Development Info Pillars of Eternity Kickstarter Update #76: Justin Bell on the Music of Pillars of Eternity

[garren]

I don't know about NWN1, but NWN2 music certainly isn't memorable. It did it's job but it was kinda bland, imo.

 

[Chateaubryan]

Not sold. As others said, it's kind of bland. Would fit a game of Morrowind, if the player was strolling in amazement in an alien landscape, but as village ambient music of a village, it doesn't tell and convey much. It's a First-person RPG music, a music about quiet wanderlust, not about village or community life.

 

[MicoSelva]

NWN1 had incredible music.

Yes, except it didn't. The main NWN theme was ok (so was the main NWN2 theme), but the in-game music was nothing special.

Feel free to prove me wrong by posting examples. Maybe it's just my memory.

 

[Athelas]

Fuck yeah! Uber-generic music to go with my uber-generic cRPG!

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Man the earlier games had some really memorable tracks now that I think about it, Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Planescape.. when I think of songs from newer games, like Neverwinter Nights (didn't play nwn1 though) or Dragon Age, I can't think of a single memorable piece of music.

NWN1 had incredible music. And NWN2 reused a lot of it.

Again, it was by Jeremy Soule, so like this track, it was not Baldur's Gate-like.

I don't remember many if any memorable tracks from either NWN game. I thought Mask of the Betrayer on the other hand had a great and varied soundtrack, despite being a small expansion.

 

[Infinitron]

NWN1 had incredible music.

Yes, except it didn't. The main NWN theme was ok (so was the main NWN2 theme), but the in-game music was nothing special.

Feel free to prove me wrong by posting examples. Maybe it's just my memory.

I don't remember many if any memorable tracks from either NWN game. I thought Mask of the Betrayer on the other hand had a great and varied soundtrack, despite being a small expansion.

LOL wut? NWN1 OC is pretty famous for being one of those "bad games with music that's way better than they deserve".



It has some of the best "peaceful/rural themes" in the history of western RPGs. Which again, makes them similar to this PoE track, albeit shorter and faster-paced.

In the update, Justin makes a point of noting that he tried to take the IE style of music and make it longer and more drawn out. That's why it sounds a bit "off" at first. You expect it to "get to the point" sooner than it does.

 

[Sensuki]

I don't even think Icewind Dale was very Jeremy Soule like, after hearing his other stuff. IIRC his brother also worked on the IWD soundtrack.

 

[Athelas]

Listening to those now and while they're well put together, I still don't think they're particularly memorable.

I'd also rather they do their own thing soundtrack-wise rather than mimicking the IE games.

 

[MicoSelva]

NWN1 OC is pretty famous for being one of those "bad games with music that's way better than they deserve".

Makes sense. Terrible OC, mediocre music = music way better than the OC deserves,

 

[Wizfall]

Not fond of the track but more because it does not "sound" like a village music at all IMO.
Also I like much MUCH better Baldur's gate music than Icewing Dale music.

 

[Infinitron]

I didn't hear music, just a bunch of instruments shyly trying to cling to borders of my attention.
I hope final pieces will be at least a bit more catchy.

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/66060-update-76-music-in-pillars-of-eternity/?p=1440398

The pauses between instruments are too many and too long, so it kinda goes nowhere and lacks that solid feel I used to have when listening to music in good RPG's.
Maybe environmental effects would help music to stand out more.

Good observation. Yes I can see how that's unsettling, particularly when you hear the music out of context in this way. It is, as you point out, to allow the environment sounds to have an opportunity to be heard in between musical phrases. I wanted this music to breath in a calm and relaxed sort of way, and to interact with all the other sounds you're going to hear as well.

 

[PatataFamilia]

I just came here to post that. When you play the Dyrford music with an environmental effect, particularly rain, the difference is startling.

 

[Sensuki]

Haha, it actually is (with rain).

 

[SuicideBunny]

I just came here to post that. When you play the Dyrford music with an environmental effect, particularly rain, the difference is startling.

hmm

Spoiler

conclusion: everything is better with rain.

 

[J_C]

I just came here to post that. When you play the Dyrford music with an environmental effect, particularly rain, the difference is startling.

hmm

Spoiler

conclusion: everything is better with rain.

Damn, listening the Dyrford music and the 3rd video simultaniously is so atmospheric.

Oh god fuck all the people on the Obsidian forums who whine about the music not being epic enough. Overused epic music is what killed the soundtrack of recent AAA RPGs, and they want to ruin PoE too?

 

[Grotesque]

one of the best scores in recent games

The Gothic 3 and Temple of Elemental Evil scores kick some serious ass

 

[Abelian]

Interestingly, BG 1&2 are the only video game soundtracks that composer Michael Hoenig worked on. Even more interesting, he started out as a Berlin School electronica musician before moving to film soundtracks.

 

[PatataFamilia]

Serpent in the Staglands also put out some music recently. It's battle music so it's tonally different, but I wish I could link to it.

 

[Zed]

Serpent in the Staglands also put out some music recently. It's battle music so it's tonally different, but I wish I could link to it.

https://d3mlfyygrfdi2i.cloudfront.n...mlfyygrfdi2i.cloudfront.net/cc3a/kickskin.swf

 

[Shadenuat]

Yeah it fits with the rain. But it's true that everything is better with the rain. I still prefer music which gently grabs you by the balls and drags into the game, like



also good with the rain

 

[Drax]

I liked it.
It has a very strong morrowind vibe, and that's always good in my book.

 

[SuicideBunny]

heh, even the rain is better with the other rain....

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Not bad. It has some atmospheric feel to it. Not bad.

Need to see how it works with game play first and foremost.

Beyond that, was I the only one that enjoyed Temple of Elemental Evil's Soundtrack?
Very ambient, very good, long tracks.

 

[The Bishop]

Soundtrack that I remember fondly that made extensive use of environmental sounds. Worked pretty well for strategic map background music. Not every piece in a game must sound epic.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Beyond that, was I the only one that enjoyed Temple of Elemental Evil's Soundtrack?

What do you think, you're also the only one who likes tits?

TOEE was mentioned in the thread in GRPG. And yeah, it's awesome. Dat Hommlet theme.

 

[clemens]

So, we DISCUSSing music ?

I'll just unleash my inner fanboy at this thread then :



Kirill just has this soupçon of... je ne sais quoi... originality ? It's not all celtic sounds and traditionnal instruments or something.

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