Territorial Music
sanwayzar
Join Date: 2007-12-27 Member: 63271Members
Join Date: 2007-12-27 Member: 63271Members
The game's music could change based on where the player currently is. In Neutral Territory, the default music would play. As the player moved closer to clearly Marine-controlled Territory, the music would become more rigid and "human" (like the Imperial March from Star Wars.) As a player moved closer to clearly Alien-controlled Territory, the music would become more creepy and sinister (like that creepy, tingly music from The X-Files.)
Imagine a TSA soldier entering a hallway that has been overrun by DI, and the music gradually changes to fit the mood. I think using music in this way will make the game that much more of a tense, immersive experience.
Another way this could be implemented is not by location, but by which side is currently winning. Everyone hears the same music. As Marines gain the advantage, their theme music starts to overtake the default music, and the same goes for the Aliens. A number of criteria could be used to determine which side has the upperhand at a given moment. Combined with growing/burning the DI, music in NS2 could convey a very satisfying tug-o-war feeling.
Imagine a TSA soldier entering a hallway that has been overrun by DI, and the music gradually changes to fit the mood. I think using music in this way will make the game that much more of a tense, immersive experience.
Another way this could be implemented is not by location, but by which side is currently winning. Everyone hears the same music. As Marines gain the advantage, their theme music starts to overtake the default music, and the same goes for the Aliens. A number of criteria could be used to determine which side has the upperhand at a given moment. Combined with growing/burning the DI, music in NS2 could convey a very satisfying tug-o-war feeling.
Comments
Imagine a TSA soldier entering a hallway that has been overrun by DI, and the music gradually changes to fit the mood. I think using music in this way will make the game that much more of a tense, immersive experience.
Another way this could be implemented is not by location, but by which side is currently winning. Everyone hears the same music. As Marines gain the advantage, their theme music starts to overtake the default music, and the same goes for the Aliens. A number of criteria could be used to determine which side has the upperhand at a given moment. Combined with growing/burning the DI, music in NS2 could convey a very satisfying tug-o-war feeling.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't like music that changes gradually, because it really tend to make the music crappy. You cant really make some catching tunes as it would have to fit a lot with the music it has to change to, and leaves little room for creativity. (If someone could make it, Im all for it)
I do like the second idea. If you know you are winning, it would be cool to hear a winning tune, and likewise if you are losing. Or like you suggest, alien and marine tunes, depending on who is winning. You shouldnt get any intel from it though. Like the music changes, because the aliens got 3rd hive, the marines would know.
You could set this to work off who has the most number of RTs say after 3 minutes of game time, all marines would know is the aliens have more rts than the marines. Not game breaking as you can hazard a good guess of who has more rts from a quick glance at the map. I really like the sound of the idea playing off whos winning. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Regardless, sound and music are often ignored and they shouldn't be. Sound is incredibly important in gaming, and even atmospheric music especially in the context of the suggestion, can add a better experience for players even if it's subtle.
Could I say something? Even if you are getting "losing" music, could it be something that inspires to fight to the last man? Something rousing. Hope that makes sense, want to have fun even as you lose in NS2, I hope.
Regardless, sound and music are often ignored and they shouldn't be. Sound is incredibly important in gaming, and even atmospheric music especially in the context of the suggestion, can add a better experience for players even if it's subtle.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Agreed, music is VERY important in every game (even the good old C64 games had good music).
That said, I don't like the killing-streak music change idea. If the music should help set the mood of the game, it shouldn't change when someone in the other end of the map makes a elite killing spree. It should at least depend on something that involves the entire team.
In all seriousness music can help add polish to a game. I would also like to see cool loading screens with epic music.
Other games have used dynamic music - but mostly the others were just atmospheric/ambient music, and didn't change all that noticeably.
But I agree that music is an important, but often downplayed, part of games. If NS can implement some kind of Dynamic Music system, which would change based on your setting (territory), and how well your team (perhaps you specifically) were doing, it would just be something special that you don't see very often.
Some gentle ambient music would be great, like the stuff in NS1
something soft when you're just cruisin' around marine base... takin' it easy...
something suspenseful when you're entering a particularly dark hallway deep in alien territory...
you get the idea ;p
what?
the music comes from.. your speakers ;P
it changes according to your location and/or how well you are playing
- it isn't 'emitted', like, your distance to an emitter determines how 'loud' the music/sound emitted is. unless of course.. i wanna place a boombox crankin' out some mean beats at marine start, then by all means..
edit: i'll give you an example
<!--quoteo(post=1666274:date=Jan 4 2008, 11:39 PM:name=Harimau)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Harimau @ Jan 4 2008, 11:39 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1666274"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->well, yes, the music should still be ambient/atmospheric, first of all because it's more NS-like, second because it won't distract so much, but you could still add a level of dynamism to that.
something soft when you're just cruisin' around marine base... takin' it easy...
<b>something suspenseful when you're entering a particularly dark hallway deep in alien territory...</b>
you get the idea ;p<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
like for example, things have been pretty calm, so you're playing Music Sample A (calm, sci-fi 'exploring the unknown' music), but you've just entered an Infested (alien territory) corridor, that's particularly dark - the system would detect that you are in an Infested area, as well as the 'density' and the 'space' of the darkness you're running around in - and it would change from Sample A to Sample B (higher-strung, suspenseful music), with a short Sample AB 'transitional' sample between. (and if you pass out of the corridor without trouble, the music would have a transitional sample that has a hint of relief in it)
other things would be like, if you just started getting harried by 3 skulks, the music would quickly drop to a deep 'thumping' action-inspired sample, without losing the suspense. (ever seen Apocalypto?)
there are many, many factors that would influence what sort of music you hear during the game.
i think this kind of music system would be great, it won't have the problem of being boringly repetitive, since every time you hear it, it would be a different experience. it would be a pain to implement though, and it's not a feature you'd work on half-heartedly.
but it means diverting resources and time that the devs don't have, so i don't think we'd see a dynamic music system with any real depth in NS2, perhaps NS3 - and should the NS franchise ever gain a singleplayer, this would suit even better.
The idea I proposed is much simpler than this, so it should require much less work (at least from programmers, if not the music composers.)
Case A: Three main themes (Alien, Neutral, Marine) and a number of transitional tracks which are triggered depending on the Player's current location. Deep in Marine territory would play the Marine theme, and as you move into less firmly controlled rooms, the music would transition towards the Neutral theme, etc. This will cause each player to hear different music, making it a more personal experience.
Case B: Alien, Neutral, Marine, and transitional themes which are triggered depending on which team is currently "winning" the match. A number of criteria can be used to determine which side is winning and by how much: # of kills, progression up the tech tree, map control, etc. At game start and when the match is relatively even, the Neutral theme plays. The music transitions from Neutral towards one of the other themes when a team gains the upperhand, and can fluctuate back and forth. All players hear the same music, which lets them know whether it's "Miller Time" or if it's time to start hauling @$$ to have any chance of salvaging the match.
The more I think of it, I like Case B better, but either one would be fun, and easier to implement than a truly personal dynamic soundtrack.
<!--quoteo(post=1666193:date=Jan 4 2008, 07:05 AM:name=Dark Rage)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dark Rage @ Jan 4 2008, 07:05 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1666193"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I vote for Benny Hill when the Kharaa are rampaging through marine start.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I second that emotion. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />