Decline Decline of Mark Morgan?

[Blakemoreland Hybrid Boss]

A nice video i agree at least with the first 16 min and the other 20 min i have not watched yet. If you want to understand this into the detail, then learn the communication and system theory. But you have already and elaborated opinion therefore i don't think that this is necessary.

Never heard of it. Are you talking about this theory?

Mark Morgan's WL2 theme is a good soundtrack and it is perfect for WL2.

The music is one of the few things I enjoyed in that game, especially in Damonta.

 

[Darkzone]

A nice video i agree at least with the first 16 min and the other 20 min i have not watched yet. If you want to understand this into the detail, then learn the communication and system theory. But you have already and elaborated opinion therefore i don't think that this is necessary.

Never heard of it. Are you talking about this theory?

Yes this systems theory and this is a nice informal summary of the systems theory. I think it is nice that he even divides the system theory in scientific systems theory (like in cybernetics) and sociatel systems theory (Niklas Luhmann). But what is required is to put it into a context via the Shannon-Weaver model of the communication theory/ part of Information theory.

 

[Blakemoreland Hybrid Boss]

Yes this systems theory and this is a nice informal summary of the systems theory. I think it is nice that he even divides the system theory in scientific systems theory (like in cybernetics) and sociatel systems theory (Niklas Luhmann). But what is required is to put it into a context via the Shannon-Weaver model of the communication theory/ part of Information theory.

Ok, thanks for the clarifications.

 

[Ezeekiel]

Now, Planescape is a different story. Fucking amazing soundtrack.

So nice he used it twice.

Wait, is that real?

I knew about the Aphex Twin accusations, but not that he plagiarized more stuff.

 

[Roguey]

Wait, is that real?

I knew about the Aphex Twin accusations, but not that he plagiarized more stuff.

Yes it's real, but in this case he plagiarized himself since he was the composer for Shark Attack 2's soundtrack. The guy is, was, and will forever be a lazy corner cutter.

 

[Ezeekiel]

Wait, is that real?

I knew about the Aphex Twin accusations, but not that he plagiarized more stuff.

Yes it's real, but in this case he plagiarized himself since he was the composer for Shark Attack 2's soundtrack. The guy is, was, and will forever be a lazy corner cutter.

I don't mind him reusing his own work so much but if he couldn't come up with the Fallout OST himself, then he probably didn't come up with this either... Really disappointing dude tbh.

 

[roshan]

Now, Planescape is a different story. Fucking amazing soundtrack.

So nice he used it twice.

Wait, is that real?

I knew about the Aphex Twin accusations, but not that he plagiarized more stuff.

He plagiarized a lot more than Aphex Twin. Here's a vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orAnm1yM_ZI

 

[StaticSpine]

Once again...

 

[T. Reich]

Modern video game composer's law: everything is bland banal boring shit.

It really, really is fucking boring now. I was in Montreal recently and they had this radio station that played nothing but video game music, so my pals and I would listen to it and see if there was anything we recognized. They played modern stuff exclusively, it was all this bland, orchestral mush and it may as well have all been from the same game. The only song we recognized was the Halo theme, which is orchestral music to begin with. Every other song was just so bland. Why are we doing this!?!?!?!?!?!?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAa

 

[Vlajdermen]

Modern video game composer's law: everything is bland banal boring shit.

It really, really is fucking boring now. I was in Montreal recently and they had this radio station that played nothing but video game music, so my pals and I would listen to it and see if there was anything we recognized. They played modern stuff exclusively, it was all this bland, orchestral mush and it may as well have all been from the same game. The only song we recognized was the Halo theme, which is orchestral music to begin with. Every other song was just so bland. Why are we doing this!?!?!?!?!?!?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAa

Thank God, someone else is tired of this constant weak, impotent orchestral garbage. The fact that mainstream gaming media is willing to praise bland trash like this:
https://youtu.be/VJ_aT4T89aU
means that God has abandoned us.

Anyway, here's some half decent recent-ish VGM
https://youtu.be/d7ivDOUeIK0
https://youtu.be/xHJt3wyi0Vo
https://youtu.be/-ui7s31Tp84

 

[Ash]

Modern video game composer's law: everything is bland banal boring shit.

It really, really is fucking boring now. I was in Montreal recently and they had this radio station that played nothing but video game music, so my pals and I would listen to it and see if there was anything we recognized. They played modern stuff exclusively, it was all this bland, orchestral mush and it may as well have all been from the same game. The only song we recognized was the Halo theme, which is orchestral music to begin with. Every other song was just so bland. Why are we doing this!?!?!?!?!?!?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAa

Fucking kills me that so many find this shit to be great music. All Final Fantasy songs sound like this to me even though they score high as shit on best VGM lists.

Yeah...you've no fucking idea what you're talking about.



So orchestral!

 

[Roguey]

It's a good thing these days I'm mostly playing hip indie games instead of triple-a trash because I mostly have memories of great soundtracks (Hotline Miami, Gunpoint) that I still listen to casually.

 

[Vlajdermen]

Modern video game composer's law: everything is bland banal boring shit.

at least we still have japanese games music

https://youtu.be/TBfWKmRFTjM

 

[ilitarist]

There's still a lot of great melodic music everywhere. This Marvel Cinematic Universe curse is not that universal.

Apart from what TheBiopunkSlav had dropped I really enjoy music of Desktop Dungeons, Divinity Original Sin (both), Dragon Age Inquisition. Many more melodic things in strategy games or action games. Also something like Skyrim features both great melodic tracks and atmospheric ambient ones.

At the same time the curse have hit hard some games. Deus Ex Human Revolution, for example, got praised for its music but couple of Deus Ex themes are stuck in my head while I can't remember anything from Human Revolution or Mankind Divided even though I liked those games.

I think Mark Morgan was told they need atmospheric music. We got same in Pillars of Eternity. It's not necessary bad. I remember being immersed while playing PoE even though I don't remember anything apart from the main theme. Same with, say, Dishonored games - I remember that I loved the sound in those games specifically, but I only vaguely remember some musical reprises from there. Meanwhile Fallout and Planescape music seem to be highly situational, you had very specific character/place themes, like theme of Dionahra or The Glow or Cathedral. I honestly don't remember Numenera music at all but I didn't like the game. I remember music being the least offensive thing about that game.

 

[Darkzone]

It's a good thing these days I'm mostly playing hip indie games instead of triple-a trash because I mostly have memories of great soundtracks (Hotline Miami, Gunpoint) that I still listen to casually.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Hotline Miami soundtrack (wink).

A bird sings a song. Other birds sing along... repeating the song.
To paraphrase Niklas Luhmann: "Every social system is communcation where information is processed."
The processing of information requires certain similarities or protocol so that the subjective perception of data can be process it in a context. Soundtrack music aims at generating certain moods and that is possible due to similar subjective perception of this certain patterns in a certain context.

 

[roshan]

Speaking of the soundtracks to movies, I've been listening to a lot of the works of Miklos Rozsa. These works of power and badassery have been getting lots of play time at the gym. I can't imagine the milllenial nu-male listening to any of this. It's the complete polar opposite of modern film/video game music.

"Temple of the Oracle" from The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ0olY4KBYE

"Overture" from Julius Caesar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r9vgAomAks

"Overture" from King of Kings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiJOOSFfuZ4

"Prelude" from El Cid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5ARvP8IuV8

"Overture" from El Cid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUjbi2AlSeU

"Overture" from Ben Hur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dApIMjrn2Vg

"Overture" from Sodom and Gomorrah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aCVsy4lhEc

 

[agentorange]

Rozsa is great, and Herrmann also did some fantastic scores for Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts that capture that sword and sorcery feeling.




That's the thing with modern video game music. It's not that it's bad because it's orchestral but it's bad orchestral music. It doesn't convey any theme, feeling or emotion, and sounds as though it was composed by someone completely detached from the rest of the game making process. They make music that could be applied to any scenario, like a trailer score, rather than scene specific scores that match and carry the tone of the scene.

The only recent game I can think of that had scores remotely similar to what Rozsa or Herrmann could do was Demon's Souls, where every boss theme matched the aesthetics, tone and even pace of the boss fights. It was music perfectly crafted for each scenario. Sadly the rest of the Souls games music devolved into meaningless chanting for every boss with only a few exeptions.

Like this theme carries a sense of immediate intensity and urgency, as it is a fight where you have to constantly run forward from the moment you enter the arena, towards a boss that shooting projectiles at you.


Then this theme is for a disgusting boss that takes place in a swamp, so the music itself fittingly sounds filthy, with a lot of discordant, staccato instrumentation.


Or the Old Monk theme, where the harpsichord matches the baroque, regal nature of the setting itself but the low tones of the horn clue you into the corruption of the monk.

 

[Master]

To paraphrase Niklas Luhmann: "Every social system is communcation where information is processed."

How profound.

 

[Mexi]

Modern video game composer's law: everything is bland banal boring shit.

It really, really is fucking boring now. I was in Montreal recently and they had this radio station that played nothing but video game music, so my pals and I would listen to it and see if there was anything we recognized. They played modern stuff exclusively, it was all this bland, orchestral mush and it may as well have all been from the same game. The only song we recognized was the Halo theme, which is orchestral music to begin with. Every other song was just so bland. Why are we doing this!?!?!?!?!?!?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAa

Fucking kills me that so many find this shit to be great music. All Final Fantasy songs sound like this to me even though they score high as shit on best VGM lists.

Yeah...you've no fucking idea what you're talking about.



So orchestral!

You're an idiot.

 

[HoboForEternity]

This topic makes me sad about kirill all over again

 

[Kyl Von Kull]

All I know is that everything needs more zither:

 

[kamen22]

It might have something to do with him not working on games for a long time. I loved alot of his early work but from 2000-2009 he didn't work on a game O.o

 

[Osiginon]

I love AoD songs to death. If TNW end up with shitty music I will make a "Decline of Ryan Eston?" thread. Right, Osiginon?

Ha! Perhaps I was in decline the moment I made a bluegrass song about zombies for the game "Zombie Faceball?"

Actually, I take that back, that was the greatest moment of my life.

 

[Blakemoreland Hybrid Boss]

I hope you will draw inspiration from the likes of Blade Runner.

 

[Erikolaz]

More plagiarism: