1. 1. Immersion into Fantasy: Compositional Techniques of Video Game Music from the Late 80s and Early 90s A Presentation for the American Musicological Society By Dr. Christopher Hopkins, Five Towns College Faculty
2. 2. Goals This presentation explores the extent to whichvideo game music promotes fantasy-play through dynamic shifts in mood and tension caused by player actions. The diversity of sonorities and musical patterns within the scope of primitive sound chips is a result of technical ingenuity through collaborations of composers and sound programmers. This aids in the total immersion of the player in the game-generated world.
3. 3. Dissertation Chiptune Music: An Exploration of Compositional Techniques as Found in Sunsoft Games for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Famicom from 1988-1992 How did the composers at Sunsoft overcome the limitations of the sound chips to create compelling sounds and effects? This dissertation defines and acknowledges the compositional tradition of this genre during the 8- bit gaming era.
4. 4. Video Games Fantasy through graphics Hardware limits color choices, amount of visual content on-screen at any given time Final Fantasy 2 Contra
5. 5. Video Games Fantasy through audio Memory and hardware specifications limit timbres, volume gradients, simultaneous sounds NES/Famicom 5 sound channels 2 pulse, 1 triangle, 1 noise, 1 sampled 12.5% Pulse 25% Pulse 50% Pulse Triangle Sampled Noise
6. 6. 5 Sound Channels
7. 7. Compositional Techniques Focus on melody Reuse musical motives Rhythmic Melodic Harmonic Micro & Macro Variation through Duty cycles Tempo Key Meter Dynamics Articulation
8. 8. Artificial Reverberation Simulate a more convincing physical soundscape with two sound channels desynced PROS The part has a denser tone more indicative of acoustics CONS Instrumentation is sparse
9. 9. Batman (1990) Takes place in the world from the 1989 movie with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson Ending Top of cathedral to street level No more actions from player required Relief, inner peace, completion, no fanfare Melody w/ reverb Melody w/o reverb Full
10. 10. Batman (1990) Video of Ending Scene
11. 11. Looping Compose music such that sections transition smoothly at the loop point PROS Good balance between memory and musical content Accounts for music of variable length in gameplay CONS Limits amount of musical development End of track dictated by player action
12. 12. Ufouria: the Saga (1992) Bop-Louie is in search of his three friends who have amnesia and were abducted by an alien and a robot Boss 1 Arena setting First large enemy fight with endurance and attack strategy Danger, excitement, agitation Melody Full
13. 13. Ufouria: the Saga (1992) Video of First Boss Fight
14. 14. Arpeggiation Cycle through 2 or more notes on one sound channel PROS Frees up other sound channels CONS Needs to be moderate to fast as harmony Not as effective for slow tracks
15. 15. Mega Man 9 (2008) As Mega Man, a robotic man, fight through a robot army to prove your creator's innocence Galaxy Man Takes place in outer space UFO enemies, teleporters Futuristic, technological, digital, out of this world Arpeggiation Alone Full
16. 16. Mega Man 9 (2008) Video of Galaxy Man Stage
17. 17. Samples Record and use original sounds Sound effects Grunts, moans, Percussion hits NES/Famicom can repitch samples on the PCM channel short voiceovers Sampled bass Sampled orchestra hit Sampled percussion
18. 18. Shovel Knight (2014) Chiptunes are still used for a game-infused fantasy backdrop Armed with only a shovel, dig and battle your way against creatures, dragons, and knights to find and rescue your fellow knight Plains Stage 1 Outdoors, nature, thematic Needs to be engaging to encourage play
19. 19. Shovel Knight (2014) Video of First Stage
20. 20. Conclusion Video game music, specifically chiptunes, enlivens and supports the fantasy world of the game Composers and sound programmers worked out the best practices to simulate a more realistic aural world Player interaction with audio responses promote immersion and continued play
21. 21. Questions? Dr. Christopher Hopkins www.christopherjhopkins.com chopkins@liu.edu