Christopher Cruz’s Post

I find virtual synthesizers make it easy for solo developers to create music. They may seem daunting, but game development started the same way. Three ways to start: 1. Download free presets Look for genres that fit your game. 2. Reference your favorite games. Choose three games, listen to their music, and note what you like. 3. Spend 15 minutes daily using it Use Vital (it’s free and easy). Find a YouTube tutorial, set a timer, and create! Let me know how it goes!

It's difficult to overstate just how important music is in video games. Or in the case where your game has little or no music, the balance of ambient sound in general. When indie games kind of started booming around the time Jon Blow, Phil Fish, and others were getting their games recognized on a bigger scale, there was a kind of explosion of "retro style" games pulling out all the tricks in the book, and many of them failing in a couple of key areas, and the soundtracks were a big one. I won't call any of them out in particular, but you'd have games that were trying to evoke a certain period of time and doing it completely wrong, where the music was evoking nothing whatsoever of that same period, or evoking the wrong period of time altogether, or just generally sounded like it was some AI generated low-fi midi. There were games I enjoyed but literally stopped playing because of bad choices like this, where I wanted to give the devs a shake and ask "what are you doing?" I think the first time I remember a company really, really nailing it was Yacht Club Games with Shovel Knight. That was where I said, "Yes, this is how to do it." Memorable themes, in different styles, utilizing instruments evocative of the NES era. And then I'd see some other "NES like" game using instruments you might hear on a Sega Genesis, or a Commodore 64...not to say that this is universally wrong or anything, but that there can definitely be a kind of dissonance there. I got this feeling BIG TIME when I was playing a "retro racer" styled after Virtua Racing and the soundtrack was just so out of lunch generic "chiptune" that it ruined the whole experience for me. They found a guy who had played a game once and had FL Studio and just emulated whatever he had heard, is what it sounded like. A major disappointment. In fact to this day of ALL the VR/Daytona clones I have seen, I've only seen one that really nails that same feeling, even going so far as the have the music be short multi-second "cues" that play at a checkpoint. And I can't remember what it's called because it's some dude in his basement making it, and he didn't need a whole team to figure it out. He just paid attention to the thing he was tributing for more than ten seconds. I understand there is a layer sometimes between the freelancers making music and the devs they are making music for, but it always pays to be a little more discerning and putting thought into "does this really fit the experience sufficiently?" Frank Zappa loving music nerds like me WILL notice, and it DOES affect the decision to purchase.

When it comes to video games, am I the only one who cares A LOT about the music? I might care about the music even more than about the game itself! I'll link one of my favorite video game soundtracks in the comments below. What are some of your favorite video game music themes?

Gamer music personalisation and music as a new revenue stream in games and interactive worlds. Better, more immersive gaming experiences with composed generative music, giving interactive music in just moment and opening up an in-game economy for music personalisation for gamers, empowering music creators and composers, bringing new artists, emerging talent and established artists into any game. Reactional Music’s Jesper Nordin explains a little more about how the rule-based music engine will drive a new era for gamer personalisation giving music relevance and meaning to the game in real time. #music #games #musicpersonalisation

Resident Evil 1 has one of the most iconic save-room music. Who hasn't spent more time saving the game to listen to the beautiful arpeggiated strings, and the soft lead wailing away with nostalgia? Sometimes I didn't even save the game — I stayed there just to listen. Resident Evil has very little music in it. Most of the time you're hearing the wind, your footsteps, parasite zombie cries, creaking doors, and gunshots. I believe this is why they added such serene, and mysterious music in the save-room: to give you peace in a suspenseful survival game. RE devs knew players would feel many unpleasant emotions. Desperation while trying to solve a puzzle, fear as you escape from zombies, and frustration while you cross the mansion to reach the save-room. This is where the payoff resides; you feel calm and safe from the madness. I think this is what's important about interactive game music. When game devs know the context and the emotions the player will feel, they recognize that the game must have balance. They guide players and immerse them in stories.

What do you understand by musician simulation games? Musician simulation games allow players to live the life of music artists participating in every part of the creative process from composing music to managing music career strategically. Does this ignite your interest? Read more from our BlogPost https://lnkd.in/dr6Spzcc

The marriage of jungle music and 90s video games created one of gaming's most distinctive soundscapes. PlayStation's Wipeout wasn't just revolutionary for its futuristic racing - it captured the raw energy of UK rave culture through its soundtrack, setting a new standard for video game music. Jungle's signature fast-paced drum patterns and heavy basslines proved perfect for the era's pioneering 3D titles. Games like Gran Turismo, Ace Combat 2, and Ape Escape embraced the genre, each putting their own spin on jungle's high-tempo energy. The technical limitations of early consoles paradoxically helped drive innovation. Composers had to be creative with limited storage, leading to ingenious uses of sampled breaks and synthesized sounds that defined the era's unique aesthetic. What fascinates me most is how this cultural fusion happened organically - UK developers, immersed in the exploding jungle scene, naturally brought those influences into their work. It wasn't just about adding cool music; it was about capturing the optimistic, forward-looking spirit of the 90s in both sound and visuals. This convergence of underground music culture and mainstream gaming feels unrepeatable - a perfect snapshot of a moment in time when everything felt new and possible. Thoughts on other examples where underground music movements have shaped gaming? https://lnkd.in/exK7V8ZU #VideoGames #GameDev #MusicProduction #Gaming #RetroGaming

Hello there! I composed music for the game Way of the Bullet and created a short behind-the-scenes video for release day. The game is out today on Steam! Please share it with those who like gaming, crazy music, or both! It was one of the biggest projects I have worked on. Not only did I compose and produce the music, I also created all the sound design assets for the game. #composer #videogame #sounddesign

Ever wonder where the music for your favorite video game comes from? Here's an interesting read about the growing field of composing for video games.

Video Games and Music have been on a convergent path for years. The pandemic accelerated this merger with the explosion of video game concerts. Check out my recently published article on the political economy of video game concerts! https://lnkd.in/gg3UJRHQ