Must all gaming music suck?

Ode to a Grasshopper · Fri Mar 22, 2002 10:22 am

Originally posted by Anatres
Besides, I don't hear background music in my day-to-day life anyway. And if you do, what movie are you in (I want some!!! )

Chances are I know someone who could get you some...

I think the music of the BG series is alright, but nothing special. It's fairly neutral fare, but it works a lot of the time anyway. I think video game music should suit a game's atmosphere more than the BG soundtrack does, though. The BG2 end sequence (Irenicus in Hell) could have been made much better if the music had been more taylored to the scene.

VoodooDali · Post by **VoodooDali** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 11:13 am

WOW! Sleepy resurrected this post from almost a year ago...

Actually, the BG music has grown on me. Yet, I still don't like the epic Ben Hur style music most CRPG's use. I loved the music to Fallout. I think with the Forgotten Realms games that they could use more interesting music from older periods--AoE did a good job of this, as I said before.

For games set in more modern times, I'd like to see more modern music.

I'd like to see composers like Michael Nyman (who did the music for The Piano) used more.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 11:33 am

I would like to see more companies write new music for every game, and actually spend some time on it,

Quark · Post by **Quark** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 12:26 pm

This topic caters to my biggest pet peeve right now.

My idiot roomate insists on playing SSX Tricky with the sound hooked up to his stereo system. It's got one freaking song!. On top of that, my other roomate insists it's music only druggies could stand listening to.

TH3 actually has real music on it. I don't care that they didn't create the music themselves, it just fits really well (except some of the rap songs). I even downloaded a few songs for listening from the TH series (Goldfinger - Superman and Motorhead - Ace of Spades being my favorite).

The Final Fantasy series has incredible music. I'm thinking of getting the tabs for the piano solo in FFX so I can learn to play it. Even the older games, including Chrono Trigger, had good music even though the systems couldn't handle high-tech music. They managed to pull it off w/ limited instruments. Of course, talking about FFX, how about that heavy metal riff? Too bad I can't understand a word of it (I think I hear 'Auron' in it ...).

I was indifferent to the Bioware/Black Isle music. I felt it was fitting but still did not enjoy it.

I like the music in all Blizzard games, too. The original Diablo music gave me the creeps the first time I played it.

Robnark · Post by **Robnark** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 12:41 pm

i find that the - mainly console - games that try to be very stylish and polished have very good music, often from popular artists (rollcage series, thps 1,2,3 etc.) or made in house and very well coordinated to the game (anything by squaresoft, especially FF series & vagrant story). Thing is, it costs a lot and is very time consuming to get the perfect music, so smaller companies usually end up with generic music, such as mediocre rock in racing games.

for the BG series, the background music is generic RPG fare, but it is nonetheless well chosen and adds a bit of atmosphere. i would like it if you could modify the music, like in the damn good Fallout Tactics, in most PC games, since that would enable the true fan to find the perfect music, and the average player to listen to something nice while playing.

or turn of the music & put on a CD

Demis · Post by **Demis** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 3:09 pm

@Sleep, THPS2 have 17 soundtracks

which most of the great and make you want to skate more

.

Since we are talking about game music the best piece of music i ever heard in a game was Stone from Ultima Series, i love this piece i even have on mp3

. Blade of Darkness also has some great music (i could actually feel the atmosphere in the last battle).

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 3:24 pm

Originally posted by Demis
@Sleep, THPS2 have 17 soundtracks which most of the great and make you want to skate more .

Like the best track Rage' ever made "Guerilla Radio"

I really like the tracks on THPS2, the only problem is that you skate for about 2 minutes most of the time, so you miss out on the good tracks

Since we are talking about game music the best piece of music i ever heard in a game was Stone from Ultima Series, i love this piece i even have on mp3 . Blade of Darkness also has some great music (i could actually feel the atmosphere in the last battle).

True i really enjoyed the general feel of Blade of Darkness...although the last battle is really easy

Demis · Post by **Demis** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 5:18 pm

Originally posted by Mr Sleep
Like the best track Rage' ever made "Guerilla Radio" I really like the tracks on THPS2, the only problem is that you skate for about 2 minutes most of the time, so you miss out on the good tracks

Try free skate

do you happen to know (or anyone) the title of the 7th track of the game?

True i really enjoyed the general feel of Blade of Darkness...although the last battle is really easy

Easy yes but you have to work hard to bring him down.

Sailor Saturn · Post by **Sailor Saturn** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 5:22 pm

Originally posted by Robnark
or turn of the music & put on a CD

I tend to do that when playing BG/BG2/IWD, as well as most of my console games; although, sometimes I listen to mp3s instead of CDs.

Not much better than listening to Dance of Curse while beating the **** out of Orcs.

I actuallly generally don't pay much attention to in-game music. There are, however, two songs/musical pieces that I particularly like. Saria's Song from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of them. The other is from Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past. It's the same music that plays in the Great Bay battlefield in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

In Super Mario Bros. Deluxe for the Game Boy Color, after a certain point, you can customize one of the beginning screens that shows when you turn on the game. One of the things you can do, by inputing certain things in the text area, is change the music that plays on that screen. I set my mom's so that it plays Jingle Bells.

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 5:28 pm

Originally posted by Demis

Easy yes but you have to work hard to bring him down.

I don't know about the 7th track no sorry

Well only vaguely the easiest thing is to get up close and just keep slashing away

ThorinOakensfield · Post by **ThorinOakensfield** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 7:58 pm

I liked Zelda music.
Final Fantasy music is pretty good too from what i've heard so far. james bond has some good music.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 8:37 pm

Originally posted by ThorinOakensfield
I liked Zelda music.
Final Fantasy music is pretty good too from what i've heard so far. james bond has some good music.

Conincidently, I actually have a frined that has an Ocarina, and can play each of the songs form OoT, and MM.

Tamerlane · Post by **Tamerlane** » Sat Mar 23, 2002 12:17 am

Originally posted by Aegis
Conincidently, I actually have a frined that has an Ocarina, and can play each of the songs form OoT, and MM.

That reminds me of my sad attempts to get some decent tunes out of Links Ocarina.

Sailor Saturn · Post by **Sailor Saturn** » Sat Mar 23, 2002 12:29 am

Originally posted by Aegis
Conincidently, I actually have a frined that has an Ocarina, and can play each of the songs form OoT, and MM.

Hmm...I wonder if you know Link and Saria. They're friends of mine and they currently live in Canada.

I figured out how to play a few of the OoT songs on piano, but have since forgotten.

Akani Shrike · Post by **Akani Shrike** » Sat Mar 23, 2002 1:07 am

I'd just like to point out a little company called Capcom, which produces a new (and, for the most part, good) song for each level in megaman X, X2, X3, etc., and many other songs in between those.

But ya, the FF series, Quake, and C&C all have awsome music... in fact i've got a burned CD with nothing but music from Megaman, FF, Quake 2, Freespace 2 and C&C music on it.

I always liked the Doom music, i don't know why, it was just... great music. Same goes for alot of old nintendo games, including almost every RPG's boss music. That seems to be the real place to shine.

Sometimes it is fun to kill stuff to other music, too.. and, surprizingly, alot of Hans Zimmer's music goes good with arcade games... i especially like the theme from Gladiator with tetris

, but that's just my weirdness kicking in.

But ya, there are some companys that just don't try. But most of those are back in the time of the 8-bit, or make Coin-op games. (like Metal Slug.. did that game even have music?

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Sat Mar 23, 2002 1:13 am

I found the music to both Shogun: total war and Europa universalis 2 quiet enjoyable. Otherwise i usally turn it off and plays whatever music I like myself.

Mom&Son · Post by **Mom&Son** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 10:31 pm

I really like the "music" in Riddle of the Sphinx. It was atmospheric, sometimes spooky, always great quality!

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Thu Mar 28, 2002 9:13 am

Originally posted by Dottie
I found the music to both Shogun: total war and Europa universalis 2 quiet enjoyable. Otherwise i usally turn it off and plays whatever music I like myself.

I do the same thing. For the most part, I turn the music of the game off, especially in FPS