Guild Wars 2: The One Thread

[Fencers]

Don't think I have heard a piece of music from WOW since like, beta.

I'll never forget when WOW was in alpha and the Blizz devs were telling to us [EQ GMs] they were afraid the game was too big. There was a worry at the time that WOW was; 1. too fast paced 2. too large so that people couldn't find each other.

Hehe. A lot of people don't really understand the revolution it was to walk in WOW from one point of the zone to the other.

[Valeron]

You don't listen to the in game music in games? I always do, at least the first go through. After that I usually mute the game and play my own music.

[Fencers]

You don't listen to the in game music in games? I always do, at least the first go through. After that I usually mute the game and play my own music.

Very, very rarely. When am I playing an MMO alone? Almost never. My guild is chattering the whole time or I'm gossiping with my sisters on phone/skype/RL.

When I am grinding solo, I put on music of my own.

[Bluedragonwolf]

Very, very rarely. When am I playing an MMO alone? Almost never. My guild is chattering the whole time or I'm gossiping with my sisters on phone/skype/RL.

When I am grinding solo, I put on music of my own.

This is very common from my experience. Not many people listen to the in game music in games in general, never mind in MMO's (in which case is comes closer to never ). There are some of us out there who do though. Personally I was a music performance major in college for a few semesters before changing and absolutely love most forms of music. They can induce feelings and emotions and sensations without the listener even knowing that it's doing so (I changed to a Psych major, and the psychology of music is an interesting thing, it's much akin to colors).

From talking to friends who play games, I've found a large number of them don't consciously hear the music, it's just there, but it still affects them; they just don't necessarily understand that the music is helping to do so. I've played some good games in my time that were even better when you shut the music off, because the soundtrack for the game was just awful. But, when you get to the really great games out there you'll find equally good compositions behind them. If you can shut your eyes while listening to the music and see the game, or visualize a point in time where you were playing the game via that sound. Then the music has done it's job. For me, Bastion is one of the best examples of the importance of music in a game.

As it relates to MMO's though, it tends to be a little harder. Here it's a persistent world where your consumers can spend hundreds of hours in game. Music can become stale just as much as anything else in that amount of time. And, when you're introducing expansions you really need the music to be in line with the rest of the series but still be different enough.

As this is the GW2 forum, if you get a chance (I think there may be some youtube of the songs out there somewhere) take a listen to some of the music of GW2. It is really good. I for one listened to some of the songs and could see myself going to a concert to listen to them.

Here's some examples of some MMO music.
GW2 A lot of people will recognize the song at 4:20 the most if I had to guess.
WoW A mix of a few of the songs of WoW for comparison, ignoring the cinematics that play behind as they should have just stuck with static pictures instead IMO.

I could probably link thousands of links to game music; but because it's all so subjective as to what people like and don't like; I would rather just say: Take one of your favorite games ever and do a search for that games soundtrack, you may be pleasantly surprised. I encourage people to go give a look around and see what they can find in this area, because it's one of those areas in all games (especially MMO's) that gets overlooked and generally dismissed. I feel that the people who create this music and the people who play this music deserve a lot of credit to making an enjoyable gaming experience.

[Deleted]

They [music] can induce feelings and emotions and sensations without the listener even knowing that it's doing so...

Very interesting that you said that - I was just chatting with a cousin about it. My Dad and her Mother (siblings) both passed away last year...one of their fave songs was "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire"...I've been playing Fallout: New Vegas this weekend and that song popped up, so I linked it on my Facebook page. We've been talking about the memories and emotions surrounding that specific song...and about our respective parents musical tastes and ability. Very powerful, music.

[Fencers]

This is very common from my experience. <snip>

Oh, what a fantastic post! I do agree with you on basically, everything. Just a matter of practicality- I can't really hear vent/phone with the game sounds going. XD

And yes, I am familiar with the GW1 & 2 soundtrack. Highly enjoyable on their own.

[Ishu]

I could probably link thousands of links to game music; but because it's all so subjective as to what people like and don't like; I would rather just say: Take one of your favorite games ever and do a search for that games soundtrack, you may be pleasantly surprised. I encourage people to go give a look around and see what they can find in this area, because it's one of those areas in all games (especially MMO's) that gets overlooked and generally dismissed. I feel that the people who create this music and the people who play this music deserve a lot of credit to making an enjoyable gaming experience.

I completely agree with this. I always feels sad that so many people just ignore the music in games when it's one of my favorite parts of it. There are so many great game soundtracks out there but very few of them are actually recognized. I just did a rough count of my music collection and I think roughly one third of all my albums are video game soundtracks. I guess that says something about how much I enjoy the music in the games I play.

[Arkenaw]

I completely agree with this. I always feels sad that so many people just ignore the music in games when it's one of my favorite parts of it. There are so many great game soundtracks out there but very few of them are actually recognized. I just did a rough count of my music collection and I think roughly one third of all my albums are video game soundtracks. I guess that says something about how much I enjoy the music in the games I play.

Only 1/3? I only listen to video game music. :P

[Bluedragonwolf]

Oh, what a fantastic post! I do agree with you on basically, everything. Just a matter of practicality- I can't really hear vent/phone with the game sounds going. XD

And yes, I am familiar with the GW1 & 2 soundtrack. Highly enjoyable on their own.

I'll agree on the hearing vent/phone. When I game on my laptop I turn down all game sounds to hear vent as I only have my headphones. At home, on my desktop I throw vent through my headphones and all game sounds through my speaker system.

[Ishu]

Only 1/3? I only listen to video game music. :P

Well, that's 1/3 of everything I own, not everything I listen to

[Deleted]

They can induce feelings and emotions and sensations without the listener even knowing that it's doing so

subliminal messages!¡
get the tinfoil hats!

[Fencers]

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.

[Deleted]

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

[snip]

I could go for some Diablo 2 right about now.

That music!

Blew my mind when I first played Diablo...so many associated memories, combined with what is, still a stunning piece.

D3 in a week or two...yum.

[degonite]

I could go from some Diablo 3 right now hahaha better yet more GW2 I wish I didn't play beta, Now I'm more pumped up than ever but at least D3 is soon and will kill some of the time for me , I'm not interested in Inferno or going hardcore just want to see the story =D , I will get as close to inferno as I can but that all depends on the release of GW2 hehe.

[Fencers]

That music!

Blew my mind when I first played Diablo...so many associated memories, combined with what is, still a stunning piece.

D3 in a week or two...yum.

LOL yea, I can't wait for D3. Clocked in tons of hours in the "beta" [demo] already. Even hit Beta-Maxed achievement [its really easy].

I think, that D2 might be my most played game of all time. As I played it literally till like 2 years ago when the resolution was just too hard on my eyes. WTB higher resolution or better eyesight. :'[

[Arrowstormen]

Videogame music, "fairy music", and MLP music. Who needs more?

---------- Post added 2012-05-07 at 03:36 AM ----------

LOL yea, I can't wait for D3. Clocked in tons of hours in the "beta" [demo] already. Even hit Beta-Maxed achievement [its really easy].

I think, that D2 might be my most played game of all time. As I played it literally till like 2 years ago when the resolution was just too hard on my eyes. WTB higher resolution or better eyesight. :'[

Never understood the deal behind Diablo honestly. Everybody everywhere is totally flipped about Diablo III, while I will be on vacation when it's released, and I don't care one bit.

[Fencers]

what on earth is fairy music?

[Arrowstormen]

what on earth is fairy music?

A nickname a guildmate gave music like Two Steps From Hell.

[Arkenaw]

A nickname a guildmate gave music like Two Steps From Hell.

I don't get it.

[Arrowstormen]

I don't get it.

What part of it?