Would you like to see dynamic use of music?

MotokoHutt · July 2019

Hey so something I have always felt in MMO's is that despite some pieces of music in the game being amazing the fact the music is so commonly used makes them fall a little flat. Personally, and this is only my personal taste, when I am playing a game I dont always want background music, sometimes I just want to have world ambience, so I end up truning the game music off allot. However this means that scenes in quests and intense boss fights in veteran content can feel a little lack luster due to the absence of an apropriate backing track. So comes the question in the subject head, would you like to see dynamic use of music?

To relate to another game franchise that I feel does dynamic music well, the souls series by FromSoftware. In the souls series music is used on and off but is never a constant feature, it's commonly used at key locations or within boss fights where the music may even ramp up becoming more intense the lower the bosses health. In some cases the music may even change or adapt completely to the evolving scenario of mechanics. To this end the music featured within the games tend to have a lasting effect on the fans of the series and moments within the game feel so much more enguaging.

Do you feel that dynamic use of background music would be something that could suit the elder scrolls online? And if so do you have any recomendations of how such features could be implomented and where? Also could you suggest how current musical tracks can be adapted to add more atmosphere to locations or scenarios. On the note of dynamic music, what are some cases in games where you feel it is done correctly? I will look forward to hearing all your suggestions.

max_only · July 2019

I’m not sure I understand. When I log in after an initial “welcome to zone song” I get ambient sounds (footsteps, pets, birds). Then maybe I’ll get a soft backing track with a little harmony but when that runs out it’s just ambient again (rain, animals, voices, etc). Then for combat it surges into combat song and goes away when it’s over. Are you saying it never gets quiet in your game unless you turn it off completely? It gets so quiet in my game I can hear the hum of the orbs my armor gives off. It’s especially noticeable while fishing. The music is dynamically surging and quieting for me already.

MotokoHutt · July 2019

max_only wrote: »

I’m not sure I understand. When I log in after an initial “welcome to zone song” I get ambient sounds (footsteps, pets, birds). Then maybe I’ll get a soft backing track with a little harmony but when that runs out it’s just ambient again (rain, animals, voices, etc). Then for combat it surges into combat song and goes away when it’s over. Are you saying it never gets quiet in your game unless you turn it off completely? It gets so quiet in my game I can hear the hum of the orbs my armor gives off. It’s especially noticeable while fishing. The music is dynamically surging and quieting for me already.

When I have the music turned on in my ESO, the music is constantly on, some tracks being quite others being loud, and everytime I enter combat even with a tiny little guar suddenly I am met with unimmersive super energetic music. Personally I dont want a track to play every single time I enter a town and I dont want high intensity music to start blaring in my ears every time I kill a mouse lol.

Attackfrog · July 2019

As long as it isn't as obnoxious as ffxiv's music every time I mount a chocobo...that was fun the first 5-10 times then becomes mind-searingly obnoxious.

Dynamic music done well really enhances the experience, especially for those with headphones or surround sound.

Dynamic music done poorly becomes a nuisance and a waste of money for developers because people turn their sound off.

Jeremy · July 2019

I'd settle for some new battle themes because I'm kind of sick of the same one all the time. Even the fight with Molag Bal has the same battle theme.

Aznarb · July 2019

I'm used to mute sound in eso, especially music.
I feel like most music don't match the area and I find that a bit boring.

Now I just run my playlist when I play, much better.

Yellow_Monolith · July 2019

I'd like if you're in a fight with the emperor or a person with Volendrung; that they would have their own unique battle music.

Banana · July 2019

I turn it off

MotokoHutt · July 2019

Banana wrote: »

I turn it off

Thats what I do 99% of the time. But then I play other rpg's with good use of dynamic music and I think how epic a boss fight can feel due to the bgm.

MotokoHutt · July 2019

Cactus316000 wrote: »

I'd like if you're in a fight with the emperor or a person with Volendrung; that they would have their own unique battle music.

That would be pretty cool, interesting suggestion ^_^

MotokoHutt · July 2019

Aznarb wrote: »

I'm used to mute sound in eso, especially music.
I feel like most music don't match the area and I find that a bit boring.

Now I just run my playlist when I play, much better.

See I feel like allot of the music in ESO feels slightly out of place aswell, but then there are certain tracks that are really good. I feel like if they used there music dynamicly just for certain parts of quests or boss fights, then they could have the time and money to create more immersive music and have that music make a greater impact on the player and scenario.

Cadbury · July 2019

IMO, the music here (and in FFXIV, too for that matter) are best listened to outside of the game. Whenever I play I mute the music and play silently. Or if I'm grinding, put on Spotify or a CD (mainly Jazz ,Lowfi, and Chillwave)

BretonMage · July 2019

Cactus316000 wrote: »

I'd like if you're in a fight with the emperor or a person with Volendrung; that they would have their own unique battle music.

Agree with this, they do need to vary their combat music, the ubiquity is starting to get on my nerves a little. Alternatively they could turn it off for high levels against common low level enemies, which is what they do in Skyrim iirc.

Otherwise I'm generally happy with their music choices. I do have my music and sound effect levels turned way down, though, to about 20-30%, so maybe that's why I don't find it very intrusive.

GenjiraX · July 2019

Yes, it's a good idea but I personally have no problem with it as is. I turn the music volume down quite low so it's always in the background, even during boss fights. I still get the effect but can mostly filter it out. My main problem is Pitof. He's too loud and his subtitles block the pickpocket indicator. I like subtitles but his are terrible.

Huyen · July 2019

I want more ingame music like you hear when at the login screen with eslweyr on your account. The base game is getting stale.

MotokoHutt · July 2019

Cadbury wrote: »

IMO, the music here (and in FFXIV, too for that matter) are best listened to outside of the game. Whenever I play I mute the music and play silently. Or if I'm grinding, put on Spotify or a CD (mainly Jazz ,Lowfi, and Chillwave)

I mean with dynamic music put into the right places you can still play silently with your jams on lol. I am not suggesting we remove the music audio slider XD lmao

Cadbury · July 2019

MotokoHutt wrote: »

Cadbury wrote: »

IMO, the music here (and in FFXIV, too for that matter) are best listened to outside of the game. Whenever I play I mute the music and play silently. Or if I'm grinding, put on Spotify or a CD (mainly Jazz ,Lowfi, and Chillwave)

I mean with dunamic music put into the right places you can still play silently with your jams on lol. I am not suggesting we remove the music audio slider XD lmao

I could see that getting very annoying.

Edit: Not that I'm against this. I personally only enjoy video game music ironically.

MotokoHutt · July 2019

GenjiraX wrote: »

Yes, it's a good idea but I personally have no problem with it as is. I turn the music volume down quite low so it's always in the background, even during boss fights. I still get the effect but can mostly filter it out. My main problem is Pitof. He's too loud and his subtitles block the pickpocket indicator. I like subtitles but his are terrible.

See I personally like theme music in boss fights aslong as they are done well. I think that especially in some later hard DLC 4 mans and trials they could really set the scene for some epic moments. But personally I have the music always truned off because for wandering around, questing, grinding, farming and trading, I just want ambience more then anything as I talk to my partner (we game in thesame room as one another).

MotokoHutt · July 2019

Cadbury wrote: »

MotokoHutt wrote: »

Cadbury wrote: »

IMO, the music here (and in FFXIV, too for that matter) are best listened to outside of the game. Whenever I play I mute the music and play silently. Or if I'm grinding, put on Spotify or a CD (mainly Jazz ,Lowfi, and Chillwave)

I mean with dunamic music put into the right places you can still play silently with your jams on lol. I am not suggesting we remove the music audio slider XD lmao

I could see that getting very annoying.

Personal taste I suppose.

RodneyRegis · July 2019

HoF should have 8-bit boos music.

MotokoHutt · July 2019

RodneyRegis wrote: »

HoF should have 8-bit boos music.

lmao love the suggestion... but don't see it happening XD maybe for the Jester's Festival haha