Fallout 4 - Building the Acoustic World

Vice interviews Inon Zur on creating the acoustic world of Fallout 4, as well as his technique and work on earlier titles like Dragon's Dogma.

Thanks, Couch.

Fallout 4 features the kind of compelling landscape that could just as accurately be called a wonderland as it could a wasteland. It's a post-nuclear environment crawling with monsters and home to an arsenal of potential adventures; but the game's story wouldn't be nearly as compelling without its accompanying soundscape.

In addition to the delightfully sinister soundtrack of the in-game radio – check out "Atom Bomb Baby" for a flavour – Fallout 4 features a score that shifts with the player's actions, transforming the act of virtual exploration into an all-encompassing experience.

To find out how this music came to be, I spoke to the game's composer, the California-based Inon Zur, who's previously worked on titles including Crysis and Dragon's Dogma, as well as prior Fallouts. We discuss his source of inspiration, "alternate reality" instrumental techniques and the challenge of writing cinematic music only indirectly linked with on-screen action.

VICE: How do you begin the process of creating the score for a game like Fallout 4?
Inon Zur: I started by looking for the thematic material that would be the basis of the soundscape. My job is to build an organic, acoustic world. The Fallout story is reminiscent of the past, but it's also a world that has evolved and developed in ways that are really hard to imagine. So, the music needs to help sort of by describing what's going on there. At the same time, it has to be organic. It has to grow from the background noises and enhance them as well.

…

There are certainly similarities to Fallout 3 in terms of how the game feels and sounds. How tied in are you with branding, and connecting the two stories?
The situation is not the same, but there are a lot of connecting lines between Fallout 3 and Fallout 4. Basically, where we're coming from and where we're going are very different things in each game, but the reality is that we're still struggling though the huge aftermath of a global holocaust. That's the connection, so even though it's a different hero, he or she is struggling with familiar problems in different ways. The music has to make some kind of connection, not only because of the brand, but also because of the situation in the game and the way it is evolving. Fallout 3's score was colder, more mechanical, and it enhanced more of the raw sort of elements. Fallout 4 is cultivating more of a human aspect. It's got much warmer sounds, more humane sounds, more intimate sounds. So, in some ways, it is a totally different approach.

More information.

More information.

At least the music is tolerable

F4 is a great game but I don't remember the music at all. Actually, now I think about it I might have turned it off - I tend to find dramatic music in an open world rpg a bit distracting, even when it's dynamic and linked to events. I definitely turned it off in Dark Souls - I remember folk talking about how ace the music was in some of the boss battles, but I found it more atmospheric with just the sound effects and ambient noises.

It's pretty good. It fades into the background as F3's does but there's enough thematic elements that sometimes it just hits the right kind of spots. I found myself going back to it a lot when getting tired of Might Mighty Man for the nth time.

Fallout 4 is not even an RPG! I don't know why, but it isn't! But

Originally Posted by Hyperion
Fallout 4 is not even an RPG! I don't know why, but it isn't! But

You know what? I'm going to be "that guy" and argue this On The Internet.

Allow me to retort: Yes it is.

Are you making some kind of rhetorical lament or are you actually saying "Fallout 4 does not fit in the category most game players intuitively regard as RPG"? I can jive with your lament. I likes me some crunchy turn-based action and am deep, DEEP in D:OS Extended. I'll understand the sadness about the direction the Fallout series went. I'm not going to commiserate with you since I enjoy the game, but I can understand the emotion and will take my hat off out of respect for Fallouts 1 and 2. Shoot, I'll even take the point that Bethsoft's stats abstractions and changes go too far and make some of the character planning less fun.

But I certainly will not jive with you on this game not being in the Venn circle called "RPG". That there is nonsensical half-thinking. Fallout 4 is an RPG.


Anyhow, shots fired I guess. Your turn; fire away.

edit: maybe not "shots fired" since your response was a trigger and not directly what I'm responding too. Feel free to fire back though.

Dragon's Dogma has one of the most amazing soundtracks! I mean can this game be better?! Best ever gameplay, best ever combat, best ever pawn BFFs, and best ever music!!

Seriously, peeps, the soundtrack to Dark Arisen is such a aural treat. It is AWESOME stuff. The use of motifs and themes is off the charts (classically trained musician, here).

PS: Fallout 4??? Meh, whatever.

Originally Posted by Brumbek
Dragon's Dogma has one of the most amazing soundtracks! I mean can this game be better?! Best ever gameplay, best ever combat, best ever pawn BFFs, and best ever music!!

Seriously, peeps, the soundtrack to Dark Arisen is such a aural treat. It is AWESOME stuff. The use of motifs and themes is off the charts (classically trained musician, here).

PS: Fallout 4??? Meh, whatever.

We get it, Brumbek. You hate Dragon's Dogma. Would you stop complaining? GOD.

Originally Posted by Bedwyr
You know what? I'm going to be "that guy" and argue this On The Internet.

Allow me to retort: Yes it is.

Are you making some kind of rhetorical lament or are you actually saying "Fallout 4 does not fit in the category most game players intuitively regard as RPG"? I can jive with your lament. I likes me some crunchy turn-based action and am deep, DEEP in D:OS Extended. I'll understand the sadness about the direction the Fallout series went. I'm not going to commiserate with you since I enjoy the game, but I can understand the emotion and will take my hat off out of respect for Fallouts 1 and 2. Shoot, I'll even take the point that Bethsoft's stats abstractions and changes go too far and make some of the character planning less fun.

But I certainly will not jive with you on this game not being in the Venn circle called "RPG". That there is nonsensical half-thinking. Fallout 4 is an RPG.


Anyhow, shots fired I guess. Your turn; fire away.

edit: maybe not "shots fired" since your response was a trigger and not directly what I'm responding too. Feel free to fire back though.

Ok, let me try again. Maybe this will clear up what I am trying to say:

Fallout 4 is not even an RPG! I don't know why, but it isn't! But

/sarcasm

Originally Posted by Hyperion
Ok, let me try again. Maybe this will clear up what I am trying to say:

Fallout 4 is not even an RPG! I don't know why, but it isn't! But

/sarcasm

All better now. Appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Aubrielle
We get it, Brumbek. You hate Dragon's Dogma. Would you stop complaining? GOD.

NO! You have it all wrong! I LOVE Dragon's Dogma…I've never felt quite this way about a game before!! So epic!! Sorry, can't gush more, I need to get back to Dragon's Dogma!!