the same time listening to the music that they enjoy and not just the music that gets associated with the sport.
Wipeout on the other hand is a different case. This game was in fact one of the most important games to ever be released. It was this game that single handedly tagged games with the stamp "COOL". Games weren't played by geeks anymore....20 year old were realising that they could play games without being called a saddact. The music brought gaming to the masses, but in particular people associated with the club scene. The music was played in clubs.....key point. People could hear the music they heard on a saturday night, but while they were playing the game it went with. Very influential and the best bit was it suited the game down to a tee. Fast music, fast game. Absolutely great!
VKTR
AfroJoe wrote:
> Well the Tony Hawks idea will be good if it is used properly. Not just used to
> download crappy songs.
One man's crappy song is another man's swinging tune.
> Well the Tony Hawks idea will be good if it is used properly. Not just used to
> download crappy songs.
One man's crappy song is another man's swinging tune.
I think most music in games is fitting... most developers, no matter how big, have music engineers and all that... I wouldn't mind a bit of radiohead or MUSE in Star Fox Adventures... then again... Elvis Gospels would be amazing in Mario Sunshine...
And er... that 'Morning has Broken' song for PIKMIN... and the Star Trek theme tune for the new Star Wars game... Rogue Leader!
Also, I think some classical music wouldn't go a miss in say Mario Kart of Donkey Kong Racing.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
I've just thought...
You know Rare and Nintendo are making this 'Racer Game' It could be one to replace DKR!
That's not good... I don't care how many Casterol and TVR logo's are on any car... I'd rather ride a rhino...
(You make me laugh, You embarras yourself so much... No-one can see me so I don't care, but you... my friend... are an idiot. Hah!)
Shut up, you clown!
Anyway...
And er... that 'Morning has Broken' song for PIKMIN... and the Star Trek theme tune for the new Star Wars game... Rogue Leader!
Also, I think some classical music wouldn't go a miss in say Mario Kart of Donkey Kong Racing.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
I've just thought...
You know Rare and Nintendo are making this 'Racer Game' It could be one to replace DKR!
That's not good... I don't care how many Casterol and TVR logo's are on any car... I'd rather ride a rhino...
(You make me laugh, You embarras yourself so much... No-one can see me so I don't care, but you... my friend... are an idiot. Hah!)
Shut up, you clown!
Anyway...
Well the Tony Hawks idea will be good if it is used properly. Not just used to download crappy songs.
can't you just play a cd/tape/whatever on your hi-fi while playing the gme and mute your tv like the rest of us? :D
I find that rap goes well with all RPGs, especially when your fighting, Drum and Bass is good with Driving games, and house is good with fighting games.
Nothing works with music games, although i've tried it muting the tv does not help, quite funny outcomes though :)
I find that rap goes well with all RPGs, especially when your fighting, Drum and Bass is good with Driving games, and house is good with fighting games.
Nothing works with music games, although i've tried it muting the tv does not help, quite funny outcomes though :)
RPG music - anything but that military-style "meet the King" kinda a music.
Racing games - fast techno trance.
FPS - silence.
The XBox Tony Hawks download idea - anything that gives the gamer more options is a good thing.
Racing games - fast techno trance.
FPS - silence.
The XBox Tony Hawks download idea - anything that gives the gamer more options is a good thing.
Or alternitivly I just wear earphones while playing a game.
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