Creating the Musical Identity and Style of Your Game

Explore the process of establishing a game's musical identity and style in this 2017 GDC talk. Discover how developers can effectively communicate their vision and musical requirements to composers, and learn techniques for composers to interpret and execute collaborative ideas. Gain insights into the power of music in games, understanding visual aesthetics, and identifying personal tastes. Examine practical examples from gameplay, campaigns, and museum settings to illustrate how ideas are transformed into music. Delve into global considerations, essential questions to ask, and the importance of playing music during the creative process. This informative session concludes with a Q&A, offering valuable knowledge for both game developers and composers seeking to enhance their musical collaboration skills.

Intro
The power of music
The goal of this talk
Visual aesthetics
Understand your tastes
The kind of questions
Global considerations
Gameplay example
Campaign example
Museum example
Turning ideas into music
Playing the music
Questions