UNIV 104KVideo Game Music

Catalog

VIDEO GAME MUSIC IN OPEN-WORLD SETTING - - - The UNIV 101 & UNIV 104 courses offer a blended course format which includes two primary components, one focusing on the academic topic, taught by a faculty member with the second component devoted to new student transition topics, taught by a professional staff partner instructor. This freshmen seminar course will explore an intriguing intellectual topic, help freshmen hone critical thinking and writing skills, and assist students in making a successful transition to university life. - - - Video Game Music in Open-World Settings explores how sound and music shape player experience in non-linear, exploratory game worlds. Using The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing as core case studies, the course examines adaptive music systems, environmental sound design, silence and sparsity, time-based musical cycles, and the relationship between player agency and musical form. Students will analyze how open-world structures challenge traditional notions of leitmotif, narrative pacing, and immersion, while engaging with critical listening, gameplay analysis, and selected readings from game studies and music theory. The course is suitable for students interested in music, media studies, composition, sound design, and interactive arts. It will be helpful if students have a basic musical literacy, including fundamental musical knowledge and proficiency in staff notation. NOTE: All UNIV 101 and UNIV 104 courses are restricted to students in their FIRST SEMESTER at the University. Students MAY NOT register for more than one UNIV 101 or UNIV 104 course.