Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Are You Using The Jukebox?

One of the new features added in the 6.1 patch were music scrolls we can collect and learn so we can change the music that plays in our garrison.  I always have my sound, thus music, on in the game so I had heard the music in the garrison probably more than I heard any music in the game being we spend the vast majority of our time in this expansion in our garrison.  So of course I was going to take advantage of being able to change it.

Don't get me wrong, I did not mind the garrison music.  If I were asked if I liked it I would say I never even noticed it.  In truth I think that is very good design.  Sort of like music in the background in a movie.  If it is overbearing it can actually take away from the enjoyment of the movie, sort of the same if it is absent, it could make it feel as something is missing even if you can not place what it is.  But music that plays in the background and you do not even notice it, if chosen correctly, it makes you feel comfortable to the point you do not even realize it is there but would still notice if suddenly it were missing and that is how background music should be.

In Pandaria the music in the background in the home city was so horrible it made me want to go and kick a panda.  It was louder than other background sounds, it was not comfortable, and it was actually something that I found distracting because it was so annoying.  Mind you that is my opinion only, some people loved it I am sure, but I was most definitely not one of them.

So that is why I think adding this little jukebox where we will be spending most of our time was a good idea.  Sure I would have rather the time spent on making a daily hub or two, adding some scenarios, maybe a new five man or two, so yes I believe there was something better that could have been done with their development time, but adding this was not a bad idea.

While I found the garrison music to be fine just blending into the background neither being noticed nor missed, I am sure there are people out there that hated it as much as I hated the music in the shrine. For them this is a god send.

I have been collecting scrolls, as luck will allow of course (which means none that are drops yet sadly), and I paged through the ones I got while in my garrison.  I've settled on the grizzly hills soundtrack as the music for my garrison right now.  It is a light type of music that blends into the background most of the time and when I do notice it, it sounds quite nice.

So what music are you playing, and what music would you like to see added?  I know I like my grizzly hills music but I surely would not mind the dalaran music either.  When it comes to major city musics, none ever felt so relaxing, so natural, so comfortable as the music that played in dalaran.  It just seemed right.  I would like to hear that in my garrison, but until that happens it will be grizzly hills for me.

21 comments:

  1. I have the jukebox but I have in-game music turned off, so I've never done anything with it since I finished the quest.

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    1. Yeah, unless you are after achievements there is no reason to get the stuff unless you listen to it.

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  2. The only thing I dislike about the jukebox is that it doesn't remember your selection when you log off, so every time I log back in I have to run around and change my music to my favorite (Grizzly Hills 4evah).

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    1. I thought it was just me and I was doing something wrong. lol Glad to know I am not going crazy and it is not just me. It would be nice if they fixed that.

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  3. I use it although it is still very lackluster. Normally I turn off the music, but now and then I enjoy it, and e.g. at launch of every new content I play with music. There are plenty of beautiful pieces that haven't found their way to the Jukebox. Another thing that bothers me is the fact that you can't chain a selection. Many nice pieces like "Magic" are only 1 minute so it is impossible to listen to them in a loop. I'd rather couple them with another, longer piece that fits (e.g. some teldrassil or any oft the other NE themed works).

    I really hope that they add functionality to it, because I can see big potential in it, but it is just not ready for the moment.

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    1. A nice update to it might be a "play random favorite". That would work for what you mention.

      My personal addition I would like to see with it is that the tracks are account bound. No way in hell I am going to try to get them on anything other than my main for achievement purposes only.

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  4. In over ten years, I have never had the music turned on. It was only about a year or two ago that I played with any game sounds on actually. Now, I raid with sound on and play without it other times. I will probably get the music scrolls for the achievement because apparently I'm an idiot. I doubt I'll ever listen to them though.

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    1. I am an idiot too, don't feel bad, I will do it for the achievement. And because I am a completionist that way.

      I can't play without sounds, I like hearing them and it actually messes me up when they are not there. Weird huh?

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    2. Yeah, this is why I don't share a lot of info about my WoW play with my wife. The conversation would likely not end well for me.

      Me: I'm starting to collect the music of WoW for an in-game Jukebox.

      Wife: Hmm, I don't think that I've ever heard the music coming from your game.

      Me: Neither have I.

      Wife: What?

      Me: I don't listen to the music when playing.

      Wife: Never?

      Me: Nope.

      Wife: But your collecting this music to play on a jukebox?

      Me: Yes.

      Wife: Will you play it then?

      Me: Nope.

      Wife (after a period of silence): And how long will this take you?

      Me: At least several weeks, perhaps several months.

      Wife: I'm beginning to question my life's choices...

      Me: Well, I am an idiot so I can't blame you.

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  5. Actually Pandas presented many good tunes - the theme that starts when you fly over Temple of White Tiger makes my hair stand on its end.

    I completed one jukebox yet, but I think I will do the starting quest for all toons. Collecting melodies from the world only for my main though.

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    1. I might get around to the opening quest on alts, just to get the quest marker out of my garrison. I am weird like that.

      There were some good music in mists, but that shrine music could burn in a fire of all I care. I hated it. Even when I had nothing to do I would rather stand outside than stand in the shrine.

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    2. I couldn't stand the Vale music until 5.4, when it was replaced by a sadder, softer version.

      There was a melodramatic crescendo worthy of a black-and-white B movie about lovers tragically parting on a Tibetan peak. Every time, every freakin' time, it made my teeth hurt.

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    3. lol about the teeth hurting part.

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  6. I have grabbed the quest on all my toons, but just can't get the motivation to actually go out and gather the pieces to put a jukebox together. Like 2B, I have turned of game music. IMHO, it interferes with my co-op game play. Friend talks on vent at same moment music ramps up and I can't hear them at all.. Music went quieter and quieter until it's only the sound effects. Then depending on who I am playing with, I need to turn off those sounds as well.

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    1. I hate when that happens, something in game I want to hear and it is always loud on vent, something on vent I want to hear and the in game sounds ramp up. They do like to step on each others toes it seems. But I like my sound.

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  7. Like Elkagorasa, I grabbed the quest, but wasn't very motivated about it. I quite like the Alliance Garrison music. I could think of chaining it with Totems from Grizzly Hills and Jaina's Homeland theme - yes, a variation on Jaina's theme is in the Garrison music, but I'd like the original the original.

    Then I checked up and found that a) Jaina's theme is not available and b) the rolls play only once, for quite a short period. So I dropped the quest.

    And now it's staring at me all the time. :P

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    1. You mention some of the things that need to be fixed for it to get more use. I know a lot of people that want to listen to things but being it drops music or does not have a random function they would rather just not bother with it.

      I doubt they will add to it or update it being it is a one time thing and it will be gone with our garrisons next expansion, but maybe this test will help them get it right next time they add something like it.

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  8. I've used mine some though I frequently have the game music turned down fairly low to make it easier to hear people when I'm on vent. Still it's fun playing Silvermoon in the Blood Elf garrisons to make them a bit more homey.
    It not remembering my selection when Iog off frustrates me no end, though. I feel like it should just keep playing whatever I told it to until I tell it to play something else. Chaining some together to make playlists would be pretty neat too, though.

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    1. That is the number one complaint it seems to be everyone has, it doesn't remember your selections. I don't always change it, but sometimes I do when I know I am going to be there for a while.

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  9. I don't play with game music and I have to sadly say the Jukebox feature is wasted on me. However, if I had to listen to something it would be "Taverns" which is the music I heard once when I went into Goldshire inn when I went there to investigate this RP business.

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    1. Investigate that RP business? That can very quickly turn into a scary situation depending on which server you do your investigating on.

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