The Sound / The Voices / The Music

[Xard]

I'd say BG2's soundtrack isn't all that enjoyable alone - common "problem" of soundtracks. And that LotR example is just rather typical (and somewhat cheap) example of how music is used in film to crudely manipulate our feelings, rather than it has narrative importance and seamless place in context of scene structure.*

 

In fact only WRPG soundtrack that really stands alone is that of Planescape Torment for me. I listened the tracks a lot before even getting the game.

 

And while I agree on NWN2 I disagree on MotB; that soundtrack did exactly same thing BG2's did while being more original and "out there".

 

 

*this is not to say music isn't powerful and large part of emotional impact of the scene. What I'm saying is that it isn't case of using music in really meaningful way which is still rather rare

Edited August 8, 2008 by Xard

[SirPetrakus]

I really enjoyed BG 2's soundtrack, I used to wake people up in the army to the Taverns theme and the Pirate Isle

 

As many times as I have tried to start MotB and PS:T my older brother manages to somehow destroy my PC by burning the HDD or forcing me to format it. It's incredible how after 3 years of owning PS:T I have not been able to finish it. I've only had MotB for less than a year so it's got time ahead of it xD.

[mkreku]

The music for BG 2 hits the spot perfectly however.

In fact only WRPG soundtrack that really stands alone is that of Planescape Torment for me.

These quotes are kind of funny to me. I know Xard wrote that he listened to the music before even playing the game, but since he's Finnish I think it's safe to assume we can ignore that.

 

My point is that I don't think there IS such a thing as perfect music for every situation in every game. But Rostere loves Baldur's Gate 2 and the music in it. Xard loves Planescape: Torment and the music in it. I love Gothic and the music in it. People in the Fallout threads say they love the music in Fallout because it was so perfect for those games (while at the same time scolding Bethesda for not knowing the perfect music for Fallout 3 which they usually hate already).

 

Most people love the music in their favourite games and most people claim it was the perfect music for that game. But do we really love the music for the music or for the feelings they evoke in us from the entire experience we've had with respective game? I believe we learn to love the music in our favourite games at the same time we grow to love the games themselves.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Halo music.

 

And Bad Company managed to do some very nice music integration, it's also pretty damn good. The only problem is it's not used enough.

[Bos_hybrid]

Most people love the music in their favourite games and most people claim it was the perfect music for that game. But do we really love the music for the music or for the feelings they evoke in us from the entire experience we've had with respective game? I believe we learn to love the music in our favourite games at the same time we grow to love the games themselves.

 

I think you're spot on there, but there is also another factor, taste.

 

You can place some of the best classical music tunes in all the right places in a game, but if that person doesn't like classical music, they aren't going to like the music in that game.

 

Anyway for me JE ftw followed by Gothic 3 and VtMB.

[Sharen the Exile]

I hope they hire Britney for that twin gun wielding teen girl!!

 

 

 

 

 

(fap fap fap)

Yes yes! Britney is a must!

[SirPetrakus]

I hope they hire Britney for that twin gun wielding teen girl!!

 

 

 

 

 

(fap fap fap)

Yes yes! Britney is a must!

 

What the ... NO! Have you people no taste? Britney is ... ugh! I want Lacey Chabert! Her squeaky voice drives me nuts.

 

And if you're going to hire a singer, might as well be Christina! She's 10 times better.

 

From the sound of it, though, it looks like there will be a lot of female characters, so we'll get to hear lots of sexy voices I hope.

[Sharen the Exile]

What the ... NO! Have you people no taste? Britney is ... ugh! I want Lacey Chabert! Her squeaky voice drives me nuts.

 

And if you're going to hire a singer, might as well be Christina! She's 10 times better.

 

From the sound of it, though, it looks like there will be a lot of female characters, so we'll get to hear lots of sexy voices I hope.

lul we were only kidding At least I was If they were to hire a signer (which Britney is not) then of course I agree, they should go for the one and only Christina

 

On topic:

I hope Sara Kestelman gets some voice acting work on AP. She was incredible as Kreia in Kotor 2!

[SirPetrakus]

On topic:

I hope Sara Kestelman gets some voice acting work on AP. She was incredible as Kreia in Kotor 2!

 

Wasn't she also playing that doctor on board the ship in Mass Effect? Just not that raspy a voice?

[Rostere]

I'd say BG2's soundtrack isn't all that enjoyable alone - common "problem" of soundtracks. And that LotR example is just rather typical (and somewhat cheap) example of how music is used in film to crudely manipulate our feelings, rather than it has narrative importance and seamless place in context of scene structure.*

 

In fact only WRPG soundtrack that really stands alone is that of Planescape Torment for me. I listened the tracks a lot before even getting the game.

 

And while I agree on NWN2 I disagree on MotB; that soundtrack did exactly same thing BG2's did while being more original and "out there".

 

*this is not to say music isn't powerful and large part of emotional impact of the scene. What I'm saying is that it isn't case of using music in really meaningful way which is still rather rare

 

So it all breaks down to a matter of how we choose to define what is a meaningful use of music in media. My definition of "meaningful use" in this case is simply that the music contributes to said emotional impact of the scene. For me, it would appear strange that anyone has an opposing view on this. For what is the point of the script? To invoke feelings and to allow the player to relate to situations. What is the point of graphics? To invoke feelings, by simulating the chosen environment. The role of music would then logically be to further shape the atmosphere, don't you agree? As long as you think games should have music at all, I can't see how you could disagree here.

 

I don't think all music in MotB is bad, however. I like the Mulsantir theme and the Imilvale theme, and all the Dreamscape music is really outstanding. But pretty much everything else just feels like filler. Music in future Obsidian games would benefit from being meant to form a larger part of the collected audiovisual experience. I think musicians often come up with uninteresting music for games since they (or their employers) consciously or subconsciously think the music should be oh so subtle and unprotruding since it's only meant to be background muzak anyway.

 

My point is that I don't think there IS such a thing as perfect music for every situation in every game. But Rostere loves Baldur's Gate 2 and the music in it. Xard loves Planescape: Torment and the music in it. I love Gothic and the music in it. People in the Fallout threads say they love the music in Fallout because it was so perfect for those games (while at the same time scolding Bethesda for not knowing the perfect music for Fallout 3 which they usually hate already).

 

Most people love the music in their favourite games and most people claim it was the perfect music for that game. But do we really love the music for the music or for the feelings they evoke in us from the entire experience we've had with respective game? I believe we learn to love the music in our favourite games at the same time we grow to love the games themselves.

 

Alright, that might be true.... But I still want to believe that the music in BG2 is objectively good (No, make that correct for its purpose). There are some technical differences between the BG2 music and the NWN2/ MotB music. The latter is more inclined to use long, droning notes in the arrangement while the former more often uses most instruments as part of the actual melody - compare "Dragon Battle" from BG2 with "Shore Combat" from MotB or the main theme from BG2 and its counterpart in MotB (that should be a fair match). Both are meant for approximately the same situation, but the tracks off MotB just fail to be as captivating due to this and other details of the mix et cetera.

 

There are of course examples where the choice of arrangement I just so vehemently attacked works the best, like the Dreamscape themes. Droning, less bombastic tunes like that creates the feeling of an underlying threat or perhaps only a sleepy calmness. Another thing which tells something about how you are meant to listen to the music in MotB is that all the combat music is mixed considerably louder than the other music. If you want to turn up the music to really listen to the "city music", your ears will be brutally slaughtered once you enter a fight. Ok, this is done in quite many games, but if you overdo it some parts of the music will unvoidably be obscured. I really think that a better example of a game that uses music in an ideal way is the old SNES RPG Chrono Trigger. I feel tempted to come up with an example that is not one of my favourite games but I can't, perhaps in part because I usually don't play games I don't like and thus don't know much about their music? Just an idea.

 

Ok, so this was a long post, but I take this seriously

[Pop]

I think the VA for Kreia was... the girl from the Exorcist I think? The voice of the doctor in ME was a Star Trek TNG actor.

[Gorth]

I think the VA for Kreia was... the girl from the Exorcist I think? The voice of the doctor in ME was a Star Trek TNG actor.

The only place I've seen her before was in Zardoz. Nothing like a movie with a loin cloth clad Sean Connery running around killing, raping and pillaging

[SirPetrakus]

Nothing like a movie with a loin cloth clad Sean Connery running around killing, raping and pillaging

 

Ever seen the final boss fight of Samurai Zombie Nation?

[Hell Kitty]

a Star Trek TNG actor.

 

That was Benezia, Liara's mommy. And no, Linda Blair wasn't Kreia.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

a Star Trek TNG actor.

 

That was Benezia, Liara's mommy.

 

Goddamn that voice was painful to hear. Awful voice acting on the part of Benezia.