Have you used music in Traveller gaming sessions?
- Thread starter 77topaz
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Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Pulls out earplug, "What?"
Only for the first hour to set the mood and get the players' psyched. I routinely played Raiders of the Lost Ark, rarely Star Wars, hardly ever anything else, though with my second group a crowd favorite was a TELARC Sci-fi DDD disk that had Superman, Alien, Battlestar Galactica, a couple of Star Wars' riffs, and a few others.
But yeah, when combat gets heavy or player-NPC interaction is at a premium, music distracts.
But yeah, when combat gets heavy or player-NPC interaction is at a premium, music distracts.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
Hearing aids and alcohol... I can see how that could make for problems... :rofl:
I have a discrimination loss, not a sensitivity loss.
Highorbit_drifter
SOC-12
Seems to me music would be a distraction. And make it harder to understand each other even without some form of hearing loss. That is, if its loud enough to be above just background noise.
And even if you managed to have your music cued up and ready to go, and easily got it going, getting anything resolved in the time it takes for that music to play is going to be impossible.
Maybe if you practiced a set speech before hand, and timed it to the music, you might get a good effect. But that seems like a lot of work for a chancy payoff.
And even if you managed to have your music cued up and ready to go, and easily got it going, getting anything resolved in the time it takes for that music to play is going to be impossible.
Maybe if you practiced a set speech before hand, and timed it to the music, you might get a good effect. But that seems like a lot of work for a chancy payoff.
I know this poll is new, and it may be a bit early to conclude anything, but on other music threads people posted their favorite gaming tracks. Yet I'm reading that music is a distraction.
Perhaps the people who had written in the other music threads had simply not seen this poll yet. The "Yes" and "No" options now both have four votes.
The times I've a chance to run Traveller, I use Kraftwerk's Radioactivity from their The Mix album as an intro to the game. Start loud then fade down to background for the opening of the story. It has a techno beat I like and always envision pilots on alert and manning Traveller fighters for immediate launch from a ring of launch tubes on a station then streaking for their target. Yeah, it does that. Kraftwerk in general seems Traveller for me.
I also never run music during the games because, like running a radio, it would compete for attention. Bad enough when everyone talks at once.
I also never run music during the games because, like running a radio, it would compete for attention. Bad enough when everyone talks at once.
Not for Traveller, though I've wanted to use the music from Das Boot...
But I've enjoyed having background music when GM'ing Space 1889.
When I began to describe the approach of a mysterious zeppelin "The Black Pearl" theme from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie began to swell in the background. That same night the party spent so much time arguing how they were going to enter a site that they didn't perceive the German soldiers surrounding them until the strains of Deutschland über alles began playing in the background.
I have also used the Theme from Jaws and the theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark as background music; but my favorite background music has become associated with a particular player character. The very proper Lady St. John has a talent for inspiration, and when she begins to give one of her stirring pep talks I play Rule Britannia in the background.
But I've enjoyed having background music when GM'ing Space 1889.
When I began to describe the approach of a mysterious zeppelin "The Black Pearl" theme from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie began to swell in the background. That same night the party spent so much time arguing how they were going to enter a site that they didn't perceive the German soldiers surrounding them until the strains of Deutschland über alles began playing in the background.
I have also used the Theme from Jaws and the theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark as background music; but my favorite background music has become associated with a particular player character. The very proper Lady St. John has a talent for inspiration, and when she begins to give one of her stirring pep talks I play Rule Britannia in the background.
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
I have not use if for Traveller, but I have used pieces from the Victory at Sea score to indicate in a World War 2 naval game when either Japanese or USN aircraft are incoming. When things are going slowly, and they are trying to locate the other, Beneath the Southern Cross seems appropriate. Then, The Guadalcanal March is always good to get the blood moving and players attacking.
Ambient and background, when appropriate
Lately, I have been making use of this tool as a mood-setter, both when playing and when planning.
You can lay in some situation-specific ambient background noise, maybe with some abstract music in there as well, when desired.
It is free-as-in-beer, too. (Although I choose to send money because I like the place.)
Lately, I have been making use of this tool as a mood-setter, both when playing and when planning.
You can lay in some situation-specific ambient background noise, maybe with some abstract music in there as well, when desired.
It is free-as-in-beer, too. (Although I choose to send money because I like the place.)
With apologies to George Lucas, Stu Phillips' score for Battlestar Galactica is some darn good music. Way way back in the 80s when my second and third group played a lot, we usually had a TELARC "Space Warp" CD sampler disk of various scifi scores on in the background. The theme to Battlestar Galactica was one of them, and added to the game play.
My regular group has used soundtracks/music for decades. It is possible to set the volume at a point where it can be heard but isn't a distraction. Then there are times when turning it up adds to confusion and stress, which goes well with some scenes.
We've had enough serendipitous moments (think the quit-to-scare elements in Aliens) to have had plenty of enjoyment from doing it.
There's plenty of movie and game soundtracks that can be used. I set them up in thematic playlists so I can just pick one and use it to help set the mood.
ShawnDriscoll
SOC-14 1K
If it's not a LIVE Internet game, I'll use music. YouTube doesn't like certain music played in streamed videos.
I voted yes.
I use the music as a mood setter when everyone is getting in and during munchie break. Not much during actual play unless the volume is way down as most music can become distracting except instrumentals,
OTOH
It gives me an excuse to bring out the turntable and play Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds and especially the Space: 1999 Soundtrack on vinyl which I found at Goldblatts for 99 cents back in 1975.
Mwuah ha ha! Best month's allowance spent.
Ever.
I'm a sick piece of wood :nonono:
I use the music as a mood setter when everyone is getting in and during munchie break. Not much during actual play unless the volume is way down as most music can become distracting except instrumentals,
OTOH
It gives me an excuse to bring out the turntable and play Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds and especially the Space: 1999 Soundtrack on vinyl which I found at Goldblatts for 99 cents back in 1975.
Mwuah ha ha! Best month's allowance spent.
Ever.
I'm a sick piece of wood :nonono:
