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