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Game graphics have got better, so why hasn't the music?
- Thread starter Rocked
- Start date
evilromero
Member
Goddamn, what games have you been playing? Mario Kart DS? Jesus, not representative of game music today at all.
Great Rumbler
Member
*ahem*
blazinglazers
Member
Fire up those nes / genesis emulators on your dreamcasts, pick a game at random, and tell me your ears arn't bleeding within minutes. There'll always be garbage, and there'll always be the classics, but overall I'd say videogame music is progressing nicely.
soul creator
Member
reminds me of how everyone says originality died after the 16-bit days
even though every month a new side scroller with a "wacky" mascot or licensed game was released
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
I would say that videogame music is progressing, bar a few.
The music in Sonic games has gone down hill. Listen to http://gh.ffshrine.org/files/genesis/Sonic%20the%20Hedgehog%202/ending_music__3_.mid and tell me you don't think so.
The music in Sonic games has gone down hill. Listen to http://gh.ffshrine.org/files/genesis/Sonic%20the%20Hedgehog%202/ending_music__3_.mid and tell me you don't think so.
AltogetherAndrews
Member
Fable has a really nice soundtrack too
Try thinking more laterally: game graphics have in fact not gotten better, and neither has the music. In fact, the overall game industry has stagnated in the past 5 years. Nothing conceivably interesting has happened -- people have just put out some more games. Consider that the largest innovation was Katamari Damacy and you pretty much have a summary of this generation as opposed to the last.
This topic does indeed 'fail'. Graphical improvements are based on technology and are seen. Sound quality has GREATLY improved but music in terms of quality is a totally subjective. Mozart >>>> most and he is centuries old. Music, like most art forms is a product of its time thats not neccesarily improved, just built from and influential. Technology isn't as much of a factor.
WhippinSean
Banned
Ridge Racer 6 has an amazing soundtrack worthy of the series name.
There are the gems of each generation.
You had your Mario/Tetris/etc 8-bit days, Sonic/Street Fighter 2/FF6/Chrono Trigger/DCK2/Killer Instinct 16-bit stuff, FF7/Panzer Dragoon 2 & Saga/Chrono Cross/NiGHTS, etc for 32-bit, then after that Shenmue was the last game with theme music that really appealed to me, but I haven't played too many epic type games since that time period anyway.
You had your Mario/Tetris/etc 8-bit days, Sonic/Street Fighter 2/FF6/Chrono Trigger/DCK2/Killer Instinct 16-bit stuff, FF7/Panzer Dragoon 2 & Saga/Chrono Cross/NiGHTS, etc for 32-bit, then after that Shenmue was the last game with theme music that really appealed to me, but I haven't played too many epic type games since that time period anyway.
Two thoughts.Rocked said:http://dkc2bramble.ytmnd.com/
Just listen to this. You very very rarely hear original game music as beautiful as that today. In Mario Kart DS I noticed the new music was shit compared to the retro ones too.
The catchy tunes are what I REALLY miss about old gaming. I think all composers should be forced to make their tunes on a Commodore 64 or a NES then remix them.I don't understand why modern music isn't so memorable.
1) I agree about the lack of memorability. I think this has to do with the extra complexity; I can recognize the brilliance of a soundtrack such as, say, the one for Baten Kaitos, but I'm hard-pressed to actually recall any of the themes without playing them, possibly due to the shifts in instrumentation, focus, etc.
2) I disagree about the game music today being less beautiful. You're picking the DKC2 brambles theme, but that's one of the best pieces of music in gaming history; I don't think it's representative of the overall 16-bit generation. The best of the best now can hold up against the best of the best then, IMO.
I see what the original poster is saying, but he's comparing the objective to the subjective here.
In his argument, I gather that "graphics" have improved due to the increase of colors, going from sprites to polygons, added processing power, effects, etc.
"Music" has improved technically in the same fashion. It started as little mono blips, eventually progressed to stereo with synthesized instruments, and is now dolby surround capable of full blown cd quality symphonic tracks.
A more fair argument would be to compare music to visual artistry. Probably what the poster intended, and I'd agree with that. With music, usually simpler is better. That's why rock focuses on those same 3 chords. That's also why you can still run into an 8-bit tune and find it catchy -- they only had so much they could work with. Music in video games however, is always going to be second fiddle to graphics, as long as the main areas of promotion are visual screenshots ala print mags and the internet.
I still prefer to play my own music in the background while playing games...
In his argument, I gather that "graphics" have improved due to the increase of colors, going from sprites to polygons, added processing power, effects, etc.
"Music" has improved technically in the same fashion. It started as little mono blips, eventually progressed to stereo with synthesized instruments, and is now dolby surround capable of full blown cd quality symphonic tracks.
A more fair argument would be to compare music to visual artistry. Probably what the poster intended, and I'd agree with that. With music, usually simpler is better. That's why rock focuses on those same 3 chords. That's also why you can still run into an 8-bit tune and find it catchy -- they only had so much they could work with. Music in video games however, is always going to be second fiddle to graphics, as long as the main areas of promotion are visual screenshots ala print mags and the internet.
I still prefer to play my own music in the background while playing games...
Scalemail Ted
Member
Stench said:Let us not forget the contributions of one particular man - a man... who stood against the system... a man who prevailed, when others were shamed from their own pitiful failures.
Never forget the man... the myth... THE LEGEND.
YASUNORI MITSUDA: KING OF KINGS
Who is this guy?
Illuminati
Member
PC games' soundtracks are weeping.
- Myst
- Diablo 2
- Civ 4
- Doom (E1M1 bitches!!!)
- Myst
- Diablo 2
- Civ 4
- Doom (E1M1 bitches!!!)
Bizarro Sun Yat-sen
Banned
Better if you have no taste, sure. >=(
Scalemail Ted
Member
Benadryl Hitman said:
Starcraft! I loved the terran's theme.
soul creator
Member
all that buildup and I thought it was gonna be Yuzo Koshiro :/
Scalemail Ted
Member
Stench said:
One of his more popular masterworks.
Holy Crap, he also did the Original Crono Trigger soundtrack.
EphemeralDream
Member
Don't forget about the ladies:
Still going strong to this day.
Still going strong to this day.
http://www.kameosoundtrack.com/Scalemail Ted said:
Scalemail Ted
Member
Blimblim said:
Awesome, thanks BlimBlim!
PjotrStroganov
Member
Rocked said:You really think you'll still be able to remember those games music 10 or 15 years down the line like we can with stuff like Sonic, Mario, Street Fighter 2 etc? I doubt it.
Agreed on Katamari Damacy though.
You seem to confuse good music with simple music.
Ever wondered why everyone still remembers the Macarena? Because it's simple song with a simple tune.
Simple music can be good though.
MrSardonic
The nerdiest nerd of all the nerds in nerdland
Rocked said:
Diminishing returns
Scalemail Ted
Member
Prine said:
I actually purchased it from amazon once it was released. Its an outstanding score. I agree with Prine on this, I'm actually listening to it right now.
I think that there's great music in today's games, and nothing in the past could compare mainly because of technology.
But I agree with the sentiment that I'd like to see some games today with the same qualities of the older game music, which is as you mentioned a focus on melody.
But I agree with the sentiment that I'd like to see some games today with the same qualities of the older game music, which is as you mentioned a focus on melody.
CurseoftheGods
Banned
That music wasn't anything special, and music has gotten better.
