Soundtracks

[Wannabe]

One feature that makes games more enjoyable for me is the soundtrack, but it not only adds to the game experience while playing, some of these little tunes are so catchy (and repetitive) that I find myself hearing them play in my mind even when I'm doing something else completely unrelated to the game (like working). Makes me want to play that game some more. Other games and VN's have either a dull soundtrack or no soundtrack at all, and those, frankly, are less compelling.

So, is that true for anyone else? How important is a good soundtrack to game enjoyment and repeated play? Also, if anyone knows where the devs get those mp3s, please advise. I'm very curious.

 

[c201]

Usually most games have license free music, which can be iconic due to it's repetitive use, doesn't add anything to the game, and you'd be better off muting music and playing something on spotify. I do enjoy the occasional game that uses music to add to it, though (ie. lessons in love)

 

[DarkBoar]

Adjacent question, where does everyone find royalty free music? (I know of Kevin/Fox MacLeod) but some games use other sources.

 

[User_80256]

I tend to turn the sound off. There's copyright pressure on everything, so developers usually use tracks that are freely available. As a rule, their quality is not very high, and in 20-30 minutes such music gets boring. I use my own music library and put on something to suit my mood (it can be classic rock, jazz, new age).
In general, I came to the conclusion a long time ago that having a soundtrack is a waste of space on HDD.

 

[kurgan]

Even when I try to leave the music from the game I end muting it and playing my own music, for the same reasons have been already exposed. Music from VN have tendency to be repetitive.

 

[c0rkscr3w]

who needs sound anyway?

 

[lonewolf67]

I'm sure there's some devs out there that try and find the perfect song that fits the scene they're making, but 90% of the time, I'm muting the in-game music.

 

[whinegummi]

Not many games that, for me, really makes the music work with the game.
Lessons in Love is definitely one, not all music pieces but many of them. Tales from the Unending Void is another, Perverteer really hits that sci-fi vibe well. I think Desert Stalker succeeds too.

Strange enough, the music for Such a Sharp Pain does not work for me, even though the game is top-tier in every way. Not that the music is bad, more that it does not fit with the mood I feel in that game. And that might be one of the really hard points for a dev, to find music that will, for both the dev themselves but also for the most of the audience, be in emotional harmony with the story and the characters.

I think space opera sci-fi games like "Tales of.." might have it easier here due to the clear genre with it's tropes and expectations, and as said Perverteer is spot on, actually so spot on that other dev's that want to write in than genre should make a note of pretty much all the tracks used - and then make damn sure to avoid fhem all since so many players will have those tracks strongly associated with "Tales..."

 

[Lepomis]

Personal taste of course - but for me not a fan of in-game music. In the past when I've given it a try more often than not, I just fond it annoying, distracting and not adding anything to the game - so now I just mute it all the time.

 

[Alex1980]

Usually things are pretty miserable with the sound in these games.....
The only exception is Adventures Of Willy D.
But there the music belongs to the developer (a kind of Renaissance man) and his friends.

 

[Finwin]

Its hard to listen to the same few min loop. If its real soft sound I am fine with just turning it down but if it got to much BPM I full mute.

 

[xatfx]

I always mute my game sounds and listen to my albums on Deezer.
It's more enjoyable for me.