Up, Down, On, Off: Custom Tracks

What does it mean to customise? Customisation is on one level the ability to turn in game music up & down, on or off. Nowadays gaming is all about avatars and profiles, creating your personality online and in-game. Games like Elder Scrolls take this customisation to ridiculous heights and that's great - if it's offered, why not go all the way?

Custom tracks bring me grief. Rather it's the lie, the unfulfilled promise on the back of the box, that really grates. NBA 2K7 is my favourite new perpetrator. I couldn't wait to hear my own beats blaring out on court, but it wasn't to be. Custom tracks ain't having beats blaring out through the 360's Dashboard. If it ain't in the motherfucking arena, I don't wanna hear it. I definitely don't want my favourite rappers shouting '2K Sports!' in my ear hole. You're nice on the mic, but I'm still gonna mute ya. Compared to NHL 2K7 and its detailed customisation options, NBA looks like the sickly sibling. Two different developers, but doesn't the same publisher want a uniform feel to all their sports titles? MotorStorm is a brilliant game, PS3's finest so far, but the racing experience could have been so much better if gamers could choose their own soundtrack. Imagine racing to The Trashmen's Surfin' Bird? Or The Ramone's Blitzkrieg Bop?

Music heightens a gaming experience. I'll never forget the joy of racing to Prodigy's Firestarter in WipEout 2097. Although it was in-game music, it was as if I'd chosen it. I love the Prodigy, it felt personal. Unfortunately most game developers aren't as spot on musically. That depends on your taste, and that's my point - choice is the only way to please everyone.

In this age of hard storage, I reckon this is something gamers want. It's a small want, but nonetheless part of the overall package Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are selling. Definitely it should be standard for sports and racing titles. But taking the idea further, why can't we have user chosen beats in story driven titles? Imagine running through the mall in Dead Rising, listening to your favourite songs all tinny, piped through the Tannoy. I understand and respect the reasoning against this. Designers make creative decisions as to how music and sound serves the atmosphere, but...c'mon, it could be made to work with a little extra effort. As long as the users music can be featured in game and in context, there shouldn't be a problem.

I can only suspect that the resistance has something to do with record labels and exclusive licensing rights. Thanks, boardroom dealmakers, now I have to listen to Slipknot. Oh, wait a sec...I can turn it off! Wow. It feels so real. Out here in the desert, only engine hum for comfort. Hang on...hey...I can turn that off too. Adrenaline soars, racing in silence. Forget all that legal balls - if the GTA franchise can do it, so others should follow. Give us the option, at least. I fucking hate Slipknot, man.