Music in games, is it necessary?

[Divine Miss Bee]

absolutely, music is necessary. it's the best way to manipulate the emotions of the player. i mean, having a monster jump out and attack you may be scary for some, but even if you don't realize it, the hairs on the back of your neck are standing on end because of the way the music is quietly informing you that all the pain in the universe is about to be brought to your ass so you'd best get ready.

 

[00slash00]

Video Games are always moving closer to being an experience as compelling as any experience you could have in real life, and perhaps in some instances be more compelling, given the nature of fiction. Because of this, do you think that one day, music in games will be entirely unnecessary? You can already see this happening in some cases.

Look at any Fallout game for instance, whether it be the originals or the two newest games, they all have zero in-game music outside of an ambient soundtrack and a few radio stations. They don't have any proper score, I'd say that 95% of the soundscape is in-universe (including the radio stations of course), and you don't even notice the other 5% unless you pay attention. I think this works to its benefit, but it could be something unique to the universe that makes it work.

My point is that music can add to the mood and greatly improve the experience of watching a movie or play, but I'm not entirely sure that it will always be true for something as already inherently as visceral as video games. What do you think?

EDIT: Yes, I know that it's pretty much necessary at the moment, but I'm talking about the future, when video games are more like virtual reality than anything else.

i think it depends on the type of game. something like limbo, having no music really added to the mood and games that focus on realism are enhanced by only using sound effects. However a fantasy or sci-fi game i think music will always have a place, since it helps bring you into another world

 

[Techno Squidgy]

Music in games is necessary, it greatly enhances the experience. Not necessary in all games, some benefit from a lack of, but in games as a whole? Yes.

off topic: WHY IS THIS MARKED AS A POLL IF THERE IS NO POLL? STOP DOING THIS.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Yeah, I know that New Vegas has great tracks, but my point was that it's still more ambiance than anything else. You're not supposed to notice it as much as you would in other games.

So you're admitting that it's an integral part then?

 

[Moontouched-Moogle]

Well, it really depends. Once games hit true virtual reality, no, I guess music won't be necessary. But even now, it isn't necessary. Music is used in order to set a mood or add to the atmosphere. But music isn't always needed in order to do this. Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are good examples. While there is music sometimes, most of the time it's silent, save for ambient noise. This actually helps improve the atmosphere.

So no, not really necessary, but music is still nice to have where it can help.

 

[JambalayaBob]

Music in games is necessary, it greatly enhances the experience. Not necessary in all games, some benefit from a lack of, but in games as a whole? Yes.

off topic: WHY IS THIS MARKED AS A POLL IF THERE IS NO POLL? STOP DOING THIS.

The site fucked up, there was a poll, but it never appeared after I made the topic. Thank you for bringing this to my attention though.

 

[w9496]

Yes it is necessary, MUSIC GAMES couldn't exist without it.

 

[Hagi]

Sound is absolutely necessary.

In 95% of games music is as well. But I think there's room for a few immersive titles that don't have any music at all beyond ambient sound. I think if used properly the stunning silence with only the sounds of the wind, plants and small animals in the distance along with a single gunshot reverberating through the night can be immensely powerful.

 

[Techno Squidgy]

Music in games is necessary, it greatly enhances the experience. Not necessary in all games, some benefit from a lack of, but in games as a whole? Yes.

off topic: WHY IS THIS MARKED AS A POLL IF THERE IS NO POLL? STOP DOING THIS.

The site fucked up, there was a poll, but it never appeared after I made the topic. Thank you for bringing this to my attention though.

this is the third or fourth thread I've seen now marked as a poll without one.
sorry for the caps fury

 

[Smertnik]

I think it's exactly the same as movies and plays. Sometimes it's appropriate, sometimes it isn't.

There isn't much to add here. Some games don't need it, some are greatly improved by it. For instance, SotC wouldn't be half as epic without the music, in my opinion.

 

[JambalayaBob]

Yeah, I know that New Vegas has great tracks, but my point was that it's still more ambiance than anything else. You're not supposed to notice it as much as you would in other games.

So you're admitting that it's an integral part then?

Yeah, right now, but the question is, will it be in the future when virtual reality is, well, a reality? Fallout New Vegas is just a good example of minimalist music that greatly helps the mood. But think of all the ambient noises that would just always be around you in the world of a game once we do have that virtual reality technology. After all, if you go outside, it isn't completely silent out there, even inside a house it's never completely silent; there's all the little noises that come with a building that will still be there even when you're totally alone.

 

[orangeban]

What? I listen to music in real life, why wouldn't I want to do so in my "virtual life"?

Silence disturbs me, I don't no why but when things are very quiet I get genuinally worried and upset. I suggested an (fanciful) idea that we should have bands set up around cities, so that my life had a constant soundtrack.

 

[Rabid Chipmunk]

Yes, music will always be needed, in certain games more than others however. Horror is probably the genre that needs it the most. I mean, can you imagine you're favorite horror titles without an eerie background track in between melees?

 

[Sticky Squid]

Jet Set Radio wouldn't be anywhere near as good without the music IMO, though there are some games were no music could work such as survival horror it could be used to build tension.

 

[ChildofGallifrey]

Short answer, yes. Evidence to support my opinion:


I think Bobic already took care of the long answer way up there. I'll always prefer games that have music though. Especially if the music is this incredible.

 

[JambalayaBob]

Music is a MUST in games because if done properly it can IMMENSLEY enhance the experience.
Do you know how enjoyable it was killing Super Mutants when I was listening to crazy ol' Three Dog the Disk Jockey? Amazing.
The same thing goes with other games. Damn, Christopher Tin received an Emmy for a Videogame Score he made. AN EMMY.

Your example isn't what I was talking about. An in-game radio station isn't really a score or anything, it's just a radio station. Yes, it does add a lot to that game (until you play it long enough for you to want Three Dog's head chopped clean off anyways), but it does it in a way that wouldn't be out of place in the real world. It's not a part of the actual Fallout 3 soundtrack, it's just a part of the world. Also, as I've said before, try thinking of how necessary it will be in virtual worlds.

 

[JambalayaBob]

What? I listen to music in real life, why wouldn't I want to do so in my "virtual life"?

Silence disturbs me, I don't no why but when things are very quiet I get genuinally worried and upset. I suggested an (fanciful) idea that we should have bands set up around cities, so that my life had a constant soundtrack.

I'm not suggesting that the world be silent, there are a ton of noises that go into a day to day life. I'm not even arguing against listening to music in a virtual reality. I'm just talking about things like the score revving up when you get to a big baddy or something, having a disembodied orchestra or something playing music that fits everything that happens in a virtual world. Even having an in-universe iPod and doing things while listening to music on it would be fine. I'm just suggesting that maybe living in a virtual world that feels like the real one might pull you out of the experience when we're literally living in it like that.

 

[Lilani]

-snip-

I think Bobic's post right below yours pretty much sums it up. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Putting it someplace where it isn't necessary is just as bad as not having it when it really could have improved things. It's all a matter of how much the style and situation demands.

Furthermore, I really can't stand these notions people get regarding dealing with things in a blanketed manner. Why the hell would you consider that what works for one game will work for all the others? Where does that kind of thinking even come from? Nobody says there might be a time where music will be unnecessary in narrative film or stage productions. So why the fuck would it become unnecessary in narrative games? That makes absolutely no sense.

Of course if you are trying to simulate a real-life experience with real-life conditions music would be inappropriate. That's the sort of game it is. But when the hell was it decided that we are trying to get to a point where the ONLY video games we make are ones that completely simulate reality? My God. What a dull point in gaming that would be.

So of course music is unnecessary for SOME games, just as dialog, cutscenes, aliens, guns, zombies, and vehicle sections are unnecessary for some other games. It all completely depends on how the game wants to approach reality. And with how fudged the physics, weapons, and damage systems are in even the most "realistic" games these days, we're still a far cry from the point where the most unrealistic thing going on in them is background music. It's something to be considered in the future to be certain, and I'm sure if a game like that hasn't already been made one like it is floating around in some developer's head right now. But to say there is a point it will be unnecessary for ALL games? That is completely ridiculous.

 

[GeorgW]

Spoiler

Say that again. I dare you!

I realise you were mostly asking about ambient music, but I don't know any good ones, so here.
Anyway, music add to atmosphere is used correctly. So hell yes, it's necessary!