I always turn the sound off when playing shmups and listen to dnb/jungle music. I find that mostly I play better that way, the only time I listen to the game is if it's new or I've forgotten what it sounds like
I suppose when am playing for maximum enjoyment of the game then the sound goes on, but if its for score, or I just want to chill out then my music will go on and the game sound will go off...
Any like minded people out there? I think without the explosions, commentary, and the wierd and wonderfull shmup music it's easier to hold your concentration.
I mostly have to play w.o. the volume to avoid annoying my family. I'm often playing on my tate'd tv while my youngest is watching Barney, so I guess I play a lot of the time with such music for kids in the background.
Somehow the image of stuff being blown to smithereens on the screen, flames and chaos all over the place, while "I love you, you love me..." plays in the background strikes me as funny.
I play only with the original game audio, preferably turned up arcade-loud. Playing with the effects off would totally destroy my concentration, and replacing the music is unthinkable. It's too important to my timing and memorization in most games, and usually critically important to the game's atmosphere. Changing the audio guts the game.
I agree completely, Accutron. Nothing immerses you in a game more than sound, IMO. While just about every shooter I know could be played equally well without sound as with, I would find the soundless experience lacking in the extreme.
I third that. It entirely disorients me when I'm hearing something that I know isn't from the game. Additionally, you can set yourself audio cues during the game, which is the almost always the same at the same sections for shooters.
The thing about listening to different music while playing is that you can keep your mindset constant; you don't hear the dramatic boss music and think 'oh crap, I'm done for'. I find it helps in that regard. I even play in total silence sometimes.
Ganelon wrote:I third that. It entirely disorients me when I'm hearing something that I know isn't from the game. Additionally, you can set yourself audio cues during the game, which is the almost always the same at the same sections for shooters.
And I fourth that, if that's plausible in english
When I play any games, I always want the full experience that the developer thought I should have, so I want all the music, all the sound, and not any modifications in the game.
it290 wrote:The thing about listening to different music while playing is that you can keep your mindset constant; you don't hear the dramatic boss music and think 'oh crap, I'm done for'. I find it helps in that regard. I even play in total silence sometimes.
I agree. Some shmup music is stress-inducing, especially boss themes.
I generally keep all sound on in a game, although it is nice to occasionally turn off the music and leave the sound effects if that option exists.
I don't agree that the music is always part of the intended atmosphere of a game, since the people who come up with the music are not the same people who design the game. I didn't think Mushihime's music fit the game at all when I first played it. It just seemed tacked-on and inappropriate. But after playing for awhile of course it seems to work, which would be true of any soundtrack: If you play the game enough the music seems to fit the game because you're used to it.
Accutron wrote:(A whole bunch of stuff I completely agree with)
Accutron, you win. Your statement pretty much states my case.
BulletMagnet wrote:Somehow the image of stuff being blown to smithereens on the screen, flames and chaos all over the place, while "I love you, you love me..." plays in the background strikes me as funny.
Haha, I agree. At least if it were Teletubbies, you could imagine that those annoying buggers were in the enemy ships.
BulletMagnet wrote:Somehow the image of stuff being blown to smithereens on the screen, flames and chaos all over the place, while "I love you, you love me..." plays in the background strikes me as funny.
Haha, I agree. At least if it were Teletubbies, you could imagine that those annoying buggers were in the enemy ships.
~EI
Excellent suggestion-- my daughter also loves Teletubbies.
I find listening to other instrumental music helps me to focus alot more, especially via headphones. I recommend Guilty Gear XX Korean Version, my skills seriously increase at least 15% blasting this CD.
As said above, removing the music throws off your timing - especially in galuda where I seem to use it for measuring how long I bomb the first 2 mid bosses for.
Never noticed until I was forced to play mute the other day.
Besides cues having a beneficial effect on the gameplay there are also the aesthetic cues. In Sol-Feace there are some great combinations of changes in the melodies and appearances of enemies. Also the first boss in Limi's level in Gigawing 2 comes to mind again. This is one of the reasons I always play with headphones.
I even sell games if I like the games (a lot even), but don't like the music because I can't imagine replacing or muting the audio. Bari-Arm is one of those. /me dodges the flak.
May we speak the beauty of thee, O Earth, that is in thy villages and forests and assemblies and war and battles.
I like playing shmups with their original music too. Actually, for almost any games, I use the original audio. However, for games like Grand Theft Auto III, Crazy Taxi, and Tony Hawk, I turn the music all the way down.
Accutron wrote:I play only with the original game audio, preferably turned up arcade-loud. Playing with the effects off would totally destroy my concentration, and replacing the music is unthinkable. It's too important to my timing and memorization in most games, and usually critically important to the game's atmosphere. Changing the audio guts the game.
