- Introduction
The goal of this project is to develop the original soundtrack for the first episode of Mechanical Saga: Life’s Ultimate Gamble and to create a music system that makes it possible to adapt to the gameplay and support the game’s narrative, subtly guiding the player regarding different situations and progress within the game. After having understood the story and the mechanisms behind the game, there was a better foundation on how to approach music, while making it sound cohesive throughout the game. How to adapt the music to specific situations is a key element of the research, as well as considering all possible scenarios in order to succeed in supporting every possible situation. This methods are tailored for this game but can also be applied to other games of similar nature. Direct implementation the music in the game was not possible yet due to unforeseen complexity regarding the incompatibility between Fmod, the chosen audio middleware for music programming, and RPG Maker, used to develop the game, although the programmer, Daniel Malhadas, is currently working on ways to bridge this technical gap.
Fig. 1 Mechanical God Saga: Life’s Ultimate Gamble Menu Section.
2. The Game
Mechanical God Saga is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game blending Japanese and Western RPG elements, focused on storytelling, exploration, and impactful player choices. To quote from Malhadas, In a world ruled by the cruel God Emperor, mutated humans are hunted, while a mysterious Mechanical God watches from the shadows. The goal is to uncover the truth, and challenge prejudice through battles and character evolution. Players enhance their characters by exploring for better items and equipment or engaging in battles to gain experience and grow stronger. Please refer to the previous documentation for further explanation of the game.
In the next blocks there will be an explanation on how the music was composed, the adaptive elements and the subsequent music programming using Fmod.
