The music! Good or no?

[Mayama]

I like it, but I don't think I've ever kept the music on in a singleplayer game for more than 50 hours + of gaming, I'm pretty sure I will be turning it off and play my own music after a while. As of the beta I think I had it on for about 6 hours of gaming then I jumped over to my spotify playlist. 

 

EDIT: Actually I did listen to the music in The Legend of Zelda-games for what must have been hundreds and hundreds of hours.

Well deactivating the music in wasnt a thing in old console games so you had to

[Arsene Lupin]

I don't think anything of the music--which is the problem. Is terribly bland and forgettable. It would be perfectly serviceable in a game like The Elder Scrolls, where the music is meant to help immerse the player into the world--but in an isometric RPG the music needs to do a lot more. Because the camera is so far removed from the action, because we don't see any of the characters faces or hear any of their voices, we rely on the music to set the emotional tone of every scene.

 

The oldIE games understood this perfectly. In an isometric game, the music needs to be at the forefront, not in the background. Sadly Obsidian seems to have forgotten this. The music in POE would be fine in a 3D immersive game, but it is absolutely insufficient for an isometric game.

[Sensuki]

Wholeheartedly agree Arsene Lupin.

 

Pretty much every other isometric game has this.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Sensuki

[Arsene Lupin]

Well, that said, one would expect the most emotionally relevant tracks to be tied to the main questions and companion quests, neither of which we have access to, so we'll simply have to wait and see. Or, rather, listen.

 

Ant -that- said, music-wise Obsidian had the opportunity to put their best foot forward with the beta title music. They chose to play generic town music instead. They blew it. Remember what Larian did when they didn't have awesome music ready for their game's aplha test? They didn't do anything. It was like two months and 10 updates before they put in even a small, placeholder playlist.

[Helm]

^ I agree, but it isn't Justin Bell's fault, he just composes what he told is to compose.

[Sensuki]

No, I think he chose the production style.

[Starwars]

It's not true at all that the music needs to be at the "forefront" just because it is an isometric game. I can see why one would think so of course, but that line of thinking is just... limiting. Justin's approach to try and blend the music into the soundscape is a far better approach in my opinion. Whether it will succeed or not remains to be seen of course but this whole thinking that the music must force itself upon you, that it must be instantly recognizeable or even that it must have a strong tune that you can remember instantly is such bullcrap and truly limiting to the medium.

 

Not every battle-scene in movies needs to have the classic John Williams' orchestral intensity to it (even though I love John Williams). Not every lovescene needs the emotional manipulation of the soulrending strings in the soundtrack, not every fantasy soundtrack needs an orchestra. Just, no.

 

I am ever oh so glad that Justin has chosen not to shove epic melodies down our throats at every instance. God knows that kind of scoring has been done to *death*, most certainly in the IE games as well (though I do enjoy those scores).

 

The amount of nostalgia infused in the IE games is huuuge and people have archived those melodies away in their brains, filed under the section "amazing game experience". Like Justin says, the longevity of this score will be judged after the full game has been released, when you have the full context of the game as well. And like he says, not every piece of great music is instantly recognized as great music.

[Sensuki]

The Witcher 1's soundtrack blends with the environment but they mix instruments in the foreground which adds quite a lot.

I can't understand how everyone assumes that just because many of us like a more forward presentation that we like simple, catchy, instantly recognizable epic melodies or forceful music.

It is simply a matter of production style and mixing.

I prefer more of a chamber music production style to orchestral. It's more intimate. Everything mixed to the back is simply not as exciting. Bringing the melody forward can add so much more to the presentation and that's what I found with the Baldur's Gate 1 and Icewind Dale 1 soundtracks (and many of The Witcher 1's pieces).

They don't even have to be massively forward either:

Here's a good example of slightly more forward mixing of vocals, cello and organ pieces to have a larger effect, the whole soundstage escalates as the song goes on

 

  Edited August 29, 2014 by Sensuki

[Karranthain]

The PE music is just...there. I liked the short theme that plays when you start the game, though (reminded me of LOTR soundtrack somewhat).

 

And I agree with Sensuki about the mixing, case in point:

 

 

Not really bombastic, but the guitar keeps you interested throughout, with lots of interesting things happening in the background.

 

[Freshock]

 

I like it, but I don't think I've ever kept the music on in a singleplayer game for more than 50 hours + of gaming, I'm pretty sure I will be turning it off and play my own music after a while. As of the beta I think I had it on for about 6 hours of gaming then I jumped over to my spotify playlist. 

 

EDIT: Actually I did listen to the music in The Legend of Zelda-games for what must have been hundreds and hundreds of hours.

Well deactivating the music in wasnt a thing in old console games so you had to

 

 

I just played my music louder than the game did ghetto solution but it worked.

[Zumukich]

 

Regarding live stuff.... Hang tight!

 

 

Woohoo! That was the bit of information I skimmed through 7 pages of of discussion for! I hoped so much Obsidian wouldn't forget about live instrumentation, since it was the reason I increased my pledge in the last moment. Also, it could easily be the plus, everyone is waiting for (myself included, anyways). I find parts of the soundtrack good and promising in its current state, and I think these parts will be even better in their final form and mainly in their full context.

 

Thanks, Justin, for answering so many questions personally.

[Justin Bell]

I like it, but I don't think I've ever kept the music on in a singleplayer game for more than 50 hours + of gaming, I'm pretty sure I will be turning it off and play my own music after a while. As of the beta I think I had it on for about 6 hours of gaming then I jumped over to my spotify playlist. 

 

What a shame!  You're going to miss out on the full experience!

 

The oldIE games understood this perfectly. In an isometric game, the music needs to be at the forefront, not in the background. Sadly Obsidian seems to have forgotten this. The music in POE would be fine in a 3D immersive game, but it is absolutely insufficient for an isometric game.

 

I'm not sure I understand how camera angle and how close music is to the foreground correlate...?

 

Woohoo! That was the bit of information I skimmed through 7 pages of of discussion for! I hoped so much Obsidian wouldn't forget about live instrumentation, since it was the reason I increased my pledge in the last moment. Also, it could easily be the plus, everyone is waiting for (myself included, anyways). I find parts of the soundtrack good and promising in its current state, and I think these parts will be even better in their final form and mainly in their full context.

 

Thanks, Justin, for answering so many questions personally.

 

Hope the read was entertaining at least!  And awesome to hear that you increased your pledge just for the live music budget.  That is VERY awesome, and thank you for doing that!

 

So, all I'm going to say about the whole live thing is -  That is all.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Justin Bell

[Marceror]

 

 

What are we calling the "main theme" at this point? The one that plays during chargen in the backer beta?

 

I had actually thought that theme was specifically related to the town of Dyrford. I believe it was introduced as such in an earlier KS update. Would be surprised if the theme of a town that has nothing to do with the game's primary plot would be the main theme.

 

Then again, maybe you guys are talking about some other tune entirely, and I just haven't been paying close enough attention.

i talk about the theme at the start screen but dunno if everyone else talks about the same.

 

 

That's correct, the main theme is what plays over the start menu.  The character gen music is placeholder, and currently uses Dyrford's music. 

 

Thanks for the clarification. I think I had totally glossed over that tune until now -- heard it, but not noticed it. I have launched the bb just to the start menu today and have been listening to the main theme for a few minutes.

 

It's an okay song overall, but I don't personally feel that it's distinctive enough for the honor being called the main theme. There were a lot of other tunes released since the Kickstarter campaign that I feel are far more worthy of this honor. The current theme sounds like something that should be included for another small village or town like Dyrford.

 

The Project Eternity Prelude that the KS launched with is around 100% more worthy in my opinion. Or the Road to Eternity would be a mesmerizing tune to hear when launching the game. Sorry for being critical on this one, but I did want to share my thoughts.

[Justin Bell]

 

Thanks for the clarification. I think I had totally glossed over that tune until now -- heard it, but not noticed it. I have launched the bb just to the start menu today and have been listening to the main theme for a few minutes.

 

It's an okay song overall, but I don't personally feel that it's distinctive enough for the honor being called the main theme. There were a lot of other tunes released since the Kickstarter campaign that I feel are far more worthy of this honor. The current theme sounds like something that should be included for another small village or town like Dyrford.

 

The Project Eternity Prelude that the KS launched with is around 100% more worthy in my opinion. Or the Road to Eternity would be a mesmerizing tune to hear when launching the game. Sorry for being critical on this one, but I did want to share my thoughts.

 

 

Don't worry about it, you're entitled to your opinion on the matter!    When the game is released, I'll explain the concept behind the main theme.  Maybe it'll put it into a new light then... maybe not.  At least, it does for me!

[Marceror]

I'll just have to wait and see. I'm hearing plenty of great music for the game so far, so I guess that it's not imperative that my favorite tune be the one playing when I launch the game.

[DannyBarks]

On the whole, I think it's well crafted. The battle music is generic, and overall it's not very adventurous, but it's pretty faithful to the idiom, and obvious care has been taken.

 

/source - I'm a PhD composer.

[Starwars]

I have to ask, is the stuff we hear in the beta finished? Or will it be tweaked further? I'm really liking the main theme, love the composition itself. But I do think it sounds a bit too synthy in places, particularly the second half or so of it.

 

Also, as a bonus for people interested in game music. Upcoming director's cut of Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall had a music update showcasing some new music. Really enjoyed it, in particular Glory's theme.

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1613260297/shadowrun-returns/posts/968034

Edited August 30, 2014 by Starwars

[Cantousent]

I'm just jonesin' to get the ring-tones.  I finally threw in the towel and bought a smartphone, so I'm hoping to get instructions on how to install the ringtones.

 

I do reserve judgment until the final product ships.  I have my hopes, though.

[Sensuki]

Now listening to the Gilded Vale theme 

 

Defiance Bay theme is my favourite so far.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Sensuki

[Undecaf]

I'm not sure I understand how camera angle and how close music is to the foreground correlate...?

 

I think he might mean how much the music pushes the player to pay attention to it as a mood creator for the specific scene since he's not busy with concentrating on the minutiae of the closeup gameplay where the soundrack is more in the role of background noise. Of course I could be wrong, but that's how I'd think about it.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Undecaf

[Starwars]

Now listening to the Gilded Vale theme 

 

Defiance Bay theme is my favourite so far.

 

Eh?

[Sensuki]

There's more music in the game files.

[Starwars]

How does one access them?

[Sensuki]

Curse this lack of percussion!!!!

[Starwars]

It's (judging from those few tracks) definitely pretty "low-key", or soft, soundtrack. There are some that are more melodious than what we hear in the backer beta but even those are pretty subtle. I like this personally but I think it won't sway the ones who aren't crazy about the music in the beta. I'm not gonna listen anymore, I kinda want to hear these tracks with the game when it ships to get the full impact.

 

My only complaint is really some of the instrument quality. The strings in particular often sound quite "synthy". I hope that will be fixed before release. Especially since a lot of the more ambient tracks are pretty "bare" composition wise so one can hear it quite clearly. Whenever the music relies heavily on the strings, it can be heard.

 

Liking the use of harp, beautiful and soothing.