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Jukebox Heroes: Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer's soundtrack
Fans (or ex-fans?) of this column might recall that I went against the grain of popular opinion by pronouncing Age of Conan's soundtrack "adequate" rather than an "outstanding masterpiece." I think that I can extend an olive branch to the player army that's been chasing me since then, however, as I hold the expansion soundtrack in much higher regard. Composer Knut Avenstroup Haugen returned for Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer, creating a 22-track journey through all new barbaric lands. Unlike his first score for this MMO, this one latches onto the Asian themes of the expansion and takes the score in a decidedly Chinese direction. It's well-done across the board and aided by a full orchestra. Really, my biggest complaint is that it's not easy to purchase here in the states for some reason. You can listen to and even download a few samples from the official soundtrack site, which still remains in operation. So let's head to the far east for this week's exploration of MMO soundtracks, looking at the highlights from Rise of the Godslayer!
Age of Conan composer joins PlanetSide 2 and Starcraft II nominees for music award
Say what you will about the rest of the game, there's little argument that Age of Conan has impressive music. And now, soundtrack composer Knut Avenstroup Haugen joins the list of nominees for the Best Score in a Video Game at the 2013 Hollywood Music in Media Awards. His nomination comes for his work heard in AoC's latest content update, Dragon's Spine, which can be heard in the trailer. Other nominees include Jeff Broadbent (Planetside 2) and Russel Bower, Derek Duke, Glenn Stafford, and Neal Acree (Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm), nominated in January and March, respectively. The winner for best score will be selected at the HMMA ceremony at Hollywood's Fonda Theatre November 21st. Interested in listening to these impressive soundtracks for yourself? You'll find selections for both AoC and PS2 (and many more) in our own Jukebox Heroes feature.
Jukebox Heroes: Age of Conan's soundtrack
I'm going to be honest with you: I've been putting off this particular column for months now. I've been dreading it, really. Because what I say next is probably going to turn off a lot of you who seem to worship this score like nothing else I've seen: I only kind of like Age of Conan's soundtrack. It's not really my favorite, nor in my top 10. And I know that this goes really against the feelings for this score that I've seen professed in Jukebox Heroes and elsewhere. You know what? That's OK. Musical preferences are some of the most subjective things in the world, and we can't be expected to like everything, right? If Age of Conan's soundtrack gets people listening to more MMO (and even video game) scores, then that's a win for our niche-within-a-niche-within-a-niche hobby. This score (and all of Age of Conan's subsequent music) was composed by Norwegian Knut Avenstroup Haugen. He won several awards for his work on the game, including the International Film Music Critics Association Award for Scoring Excellence. If you're interested in the man, Massively's Jef Reahard did an interview with him back in 2010 that makes for good reading. Otherwise, let's head onward and I'll share my personal favorites from the original game score!
Leaderboard: Age of Conan's score vs. Guild Wars' score
Believe it or not, there are actually loads of incredible MMO soundtracks. Oh, I know we all bellyache about the repetitive music and how we turn it off and just listen to speed metal or Justin Bieber while we grind boars, but the scores are often wonderful when removed from infinite looping. Today we're going to pit two of the greatest MMO soundtracks against each other as they vie for your approval. In the first corner is Age of Conan's score, which was composed by Knut Avenstroup Haugen. It's not only award-winning and famous outside of MMO circles but hauntingly beautiful to listen to as well. In the other corner is Mr. Jeremy Soule's epic Guild Wars soundtrack (we'll lump all four of them together for this poll), which many claim to be just as memorable as the game's visuals. It's the cream of the audio crop presented for your judgment: Age of Conan's score vs. Guild Wars' score. Give each one a listen and then let us know which you'll vote for after the jump!
The Anvil of Crom: Thanksgiving leftovers and what's new in Hyboria
What's up, Age of Conan fans? Hopefully all of you had an overindulgent Thanksgiving (I'm picturing clusters of barbarians hunched around roaring campfires, gnawing the blackened meat off the bones of whatever game animal happened to pass by). For my part, I spent the last couple of days avoiding work, gaining weight, and catching up on recent news from Funcom's Hyboria. I've been a bit distracted with various online shooters lately, but I always find myself coming back to AoC because of its unique fantasy world and rough-and-tumble themepark mechanics. Join me after the break for a few recent tidbits that piqued my interest.
The Anvil of Crom: Can Funcom capitalize on the Conan film reboot?
I don't know about you, Age of Conan-faithful, but I'm a hopeless film trailer junkie. I collect them. I watch (and re-watch) them on my computer, my phone, my television, and of course, at the cinema proper. A lot of the time, trailers are substantially better than the full-length films they're meant to sell, and I've even been known to pay full price for a ticket only to walk out after the preview (particularly when said preview concerned a long-awaited prequel and was inexplicably tacked on to the front of Meet Joe Black). Given that Conan already plays a significant role in my gaming life, I think deconstructing the recently released trailer for the upcoming film franchise reboot makes a certain sort of sense. Sadly, Massively isn't a haven for film criticism, but I'd like to get around that by doing a bit of theorizing on how the new flick could conceivably affect our favorite MMORPG.
The Anvil of Crom: Knut Haugen talks game music, film music, and inspiration
Welcome, my fellow barbarians, to another installment of The Anvil of Crom. This week I've got a bit of a treat for the music fans in the audience -- which is basically everyone, amirite? Yes, I finally got the chance to ask a few questions of Funcom's Knut Avenstroup Haugen, the man responsible for Age of Conan's sweeping soundscapes and evocative musical score. Even if you're not an Age of Conan fan, you'll want to check out what Haugen has to say about the creative process, musical inspiration and research, and the crucial role that work ethic plays for the artist. Join me after the cut as we talk about all that and more.
The Anvil of Crom: Squashing the negativity bug
MMORPGs tend to attract a rather ranty segment of the gaming population. Actually, let me back up. MMORPG forums tend to attract a rather ranty segment of the gaming population. Whether or not a given game's general population is as perennially dissatisfied as the vocal folks on the official boards is a matter of conjecture, but conventional wisdom holds (and I happen to agree) that most of the people are contentedly playing while a subset are engaging in all manner of forum drama. Writers aren't immune to this negativity bug either, as occasionally things will rub us the wrong way about our favorite genre (or a particular game), and we'll feel the need to speak out. I've been battling this particular demon lately myself, and whether it's a matter of burnout, stress, or simply observing that a lot of things really do suck, I feel it's important to occasionally step back and examine why exactly I'm playing a particular game as well as spending a part of my professional life covering this genre. It stands to reason that I wouldn't be here if everything were all bad all the time, so this is as fine a time as any to highlight some of the good.
Age of Conan soundtrack turning heads in Hollywood
Long-time Age of Conan players need no introduction to Knut Avenstroup Haugen. Even though they might not know the name, Haugen's seminal score for Funcom's sword and sorcery MMORPG is instantly recognizable. It seems that Hollywood is finally coming around as well, nominating the composer for a best original score award in the Music in Media category. Even if you're not an Age of Conan fan, Haugen's Rise of the Godslayer soundtrack (as well as the Hyborian Adventures suite for the original game) is well worth a listen, particularly if you're into big-budget fantasy soundscapes that rival the work of Howard Shore and Hans Zimmer. Check out the press release on the game's official website, and have a look back at the Rise of the Godslayer Making the Music trailer.
Funcom releases Godslayer soundtrack package
To go along with their recently released making-of music trailer, Funcom has made the soundtrack to Rise of Godslayer available for purchase in both MP3 and disc format. The deluxe DVD packaging contains 23 tracks composed by Knut Avenstroup Haugen and performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. It also features trial clients for Age of Conan, game art, and an in-game flute exclusive to the soundtrack package. The music itself needs no introduction, and features a diverse selection of instruments and artists including a taiko-drum ensemble and world-class ethnic solo masters. Currently both the retail package and the MP3 downloads are only available in Europe via CDON.com, but Massively will keep you updated when the music becomes available in the States.
Age of Conan's "Making the Music" trailer
MMORPGs aren't really celebrated for their music, and while a few have managed to come up with a catchy theme here or there, none come close to the cinematic grandeur and sheer variety of Knut Avenstroup Haugen's original score for Age of Conan. Happily, Haugen has returned to score the Rise of the Godslayer expansion, and Funcom has released a nifty behind-the-scenes style video detailing the music creation process. The three and a half minute clip features interviews with Haugen as well as game director and executive producer Craig Morrison, along with a hefty dose of in-game footage. "This time around, my inspiration for the music came from mainly Chinese and Japanese folk music. It's been a very different experience, and I think it's going to be a very interesting score," Haugen says. "The visuals of the game, and the storyline, has played a huge part as an inspirational source for me as I write the music. There are so many things in the game that evoke feeling and musical ideas." Check out the video after the cut.
Age of Conan wins Best Original Score at IFMCA awards
The fantasy MMO Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is a game that's notable for its score, and this aspect of the title has drawn accolades from gamers and music critics alike. Composer Knut Avenstroup Haugen was even nominated for Best Original Score in a Video Game in the Hollywood Music Awards. While ultimately that honor went to Wataru Hokoyama for Afrika, Haugen now has cause to celebrate his big win at the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA) awards. The IFMCA is an association of online, print, and radio journalists who write about film and television music. Clearly they were impressed with Haugen's work. Age of Conan won Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media, this time beating Afrika, as well as Gears of War 2, Mercenaries 2, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. [Via MMORPG.com] Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!
Age of Conan composer nominated for Best Original Score
Funcom's most recent title Age of Conan tends to come under some fire from the gamers who jumped in upon launch. You may have noticed. While players can fault some aspects of the game, it does have some strengths, namely its fantastic score. In fact, the music of AoC has caught the attention of the Hollywood Music Awards. Knut Avenstroup Haugen, who composed the soundtrack for Age of Conan, has been nominated for Best Original Score in a Video Game, specifically for his "Ere the World Crumbles" from the fantasy title. We also turned up an interview with Haugen about the challenges of scoring Age of Conan, and of composing interactive music in general. Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!
An in-depth look at the AoC soundtrack album
Have you ever wondered what goes through the mind of a game music composer as they write the theme for our favorite games? Why was this particular piece chosen for this part of the game? Was it written with the game's lore in mind, or written beforehand, and just added to the game afterwards? In the recently released Age of Conan soundtrack album, composer Knut Avenstroup Haugen poured his heart and soul into making what could be argued as the best game soundtrack in awhile. In an article at Ten Ton Hammer, Haugen talks in-depth about his masterpiece soundtrack album, and what inspired him to make the music. Each piece is described in detail in an order relative to how you would hear them in the game. You can play and listen to six of the tracks straight from the article, to entice both AoC players and non-players alike.
