Music is as integral of a component to (most) video games and MMOs as the graphics or controls. I understand this, and, hopefully, so do you. But as surprising as it may seem, a lot of people out there, including developers, understate the importance of good music in games.

Mark Morgan and Vladislav Isaev, composers at Nival Online, know what's up. The two have been tasked with creating the soundtrack for the free-to-play MMORPG "Allods Online," and, judging by their comments in a recent interview on the gPotato website, the audio side of "Allods" is in good hands.

"Music is an important component of completing a game because of the atmosphere it creates," said Isaev. "It makes you feel where you are in the game. The mix of sounds and music must be synchronized, combining the sound of the wind, the leaves whispering in a breeze and the music. The sound and the visual aspects must be similar and together make a complete picture, in one seamless experience. They all combine."

Islaev continued, "Music makes the game complete by the atmosphere it creates. It makes you feel where you are. It allows players to experience the magic that they are in-game, with their characters. Of course when you hear the music outside of the game experience, you will return there in your mind. It is a very important part of the overall experience of Allods Online, and the music reflects the environment that players are participating in."

If you're remotely interested in the audio side of games (MMO or not), I recommend checking out the rest of the interview. It's short, but the duo explained what influenced the music and how they were personally inspired.

Posted by Kyle Stallock
June 16, 2009

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