LOTRO: Releasing the Complete Soundtrack
I have written in the past about the quality of the soundtrack for the MMO The Lord of the Rings Online and how it is far more than an embellishment to the game but a character in itself. Now the developers of LOTRO Standing Stone Games (formerly Turbine) have released over the years a variety of soundtrack CDs and digital downloads, offering a selection of music usually associated with specific expansions for the game. Although these have been well received, they have only provided a percentage of the music that is present in the current release of LOTRO. In the latest build there is approximately 4GB of audio in the game. Admittedly some of this will be dialogue and ambient sounds but the majority of that is music cues in .ogg format. I sure I’m not the only LOTRO aficionado who would like to see a more comprehensive release of the games musical content.
Classic Game Themes: The Lord of the Rings Online
One of the most compelling aspects of The Lord of the Rings Online is its soundtrack. The score, mainly written by Chance Thomas and featuring additional material by Stephen DiGregorio, is comparable to that of any major feature film in its scope, sophistication and musical accomplishment. Chance Thomas favours a leitmotif for each race and culture which then vary as the game’s narrative progress. Stephen DiGregorio focuses more upon thematic or ambient pieces that capture the spirit of an area or region. Despite different styles and approaches, both composers contribute to a vivid score that has become an additional character in the overall game over the last decade. Middle-earth is an immense world with an ever-present sense of history and deep lore. The soundtrack for the game taps into this narrative vein and uses it to create a rich and nuanced audio soundscape.