Has music changed very much with PC games

[Profit5500]

Years ago I could remember the way how music was for games on the computer. I could remember listening to the battle music for the Quest for Glory series. I really liked listening to music when you had to battle the wyvern. It was very heart-pumping and gets you excited to fight. Even when I would play something like Serious Sam I would always know the mood of the game just by listening to the music when playing. Games have always had good music and it takes hard work to come up with something great.

 

[LitoLawless]

I think music has changed with games in general, not just PC games. Video games music use to be a lot of 8-bit bleeps and bloops. Now, we have fully composed orchestral masterpieces that accompany music. We've come a long way from bleeps and bloops. Sometimes, the characters in video games make their own themes that are used throughout the whole game.

 

[Gelsemium]

Games are more and more complete these days, so it's pretty good that music has accompanied gameplay and graphics. I recall being a kid and listening to music while playing, but those days are gone now and I always play with the music from the game.

 

[dillinger10]

I think music has changed with games in general, not just PC games. Video games music use to be a lot of 8-bit bleeps and bloops. Now, we have fully composed orchestral masterpieces that accompany music. We've come a long way from bleeps and bloops. Sometimes, the characters in video games make their own themes that are used throughout the whole game.

It really is pretty amazing to think how far we have some with music in video games. The music has become an integral part of games these days, whether it be the in game music or the music used in menus. Serious money is invested in the musical aspect of games today as it can really enhance the overall feel and gameplay.

 

[Azrile]

A lot of the games have music that you can basically jsut listen to outside of the game. I know WOTLK for WOW has some amazing songs that I played in my CD player. I was lucky enough to get that one in the collector´s edition, most times I just buy the normal version of an expansion. The collector editions come with the music on a cd.

 

[Jafool]

I think music in games is really important and there are still some really good examples out there.

I do however feel as if the old games always seemed to capture the player with their music and atmosphere better than nowadays. But maybe that's just because I've played so many games by now that games in general really really have to do something special in order for me to get that feeling.

I love a great soundtrack in a game, an old game I'll never forget the soundtrack of is Diablo 2. The tristram music is amazing...

 

[glen]

Yes, I do agree that game soundtracks have come a long way in the past years, but definitely for the better! Now, soundtracks are a whole piece of music by themselves, and they have become more and more complex. I especially love the ability that game designers have to make a piece of music play just as an event is happening in-game, with no cut-scene or whatever. It really makes games immersive, in my opinion. Go soundtrack artists!

 

[Profit5500]

Games are more and more complete these days, so it's pretty good that music has accompanied gameplay and graphics. I recall being a kid and listening to music while playing, but those days are gone now and I always play with the music from the game.

Music has really accompanied games constantly over the years and has demonstrated the uniqueness of that track. I just like the fact that everyone can go and listen to music from games. Even when I would play the game Unreal Tournament 3 I would try to listen to the tracks and try to hear the melody. Even the game Killing Floor had some great heavy metal music. I could not get into the music for Warcraft 3 very much. I could remember growing up too when you heard those beeps and bloops from those 8bit and 16bit games. Now you have music done by real composers. Is like if you do not have a orchestra then your game would not be good. MGS has always had well-composed music tracks and the main theme is always there to grab your attention. I am not sure if Phantom Pain has that same feel like other MGS tracks. Music in games is practically like a enormous budgeted movie.

 

[Gelsemium]

I would not be surprised (or has this happened before?) if soon enough the soundtrack of games is released independently, like it happens with movies. So true Profit, games move millions, so they have huge budgets...

 

[Squigly]

Some games just seem to put much more emphasis on music then others. In particular I find that many JRPGs have much more beautiful, symphonic pieces (sometimes featuring a full orchestra ensemble), as compared to their Western counterparts. That said I do know many games which have great soundtracks, for example the Halo series, or Bioshock Infinite's throwback songs which really gave that 1930-40s ambience.

 

[Cutter710]

Music in video games is key. It sets the mood and if it's a surreal track it'll make a game even more memorable. Lovely Planet has a perfect soundtrack. I haven't played the game itself but I bought the soundtrack after hearing it on the radio. A song can make a game, so I agree that music has adapted to gaming.

 

[Goldie]

I once was able to play a racing game that didn't even have music, and considering that nowadays it's a norm to have licensed music, I think, is a very big leap, considering that it mostly means just even more credibility for the industry.

 

[cyberpinoy]

Music is a great addition to games. I know it is actually used in games for a purpose. Sometimes in a game when thigs are going to get serious, or a battle is about to begin, a certain kind of music will begin to start and play. I like it in the games play because it helps increase the suspense of the game.

 

[Jafool]

I once was able to play a racing game that didn't even have music, and considering that nowadays it's a norm to have licensed music, I think, is a very big leap, considering that it mostly means just even more credibility for the industry.

Wow. No music at ALL?
If they can't afford to buy some, MAKE SOME. It's better than nothing, hahaha.

 

[Gelsemium]

That is surprising indeed, I wonder what happened to the game so that no music is not included, maybe they run out of budget or out of time...

 

[Skuttie]

Chip tune has gotten a lot better.
Some games (open world) I kind of prefer without music, like Fallout 3/ New Vegas.
Others the sound track make the game.

 

[sorrowscall]

Games in general have music that is bound to change with them as they grow better. However, while console game music has improved via leaps and bounds over the years, PC music has been slowly creeping along; which is fine. Good PC music, not bad music, for games hasn't been around too long and I'm hoping developers don't rush it's improvement.

 

[Saccharine]

It's true that we've come quite a way in terms of how polished the music in games is. I don't think the music these days is objectively 'better', because even in the days of bleeps and boops, what will stick with you most from games, I think, is how memorable a piece of music is. For example, I found the theme tune to 'Papers, Please' really catchy, even though it's a very simple tune. It fit with the overarching theme of the game and just made everything stick in my mind more.

 

[Cereus]

Music in the gaming industry has changed in general. What used to be considered background noise has become art pieces. Japan was the first to massively push for emphasis in music in games, an idea I think they borrowed from their anime industry. Western companies for a long time had a very small music department and never really saw game music as vital to a game until the early 00's when they realized how much JRPGs were putting into their game music. That being said Halo, Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, Age of Conan, WoW, Skyrim, Bastion, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age are considered to have the best soundtracks in Western video game music. The largest name leading Western video game music is Jeremy Soule, who is considered the John Williams of Western video game music. Yet in spite of the West's growing understanding of video game music as being important, I think it's easy to say that Japanese composers are more well known because of their early foothold into the industry.

 

[valiantx]

Music in games has changed a lot over the years, especially from the days of 8-bit games! I remember reading an article a few years back regarding how in the early days of video game development, it was the game programmers who created all the audios, which is why the songs back then were so bland and crude because such persons had no background in music. The big change happened with PC games first, when polygon types of game began coming out and video game companies by then had more money to throw around from past accrued revenue profits, thus companies could hire real music engineers and artists, or get licenses.

Gamers nowadays are very privileged to play video games that are created with hundred thousand dollars or more paid music quality, which totally enhances one's gaming experience.