Gamertell

Since the launch of zOMG! in 2008 the game’s popularity on Gaia Online have grown by leaps and bounds with more than eight million active online subscribers.

This week Gaia Online celebrates the music of zOMG! during zOMG!fest featuring music composer and symphonist Jeremy Soule and music composer and songwriter Jeff Miyahara who has composed not only music for Gaia Online events such as the more recent Promageddon but have also worked with popular J-pop (Japanese pop music) artists.

This week Gaians have a chance to meet and talk to the composers virtually with a live in-world forum discussion. Gaia users can also receive an exclusive virtual item for their avatar and a chance to purchase the zOMG! game soundtrack.

I was given the opportunity to ask Jeremy Soule a few questions to get a better understanding of what goes into creating the music players hear while playing zOMG!

Soule has composed music for the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series, Harry Potter series, Company of Heroes, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Guild Wars and Neverwinter Nights.

I ask Soule where he gets the inspiration to create and compose music for zOMG!

“I worked very much in the same manner for zOMG! as I do for any game in that I try to absorb as much as I can about the game play, art direction and overall mood of the game,” Soule explained. “Dave Georgeson (zOMG! senior producer/creative director) and I had discussed the different themes and goals of the game to a degree where I felt the creative process we had was quite smooth.”

I asked Soule if there were any challenges he had faced when creating the music for a constantly growing game like zOMG!

“The game is ever expanding as it is an online flash based MMO. In this way, we’ve had to think far in advance of how we will grow this property. Fortunately, we have my efforts plus a catalog of thousands of songs from Naxos [Records] to make sure that we never run out of great content,” he said then laughed. “We want the experience to always feel rich, fun, vibrant and a total alternative to boring homework.”
Soule added that he tries to make sure that the music the players hear in the game will be a rich experience for them and tries to incorporate a lot of classical music into the soundtrack of zOMG!

“I wanted players to feel a sense of quality. I strove to write music that was very melodic and in-depth but the music provided by DirectSong’s relationship with Naxos Records ensured that some of the greatest (classical music) composers of all time were represented in the game. The one thing about classical music is that most people take it for granted without really fully appreciating how amazing it really is. Not everything sounds like a prissy harpsichord or big tympani,” Soule explained. “The range of some of the music in zOMG! is quite unsurpassed and quite entertaining. Walt Disney built his company on Classical music and my approach to Gaia has been very similar. We hope that over time, players will gain a real ear for knowing the difference between Debussy and Mozart.”

Right now there’s no definite date as to when Version 1.0 will be released but the zOMG! music fest is still going on for anyone curious about Jeremy Soule or music composer and songwriter Jeff Miyahara as well as a chance to receive a virtual item or purchase the zOMG! soundtrack.

Those interested in trying zOMG! would have to first register for free on Gaia Online and join the rest of the community in zOMG! or participate in one of many games available on Gaia Online or chat with friends.

Site [zOMG!fest] Site [Jeremy Soule’s Official Website] Site [Gaia Online]