My humble request about music direction in PoE2

[hernedpea]

I didn't know where I should place this thread so I will try in here...

 

So apparently Pillars of Eternity 2 (pre-?)production has started. That's good. But besides things you probably already know to improve/change that many players had already stated, I have one humble request. About music direction. I really wish it be more like in old IE-games style. Strong, memorable tunes. I believe Justin Bell is really good artist and composer (his PoE battle themes proved that, I'm loving them), but rest of the music was kinda like "bland-music-made-for-being-a-background-for-the-movie" thing. And that would be okay if the game was like that all movie-esque titles we had tons on the market, with lots of voice acting and action. But PoE wasn't anything like that, and that kind of music was totally boring and forgettable. Several times when I transitioned from one area to another I caught myself that I didn't even noticed that it's playing the same music I heard just a while ago in previous area. Yeah, it's that forgettable.

 

Music was a strong element of old Infinity Engine games. Even today, when I hear some of those games tracks I have a great memories connected with a game events I was participating. In PoE I don't have that feeling (except battle themes...). In old Infinity Engine games music participated in shaping atmosphere of these games, and considering of thier type (not like movies at all) that was a great advantage. I would love that PoE2 would go that route.

 

I hope that you, Obsidians, will give us even better game than before.

[globalCooldown]

Huh. I feel basically the exact opposite about music direction: the background and atmosphere pieces are great, but the battle themes are just kind of...okay.

[Marceror]

I'm really pleased with the music in PoE. It definitely takes beats from Infinity Engine games, but in honesty, much of it to me is more evocative of NWN music. And since I really enjoyed that music that's totally fine with me. It's a bit more pensive and melodic -- very appropriate for the Eastern Reach at this time.

 

I particularly enjoy tracks like Ondra's Gift, Dyrford, and Elmshore. Elmshore is one in particular that I will just sometimes hang around when it's playing just to listen to it. I guess I do that for Dyrford sometimes too.

 

I also very much like the Endless Paths music. Dark and ominous, yet not overbearing.

 

The combat music is very good. It's come a long way since the Backer Beta, where I think we really just had one battle tune initially. It wasn't a bad tune, it was just too much repetition of the same.

 

Personally I don't think Justin should change much of his formula for PoE2. If it ain't broke... and all that.

[mc_kracken]

Huh. I feel basically the exact opposite about music direction: the background and atmosphere pieces are great, but the battle themes are just kind of...okay.

 

Yes, exactly.

I have exchanged the battle tracks with music from other games because they are so boring.

[Infinitron]

The main difference between PoE music and Baldur's Gate music is that Baldur's Gate music has drums.

[Marceror]

There's not a ton of percussion in PoE music, but it's there. Particularly the battle tunes have a lot of it.

[Abel]

I kind of remember that what Obsidian wanted for the music is "nothing too epic". The old IE games music was definitely meant to be epic. The music for Pillars was designed to be more subtle, evocative. I guess this is what OP points in this thread. I really loved the epic tracks for IE games. But the Pillars approach makes sense, too. And the music is actually pretty awesome. Although it's not as "take-that-in-ya-face" than the IE ones.

Edited March 30, 2016 by Abel

[hrap147]

no, no no I hate soundtracks, but in Pillars music is something magical and I sometimes listen to it. 

[Starwars]

I liked the music in PoE quite a lot and I think it raised the bar in the expansion as well (though there was not a ton of new music). If Justin can keep going in that same direction, I'm completely fine with it.

 

There are some tracks in PoE I'm not crazy about. Some of the battle tracks, the stronghold track, Gilded Vale for example. But I was pleased overall with it.

 

One thing I'd love to see if there's time is to have music changing depending on whether it's day and night. I loved that in Baldur's Gate. There was something truly atmospheric about wandering around a town a night with that creeping, threatening music going on, and then finding an inn and hearing the warm music from within.

 

Looking forward what Justin cooks up for Tyranny as well.

 

EDIT: In fact, if Justin swings by... was that your music for the Tyranny trailer?

Edited April 9, 2016 by Starwars

[Labadal]

I enjoyed listening to most tracks in Pillars. If Justin can improve on the soundtrack and be more consistent, I am not worried about PoE2 music.

[JerekKruger]

Yeah, I am going to throw my hat in with the "PoE's music is (mostly) excellent" camp, and I'll agree that the one thing that gets a bit tiring is the combat music.

Edited April 9, 2016 by JerekKruger

[ruzen]

PoE had very messy launch but music saved much of the disapointment early versions of the game. That been said. I hope this time we'll have more different tavern songs. Like different songs for each taverns.

[Starwars]

Yeah, more tavern songs would be great.

 

Also, for some reason, the Gref's Rest tavern song still don't play for me (it didn't in 3.01 anyway). A bit sad about that.

[house2fly]

Tavern songs would be great. Also: new tavern songs resulting from your actions. You defeat a master Lich, someone writes a song about it.

[anameforobsidian]

Or they could do a quest about two bards chanters, and music could change based on who you chose.  Personally, I really liked the way PEs music left gaps for environmental effects, but I would like more / more noticeable environmental effects; in general though, I'd like to see PE2 try to implement more of the moving environment stuff that didn't make it in this game.  Examples could be seaweed blooms, large passing flocks of birds, trees shaking in the wind, waste high grass that shifts, etc.  I know they couldn't implement it this pass, but it would represent one more advance from the IE games.

[Arsene Lupin]

When has anyone said anything about PoE2 one way or another?

 

Anyway, I used to think the music was "bad" for the game for the same reasons mentioned here. It simply does not match the swashbuckling, exiting and adventurous themes of the old IE games.

 

But then I played the game.

 

Pillars of Eternity is a much more sombre game... it's not really about adventure and excitement like Baldur's Gate. And the music fits the tone of the game perfectly.

 

So my only consideration for a sequel is that I hope it's music fits the world and story as well as PoE's.