Game Design & Why Students Must Consider Music

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By Jennifer Marie Anderson


There are several elements to be had when it comes to game design, music being amongst the most important. In fact, I am sure that many students, in this field, can tell you all about how this element is so commonplace in this day and age. With that said, there is still the idea of why, exactly, music is so necessary for this type of work to be fulfilled. For those who are hungry for knowledge, as far as art is concerned, here are a few points to make note of.

To start off, music helps to captivate a gamer's attention at the onset. It could be done in a few ways, one of them being the excitement factor that comes from racing titles like "Need for Speed." However, soundtracks can just as easily instill feelings of dread in players, provided that's the design. After all, titles such as "The Evil Within" show that you do not necessarily need a catchy soundtrack but rather ambiance that can make an experience greater.

Music should also be created in a way that doesn't detract from the overall experience a game has to offer. The main reason for this - and I am sure that many others can agree - has to do with the fact that some bits of music can drone on a player's mind. After an hour or so has done by, you may be wishing for a change in audio. Fortunately, many composers have recognize this and there are some examples of this which stand out more than others.

Koji Kondo, in my view, stands as one of the most effective video game composers of all time. One of the reasons for this was his ability to create soundtracks that did not annoy the player. When he created a song, be it for "The Legend of Zelda" or another game entirely, he wanted to do so with the idea that players would not tune out. The fact that he would listen to his creations for an hour, to see if they started to grate on his nerves or not, showed just how vital music in game design truly is.

Music is, to put it simply, one of the most integral points that game design students should keep in mind. It is able to help set the scene, in many situations, but it's just as easy to assume that this type of music can create soundtracks anyone can leisurely listen to. However, it's important to note that audio can only be effective with strong capabilities in place. Without these, students who are focused on the creation of video games may not see the strongest work come about.




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