We are the RuneScape Audio Team! Ask Us Almost Anything!

Who wrote Flute Salad? What was the inspiration for this magnificent song?

That would be me!

I like all kinds of quirky music and wanted to do some humorous songs in RS, so I came up with this. It started with me messing about with some flute passages until something came together that I liked, and the song grew from there.

...I'll let you in to a little secret - the name of the song came from another song by a very unusual band called Gong :)

Gong... Ian is showing his age... which is older than me :)

Yeah but I only look about 18 :P

[deleted]

he's the oldest looking one ;)

Hi there guys; I'm crazy happy this is happening! RS was a massive part of my youth, and something that has driven me towards the game development industry - the music is as great as ever! nostalgia...

• Something I've always wanted to know - will I ever be able to buy the Runescape Audio Album? Is that a thing? I want it SOO badly, but I'm loath to download them if there's another option.
• How do you create your music - what software and process (reviewing and such) do you use?

Hey there! We'd love to bring you some albums. It's something I definitely want to pursue! I'd like to do extended versions of some of the tracks exclusively for download.

Hey there everyone!

Hope you're all having a good day. The whole RS audio team is here this evening. Mod Bond, Mod Ian, Mod Adam R, Mod Mik and Mod Lord. We are enjoying your company, as well as a few beers and food! :)

As a programmer, I'm guessing pizza? Or maybe chinese?

Haha yes pizza... the food of games developers! We have sandwiches too...

Do you guys ever fell like your work goes to waste when people play with sounds turned off?

Good question. It's not a waste no. My remit is to make as many players turn on their sound as possible. For quests in particular there is a massive opportunity with audio to add depth and immersion to the stories. Audio will continue to get better and better and we will continue to offer players more reasons to turn sounds and music on.

Will the new music be able to be downloaded in mp3 format from the downloads section the website when it's launched? Thanks :)

I'm intending putting our music on Soundcloud, it gives me the ability to get downloads ready quickly :)

Expect some teasers over the coming weeks!!

BTW, to whoever reads this, please pass this on to the entire audio team...

I really appreciate the work you guys are doing in modernizing RuneScape's soundtrack and making it more immersive. Mo's Gold Teeth sounds great and I think it's kind of neat how there are still people in the world today that know how to play those kinds of traditional instruments. The orchestra sounds absolutely fantastic, and I think even the ambient sounds won't go unmissed. Not many RS players feel this way, but personally, I've wanted really nice music\sound for a long time now.

I've played enough video games to know the power a good music and sound score can have on a game.

We agree!!

Will every single song in the game be updated which is currently there? If so will you be deleting any of tracks or just reworking every one again?

We are not intending deleting any songs currently. We will eventually update all music but for launch we are looking at around 6 hours of music which includes the orchestra, folk music, and a lot of new contemporary content for 6th age

Follow us on Soundcloud!

www.soundcloud.com/RunescapeSoundtrack

:)

About how many tracks do you expect to have redone when RS3 launches? Safe to assume that the new ScapeBold will be the title screen track?

At least 100 tracks. We have lots of new 6th age music as well. ScapeBold will indeed feature as the title. We may also put other tracks at the front as well so it varies each time. What do you think of that idea?

Can you guys upload the tracks to Soundcloud?

Yes, lots more music will be uploaded to Soundcloud. We have a pro account and intend uploading lots of albums!

Thank you for doing this AMA!

• What's the funnest part of your job?
• Do you guys actually play Runescape?
• Would you be interested in coming on my podcast and nerding out?

Thank you again and look forward to your responses!

Funnest part of my job is definitely getting to play my mandolin and ukulele! Best part is to record orchestras. It can be such an overwhelming experience that makes everything worthwhile :)

1 what was it like working with james hannigan will you work with him again in the future? 2 what is your favourite rs track? 3 what you guys find more enjoyable writing new music or redoing old tracks or voice acting ? 4 do you ever think there will be a time were all npcs will be voice acted ? 5 how does working at jagex differ from past companys you have worked with? 6 many users choose do mute all in game sound is that upsetting to see that many people wont expereince something you worked hard on and what would you say to users to change there minds ? 7 when looking to voice well loved characters are you more careful to a sure you find the right actor then you would with say a new charcter? 8 how do you choose which areas to redo is it a matter of choice or do have to wait to the area is geting graphically update? 9 many users request downloads for tracks will this be possiable with the realse of rs 3? 10 what is your favourite aspect of runescape that you havent worked on eg lore, skills etc?

I've known James Hannigan a long time and worked with him previously on the Harry Potter games. He is a brilliant composer who instinctively knows what I'm looking for.

My favourite RS track is Harmony.

Can you separate your questions a bit haha or I might spend the whole hour answering this one :)

Me, Mod Ian and Mod Adam R are still around to take more questions :)

Hi there! I've played Runescape since 2004, and audio is a huge part of it for me. Here are my questions;

1) A few statements that have been made in various intervies and videos have me a little confused. It's been said that you have six hours of music recorded for Runescape 3. However, it's also been said that you will not be using any MIDI tracks. How does this work when there is (by my estimates) over 2 days of MIDI music and sounds in the game?

2) What are your favorite music tracks from the game? Mine is Face Off, from The Chosen Commander.

Hey there, it's our ultimate aim to update all music. We are starting with new themes and re-imagining some of the classic melodies into brand new compositions. This includes the orchestra and our more folky elements. We should have reworked over 100 tracks for RS3 launch and will continue post launch. This should cover most if not all the surface world music.

I recently started composing some music as a hobby. What programs and equipment do you use?

We use all sorts of programs. Each composer has his particular favourite programs but overall we use Pro tools, Cubase, Audition, etc.

Did you guys major in music in college? How many of you guys can play an instrument?

I have a degree in Physics and a masters in Applied Optics!! Apart from that, we are all musicians who play various instruments who have generally dedicated our lives to music.

The one on the right clearly lifts. Will there be much variety, even if only eventually? Constant orchestral can be very tiring.

There's going to be a lot of variety it won't all be orchestral, we're working with a variety of individual musicians also, our reworks are a mix between orchestral and folk and a lot of the new 6th age content uses a lot of contemporary ideas and varied instrumentation including eastern percussion and electric guitars.

some distorted guitars played backwards to be more precise ;)

there is some lovely acoustic guitar in 6th age music as well...

What exactly do you mean when you talk about '6th age music'? Is this merely new music being written for RS3, or will it be playing during 6th age related content?

new content :)

So, as a trumpet player, I have to say - I really love the new "bold" version of the main theme! Very brass heavy, which is awesome!

What do you think the chances are of the composer getting the music published? I know there are a lot of music publishers that feature arrangements of video game pieces, but you almost never see the original, recorded sheet music for sale. Video game music as a whole is pretty under-represented in my opinion, and I think people would really enjoy playing/hearing it live. I just think it would be a really neat thing to have, depending on how the composer feels about it. Thanks for doing this!

Yeah the orchestra had a really big brass section, check out the BTS!

We will consider doing a soundtrack of the orchestral music.

Yeah, the BTS was pretty epic! Unfortunately, I worded my question rather poorly. I was actually asking about the sheet music, although I would definitely buy the orchestral soundtrack as well!

You guys should really talk to Video Games Live and get that main theme played on their tours - I think people would really dig it! Considering how well VGL is doing, it would be fantastic exposure for the music, as well as the game as a whole.

We could consider sheet music although the full score for the orchestral sessions is pretty huge!!

I remember making specific trips to places JUST to listen to the soundtrack. Sometimes this involved danger, like going out to listen to 'undercurrent' lol. . . I'm so glad you guys are doing this AMA. So much nostalgia. Maybe enough for me to come back to runescape just for a very short time. . . :p Totally going to enter this remix contest. How could I not??

Come back! There's sooo much new fab music to listen to! :)

Look forward to hearing your music...

Just want to say thank you really, I started playing in 2003, and I'd definitely say that the music in Runescape was one of it's defining features.

Glad you like it... and we will continue to improve it :)

I really enjoy listening to the old music, it makes me feel very nostalgic. I thank you for the soundtrack of many good memories.

Anyways, I wanted to ask: what do you do on a day to day basis, and do you ever play the game during work?

Thanks for doing this AMA.

I look after my lovely team, making sure they are all happy :)

I sometimes have the live game running on my other pc but don't tell any of the others...

Here's a question I'm sure many are wondering. Mac or PC? ;)

I use both. But I have to admit I do love my Macbook Pro, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch haha.

Do you guys think music will play a much bigger role in the atmosphere in the game with the higher quallity music?

Yes, absolutely! There is much more to come as well...

Where genre's of music do you guys/girls like the most?

I like all genres. I had to write music in many styles because of my job which helped developed a love of a real mix of music. My passion from my youth is prog rock though :)

Hi there can we expect future quests and all previous quests to be voice acted?

Hi!

Eventually perhaps, it's definitely something we'd like to do, but it will take a lot of time as there are so many quests to do!

Thanks for answering! One other question regarding voice acting.

With all the hype and build up surrounding The World Wakes as such a groundbreaking and story changing quest, it was disappointing that it wasn't voice acted (Besides Cres' laugh)

Why wasn't such an epic quest voice acted and what decision making goes into deciding whether to have a quest voice acted?

I believe this was answered when the quest was released. There would have been over 30 characters that needed to be voiced - none of the voiced quests so far have had anywhere close to this - and they were cautious because they were well-established characters and players might have their own ideas on what they sounded like.

This is true, yes. There are some parts that I would love to voice. Frail Guthix talking while the orchestral music is playing would have been a fantastic bit of drama I think.

There is loads of voiced content in the pipeline though and we've just recorded two full days of actors :)

So I figured this would be the place to ask about the RS Theme Competition, since it's your department and all. :P Will there be an opportunity for the players to listen to all (or at least some of the the best) of the submissions? Or will we only see the final grand prize winner? I personally would quite like to be able to listen to how others have taken the melodies. :)

Yeah I'd like to put a few mixes together of some of the best submissions as well as some quite 'different' versions. Maybe put them on Soundcloud. I could put some up next week to inspire people to give it a go! :)

How did you guys came in touch with jagex? What did you do before jagex and how did you contact jagex or did jagex contacted you?

I've been around a long time haha. Previously working for EA, Realtime Worlds, Rage Software etc.

I have to admit though, I've never been happier here, I love my job and the people here :)

Shucks

Some of the people here... ;)

Is there any artists you take inspiration from when creating your work, whether they are from popular culture and/or movie or tv composers?

I'm a massive prog rock fan! Oh dear, the cat's out the bag...

What's the best song you guys have written for runescape in your opinion? This could range from most fun to compose to simply favourite to listen to. And thanks, I've always loved the soundtrack for runescape, a lot of my childhood went into that game

I've not written that many, the majority was Mod Ian and Mod Bond. I enjoyed writing 'Wending Through The Willows' and 'Valerios Song'. I like bringing vocals into the soundtrack and will be doing more...

Do you plan on having any MIDI tracks left after you're done the steamrolling?

Will all of the MIDI tracks be replaced? And if so, will they all be replaced by the time RS3 launches?

I wouldn't want to see a schizophrenic music system where some tracks are high-quality orchestrated music and other tracks are low-quality synthesized MIDI...

Some of the tracks that are not replaced yet (mostly quest music) will be rendered out MIDI tracks that will be streamed from the server. We can then replace the audio files as and when we get the opportunity.

How soon until we can hear more new songs on your SoundCloud, as opposed to the two (very awesome songs) that are already up there?

I will try and get a medley of stuff up next week. Maybe we will do a 6th Age medley and a reworked mix of old themes.

Would it be possible for you guys to release an album of all the old RuneScape tracks before they are redone? Although I am very excited for the new tracks, the old ones really strike a vein in my nostalgia and I would love to have them to listen to. Thanks :)

We have all the old music saved, don't worry about that. I just to find a good place to ensure that it is kept available for everyone to indulge in some nostalgia! :)