Customisable Music Questions

Zillen

Hey everyone,

I was just wondering if there's been any more information released (since that one brief ArenaNet blog post on audio) about customisable music playlists in GW2? This is one of the game's most enticing little things for me, and I'm trying to sort out what the options might be. Would there just be a standard list of music which cycled through using the game's triggers? Would there be specific sections for "combat music", "peaceful music", "city music", etc. ?

Any new information or well-educated hypotheses would be much appreciated.

aesperus

Originally posted by Zillen

Hey everyone,

I was just wondering if there's been any more information released (since that one brief ArenaNet blog post on audio) about customisable music playlists in GW2? This is one of the game's most enticing little things for me, and I'm trying to sort out what the options might be. Would there just be a standard list of music which cycled through using the game's triggers? Would there be specific sections for "combat music", "peaceful music", "city music", etc. ?

Any new information or well-educated hypotheses would be much appreciated.

Afaik, the music is primarily area-based, but also changes for certain events as well.

I haven't seen anything to show that it cycles, or anything along those lines. It appears as though each area has it's own theme. Of course it's been a long time since I played it hands-on, and it's hard to tell from the videos as most of them have their sound edited.

Zillen

Cool! I'd hope that the game would allow us to switch in our own music for the themes of each area/event type. I wouldn't think it would be that difficult to code in...but you never know. I'm a lost cause when it comes to programming languages

fiontar

This is what I could find from an official source, not sure if there are any more details on this to be had at this point:

Finally, no matter how fantastic a game’s music is, when you hear the same music for the thousandth time, you start wanting to change things up a bit. Many players will simply turn the game music off and play their own collections. The problem is that an external music player has no context as to what’s going on in-game. Guild Wars 2 will offer a solution for this as well. We’re giving players the option of choosing external music playlists that the game’s audio engine will use as a replacement for the default in-game music. Players can choose different playlists for background ambience and battle music, for instance. Additionally, when appropriate, such as during cinematics, the game can revert back to in-game music temporarily to give the best possible cinematic experience, then resume the custom playlist when it’s done.

So, it's more than just having a built in mp3 player. The game can handle your custom music in the same way it handles in game music.

itgrowls

I'd love to know more about this as well as i tend to make my own playlists for games. Right now playing LOTRO i have theme music from all three of the movies and i have some music from the Canadian and British productions of the LOTR stage performances (not live but edited) and I have a few choice songs from other artists that mix well with these.

It would be nice to know if i could do something similar with GW2.

itgrowls

now THAT might be fun! I'd love to do that in LOTRO right now, like having a specific song playing when i come around the corner from the exit to Moria and see the golden woods gleaming in the sunlight.

Maephisto

one of the recent Tales of Tyria podcasts talks about it......forgot which one.  I remember them saying somehting about being able to play audio files ......something......

to be honest....if fiontar doesnt know then there probably isnt much out there on it yet

ariboersma

Originally posted by fiontar

This is what I could find from an official source, not sure if there are any more details on this to be had at this point:

Finally, no matter how fantastic a game’s music is, when you hear the same music for the thousandth time, you start wanting to change things up a bit. Many players will simply turn the game music off and play their own collections. The problem is that an external music player has no context as to what’s going on in-game. Guild Wars 2 will offer a solution for this as well. We’re giving players the option of choosing external music playlists that the game’s audio engine will use as a replacement for the default in-game music. Players can choose different playlists for background ambience and battle music, for instance. Additionally, when appropriate, such as during cinematics, the game can revert back to in-game music temporarily to give the best possible cinematic experience, then resume the custom playlist when it’s done.

So, it's more than just having a built in mp3 player. The game can handle your custom music in the same way it handles in game music.

this sounds amazing.. I dunno if I forgot about this or didn't know but wow. I am one that turns off the music very soon, sure I listen a bit but I like my music better.. and some of it is from video games. I hope this works well on release.