Autor: Francisco Sylla

Creating an adaptive music system for the video game

prototype Henry (2022)

This thesis by Lucien Montandon focuses on creating an adaptive music system for an

indie video game prototype called Henry. The game is a single-player narrative adventure

with platforming elements, where players take on the role of Henry, a character who can

possess and control various everyday objects around him. Through these interactions,

players explore different phases of Henry’s life, solving puzzles and progressing through the

story.

The main goal of Montandon’s thesis is to enhance the gameplay experience by designing

a music system that dynamically adjusts to the player’s actions and the game’s changing

environments. Montandon explores various types of adaptive audio, including interactive,

generative, and procedural audio, and integrates these into the game through a layered

music system. The adaptive music system responds to different in-game events: it can

intensify during action sequences or create specific atmospheres in different rooms.

By utilising software such as FMOD and Unity, the thesis dives into the technical side of

implementing this adaptive audio. Montandon also distinguishes between different music

integration techniques, like vertical layering (where different musical elements fade in and

out) and horizontal sequencing (where the music shifts entirely between themes or styles).

Each of these approaches is tested to assess how they contribute to gameplay and

whether they can scale for future levels in the game.

Level of Design/Creativity

The work demonstrates a sophisticated level of design, especially in its conceptual

approach to creating an adaptive music system for gaming. The author shows a deep

understanding of complex audio systems, notably adaptive, generative, and procedural

audio, as well as vertical and horizontal layering techniques. His creative approach in

designing different systems reflects advanced sound design tailored to gaming

experiences.

Degree of Innovation

This thesis presents a notable innovation by combining adaptive and generative techniques

tailored for a game prototype. By developing unique audio solutions for gameplay that

include real-time interactions, layered compositions, and customisable responses to player

actions, the work stands out as an original and valuable contribution to game audio.

Independence

The author demonstrates a strong level of self-sufficiency, not only in theoretical research

but also in practical application and testing. This is evident from the structured approach to

testing the systems with gameplay videos before in-game implementation and developing

solutions tailored to the game „Henry.“

Structure and Organization

The structure is well-organised, guiding the reader through the theoretical foundations, the

technical aspects of the adaptive music systems, and the application within the gameplay.

Each section logically builds on the previous one, allowing even readers with less technical

knowledge to follow. However, there is a high level of technical detail that might benefit

from simplification or additional visuals for clarity.

Communication Level

The communication style is clear and informative. Complex audio terminologies are defined

well, making the work accessible.

Scope of Work

The work is comprehensive, covering various music systems, their individual functionalities,

and the impact on gameplay. The depth of detail regarding adaptive audio and the technical

aspects of integrating FMOD and Unity shows that the thesis is extensive and tackles both

conceptual and practical elements.

Spelling and Accuracy

There seem to be a few inaccuracies in terms of spelling. Regarding technical terminology

there is a detailed approach to defining terms maintaining clarity and precision.

Literature Use

The author uses relevant and recent literature, and sources are cited effectively. The use of

industry references, such as the examples from specific games and audio systems,

enhances credibility and demonstrates a strong understanding of the current game audio

scene.

Trigger Mapping

The following table aims to clarify the needed triggers that create a change in the music, as well as what these changes consist of in a musical matter.

Location	Theme	Trigger	Trigger Details	Musical Changes
Iridir Forest	1st Theme	Tension	When the first three soldiers appear.	Musical elements sound slightly more synthesised, increased cutoff frequencies, more grit and slight detuning.
	2nd Theme	Tension	When approaching the “rug” that leads to the prison, and the first beast figure appears.	Increased volume and cutoff frequency of the bass, elements sound more metallic.
		Location	Transitioning to the prison side.	New background melody layer.
Iridir Prison	1st Theme	Tension	When beasts appear after the friend is released.	Added orchestral percussion and bass elements.
		Location	Transitioning to the second zone.	Added smooth drum layer.
		Location	Transitioning to a new, undefined zone (to be determined by the programmer).	Added melody.

7. Technical Implementation

Creating adaptive music for Mechanical God Saga requires audio middleware to connect the music to the game, reacting to triggers sent from the game engine. As mentioned before, Fmod was used for this purpose, as it is a standard tool in the game industry. Unfortunately the integration with RPG Maker, the game’s programming software, was not successful as there is no direct connectivity between this two programs. Fmod has direct integration for Unity, Unreal Engine and others, but not RPG Maker. This requires additional programming through JavaScript to establish a functional link. Daniel Malhadas, the game’s creator and programmer, is currently researching and developing this connection, which by this time has already been able to connect some of the elements.

Within the adaptive system, there are branching and layering needs. As a starting point to understand these systems, the next figure shows an example of a system designed for the first prison theme, “Iridir Prison I”, which consists of two location and one tension triggers. A, B and C refer to the three different locations, the white forms represent a normal state and the grey ones representing the tension states. The arrows represent the possible transitions that can happen, which was designed after understanding what is possible to happens within this section of the game.

For the layering approach, instead of exporting individual layers, I exported each version as a full mix and whenever a trigger happens, there is a smooth and quick transition between segments, which was possible to tailor within Fmod.

Fig. 3 Adaptive mapping system for Iridir first theme (Iridir Prison I).

Regarding fights, Fmod’s built-in parameters were used to create the dulling effect when the player is injured, enhancing immersion with equalization curves, which can be heard in the Fmod file attached to the documentation. All the other adaptive songs are also included in the project.

This blog analysis the rest of the scenes of the first episode of Mechanical Saga: Life’s Ultimate Gamble.

Iridir Prison

• Scene Description 

One of the main goals of this location is to rescue an old friend who is inprisioned. It is an underground location, illuminated by old fire lamps. There should be an eerie sense of danger and challenge as it is a location controlled by the empire and anything can happen at any moment.

• Story and Gameplay

The inprisioned friend was caught robbing the city’s medicine cabinet to save his mother. He was also being watched as it was claimed that he started a union of workers and incited strikes, which is true. 

At first, when entering the prison, there is the possibility to read a book called “Destructionism and the Will to Live”, which claims that demons are “man-made” and it reflects on their will to live. Then the prisoner can be found in the next room, and to release him the player has to find a switch in the room to unlock the prison, by solving a small riddle. After this, the prison lock opens and two beasts appear to fight shortly after. This fight is more advanced in terms of strategy, there is more complexity and use of nature elements. 

After the fight there is the possibility of carrying on to other zones, with several more enemies to possibly fight and treasure chests with important items to be collected. There are five different zones, and from the last one it is possible to get to the “Warden Chambers”, where the final beast will be. Here there will be the final “boss fight” of this scene. The battle can take until approximately ten minutes. After the fight the player has to exchange some final words with the beast, decide its faith (to kill him or not) and then quickly leave the prison as it slowly crumbles.

• Music Soundtrack

For this scene there will be six musical pieces, including two fight songs. The first theme of the scene will accompany the player throughout the quest until the boss encounter, which will bring back the main theme, followed by a special fight song (the boss fight theme) that represents the peak of tension. Until there the music track will also be interrupted by the standard fight music as it happens in Iridir Forest. After winning the boss battle, the player has the ability to choose the faith of the beast, deciding between killing it or letting it live. This calls for a reflective music (second theme), which is then followed by the third theme as the player quickly has to escape the prison solving a final riddle.

What should the music portray?

First Theme (Iridir Prison I): Eeriness, danger, challenge, use metallic elements to represent the jails.

Second Theme (Iridir Prison II): Sense of victory; triumphant, conclusion of an important chapter.

Third Theme (Iridir Prison III): Reflexion, hint of empathy for the beast.

Boss Fight: Peak of tension, challenge, drama, adrenaline.

This chapter encompasses an updated analysis of the various scenes of Mechanical Saga’s, in terms of narrative and visual scene, which directed the music composition in emotional terms and helped to define music changing triggers.

Menu

The menu section consists of a visual representation of “Iridir Forest”, which is described in the next scene, together with the sky (on the left), representing the long adventurous journey that the player will dive into. Keywords for the music composition include mistery, adventure, fantasy and long journey.

Story-Telling

At the start of the game, a storytelling sequence introduces the player to the unfolding conflict, allowing them to choose their character and customize its features. This moment sets the stage for an epic journey, making it an ideal place to introduce the main theme. The theme conveys a sense of power and grandeur, symbolizing the beginning of a long conquest while also hinting at mystery. This theme will be re-introduced near the final battle and at the end of the first episode, reinforcing its significance, tying key moments together and emphasizing the weight of the player’s journey.

Iridir Forest

• Scene Description 

In this scene we encounter ourselves in a forest with a lake. The atmosphere is calm and peaceful until soldiers inevitably appear for a first fight. Later, after having completed the next section, Iridium’s Prison, the player goes back to Iridir Forest, in the “Upper Cliff”.

• Story and Gameplay

Our character has the possibility to wander freely in the forest until he is approached by three soldiers who claim that he was guilty of killing various soldiers of their squad, even though he had swore allegiance to them. After this unavoidable dialogue there is the first fight against them. After the battle there will be more soldiers walking around, and there is always the possibility to fight them individually (although sometimes then there appear more soldiers in the fight) if the player chooses to, earning points and getting stronger in case of winning. Later there will be another fight with a so called “beast”, which is stronger than the common soldiers. After this fight the player is able to transition to Iridir’s Prison, which is the next described scene, and after its completion, the player leaves the prison, entering the “Upper Cliff” zone of Iridir’s Forest for a final dialogue with his friend, being happy and relieved to have gotten out of this adventure alive, but also longing for the life of others that were killed within the prison.

• Music Soundtrack

For this scene there are three musical themes, with the first one ending with the beginning of the first battle. There is also a song for the battle scene, which will be used for all common battles, followed by the second theme that will continue in the next scene, which aims to purvey some relief after winning the first fight. The third theme occurs when the player gets to the “Upper Cliff” after completing the prison scene.

What should the music portray?

First Theme (Iridir Forest I): Sense of having to conquer something; the start of a new journey; fantasy; motivation.

Second Theme (Iridir Forest II): Relief; sense of victory; positive feeling;

Third Theme (Iridir Forest III): Relief, end of a tense journey, melancholy, contemplation, mixture of sadness and joy.

Fight Theme: Challenge, adrenaline, drama, upbeat.

For Mechanical God Saga, the most relevant musical adaptations are linked to the game status and player’s position. These aspects are crucial due to the game’s inherent contrast between tense battle scenes and more relaxed exploratory moments. The music will change as the player moves between different rooms, subtly guiding and marking progress. Regarding the game status, when inevitably confronted with other soldiers, the music will adapt and portray tension, as most often this encounters result in battles. This way the narrative of the game is supported, enhancing the players feeling of tension. A different approach was tested where, depending if enemies were around, tension would be applied in the soundtrack, but as it is possible to avoid them by not running into them, as if they didn’t see the player’s character, and as it is common in gameplay, it was decided to only apply tension when the inevitable encounters happen. The tension may then be kept for a longer period of time after the encounter, depending on the situation. This encounters happen at certain situations in the game, such as when a certain goal, like releasing a friend from prison is achieved, which is then followed by the appearance of the enemies. This system simplifies the approach and makes the tension feel more impactful, otherwise several instances in the game would trigger the tense states, reducing its impact.

 Regarding battles, the health status of the player will also be causing a change in musical parameters, so that the player becomes aware of being closer to losing. 

How are these changes portrayed in the soundtrack?

• Player’s position

As the player constantly has to get to new map zones in order to progress, new instrumentation is layered on top of the existing one whenever this happens. It subtly signs progression as the music becomes richer and is in harmony with the existing one.

• Game Status

To evoke tension when confronted with enemies, some of the used techniques include adding low percussion elements, raising the cutoff frequency of filters and incorporating horn instruments. Synthesized sounds with a metallic aspect are also associated with the enemy soldiers as for their metallic vests, and its connection to the mystery of a nuclear event. As a reference, Age of Empires enhances tension with low percussion and tremolo strings, while Corrupted Dungeons increases percussion and uses horns when enemies appear.

• Health Status

In order to portray lower levels of the health level during battles, a decay of the musical brightness happens, which comes due to injury often being portrayed by a decrease in sensors, using a low-pass filter to make audio elements less distinct. The reduction of the stereo field, as used in Nier: Automata, is also an interesting technique, although we chose not to use it for aesthetic reasons.

Regarding battle outcomes, different musical endings will be triggered depending on whether the player wins or loses. Drawing inspiration from Final Fantasy VII, a victory will be marked by an energetic and triumphant arrangement, while a loss triggers a more dramatic tone, although not discouraging the player to try again, as players have the opportunity to instantly retry battles.

The composition blends orchestral and electronic elements, combining the historical and supernatural themes of the game. Most instruments are virtual MIDI-controlled, allowing flexible parameter adjustments for adaptive variations. The orchestral instrumentation, while not entirely realistic, complements the not-so-high fidelity of the game’s visuals.

When composing for specific scenarios, it was crucial to convey the appropriate emotions – mystery, relief, or stress – while ensuring seamless synchronisation with gameplay. Therefore emotional mapping was done for each scene with keywords of intended emotions.

Analysing compositional techniques, such as in the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack, helped shape my approach, particularly in crafting mystery and excitement through harmonic choices.

The menu music incorporates lydian and mixolydian #11 scales, creating a mysterious yet adventurous feel. For the main theme, I aimed for a powerful,dramatic atmosphere, similar to Game of Thrones, emphasising grandeur, tension, and mystery. The heavy drums and rich string textures evoke battle and power struggles, reinforcing the game’s narrative depth. These elements are integrated through tense chord progressions and deep and resonant fifths in the lower register, enhancing the dramatic impact.

The boss fight represents the game’s climax, demanding the most intense and chaotic musical expression. To capture this, I used an irregular 7/8 time signature, creating a sense of instability and aggression. I incorporated diminished and half-diminished scales, in a way that heightens the dissonance and further amplifying the intensity and urgency of the battle.

1. 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.

Compositional Methods

Before addressing the composition for each scene individually, it is essential to ensure that the game’s soundtrack feels cohesive. A unified musical experience maintains player immersion while balancing it with unique characteristics for each scene to keep the experience interesting. To achieve this, I plan to use common instrumentation across various tracks, incorporating unique elements for each scene.

The soundtrack will blend orchestral and electronic elements. The orchestral components, controlled by MIDI instruments, align with the game’s historical theme and match the not-so-high fidelity of the game’s visuals. This mix of virtual acoustic and electronic instruments enhances the fantasy world of Mechanical God Saga. Matching the music’s fidelity with the visuals is deliberate; it creates a coherent experience and can positively impact the game, although sometimes not matching the music to the fidelity of the visuals can also work. This discrepancy can be used to have a positive effect on the game, uplifting it. This is sometimes used in cases where the games are developed for smaller devices without so much computer power, which is not the case for our game.

For composing specific scenarios, it is crucial to convey the appropriate emotions for each scene, such as peacefulness, relief, or stress. Understanding the scene’s context and potential events is key to achieve this. Triggers for musical changes can happen at any time, necessitating quick synchronization with gameplay. It is imperative to identify every possible moment in the music where a change might be needed and adjust accordingly to maintain immersion.

For example, in the forest scene, different musical changes are applied depending on which section of the song is playing when enemies appear. Figure 1 illustrates the initial mapping to achieve a state of tension for this scenario. Other music themes will require multiple states of tension, depending on the evolving situations. However, for the initial forest scene, only a single state of tension is necessary.

By carefully mapping out these musical changes and ensuring quick adaptation to gameplay triggers, the soundtrack will enhance the overall experience of Mechanical God Saga, creating a seamless and immersive journey for players.

The music structure goes as following:

Intro > Segment A > Segment B > Segment C

And for each section there is a need of mapping the changes, as the next table shows, regarding a first state of tension that we want to portray. Synthesized sounds with a metallic aspect are being considered to be associated with the enemy soldiers as for their metallic vests and its connection to the mystery of the nuclear event. As the structure is not linear, the structure mentioned above refers to the way it was composed. Different sections will be looped depending on gameplay, which doesn’t include the intro.

INTRO	SegMent A	Segment b	Segment C
Always the same, only plays once.	Increased cutoff frequency for the bass.	Replace instrumentation to more synthesized/metallic sounds, pumping effect.	Increased cutoff frequency for the bass.
–	Replace flutes with synthesized trumpets.	Change in the melody.	Replace flutes and violins with detuned synthesized sounds.

Fig.1 Adaptive process for a first state of tension.

As the intro starts during an introductory dialogue, it is not possible to get to the enemies while it is playing, therefore there is no need to map changes to this initial part of the music. The other sections have defined changes that are designed to increase a state of alertness and a sense of danger.

Technical Implementation

Creating adaptive music for Mechanical God Saga requires audio middleware to connect the music to the game, reacting to triggers from the game engine. For this project, we will use FMOD, which can be integrated with RPG Maker, the game’s programming software. While there is no official connection between FMOD and RPG Maker, additional programming through JavaScript will be necessary to establish a functional link. Daniel Malhadas, the game’s creator and programmer, is currently researching and developing this connection.

Within the adaptive system, there are branching and layering needs. As a starting point to understand these systems, the next figure shows a simple system designed for the first forest theme, as there is only one trigger happening, related to a state of tension. The red segments represent the altered music for the state of tension.

Fig. 2 Adaptive mapping system for the initial forest theme.

All transitions and overlay triggers need to be quantized to the BPM of the source cue and have meter and quantization grid setup. All starts and stops should have adjustable fade in and fade out lengths. This will ensure a smooth and quick transition between segments.

For the layering approach, instead of exporting individual layers, I exported each version as a full mix and will blend between them when a trigger occurs. This method addresses the need for continuous changes, such as increasing the bass filter’s cutoff frequency to achieve tension. Ideally, these adjustments would be controlled within the audio engine, but due to software limitations with the virtual instruments used, this is not possible. This approach offers a practical solution to those limitations. FMOD’s built-in parameters, such as equalization curves, pitch, reverb, and delay, will be used to create effects like dulling the music when the player is injured, enhancing immersion with equalization curves and possibly stereo field reduction.

As mentioned before, control knobs—either continuous or stepped— are planned to adjust the music based on the scene’s tension, the protagonist’s position, and the health or success rate during battles. If the game’s programmer can access this knob system, applying the necessary changes will be much easier, simplifying communication between the music and game sections.

How to adapt the music to specific situations of the game is a key element of the research, as well as considering all possible scenarios in order to succeed in supporting every possible situation. In this paper there will be an explanation of the current process, from scene and emotional description to the mapping of adaptive needs and the subsequent changes in the music. This methods are tailored for Mechanical God Saga’s game but can also be applied to other games with similar nature.

Firstly we are gonna analyze the scenes of the game’s first episode, which includes Iridir Forest and Iridir Prison. Story telling should be part of the music as well or support the narrative, therefore it is very relevant to understand what is happening in each of the scenes.

Iridir Forest

• Scene Description 

This is the first scene of the game where the player has to infiltrate the prison to “set god free” or in other words, execute him. In this scene we encounter ourselves in a forest with a lake. The atmosphere is calm and peaceful until the soldiers appear for a first fight.

• Story and Gameplay

Our character has the possibility to wander freely in the forest until he is approached by three soldiers who claim that he killed various soldiers of their squad. He had swore allegiance to them at the time, they are part of the “empire”. Then there is the first fight against them. After the battle there will be more soldiers walking around, and there is always the possibility to fight them individually (although sometimes then there appear more soldiers in the fight) if the player chooses to, earning points and getting stronger in case of winning. Later there will be another fight with a so called “beast”, which is stronger than the common soldiers.

• Music Soundtrack

For this scene I thought appropriate to have two musical pieces, excluding the fighting music, so that the player doesn’t stay on each one for too much time as it can take some time to trigger the next piece.

What should the music portray?

First Song (forest wandering): Peacefulness; sense of having to conquer something; the start of a new journey; fantasy.

Second Song (after winning the fight): Relief; sense of victory; positive feeling;

• Triggers

First Song

1. When the first three soldiers appear. Add tension.

Second Song

1. Transitioning to the prison side. Subtle hint of progress, add instrumentation.

2. Getting to the “rug” that leads to the prison, when the first beast figure appears. It should get more tense. But be careful as there seems to exist a possibility of leaving.

3. In case of winning the battle, get back to a less tense and more relaxed version. This segment will end quickly as we transition to the next scene inside the prison.

Iridir Prison

• Scene Description 

The goal of this location is to rescue an old friend who is inprisioned. It is an underground location, illuminated by old fire lamps. There should be an eerie sense of danger and challenge as it is a location controlled by the empire and anything can happen at any moment. Metal is a relevant element that might be used in the composition as it represents the jails.

• Story and Gameplay

The inprisioned friend was caught robbing the city’s medicine cabinet to save his mother. He was also being watched as it was claimed that he started a union of workers and incited strikes, which is true. 

At first, when entering the prison, there is the possibility to read a book called “Destructionism and the will to live”, which claims that demons are “man-made” and it reflects on their will to live. Then the prisoner can be found in the next room, and to release him the player has to find a switch in the room to unlock the prison, by solving a small “puzzle”. After this, the prison lock opens and two beasts appear to fight shortly after. This fight is more advanced in terms of strategy, there is more complexity and use of nature elements. 

After the fight there is the possibility of carrying on to other zones, with several more enemies to possibly fight and treasure chests with important items to be collected. There are 5 different zones, and from the last one it is possible to get to the Warden Chambers, where the final beast will be. Here there will be the final “boss” fight of this scene and the music should be different, more complex and perhaps using uncommon time measures. The battle can take until approximately 10 minutes. After the fight there will be another music piece and it should become very triumphant when using the travel circle at the end!

• Music Soundtrack

For this scene there will be two musical pieces, excluding the fighting music. The first will accompany the player throughout the quest and the other one will represent the success of having accomplished the desired goals.

What should the music portray?

First Song: Eeriness, danger, challenge, use metallic elements to represent the jails.

Second Song: Sense of victory; triumphant, conclusion of an important chapter.

• Triggers

First song:

1. Entering Iridir Prison F1 room, as a subtle sign of progress.
2. Switching the switch that opens the prison. Friend is released. Coloration change, refreshment, higher frequencies.
3. Beasts appearing after friend is released. More tension.
4. Entering the second F1 zone. Various fights will happen here, transmit more tension.
5. Entering Iridir F2, subtle sign of progress.
6. Entering Iridir F3, subtle sign of progress.
7. Entering Iridir F4, subtle sign of progress.
8. Opening the golden chest, subtle sign of progress.
9. Entering F5 zone, subtle sign of progress.
10. Entering the Warden Chambers where the final beast is located. Peak of tension, epic.

Notes:

Getting back to previous zones is a necessary step in order to progress within this scene, so there shouldn’t be a musical regression when going back to a previous room. Second song is shorter and has no necessary triggers, aside the one to start it. It should be triggered when getting to the travel circle. Getting to the forest again represents the end of this first episode.

Adaptive Elements

The adaptive elements are triggered depending on control signals from the game. Typical controls signals are mentioned below.

• Position of the protagonist;
• Position or distance from the antagonist;
• Environment: weather/time of the day;
• Game status (tension/relaxation);
• Emotional state of the player;
• Health status of the protagonist;
• Interaction with Non Playable Characters (NPC’s).

For Mechanical God Saga, the most relevant musical adaptations are linked to the game status and player’s position. These aspects are crucial due to the game’s inherent contrast between tense battle scenes and more relaxed exploratory moments. The music will change as the player moves between different rooms, subtly guiding and marking progress. Additionally, the health status and success of the protagonist in battles will influence the musical adaptation during combat.

Musical elements such as structure, tempo, melodic contour, harmony, and loudness can convey a wide range of emotions to support various gameplay scenarios. To evoke tension, common techniques include increasing tempo, changing time signatures, adding low percussion elements, raising the cutoff frequency of filters, incorporating horn instruments, and using tremolo effects. For instance, Age of Empires enhances tension with low percussion and tremolo strings, while Corrupted Dungeons increases percussion and uses horns when enemies appear.

During battles, injury is often portrayed by a decrease in sensors, which can be represented by dulling the sound, typically using a low-pass filter to make audio elements less distinct. Enhanced breathing and heartbeat sounds can also indicate exhaustion, although these techniques are more effective in a 3D first-person environment and may not be suitable for Mechanical God Saga. Another interesting technique is the reduction of the stereo field as used in Nier: Automata, which will be tested in our game.

For technical implementation, control knobs are planned to adjust the music based on the scene’s tension and the protagonist’s position and also health or success rate during battles. The specific implementation details will be explored in the technical chapter.

Regarding battle outcomes, different musical endings will be triggered depending on whether the player wins or loses. Drawing inspiration from Final Fantasy VII, a victory will be marked by an energetic and triumphant arrangement, while a loss will have a dramatic tone that shifts to a hopeful piece, encouraging the player to try again. This principle will be integrated into our game, as players have the opportunity to instantly retry battles.

In this documentation, we take a step further into the music creation for the Role-Playing Game (RPG) Mechanical Saga: Life’s Ultimate Gamble and its adaptive elements. After exploring dynamic implementation techniques in the previous semester, we now apply and tailor them to best serve the gameplay experience. Firstly it is crucial to understand the game’s concept and how it is played, which will be analyzed in this paper. After understanding the game, there is a better foundation on how to go about the music, what qualities it should have, also having in mind that it should ideally sound cohesive throughout the game, maintaining a sense of unity between different scenes.

What is the game about?

 “Mechanical God Saga”is a video game that places a strong emphasis on storytelling, exploration and impactful consequences ofplayer choices. It blends key elements of both Japanese and WesternRPG’s, aiming to revolutionize both genres and craft an immersive experience.

The narrative seeks to explore the themes of totalitarianism, genetic mutation, and the clash between humanity and altered beings in a post-apocalyptic society. It delves into the nature of power, the impact of historical cataclysms, and the potential for coexistence amid oppression and prejudice.

Centuries after a devastating nuclear event, the remnants of humanity are trapped in a totalitarian society that has emerged from the ruins of their former civilization. Genetic mutations, stemming from the nuclear disaster and historical experiments, have given some insects and animals extraordinary abilities, enabling them to coexist with humans as equals.

Among humans, a specific gene continues to manifest, resulting in physical deformities such as wings or scarred skin, which society deems as demonic. This has led to persecution by the God Emperor, who seeks to enslave or exterminate these individuals as a religious campaign.

Amid this turmoil, a mysterious entity known as „The Mechanical God“ observes the unfolding events, while its presence and connection to the nuclear catastrophe remain enigmatic.

The narrative raises critical questions:

• What drives the God Emperor’s genocidal obsession?
• Can humans and these so-called demons ever achieve peaceful coexistence, or will one group always dominate the other?
• What dark secrets link the Mechanical God to the origins of the nuclear disaster and the current societal conflicts?

Through these inquiries, the story examines the possibility of overcoming deeply ingrained prejudices and the quest for truth in a world scarred by its past.

What is the goal of the gameplay?

As a Role-Playing Game, there is a significant emphasis on battles and the evolution of playable characters. The player is encouraged to continually enhance the fighting abilities of the characters, whether by exploring various scenarios to find better items and equipment or by manipulating the flow of battle to maximize gained experience.

Gameplay also serves the narrative (and vice versa) in the sense that the player will constantly have to make decisions, sometimes in dialogues but often in actions during battles, affecting how the game world reacts to the characters. Therefore, on the journey to becoming increasingly capable in battles, the player will inevitably have to decide what kind of character they are building and what actions they are willing to take to accumulate more power. These decisions will be, but not limited to, based on moral and interpersonal dilemmas, prompting the player to seek a balance between the moral compass envisioned for the main character and their insatiable quest for power: essential to overcome and surpass the challenges presented by the narrative.

How is it played?

There are different ways of interacting with the game:

• Exploration

The player will physically navigate the character through a series of interconnected scenarios filled with secrets and hidden optional paths. For players who prefer a more straightforward experience, there will be a linear path available to follow from beginning to end. However, players that take the time to explore and carefully consider clues presented through dialogue and visual context will be rewarded with unique items and abilities that, when used strategically, can significantly alter their gameplay experience. 

• Dialogue and Decisions

Throughout the game, the player will encounter numerous opportunities to interact with other characters and the world by choosing from multiple options. These choices not only affect the overall narrative but also have an impact on how characters and the world react to the player. For example, consistently exhibiting aggressive behavior toward a faction will lead its members to share that information and respond with displeasure. This principle applies equally to villagers, city residents, and even allies.

• Battles

The game features a complex and challenging battle system. Battles occur in turns, with each character performing their action in sequence.

Unlike other games with more traditional turn-based systems, where battle interaction is limited to choosing options from a menu, in Mechanical God Saga, the player has the possibility to perform a sequence of inputs to maximize damage to the enemy. Similarly, when under attack, the player, by pressing the defense button at the exact moment the enemy attack hits, can defend themselves, reducing damage by 50%. Thus, actions in battle are interactive and dynamic.

When attacking, the player accumulates a combo counter. By successfully defending enemy attacks in their entirety, they can maintain the combo from turn to turn, increasing it each time. Increasing the combo also proportionally increases the damage the player inflicts on enemies. Consequently, by increasing the damage done with each action, the player also proportionally increases the experience points earned when executing their turn. In this way, the defense mechanism is not only suitable for reducing received damage but also for increasing the maximum potential damage to be dealt and for gaining experience points more quickly, efficiently, and intelligently.

This combo counter is retained from battle to battle. This requires the player to always be attentive and carefully execute their actions, even when facing weaker enemies on the path to a challenging enemy, as maintaining this combo can be the difference between victory and defeat.