Why was a flash-based MMO specifically interesting?

JS: When I write music, I have to make sure that I personally enjoy it. And so far, I have been blessed with some very successful scores. I can’t say that everything I will write will be successful, but I won’t release something that I don’t like. As far as Flash, it is my opinion that it is what makes the web interesting. What’s great about a flash-based MMO is that it is both instant and ubiquitous. You just login and play. And again, it is format that runs on nearly every modern computer platform on earth. People can share experiences and communicate with Flash without necessarily being hindered by the format or the technology. Flash opens the doors to more people from around the world and to me, I love technology that enables fun without the tech having to be the center of attention.

What kind of concept did you have for the music in zOMG!?

I wanted to write a bit in a style like Joe Hisaishi whose work has included Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbour Totoro. I didn't try to copy him, but rather work with a similar approach; my background with Squaresoft has given me an appreciation for the Japanese approach to scoring.

How did you approach the project?

JS: I recruited help. In fact, the greatest composers to have ever lived are making appearances in the game such as Beethoven, Wagner, Debussy and others... This is possible with my relationship with Naxos—Naxos and Artistry Entertainment have teamed up to deliver not only original music for the game, but an enormously deep selection of classical music.

I'll be honest and say that in MMORPGS I normally turn the music off.

JS: Right now less than .05% of the Gaia audience is turning the music off. So what we’re doing seems to be working well. I try to raise the bar with music both in quality and quantity. There's nothing like spending hours with of excellent music while you play a great game.

zOMG! is literally using some of the finest music ever created as it features works from classical masters and we’re able to bring so much music into the game that it really creates a more lively experience. Someone can literally play zOMG! and gain an expert’s ear for classical music! How exciting is that?

Are your scores generally linear, or interactive?

JS: I've written music for many different technical approaches. I've worked with complex interactive music systems and I've also written music with very simple implementation. Harry Potter used a very extensive interactive music system, but other games like Total Annihilation simply changed music states depending on the level of activity on the screen.

zOMG! features music that switches depending on environments and story elements. Interactive music requires the right music to work. The level of interactivity is secondary to the quality of material that you input into the system. With a game that is heavily interactive, an interactive music system can actually destroy the entertainment value of music. Too much switching can result in a ping-pong effect that reminds the player that they are manipulating a software toy instead of being immersed in an emotional experience.

I know from experience that excessive interactivity is no substitute for high quality compositional technique. And of course, if the right balance can be made between music and implementation, something special happens as the game experience becomes richer and more entertaining.

How closely did you work with the developers on your score?

JS: As the score is ongoing, I work with David Georgeson who heads the team at zOMG!. David has a real ear for music as he is a trumpet player. We often talked about different concepts and potential sounds. It was David that latched onto the idea of a Hisaishi-like sound, for example.