Discussion for Dynamic Music

Earlier with Bashi, I had a discussion about doing dynamic tracks. I think implementing a dynamic soundtrack would really give Thrive an unforgettable aural delight (as opposed to Pendrecki's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima. Go look it up. Don't say I didn't warn you.)

I had this idea pop up while working on the theme and thinking how I could make it dynamic and different.

Microbe Stage

1. Main Ambiance Track
2. Aggression Track
3. Editor Track

Multicellular Stage

1. Main Ambiance Track
2. Aggression Track
3. Editor Track

Aware Stage

1. Main Ambiance Track
2. Agression Track
3. Another Track that can be added to suit the needs of the stage in development
4. Editor Track
5. Environmental Tracks (ex. Underground, Water, Jungle, Snow, Desert, ect.)
**What would be AWESOME if we had an underground track going straight into a jungle track seamlessly as if the gameplay doesn't stop.**

Awakening Stage

1. Main Track - Daytime (if planet is applicable)
2. Night Track (if planet has nighttime)
3. Aggression Track
4. Strategy Mode Track
5. Editor Track

Society Stage

1. Day Track
2. Night Track
3. Agression Track
4. Strategy Mode Track
5. Editor Track

Industrial Stage

1. Strategy Mode Track
2. Technology Tree Track
3. Aggression Track
4. Day Track
5. Night Track
6. Editor Track

Space Stage

1. On planet Track
2. Solar System Track
3. Space Station/Colony Track
4. Galaxy Track
5. Agression Tracks (for each track, if we want.)


Again, these are just suggestions on the idea of dynamic music. I feel that if the gameplay is smooth and fluid, then the music and SFX should be as well. Please vote in the poll if you think so.

Also, keep an eye on the music team thread, as there will be a fourth version of the theme being released, hopefully soon!
-Ben

Nice topic, music can really help improve how you connect to the game.
We also need editor ambience.

I like this idea...
but I'd like to hear more than 2-3 sounds...
we should put, for example, a breeding theme, an underground theme (excavation and cave exploration) and a near-to-death theme (If a predator is going to kill you or if you get very close to a star...).

The top post has been edited to reflect your feedback. It would be awesome to have the music flow seamlessly, just like how we want all the stages of the game to flow seamlessly without some annoying, "YOU EVOLVED!" Dialogue jumping out of nowhere (i.e Spore).

Andry - I'm not sure if we should have a breeding theme. It would be quite funny if we had a universal breeding theme for all stages. As the need for themes and additional music arise, I will keep the idea in mind.

Great work, Ben.

should we add dynamic music to thrive? Of course we should. Thrive is a dynamic game and players should expect no less than a dynamic music experience.

One important thing to consider is how transitioning would work. For most people it would seem like a no brainer to simply cross fade, which I am not against. But for example if you are in a tense situation with tense music would it make sense to end the thrashing melodies with a fade out? I think if anybodies up for a more dynamic expericance/more work, than we should make resolutions for every piece of music. That way you can make a more logical ending to the music. But cross fading is good too.

I also like how this could work as our unofficial list of ingame music.

I think "alarming" tracks should come in louder, with a bit of disonance so you know something;s wrong. They should be in a separate key, separate time, etc, but staying similar to the ambience.

I totally agree with dynamic music. A music for aggression,but also a music for if you are attacked (i.e Fallout New Vegas),because if you have guns etc,it wouldnt be VERY noticeable if some was shooting at you. (Again,i.e Fallout New Vegas.)

zotobom wrote:

I totally agree with dynamic music. A music for aggression,but also a music for if you are attacked (i.e Fallout New Vegas),because if you have guns etc,it wouldnt be VERY noticeable if some was shooting at you. (Again,i.e Fallout New Vegas.)

You should still be able to hear the guns being fired at you, and see your health indicator lighting up if you did manage to miss the loud shots of the gun. But then silent guns wouldn't be hearable... Uh, how are we implementing the sense of touch (pain in particular)?
By the way, I say this as a person who probably wouldn't have the music on a lot of the time, and I don't want to have to have it on to know when something is trying to kill me.

The Uteen wrote:

zotobom wrote:

I totally agree with dynamic music. A music for aggression,but also a music for if you are attacked (i.e Fallout New Vegas),because if you have guns etc,it wouldnt be VERY noticeable if some was shooting at you. (Again,i.e Fallout New Vegas.)

You should still be able to hear the guns being fired at you, and see your health indicator lighting up if you did manage to miss the loud shots of the gun. But then silent guns wouldn't be hearable... Uh, how are we implementing the sense of touch (pain in particular)?
By the way, I say this as a person who probably wouldn't have the music on a lot of the time, and I don't want to have to have it on to know when something is trying to kill me.

That's fine, you'll be able to turn it down/off.
Sense of touch and pain are difficult. We would have to do pain with visual/audio cues.

Bashi and I had talked about dynamic music in the Music Team thread.

How it works is there are 2 audio tracks exactly same size in length, matched in beat and tempo. The music would cross-fade from track to track to create the effect of additional instruments playing.

Feelings of pain and agony will have to be done with visuals and sound effects. The SFX won't be a problem, but honestly, I need to see the art style and have some sort of visualization before I can begin that process. I create my sounds through envisioning them in game, and adding the sounds in my head.

Then I try and recreate the sounds I hear in my head onto the computer and create something that people can hear. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it turns into something totally weird, different, and extremely awesome than what I imagined before AND works in context.

The third possibility is why I stay in music.

Check out the music team thread, I created a loop for Main Menu music, it's just a sample.

-Ben