Experienced Worlds

This thesis investigates the role of the composer in enhancing video game immersion: what musical techniques do composers employ to immerse players in narrative video game environments? To do so, it first establishes what it means to be immersed in a video game and what makes up a game environment, then analyses how player immersion is targeted by the use of specific musical techniques that promote a greater sense of connection between the player and the world, story, and characters of the game. Through the study of four case studies—the environments of the sky and the cave and the experiences of adventure and conflict—this thesis describes the phenomenological responses invited by the use of compositional techniques. Composers use musical representation of the environment to contribute to player sense of place and investment in the world, and representation of experiences to connect the player to an experience of the game's narrative, enhancing immersion in adventures that take place in imagined worlds.

Over the past couple of years, I've often been asked the question "What kind of music do you listen to?" For some reason, this question has always stumped me. I'd think about it for a moment, and maybe start to answer flamenco, then realise that earlier that morning I had listened to jazz, but the night before I was exploring metal. I never had a good answer to the question, because there wasn't one. For many of us, there is no neat way to describe the music we listen to because we listen to dozens of genres and styles, our music choices changing depending on where we are and what we're doing. I think over time, my answer to this question has become a vague "whatever music is right for the moment".

That being said, the music that has most influenced my compositional style is video game music, which itself is devoid of genre. Some game scores feature a full orchestra, others use solo piano, while others still use jazz bands. This thesis uses video games—which offer clear representations of environment and narrative—as a medium within which to investigate this question of how my everyday choices of music correlate with my present environment and experience. As I've played through a number of narrative games, I have always cherished being immersed in the fantasy world, finding a way to be an essential part of the game and story.

Before starting this project, I anticipated that I would place a heavy emphasis on music analysis, identifying every musical trait that made a video game sky, for example, feel like a sky. That didn't end up being the case, and the thesis instead uses four case studies of environments and experiences to support a much more deliberate consideration of the role music plays in enhancing the player's immersion throughout the game. This thesis has been a joy to work on, and I hope that its various components can be of use in several ways. For composers like myself who wonder on how we can craft imagery through music, this project sheds light on what compositional tools are available to us, and how deeper listening grants us access to a shared literacy to draw upon for musical representation. For the field of ludomusicology, I hope that my writing offers a new angle on the connection between video game music and immersion, highlighting the role of musical representation in building immersivity. For those involved less deeply with music but who nonetheless derive great joy in listening, I hope the ideas discussed here invite us to think on music's role in enhancing presence in our everyday lives.

First, a massive thank you to my thesis advisor, Mark Burford. I sprinted into my thesis with an eagerness to begin listening to music and start writing, and you moulded that excitement into careful thought, pushing me to think through so many new questions and explore this topic from every possible angle. Above all, thank you for your guidance on how to go about structuring a project like this—it has been a joy to think about each word's purpose in a sentence, that sentence's purpose in the paragraph, and that paragraph's purpose in the section. Working through this thesis has organised my writing in a way that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Another series of thank you's to all those who listened to me talk through this thesis, especially those who challenged me with new directions for this project to explore. Joel Franklin, thank you for allowing me to come disturb you at any hour of the day with talk of this thesis and topics far beyond. Owen Gross, thank you for your constant enthusiasm and interest in hearing about how this project progressed throughout the year, and Lucas Illing, thank you for advising that I write this thesis my junior year—it was the right decision. Morgan Luker, thank you for your comments on this thesis throughout the process—your advice has only enhanced the end result. Last, thank you to all the friends who endlessly asked me about what games I was looking at each week, those that suggested new music to consider, and especially those that stayed up with me late into the night as I listened to the same audio track over and over again.

My last thank you is to my family. This thesis is the culmination of not just a year of work, but of all my learning and experiences growing up. Thank you, Dad, for introducing me to video games early, to both my parents for creating the space and opportunity for me to explore large projects throughout my youth, and to my brother and cousins for accompanying me on journeys through countless games.