RPG Dot 2003 Award: The Best Sound

[Vault Dweller]

<a href=http://www.rpgdot.com>RPG Dot</a> folks strongly believe that the sound is important and <a href=dhttp://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=837>deserves its own award</a> that goes to KOTOR this year

<blockquote>Take one part inspiration from John Williams’ memorable Star Wars themes and add the talents of legendary game music composer Jeremy Soule and you have a recipe for a stirring soundtrack. Yet it’s the fully voiced dialogue that most players were probably thinking of when they voted KotOR into first place for Best RPG Sound. KotOR has some excellent voice talent that creates real personalities from slightly arrogant Jedi to evil droids. Add authentic Star Wars sound effects like lightsabers and ships cannons and its not surprising KotOR scored well.</blockquote>
The runners up are Bloodmoon and Gothic 2.

 

[Transcendent One]

I don't know what all the fuss is about with KotOR's music. The only decent tracks IMO were the ones ripped directly from the movie, everything else was just plain boring, even for ambient music. And as for sound effects, I personally do not even pay attention to those, cause nearly every damn game would get a perfect score in the aspect.

Also, what's so legendary about Jeremy Soule? What soundtracks did he even do? The stuff I heard from him were the Morrowind, NWN, and KotOR music tracks, all of which were pretty bad.

And yes, sound is a very important aspect, VD. Heck all we need is some lame lightsaber clashing noise and it could possibly rival gameplay itself in terms of importance!!111!!

 

[Vault Dweller]

I have no clue as I had to disable the sound to get rid of the crashes and slowdowns, I was humming the theme from the movies though, but I'm not sure if that counts

 

[Whipporowill]

Aww... come one you guys? KOTOR's score was pretty good for a computer game, definitly en par with a lot of movies, and it was VERY "StarWarsy" as far as I'm concerned.

 

[triCritical]

My favorite score in a game was in Fallout. I mean it was really good. Especially leaving Vault 13 and the Cathedral. I like Synthisized music, so Fallout was great. I also liked Might and Magic 7, PS:T's, Baldur's Gate 1and M:TW's music.

I agree with Greyhawk. I found KotOR's music to be a bore, with the exception of the movie sounding tracks. I think the only good game Jeremy Soule did was IWD.

 

[Ausir]

My favorite ones are Fallout, Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment, Blade Runner, Temple of Elemental Evil, and the cancelled Babylon 5 game (of which only the score, made by Chris Franke - the same guy who did music to the series, was released - some of the tracks were later used in Legend of the Rangers).

 

[Sol Invictus]

Mark Morgan was the man responsible for Fallout, Fallout 2's and Torment's soundtracks. Terrific stuff, I should think, having liked them for years and still do.

Soule is, however, one of the best composers in the gaming industry today, and has been for quite awhile. I'm sure most of you still remember the powerful soundtrack of Total Annihilation, the game which more or less made him. You might not like the soundtracks to Morrowind and Dungeon Siege but I certainly do. I do however feel that his weakest work was Neverwinter Nights. It didn't have quite the signature as his other games, which you may remember a few bars of melody from. Icewind Dale was certainly one of his finest contributions, inspite of the game itself.

 

[Spazmo]

What bugs me about the KOTOR music is mostly that it shares a composer with NWN, Jeremy Soule. Therefore it's natural that some bits might sound similar. This means that at moments, KOTOR's music will remind me of NWN, which really makes it hard to enjoy KOTOR.

 

[triCritical]

What bugs me about the KOTOR music is mostly that it shares a composer with NWN, Jeremy Soule. Therefore it's natural that some bits might sound similar. This means that at moments, KOTOR's music will remind me of NWN, which really makes it hard to enjoy KOTOR.

Well the part that reminds me of NWN is that it is essentially DnD in space. I mean when everyone whips out their vibroblade and cast their energy shields and range weapons are worthless its just like NWN.

 

[Volourn]

Range weapons are not worthless in NWN. Theyd efinitely aren't as useful in KOTOR though.

As for KOTOR's sound; it was okay. The lightsabres were very good; but other than the very good voice overs; the sound was forgettable while the music was simply there for the most part.

 

[Spazmo]

Ranged weapons effectively are useless in NWN since there's so few party members and so many enemy monsters. You get swamped by melee enemies in no time, suffering that penalty to AC for using ranged weapons while engaged in melee.

 

[Dhruin]

Also, what's so legendary about Jeremy Soule? What soundtracks did he even do? The stuff I heard from him were the Morrowind, NWN, and KotOR music tracks, all of which were pretty bad.

Each to his own. I didn't vote KotOR in -- our readers did -- but the use of "legendary" is mine. I can't think of a more instantly recognisable composer that has done a fair body of modern RPG work as well as other games.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

My favorite ones are Fallout, Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment, Blade Runner, Temple of Elemental Evil, and the cancelled Babylon 5 game (of which only the score, made by Chris Franke - the same guy who did music to the series, was released - some of the tracks were later used in Legend of the Rangers).

Was the music for the B5 game released as a CD or as downloadable MP3s? Where could I possibly get it? I absolutely love Christopher Franke's stuff.

I fucking hate Sierra for what they did to that game. I so wanted to play it.

 

[Flarnet]

Stying within the confines of an orchestral fantasy score, what exactly IS wrong with the Morrowind music Greyhawk? Could you provide us with examples of interchangable music that is, in your opinion, not "bad"?

 

[Elwro]

. I do however feel that his [Soule's]weakest work was Neverwinter Nights. It didn't have quite the signature as his other games, which you may remember a few bars of melody from. .

Well, I remember a few bars from the temple background music in NWN. I liked Morrowind's score better, but there were definitely too few tracks for a game I played hundreds of hours.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

You might not like the soundtracks to Morrowind and Dungeon Siege but I certainly do.

I think the main problem with music in Morrowind as far as i'm concerned, was the absence of it. It always felt like the same background music was playing, and the rest was just the combat music which had a slow start (and at later levels, almost didn't existed because i finished combat in a snap) and the lack of more diverse music.

Still it had a nice vibe to it.

I do however feel that his weakest work was Neverwinter Nights.

Definetely.

 

[Ausir]

Was the music for the B5 game released as a CD or as downloadable MP3s? Where could I possibly get it? I absolutely love Christopher Franke's stuff.
.

I have no idea if it was released on a CD or if it was a leak. I know only that *I* downloaded it .

 

[Anonymous]

Morrowind's music always felt weak, it wasnt strong and always seemed like an afterthought to anything, and it was pretty dumb when it's all playing the Morrowind theme and you're just walking down the road.

BOOM BOOM *walk walk* BOOM BOOM *walk walk* DOOTODOODOOAODOO

I didnt even notice NWN had music, I never really noticed it, and as for KotOR, how hard is it to make music 'Star-Warsy'? Just use some trumpets and alot of flutes.

I liked ToEE because the music was strong and always gave a nice feel to areas, like Nulb's music. The combat music was really good too, I always liked how each combat music started off with the 'surprise!' sorta thing, sorta like a 'Okay..you open the door and.. ROLL INITIVES'

Fallout was good too, I like to leave the game music running in WinAmp on loop to give ambiant music to my room, oooh.

System Shock 1's music was also some of the best i've ever heard