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[datruth29]

A blog that I usually visit, Cognitive Daily, has a posting discussing a study that was conducting in 2004 concerning how the effects of a musical soundtrack designed for the accompanying game has on the general game experience.It's a pretty interesting read for those who look at video games for more then just a "digital toy". I wonder, however, how the results would look based on several games, instead of one, which is the way this study was conducted. Just figured some of our GAF members might find this interesting as well.

The original paper of the study can be found here. (Warning: This is a PDF file.)

 

[muttyeah416]

errr... excerpts please?

 

[datruth29]

errr... excerpts please?

Would make no difference. I would consider the whole think a bold if you ask me. If you just want the conclusion, just scroll down to the end of the posting.

 

[demi]

Music is definitely a plus in my gaming experience

Notable titles:

Freedom Fighters
BG&E
Advent Rising

 

[Mejilan]

Music is definitely a plus in my gaming experience

Notable titles:

Freedom Fighters
BG&E
Advent Rising

Weird. I'm listening to Freedom Fighters (the song and the OST) as I type this. Jesper Kyd is ridiculously talented. Easily the best part of the game. And it was by no means a bad game!

 

[Stench]

Music is definitely a plus in my gaming experience

As it is for me.

I still think the only reason I liked Chrono Cross was because of the excellent music by the true master of the video game soundtrack, Yasunori Mitsuda.

He is very good at what he does.

 

[djtiesto]

Good music >>>>>>>>>>>> Good graphics in my opinion

 

[Ranger X]

Gameplay >>> Music >>> Graphics

 

[Mejilan]

Gameplay >>> Music >>> Graphics

Agreed. Wholeheartedly.

 

[jj984jj]

Good music >>>>>>>>>>>> Good graphics in my opinion

IAWTP

Gameplay>Music>Graphics, even if they all contribute to the experience.

Edit: beatean. :lol

 

[ghibli99]

Gameplay >>> Music >>> Graphics

+1, although music can make a game appear to be better than it actually is, like Super Adventure Island on the SNES. Incredible Yuzo Koshiro soundtrack on an average and very easy platformer. I guess the same can be said for the other categories, but for the most part, I definitely agree with you.

 

[ronito]

do do dod dod doo dooo DAAAAYYTOOONNNNAAAA!!!!!!!

 

[RidgeCityFM]

Gameplay >>> Music >>> Graphics

definately. what sucks is that music was SO much better before redbook audio and liscenced shit became standard. I wish devs went back to composing chip music like around the saturn era. NiGHTS? holy crap. best system produced music ever. music these days just doesnt sound like game music. the exception though IMO would be namco. they somehow always continue to capture an old skool vibe in their music. even something as simple as an old game sound effect in a song can spark that feeling.

 

[byproduct]

I have to admit I almost always play with the sound off, unless listening for sound effects is part of the gameplay.

I know it can add to the atmosphere (like in Resident Evil) but I usually put something on the stereo or ipod instead.

I've had Mario Kart DS for a month and just realised I've never once heard what the game sounds like.

I did used to love the old C64 soundtracks though, and I love Outrun's music.

 

[Drakken]

music can make a game appear to be better than it actually is

Exactly. Good music can make a decent game seem great and make it more memorable than it would be otherwise. In the same way, bad music can make an otherwise solid game seem annoying (unless you turn the music off, of course).

In-game music affects my view of games big-time, sometimes making or breaking a game. Harmony of Dissonance's music was so bad it killed any motivation I had to play it.

I think its very important. Looking back at all the games I consider some of the best, the immediate thing that comes to mind is the music, it being more memorable than actual game specific mechanics or graphics. I'll always remember the MGS theme, the music as you enter the castle area in Symphony of the Night, the lobby castle music in Mario 64. There are some games that probably wouldn't be as good to me anyway without the music.

Yep. Good music really helps to impress moments into your head.

 

[Senretsu]

I think its very important. Looking back at all the games I consider some of the best, the immediate thing that comes to mind is the music, it being more memorable than actual game specific mechanics or graphics. I'll always remember the MGS theme, the music as you enter the castle area in Symphony of the Night, the lobby castle music in Mario 64. There are some games that probably wouldn't be as good to me anyway without the music.

 

[Beezy]

I have to admit I almost always play with the sound off, unless listening for sound effects is part of the gameplay.

You're horrible.

There are some games that probably wouldn't be as good to me anyway without the music.

RPG's wouldn't be as good without the music.

 

[jett]

As a huge fan of video game music...obviously it's very important to me. A well-made ST can add QUITE A BIT to the experience.

 

[brandonh83]

If it wasn't for story and music, I would hate RPG's.

 

[Illuminati]

RPG's wouldn't be as good without the music.

Back in the day we played Might and Magic and Ultima with PC internal speaker sound and liked it!

 

[evilromero]

This is interesting. I'm working on book that dives into this subject. Just tonight I played Shadow of the Colussus OST over "Trip to the Moon" for my Film Intro class. It actually fit quite well.

 

[Beezy]

Back in the day we played Might and Magic and Ultima with PC internal speaker sound and liked it!

You didn't have much else to choose from. I think.

 

[Illuminati]

You didn't have much else to choose from. I think.

Very true, it sucked. Developers really relied on other aspects of the game to get you immersed and did a good job of it too.

As of recent, with the games I have been playing, the most impressed I have been with a soundtrack is not SotC or DQVIII, but Civilization IV. The menu theme song was really well put together and is very catchy. On top of that, the world music is some of the best composed music that really establishes the atmosphere of the game. I tip my hat to whoever made the soundtrack for that game because not too many RTS games do that very well or don't even get recognized.

 

[sky]

I have to admit I almost always play with the sound off, unless listening for sound effects is part of the gameplay.

Whoa... that's like only reading odd-numbered pages in a novel :O ...

 

[desa]

Video game music is so overlooked. Games have some of the greatest music in the world.

As it is for me.

I still think the only reason I liked Chrono Cross was because of the excellent music by the true master of the video game soundtrack, Yasunori Mitsuda.

He is very good at what he does.

Yea, I also love that soundtrack. So many beautiful tunes. I sometimes just play the soundtrack from beginning to end, close my eyes and just zone out.

Have you listen to his side projects? His latest one KiRite is amazing. It's like a musical story.

One of my favorite video game pieces by Satoshi Henmi from FFTactics White Melodies

 

[chaostrophy]

Music is a very important part of the gaming experience to me...I play my games on a $1200 surround sound system with a $300 TV.

WARP's games, especially Enemy Zero, had some of the best uses of sound in a game ever. I wish I could understand Japanese so I could try playing that game they did that was almost completely based around voice and sound effects. It's a shame that Warp disbanded before the Xbox came out, I would love to see what cool use for 5.1 channel capability Eno could come up with.

 

[jett]

Video game music is so overlooked. Games have some of the greatest music in the world.



Yea, I also love that soundtrack. So many beautiful tunes. I sometimes just play the soundtrack from beginning to end, close my eyes and just zone out.

Have you listen to his side projects? His latest one KiRite is amazing. It's like a musical story.

One of my favorite video game pieces by Satoshi Henmi from FFTactics White Melodies

Holy crap that was pretty sweet. *searches around* Didn't know there was FFTA arranged soundtrack.

 

[JRPereira]

Music is huge! Ever heard (no pun intended) of a game called Shadow of the Colossus?!

 

[Walshey]

the opening theme for "Ninja Gaiden Shadow" for gameboy used to send shivers down my spine when i was a kid, I loved that game.