Music in SE IV

[TerranC]

Originally posted by DavidG:
slightly OT from the post but does anyone actually like music in games? I think the only thing worse is music on web pages.
I think the only game I've played were the music really enhanced it was System Shock 2. They really made good use of it there.

Role-playing game musics are usually good; Chrono Trigger and the Final Fantasy series games all had good and fitting music.

[Taera]

the only game i've seen that had awesome music was "Populous 3: The Beginning". Awesome.

as for the rest, i usually listen to the music for a week or less, then plug in my own music - i have a nice line-in setup with my cd walkman

[Fyron]

The only game I don't play the music in is SE4, and that is mostly because the game does not require the CD to be in the drive to run, so I never have it in there. The music in a game helps to create the atmopshere of the game. To me, it is an often integral part of the game. Not something that makes or breaks a game, of course. But it does make the game more enjoyable when it has good music in it.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

i tune it out. even the lemmengs music. it becomes background.

[Erax]

OK, everyone hang on 'cause I'm going to... agree with Fyron !!

Music does not make or break a game, but it certainly enhnces it. Here's a few good examples :

- The Settlers III (Asian theme) - nice and soothing, helps me concentrate.

- Doom 1 and 2 - I downloaded all the midi files for them the other day. I can still recall a game level just by listening to its track (most of them anyway). Although when I was feeling really stressed out I'd play Doom listening to the Ramones.

- Fantasy General - Excellent track, very soothing, I used to listen to it on my stereo while reading (my wife liked it too).

- Emperor of the Fading Suns - Not so good as Fantasy General, but nice.

- SE IV - I lent my CD to a friend (to see if I could get him hooked) and now I miss the music.

- Some game whose name I can't remeber - you fly around a wireframe cylinder, shooting stuff that tries to climb out - I actually quit playing this after it stopped playing the soundtrack (when I converted to W95, I think).

Fyron, what's the best way to send Malfador a suggestion for SE V ? Go to their site and click on 'contacts' ?

[dogscoff]

slightly OT from the post but does anyone actually like music in games? I think the only thing worse is music on web pages.

Yeah, hate webpage music (usually). General midi stuff without exception.

As for game music... depends on the game. faster paced games can really be made by the soundtrack. Don't believe me? some examples:
-The WipeOut series with stomping adrenalin tracks by ppl like chemical Bros/ FSOL/ Orbital/ Prodigy. I bet you could run a scientific test on that game and find that ppl who play with the music turned off don't do nearly so well as those who play with it on.
-SSX Tricky - beautifully stylish snowboarding game with music by Run DMC (I think). You just can't play it quiet, it is so incredibly catchy, and the music is part of the UI system as well- changes in the music signify certain game events so you don't have to be distracted by visual displays.
-Any game by bullfrog, who are masters at drawing the player into the game world. Anyone remember the original populous, with the wierd whale music and that heartbeat that got faster and faster until your own heart started to mimic it? Also, syndicate was cool, with context-sensitive music that got more dramatic as the danger mounted. Really atmospheric.
-About a zillion other old Amiga games I can't be bothered to list. (Except Xenon II megabLast! - I have to mention that one)

[Fyron]

Fyron, what's the best way to send Malfador a suggestion for SE V ? Go to their site and click on 'contacts' ?

Yes.