XBOX Customizable Soundtrack Thoughts...
11-05-02, 02:28 PM
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XBOX Customizable Soundtrack Thoughts...
After ripping 3 hours worth of music last night on my Xbox, I started to wonder...
Why don't all developers support customizable soundtracks?
It certainly would save developers on licensing fees for big-name artists. They could hire an in-house or cheaper guy to compose the music tracks, and then leave it up to the consumer whether they want to use those or their own music.
Now granted, I understand not all games would be able to support this. There are some with dynamic soundtracks that are influenced by in-game situations that would be hard to customize. But what do you think the best games to utilize this?
Racing/Extreme Sports - Already done it (Amped, Rallisport, Project Gotham, Splashdown).
FPS - A no-brainer. Who doesn't put in their own music when playing Quake or HL/CS on the PC?
Sports - Isn't it annoying when NCAA football doesn't have your alma matter's fight song? Why not make it an option to just rip it onto the HD and select it as the fight song? What would be better than to hear Blur's "Song 2" everytime you sacked the QB? Or better yet, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" whenever your team scores a TD. Go Nirvana U!
Action/Adventure - Most games of this nature use their own dynamic soundtracks. But let's say a game let's you in on how they actually define their dynamic soundtracks. Let's say the game has Fight Songs options 1, 2, and 3. Everytime you got into a battle, it would play these randomly, or at least loop through them every three battles. Roam through the world map and play a few defined songs. Specific character interactions and plot twists could be restricted to specific game music, but you get the idea.
Any ideas? Developers, I know you are reading so let me know your thoughts. For games which are simply ported to the XBox, this would be a cool exclusive feature.
Or is it that the CPU overhead in playing WMA files would take away from what would be needed for necessary CPU processing for the game itself?
Jeremy
Why don't all developers support customizable soundtracks?
It certainly would save developers on licensing fees for big-name artists. They could hire an in-house or cheaper guy to compose the music tracks, and then leave it up to the consumer whether they want to use those or their own music.
Now granted, I understand not all games would be able to support this. There are some with dynamic soundtracks that are influenced by in-game situations that would be hard to customize. But what do you think the best games to utilize this?
Racing/Extreme Sports - Already done it (Amped, Rallisport, Project Gotham, Splashdown).
FPS - A no-brainer. Who doesn't put in their own music when playing Quake or HL/CS on the PC?
Sports - Isn't it annoying when NCAA football doesn't have your alma matter's fight song? Why not make it an option to just rip it onto the HD and select it as the fight song? What would be better than to hear Blur's "Song 2" everytime you sacked the QB? Or better yet, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" whenever your team scores a TD. Go Nirvana U!
Action/Adventure - Most games of this nature use their own dynamic soundtracks. But let's say a game let's you in on how they actually define their dynamic soundtracks. Let's say the game has Fight Songs options 1, 2, and 3. Everytime you got into a battle, it would play these randomly, or at least loop through them every three battles. Roam through the world map and play a few defined songs. Specific character interactions and plot twists could be restricted to specific game music, but you get the idea.
Any ideas? Developers, I know you are reading so let me know your thoughts. For games which are simply ported to the XBox, this would be a cool exclusive feature.
Or is it that the CPU overhead in playing WMA files would take away from what would be needed for necessary CPU processing for the game itself?
Jeremy
11-05-02, 02:41 PM
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FPS - I like to turn the music off unless it's really a part of the mood - normally, it's just better for me to have it off.
The rest of that - I think most games that would benefit from user soundtracks have them implimented - I don't think games like Silent Hill 2 would work with user soundtracks and neither would most Adventure games. Games like GTA3 would be cool with user soundtracks - we'll have a game or two like that coming sometime next year, so maybe. What games do you feel are missing this feature? Bloodwake and Hunter maybe...
The rest of that - I think most games that would benefit from user soundtracks have them implimented - I don't think games like Silent Hill 2 would work with user soundtracks and neither would most Adventure games. Games like GTA3 would be cool with user soundtracks - we'll have a game or two like that coming sometime next year, so maybe. What games do you feel are missing this feature? Bloodwake and Hunter maybe...
11-05-02, 03:01 PM
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Games like Amped and PGR are tailor made for custom soundtracks. I love listening to Lenny Kravitz "Fly Away" as I catch major air off a ramp in Amped. Corny? Maybe but it looks, sounds and feels so good!
I agree with Trigger, I skip the soundtracks on First person shooters. I need to be able to hear where I'm getting shot from.
Sports games would be a great place for your own music. I tend to get annoyed with the songs that come packed with these games (especially Madden 2003).
I agree with Trigger, I skip the soundtracks on First person shooters. I need to be able to hear where I'm getting shot from.
Sports games would be a great place for your own music. I tend to get annoyed with the songs that come packed with these games (especially Madden 2003).
11-05-02, 03:03 PM
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I think custom soundtracks are only usefull on games that already have real songs as the sound track (tony hawk, racing games, etc.)
For RPGs, FPS, adventure games, survival horror, etc. the custom game soundtrack is often a big part of the mood of the game.
For sports games, I just want the commentary and sound effects. The fight song is a good point, but NCAA has WVU's fight song, so I'm all good.
For RPGs, FPS, adventure games, survival horror, etc. the custom game soundtrack is often a big part of the mood of the game.
For sports games, I just want the commentary and sound effects. The fight song is a good point, but NCAA has WVU's fight song, so I'm all good.
11-05-02, 03:16 PM
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My obligatory response to the "all games should support custom soundtracks!" posts...
In certain games like Amped or PGR, music is just there for background music. It's not part of the game, really; it's just there in the background like listening to music in your car.
In some games, like Halo, adventure games, or RPGs(especially), music written specifically for the game is integral to creating a certain mood and atmopshere that the developer wants. It's just like the musical score to a movie -- I'm sure directors wouldn't want an audience playing whatever music they wanted during scenes in their movies. Same with games. Developers don't want players undermining the mood and atmopshere they've worked so hard to create. And implementing the custom soundtrack feature into a game like Halo along with its own musical score wouldn't be as easy as it sounds, with music having to play during certain circumstances and during scripted events and so on, and it would probably result in the developer slacking off on the original musical score itself. That would ultimately be bad for the game.
I know there's no music out there that would fit into most RPGs as well as their original musical scores do, and I certainly wouldn't trade the score in Halo for anything else. Or horror games, or adventure games, etc. Speaking of adventure games....I remember one of the most memorable aspects of Tomb Raider (the first one, anyways) was the music. The game's gameplay may not have been that great, but it was one of the most atmospheric games I'd ever played, and the occasional ambient, atmospheric and almost creepy music that chimed in just at the right moments added to to that sensation immensely. NO songs in my music library would have been able to create that effect the way the game's soundtrack did, and the custom soundtrack feature simply would not fit into the game at all. And that's the way it should be. There are games where music is just there in the background to listen to, but there are also games that are supposed to evoke certain moods and emotions through atmosphere and ambience or epic music, and implementing the custom soundtrack feature into those would not only not work, but it would subvert what the game is trying to do. Just like it would in a movie with an original musical score.
Same goes for Resident Evil, or any other horror game. The music isn't just some trivial thing the developers throw into the background; it is part of and intergral to the experience, and as such shouldn't be tampered with by the player.
As for first-person shooters, it depends. If it's some absolutely mindless game like Quake II with no real focus on story or cinematics, then you should be able to listen to whatever the hell you want. Even the game's own soundtrack reflects that; as I recall, it was just a bunch of heavy metal or something. Halo, on the other hand, is a very cinematic experience, and there are areas and cut-scenes and so on with music composed specifically for those instances, just like music composed for similiar instances in a movie.
The custom soundtrack feature is great, but I've always feared that developers will start abusing it and throwing the feature into their games to avoid composing music speficially for the games, which is what every RPG/adventure game/etc. should have no matter what.
In certain games like Amped or PGR, music is just there for background music. It's not part of the game, really; it's just there in the background like listening to music in your car.
In some games, like Halo, adventure games, or RPGs(especially), music written specifically for the game is integral to creating a certain mood and atmopshere that the developer wants. It's just like the musical score to a movie -- I'm sure directors wouldn't want an audience playing whatever music they wanted during scenes in their movies. Same with games. Developers don't want players undermining the mood and atmopshere they've worked so hard to create. And implementing the custom soundtrack feature into a game like Halo along with its own musical score wouldn't be as easy as it sounds, with music having to play during certain circumstances and during scripted events and so on, and it would probably result in the developer slacking off on the original musical score itself. That would ultimately be bad for the game.
I know there's no music out there that would fit into most RPGs as well as their original musical scores do, and I certainly wouldn't trade the score in Halo for anything else. Or horror games, or adventure games, etc. Speaking of adventure games....I remember one of the most memorable aspects of Tomb Raider (the first one, anyways) was the music. The game's gameplay may not have been that great, but it was one of the most atmospheric games I'd ever played, and the occasional ambient, atmospheric and almost creepy music that chimed in just at the right moments added to to that sensation immensely. NO songs in my music library would have been able to create that effect the way the game's soundtrack did, and the custom soundtrack feature simply would not fit into the game at all. And that's the way it should be. There are games where music is just there in the background to listen to, but there are also games that are supposed to evoke certain moods and emotions through atmosphere and ambience or epic music, and implementing the custom soundtrack feature into those would not only not work, but it would subvert what the game is trying to do. Just like it would in a movie with an original musical score.
Same goes for Resident Evil, or any other horror game. The music isn't just some trivial thing the developers throw into the background; it is part of and intergral to the experience, and as such shouldn't be tampered with by the player.
As for first-person shooters, it depends. If it's some absolutely mindless game like Quake II with no real focus on story or cinematics, then you should be able to listen to whatever the hell you want. Even the game's own soundtrack reflects that; as I recall, it was just a bunch of heavy metal or something. Halo, on the other hand, is a very cinematic experience, and there are areas and cut-scenes and so on with music composed specifically for those instances, just like music composed for similiar instances in a movie.
The custom soundtrack feature is great, but I've always feared that developers will start abusing it and throwing the feature into their games to avoid composing music speficially for the games, which is what every RPG/adventure game/etc. should have no matter what.
Last edited by tha_dvd_man; 11-05-02 at 03:20 PM.
11-05-02, 03:43 PM
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The only problem with sound tracks, is that sometimes when you have it set to random order. The wrong song will play (i.e. slower song) when you need a balls to the wall, hard hitting jam.
That's my only problem with my own soundtrack.
Sometimes my favorite songs are not the best for gaming.
That's my only problem with my own soundtrack.
Sometimes my favorite songs are not the best for gaming.
11-06-02, 07:51 AM
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I never use this feature. I ripped a couple of CDs to the hard drive, but I never use it. Ony of my discs came up in ReVolt and MotoGP, but I quickly turned the music down. I was worried that the background music would go out over the headset.
Even for single player games though, I just haven't found this to be a useful feature.
Even for single player games though, I just haven't found this to be a useful feature.
11-06-02, 08:38 AM
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I Agree.........
This is the best idea ever!!!!!!!!!
In Moto GP I use rock like Papa Roach and it sounds really cool.
In Conflict: Desert Storm I use Gladiator Score[Battle,Barabrian Horde tracks] and it's unbelievable how the intesity rises even more.
They should have optional soundtracks for all the games and you'll be surprised that many people will know what to do to make it sound better.
In Moto GP I use rock like Papa Roach and it sounds really cool.
In Conflict: Desert Storm I use Gladiator Score[Battle,Barabrian Horde tracks] and it's unbelievable how the intesity rises even more.
They should have optional soundtracks for all the games and you'll be surprised that many people will know what to do to make it sound better.
11-06-02, 08:52 AM
#11
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When I was borrowing my friend's XBOX I used to play some hard trance on the streets on Gotham City Racing.. Maruo Picotto, Scott Project, Yoji Boimokeke.. damn..
I agree.. best idea for console.. ever..
oops.. 2nd behind online console..
I agree.. best idea for console.. ever..
oops.. 2nd behind online console..
