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AURAL FIXATION // YANN SEZNEC

the technique used in the writing note whenever they cross a tile, of rhythm and timing can be seen as to game design, and it shows no
of a fugue, which involves taking a that could get old very quickly a truly integral part of a gameplay sign of slowing down. Musically,
single melody and overlapping it on (particularly if you have to cross experience—one that the best it can be argued that people who
itself in varying ways. Most fugues that tile several times). However, game designers may already be would have become composers
involve three or four voices, each if the character triggers a different incorporating even subconsciously. in the past are now designing
one playing the same core melody note every time they cross that tile, But it is equally important to software and games; these days, the
and cycling through variations. I the player will probably not notice note what the game world can offer most exciting developments in music
always like thinking of the four fugal the connection between the tile and music. This can be looked at both are forms of interface, such as the
melodies as being like four different the playing of the note. In short, you from a creation and an enjoyment Monome input device, or software
characters exploring the same need to strike a balance that creates level. Games are inherently social like SOUND SHAPES for PS Vita.

space, perhaps finding different a strong connection between an and fun experiences, with the vast It should be clear by now that
power-ups that change their speed, action and a musical event, without majority of people playing games I see music and games as two
double their power, and so on. making it repetitive and robotic. That without any pretense of becoming extremely similar things. They
In terms of a more modern balance is what can bring rewarding the best, or even worrying about both have much to offer each other,
composition technique, the complexity to a musical game. how good they are. It’s very rare both conceptually and practically.
rise of looping and sequencing nowadays for anyone to say that Too often they are seen as two
as a musical force lends itself GENERATION they are “not good at games”— separate things that need to be
quite nicely to game design. » Many (if not most) games now virtually everyone plays and enjoys forced to work together, but if they
One prototype we’ve developed rely on some generative element,
here at Lucky Frame is a drum- ranging from fully generated levels PUGS LUV BEATS.
machine space shooter. As the to character-name generators. This
enemies come onscreen, they approach should absolutely be
generate a drum sound, and as mirrored in the world of procedural
they are destroyed, they play music. If you set up a system that
a musical tone. If the levels are generates the musical framework
editable, this instantly creates within which a game is played, the
a sequencer and drum machine music will almost certainly have
that is playable and remixable by more depth and potential. In our iOS
controlling a flying spaceship. It’s game PUGS LUV BEATS, we approached
really the best way to DJ (at least this by procedurally generating the
until it is possible to do that with planet terrains, which controlled all
actual spaceships, anyway). the sound libraries. This ensured
So, now that you’re as excited a potentially infinite amount of

as I am by the intersection between musical combinations.
music and game design, I hear
you asking: “What are the three REPRODUCIBILITY
main things to be aware of?” Good » A simple (but extremely
question! My answer is: complexity, important) principle of any musical
generation, and reproducibility. device is the idea that doing the
same thing twice will result in the
COMPLEXITY same output. Pressing the same
» The most basic form of piano key in exactly the same way
generating music in a game is to twice will sound nearly the same.
attach a musical event to a game Turning the filter knob on a synth

action, such as a character’s will have the same effect every
movement. This can be very time. Without the ability to rely on
powerful and direct, and provides that process, the instrument would
the player with crucial instant be impossible to master. This is, of
feedback, making the direct course, very similar to game design,
connection between action and and as such any musical games some form of game. There is no are approached together they can
music. However, music generation need to have as much reproducibility reason why music should not be definitely become greater than the

needs to have depth. This is no as possible. The challenge with this the same way. Playing music is sum of their parts.
different from an instrument; concept is being able to retain the something that everyone can and
without complexity, it is repetitive elements of mystery and challenge should do, it should be a fun, social YANN SEZNEC is an artist, musician,
noise that will soon become stale that any game needs. activity not reserved for experts. performer, and founder of creative studio
(then boring, then irritating, then In terms of the creative side Lucky Frame. Recent releases for iOS include
abandoned), but if the music that THE GAME OF MUSIC of things, game design (and to a the IGF-nominated PUGS LUV BEATS and the
is being created changes too much, » I have thus far framed many of certain extent software design in critically acclaimed BAD HOTEL, both of which
the connection between the action these concepts in the context of general) is in many ways the most use innovative procedural music techniques.
and the music will be lost. creating a musical game; music vibrant art form in the world right Lucky Frame is based in Edinburgh,
For example, if a character has much to offer game design as a now. An enormous range of styles Scotland, and is currently working on several
will trigger the same musical whole. Even the most basic concepts and approaches are being applied new interactive music projects.

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