Music you listen to while playing games?

[DementedSheep]

I don't listen to music beyond the soundtrack for most games, usually when I do its multiplyer or a game like X-Com or M&B.
If its multi-player or something I need to concentrate on music with no or minimal lyrics (generally, there some songs and styles with lyrics where that's fine). If I'm just messing about any music I'm in the mood for that isn't specific to gaming.



Sometimes it will be thematic music. If I'm playing fallout 3 for example I just want more of he sort of music they already have in the game.

 

[Something Amyss]

Literally anything I listen to normally is fair game.

That I can understand, but to me that sounds suspiciously like putting on some music while doing a job. Which I don't think is a mindset a videogame should be evoking.

It probably shouldn't, but they certainly can.

 

[Th37thTrump3t]

Really, the only game I listen to music while playing is Killing Floor, and it's usually a playlist comprised of a lot of metal, metalcore, hardcore, etc.

Spoiler: Examples:

 

[Spushkin]

I never listen to music when I play, because I want to experience the game the way the developers intended, even if they failed at their intention.

That said, I found that playing Trials: Fusion with different kinds of music (and with some company) yields more fun. We tried everything from classic, Balkan folk, the so-called "epic" music compilations from youtube, a variety of metal genres and it just works with the silliness of the game itself

 

[Steve Waltz]

I never really understood this behaviour.

To me it's like listening to music when watching a movie or TV show, or while reading a book. How can you focus on what's being presented infront of you when you're concentration is being split? Even in a game like GTA where the entire soundtrack consists of tracks, I'd still have my mind preoccupied by two entertainment devices being on at the same time.

The video games I play for fun don't require constant concentration. I'll play Skyrim and I'll turn off the sound for the TV and put on whatever music I'm in the mood for, or even a movie and listen to that. When I need to read text or something I'll focus on that, but when that's not the case I'll just be adventuring or doing quests I'm familiar with while listening to movies and music.

I mean, I do this ALL the time while playing Civilization 5. I'll have The People's Court alt-tabbed and listen to that while playing. During wars I might have to focus and drown out the sound, but usually I don't have to worry about that and I can just listen to Milian yell at stupid people. It gives me something else to focus on during long turns and stuff.

 

[SanguiniusMagnificum]

The.... soundtrack of the game??? Yeah, I usually listen to that, I mean it's just great that some devs put music in their games. Really immersive, you should try it sometimes.

All right, enough snark. Like I said, I usually listen to the soundtrack but if the game is akin to, for example, Victoria 2 (grand strategy, lots of doing nothing intensive etc...) I tend to put some music that fits the main theme. I found that Tchaikovski and Beethoven really fit the whole "19th century, the era of enlightment and imperialism" thing.

And yes, I agree, the MGR soundtrack does fit with everything. Declaring war on France and hearing "THE ONLY THING I KNOW FOR REAL: THERE WILL BE BLOOD, SHED, THE MAN IN THE MIRROR NODS HIS HEAD (epic guitar riff)!!!!!" can be incredibly cathartic...

 

[Bombiz]

It literly can be anything. but as of recent i listened to this while fighting the lost sinner with out blocking. gotta say it made the fight a whole lot more intense.

other then that i've also been listening to

Spoiler: These one's are good for when i'm playing late at night.

I really like the first 1min and 25sec of this next song. So I just put it on repeat and have it end at the 1:25 mark.

That's about it for now.

 

[lacktheknack]

Why would you do that? They put a lot of effort into that soundtrack, ya know!

 

[Eliam_Dar]

If the game is focused on a story, then I don't listen to music while playing it. But in multiplayer games I tend to listen to Power metal. This works particularly well in MMOs

 

[purf]

None.

And I usually mute the soundtrack as well. But, there are exceptions occasions of
"What games are you playing while listening to [Explosions in the Sky, Deafheaven, Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works, ...]?"
Minecraft, Dwarf Fortress, Sim City and the like.

 

[Souplex]

I don't listen to music while I game, I watch stuff.
I have my laptop set up between me and the TV so I can Hulu or what have you while I Xbox.
Doesn't everyone do that?

 

[Bombiz]

I don't listen to music while I game, I watch stuff.
I have my laptop set up between me and the TV so I can Hulu or what have you while I Xbox.
Doesn't everyone do that?

cant Hulu since I live in Canada. most of the stuff I watch would be on youtube.

 

[Vigormortis]

Depends on the game, really.

For most single-player games I tend to stick to the original soundtrack present. Though, with some games like Terraria, Just Cause 2, Garry's mod, FTL, and other such games I will sometimes listen to my own music while playing.

For some multiplayer games I like to listen to music of my choosing. Sometimes even going so far as to mod the game to play my custom tracks. For example, this is my safe room music and tank music in Left 4 Dead 2, respectively:

In other occasions, I simply play songs from Winamp or a similar player whilst playing in an online match. Usually there's no rhyme or reason to the songs I pick, save for certain songs fitting my mood while playing. I've been listening to these; among others; during my Titanfall sessions:

Spoiler

So yeah. It all depends. A games soundtrack is important to me, but even with games whose soundtracks I love I sometimes like to listen to other music.

Variety is the spice of life.

 

[AceTrilby]

I don't normally listen to music while playing games, although recently I've taken to catching up on YouTube videos while doing busywork in games (getting all the collectibles in Murdered: Soul Suspect, doing side missions in Watch Dogs, etc).

That said, I usually shotgun my MP3 player and 3DS on train commutes. In doing so I discovered that Senran Kagura Burst matches a hell of a lot of music genres. My personal favourite is We Fight For Love by The Power Station - aka that cheesy song from the end of Commando - during gameplay. Also, All For Love by Bryan Adams et al makes the ending of the Hanzo storyline both funnier and better. What can I say, I guess I'm a hopeless romantic.

 

[Charli]

MMO high stress team encounters are the only real game I play music.

It's usually trance, something with a steady beat keeps you from panicking and can induce a flow in your breathing under highly volatile situations like progress raiding.

Otherwise I judge the game on how well the music suits the situations you're put in, so I try to keep the game music on when possible.

 

[King of Asgaard]

Well, I just got done with a 12-2 Hearthstone Arena run (woooo! ) and for the entirety of it I had the Heavy Metal OST playing. It got me pumped and ready to outplay some noobs.

Spoiler

 

[Cynda(CJ)]

Definitely depends on the type of game, most nights during my stream I have an OCR Remix Album playing, which consists of remixed Classic game sound tracks like Mega-man etc

 

[Vicarious Reality]

I usually put on music when i have heard al of the soundtrack too many times
There are of course, plenty of inappropriate moments in games when you need to hear what is goin on

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I always go lyricless and usually fast. Lots of American marches by Sousa, Goldman and Fillmore. A significant amount of Vivaldi, Glass, Bach, or Mozart. Sometimes I want something bigger and more granduer so I get Rachmaninoff or Mahler. Lots of concertos, but I like concertos regardless of anything. A lot of brass and string concertos.

So, music I normally listen to otherwise.