| When one thinks of video games, what is the first | | | | commonplace on consoles, the music within a |
| thing that comes to mind? Graphics, sound, etc., but | | | | game is no longer limited to synthesized sounds. This |
| certainly not music. Because of the major | | | | allows the game |
| technological advance within the 10 years, video | | | | environment to become more atmospheric. This also |
| games and music is something that now walks hand | | | | means well known |
| in hand. The more complicated and realistic, the | | | | music can be placed within a game. When Sony |
| better the music will be.In the early days of | | | | released the play station, |
| videogames, music played no great part when it | | | | it was not long before they released their |
| came to playing a game. Sounds were used simply | | | | groundbreaking title, |
| to illustrate actions. | | | | Wipeout. This game was a high energy racing game, |
| Take for example Pong, one of the original | | | | accompanied by a |
| commercially available | | | | fast and thrilling soundtrack featuring such artists as |
| computer games, developed in the 1950's. It | | | | the Chemical |
| comprised of two 'bats' | | | | Brothers, Orbital and Leftfield. Within the game it |
| represented on screen as rectangles and a ball. The | | | | was possible to |
| object was to play | | | | select the track you wished to be heard as you |
| a kind of tennis game, while bleeps represented the | | | | raced through winding |
| ball hitting the | | | | tunnels and over vast canyons. The music in this |
| bat. The game was basic but it caught the | | | | game was possibly |
| imagination of players | | | | more important than the game itself, and indeed the |
| around the globe. In 1972 the Magnavox Odyssey | | | | soundtrack was |
| was released in the US, | | | | released as an album. This illustrated the soundtracks |
| the first games console ever made. However it was | | | | importance |
| a completely silent | | | | within a game, akin to film music, and paved the |
| machine. It was not until Atari released the Atari | | | | way for musicians' |
| Video Computer | | | | involvement in the games industry. The follow up |
| System in 1977 that sounds really made impact upon | | | | titles in this series |
| games. These were | | | | also involved acts such as Prodigy, Underworld and in |
| still only very basic sound effects though.What came | | | | the most recent |
| next could be described as the beginnings of video | | | | version, DJ Sasha. A host of acts have appeared on |
| game | | | | games since. Mogwai |
| music. Space Invaders, a basic arcade game arrived | | | | created the soundtrack for Actua Ice Hockey 2 and |
| with a menacing | | | | Ash earned ?600,000 |
| tune set to put fear into its players. The tune | | | | in royalties for their track on Gran Turismo. Grand |
| actually became more | | | | Theft Auto is |
| frantic as the 'Invaders' came closer to their goal, | | | | known for its in game radio stations, and Grand |
| while the player | | | | Theft Auto 4: Vice |
| tries to destroy them. This had the effect of raising | | | | City, Interactive eighties themed version of the |
| the blood | | | | game boasts several |
| pressure and heart rate of its players, absorbing | | | | selectable radio stations with a variety of artists |
| them fully into this | | | | from the Eighties |
| world. The game was phenomenally successful due | | | | including Gary Newman and Blondie Again the |
| to the fact it was the | | | | soundtrack to this game |
| first interactive audiovisual game that made its | | | | will be released as an album. So it seems that, as |
| players feel an | | | | the case is with a |
| adrenalin rush.Over the next 10 years, games were | | | | good film, the soundtrack to a game provides as |
| to become more sophisticated along | | | | much of the experience |
| with their sound tracks. Through the eighties, well | | | | as any graphics.The music industry is set to benefit |
| known games such | | | | from this relatively new medium. |
| as Pacman, Donkey Kong and Tetris all arrived with | | | | Artists being heard on games are able to promote |
| unique soundtracks | | | | their music directly |
| played through low-tech sound processors. Individual | | | | at their target audience, 18-25 year olds, while |
| composers, such | | | | collecting royalties |
| as Shigeru Myamoto, creator of music for the Zelda | | | | from the sale of the game. The artist's appearance |
| series of games, | | | | also works as |
| became recognised through their work on games, | | | | promotion for the game, meaning the two industries |
| and in 1989 Michael | | | | work well together. |
| Jackson saw the potential video games had for | | | | Music is also significant as far as determining the |
| promoting music, | | | | quality of a game. |
| releasing his own title, Moonwalk. It featured | | | | The soundtrack plays a very important role; similar |
| synthesised versions of | | | | to the way it |
| Billie Jean and Beat It. He was to pave the way for | | | | works in film. However, there are of course, major |
| many artists who | | | | differences between |
| have contributed to computer games in more recent | | | | games and film In fact it seems the music within a |
| times.It is indisputable that since the release of the | | | | game is more |
| Playstation, Sony has | | | | important than it is in film, interacting with the |
| dominated the games industry, with Nintendo lagging | | | | players reactions |
| behind. The newest | | | | and completing the full experience.Over the next |
| console from Sony, the Playstation 2 does | | | | few years, consoles such as the Playstation 2 will |
| everything the PSX did, but | | | | start |
| with much improved graphics and sound, and a DVD | | | | to integrate more in homes, becoming as common |
| player. It can be | | | | as items like video |
| connected to the net for online gaming and web | | | | players or stereos. This new entertainment system |
| browsing. This machine | | | | encompassing |
| is a true multimedia system. Nintendo has caught up | | | | audio-visual playing with multimedia capabilities will |
| slightly with the | | | | replace the |
| game cube, and Microsoft has made their entrance | | | | need for such items. It is important therefore the |
| with the X-Box, both | | | | music industry |
| offering high quality sound and visuals. Sony's | | | | keeps up with this medium in order to continue |
| success can be put | | | | benefiting from itMary Anne Winslow is a member of |
| down to the fact they applied quality music and | | | | Essay Writing Service counselling department team |
| video to their games | | | | and a dissertation writing consultant. Contact her to |
| from the start.With CD quality sound now | | | | get free counselling on custom essay writing. |