RPGs: music or not

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

I almost always play games with music on. Sometimes I have to turn it off or replace it if it starts to sound truly irritating, like the Hive sequence in Anachronox on the 3rd run.

As a good example, though, The Last Remnant would suck donkey cock if it wasn't for the in-game music.
Specifically, the blend of electronic and orchestral stuff isn't something new today, but it adds a lot to the atmosphere of the game. Plus, metal additions to the battle themes make them feel pretty intense at times, though they get pretty repetitive after some time.
Some pretty good in-game tracks:

Spoiler

 

[Jaesun]

I always play games with the soundtrack on. Except in the case of Arcanum, while it fit the setting just fine, I never really liked the music in that. The Soundtrack for ToEE was vastly superior.

 

[Ninjerk]

Having played quite a bit of JA2 recently, I find that its music can get somewhat repetitive (even though there isn't a single song out of place). Everything else makes up for it.

 

[NotAGolfer]

I always keep the music on of course.
Games like Divine Divinity and Icewind Dale are much better this way. I never finished the latter because it's a boring grind but damn, that Kuldahar theme always lures me back to give it another try and the music and graphics keep me hooked for a while.

other examples:
Sierra games, all of them:

Spoiler

beep beep a dee! PC Speaker ftw!

I love old Midi stuff btw.

Mass Effect:

Spoiler

"Hey there, I'm Captain Awesome and I'm saving the galaxy."

RoA 2

Spoiler

Must have wasted hundreds of hours with this game and its music, it's like an old friend coming by to chat about teh good old times.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

I don't ever turn the music off, mainly because I'm rarely annoyed by soundtracks (I can at least laugh at shitty ones). I can't pay attention to the game while listening to something else, anyway.

It does get on your nerves a little when you've been listening to this on a loop for the last three hours, though.

Also this song from Daggerfall will be stuck in my head from here to eternity.

Let's take Dragon's Dogma, for example. [...] And don't get me started on the jPOP opening in vanilla.

Fuck you! The wind is pushing me~ <3

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Pfft.

 

[Gregz]

But can a game still be very immersive without?

Hell yes.

Can a game be even more immersive without music?

This is a very deep question, one that may not have an answer. I think it depends a great deal on the player. In my experience, I have had excellent immersion in games without sound. I even elect to turn off the music after a time.

But I fondly remember that song you hear when you first start up The Bard's Tale.



Or that excellent MIDI music in Daggerfall that would play in the wilderness when it was snowing.



The first time I played Daggerfall, I can remember finally emerging from the starter dungeon...snow on the ground, darkness, stars at night, and that fantastic music...it was amazing. Magical moments.

 

[Lemming42]

I'm pretty happy to see so much Daggerfall in this thread.

 

[Photokoi]

Wow Im also surprised about Daggerfall, seeing as it is known to have been super buggy, repetitive and ultimately a terrible game. I've barely played it: just the first dungeon, so I cannot judge. It had incredible size and sandboxity, so that's good. BTW, my favorite song from Morrowind:

Actually, just returned from scouring this video and kind find my favorite. They are all my favorite

 

[Gragt]

When a game annoys me, I start to hum the music, even if it annoys me too. Then I start to sing insults and oaths in tune to the music.

 

[Broseph]

Annoyingly catchy/awesome:



Good shit:

 

[Sunsetspawn]

Fuck you! The wind is pushing me~ <3

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Angry Joe likes it, your opinion is invaliduurrrrr



(starts at 14:20)

Wow Im also surprised about Daggerfall, seeing as it is known to have been super buggy, repetitive and ultimately a terrible game.

Personal opinion on the TES series vary wildly, but I think everyone agrees the games have great soundtracks. Yes, even Oblivion.

(well, maybe Arena is an exception, can't remember anything of note there)

 

[Photokoi]

Personal opinion on the TES series vary wildly, but I think everyone agrees the games have great soundtracks. Yes, even Oblivion.

Of course Oblivion has incredible music. It's an incredible game and dont anyone says it sucks. Sure, its very generic and babyish and dumbeddown, but wasnt ultima vii also like that in the day? Very detailed but generic and easy? When it comes to gameworlds, TES is an absolute monster. Awesome worlds, unique. I hate when people say Oblivion sucks , morrwind had better setting. Oblivion was based in Cyrodil. The center of Tamerial, inhabited by humans. Cant get more generic than that. But its generic done well.

 

[Lemming42]

Personal opinion on the TES series vary wildly, but I think everyone agrees the games have great soundtracks. Yes, even Oblivion.

Of course Oblivion has incredible music.

I like this song from Oblivion. I can't immediately think of any others that are any good, though. Most of the soundtrack from what I can remember was just that gay lute crap.
Skyrim's soundtrack was also fairly weak. The main theme was good but it was basically the Morrowind theme with an added bit and unnecessary viking choir, and one of the dragon battle themes was pretty good but I can't even remember the rest.

 

[Abelian]

When a game annoys me, I start to hum the music, even if it annoys me too. Then I start to sing insults and oaths in tune to the music.

Heh, you reminded me of this youtube LP:

Spoiler

He sings at the following spots:
3:25-3:48
4:20-4:34
5:32-5:47
7:30-8:23

 

[Gragt]

Something like that but I am a bit more vehement.

 

[Rhuantavan]

Ah, Betrayal at Krondor and the Realms of Arkania series. These games just wouldn't be the same without music.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

But I fondly remember that song you hear when you first start up The Bard's Tale.

Thanks for this. I only ever got to hear this theme being played through the PC Speaker. It's a littler faster that way and annoying as hell, but it's still recognizable.

 

[Xu Fugui]

God, you cant get more right exploration music.

This is magnificent, unfortunately I've heard bad things about the game. Is it worth a playtrough? This track got me interested in trying it out, but many awful games have good soundtracks so I better hear you out before I invest any time and potentially money on it.

 

[StaticSpine]

I think that the best ingame atmosphere fitting soundtrack was in Arcanum.


It's a shame Ben Houge now works more as a sound producer/audion lead for games, not a composer.

Otherwise, Mark Morgan is always boss.

I can endlessly listen to those OSTs even without playing the games and I won't turn the music off ever in RPGs.

 

[garren]

This is magnificent, unfortunately I've heard bad things about the game. Is it worth a playtrough? This track got me interested in trying it out, but many awful games have good soundtracks so I better hear you out before I invest any time and potentially money on it.

It's pretty mediocre. Some people here like it though. There's a demo available, if you want to try it out. I always thought the beginning was the best part of Eschalon games, later on it just drags out and doesn't do anything new or exciting enough, and the existing mechanics and story aren't good enough to keep you entertained through to the end.

 

[Luzur]

God, you cant get more right exploration music.

This is magnificent, unfortunately I've heard bad things about the game. Is it worth a playtrough? This track got me interested in trying it out, but many awful games have good soundtracks so I better hear you out before I invest any time and potentially money on it.

well, i was OK with it, try it out and see for yourself.

 

[NotAGolfer]

I think that the best ingame atmosphere fitting soundtrack was in Arcanum.

Bitch please, it might be a good for what it is but it's still utter shit compared to stuff like Gothic and Fallout soundtracks.
Fucking fanboys everywhere.

VTMB has another great and very fitting soundtrack.

 

[Photokoi]

I originally started this thread because I am considering different ports of older 80s games. Most of them like SSI and Ultimas and others included music for apple // and c64 and etc. but they lacked music in dos since soundcards didnt exist or werent very popular. Have you guys any memories of playing the original 5150 ibm pc and being entralled/immersed in the gameplay of musicless games? First game that comes to mind is Pool of Radiance and then Ultima V, both being very atmospheric in their writing and worlds.

I'm currently playing Ultima IV on a Vice c64 emulator, and I dont regret it; the music is great, and I feel off when the music doesnt play in dos because the game was designed with music. As many mentioned here, if the game was made with music and time was put into that, then why omit it? I think the music there it for a reason, and because of this I think all dos games from before 1990 suck due to the lack of the soundcard and the business orientation of the computer itself.

Just my two cents. I personally have never used a computer with less then 512mb of ram and/or pre pentium 2 so I really have no idea what I'm talking about.