The music in a massively multiplayer online game tends to be an unappreciated aspect of the gameplay experience. When we play games we primarily notice the visual. Although the ambient sound surrounding us helps set the tone, it's almost always less commented upon. This is a shame because there really is some excellent music that's created for these games.
EVE Online is a game that has some rather unique music that, for some, fits the galactic setting of New Eden. But still, a number of EVE players opt to turn the music off and play to their own soundtrack. EVE players who are really into the music that permeates the game will love the latest dev blog from CCP RealX. He details how he's created the game's music in the past, both in terms of hardware and software, as well as his approach to his work. RealX says, "I tried to make use of the panning as a compositional element, making swells and sweeps come up from behind and sweep past the listener." But he's looking to make EVE's music a bit more engaging as time goes on, giving more players less of a reason to disable the sound in favor of their own iTunes library, stating "what doesn't grow must wither and die."
Although he's happy with his past compositions, CCP RealX is looking at what's possible now. He says he's working to create "a totally adaptive soundtrack made up of musical elements which would weave up an interesting sound universe, changing to what is happening around you."
