Being an indie game dev comes with a litany of challenges. Not the least of which is budget. That’s if there is a budget. Most indie devs are forced to do everything themselves. Count yourself amongst the blessed if you have funding!
That being said, where should your money go? When funds are limited every dollar spent has to have a return and there is very little margin for error. There is some room for error but not much.
I hope that this article will help you allocate your funding appropriately when it comes to music.
So what do you get when working with a game composer and what is the result for the player?
Enhanced Emotional Impact
Music is your number one tool to amplify the emotional depth of your game. A skilled composer will create an impact by adding music that resonates with your player and their feelings. If you have ever played a game with the music off then played it with the music on you likely felt like it was a completely different experience.
Atmosphere
Music is also your best tool to set the tone and mood of the overall game. Your game world is limited by the screen the player is using. It’s a window to another world and the player is on the other side. Sound enables your world to surround the player and extend past the screen.
Game Branding
If your game is part of a series or is a commercial success and spawns sequels you will benefit from themes and musical motifs that cement the brand of the game. Consider the Legend of Zelda series. There are certain songs and motifs that the developers work into the newer games to invoke the legacy of the series. Same with games like Final Fantasy and Fire Emblem.
Player Engagement and Retention
Dynamic music is the standard in games now and necessitates a bespoke solution. At least at this point you can not purchase a dynamic score from a music library. Catchy melodies and dynamic music keep your players engaged and keep them playing for longer.
Narrative Support
A good score will reinforce the story. This is a common concept we see in film. It can even inform the player how they should feel about a plot point. Music can pinpoint emotions that we don’t have words for.
Professional Quality Audio
It goes without question that you should get the highest quality audio when working with a game composer. It is our bread and butter so we constantly stay up to date with trends. That includes tech and music trends. At no point should you get something that sounds dated when getting custom music for your game.
Music as a Marketing Tool
Composers that get to keep the rights to their music often end up promoting the soundtrack and the game by extension. If you ask the composer for a buy-out arrangement all those soundtrack sales could end up being extra revenue for you to fund your next game.
A Way to Stand Out
There are hundreds of games being uploaded to Steam every day. To stand out you need to provide a more polished product. Audio is an easy way to stand out in this market. Especially, with streamers. They often experience copyright strikes for music and offering them a game experience that has good music and won’t penalize them for listening to it makes a huge difference.
Conclusion
Investing in a talented game composer can greatly increase the quality of your game if you have the budget for it. Running an indie studio and any business is a balancing act. Consider it carefully. Believe me. Composers would prefer you to be a return customer and you can’t return if your studio has to close so be realistic about what you can afford and what kind of deals you can make with composers. I can’t speak for all of us but I believe we are an understanding bunch.