The Future of Video Game Music

auriplane

Joined: Sep 06 2008

Deiselc said

Many video game company's are starting to hire composers that have worked on movies, [...] Trent Reznor

16 years ago!

Harry Gregson-Williams

11 years ago!

Hmm.

RexLeRouge

IMPACTO

Joined: Aug 15 2008

Seeing the title, I was expecting something like "Uematsu died :(" lolol

Videogame Soundtracks are also rising in popularity.

Really? Maybe its different outside of France, but I never heard much people say "I like vgm" (FF doesn't count)

auriplane

Joined: Sep 06 2008

I think some games are more suited to that than others. There are games I can't imagine playing without the music, and games I mute every time (even on SNES).

Hyunwoo

Location: Los Angeles, California

Joined: Dec 01 2012

I could never play a game without its music... Even if its a game like Tetris.

VGM does so much for me . Take for example, Metal Gear Solid. It's soundtrack makes it so much more cinematic - so epic.
I remember playing windwaker as a child and being so immersed in sailing because of The Great Sea Theme. I could almost taste the salty ocean air and feel the trade winds rustle through my hair XD

I feel like as time rolls by, videogame soundtracks will be recognized because they are becoming more and more mainstream.

Maybe in a few years we'll see what happens.

Giogiogio4

For all the dreamers: Our planet's dream is not over yet...

Joined: Jun 10 2010

I really don't see that many Hollywood movie soundtracks as popular as video game ones.
Movies tend to reply the same music Over and over again with changes around the main melody.

Even more movies tend to just have radio music with a few actual orch tracks. Look how big
the avengers was. Out of that whole movie I maybe remember 1 actual theme and I doubt it will
go down in history as a work of art. Unless the movie is Scifi or fantasy the soundtrack is almost
always a 50%+ bust. Most of the uneducated will only flock to those songs for either "Meets metal"
videos or use it in a FMV or funny video.

Hans Zimmer is one of the best but like I said most movie soundtracks dont have much to them.
Last Samurais music was great. I own the whole soundtrack But out of the entire thing most of the tracks are just simple build up themes to the main melody line that carries throughout the movie. Pirates has a few great themes as well, But most people are drawn to the main melody or Davy Jones. What I guess im trying to say is that
all the music tries to carry a central theme and really does not offer as much. Powerful indeed but not much.
While Video game ( old ) tend to have plenty of strong stand alone music.

RPGs have the strongest of the soundtracks when it comes to gaming. Anything that has a flushed out world that you will spend hours in will always put more work into the music. Action and shooters tend to just have climatic cues but don't go much further than that.

NIER was my favorite soundtrack next to KH BBS this gaming generation. it was amazing that the singer pretty much made up a language to sing in the songs that sounded amazing. To me I feel like this generation has been lacking compared to the older days. graphics are becoming more important.

Giogiogio4

For all the dreamers: Our planet's dream is not over yet...

Joined: Jun 10 2010

musenji said

Holy crap, The Two Towers came out 10 years ago. I am so old.

ps Lord of the Rings and Star Wars would be examples of movie franchises with memorable themes. Also Indiana Jones, Superman, Jaws...man, a lot of the most memorable themes are John Williams stuff. And HE rips off classical composers.

Edit: hey, for you younger people (under 20), did you see the Lord of the Rings movies when they came out, and what did you think of them? It'd be interesting to hear someone's perspective, when they saw those movies when less than 10 years old.

Also did anyone here see the prequel Star Wars before the originals? Do you think the prequels aren't as bad, and the older ones are just boring?

Guess you forgot to read the line where I said " Scifi and fantasy" i will add disney to that list, have the strongest.Outside of that most movies don't have full songs. most are short themes with a larger number of the tracks just being different ways of progressing to that theme based on different moments in the movie.

Eagle eyes main theme is repeated in allot of tracks. A lost of a twin is actually the same song. transformers has 1 main theme with the rest being a mix of radio music. In 20 years are people going to google "grudge" theme on piano compared to how many people google final fantasy music? RPGs have over 100 tracks at times with over 90% of them songs being full complete separate musical movements. Star wars episode 3s soundtrack had 14 tracks or so and allot of them were repeated themes, just at a different mood in the movie.

Popularity and quality are 2 different things. Is twilight's soundtrack popular because the music was great or because the movie is popular? Many people enjoy FF music from games they never played. I introduced many people to game music and they fell right in love with it. I'm sure if a movie was released and somehow worked the FF9 soundtrack into it that soundtrack would be even more famous.

Best LOTR song to me was the "Shire"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cK6KK7NhdQU

The LOTR have held up extremely well.
I actually bought the Blue Rays and the movies are simply pure beauty.

Ranulf

I will not join your gametabs.

Joined: Oct 15 2009

musenji said

Holy crap, The Two Towers came out 10 years ago. I am so old.

Dang, really? o.O

Well, I'm 19, and I loved them. The only one I didn't see in theaters was The Fellowship(I don't think I was allowed or something, idk). As for the prequels, I actually saw the older ones first, and also love them; however, I don't hate the prequels as much as everyone else seems to. But, now that I've seen tons of reviews and people hating on it, I admit they're right to hate on it. I've always been the kind of person who just tries to enjoy the experience, but I think I've become more critical of things lately, which makes everything disappointing for the most part. :(

RexLeRouge

IMPACTO

Joined: Aug 15 2008

Giogiogio4 said

RPGs have the strongest of the soundtracks when it comes to gaming.

CROSS COUNTER

TRUTH RESTORED

Hakoria

Laon King

Location: gmt+1

Joined: Apr 03 2011

RexLeRouge said

Really? Maybe its different outside of France, but I never heard much people say "I like vgm" (FF doesn't count)

A lot of frenchies recognize famous Ghibli tunes at least, although that isn't VGM. But yeah, besides the crowd that goes to conventions and those too lazy (like I), when it comes to French music students they're there for classical/jazz/rock/metal/etc, haven't met one that even hinted on wanting to be a vgm composer. Maybe some do but aren't willing to mention it (could be like my case, as it's simply not one of my main goals), I've heard someone else there practicing Tina's FFVI PC a month ago followed by an attempt with castlevania's dance of pales, so it's steadily rising in popularity just not out-spoken (compared to ghibli where people don't hesitate to say "oh, howl's moving castle" if I play it to others).

I'll wait for the day for vnm to get recognized more >:

@musenji: 21 in a month, I loved the lotr movies as a kid, saw each of them at the theaters when they came out. The CGs amazed me the most though, followed by the plot then the ost.

worldeditor11

Joined: Jul 28 2012

To Giogiogio4,i think morrowind OST is much more better than skyrim.

Giogiogio4

For all the dreamers: Our planet's dream is not over yet...

Joined: Jun 10 2010

As in a 500 million dollar blockbuster that is in movie theaters, tv ads constantly
and hundreds of BS movie reviews. Something Like Twilight that doesn't deserve even a 4th of the attention it gets compared to other movies.

Like COD vs NIER. Nier has a much better soundtrack yet COD would had many more views.

karathrow

Joined: Oct 26 2010

Hyunwoo said

By the way , I thought I'd share,

"Austin Wintory made history , ! His Journey (Game) soundtrack is the first to receive a Grammy nomination "

http://www.grammy.com/nominees?genre=11

for the 55th grammy.

Video game soundtrack making progress ^^

Someone loan my poor ass their ps3 so I can play this and heavy rain. QQ