Guild Wars 2: The One Thread

[Theendgamelv3]

What part of it?

I think he doesn't get how this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTwWU4tWV3w makes you (well your guild mate anyways) think fairies. Now this I can see being some kind of fairy music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZNTsXMXP1k

[Bluedragonwolf]

Actually, when I think back on it... there isn't a lot of musical association I have with my favorite games. I tried to think of some while making some tea but really can't. I mean EQ, Champions of Norrath, Might & Magic, Final Fantasy Tactics, Shadow of the Colossus... yea. I can't recall a single tune or recognize any music off youtube.

The only one that springs to mind is the opening of Diablo.

But what a dozy! I hear that theme and I can only think of the grey bricks of the Tristam houses, that one gray tree north of the blacksmith... the loneliness, isolation the crackle of a crow overhead...

Good lord, that is one hell of a game. Pun intended as always.

I could go for some Diablo 2 right about now.

That's why I said the difference between a good game and a great game. I myself have some games I loved to play that I just can't remember the music, OR, when I hear it I don't recognize it, and I always listen to the music in games intently. The big ones for me have been: WoW (it's just memorable, I recognize the music so easily and can recall it), UO (I can't necessarily recall it, but I recognize it when I hear it easy enough), Final Fantasy 3 of all things, Mario (who can't recognize that mario theme), Sonic, lets just lump a lot of those NES/SNES/Sega games together, Bastion as I said earlier. Some of the newer ones like Terraria (It's a set of simple tracks, that I often find annoying, LOL, but its easy to pick out, and it's not really bad), Starcraft and Broodwar and SC2.

There are so many others that I can remember; but there are some that I loved at times that I can't remember. Heroes of Might and Magic, I loved the games, don't remember any of the music. Total War series of games, it had good music to fit with the games and the time periods/places it was portraying, but they weren't super memorable, rather, they were/are very generic. There are of course many other games here I could list as well.

Again, a lot of this can be narrowed down to opinion. What I consider great in game music may not be what others consider great in game music. Some people may find that what I consider bad, or just MEH, music is, to them, really good music. But, if we were to examine peoples top 5 list of games, a number of them, whether they remember the music or not, will have music those people will enjoy listening to.

Music in one of the most highly subjective things to exist. There is no objectively best music. I love Bach compositions for example. I also knew a lot of my fellow music majors who dislike Bach with a passion. In music, there is no right or wrong answer, only what we love. And when we love a soundtrack, whether we consciously recognize it as such or not, we inherently have a better opinion about the game.

[Fencers]

That's why I said the difference between a good game and a great game. I myself have some games I loved to play that I just can't remember the music, OR, when I hear it I don't recognize it, and I always listen to the music in games intently.<snip>

I wonder if I have heard the soundtrack in full to games I enjoy. Not sure I have actually. That is to say, I may have always been the type to turn off the sound/music in games. Just youtube'd Starcraft, Sonic, FF3... yea. Don't recognize any of that music

This is supposedly the WOW theme : http://youtu.be/xtJcoZ9E9ZQ

Hm. Can't say I recall this either or would associate it with World of Warcraft.

Kind of an interesting experiment. Let's say these are my fave games, I'll just listen to tracks and post honestly...

5. Final Fantasy Tactics : http://youtu.be/Csq5xyotb0E
Do not recognize. No association with the game.

4. Champions of Norrath : http://youtu.be/GuthBl0mE3Q
Can't pick out any tracks I recognize on YT.

3. Diablo 1/2 : http://youtu.be/gGTUz4OnzdM
Oh hell yea.

2. Shadow of the Colossus : http://youtu.be/GrFL2zPc2uk
Kinda... not anything specific though. I get the impression more that this would the type of music in SotC.

1. Legend of Zelda : http://youtu.be/GySJPa14-nU
1. Everquest : http://youtu.be/XomcQw_pgXk
Holy shit, yea. I am not sure why the vendor music in EQ hits me like a brick. I spent a lot of time managing inventories it seems.

Some popular ones; Super Mario Bros 3, can recognize vaguely. Prince of Persia, oh yes. Out of this World, hm no. Grim Fandango, definitely. Baldur's Gate 2, oh hell yes. Pools of Radiance, nah. Syndicate, yup!

Got more than I thought I would.

[Larynx]

2. Shadow of the Colossus : http://youtu.be/GrFL2zPc2uk
Kinda... not anything specific though. I get the impression more that this would the type of music in SotC.

How can you not remember that music if you've played the game? @_@

[Fencers]

I turn it off. It is very likely I only hear the music of most games [at least nowadays] I play once- while going into the options screen to change settings. Music Mute is usually one of them.

[Herecius]

I turn it off. It is very likely I only hear the music of most games [at least nowadays] I play once- while going into the options screen to change settings. Music Mute is usually one of them.

That is so very unfortunate. So many games have such incredible soundtracks. The production value for gaming music has gone up DRAMATICALLY in the last decade.

[Mif]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Sonic 2

[Fencers]

That is so very unfortunate. So many games have such incredible soundtracks. The production value for gaming music has gone up DRAMATICALLY in the last decade.

Just not how I play games, really. Usually doing something else while I game; movies, phone, vent, personal music, podcast, audio book, reddit, youtubes, game streams, etc. Even like forums, I am constantly alt tabbing out of game and flipping through reddit, MMO-C, Ej, Junkies, etc. Because I am fucking insane/compulsive.

Interestingly, I can't recall/recognize much music from games like Final Fantasy Tactics or Champions of Norrath. But do remember grinding every profession in FFT while listening to Magnetic Fields and My Bloody Valentine for [seemingly] months at the time. Or blaring Black Dice while grinding levels for like a year in Everquest.

A different sort of soundtrack, I suppose.

I really don't know what GW2 music is like except for the login screen either. XD

[Meledelion]

Tetris! come on you simply have to know that
and ofc the Pokémon game themes

[Fencers]

Big Pokemon fan. I know the music. I enjoy.

This one:



A symphony in 8-bit.

[Bluedragonwolf]

I wonder if I have heard the soundtrack in full to games I enjoy. Not sure I have actually. That is to say, I may have always been the type to turn off the sound/music in games. Just youtube'd Starcraft, Sonic, FF3... yea. Don't recognize any of that music

<SNIP>

Got more than I thought I would.

It's amazing how many of the 8-bit and 16-bit systems music is so memorable. And they really are very good compositions for the quality of the tech at the time.

With the WoW theme; that's the original log-in screen theme from Vanilla, I remember that one and Wrath. I actually can't remember TBC or Cata's even, and I still log in to Cata a couple days a week. The easiest for me to remember from WoW though is Elwynn Forest. First leveling experience in that zone .

I had to double check the final fantasy ones on youtube. Have to remember that Japanese and US versions differ in numbering. So, FF3 in the US was FF6 in Japan I believe... On the SNES, link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLouS...feature=relmfu

Good find btw with the Pools of Radiance, I had forgotten about that game entirely. Music doesn't ring a bell for me either, HAH!

The problem with Shadow of the Colossus, for me anyways, was that I had to play through the fights again after I would beat them to catch the music because I was concentrating on the fights at the time. So I suppose it depends on how many times you played it through.

The great thing with MMO's is that you can take a breather from time to time and just listen to the music. It's easier when in zones rather than fights though, fight music in an MMO requires a couple fights to really get a good grasp on. My suggestion, when in an MMO, when in a new zone or even a new area within a zone sometimes, take a breather and listen to the music. Oftentimes it may change just based on where you are in the world. I believe GW2 does this, but I'll have to double check next beta weekend and/or check some videos online. Sadly most the good videos I watch on youtube also have commentary so listening for the music is a little harder there. And all the video I took of the weekend was from WvWvW, so no help for zone changes there. What will be really interesting to see, is if the music changes around the big events, like say the Shatterer/Tequatl. I will be keeping my ears open for that when we go live for sure. I did a quick scan of videos of those two fights on youtube, and since they were only done at major events like gamescon, there's usually not much you can hear of the music.

And saddest of course I didn't get the Collector's Edition of GW2, money is a little too tight atm for 150 USD. Which just means I will have to wait some time and buy the GW2 soundtrack individually. Because this is one of those soundtracks that is just... that... good!

That is so very unfortunate. So many games have such incredible soundtracks. The production value for gaming music has gone up DRAMATICALLY in the last decade.

While the production value has gone up, it doesn't always make things better. As I said earlier, there was just some really awesome music out of the 8 & 16 bit gen stuff. Of course, we've also been able to really introduce full orchestral music into games, like we have with movies for decades; and this, makes me so very very happy. Being able to have full orchestras play your music for your game, it just makes me scream with delight!!

[Squirrelbanes]

Final Fantasy 7 - Sephiroth Fight - music known as One Winged Angel - here performed orchestrally.


All the music from that game was amazing though. And tbh virtually every FF game.

Music always play a big part in a game for me. Done well it perfectly captures the mood of that game at that particular time. Some zones in wow have music that perfectly match the zone. Like Arathi Highlands. It captures the grassland feel very well, with the fallen Stormgarde Keep. The music in that zone is like a memory on the wind. Loved it.

[Fencers]

It's amazing how many of the 8-bit and 16-bit systems music is so memorable. And they really are very good compositions for the quality of the tech at the time. <snip>

While the production value has gone up, it doesn't always make things better. As I said earlier, there was just some really awesome music out of the 8 & 16 bit gen stuff. Of course, we've also been able to really introduce full orchestral music into games, like we have with movies for decades; and this, makes me so very very happy. Being able to have full orchestras play your music for your game, it just makes me scream with delight!!

I suspect the 8/16 stuff being so easily memorable is due to the simple melody/themes.



Isn't exactly Mahler#8. But the older games had that melody drilled into your skull. It's like listening to Neu! or Faust.

Final Fantasy 7 - Sephiroth Fight - music known as One Winged Angel - here performed orchestrally.

LOL, I never fought him. The Materia system was too intriguing for me. I was compelled to level those and would stop play when they were maxed.

Path of Exile has a materia-like skill system and ridiculously large talents tree with Diablo's endless loot grind. I am a big fan. ^____^

[Bluedragonwolf]

I suspect the 8/16 stuff being so easily memorable is due to the simple melody/themes.

Isn't exactly Mahler#8. But the older games had that melody drilled into your skull. It's like listening to Neu! or Faust.

HAH, yeah, probably one of the many reasons. But on those older systems, it also had to stand out more, so they tended to make it come out at ya. A lot of today's tend to go the more subtle route. It blends more with the action on screen and with the other sounds and music around it. But the 8/16 still had some complexities. The original Super Mario Bros theme on the NES had a bit of a swing vibe to it even, then you go under water and get a nice relaxing waltz. They weren't 5-6 minute masterpieces, in fact a lot of them were on 20-30 sec loops, but they were surprisingly good for the time.

[Blufossa]

That is so very unfortunate. So many games have such incredible soundtracks. The production value for gaming music has gone up DRAMATICALLY in the last decade.

I only turned it off for the day because I had little to no sleep for 2 days, and the other reason is because of the plain awesome sounds in the game. Like my rifle, spells, NPCs talking, etc.

[Salech]

Diablo 3 untill GW2 is out, gaming is good this year.

[Ishu]

It's amazing how many of the 8-bit and 16-bit systems music is so memorable. And they really are very good compositions for the quality of the tech at the time.

I have to agree with this as well. 8/16-bit music (and modern music inspired by it) is one of the genres I'm most fond of. A lot of is is just so memorable. My favorite soundtrack would probably have to be the one from Treasure Adventure Game. I just remember pretty much all the tunes in that soundtrack even though I've only played the game once. It really helped raise my enjoyment of the game.

[Drakhar]

So, while doing some research on game release dates for the What Games Were You Playing About This Time 10 Years Ago? (Such threads are srs bsns) I discovered that a certain Guild Wars 2 designer happened to be the lead designer on an awesome game that is one of my favorite and most underappreciated PC games ever.

Guild Wars 2 earned +100 rep

[summourn]

Guild Wars 2 had multiple starting areas depending on your race. Does it also offer multiple areas to quest in at higher levels, like WoW has? It'd be nice to have a choice if you're leveling alts and such. Or does it become filtered in and linear, like SWTOR? (Everyone proceeds to the same level 20 zone, then level 30 zone, etc.)

[Tithonus]

Guild Wars 2 had multiple starting areas depending on your race. Does it also offer multiple areas to quest in at higher levels, like WoW has? It'd be nice to have a choice if you're leveling alts and such. Or does it become filtered in and linear, like SWTOR? (Everyone proceeds to the same level 20 zone, then level 30 zone, etc.)

Judging by this map there are 4 starter zones which lead into 2 75-80 zones. Of course with downscaling any zone can remain relevant with levels acting as a barrier to additional zones.