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Why Audio Matters: Hacking Gamers' Memories

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Re: Why Audio Matters: Hacking Gamers' Memories

#21

Post by alanfalcon »

saturdaysaint wrote: post #13

Scott Pilgrim had some of the most affecting moments in recent cinematic memory when sampling Nintendo classics - the combination of young adult infatuation and the Zelda wishing-well fairy music was fantastic.

To get permission to use the music from Zelda, Edgar Wright wrote to Shigeru Miyamoto saying “This music is like nursery rhymes to a generation.”

Absolutely true, and it's very effective for that reason. I also believe it's the reason why Scott Pilgrim resonates so much with a certain generation and then holds little to no appeal outside of it.

This article (in which Michael Cera interviews Edgar Wright) has a bit more detail. http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/06/ff_cerawright/all/1

Re: Why Audio Matters: Hacking Gamers' Memories

#23

Post by JonnieCache »

asianexpress wrote: post #5

Is it just me, or is the music from SNES RPGs more memorable than any current day RPG music? I'm talking Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy (Kefka's laugh??) -- you don't hear music like this anymore. Music, that when heard, makes you want to play the game or relive the memories.

While I am willing to agree that it may have been objectively better in some ways, this effect is almost entirely down to the fact that we were kids then.

Every experience is so raw as a child, due to having had so few of them at that point. Therefore the memories feel more vivid.

Re: Why Audio Matters: Hacking Gamers' Memories

#25

Post by d-lectable »

davidtyleryork wrote: post #19
dmbass wrote: post #18

I agree that audio is a very important aspect of games (and other forms of media like video), but do people really play mobile games with the sound on? When I do, it's either to my own soundtrack or none at all. Has anybody actually polled the device volume level and ambient noise level when people are playing their game?

I havent seen that polled before. Either way, I am playing mobile games with the sound on pretty often now. I find it's kinda weird to play a game with my music in the background, it doesn't fit

Especially for games that require more agency, i.e. Tesla Wars where you are constantly attacking people.

I only put my own music on for puzzle games like solitaire.

Re: Why Audio Matters: Hacking Gamers' Memories

#26

Post by d-lectable »

diziet wrote: post #17
d-lectable wrote: post #2

Where are those awesome headphones from? Link?

Although these headsets are pretty decent, they pale in comparison to similarly priced headphones from companies that specialize in audio equipment. Something in that ($200) price range are the Sennheiser 595s. I say this as someone who has used both.

Thats why I usually shy away from the more flashy Skull Candies. And while Beats by Dre look quite nice, they apparently don't sound great.

I'm quite happy with my Audio Technica Pro 700, but wish it would cancel more external sounds.

Re: Why Audio Matters: Hacking Gamers' Memories

#27

Post by d-lectable »

JonnieCache wrote: post #24
d-lectable wrote: post #2

Where are those awesome headphones from? Link?

Awesome looking audio equipment rarely sounds awesome, for a given price. In fact I would say there is a strong reverse correlation, for most categories.

i.e. Beats by Dre

Re: Why Audio Matters: Hacking Gamers' Memories

#28

Post by sgarman »

sp332 wrote: post #4
d-lectable wrote: post #2

Where are those awesome headphones from? Link?

If you click on the picture, it takes you to a Flickr page with a caption. They're Astro A40 BXR's http://www.astrogaming.com/a40-headset-bxr-edition

They(Astro A40) are used widely for console tournaments (like halo and call of duty). You can daisy chain them to create voice LANs for your team.

Re: Why Audio Matters: Hacking Gamers' Memories

#29

Post by guan_yu »

The fact that he refers to music as "branding" makes me want to put my fist through his face. The soundtracks we all love, the ones from games such as Zelda, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy... they're all monumental works of considerable effort and artistic merit. People remember these games, they're such classics because they were ... art. It's not branding in the same way the Mona Lisa isn't branding for Leonardo da Vinci.
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