[noelbruton]

Hello,

I'm composing the music for Arberth Studios' 'Rhiannon: Beyond the
Mabinogion'. I'm looking for feedback on the sort of music gamers want.

To start with, do players notice the music in a game? Do you find that it
enhances the game experience or gets in the way, or something in between?

'Rhiannon' is essentially a horror story. So conventionally it will have
scary, atmospheric background music. How do you feel about that?

But there's much much more than scariness in 'Rhiannon' - it is an involved
story and the plot and puzzles are complex and layered - so I wondered about
musical themes to reflect characters and episodes in the story. Is there a
place in a horror game for proper, orchestrated pieces with a strong melody?
How would you feel about that?

If you've played them, what did you think of the music in 'Barrow Hill' or
'Scratches'?

And when playing the game, do players tend to use headphones or speakers?

We're thinking of offering for download an MP3 sampler of the game
soundscape. Have you any comments on that idea?

Thanks for any input you can give me.

Noel Bruton
Game Engineer
Arberth Studios
[email protected]
www.arberthstudios.com

[jacog]

Well, the story is based on Welsh folk legends, so horror or not, that is probably a good place to start. A lot of Celtic music can have an eerie sound to it, so it would not be a big stretch.

[MoriartyL]

What gamers usually want is catchy music they'll remember tomorrow. But that's only infrequently the type of music that works best. I can't see catchy music working in a horror game, considering that a horror game is meant to be confusing and disturbing. Atmospheric music is the way to go, yes. And it's best if the music is sort of vague and changes subtly to reflect where you are, to enhance the player's moods as they change. (Though that's harder to pull off if you're using MP3s.) Themes could work (added on top) if those themes are atonal, but you've got to be careful not to let the players get too comfortable with the music you're using, or else the experience loses a little bit of its flavor.

[Periglo]

Hello Noel. That's a bunch of questions, I wonder if you'll be happy with the thread that's going to build up or whether you'd also like some feedback by email. Anyway, I think the consensus is that the soundtrack is essencial in a game. Particularly when there are horror elements.

The way to implement it, that's another story. Personally, I am quite happy with the usual atmospheric music that comes and goes, as long as it is well composed and varies with the scenes and characters (i.e., leitmotives.) In particular, I like periods of silence between repetitions of the main theme, which I think is the standard. It is nice to have crescendos as the tension increases, as sometimes in Gabriel Knight 3. And, definitely, sound effects to increase surprises. I think Scratches was OK in terms of music, the game really improved because of it.

Lately, I have been using headphones not to disturb my family, but I guess speakers are more common.

An mp3 download is a great idea. I remember downloading music from Grim Fandango and listening to it for ages, I loved it.

[Havrepus]

I completely agree with Periglo here. Music can either make or break a game just the same as in a movie. So music is really, really important in a game. As long as the music is a part of the "backdrop" and doesn't take the focus too far away from the game, it's fine. Music makes nice atmosphere in a game and is fantastic for making tension or other whatever else you want us to feel.

And welcome to the forum, by the way! Looking forward to hearing what you can come up with!

[After a brisk nap]

I think it depends on the type of game. Obviously.

For horror games, I like the sound scape to include a lot of ambient sound effects (though not necessarily only diegetic sounds). You can incorporate it into the score, or write music that will work with a layer of sounds on top. That would probably mean mostly non-melodic tracks, I guess. (You tell me.)

In theory great music would be memorable, maybe unexpected. That's quite risky, though. After all, the point of the music is to enhance the game, it's not an end in itself. Music that calls too much attention to itself may detract from the total experience, and choosing the wrong music can be very distracting indeed. So it's probably best to play it safe, and use the typical style of music that you expect for this kind of game.

Doesn't the main game designer have something to say on the subject?

[Crapstorm]

I want music that has nothing to do with anything so that I can shut it off and listen to my MP3s.

[EvilMulder]

I have to say that I have a soft spot for melodic themes. I'm a composer myself, and to me music should always be hummable. (I have strong personal feelings on the matter )

Offcourse, for a horror game, melodic might not always be the best option. If it were up to me I would probably use lots of rhytmical percussion, coupled with ambiant sound, maybe some chimes or bells, and if you can afford it a good sized men choir for a bit of gregorian flavor. And then, just because I'm a sucker for melody, whenever the music should become really scary: a piercing violin, as in the absolutely delicous main theme of The 7th guest.

You might also want to check out this video clip. Add some drums, raise the tempo a good bit and you have yourself some awesome music for a chase scene.

[Jelena]

I always notice the music and the background sounds when I play games. I want it to enhance the story and the different locations.
Arriving at a new place/room and hearing a tune that adds atmosphere to this new location does a lot to my feeling of immersion in the game. And I don't mind a memorable melody here and there. A great example is the Gallery Theme from Uru Ages beynd Myst. I bought the soundtrack because of it.

[Vina]

I think music definitely enhances games. I appreciate great music that I'm able to listen to for at least an hour without getting sick of it.

But I also think it's important for it to fit the environment of the game. I don't see a problem with strong melodies in a horror game if it takes place in a serene or calm area, but if you're trying to scare the viewer you should definitely have music that's eerie or unsettling (this is not neccessarily enjoyable but it does accomplish what the game is trying to do).
But in the end, like a poster said above me, how catchy the music is is the most important factor. ...Unless you're trying to scare the shit out of them. But that's not something you'll probably want to pursue the whole entire game.

I like techno and rock, but a game like Monkey Island definitely went the right way by focusing on Carribean-esque melodies while at the same time, adding a little twist and making it catchy. Hearing techno in a beach area might not be the best choice. (Unless you're, say, a MMORPG like Ragnarok Online. Catchy fast melodies while you endlessly level isn't a bad choice no matter where you are, but it also worked with the quirky off-balanced fantasy of the game)

My favorite AG score would be Curse of Monkey Island. I know it's night and day from the game you're trying to develop, but it might inspire you with how they occasionally intertwined thunder in the BGMs. The only horror AG I played was 7th Guest, and I don't remember the score very well. But I think that might have to do with the fact it sounded very synthesized.

Woo, I went on a tangent... so... um.. yeah, you can't go wrong with orchestrational.

[Harald B]

I'm always acutely aware of the background music be it in television, movies, or games, and I feel it can definitely make or break the mood you're trying to set. That said, it often doesn't: there are very few adventure games (or games of any kind) of which the music was memorable enough for me to remember it.
Off-hand I recall only MI2, Syberia and Sam & Max Season 1 ( soundtrack here). Do check out that link: that game being recent is definitely not the only reason I still remember the soundtrack, in fact it's so good I'm listening to it in WinAmp right now.

[samIamsad]

Originally Posted by Crapstorm

I want music that has nothing to do with anything so that I can shut it off and listen to my MP3s.

Considering most video game soundtracks, you're well fed.

[After a brisk nap]

Most importantly: avoid any kind of nu-metal or other "hard" rock that so often infests horror movies these days.

[rtrooney]

A majority people seem to want music that is game-oriented or has a memorable "hook" to it.

I'm almost the opposite. I want the music to be as unabtrusive as possible. It can be eerie for an eerie game; suspensful for a thriller, etc.. But I want the essence of it to be so far in the background that I don't know it's there. I should only be able to notice its absense when I turn it off.

[byf43]

Horror games aren't my field of interest, but regarding game music at least I have some general opinions.

It should be possible to turn on/off the music.

Music should change according to the game story/location/mood. Nothing worse than games with the same music over and over again.

Hummable is a very important factor in the games I normally play. However in a horror game perhaps not so important?

[Melanie68]

Personally, I have never found myself humming music from a game. Well, I don't hum in general. However, if I find a song in my head, it's usually from the radio or a CD (not a game).

I'll be reiterating what others have said. The music should fit the mood of the scene but it shouldn't necessarily be going the whole time. I have to agree with Nap in that ambient sounds in a horror game along with music interspersed really makes it suspenseful.

[Bobske]

Originally Posted by Melanie68

Personally, I have never found myself humming music from a game. Well, I don't hum in general.

Ow, I'm a hummer!

I've got too many game soundtracks on my iPod...

I'm one of the peeps that believes that music in (adventure) games is almost as important as the story. I agree with most points in this thread about music enhancing the atmosphere. Like mentioned before, you have to consider what kind of music you want or feel is right for the game.

The music in games like the 7th guest, 11th hour and the Shivers games do add a lot of atmosphere. I don't think that ambient sounds would suit that kind of game. Silent Hill on the other hand really "needs" ambient sounds.

So you might want to consider both

[samIamsad]

It's not music, it's sound in general... This is one of the most awesome and fitting pieces of sound and music I've ever heard in a game. The same kind of stuff that's playing when the text and voice narration starts is also playing throughout the game. It's hard to tell wether something is ambient sound or music. It's brilliant, and if you know how the game in question (it's "Thief") plays out, you know why.

[Arma]

Go for some Dark Ambient music with eerie feeling to it.

[serious guy]

Does anyone remember the music in the intro of Still Life?
It's probably the best game soundtrack I've ever listened to..
Very atmospheric..