Spore

Rolling Stone has a brief article that looks at the music of Spore, and how it’s different than many video games.

In case you’ve been locked in a recording studio – Spore is a new video game that simulates the evolution of creatures from single-cell organisms through the space age. Ambient music artist and superproducer Brian Eno played a significant role in the development of the game’s music.

“In the first phone conversations with him, he really got the idea that the music was always changing, that it would be procedural, and he was really excited about it,” said Kent Jolly, audio director for Maxis/Electronic Arts. “Within a week of talking to him, without having set up anything, he sent us a full CD or more of stuff, and some of it was made right then, not just things he found on his computer, which was pretty amazing.”

There is some more traditional music in Spore (Jolly compares the Eno compositions to his 1983 album Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks), but those songs also mutate.

“I’m interested in the idea of games creating original music,” adds Jolly. “It allows you to write interactive music in ways that are very difficult to do when you’re licensing music.”

Last year, we brought you some great video of game creator Will Wright and Brian Eno on generative systems.

Here’s the whole enchilada – their Long Now discussion of Spore and generative music and gaming.

They touch on all sorts of topics, but it includes great discussions of generative processes and ambient music, fractals, compression in natural systems, parasites in spore and all sorts of other good stuff. (including the secret of amphetemine ambient music!) Read more…

Sims designer Will Wright demonstrates the character-creation phase from his latest game, Spore, with additional commentary by musician Brian Eno:

Will Wright and Brian Eno On Generative Systems

Will Wright and Brian Eno On The Spore Metaverse