Sound design, and specifically music composition, is an ever-present component in computer games. Whether it’s a sweeping score for an epic roleplaying game or the industrial beats of a science-fiction shooter, the music is always there in the background, giving you a visceral feel for the experience. For the most part, the music is designed to pull you into the game—to help heighten tension and evoke emotion. The sound and music inMechAssault is no exception. As a matter of fact, it is a prime example of the craft.
There are two overriding musical styles in MechAssault. The first is known as Mission Underscore, and it is composed in the vein of a science-fiction theatrical score. It’s very similar to what you might find in previous BattleTech games, such asMechWarrior. Indeed, the same composer (Duane Decker) that helmed the composition in previous MechWarrior games was also behind the Mission Underscore composition inMechAssault. Mission Underscore represents the more epic, ethereal, and subtle moods during the quieter moments in the game.
The second key musical style is known simply as Battle Music, and it is designed to drive the action in a much more in-your-face manner. In keeping with the quick, third-person, action-shooter pace that MechAssault brings to the table, this is the industrial, intense, thrashing beat that you hear as you tear through enemy 'Mechs and blast your way to your objective.
For the Battle Music, the folks at FASA turned to two teams, one based in Seattle and the other in Chicago. The musical aesthetic and experience of this combination of artists was exactly what FASA Audio Director Tobin Buttram wanted for this project. The two teams included long-time contributing members to such hardcore industrial bands as Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, and KMFDM—musicians that helped invent hardcore industrial sound. With these folks onboard, Tobin had at his disposal the talent he needed to create the hard-driving original Battle Music compositions for MechAssault.
In composing music for games, one major variable that goes into deciding on the musical feel for a piece is the environment in which the action takes place. The overall vibe of the music in an arctic setting will invariably differ from that of a volcanic area. While music cannot literally bring to mind an image of a `Mech trampling across the arctic tundra, there is a language of instruments that have been used traditionally (in games as well as in film) to evoke certain environments. For example, you might hear sequenced drums and metallic sounds in an arctic area and a more quick-paced mix of electric guitar, drums, and bass in a volcanic setting.
Beyond the actual composition of the music lies its implementation in the game. As with film, you may notice a shift in the musical mood, depending on the game action. In a film, the music follows the action along a linear path; in a game, the action can change in a split second, and the music has to be able to change just as quickly. This is accomplished dynamically. The game recognizes three levels of action during the game and changes the music accordingly. These levels of action are triggered by:
Negligible enemy threats.
Enemy infantry, tanks, and aircraft.
The approach of an enemy 'Mech.
Each level contains a variety of different 5.1 Surround Sound music files, and the program loops sections of compositions associated with that level, depending on the action.
