Music in video games has always been an important element because firstly, it sets the tone of the narrative that unfolds during gameplay. That is why for a video game developer it is important to work with the soundtrack composer, in order to make the game captivating for the player.
Video game music though had to keep pace with advancements that transpired in digital gaming technology. New methods gave rise to the need to keep the playing experience immersive. The sound accompanying the scene in which players face adversaries must have that quality of being able to pull them in and trigger an adrenaline rush.
Gaming soundtracks are different from film scores, because secondly, they have to be adaptive to the actions of a character. The most distinct characteristic of music in video games is that it blends in, as part of the gameplay; often serving as cue that conditions are about to change.
Actually, not many are aware that there is a term used to distinguish composing for video game music from regular musical compositions — Adaptive Video Game Music Scoring.
What is an Adaptive Video Game Music Score
When digital games advanced into the 3D era, the music that worked well with 2D games needed to be more intuitive. The change required video game music that was more adaptive to how the game is progressing in its narrative, and the way players are controlling the gameplay.
In first person shooter games, players will not be able see all enemies, as some may be lurking in areas not visible to the player’s line of vision. Looped music for simple interactive game play, are likely to fall flat if used in 3D games, where players are highly combatan.
As video games became more advanced, developers demanded music that would adopt into how the sounds will help gamers cope with game progression; to at least, add music that warns players they are about to engage in rigorous combat. A smooth change in background music can signal a need to move forward, or to take steps backward, when looking to help teammates win matches.
Unfortunately, some players engaged in r6 ranked games, prefer to focus on sounds of activities, such as footsteps, rustles, whispers and the like. More often than not, they turn off the accompanying music, totally unaware that the strange background music they hear, is signalling that something is about to happen if they get to clear the stage.
