What do you listen to when Gaming?

[Angel Dust]

I'm also currently playing Fallout 3 which is like 75% just wandering through vast expanses killing mutants/raiders over and over. Are there seriously people who enjoy that without having something to listen to?

I dunno, man, sounds to me like you should play something else. I also found Fallout 3 to be a mostly dull, repetitive experience so I stopped playing it after 20 hours. To continue to play a game, even with a new 'soundtrack', that you find to be so unengaging that you seriously question how anyone could possibly enjoy it, seems like utter madness and a complete waste of time. I guess you must really, really love that other 25% then, huh?

Anyway, in-game music for me too but if it is obnoxiously awful (recent example: RAGE) or extremely repetitive, I'll just turn it off.

[Flint]

Take Fallout 2, for example. I just played through it and it took 60 hours. There are literally like only a dozen different music tracks for that game, each matched to the different areas. They repeat constantly. Moreover, some of the sections of the game are quite tough if you play on hard (as I did). I had to repeat a few fights over and over until I got them right. I don't see how anyone could do that unless they had something to listen to. I actually think listening to it with the in game music is more immersion breaking just because it's so repetitive and dull.

I'd actually count the Fallout/Fallout 2 soundtrack as one of those that are so good I gladly listen to them outside the game...

[DarioSamo]

I'd actually count the Fallout/Fallout 2 soundtrack as one of those that are so good I gladly listen to them outside the game...

OP is just beyond anyone's comprehensions anyway.

I'm pretty much on the same boat(multiplayer grinding games/MMOs-custom music, anything else-in game music). My only exception for multiplayer is Unreal Tournament. The music tracks are fixed to each stage, and they're just so good I never get bored of listening to them. Anyone who played the game a lot should auto-play the stage music on his head just from looking at some screens:

[Revisor]

The only one time I listened to something else when in-game was the old Arena and Daggerfall because we didn't have a sound card.
It turns out it goes pretty well with Paradise Lost. :)

Otherwise only in-game music for me. I want to experience the game as it's meant to be.
I don't mean it personally but by turning off music in Fallout 2 you are something of a heathen to me. :)

Also in multiplayer shooters I usually turn off or down any music as well as player chatter. I play with headphones on and sounds help me orient myself and react faster, to the extent a few players have accused me of cheating / wall hacking when in fact I could hear them and locate them by their sounds.

[DaftPunk]

Trance,80's or Classic music.

[Juan Carlo]

OP is just beyond anyone's comprehensions anyway.

Evolved beyond your comprehension, perhaps. ;-)

At any rate, I don't think I could ever change at this point. Mainly because one of the major reasons why I play video games at all is just as an excuse to listen to music. And it's really always been that way for me--way back, even, in the days when I was playing sonic on the genesis as an 11 year old.

Otherwise, when do people actually have time to listen to music?

I don't think most people sort of just sit down and listen to music. I only usually do it at two different times: when I drive (which isn't all that often) and when I play video games.

I like music too much for me to give it up and to me video games and custom music go together too well.

And again, I don't think I'm missing much.

To name another recent example: I played through "Divinity 2" this summer while primarily listening to Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" for the first time, getting familiar with the opera over many hours of gameplay. It was awesome and fit the game perfectly. I somehow doubt that the in game music in "Divinity 2" is in any way better or more rewarding than Wagner, and I have no doubt that my experience of the game was way better with my own music than had I used the game's.

And honestly, when else am I going to have time to sit down and learn Wagner note by note? For me it was the best of both worlds: playing an entertaining game, all while familiarizing myself with an awesome piece of music I've always wanted to get to know (and I actually do this with Opera alot, just because many Operas are especially "thorny" and it takes a while for them to grow on you--so they make perfect video game music just because you can sort of get acclimated and familiar with them over many game play hours. Then, when they finally open up to you, it's brilliant. Nothing is better, really. I'd highly recommend trying it).

[Jiiiiim]

Assuming I don't have to listen to any speech in-game and I know what I'm doing, and assuming the game's music is a bit rubbish, I'll put on spotify and a randomize button instead. Paradox games are particularly prone to this as they have astonishingly bad soundtracks most of the time. I'll just do a quick rendition of the Hearts of Iron 2 one, shall I?

BLART BLART BLAAAAART BLART

Anyway because of this, Japan's invasion of China, to me, sounds like This. Which can't be a great association to make. This applies with different songs to Civ 4, Mount and Blade, Blood Bowl, Football Manager, games that I've played to absolute death but would appreciate a bit of dramatic underpinning.

In multiplayer you generally need to be able to hear your teammates so it would be just rude to listen during that. An exception was occasionally made of Left4Dead when I was testing the theory that we'd do much better to music. Hawaii 5-0 is excellent for getting to the elevator in No Mercy stage 4, and Sing Sing Sing is superb music for being a tank to. Otherwise, results were inconclusive.

[Wizardry]

The only one time I listened to something else when in-game was the old Arena and Daggerfall because we didn't have a sound card.

I feel sorry for you because Daggerfall has one of the best soundtracks out there.

[Juan Carlo]

I'd actually count the Fallout/Fallout 2 soundtrack as one of those that are so good I gladly listen to them outside the game...

Really?

The period songs are awesome, but they only play in the opening credits, really. The in game music, while OK for a video game, really isn't anything great.

MAybe you just listen to way too much video game music. ;-)

[DigitalSignalX]

It's a mixed bag. Sometimes the game music can be very fun and rewarding to listen to, even after some hours while other times it will be droll and repetitive, forcing me to mute it and bring my own music or podcast in play.

Most MMO's tend toward the latter, and even some of the better music (Aion and LOTRO for example) will simply get repetitive due to the many dozens or even hundreds of hours of hearing it.

Streaming NPR and podcasts like Idlethumbs are great, as well as piano music like Ludovico Einaudi or George Winston. Action games get strong music like Bear McCreary and Richard Gibbs. My first you-tube video featured music by Thomas Newman, another favorite composer.

[squirrel]

Bach the Best, or Jazz.

I dont know why pop music those days are becoming intolerable noise to me, a sign of aging? Anyway, under the enemy fire those noise could drive me crazy. Listening to Bach makes people thinking clearly. Actually you can try that while doing maths, too. And Jazz is more of a releasing thingy.

[fiddlesticks]

The in game music, while OK for a video game, really isn't anything great.

The music playing in New Reno is certainly no 1812 overture, but to me it perfectly sets the mood of the city and contributes a lot to the perceived atmosphere. Which is exactly what I expect from a video game soundtrack.

[somini]

The music playing in New Reno is certainly no 1812 overture, but to me it perfectly sets the mood of the city and contributes a lot to the perceived atmosphere. Which is exactly what I expect from a video game soundtrack.

I'd actually count the Fallout/Fallout 2 soundtrack as one of those that are so good I gladly listen to them outside the game...

This music in particular I thinks it's absolutely brilliant. My favourite by a large margin.

As to when to listen to music I just leave one word here:commutes.

[Voon]

I just couldn't do it in Mirror's Edge.

Here's why


If I just can't stand the music or need to set in the mood, I'll listen to my songs in my iPod. Rock of Mages by Bang Camaro is one of them

[Fumarole]

I'd actually count the Fallout/Fallout 2 soundtrack as one of those that are so good I gladly listen to them outside the game...

I do the same, especially when driving long distances or in heavy traffic. It has a soothing effect on me.

[mickygor]

There's no way I'd listen to my own music. I'd either listen to in game music, or no music. Games aren't just visual, I find audio cues as important if not more important than visual ones. I can't afford to drown them out or draw my attention away from them.

[Juan Carlo]

There's no way I'd listen to my own music. I'd either listen to in game music, or no music. Games aren't just visual, I find audio cues as important if not more important than visual ones. I can't afford to drown them out or draw my attention away from them.

I usually just turn subtitles on for dialog, turn in game music off, then leave in game sound effects at a normal volume. You can still hear everything important that you need to hear over the music provided you don't have it up too loud.

Audio is very important, though. Especially if you play something like L4D2, where you need to listen for individual special infected attacks or for teammates in distress, but like I said, I've never had any trouble hearing the cues.

[Snargelfargen]

I'm surprised this is such a polarising topic. Some games absolutely need the original music, especially if they have a narrative focus. More sandbox-oriented games really benefit from a new soundtrack after a while.

Once or twice a week I settle down for a long gaming session with a custom soundtrack and 3 or 4 beers. This summer it was Brink, and more recently, Terraria. It's a great way to blow off steam. I suppose I could have used positional audio in Brink, but I was generally sprinting around like a lunatic anyways.

To answer the original question, for Brink I listened to a mix of french house, gangster rap and wanky guitar music (Buckethead, Joe Satriani, etc..).
Terraria's playlist seems to be mostly older british doom metal, synthpop and music from other game soundtracks. I don't really know why, but that's what it is.

I probably listen to music more than I game, so it can vary quite a bit.

[Spider Jerusalem]

at the moment, i listen to a lot of the weeknd and frank ocean when i'm playing lol.

[The Innocent]

Since Saint's Row 3 takes place in the same universe as Red Faction, this was always the first track on the playlist. It was glorious.

SR3 had such a good selection of music that I didn't feel much need to replace it though.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcUBI-YVRY8" target="_blank">