Godah Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Hi folks, I'm studying a Masters degree about Digital Literature amd we are focusing right now on video games and its academic studies. The thing is that I'm going to prepare a paper about the role of music in video games, focusing on how music is integrated into video games. I think that in this community I shall find quite interesting information among OC members. I just wanted to ask you what video games do you think that deserve attention when dealing with this topic. I can think of: -Rez (PS2, Xbox 360) -Vib Ribbon (PSX) -Elektroplankton (DS) -Korg (DS) -Music (PSX) and sequels Do you know other remarkable video games which have music as the main driving force? And secondly, do you have any material, author, book, interview; in fact, any material that would be useful for me? I would appreciate any help. It is possible that I pass around further surveys. Thank you in advance. I hope that you cooperate. Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BardicKnowledge Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Get a hold of Karen Collins' book, "Game Sound". Kiri Miller also does video game music research, though she doesn't have any books on games published. If you're in the midwest, she's giving a guest lecture here at the University of Minnesota on 3/28: "How Musical is Guitar Hero?" which looks like it will relate to the work you're interested in doing. If you can't make it, I can take some notes and send you a summary of her lecture -- I'm a UMN musicologist on the Music & Sound Studies committee that invites our guest lecturers. More tangentially related to your work is a book highly regarded by composers in the game industry: Aaron Marks' "The Complete Guide to Game Audio", now in its second edition (I own the first one and can't tell you what's changed). Additionally, I hope you're aware that Elektroplankton and Korg DS-10 are less "games" and instead are considered to be utilities -- especially the DS-10. Talking about either of them in terms of games (measured progress, plot, development of the player character, etc) will only go so far. I'm presenting a paper on video game music at this year's Music and the Moving Image conference -- the abstract will be made public closer to the conference date in May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 You'll definitely want to take a look at Parappa the Rapper for PSX(2?)or almost any rhythm game. I think you should also examine how music in the old days (8-bit) was just as important, if not more, as today where we have the technology to include any type of music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modus Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Rez is a great choice. I think all of us could suggest games with distinguished music, but you seem to be concentrating on the oddball abstract games. "The role of music in video games" is kind of unspecific, but if you're taking a chronological approach it would be interesting to start off talking about the creative ways developers got around hardware limitations in the retro days and how those styles carried over into the later 90s using higher quality mixing. And now there's the whole "orchestral" obsession with AAA games (that I hate). It seems nowadays the role of music in video games is to have as complex an arrangement as possible with as many string sections you can possibly fit into a recording hall. But Super Meat Boy fixes everything. Suggestions that sort of match your other listed games: Space Channel 5 (DC) Legend of zelda's use of musical instruments (Ocarina, Spirit Flute, Harp of Ages, Wind Waker's conducting wand thing) Song Summoner (iPod) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkumajoBelmont Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Space Channel 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godah Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 If you can't make it, I can take some notes and send you a summary of her lecture -- I'm a UMN musicologist on the Music & Sound Studies committee that invites our guest lecturers. Well, I live in Barcelona, I'm not American, ha ha, so it is impossible for me to assist there. Anyway, this seems to be highly interesting. If you have the opporunity to tell me the main stuff about this conference it would be great, but just do it for yourself, not only for me. Additionally, I hope you're aware that Elektroplankton and Korg DS-10 are less "games" and instead are considered to be utilities -- especially the DS-10. Talking about either of them in terms of games (measured progress, plot, development of the player character, etc) will only go so far. Yes, you are right; I was using blurryly the term "video game", and it is true that those examples and Music are closer to programs rather than to games. I was aleady aware, but thank you for pointing it out. And obviously, thank you very much indeed for all your information and references. I see that you are an expert in this field, and even a researcher! I appreciate your cooperation, man. Kitty: Thank you for mentioning Parappa, which is another music-centered game I forgot. Modus: Actually I am not centering so much about these games. These kind of games are just one part of my "desired" paper. What I had in mind is, in fact, the types of integration of music one can find: background music (almost all video games use it), thematic music (you know, those games such as Wipeout which use specific music and the player can control it or add new songs) or genetic/motor integration, the case of the games we were commenting on. I wasn't wrong, I definitely see that in this forum I can find really interesting posts. Thanks for your contributions! PD: By the way, since I am not a native speaker, feel free to correct me if my English has some flaws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyperion5182 Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Bayonetta. It's not quite as direct as some of the other games but that one in particular has a strong connection to the music of it and really influences the course of the game in my opinion. If you're opening the scope to production value and how it aids games KOTOR 1 Final Fantasy Franchise. (Examine every one of them) Half-Life 2. Now wait wait i said that? Yes i did. It doesnt have the constant ingame music most come to expect. But you know it when its playing and you know it throughout the entire game. Its subtle and its impact is understated in my opinion. Mass Effect Series: The Score of both of these games have helped make the game. In the first one you can tell the patriotic tones and your loyalty to the alliance+citadel is aided it carries you. In the second you explore the darker side of the galaxy in your travels, to this day the revealing of the SR-2 may well be one of the single greatest pieces of music I've heard in a video game. If you examine MMO's there are three in particular you want to look at. Anarchy Online, EVE Online, and now RIFT. Its not just scores i'm looking at here its how the music is used. AO has some insane scores that are almost never heard because of the situation required to trigger them. EVE Online has a music path that really works in the opening stages. Plus it now uses a jukebox to mix with your own music. Rift i'll let you experience for yourself. Anyway that's my Two C-Bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I'd say it might be worth taking a loot into Beat Hazard and Audiosurf as well for how they integrate any piece of music into the gameplay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozovian Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I wanna bring up Monkey Island 3 as an example to study. It had some nice audio, and the music blends from room to room (or environment to environment). Even if all you do is roam around on Plunder Island, or even just wander about in Puerto Pollo, you should be able to hear the music change whenever you enter or exit a building. Because of its age, the changes are noticeable... which perhaps just makes it an even better example since it's easier to study. Then I'd have to mention Ocarina of Time and an old LucasArts game called Loom, where playing the right melodies are a gameplay mechanic, the right song changing stuff in the game. Day to night, gold to straw, sunny to rainy, white to an ugly shade of green, turn old, turn invisible, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pezman Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I wanna bring up Monkey Island 3 as an example to study. It had some nice audio, and the music blends from room to room (or environment to environment). Even if all you do is roam around on Plunder Island, or even just wander about in Puerto Pollo, you should be able to hear the music change whenever you enter or exit a building. Because of its age, the changes are noticeable... which perhaps just makes it an even better example since it's easier to study.. Hey, don't forget that one of the songs is a puzzle in itself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I totally forgot about Banjo-Kazooie. The music changes depending on your location to certain areas or objects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godah Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 Hello again people maybe 8 months of delay aren't excuse, but anyway, I could finally finish an academic paper about the Integration of music into video games. I did speak about some of the proposed games, while others belonged to my fond memories. The original work is in Spanish, but I translated it into English so you can read it. Any proof-reading would be highly valued, don't hesitate therefore to comment about any mistakes or things that could be improved. Here you can have it. Thank you all for your posts, I hope that you enjoy this reading so we can altogether keep up video game music! Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gario Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Oh wow, this thing is pretty massive. I will get through it before Christmas, though - always fun to dive back into Academia from time to time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godah Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Thank you, man. Don't feel overwhelmed with the lenght: I hope you'll eventually find it enthralling. In my case, it's just the opposite: It's not bad to go away from the Academia. As I said, any language corrections will be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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