Video Game Music

[RemyC]

Priorities for a game for me go:
1)Gameplay
2)Audio
3)Visuals

Id be totally content walking around as a stickman, if i could do some cool tricks, and was backed up with a beautiful soundtrack.(Rez if it were a platformer)
Tied for first as my favourite game when it comes to audio is Donkey Country 2, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In donkey kong country, the underwater levels have BEAUTIFUL music playing, that i could just sit and listen to for hours. With sonic, who cant help, but get pumped up after hearing the opening bars for the special stage, as the stress starts to kick in making you wonder if you can collect all the rings in time.
Comming in second would be the Gunstar Heroes soundtrack, especially the ending sequence. I get all choked up after Green rushes in to kill Gold Silver and the music kicks in.

I find that too often these days games are all flash, and glitter, with no substance. People idolize games because the graphics are so beautiful, and call it the greatest game...its nothing more than face value.

What are everyone else's thoughts on audio in a game, and its priority?

[glynnahab]

I've always enjoyed Nobuo's works on the FF series. If it weren't for his music, many of the scenes in these games would be laughable. (Some still are laughable regardless of the music though... Cloud in a wheelchair saying, "Uhhh... Oohhh... Gah..." comes to mind.) I don't think the opera scene in FF6 would be nearly as memorable without the song.

The orchestral music from Super Mario Galaxy is also amazing.

To me, I can deal with a game if it has solid gameplay and forgettable music. But REALLY bad music can ruin an experience for me. I hate to keep bringing up the FF series, but the pop shit on X-2 simply infuriated me. Couldn't get past the intro.

[D.D.D.]

Priorities for a game for me go:
1)Gameplay
2)Audio
3)Visuals

Id be totally content walking around as a stickman, if i could do some cool tricks, and was backed up with a beautiful soundtrack.(Rez if it were a platformer)
Tied for first as my favourite game when it comes to audio is Donkey Country 2, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In donkey kong country, the underwater levels have BEAUTIFUL music playing, that i could just sit and listen to for hours. With sonic, who cant help, but get pumped up after hearing the opening bars for the special stage, as the stress starts to kick in making you wonder if you can collect all the rings in time.
Comming in second would be the Gunstar Heroes soundtrack, especially the ending sequence. I get all choked up after Green rushes in to kill Gold Silver and the music kicks in.

I find that too often these days games are all flash, and glitter, with no substance. People idolize games because the graphics are so beautiful, and call it the greatest game...its nothing more than face value.

What are everyone else's thoughts on audio in a game, and its priority?

Then you should check out some of the TurboDuo CD games as they play well, have awesome soundtracks and pretty decent gfx.

And everyone should check out http://dod.vgmix.com/ The guys on there really do live game music justice

[ott0bot]

I think audio is number two my list as well. I'd say sound effects really make of break it as much, if not more than the music. You can turn the music off on alot of games, but you need the sound effects!

Thats why I love the Sega CD. 16-bit games with cd quality audio. The sounds on Sega CD shumps are awesome, the explosions and item collection noise are rewarding, not annoying. Especially Robo Aleste. Final Fight cd is pretty much arcade perfect with better music. Lunar and Vay have great soundtracks. I love my Sega CD.

And I agree, Turbo Duo games usually have awsome music. I think the huCard games had great tunes as well. The production on most TG-16 seemed more complete than alot of genny and SNES games. I wish I could afford a Turbo Duo......

[wyatt]

Almost couldn't care less about it, I play games on mute after a few hours or less.

[lordofduct]

As long as the soundtrack isn't nausiating, I really don't care about the quality of it.

But if the sound track is good, I'll like it and enjoy it a lot. And I actually have several bands I listen to because they use samples from good soundtracks in their music.

i.e.
Wolfsheim has used "Eternal Champions CD" and what sounds a LOT like "Toe Jam and Earl" in some of his tracks. The TJ&E bit I hear I've heard used by other people as well, like that "FlagStaff" song by ... damn I don't remember the bands name.

[Dig]

I never used to pay attention to the music in games until about four years ago. That's when I stumbled across this website:
http://www.ocremix.org

I guess it appeals to the musician in me to see how these artists respect videogame music in such a way that they arrange/remix the source tunes in new and interesting ways. I cannot pimp this website enough.

Anyway, I now pay attention to the music that plays in the background so I won't miss anything awesome. I even enjoy listening to some game soundtracks as pure music, as opposed to listening to it merely it is from a favorite videogame. Katamari Damacy FTW.

[lordofduct]

Speaking of game music


who knows of a good way to convert .gym (genesis/mega drive pcm audio logs) to another sound format like .wav or .mp3? And anyone who says to record it through analog will get a boot to the face.

[peace4myheart]

Speaking of game music


who knows of a good way to convert .gym (genesis/mega drive pcm audio logs) to another sound format like .wav or .mp3? And anyone who says to record it through analog will get a boot to the face.

Don't know much about computer or games for that fact, but couldn't you just get it directly from a ROM??? Please, not boot to the face if my suggestion sounds stupid.

[Mozgus]

Speaking of game music


who knows of a good way to convert .gym (genesis/mega drive pcm audio logs) to another sound format like .wav or .mp3? And anyone who says to record it through analog will get a boot to the face.

Winamp?