On this page I am going to be researching the different methods of video game scoring, this will help me decide what I want the music to focus on in video game level. It will also help me understand the purpose behind locational and character scores in popular video game such as; God Of War, The Last Of Us, Elden Ring and many more.
What is Non-linear Composition?
Ina video game the creator cannot predict how each individual player will approach or take in different sections of the game. Therefore the music must take a non-linear form and adapt to the gameplay taking place on screen. Furthermore the music must accompany and the players decisions within the game, the main idea when composing non-linear music is to “compose for possibilities rather than absolutes”
Scoring Methods
Locational Scoring
Locational scoring is when the music in the video reflects on the visual aethestic of the location as well as the emotional or contextual meaning of the character being present in the specific location. In order to effectively write music for a location in a video game it is important to consider the function of the location in the video game before writing the music, for example the rooms could be used as; a safe place, combat area, storage room or save room (Kellman, 2020). Learning the purpose of the room will help you begin a making creative decisions for the style and mood of the music (instrumentation, tempo, key, etc). The music will have to reflect on the function of the room by adapting the style and structure of the music to fit the purpose of the room, for example if the room acts as a save point the music may be slower paced and may use “rounder and more inviting timbres” to give the players a sense of peace and rest (Kellman, 2020). If the music is for a battle arena or boss fight the music may be faster paced and use more harsh instrumental timbres to highlight a moment of intensity or danger. It is important to also analyse the appearance of the location to see wether its structure relates to a specific culture or group as this can have a huge influence your music (Kellman, 2020). For example if the location has Japanese structures you may choose to include instruments and musical techniques from traditional Japanese music to reflect on the setting.
Locational Scoring Example
Elden Ring is a new game that is made to punish the player, meaning there are very few areas of safety within the game. One of the only safe areas for the player is ‘The Roundtable Hold’, this location is accompanied by a soundtrack which reflects upon the appearance and context of the location within the game. The music takes a very ambient approach using legato strings and voice leading techniques, this gives the music a soft and delicate tone which reflects upon the safety of the location. The music uses timpani in certain areas which gives us a sense of danger, which makes the player question if it is really safe. As later in the game one of the inhabitants of the stronghold become hostile and attack the player, therefore the music also foreshadows aspects of the games narrative to the player. The tone of the music it’s self has a sorrowful and sad tone which reflects on the people that are bonded to the Roundtable and cannot leave, such as the blacksmith who is shackled to his own anvil. The medieval instrumentation of the game allows the music to naturally blend and accompany the Middle Age aesthetic of the game. Therefore the location score for this game included elements of foreshadowing and personification which seamlessly blend with the visual atheistic of the gameplay.
Character Scoring
A character score is a musical theme which initially plays when the character first appears on screen, the musical theme acts as a snapshot of the characters personality in its current context (Kellman, 2020). However character themes often foreshadow the futures of the characters on screen through the music, this may be by playing a sad emotional motif to indicate a loss in the future of the video game story. Or the music may develop over the course of the by adding more instruments in the theme to reflect on the characters personal and emotional growth throughout the story of the game (Kellman, 2020). Character themes can also occur even when a character is not present on screen, in ‘God Of War 2018’ character scoring is used very effectively to drive the narrative and character development of the game. In this game the main character, Krato is struggling to leave his violent and vengeful life behind him. As in previous games he had killed many innocent people just for revenge, however in this game he tries to start a new life. The character scoring comes into play when Kratos encounters objects, such weapons he has used in the past, which remind him of the life he tried to leave behind, the music reflects on this by playing a ancient choral chant driven by bass vocals. This creates an intimidating and almost evil tone within the music, which reflects on the person he once was. The music’s job in the narrative of the game is to signify Kratos remembering the person he once was, and the things he has done to others.
Character Scoring Example
The music can be a little difficult to hear beneath the sound effects of the gameplay, so here is a stand alone version of the music to listen if you are struggling to hear it within the gameplay.
If you pay close attention to the music within this clip you may notice that the soundtrack is characterising the movement and aggression of the enemy seen on screen. The enemy in this fight attacks relentlessly with little space between attacks, the music reflects on this by using a 5/4 time signature. This makes us feel like are stumbling into the next bar of music, further reflecting on the enemies staggered attack movement and aggression. The fast rhythm of the staccato strings in the background also perfectly reflect on the speed of the ‘Blood Starved Beast’, and their harsh tones create a sense of raw aggression which reflects on the aggression of the enemy even more. The dynamically rising brass section greatly symbolises the evil presence and nature of the boss and builds tension within the music. Not only does the music match the description of the boss, but it also supports the gameplay by using repetitive patterns which build tension within the gameplay. As this is a very difficult enemy in the game the music helps support the intensity of the gameplay by building up tension. The music also is a great example of adaptive music within games, as when the ‘Blood Starved Beast’ enters it’s final stage of the fight the music becomes more intense. It does this by generating faster rhythms and adding more instruments to the music, as well as adding a clear melodic lead which the music did not have before. Furthermore the music in this boss fight develops when the boss transitions into its final phase, furthermore perfectly blending with the actions appearing on screen.
Gameplay and Non-narrative Scoring
Non-narrative scoring is when the music reacts reflects on the gameplay instead of the narrative story telling of the gameplay, this may be to accompany the player during; boss battles, exploring, fights, stealth or mini-games. Many RPG games such as Final Fantasy and The Witcher 3 require a lot of music to accompany the player while they are exploring the huge open world map. Despite the music not being linked to the narrative of the game they still need “their own emotional arcs in order to fulfil their immersive duties” (Kellman, 2020). RPG games such as Pokemon and Final Fantasy each include battle music which plays during the players fights with enemies, the intensity of the music will vary in intensity depending on the importance or difficulty of the fight. Combat music is also generally looped until the fight ends, this is because as a video game composer it is impossible to predict how long a player will spend on a fight. This is because each individual player has different skill levels and some may take longer on battles than others. Due to the unpredictability of battle lengths the video game music must either use locational scoring to create atmosphere in the gameplay, or be highly intricate to “account for multiple gameplay possibilities” (Kellman, 2020). This will allow the game engine to react to the gameplay possibilities accurately.
Gameplay Scoring Example
This is a gameplay score that accompanies the player while engaged in gun fights in Far Cry 3. The fast percussive rhythms in the music provoke the player to play the game in a faster pace due to the intense and fast combat. The music does not have a melody so that the rhythm drives the gameplay, however draws no focus away from the game it’s self. The electric guitar and percussive hits give the music a modern tone, which reflects upon the modern artillery and bases set up by the pirates within the game. However the tribal drums used in the track also reflect on the native island the game takes place on. The aggressive and sharp tones of the drums and guitar in this track reflect on the gory and blood filled violence that takes place on screen while the player is fighting.
Licensed and Composed Music In Video Games
There are many different video game genres in the industry today and video game music to adapt to these genres in order to blend with the video games style. Some video games focus on cinematic and movie like experiences, this genre of video games often are accompanied by cinematic and orchestral music to give the music an action packed and immersive experience (Aska, 2017). Some games that fit into this genre are; God Of War, Call Of Duty and Elden Ring. Another genre of video games that have interesting soundtracks are sports and racing games, this is because these genres of games often are accompanied by licensed music instead of an originally composed soundtrack. Some racing games that use licensed music in their soundtrack are; Fifa, Need For Speed and Forza Horizon. The biggest difference between licensed music and composed music in video games is that, licensed music is unable to adapt to actions on screen and is easily replaceable (Aska, 2017).
Because licensed music is very linear it is hard for the developers to get the music to support the narrative elements of the video game. Often in video games when using licensed music the soundtrack is chosen randomly from a selection of songs from the same genre of music, for example rock, pop or electronica (Aska, 2017). A big difference in the licensed music video game genre is that the music used more often in realistic video games such as racing games and sports games rather than sci-fi and fantasy games. The advantage of using licensed music in realistic games is that it does not stand out to the player as it acts more as background music, this is because it does not adapt to the players actions on screen due to its linear structure. Therefore linear music is unable to adapt to on screen visuals in video games, in conclusion non-linear music compositions are much better for providing a narrative gameplay experience by adapting when to the players gameplay decisions. However linear music is very useful in racing/sports games to accompany the player during their activities and acting as background music during game sessions (Aska, 2017).
Source List
Aska, A., 2017. Introduction to the study of video game music. n.d.: Lulu, pp.69 – 72.
Boss Fight Data Base, 2015. Bloodborne: Blood-starved Beast Boss Fight (1080p). Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtj19enwgSE> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
dudewhereismyspoon, 2015. Bloodborne OST – Blood Starved Beast. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94n3p5ziADs> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
dudewhereismyspoon, 2022. Elden Ring OST – Roundtable Hold. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB3qHnzSlPs> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
RescoeZ, 2013. Far Cry 3 Soundtrack – Pirate Attack (Combat Music. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoF-kauH_AM> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
Kellman, N., 2020. The Game Music Handbook: A Practical Guide to Crafting an Unforgettable Musical Soundscape. [ebook] Oxford: Oxford Unity Press, pp.15 – 23. Available at: <https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FQgCEAAAQBAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
Tucker, K., 2022. Elden Ring | How to Leave Roundtable Hold – Guide Fall. [online] Guide Fall. Available at: <https://guidefall.com/elden-ring-how-to-leave-roundtable-hold/> [Accessed 26 May 2022].