An RPG without music ?

[antiNT]

Hello, I am currently making an RPG with my friend and he wants certain areas like forests and shops to not have any music, only the "ambient sounds". I don't agree with him, I think RPGs should have music in every area of the game. What is your opinion about this, can parts of an rpg have no music whatsoever ?

 

[Seriel]

In some areas it works well to set the atmosphere of the scene. This doesn't work everywhere, but for certain "creepy" or "sinister" locations/scenes, it works very well to set the mood.

 

[FAST6191]

I play most games without any sound (or my own choice of music) if the gameplay will allow it.

When discussing game graphics there is a phrase
"graphics don't make a game but bad ones will tank you"
I would make a similar one for music

Similarly some say it is aesthetics and not graphics and that also applies here.

You also have the problem that if I as a take my time and explore type is set to play your game for 50 something hours then I am going to get sick of a repetitive song.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

You also have the problem that if I as a take my time and explore type is set to play your game for 50 something hours then I am going to get sick of a repetitive song.

That can also be said about ambient sounds (I know you weren't making an argument for them, but that's what the OP asked about). I played a game called Tales of Maj'Eyal and I had to get a mod called "Somebody Shut That Dog Up!" to remove annoying sounds like wolves howling in dungeons and dogs barking in towns. Annoying/obtrusive music is just as bad as annoying/obtrusive ambient noises. While I would normally want music in some way, shape or form in my video games, I would not have a problem if a game was music-free if the mood called for it. I guess we'd have to ask you what kind of RPG you are making and what you want the tone to be. If you're just making a run-of-the-mill fantasy RPG then you'll probably want some music, but I agree with your friend that forests would work well without music. Birds chirping and the like would do wonders to set the mood if you're trying to make it seem idyllic.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Well breath of fire 3 and 4 both have some places with no music, just wolfs/dogs howling, and birds chirping. So UMm.... Well it's odd but funny I guess? It didn't bother me since the music is so good in the games I know I hear it again, but I guess the more music to a OST the better. Perhaps a optional choice is possible to address this?

I especially like some games like banjo-kazooie has different songs depending on where you are at in a level, underwater sounds different than on land. Or Xenoblade chronicles that has 2 songs that play depending on day or night, if your game has day cycle transitions, pehaps you can incorporate that as

Day time music
Night time ambient sounds.

Either way, it's up to you since it's your game right?

 

[bendevnull]

Well, deciding whether or not to include music may be one of the key factors that would set your game apart from others. I think it would be interesting to play an RPG without music. You should try it.

 

[FAST6191]

I think it would be interesting to play an RPG without music. You should try it.

While I will certainly second the suggestion, and find myself somewhat disappointed I did not make it first, I am curious to see what goes here. Those making films will often watch a work (sometimes immediately after seeing it for the first time) without audio, ostensibly as audio is potentially such a distracting concept. I doubt it will even be half as potent an action in a game but I am now curious as to what might happen and if it is possible to cook up a similar "experience" for a game, I suspect it will be something like no encounters cheats and rapid speed but I am going to have to think properly about it.

Videos because why not



Others playing along at home do absolutely make sure to watch the Jackie Chan video of theirs if either of those above even vaguely interest you.

That can also be said about ambient sounds (I know you weren't making an argument for them, but that's what the OP asked about)

I don't know if it quite counts as ambient but I recall during a review the (selectable) lead character in the dungeon maps would make a "boingy" sound every time they jumped, which during some was a lot. Despite wanting to for some gameplay reasons I stopped using that character as a lead.

 

[Sakitoshi]

Ambient sounds can work pretty well if done right or you can go for an hybrid and try to create a melody with the ambient sounds (think something like zelda oot forest temple or tp city in the sky).

I played a game called Tales of Maj'Eyal and I had to get a mod called "Somebody Shut That Dog Up!" to remove annoying sounds like wolves howling in dungeons and dogs barking in towns.

You remind me of this.

 

[Deleted User]

so... you want rpg without music? i have the perfect rpg for you.
it's called zelda's adventure for cdi. best zelda game ever made.

 

[antiNT]

Thanks for your answers,we decided that the forest will not have any music but the shops will have a theme.

 

[tbb043]

There are old computer RPGs with no sound at all. I'd prefer music, but it's hardly necessary.

 

[Taleweaver]

Thanks for your answers,we decided that the forest will not have any music but the shops will have a theme.

The best decision, IMHO* (I was going to suggest this, but only read this thread now).

Places shouldn't have music for the sake of having music, but because it underlines something. In a forest, having a few birds sing works just as well (and probably better) than a regular soundtrack.




*unless the game takes place in a forest for 90% of the time, obviously. But I'm assuming around 20%...sort of like an average RPG.

 

[HaloEliteLegend]

Well, as an example, look at Breath of the Wild. When traversing the wild, it's almost entirely ambient music. A lot of people ended up not liking this, but if you've played the game, it does work pretty well and makes the world seem peaceful and more "real." So play through Breath of the Wild and see if that game needs more music or if the ambient sounds are fine. That should answer your question.

 

[Rockhoundhigh]

The areas in which there are no music need to 1) have really good ambient sound design and 2) not overstay their welcome lest you end up with the tedium that is most of navigation in Xenosaga Episode I.

 

[osaka35]

subtle music is better than no music, unless you want your stores to feel empty and a bit of a void. Like a good youtube video, you have a tiny bit of music in the background that's not overly noticeable.

No music serves a purpose. Usually to highlight something's importance to the plot, or to create an eerie or unnerving situation. And sometimes if you're looking to illustrate isolation or to highlight the environment and its ambient noises. Stores in RPGs don't seem like it'd qualify...but it might be fun to try it out and see.