Game technology: impact of music on game play, and communication of emotional intent

Music is a fundamental channel of communication in games with potential to powerfully impact player performance and experience, from music specifically composed, to soundtrack and player-selected music (e.g., Cassidy & Macdonald, 2008; 2009; 2010; Collins, 2008; Zehnder & Lipscomb, 2006). However, the nature of the relationship between player and music, and the process of communication, in particular from composer to player, has been relatively neglected by research. There is a need to investigate the processes and outcomes of music composition for games, subsequent musical communication during play, and the impact of this music on the player experience, in a comprehensive context (e.g., Cassidy & MacDonald, 2009, 2010; Marks, 2001; Whalen, 2004; Zehnder & Lipscomb, 2006). This chapter presents a two-part study investigating the processes and outcomes of musical communication from composer intent (part 1) to player perception, performance and experience (part 2), with emphasis on communication of emotion.