okedokey.
this is less a question than it is a survey of oppinion.
which style do people prefer to find in your RPGs:
a.) Theme Music: a constant background music to fit each setting or event. usually following a theme common to other settings and events akin to it, this type of music is usually loopable. though most commonly found in console RPGs, it is not wholy absent from PC RPGs. (game examples: Chrono Trigger, FF6, Dragon Warrior)
b.) Atmospheric Music: a set of tracks that have been made independent of the game itself. the actual game has no music and is often silent, but either when triggered by an event or on a timer music that fits the approximate climate of the game will start playing. almost completely native to PC RPGs. particullarly found in games with recorded voice tracks. (game examples: Baldur's Gate, the Quest for Glory series, parts of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time).
I personally prefer type B, just because it tends to give a game a less gimicky feel to it. I always loved playing Baldur's Gate hooked up to a big surround sound system. you'd be hiking through the wilderness with your companions when the soft bass of an orchestral piece would waft through the trees to be caught in your ears... I just think it helps set the mood for some adventuring.
on the flipside, I enjoyed Chrono Trigger emensly because every character had his/her own theme, and all the scenes in the game used a variation on each character's music to enhance the experience.
so, which style do you prefer?
(edited for spelling errors)
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Do not follow me for I may not lead. Do not lead for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me, either. Just leave me the hell alone.
-Jedi
(This message has been edited by jmitchell (edited 07-12-2001).)