How important is music in a game for you?

[groniack]

I've seen in many posts that people really dislike the essentials default music. So it got me wondering, do people actually dislike the default music or they just got bored of it? How much does inclusion of different music affect your game experience? Is it a factor a game developer should prioritize or it doesn't bother you that much?

 

That's all! Any feedback is appreciated!

[Combat]

Music for me is very important in building a mood. Music allows a game designer to give emotion to a scene without saying a word. Having a varied soundtrack is important though because anything no matter how good, can get tiresome after a while.

[Dragoknight]

I wouldn't say the Pokemon Essentials default music is bad, it simply gets the job done. Take Pokemon Insurgence for example. (While I do have certain gripes with it) It conveys a story and provides a fun game to play just using the bare basics of the Pokemon Essentials music. However, I find music quite important in building a mood or setting a scene. Music adds emotion and life to a situation and a flair that can make any scenario much more significant. A big reason why I love Pokemon Reborn is because of the use of music. The beats of the various wards really gives off a depressing feel of a city plagued with crime. While I wouldn't call it a priority, I definitely feel that, when backed by a good story, music can play a huge role and is an important factor to a game.

[SilverAngelus]

Very important. The game will seem dull without it. Although, new music once in a while for a game is better than what we typical hear out of Pokemon essentials.

[Candy]

For me, I think it's important but not crucial. I listen to other music while playing most of the time xD

But yes, if I were to play the whole game without external music, I would like it to have music that matches the scenes and towns well.

[Dante52]

I agree with the "important but not crucial" comment above. I usually watch Netflix while playing. That being said, the music (or sound effects) can really make a scene much better or convey an atmosphere that you want the player to feel. 

Spoiler

like when Kiki's ghost suddenly appears. The scream sound effect scared the crap out of me.

 

[ssbCasper]

I'm happy to see this topic, was going to make a dev talk post about music before I decided to discontinue that series. 

 

From a game dev standpoint a good soundtrack is huge. When reviewing games people often give you props for having a great music that fits the mood of the game. Music should add to the immersion and overall gaming experience thus making for a higher quality game. In terms of variety it depends on the game and the atmosphere and what not of whatever area or scene is in question.  Unique soundtracks also help you standout from games who all use the same music (whether that be default essentials or strictly Glitch). 

 

From a player standpoint it's good to have but core game-play and such is much more important when you are prioritizing things for your game. Music can be the icing on the cake to a masterpiece but will probably never be the thing that makes or breaks your game. In game mechanics and story typically define that. I personally dislike use of essentials music only as it seems like laziness on the part of the devs. Talking from experience it doesn't take that long to find appropriate music for specific areas and scenes. But on the same token a lot of people listen to there own music or multi-task when playing games so it should still be on list of things to do but farther a bit down.  

 

Hope this and everyone else's input help you out! 

[mde2001]

Its really variable for me to be honest. A lot of the time, I'll listen to something else while playing, but if the music of a game is really good it can add a lot as it holds attention. 

In terms of making a fangame, if you're a newer developer I wouldn't prioritise it at all, as unless if you're already into that kind of thing, the skills you learn there are rather specific and don't really translate into the other aspects of your game. Getting good at mapping, writing and making interesting and balanced battles are much more important to me, as they're the things everyone experiences and directly contribute to how they go through the game. Essentials music isn't great, but it isn't a deal breaker, whereas if your maps are terrible and your plot is bland people aren't going to want to play your game.

That being said, if music is something that interests you, then do it. There's no point in not giving something a go if you think you might be passionate about it. That being said, if your aim is to develop the skills that will be most valuable to your game in the short-term I would put music lower on the list of priorities.  

[groniack]

Thank you all for your answers! They were really helpful! I agree with everyone. To me, music is a factor that separates a good game from a great one. It can increase the quality but it doesn't mean it's essential if you just want to have something done.

Although I don't want to downgrade the audio in a game, as you said before there are more important things a new developer should focus on for the start.

 

Anyway, thanks for all the answers! You helped me clear many things up

[Wolfox]

really depends on the game. I personally love putting up some outside music when playing Pokémon, but when playing Castlevania, Fire Emblem or anything like that I will take in every tune they put in

[J-Awesome_One]

Depends on how good the music is. I either have the sound on all the time or I put on the music when I know it's lit.

[WujiKyurem]

Very important. A game with great music (and often times, a great story) will secure its place in my heart. Just one reason why Reborn is my favorite Pokémon game of all time, including the canon games.

[lifesapity]

I feel that good music can elevate a great game to a masterpiece but it can't save an already bad game. Eg I think the music in they old final fantasy games really helped enhance the emotions felt while playing them however the new games even with great music can't compare since I'm not as emotionally invested. Another example, I remember the devil may cry battle music vividly since I enjoyed the combat so much,  but I can't remember the music that played during the story aspect, what while good, wasn't memorable.