The latest expansion for EVE, Parallax, hit last week and had its share of problems, but it also brought back an old friend: Music. This sure won over veteran players that grew up in-game listening to EVE music while they fumbled around figuring things out.
In early EVE there was a jukebox that you could program with your own mp3 songs [instructions]. For the less ambitious, you could scroll through the jukebox and pick the EVE song you wanted to hear by name, like “On The Outskirts.” (One of my greatest memories is sitting still in deep space and watching the brand new storm planet’s thunderstorm below while this song played on.)
Regrettably for some, CCP T0rfi’s sound team (Team Klang!) replaced the jukebox with “dynamic” music, which helped immerse new players by playing the appropriate music depending on what empire you were in, and what security status. By the time you hit null-sec it’s hardly music at all, just dark and foreboding sounds.
Since Parallax, you can go halfway back. A small checkbox in the control panel lets you unlock a long playlist of EVE music, regardless of your location. It’s not the jukebox of old, but it beats having to use iTunes or soundcloud in the background. Say goodbye to that 12-hour loop of EVE Music on youtube.
The Music
For full songs and titles for EVE Online Music Cold Storage, recently updated. For more EVE inspired music, visit Alienhand or Roc Wieler‘s soundcloud. Of course, you can visit CCP’s soundcloud which always has the latest expansion themes ready to listen to or download, and get nostolgic with the login screens going back to 2003.
Some players have been listening to the EVE soundtrack for years and not just while playing. Fans use it to study, zone out, fall asleep, or perhaps set the mood for their “special lady friend.” You never know, there were two couples engaged at EVE Vegas.
The Composers
The mastermind of the music is the former pizza baker Jón Hallur Haraldsson, or worse known as CCP RealX. Concept artists and composers are better known by their real names since their work transcends EVE. Here he explains part of the process for the modern themes.
Developer Spotlight – Music of EVE Online
Some of the more epic themes for trailer were composed by Music Imaginary composer Adam Skorupa, including the beloved “This is EVE” trailer. Here is the behind the scenes evolution of that that trailer’s soundtrack. Adam also composes for the “Witcher” franchise.
Yes, EVE has Sound, and it is rather good.
This article originally appeared on TheMittani.com.
