Music in videogames

ninjaclown

I knew you would join us, Forzare.

What's on your mind, Electi?

Electivirus

"I feel bad for not noticing it..."
"The last time when I was playing a game and actually noticed the music..."
"I think that most soundtracks only work well in context."
"I figure the only thing that makes video game music more memorable than
soundtracks in other media is the fact you'll be hearing it for hours on
end repeatedly."
"I turn off the sound on games for portable systems..."

whyyyyyyyyyy ;____;

Marioguy128

Don't you know?  Electivirus is a huge fan of VGM.  (I learned this the hard way.)

Wicked223

Electi, did you ever listen to the Inception playlist I linked you to?

MillerCross

Well, it is true. OSTs are composed with an scene in mind, with an idea of orchestrating something. Listening to them on ther own kinda draws back from the whole deal. For example:

This is a rather good song. But let's be honest, are you enjoying it if it isn't synchronized to the sound of spitfires in space shooting the ever living shit out of a flying saucer?

Electivirus

Electi, did you ever listen to the Inception playlist I linked you to?

I did. It was alright; a bit overbearing for my tastes, but not bad.

glennmagusharvey

@Noimporta > I know it's lazy, but I agree with this opinion, and  it's stated better than I could.

I watched the video Noimporta linked to, and I also generally agree with it.

That said, I think that everything has a time and place.  Now, I do think that some games these days--especially western games--focus too much on ambience and pseudorealism, but I do think that there's a time and place for it, as there is a time and place for every genre of music.

I would also love to see more uses of specific genres/subgenres/styles of music outside of situations that directly relate to them.  For example, don't just use waltz music in fancy dancing cutscenes; they can also be used for other things...such as traversing large expanses of water.

RedEyedAbyss

Did you hear Jun Senoue's stuff?

glennmagusharvey

Who?

The_Edge

Jun Senoue? Are you thinking about the Sonic Adventure soundtracks?

glennmagusharvey

Come to think of it, yes, I do think that one fault with recent Castlevania soundtracks is the general lack of ambience.  Most of Michiru Yamane's tracks are pretty nice, with strong melodies and vivid harmonies and catchy rhythms.

However, especially in the early areas of Order of Ecclesia, I got the feeling that it was basically one action tune after another.  It would be nice if we had slightly more variety.  For example, Ruvas Forest and the Monastery shouldn't have gotten such upbeat-sounding tracks.

glennmagusharvey

That was one of the great things about Symphony.  It had a number of different feelings in its tracks.  Abandoned Mine was creepy, Rainbow Cemetery sparkled in a macabre way, Crystal Teardrops's jazzy sound was smooth and relaxing, and Lost Painting really fit with the melancholy bluish tint of the areas of the Inverted Castle it was used in.

RedEyedAbyss

"Jun Senoue? Are you thinking about the Sonic Adventure soundtracks?"

And to a lesser extent, Sonic 3D Blast.