103 réponses à ce sujet

[SleeplessInSigil]

AlanC9 wrote...

SleeplessInSigil wrote...
Most DA fans here have gone aghast upon reading comparisons like that, but here's the funny thing: the reasons you may dislike FO3 for, when comparing to DA are the exact same factors which'd make Final Fantasy XIII superior to DA.

Hmm ... so since I didn't like FO3 much , I shouldn't bother with FF XIII? Good to know, but I gave up on JRPGs eons ago.

I said, the reasons which you think make DA better than FO3, are the same reasons why FF13 would be better than DA.

[dkjestrup]

Now, I have to agree. Soundtracks don't have to be ambient! They can be in your face, and still good. I actually think, that a game without good music, has far less replay value, and far less nostalgia. I may not be able to give you the name of the song, or the artist, for any video game music. I may not even be able to hum the song. But whenever I play FFX, Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time or Golden Sun TLA, I'm immediately flooded with memories.



I haven't played a lot of JRPGs, or even RPGs in general. I'm only 15, and have played maybe 50 or so games in my life, including rentals. My only JRPGs would be FFX, FFXII and Golden Sun TLA on the GBA.



But the thing is, whenever I play Legend of Zelda, I'm suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, just from the music. The end fights FEEL like end fights. Like in MGS4, that has a good soundtrack.



The Archdemon fight was anti climactic, because of this.

[HighlandBerserkr]

Marbazoid wrote...

"So it looks like Japanese RPGs have died at the hands of Western developers that can churn out a much better and more mature experience"

JRPG's enjoy a niche in the western market, and will never be more or less than that due to the cultural barrier, same can be said about the western rpg in Japan.

I love Dragon age, but also love JRPGS, Niche market? even in north america pretty sure Final Fantasy 13 will destroy Dragon AGe sales.

[HighlandBerserkr]

Music is the 3rd most important thing in a game for me, behind characters and story.

[RetrOldSchool]

IMO Dragon Age has some really great tracks, I really like the human noble theme for instance.

But still I can agree with the OP, the music isn't as memorable as the best music in JRPG's.

I think one important thing is emotional tracks and as far as I think, there's not enough emotional tracks in DA:O. There's a lot of situations in the game where more emtional music should've been added, both in cutscenes and in conversation.

That being said, a lot of tracks from JRPG's wouldn't make sense in DA:O, like "Kimi ga iu kara", the song is beatiful but wouldn't fit the setting in DA:O. JRPG's tend to blend contemporary music with classical and that kind of blend wouldn't fit in DA:O.

But none of the more epic tracks in DA:O is close to Motoi Sakuraba, if you don't take my word for it, listen to this:


EDIT: spacing

Modifié par RetrOldSchool, 05 février 2010 - 09:16 .

[Magic Zarim]

That's what I've been sorely missing in DA:O. While the music quality in itself is alright, it's how the music is used that makes DA much less of what it could have been. Like few here described, JPRGs use music to tell the story in an artistic manner. Relative short sound tracks that set the tone and mood for cutscenes and other (major) events during gameplay. Blending of said tracks depending on how the player moves from area to area, from event to event.



It's not necessarily JRPG music though. It's music produced by Japanese overall which is rather remarkable. I remember and have so many songs, originals and remixes from many Konami and other classics, from RPGs to action games. All these songs bear a strong theme, they are crafted in such way they can loop endlessly (making blending so smooth), the tones are very descriptive of mood and those games have so much variance soundscape wise. You'll never be listening to the same piece for extended periods of time.



DA:O's music technically is good. It just doesn't support the game and story line - environements, scripts, events (endboss Archdemon!) at all. So yes I agree, WRPG, notably DA:O is weak in using music and sound to enrich the story, events, ambience and mood.



Cutscenes of importance *should* have their own sound track that 'tells' the atmosphere in the cutscene (tension, joy, disappointment, anger etc), that supports what's happening (music building towards a climax as something gets revealed in a cutscene) alas.. at least The Witcher does this a whole lot better which indeed has memorable sound tracks, some of which I replay on my Yamaha PSR9000.

[Challseus]

filaminstrel wrote...
...
As an aside, I could have sworn Nobuo Uematsu stopped doing Final Fantasy soundtracks.

While he doesn't do full soundtracks for it anymore, he still lends himself to do a few tracks each game.

[Mlai00]

Oh god that Baten Kaitos track is epiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiic.

No, I've never even heard of that game, so no nostalgia bias for me.

It's true, I've played my share of Western games, but most of the most memorable game music I know of are Japanese.

LMAO @ comment that JRPGs are dying and being taken over by WRPGs. You do know that FF7 single-handedly sold the PS1, right? I'm very curious to see the total sales of JRPGs in the USA, compared to total sales of WRPGs.

[RetrOldSchool]

Mlai00 wrote...
Oh god that Baten Kaitos track is epiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiic.
No, I've never even heard of that game, so no nostalgia bias for me.
It's true, I've played my share of Western games, but most of the most memorable game music I know of are Japanese.
LMAO @ comment that JRPGs are dying and being taken over by WRPGs. You do know that FF7 single-handedly sold the PS1, right? I'm very curious to see the total sales of JRPGs in the USA, compared to total sales of WRPGs.

Yeah, the track is crazy, and it's just one of many brilliant tracks from Motoi Sakuraba. I haven't played Baten Kaitos either, just heard the music.   

I don't think that JRPG's are being taken over, though I do believe the JRPG genre could use some innovation right now. Most current gen JRPG's are IMO inferior to the WRPG's of late (though, there have been a bunch of sub par WRPG's too, Two Worlds, Risen, Diviniy II and, IMO Fable2)

[fchopin]

wowpwnslol wrote...

DA music was amazing and fitting for the world. Plus, who cares about the music? JRPGs are bad, so music can't really save them, even if they have over 9000 tracks.

What you mean is that JRPG’s are bad for you, don’t talk for other people.
 
I myself will buy FFXIII next month and cannot wait for the game.
 
The ME1 music score was brilliant.
 
I found the DA music good but did think that a few fighting music variations would have been nice.

[Challseus]

RetrOldSchool wrote...

Yeah, the track is crazy, and it's just one of many brilliant tracks from Motoi Sakuraba...

He did the soundtrack to Eternal Sonata soundtrack as well, which was simply amazing. I get my fix for all rpg music at Blue Laguna.

Back on topic, to be fair to western RPG's, I really did like the music for Oblivion, as well as Fable. Overrall though, I stick with JRPG.

[HighlandBerserkr]

Best music EVER in a game for me as far as emotional punch and mood setting at just the right moments was Xenogears. Music from the same composer as Chrono Trigger, Yasunori Mitsuda.

[HighlandBerserkr]

[HighlandBerserkr]

[HighlandBerserkr]

This one is just from a town in the game.

[HighlandBerserkr]

Saddest music EVER!!! especially if you have played the game you know what i mean

[Zugin]

HighlandBerserkr wrote...

damn this brings memories back

[RetrOldSchool]

HighlandBerserkr wrote...

Best music EVER in a game for me as far as emotional punch and mood setting at just the right moments was Xenogears. Music from the same composer as Chrono Trigger, Yasunori Mitsuda.

Xenogears was great, both story- and music wise, thanks for reminding me of those tracks

[Abriael_CG]

Actually I disagree that the music in most western RPG is bad, DA:O is quite an example of an awesome soundtrack. The baldur's gate series was already quite advanced in that.
On the other hand, Mass Effect 2 is a tad weak (it's quite sad that the best track is the one from the launch trailer, that has NOT been composed for the game and is not part of the game's sountrack proper).

 I also totally disagree that Japanese RPGs have been "killed" by western RPGs (they may have been slightly weakened as of market share, but not by western rpg's as much as by the overflow of shooters), nor that they're less mature. They definitely still have a very solid market niche, and I can't wait for Final Fantasy XIII, White Knight Chronicles, the new Ar Tonelico and more.
They have a different approach and as such cater to a different target. You may be part of the target of one of the two genres or both. That's a all.

Modifié par Abriael_CG, 05 février 2010 - 05:42 .

[svenus97]

I like the Oblivion theme... and its a western RPG



I also like the Dragon Age theme, the opening theme is great in my opinion, the music is good, it just needs a little more music.

[Magic Zarim]

Ys Series JRPGs, a game with a number of possibly the best sound tracks ever, at least definitely reknown as one of the best by fans. The top song: Return to Castle Valestine

[mjboldy]

My DAO OST has 35 tracks (and I know that there is music still missing that was in the game and not on the soundtrack). I think the 14 track one was the one that came with the CE of the game.

[KahnyaGnorc]

JRPGs, for the most part, are stuck in the "RPGs should play like a novel" mode, instead of moving closer to a true RPG (tabletop PnP RPG) experience. Western RPGs have a long way to go (and technology has a way to go to allow it), but they are moving in that direction. With TOR and 38 Studio's in-development game, Western MMOs are also going in that direction.



As for the music, except for Leliana's song, DA:O music doesn't stand out, but fits in the background quite well, which I am fine with.

[Yuloto1]

Kinda amusing to me when you guys reference a super nintendo games music. The difference is, one person could churn out all of the tracks included on said game with his little synthesizer. Nowadays, entire orchestras are used and costs change dramaticallly. Lets look back at early pc games, nintendo games, etc and try to recall how many people in total the credits would list. Sometimes there was as few as 10. How many now?



I guess my point is, games have hovered and largely ignored inflation, right around $50 for a quality launch. They can only do so much and keep a game at that price point.