Zandronum

I was talking to Tor-Bjorn about what people like in a DM pack. I've posted three options in varying orders.

If you had to rate these in which order you want, which would you believe to be most important?

1) Unique instrumental track (this is basically synths that are much more developed than midi synths)
2) MIDI synth (like doom 2 music)
3) Renditions of your favorite bands (instrumental)


My order would be in this case, 1, 2, then 3. My favorite is self-created music that hasn't been done before using real synths. Next, I like MIDI's the most for some reason and love hearing innovative ideas. Lastly, I'm personally not fan of people who put music that bands have made (ex: Metallica), except for some rare exceptions.


If you like band music, then custom tracks, and don't like MIDI music, you would probably vote the order of: 3, 2, then 1.


Any input? I'm curious on how the doom community feels since we grew up on MIDI's, but now have access to unique music tracks.

Music that fits the map and the pace/type of gameplay on it, with an appropiate genre too. Examples of not doing this right are casual coop wads spamming the heaviest metal known to man, or a slaughter wad with like secret agent music or carnival stuff. Also don't forget the music by itself should be good as well.

I find that midi's don't do justice anymore unless the person is going for an oldschool themed wad/map. Most stuff now is met with tracker music or instrumental music.

Decay wrote: Certain midi makers can make quite the piece. Typically though I never like to hear generic band music in wads.

Basically this.

I'm just happy with really good midis. I hate wads loaded with fat(mp3s).

I love tracker files, like the ones UT99 used.

I mostly like to hear original compositions instead of song covers for wad music, though. Those are always the most memorable. Hellcore 2.0 really nailed that.

Though, for atmospheric maps vs. slaughter maps, it's the most intense with Quake 1 style beats in the background and HR2 speed guitar respectively. Music's a big part in a mapper's choice, and can make or break a map's atmosphere and pace. HR2 music practically orders you to blast through full steam ahead, while Q1's dark ambience makes the player more careful and deliberate.

I love to Play wads that have mp3 as music. If there arn't any in a wad a good MIDI Will be still cool.

Combinebobnt wrote: Music that fits the map and the pace/type of gameplay on it, with an appropiate genre too. Examples of not doing this right are casual coop wads spamming the heaviest metal known to man, or a slaughter wad with like secret agent music or carnival stuff. Also don't forget the music by itself should be good as well.

This. Once My friend and I get our band going we'd do instrumentals of different songs for mods. Especially doom metal; if you dig deeper into Candlemass' discography, especially outside of the classic Messiah trilogy/Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, you'd find some songs that would fit in Doom. Of course it could be considered blasphemy to some unless you made it really fit well.

hmmm... not sure what to vote for so I'll say this, it has to fit with the map (or totaly unfitting lol) and as long its not loaded with 320kbps mp3's that make the wad over 100mb. (seriously guys use OGG)

*edit* it shouldn't be too loud either I cant press this hard enough, overly loud music is annoying as hell and hurts my ears.

I prefer (rock n' metal) band music over all, rock n' metal forever, electronic music on the bottom. I would like to hear vocals in the wad, and if music has to be instrumental version of band music than make a secret switch that will actually change the music to vocal version.

For instance in JumpmazeX, there is map known as Haunted Mansion in which player passes trough green devil textured secret wall, then trough another secret wall and hit a switch that changes default Sonic Syndicate instrumental song to the one with vocals.

2, 1, 3. Band music usually doesn't fit as well as it's less built on repetition than most game music, and usually doesn't loop. However I like hearing unique stuff, since it feels like more work goes into them.

I just want to say don't quite discount band music just yet.
For one, some music are just irrevocably tied to a certain theme. Scythe II uses this to its benefit, where the entire first episode is themed after \m/ METAL \m/ and uses some excellent MIDI renditions of classic songs (such as Temple of Love) to compliment the fiery seas and gothic architecture--because that's what designs comes to mind in a \m/ METAL \m/ world.
For two, artists that focus more on atmosphere/ambient/moody music, like Aphex Twin or Ah Cama-Sotz provide excellent background music for more oppressive mapsets--Quake's OST just wouldn't be so damned dreary without Trent Reznor at the helm. Even instrumental metal can set an excellent fragging mood, with Undercode's music in Serious Sam being an excellent example. And then there's the music genres that aren't really explored that much outside of what bands specialize in, like spacesynth.

The big problem is that people just take Linkin Park/Godsmack songs and stuff them in a wad without any rhyme or reason, without caring if they set the mood or the tone. Music is a very careful and deliberate part of vidya gaem atmosphere, and band music is just one of the many possible tools available.

I like to put my own original music in my own original wads because I am that good.

For me, it really depends on what kind of map I'm playing. I usually prefer industrial metal tracks (MIDI and MP3s), but I'm also partial to electronic music, just nothing too bright or bubbly (I'm looking at you, Community Chest 4!). As for bands I like to hear in WADs, I usually prefer stuff from Nine Inch Nails or Rammstein, but the constant use of bands like Metallica and Linkin Park, especially in mediocre WADs, have eventually made me turn away from the like.

Combinebobnt wrote: Music that fits the map and the pace/type of gameplay on it, with an appropiate genre too.

^, that.

I couldn't care less, just make it fit and pace well with the action.