Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs Discussion Topic Part 2

[Deep One]

Wow, those pictures of game are really really really really really dark! I can't see shit! I had to brighten them a lot in Photo Shop to see something.
I hope that the gamma and contrast are editable, else I can't see anything. I can't even see the chair that is UNDER a turned on LAMP!
This game is gonna rock! yay!

Your monitor is way too dark, turn up gamma. I can see the pictures just fine.

[Zgroktar]

Because you keep saying things like "it will serve its purpose" and "it may blend well with the game" like it's a sauce that just goes with the main course.

Actually, that is true in a way. You must keep in mind, that the music of The Chinese Room has a really strong narrative purpose in the game, more so than usually. In that terms you really need to play the game in order to appreciate the OST. I will add, the pictures that are blazing in my head when listening to Morse Praematura are nothing but excellent.

[Parmida]

Wow, those pictures of game are really really really really really dark! I can't see shit! I had to brighten them a lot in Photo Shop to see something.
I hope that the gamma and contrast are editable, else I can't see anything. I can't even see the chair that is UNDER a turned on LAMP!
This game is gonna rock! yay!

Your monitor is way too dark, turn up gamma. I can see the pictures just fine.

I know, but if I add more gamma, the colors start turning into white and it hurts my eyes too.
I just edit my games' options or my graphics card's game options for games. <---LOL. that sounded weird....

[Bridge]

To avoid the quoting mess, I will do a whole reply. Considering my statement about "clearly defined beginning, progression and even and the ending" I am merely pointing out that this track has its head and its tail. True, it does start primitively, it doesn't progress much, but that is not a point, this track isn't obliged to follow some sonata-like order of composition with exposition, development and recapitulation.

Oh, certainly not. Nor did I say it was. And by "development" I certainly wasn't implying it should have had a classical development section. But I expect any piece of music to rise and fall, texturally, emotionally, structurally and so on and so forth. If it doesn't then I really have no reason to be listening to it. Even birdsong is somewhat dynamic.

Considering the instruments, I don't agree with your opinion, all instruments blend perfectly, and the intentional cacophony of atonal cords, combined with that vocals have a really addictive influence on me, it just sounded natural for me and I really didn't have to strain my ears at any moment. Next, I didn't literally mean of course that you analyzed the track in detail, but I do think you are focusing too much on the skeleton of the song and too little on its flesh.

Fine, then let's end it. Strokes/folks. Rest assured though, I'm not focusing too much on the "skeleton". I look at the whole picture always. And I did not start listening to that track with the sole intent of finding flaws, in fact I was quite excited. Although I have been skeptical about AAMFP's score for a while now I try to keep an open mind.

Really don't know what to say to you at this point, we are not on the same wavelength I think, but I will state that I don't need to be telling myself that it will ''serve its purpose'' to like it. I've loved this song from the moment I've heard it, and must have replayed it a countless times. There is just some eerie quality about it.

Then power to you, honestly. I just don't like it and can quantify exactly what I don't like about it, which I attempted to do seeing as this is a forum of discussion.

post

It's got nothing to do with rules, just what sounds good.

[Nyarlathotep]

The Chinese Room and Frictional seem to be all about experimenting with interactive storytelling. Comparing a video game score to a classic film score isn't the right way to go about this. Many soundtracks nowadays are more deeply integrated into the media. I have a feeling even if this is for an uncontrolled moment in the game, it will be used for something other than a still screen.

Amnesia is about scaring, disturbing, and disgusting the player on a deep level. Pigs even more than the Dark Descent, it seems. I definitely get that idea through this track.

That said, I do like the sound of it. Not as something I'd listen to just to chill out or have on my MP3 player. But it's good for a piece of strong horror. Just like I wouldn't put most of Silent Hill's OST on an mp3 player. It's fucking nerve wracking stuff, but it serves its purpose in the game well.

[Zgroktar]

...

Well, yes of course, I expressed myself badly there, still practicing my English. I didn't mean that you directly implied the development in terms of classical sonata, but tried to draw a parallel with modern music that does have solid and clearly definable structure. In general, I do take your point of view more than you think so, I also have some problems with this track. All in all, I also hope this OST will be excellent in the end, so we can both share same appreciation and reverence.

[Bridge]

The Chinese Room and Frictional seem to be all about experimenting with interactive storytelling. Comparing a video game score to a classic film score isn't the right way to go about this. Many soundtracks nowadays are more deeply integrated into the media. I have a feeling even if this is for an uncontrolled moment in the game, it will be used for something other than a still screen.

Ah, so this experiment entails placing less of an emphasis on the score in order to better tell a story? Then tell me, why is the music being praised so much? I do not have any problems with the specific mood idea it's going for, in fact it is a good one, I just think it is poorly realized and the result is completely contrary to what it's trying to achieve. I'm not saying they should have a dedicated overture for use in the intro or write 3 hours worth of soundtrack music, in fact my point was mainly that some of you seem to be settling for "it will be appropriate in context" when you could set your sights higher and only settle for a fantastic score that is also fantastic in context. The Amnesia score almost achieved this IMO.

[bluel0bster]

The song is a tad boring and the vocals don't seem to mix well with the instrumental, there's my two cents.

[MyRedNeptune]

Really don't know what to say to you at this point, we are not on the same wavelength I think, but I will state that I don't need to be telling myself that it will ''serve its purpose'' to like it. I've loved this song from the moment I've heard it, and must have replayed it a countless times. There is just some eerie quality about it.

It's dissonant and it's got minor seconds and contrabassoons and an opera voice, of course it's gonna sound creepy.

But to me it sounds a bit cheap. It sounds like the composer made a list of things that sound creepy and just mashed them together into a song.

EDIT: I agree with all points made by Bridge. But I disagree with his non-idealization of Mikko Tarmia. Mikko Tarmia is a god and his soundtracks are like manna from the heavens. Except for the Overgrowth one.

[Nyarlathotep]

..Then tell me, why is the music being praised so much?..

For me, personally, listening to it by itself made me feel plenty uneasy. This alone speaks for how I perceive its quality. Again, this is being put into a dark, sick horror game. I don't expect every track to be pleasant.


I appreciate it for the feeling I got from listening, and I can tell it will only be more effective alongside the weird imagery that's bound to be in the game.

Edit: And just as a comparison. The track that's used in the Halloween trailer, a different song clearly, and seems to be the likely candidate for the main theme. I find that track pleasant to listen to, despite also being rather dark. This new one clearly is meant to serve a different purpose - which we won't understand until we see its use within the game.