Music in Destiny

by kapowaz, Sunday, June 09, 2013, 09:47 (3983 days ago) @ zumphry

Martin O'Donnell: Well, what you're describing is the approach that film composers take when scoring movies. Of course making this happen during an interactive section of the game rather than just during the cut scenes does take some extra thought and work. I sat with the level designers and "spotted" the level as though it was a movie, with the knowledge that the music would have to be malleable rather than static. I had a system that would allow the game to trigger the start, the stop and a transition within each piece of music. I tend to write and produce linear music, pieces that have a beginning, middle and end. Sort of like almost all other music ever written perhaps? All I needed was a way to extend, contract or vary the middle section in real time.

The results were at times spectacular, and really contributed to the epic feeling of being part of an extraordinary narrative. One moment always stands out for me, and I'm sent back to it whenever I play the piece ‘One Final Effort’ from the soundtrack. As you come to the conclusion of level 8, you are confronted by two scarabs; as you destroy the final scarab the music rises to match. Just brilliant.

Here's hoping we'll have similar signature moments in Destiny.