For most games, I prefer the music on. It started with Final Fantasy 2 US version. Since then, the music helps set the mood in the game for me.

I always turn the music off as I think it gets in the way of any dialogue and the sound effects. If I want music I'll use my Hi-Fi if I'm using my PS2 or winamp with my PC.

**shuffles of with a new headache**

I wholeheartedly approve of having the music on. It actually helps me get more interested in the game, and music, more than anything for me helps set the mood of an in game environment. Perhaps not as realistic, but I do think that (most) composers for game scores work rather hard. To me having the music turned off is like watching "Star Wars" without the soundtrack. It just doesn't work.

well im also listening to music, never leave house without MP3 player. So i normaly have game music off and my own music on. Except in the last battle in Final Fantasy X, killing Jecht thats gr8 song lol

I always have the game music on - not my own music, the game's music. Without it i feel less immersed in the game.

It depends on the game... some games have soundtracks that really jack up the immersion, and others just have soundtracks for the sake of having soundtracks. Playing singleplayer, I'll generally listen to the in-game music if it fits the game well- and if it doesn't, I'll just play it with music off.

In multiplayer games, I'll play my own music unless the multiplayer music is really good (i.e. Tribes 2) for the environment. In multiplayer, the music doesn't need to generate immersion, it just needs to enhance the player's enjoyment of the experience.

I generally leave the music on, most of the time I'm concentrating too hard on what I'm doing to notice it's playing. Most adventure games and some FPSs have excellent music or ambient sound which really helps define the mood and immerse you in the environment.

I realise that context-sensitive music can ruin the challenge for you, Oblivion is a good example of that (best attack warning system ever) but it's up to you whether you play the game for aesthetic reasons or because you like hitting stuff with big swords.

Music in RTSs is certainly not meant to add anything to the gameplay aside from providing a (hopefully exciting) background track. TA is a good example of this. (Jeremy Soule FTW). Company of Heroes also uses music very effectively during its machinima sequences.

EVE Online is the only game where I turned the music off. I got fed up with listening to it because it was pretty much the same and got dull after the fiftieth time of hearing it, but other people apparently like it.

wow, i really am in a minority! I suppose in action games where you want the whole gamut of experience, it's not out of place, but say for example in Silent Hunter 3 which is an ultra-accurate U-Boat sim, music, other than for the intro and any cutscenes, would be totally inappropriate.

Don't you find that music stops you hearing footsteps and other audio cues in say, stuff like HL2? Havings aid that, i am a bit mutton these days, and have trouble making out speech through background noise.

I find music in games is great, too, just listening to it is fun for me.

You can put the music in games off!!!

@Taw, not really, I just filter it all out. If I really can't hear what's going on over the music (can happen but rare) I'll just turn the volume down for that, or raise the SFX/Voice volume.

As for Silent Hunter, I've never played that so I can't comment.

Games that possess good volume controls allow for footsteps, etc to be made more distinct than the background noise, which allows for the best of both worlds. That is to say that the music can be heard as it sets the scene, indicates danger, etc while the sounds of the enemy can still be heard. Such a system is probably the most efficient.

As for realism, if I recall correctly then music in combat is quite real, at least in the American military. I remember reading something ages ago that stated that American soldiers sometimes listen to loud rock/metal music in order to block out the sound of gunfire, etc when in combat. I have no idea if the article is accurate, especially as listening to music while in a combat situation seems unwise to me, but then they *are* Americans...

Sounds like you've been watching too many Vietnam movies Esky...

Actually I do not watch "war" movies, and your statement leads me to suspect that other people have heard of this musical phenomenon. Is that the case? Is it true and supported by fact, or merely propaganda and/or hearsay?