Ditch The Royalty Free Music

[ZooNamedGames]

KSP has reached a level of fame that I think has fully made it unique in the eyes of gamers, so famous in fact that when players encounter it's music, they can be surprised that most of it's music (aside from the title and credits music) is entirely royalty free and available to everyone. So I think it's about time that we add some more musical content to the game. Specifically content that is original and like the theme and credits music, wholly belongs to KSP. Although this may sound like more development time to make these new soundtracks, the fact is there are literally hundreds of new fresh content that Squad/T2 could inquire into, or hire independent creators to make more music.

Now, for those who think that the music truly make the game; I don't want to remove the existing royalty free tracks, just add more so that additional audio tracks can be heard as the game is played.

But this is just my thoughts.

[panzer1b]

While i do agree the stock KSP music could be improved, i was under the impression that most people who played KSP (and other videogames for that matter) all have their own external playlists which they listen to when doing whatever.  That and well, built in game music has the problem that it becomes stale very quickly since its more or less the same track playing constantly, why would i want to listen to that when i pull up my KSP themed playlist containing 200+ different songs, all much more fitting the game then the stock music does (i mostly listen to battle music and the like, given that 90% of what i do in KSP and have always done was make starships, fighters, tanks, ect, and set up fights using either stock weapons or BDA).

[ZooNamedGames]

12 minutes ago, panzer1b said:

While i do agree the stock KSP music could be improved, i was under the impression that most people who played KSP (and other videogames for that matter) all have their own external playlists which they listen to when doing whatever.  That and well, built in game music has the problem that it becomes stale very quickly since its more or less the same track playing constantly, why would i want to listen to that when i pull up my KSP themed playlist containing 200+ different songs, all much more fitting the game then the stock music does (i mostly listen to battle music and the like, given that 90% of what i do in KSP and have always done was make starships, fighters, tanks, ect, and set up fights using either stock weapons or BDA).

Because that's the game's appearance. Critically speaking, some music make the games. Some games fall flat without them, and although KSP is not one of those games, it's still a game that can achieve quite a bit in ambiance and music. Minecraft for example has a lot of calming relaxed tones as that's the nature of the game and wholly defines the tone of the game.

Some players can put on different music but some of us which to enjoy the music fit with the game.

Edited January 1, 2018 by ZooNamedGames

[MiffedStarfish]

I’d definitely support adding more music to the base game (individual “themes” for each planet/body?) as long as the base music is left alone, it’s become somewhat iconic for me. Chiming in to the conversation above, I don’t listen to playlists while playing, I usually have YouTube running in the background.

[ZooNamedGames]

2 minutes ago, MiffedStarfish said:

I’d definitely support adding more music to the base game (individual “themes” for each planet/body?) as long as the base music is left alone, it’s become somewhat iconic for me. Chiming in to the conversation above, I don’t listen to playlists while playing, I usually have YouTube running in the background.

As I said, I'd leave the original songs in the game but maybe add more to the general list so they still occur, just less commonly and intermixed with newer musical content.

[Waxing_Kibbous]

I'd much rather see $$$ go to another visual artist/visual coder as opposed to a musician. There is plenty of opportunity to make the game look better (just look at the mod community's efforts).

 

*as far as music goes I'd only change one song, the one when you get into orbit, it's a bit tonally intense, aka blaring. Otherwise it's a fun soundtrack.

Edited January 1, 2018 by Waxing_Kibbous

[ZooNamedGames]

26 minutes ago, Waxing_Kibbous said:

I'd much rather see $$$ go to another visual artist/visual coder as opposed to a musician. There is plenty of opportunity to make the game look better (just look at the mod community's efforts).

 

*as far as music goes I'd only change one song, the one when you get into orbit, it's a bit tonally intense, aka blaring. Otherwise it's a fun soundtrack.

There's just as many visual effects artists out there as musical composers. A quick youtube search comes up with several musicians who have composed dozens and dozens of KSP songs on their own without any monetary reward for doing so. Just imagine what could be made available if Squad held a competition and selected the top 10 songs that this community makes for the game; again without paying a dime. If they wanted professional grade, then they can hire one and it'll go just as far.

And unlike visual effects where KSP is having to suit a market ranging from computers with less power than a TI-83 calculator to computers that have 50GB+ of RAM and 5GHz of speed under there hood, music has little impact on game performance and can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of computer specs.

[Cheif Operations Director]

3 hours ago, ZooNamedGames said:

KSP has reached a level of fame that I think has fully made it unique in the eyes of gamers, so famous in fact that when players encounter it's music, they can be surprised that most of it's music (aside from the title and credits music) is entirely royalty free and available to everyone. So I think it's about time that we add some more musical content to the game. Specifically content that is original and like the theme and credits music, wholly belongs to KSP. Although this may sound like more development time to make these new soundtracks, the fact is there are literally hundreds of new fresh content that Squad/T2 could inquire into, or hire independent creators to make more music.

Now, for those who think that the music truly make the game; I don't want to remove the existing royalty free tracks, just add more so that additional audio tracks can be heard as the game is played.

But this is just my thoughts.

 

1 hour ago, MiffedStarfish said:

I’d definitely support adding more music to the base game (individual “themes” for each planet/body?) as long as the base music is left alone, it’s become somewhat iconic for me. Chiming in to the conversation above, I don’t listen to playlists while playing, I usually have YouTube running in the background.

Yes I agree with @MiffedStarfish... sort of.

I think the music should stay the same but when you enter a SOI of a body you can orbit i.e. Mun Duna they should have their own theme that is only played when your in that SOI. Just each track to the main playlist, this goes for moons as well. Duna should be a Martian movie feel too it. Mun should be triumphant like Apollo 13 lift off scene but more mellow in nature. Eve could be eerie. Eeloo shoud a sensation of being on a cold planet. Wintery. Jool like gasy light not cheerful. The one closest to The Sun (forgot its name) should be violent because of its heat. 

[ZooNamedGames]

2 minutes ago, Cheif Operations Director said:

 

Yes I agree with @MiffedStarfish... sort of.

I think the music should stay the same but when you enter a SOI of a body you can orbit i.e. Mun Duna they should have their own theme that is only played when your in that SOI. Just each track to the main playlist, this goes for moons as well. Duna should be a Martian movie feel too it. Mun should be triumphant like Apollo 13 lift off scene but more mellow in nature. Eve could be eerie. Eeloo shoud a sensation of being on a cold planet. Wintery. Jool like gasy light not cheerful. The one closest to The Sun (forgot its name) should be violent because of its heat. 

So basically a planet's suite.

[Cheif Operations Director]

2 minutes ago, ZooNamedGames said:

So basically a planet's suite.

Sort of Pretty much 

Just the song shoud only be played in that sphere of influence.

[ZooNamedGames]

Just now, Cheif Operations Director said:

Sort of Pretty much 

Just the song shoud only be played in that sphere of influence.

Still makes music stale if you only have 1 or 2 songs playing per area as opposed to say 20 for everywhere.

[MiffedStarfish]

I really liked the No Man’s Sky soundtrack, though it dosent fit at all with ksp’s style. To me it sets the bar for sci-fi game music.

[ZooNamedGames]

5 minutes ago, MiffedStarfish said:

I really liked the No Man’s Sky soundtrack, though it dosent fit at all with ksp’s style. To me it sets the bar for sci-fi game music.

Personally I liked orbiter's, but seeing as every game, and every person's tastes are different; it's better that the game developers work to match music to what they want to convey what each planet means, as opposed to having every player try to find them on their own.

[Just Jim]

2 hours ago, Waxing_Kibbous said:

I'd much rather see $$$ go to another visual artist/visual coder as opposed to a musician.

I think I'd have to agree... musicians and bands are not cheap, and Squad is not a real big company.

However, if some musician(s) stepped forward and volunteered I'd be totally for some new tracks added in to spice things up a little.  

[Scoutman1121]

Judging by the nostalgia of the music now, most players wouldnt like it if they changed it. 

 

On the other hand, having the music be royalty free allows youtubers to let the stock music in without having to add their own music.

[Dfthu]

I think the current music is fine, here's enough of Varity I think. I do agree with a persons youtube music playlist, because I do that also.

[DAL59]

Just play holtz the planets while you play.  

[mattinoz]

Maybe something unity would need to make instead of squad. Still don’t know why game makers don’t team with streaming or music services to let players have own music in game?

let the game tweak the playlist scene changes throw new keywords in to mix and change what songs happen next. Games change tempo, harshness or style for different situations. So atmospheric reentery might kick in guitar based rock for me but someone with classical tastes might get more stirring  kettle drums.

keywords like mars for duna would kick up some interesting tunes and non American game developers could even tweak it to promote their own culture or styles.

encourage fan works to publish to the services and give them special treatment is games. 

[FrostedShoe]

17 hours ago, Waxing_Kibbous said:

*as far as music goes I'd only change one song, the one when you get into orbit, it's a bit tonally intense, aka blaring. Otherwise it's a fun soundtrack.

It is, but also really handy if you were not paying attention to the altitude!

[klesh]

It was fine to use freebie music when KSP was an underdog indie title trying to make it in the biz and saving a little money.   Its is now owned by a huge corporation with deep enough pockets to supply professional music for their product.  

[Matuchkin]

Lamb of God. Go for it.

 

[NSEP]

Luckily its not ukulele.

I don't see a problem with the music.

[ImmaStegosaurus!]

I think current music sounds very kerbal.

But on the other hand I must say I'd be very delighted to see Michael Burkard be commissioned to do some stuff for KSP.
https://michaeljburkard.bandcamp.com/album/solar-symphony

[FleshJeb]

I know of a guy that gets paid to write music for videogames:

 

[cubinator]

I already wrote a theme for Eve once. I could do the other planets.

Also Earth, Mars, the Moon, Europa, Saturn, and most recently the Sun. All of those could be adapted to the KSP planets.

Edited January 2, 2018 by cubinator