Gaming needs more of this...

[Ady]

What?

Licenced music. That's what.

Everyone's aware of games like Wipeout, Rez, Tony Hawks, Frequency, the FIFA iterations and Vice City for their use of licensed music, but this is an area I feel is under-exploited in modern gaming, particularly as the hobby is oft compared to cinema.

One of the nice things about movies is their use of licensed music in the film's soundtrack. A song casually playing in the background in a cafe or bar, a tune randomly whistled by a character or something used to tie a particular scene together; licensed music is ubiquitous in films, and I really can't see why the same shouldn't apply for games (the aforementioned examples should give you an idea of the sort of context I'm referring to).

Does anyone else have any opinions on this? Do you agree or do you think using licensed music is a bad idea? Furthermore, are their any musicans whose contriubtions you'd like to see in a game?

Please share.

[Squirtle]

Is Philip Glass alive? If so, his.

Oh, and Michael Nyman. That would be interesting.

[Ady]

Is Philip Glass alive? If so, his.

That would be interesting. Very intersring.

I think he's still alive, too.

[Andy_T]

i'd love to hear Aphex Twin in videogames. infact i think a piece of interactive entertainment, not a videogame per se, developed by Twin & Chris Cunningham would be interesting. thinking about, how about this for a potentially amazing collaboration; Aphex Twin, Chris Cunningham, Jeff Minter

[Sigur]

I usually hit mute and stick a CD in, that way I get best of both worlds

[Ady]

how about this for a potentially amazing collaboration; Aphex Twin, Chris Cunningham, Jeff Minter

Wow...

[Ady]

I usually hit mute and stick a CD in, that way I get best of both worlds

I can't do that. for me, audio is such a big part of games that removing the sound is like removing 50% of the experience.

[Sigur]

I can't do that. for me, audio is such a big part of games that removing the sound is like removing 50% of the experience.

Its strange the way I choose the cd's I am going to listen to when playing a game. If its a game such as Halo or game with constant action I'll put in something "heavier" (Interpol, Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath etc...) in than if I were playing a game like Splinter Cell or such like, i'll stick in something "softer" in (e.g. Polyphonic Spree, Sigur Ros, Flaming Lips etc..)

[Squirtle]

I can't do that. for me, audio is such a big part of games that removing the sound is like removing 50% of the experience.

Its strange the way I choose the cd's I am going to listen to when playing a game. If its a game such as Halo or game with constant action I'll put in something "heavier" (Interpol, Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath etc...) in than if I were playing a game like Splinter Cell or such like, i'll stick in something "softer" in (e.g. Polyphonic Spree, Sigur Ros, Flaming Lips etc..)

I can't help feeling that you're missing out on something there. Especially the two games you mentioned when played through a 5.1 system. Halo especially. Astoundingly good audio.

[Andy_T]

i can't have 'other' music on when i'm playing a game either. i'd just find it too distracting - to me it's all about the whole audio visual package to help create that immersion. i'm like that though, i can't read with music on either.

[Robin]

To me, turning off the ingame music and putting on something else would be like removing the cel-shading and implmenting photo realism into JSR. It'd be totally out of keeping with the creator's intentions.

[olly]

To me, turning off the ingame music and putting on something else would be like removing the cel-shading and implmenting photo realism into JSR. It'd be totally out of keeping with the creator's intentions.

Agreed. It's just not as immersive to have S Club Juniors blasting at as you explore Tallon IV..

[Andy_T]

this is maybe why so few games take 'advantage' on the X Box's soundtrack facility; they don't want someone ruining their carefully created experience.

[Ady]

Not being funny, but could we stick to the topic at hand, please?

Sigur's point made for an interesting tangent, but it's not what this thread's about.

[Andy_T]

sorry Ady. i think GTA Vice City is one the finest examples of licensed music to date. i'd like to see something similar but more a moody noir kind of game making use of some jazz. Crescent by John Coltrane would be perfect. it's a very interesting topic actually because maybe if developers thought about a game with a particular piece of music in mind, maybe just start with the music, it would be really inspiring, especially with jazz cos it's so expressive.