sucky song=more likely to die in a game?

[prplchknz]

so I was doing decent at a game, and then the worst song in existence came on and i started dying left and right. it was like if i die in the game then I'll die in real life, but i won't so i just was like god damnit!! :steam:

anyone else ever observe this phenomenon?

[GargoylesLegacy]

Not really. But if you allow me to throw out a theory about it?
Maybe that song sunk into your subconscience and passively reminded you of something, so that you got distracted and started to die.
OR: maybe you are just paranoid. :D
Sorry, couldn't hold that one back. ;)

[Athenian200]

so I was doing decent at a game, and then the worst song in existence came on and i started dying left and right. it was like if i die in the game then I'll die in real life, but i won't so i just was like god damnit!! :steam:

anyone else ever observe this phenomenon?

Yeah. Especially if the soundtrack changes a lot. I find that the rhythm often affects my play style, and some songs are easier to adapt to than others. Doesn't really matter how "good" the song is, it just has to have certain qualities while avoiding others.

I usually try turning the sound down/off if I hit a level with a soundtrack that makes me unable to play well.

Here's an example of a song that always threw off my ability to focus (even though it wasn't a bad song, it was just distracting):

SMW Boss

Here's an example of one that helped me focus (even though it wasn't my favorite):

FF7 Battle

[Fluffywolf]

Rhytm definatly boosts my gaming 'skills'.

When I played Action Quake 2, 10 years ago or so, my fpm (frags per minute) usually went up about 0.5 whenever I played techno songs. I'm not kidding! Was my secret ingredient to pwn.

But I never noticed a song that caused me to do worse than no songs at all. >.>

[prplchknz]

Yeah. Especially if the soundtrack changes a lot. I find that the rhythm often affects my play style, and some songs are easier to adapt to than others. Doesn't really matter how "good" the song is, it just has to have certain qualities while avoiding others.

I usually try turning the sound down/off if I hit a level with a soundtrack that makes me unable to play well.

Here's an example of a song that always threw off my ability to focus (even though it wasn't a bad song, it was just distracting):

SMW Boss

Here's an example of one that helped me focus (even though it wasn't my favorite):

FF7 Battle
hmmm good point but I never listen to the in game music i usually mute and make a play list which is usually fast past heavy songs. Maybe I also couldn't stand the song, my room mates boyfriend put on some coutnry music and not really a fan.

and those two songs above I think would be the reverse me on which ones more distracting

[Athenian200]

hmmm good point but I never listen to the in game music i usually mute and make a play list which is usually fast past heavy songs. Maybe I also couldn't stand the song, my room mates boyfriend put on some coutnry music and not really a fan.

Oh. Well, in that case, you should make sure your playlist doesn't contain any bad songs before you let it play. :smile:

[JocktheMotie]

I do worse in COD4 or whatever when music is playing. You may be on to something here.

[ajblaise]

Crappy songs take the life out of everything, during a game or not.

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Video games make you feel like you are a hero. Every hero needs good theme music. Good music makes the hero suceed. Bad music makes the hero fail. No music turns the hero into a normal person.

Also appropriate music can help a person get "in the zone" when they are playing a video game. Innappropriate music can bring a person out of the zone and disrupt their playing ability.

[Quinlan]

Bad music snaps you out of flow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)).

[FC3S]

I need my Super Eurobeat for game racing. The constant repeating helps mellow out any outside distractions and lets me get into the game. Anything with sharp chords, lacks any form of rhythm or balance is going to offset my gaming - especially if it is a playtrack in a game I've already mastered.

I've never noticed this in actual cart/cd based console games. Chords and other bad music tends to get my heart racing, especially at a boss - improving ma skillzzz.

[mortabunt]

OP should game while listening to sandstorm. Every Time We Touch is also good (just the intrumentals) are good for high end gaming like in taking a base.) Try the techno remix of Linkin Park's numb, and Guilty Sky. The last one is Japanese, but still helps in fast paced gaming.

[nightning]

Hmmmm I usually zone out the music when I'm focused in game. Although something at 200bpm gets an immediate reaction from me... to turn it off/change songs.

[The Outsider]

Bad music snaps you out of flow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)).

Thanks, that's an interesting article. With an impossible name to pronounce - Csíkszentmihály.