Now I'm not a fan of Extra Credits from The Escapist Magazine (I tend to listen/watch to Zero Punctuation for the funny) but this episode of their show intrigued me, video game music.
This episode shows a basic grasp and semi in-depth analysis of video game music from the 80's which consisted of electronic simple beats such as Super Mario Bros and Zelda into the complex but ear-seducing symphonies we have today.
People say that video game music is bad or common at the moment, well that's true but to a small extent. If your a video game music fan like I am, then I suggest you watch this short 10-minute show on it. And who knows? Maybe you'll learn something or just enjoy the pieces of common game music in the show.
Agreed with this video pretty much 100%. Modern game music is awesome - in good games. Yeah, most lame games have lame music (but you get what you pay for). That being said, tunes like the God of War theme song or the Tristram theme etc etc are still totally awesome and easy to remember.
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Supporting big shoulderpads and flashy armor since 2004.
I agreed with quite a few things this guy was saying, but not necessarily on why video game music seems less memorable than it was back in the 80's. For one thing, I don't think that's necessarily true. But I don't think video game music is less memorable these days because it lacks simplicity. Like I didn't get that point of his.
I think perhaps video game music is less memorable now because now there are vast amounts of video games on several different platforms that are coming out all the time. With the sheer volume of choices that people have these days, a blurring effect is created. And whether we're bored with an existing game of ours or not, we still are always looking forward to the next thing and always wanting to get what comes out next.
So think back in Nintendo times. How many options were there back then? Sure Nintendo itself had lots of games available, and there were a couple other competing consoles experiencing limited success, but overall most people didn't have a lot of choices in games. And I agree that the melodies or Mario and Zelda and Sonic are all memorable, but not just for their simplicity. It was also because of circumstance and nostalgia. That was an era when people still had yet to realize the full potential of the video game industry. It was a long ways away from giving the film industry a good run for its money when it came to how people sought entertainment. So games like Mario and Zelda were merely some of the first to actually begin reaching larger audiences. And there are enough people today who all remember playing those games that nostalgia alone has kept those things popular in our minds. Even if all those games with memorable music didn't produce a ton of sequels in the future, they would've still been memorable regardless because they were among some of the first mainstream video games that we ever played.
So yes, the melodies were simplistic, but this is not a good enough reason for why there were supposedly more memorable than video game music today. And how do we rate memorable anyway? This guys seems to rate it based on how many people remember the tunes from those games. But I think what makes a thing more memorable is just how memorable it is to the individual. And this also takes me back to my point about the blurring effect. We seem to go through more games these days and have more choices as consumers. So a single game today proportionately may not get as much exposure or playtime as games back then did. So games have to compete more these days in order to be memorable in any regard, not just with the music. But with so many choices of games, we still find games that we get really attached to and find things such as the music to be very memorable.
Most games that are among my favorite also happen to contain some of my favorite video game music that is indeed memorable to me. So I wouldn't argue that it's less memorable just cause fewer people seem to be aware of it or because the tune hasn't saturated mainstream media and pop culture. That's an inaccurate way to measure how memorable its music is. And it's unfair because games compete with each other for audience nowadays on an unprecedented level. For example, the music in Privateer, one of my all time favorite games is so distinctive and memorable and even catchy that I often have that music in my head. I associate the music with all the visuals of the game and I go as far as to burn that music on a CD so I can listen to it in my car. Or with a newer game like Mass Effect 2. Now this game was pretty successful and reached a huge audience so it's not the best one to make my point with, but that music is also really incredible and distinctive and blends seamlessly into the game's cutscenes and action.
The guy in the video though does acknowledge this about video game music today. How it can be really effective at enhancing the game experience. And I even agreed with his point about how some video game music you have to hear first while playing the game or you won't connect with it like you normally would. Cause I've downloaded game soundtracks to games I've never played and I found it hard to really get into the music but sometimes I've gone back and played those games and heard the music in the context of the game and it made me appreciate it much more.
Also, what this video ultimately seems to be saying is there's no problem. Old video game music was simplistic due to the limited technology of its time and new video game music is heavily layered and orchestrated and often works well to enhance the gaming experience. So what of it? I'm just saying that at the beginning he seems to be making some kind of argument that one era possesses more of a quality than the other, but then acknowledges all the reasons why that is and even goes on to say that video game music today can be just as memorable. So in the end it was like his whole argument just kind of neutralized or something.
My main argument overall would be that sheer volume of video game choices is what arguably could make video game music less memorable, but doesn't. Because what makes it more memorable is not how many people fondly remember it, but by how much the individual remembers it.
With like movies, you could argue that a movie like Avatar is more memorable because it was more successful than most movies that year and people spent the most money on it and the most people masturbated to the blue chick, etc. But ask the individual what movie was most memorable to them that year and their answer could surprise you. So do you measure how memorable a thing is on volume of the masses or the level of how memorable it is to the individual?
Thanks for the link, Anathemic. I wish I'd noticed this sooner. I could talk about video game music for hours.
I think perhaps video game music is less memorable now because now there are vast amounts of video games on several different platforms that are coming out all the time. With the sheer volume of choices that people have these days, a blurring effect is created. And whether we're bored with an existing game of ours or not, we still are always looking forward to the next thing and always wanting to get what comes out next.
Indeed. Every now and then there's an orchestra playing video game music, and I usually look at the track list. But I rarely recognize anything other than the classics (mario, zelda etc), probably precisely because of this. There's just too much for any one individual to process and remember, same as music and movies have become.
Seriously, what themes to we have of the modern gaming age that most people know? Pokemon? Halo? Even those are sketchy, and recognition will vary wildly between people I think.
So yes, the melodies were simplistic, but this is not a good enough reason for why there were supposedly more memorable than video game music today. And how do we rate memorable anyway? This guys seems to rate it based on how many people remember the tunes from those games.
An important point that I think he makes is that a lot of videogame music these days is ambient or just set the environment. Examples would be the music in WoW, Oblivion and especially Diablo II I think. It's hard to make music that just sits in the backrgound with 8-bit technology.
Cause I've downloaded game soundtracks to games I've never played and I found it hard to really get into the music but sometimes I've gone back and played those games and heard the music in the context of the game and it made me appreciate it much more.
This is a good point. I don't know whether that says anything about video game music as a genre, but I at least have always had trouble liking music to games that I'd never played. One Winged Angel in FFVII is a prime example of this. People keep claiming it's so good, but I haven't played the game, and I don't like it. At all.
PlugY for Diablo II allows you to reset skills and stats, transfer items between characters in singleplayer, obtain all ladder runewords and do all Uberquests while offline. It is the only way to do all of the above. Please use it.
Supporting big shoulderpads and flashy armor since 2004.
Indeed. Every now and then there's an orchestra playing video game music, and I usually look at the track list. But I rarely recognize anything other than the classics (mario, zelda etc), probably precisely because of this. There's just too much for any one individual to process and remember, same as music and movies have become.
Yes, well too much for any of us to process all of. But nowadays we just pick and choose more than we did before because we can. And out of our choices, well at least I'm still always finding things that become very memorable to me. Even if not as many people know about it also.
Seriously, what themes to we have of the modern gaming age that most people know? Pokemon? Halo? Even those are sketchy, and recognition will vary wildly between people I think.
This is funny to me cause I hum the Halo theme to myself every now and then. Not the that male chorus thing, but more like this...Halo on NES
An important point that I think he makes is that a lot of videogame music these days is ambient or just set the environment. Examples would be the music in WoW, Oblivion and especially Diablo II I think. It's hard to make music that just sits in the backrgound with 8-bit technology.
And that's very true but I just didn't get what wasn't obvious about that already.
And that's very true but I just didn't get what wasn't obvious about that already.
I didn't really have a point with it I think. Perhaps the fact that in the vast blurring we have in music today which you speak of, it becomes even more blurred when you consider all songs are no longer made to be memorable. Previously we had a hundred songs of which ten were memorable. Now we have a thousand songs of which only ten are still memorable.
PlugY for Diablo II allows you to reset skills and stats, transfer items between characters in singleplayer, obtain all ladder runewords and do all Uberquests while offline. It is the only way to do all of the above. Please use it.
Supporting big shoulderpads and flashy armor since 2004.
Link to the show
This episode shows a basic grasp and semi in-depth analysis of video game music from the 80's which consisted of electronic simple beats such as Super Mario Bros and Zelda into the complex but ear-seducing symphonies we have today.
People say that video game music is bad or common at the moment, well that's true but to a small extent. If your a video game music fan like I am, then I suggest you watch this short 10-minute show on it. And who knows? Maybe you'll learn something or just enjoy the pieces of common game music in the show.
Go music!
1. Video game music is ridiculously brilliant.
2. I need to play God of War someday.
I think perhaps video game music is less memorable now because now there are vast amounts of video games on several different platforms that are coming out all the time. With the sheer volume of choices that people have these days, a blurring effect is created. And whether we're bored with an existing game of ours or not, we still are always looking forward to the next thing and always wanting to get what comes out next.
So think back in Nintendo times. How many options were there back then? Sure Nintendo itself had lots of games available, and there were a couple other competing consoles experiencing limited success, but overall most people didn't have a lot of choices in games. And I agree that the melodies or Mario and Zelda and Sonic are all memorable, but not just for their simplicity. It was also because of circumstance and nostalgia. That was an era when people still had yet to realize the full potential of the video game industry. It was a long ways away from giving the film industry a good run for its money when it came to how people sought entertainment. So games like Mario and Zelda were merely some of the first to actually begin reaching larger audiences. And there are enough people today who all remember playing those games that nostalgia alone has kept those things popular in our minds. Even if all those games with memorable music didn't produce a ton of sequels in the future, they would've still been memorable regardless because they were among some of the first mainstream video games that we ever played.
So yes, the melodies were simplistic, but this is not a good enough reason for why there were supposedly more memorable than video game music today. And how do we rate memorable anyway? This guys seems to rate it based on how many people remember the tunes from those games. But I think what makes a thing more memorable is just how memorable it is to the individual. And this also takes me back to my point about the blurring effect. We seem to go through more games these days and have more choices as consumers. So a single game today proportionately may not get as much exposure or playtime as games back then did. So games have to compete more these days in order to be memorable in any regard, not just with the music. But with so many choices of games, we still find games that we get really attached to and find things such as the music to be very memorable.
Most games that are among my favorite also happen to contain some of my favorite video game music that is indeed memorable to me. So I wouldn't argue that it's less memorable just cause fewer people seem to be aware of it or because the tune hasn't saturated mainstream media and pop culture. That's an inaccurate way to measure how memorable its music is. And it's unfair because games compete with each other for audience nowadays on an unprecedented level. For example, the music in Privateer, one of my all time favorite games is so distinctive and memorable and even catchy that I often have that music in my head. I associate the music with all the visuals of the game and I go as far as to burn that music on a CD so I can listen to it in my car. Or with a newer game like Mass Effect 2. Now this game was pretty successful and reached a huge audience so it's not the best one to make my point with, but that music is also really incredible and distinctive and blends seamlessly into the game's cutscenes and action.
The guy in the video though does acknowledge this about video game music today. How it can be really effective at enhancing the game experience. And I even agreed with his point about how some video game music you have to hear first while playing the game or you won't connect with it like you normally would. Cause I've downloaded game soundtracks to games I've never played and I found it hard to really get into the music but sometimes I've gone back and played those games and heard the music in the context of the game and it made me appreciate it much more.
Also, what this video ultimately seems to be saying is there's no problem. Old video game music was simplistic due to the limited technology of its time and new video game music is heavily layered and orchestrated and often works well to enhance the gaming experience. So what of it? I'm just saying that at the beginning he seems to be making some kind of argument that one era possesses more of a quality than the other, but then acknowledges all the reasons why that is and even goes on to say that video game music today can be just as memorable. So in the end it was like his whole argument just kind of neutralized or something.
My main argument overall would be that sheer volume of video game choices is what arguably could make video game music less memorable, but doesn't. Because what makes it more memorable is not how many people fondly remember it, but by how much the individual remembers it.
With like movies, you could argue that a movie like Avatar is more memorable because it was more successful than most movies that year and people spent the most money on it and the most people masturbated to the blue chick, etc. But ask the individual what movie was most memorable to them that year and their answer could surprise you. So do you measure how memorable a thing is on volume of the masses or the level of how memorable it is to the individual?
Thanks for the link, Anathemic. I wish I'd noticed this sooner. I could talk about video game music for hours.
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Seriously, what themes to we have of the modern gaming age that most people know? Pokemon? Halo? Even those are sketchy, and recognition will vary wildly between people I think.
An important point that I think he makes is that a lot of videogame music these days is ambient or just set the environment. Examples would be the music in WoW, Oblivion and especially Diablo II I think. It's hard to make music that just sits in the backrgound with 8-bit technology.
This is a good point. I don't know whether that says anything about video game music as a genre, but I at least have always had trouble liking music to games that I'd never played. One Winged Angel in FFVII is a prime example of this. People keep claiming it's so good, but I haven't played the game, and I don't like it. At all.
This is funny to me cause I hum the Halo theme to myself every now and then. Not the that male chorus thing, but more like this...Halo on NES
And that's very true but I just didn't get what wasn't obvious about that already.
Siaynoq's Playthroughs
I didn't really have a point with it I think. Perhaps the fact that in the vast blurring we have in music today which you speak of, it becomes even more blurred when you consider all songs are no longer made to be memorable. Previously we had a hundred songs of which ten were memorable. Now we have a thousand songs of which only ten are still memorable.
Siaynoq's Playthroughs