The Future
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This year marks the tenth year anniversary of the release of Kings Quest IV, the first Sierra game with a MIDI soundtrack. How far have we come since then, and how far is there to go? |
Comparing today's game music with what was done several years ago is like comparing an orchestra to a monkey grinder. Even if the tunes were cool, they usually came out sounding like processed cheese. We're starting to see computer games that can now offer music that's as good as any other entertainment medium on the market. |
Recently, there has been an interest among electronic rock pioneers such as former Talking Head David Byrne and producer Brian Eno (U2, Depeche Mode among others) towards non-linear computer generated music. Eno received critical praise for his generative music installation at the World Financial Center New York based on his work with the SSEYO Koan Music Engine (SKME) last fall. Isn't that where computer games have been for the past five years? |
Yes and no. It's true that game soundtracks have been written to interact with the choices players make on-screen for quite some time. Still, the majority of the music heard in games is composed and delivered in a traditional linear fashion. There are factions developing within the game industry as to where to go with this technology. One faction supports the use of software like Direct Music that extracts algorithms from harmonic progressions and melodic motifs. The basic idea is to create the music on the fly through MIDI. That way, the each time the game is played, the music is unique. |
What's your take on that? |
You'll never get the emotion from an algorithm that you'll get out of a great performer playing a fine instrument. And in the pursuit of making great interactive music, we shouldn't forget that it still has to start with great music. That's not to say that we're not using new technologies to enhance interactivity in our games. I outlined some of our approaches to interactivity with Quest for Glory V earlier in the interview. In addition, for the Babylon 5 project, Victor Cruz (YE composer) is working with a brilliant method of morphing and melding digital streams which he calls Sculptured Music. For Middle Earth, I'll implement a combination of technologies to achieve an even higher standard of interactivity. The goal is to have the player LIVE the game, and great interactive music is a big step in that direction. |
What else can you tell us about your involvement in the massively-multiplayer game, Middle-earth? Quite a challenge, right? |
We're in the process of working out some of the complex technical challenges right now. It's an on-line game, but the digital audio technologies we're employing will require having music and sound files load from a CD onto the player's hard drive. |
Will this be another solo project? |
No. In fact, if I can ever get the finer points of the deal ironed out, the Middle Earth music soundtrack will be a collaboration between myself and a multi-platinum recording artist whose name I can't reveal just yet. I'll be doing all of the score in a medieval acoustic style, accented with Celtic instruments and orchestra. The recording artists will be setting some of J.R.R. Tolkien's lyrics to music, and recording a hand full of songs for strategic placement throughout the game. As if creating music to emote Tolkien's world isn't enough already, I'll also have the privilege of working with one of my favorite vocal and instrumental talents in the world. It's like the icing on the icing… on the cake. |
What advice would you give to musicians trying to break into the interactive gaming field? |
Remember, great interactive music still begins with great music. Get all the education and experience you can afford or stand. Play games. Watch movies. Listen to a huge variety of music. Analyze music that moves you and music that doesn't, and try to figure out why. Look for opportunities to get hired by anyone you can to create music for anything. The experience of working for someone else's creative vision, and doing so under a deadline will be enlightening. Collecting money from them might also teach you a lesson or two. Then get to work on your application! We'll see you around cyberspace…
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| Page 1 | Professional Background | |
| Page 2 | The State of Computer Game Soundtracks | |
| Page 3 | The Making of the Quest for Glory V Soundtrack | |
| Page 4 | Technical Info | |
| Page 5 | Future Plans | |
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