Game Development: Music Should be a Priority

Chuck Doud believes most game developers neglect music in game development, and leave it until the very end. However, music not only helps add depth to a game, but it also completes the title as an overall package for player immersion.

Today, music is left for the last thing to be worked on when it should be at the forefront along with the rest of the development. Chuck Doud, the director of music at Sony Worldwide Studios, urges game devs to start their soundtrack production much earlier.

The music in games, he said, is a whole different experience, a completely different medium of which can suck in a player into the world of the game. He believes if you don’t put the music into consideration from the start, it will affect the potential for the game.

Doud brought up specific games he’s worked on to prove his point. Games like Journey, which had no dialogue but did an amazing job and pulling you into its world with an emotionally driven soundtrack.

And of course, he brought up The Last of Us, a highly rated game that was known for its musical score along with a fantastic storyline that made players feel like they were in a movie.

There was a musical piece called ‘All Gone’ that was used as the theme for Joel and Ellie and different versions of the song was created for interactions between the two for multiple scenes.

There’s one particular scene in The Last of Us in which Joel comes to Ellie’s aid and helps her escape a hospital in which she was held captive. Originally an action sequence, the scene was completely redone to match the emotional tone of an unused version of ‘All Gone’.

Doud said that too many developers fail in this area, but there are others that are starting to take notice and learn from it. Hopefully other developers catch on and make it happen.

Source: develop-online.net