In the running for what is possibly the last of this month’s Musings, I thought I’d explore one of my favorite aspects of video games: the audio. It’s possibly the least targeted aspect of games because graphics are usually the first thing to take hits. But like all components of the industry, it needs review.

I’ve been gaming long enough to remember when all soundtracks were actually MIDI files. These file types are virtually never used anymore, except in what is somewhat sarcastically called “chiptune” soundtracks. Now why is that? The MIDI file type is actually dependent on the sound card’s driver, which has undergone far less radical changes than video drivers and related hardware. Integrated sound processors, still standard use on even many gaming PCs, will run the files. So the argument “it doesn’t work anymore” is invalid.

Are we complaining about sound quality? Well, yes, there is a SLIGHT difference in depth between MIDI and the MP3 format, but I fail to notice any critical shortcomings. The soundtracks of games are nothing new; in fact, many of them sound suspiciously identical after a while. They tend to either be orchestral (based heavily on string and wind instruments) or electronica/dance (a catchall category for anything difficult to replicate IRL). Both are fully contained by the MIDI format, which is far more versatile than people give it credit for. It is capable of replicating most soundtracks perfectly.

The format’s primary problem is its inability to play on a large number of channels at once. That’s possibly why it was abandoned in favor of the MP3 format, which records the full frequency/amplitude of the sound. The MP3 format can record a discordant mixture of a million different sounds and still sound cohesive. For the truly epic soundtracks we’ve come to expect, MP3 is sadly the only option. For anything less than that, including all flash games, most shmups and fighters, and “repetitive” tracks like intro themes, the “quality” isn’t a critical factor.



And now, for something completely different.

Just how much of our limited funds are we expected to spend listening to these things? The earlier-gen consoles were configured for stereo sound, and the Wii still is. So since when is surround sound considered the only way to go? I saw a site user’s gaming setup a few weeks ago, and while I admire the effort he put into it, I can’t understand why he needed the full 5.1 configuration. Sound coming from behind you? Since all the attention is focused on the events in front of you, why is it necessary?

I’ve met a few FPS players who claim that surround sound allows them to detect opponents in any direction, thus giving them an advantage. I honestly don’t know how to take that. The human auditory setup works by registering the apparent distance to a source from both ears, thus limiting the location to a point on a circle. In most cases, where action takes place on a 2D plane, that condenses to two points. One of those points is in front of you, where you can see it. In nearly all cases you can replace surround sound by following the old mantra: if you can’t see it, turn around. Relying on 5.1 for something that simple seems unnecessary and, to be honest, a bit lazy.

When I purchased my PC a few months back, the suggested setup my parents proposed had a discrete sound card. I politely turned it down and replaced it with a Razor headset, because honestly I consider sound depth more important than sound variety. Besides, at top volume, surround sound all tends to blur together, as anyone who frequents theaters will tell you.



Now, one last final note on audio. I don’t get it why we have to pay for audio tracks, or why they’re often limited to hard-copy, region-specific formats. It seems like the developers are trying to gouge us over something that they provide free the rest of the time. I mean, why include a “jukebox” or audio gallery with the game and then charge us to listen to it elsewhere? This is one case where “piracy” of audio, what with soundtracks making it onto YouTube, isn’t something I have a problem with. Heck, I’ve copied the MP3 files from PC games to disk so I could listen to them anytime.

I could be wrong about this, but most people won’t buy a whole soundtrack unless they like about everything on it, and this more than likely means they’ve played the game. So the developers aren’t losing anything by making these files available free of charge. Get with the program, people.

Wow … did I just write all that? This is probably the most disjointed Monthly Musing to date. To sum up in eight words: Only fools pay for same old, same old. So shoot the receiver and play/make the damn game. No one’s really shouting, but I’m still going deaf with the nonsense.