Music

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Synopsis

All kinds of music heard during the game.

Relationships

Many contexts, including:
Entrainment , Relaxation , Anticipation , Engagement , Decay , Emotional Script , Trance , Narrative , Window of Opportunity , Diegetic Music , Contextual Music , Musical Outcome , Signature , ....
Relates to:
Acoustic Ecology .
Calls for:
Variety .

Description

Music is the most widely used of the Sound Layers in game design. That is even more noticeable in not so recent games, when, due to technical limitations and less sophistication in game development, there was less investment in other layers (Ambiance, Foley, Sound Effects, Dialogue). Modern complex games, tend to fit Music in an involving Acoustic Ecology sometimes even being part of game world itself (Diegetic Music). Still, the extent of the explorations is highly dependent on the characteristics of the game.

Music is a major tool in the design of all the typical phases of gameplay: Relaxation, Anticipation, Engagement and Decay.

It is argued that the use of Music in games is still strongly influenced by the practice in cinema and by the fact that many sound designers work and were educated in that industry [pending: ref]. There is also extensive discussion about the limitations of cinema-like Music in games, considering differences such as interactivity, variable duration of scenes, possible long periods of exposition (that demand Variety), potential unpredictability, etc. [pending:e.g., ref].

Music, as field, has historically developed and refined many techniques that have proven to tackle human emotions. Examples are the use of Entrainment to influence the Emotional Script or reach Trance, by progressively changing tempo and dynamics.

Some games exhibit Contextual Music, depending on the space in the game world and/or game level and/or particular circumstances of the gameplay including Windows of Opportunity.

Some game genres focus on Music, making it part of the gameplay, either in terms of performance (Rhythm Gameplay, Pitch Gameplay, Sing to Act) or in terms of the output of the player's actions (Musical Outcome).

Examples

Portal: The song "Still Alive" performed by GLaDOS's Voice Actor has been highly praised. The song is heard in the end of the game, though a "peppy" instrumental version can be heard during the gameplay in scattered Radios. The lyrics contain aspects contributing (or adding) to the Narrative.

Everyday Shooter:

LocoRoco:

[show less examples...]

Tomb Raider Underworld:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves:

The Path:

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory:

Half-Life 2: Music prepares and supports the haste of a fight.

Deadly Premonition:

Ice Age 3:

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom:

Halo: Reach:

Additional Comments

[pending: add links to the specificities of Music in games, namely when compared to film music]




References