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Related question. Why don't any games allow you to replace the in game music with something else? Is this patent encumbered or something? I figured by now, I'd

Related question. Why don't any games allow you to replace the in game music with something else? Is this patent encumbered or something? I figured by now, I'd be able to simply go into settings, choose an audio provider (e.g. YT Music, spotify, local, etc) and have a custom BGM soundtrack play.

filoleg 3y ago
It’s not necessarily that game devs“don’t allow it,” and more like “didn’t bother to implement that feature and integrate with those services.” Which is a really fair point. Because why waste time on this, when a user who cares about playing their own music can just open a browser tab or spotify/apple music/local/etc. app, and it will work literally in any game anywhere. And Playstation supports Spotify/Apple Music/local music playback during games natively, without any hacks or workarounds (like using the built-in web browser) as well. I assume Xbox has similar functionality, but I don’t have much experience with it. The only games i’ve seen that allow (limited) in-game audio provider choice are those that have an in-game radio feature (older GTA games, Forza, etc.), so that the custom user music kinda works “in-universe” in those games.
tonyarkles 3y ago
Smiling thinking back to Quake 1, which only took up a small fraction of the CD for the installer and would play any audio CD that was in your drive for you :D
TaylorAlexander 3y ago
Lots of discussion in the replies to this comment about games which do permit that. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38366126 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38366126
taway1237 3y ago
On PC you can just mute the music and play anything you want in the background. So there's no need for a special support.
- deelowe 3y ago
  That's not the same. Most in game music changes volume during gameplay.
vel0city 3y ago
The OG Xbox used to allow you to rip music locally to the device and then playback the music in games which supported it. It was a pretty nice feature for its day.

filoleg 3y ago

It’s not necessarily that game devs“don’t allow it,” and more like “didn’t bother to implement that feature and integrate with those services.” Which is a really fair point. Because why waste time on this, when a user who cares about playing their own music can just open a browser tab or spotify/apple music/local/etc. app, and it will work literally in any game anywhere. And Playstation supports Spotify/Apple Music/local music playback during games natively, without any hacks or workarounds (like using the built-in web browser) as well. I assume Xbox has similar functionality, but I don’t have much experience with it. The only games i’ve seen that allow (limited) in-game audio provider choice are those that have an in-game radio feature (older GTA games, Forza, etc.), so that the custom user music kinda works “in-universe” in those games.

tonyarkles 3y ago

Smiling thinking back to Quake 1, which only took up a small fraction of the CD for the installer and would play any audio CD that was in your drive for you :D

TaylorAlexander 3y ago

Lots of discussion in the replies to this comment about games which do permit that. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38366126 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38366126

taway1237 3y ago

On PC you can just mute the music and play anything you want in the background. So there's no need for a special support.

deelowe 3y ago
That's not the same. Most in game music changes volume during gameplay.

vel0city 3y ago

The OG Xbox used to allow you to rip music locally to the device and then playback the music in games which supported it. It was a pretty nice feature for its day.