As much as we love or hate the AI director, he’s the one who gets all our attention. We pray to him, we beg of him, we hate him. He’s the one who makes the decisions about what hits us and when, but he also gives us the healthkits, pills and weapons that keep us alive. He’s omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient. But we all forget one simple thing.
He has a brother
A beneficial one, who chooses to help rather than hinder (even with his gifts, the AI director is still toying with us, using us as playthings, gladiators). One who chooses to even the odds a little against his more sadistic brother. But we can choose to refuse his aid, and I’m sorry to say that many of us do. I am talking, of course, of…
The Music Director
Left 4 Dead is the one multiplayer game where music can be just as important as hearing your teammates. We all like the music on the Ubercharged TF2 server, of course, but it’s distracting in regular or “serious” gameplay. I’m pretty sure that a lot of people, back in the days of the demo, went into the options menu and turned off music as soon as they saw the option (I know some people I play with have), but I would beg them reconsider.
People who, like me, have the music turned on, have a definite advantage over those who don’t because, quite simply…
We know what’s coming
we’re the one’s who are somehow able to tell there’s a witch, even before you can hear the crying. we’re the ones who know there’s about to be a tank, even before he starts roaring. We’re the ones who, a few seconds before the hoard come, rush to the nearest corner and get ready to start meleeing. We have that precious few seconds before the excrement hits the cold air distribution device. And, because you prefer to be able to hear the game sounds a tiny bit better, you don’t.
In my experience, it’s the game noises themselves (Gunfire, the hoard) that seem to overwhelm the sound of the boomer or smoker on the roof, the hunter around the corner. It’s actually the game sounds (including voice) that drown each other out.
The music blends into the background: after a few days, you’ll only notice it when it changes. And it’s the change that matters. You will learn to interpret the music, to know which rhythms and changes in the pace and dynamics mean what. And it will melt in, become part of your gameplay.
And not only that, but the music improves the immersiveness of the game. It makes it a much scarier experience.
Trust me, musicless players. Turn the option back on. Tweak your balance a bit if you must, but it’s better with the music on.
And to the music director:
Play that funky music, whiteboy.
:D
