[Part Two] Shenmue Anecdotes from Composer Osamu Murata

Welcome to the second part in our series of anecdotes from Shenmue composer Osamu Murata, continuing on from Part One, giving us fascinating insights into his experience. 

Osamu Murata (profile photo from Twitter / X)

Sound Effects in Shenmue

Jan 22, 2024: How Shenmue's Sound Effects Were Crafted

The sound effects in Shenmue are subtle but contribute immensely to the atmosphere of the gameplay. Murata explains that most of these sound effects were created internally by the team, simulating real-world sounds with a large amount of custom data.

シェンムーの効果音はほとんど全てを内作で作っていた。しかも関わっていたサウンドクリエイターは皆効果音制作を体験していたと思う。実際フォーリーとか、ない音はみんなであーでもないこーでもないと作ってた。世の中の音をシミュレーションしたのがシェンムーだからね。そのデータは膨大。

Translation:   

"Most of the sound effects for Shenmue were created in-house. I believe that all the sound creators involved in the project experienced making sound effects. We actually made Foley effects* and sounds that didn't exist, by experimenting together to get them right. Shenmue simulates the sounds of the world, so it needed a vast amount of data".

*Foley effects: custom sound effects created to match specific actions in a film, video, or game, like footsteps, rustling clothes, or clinking objects.

Jan 22, 2024: Adapting Sound to Player Movement in Shenmue

Murata points out the dynamic sound system in Shenmue that allows sound effects to change based on player movement.

Unityでいうところの3Dサウンド的なシステムはもちろんドリキャスでも動いていたのだけど、音の変化として面白いのは噴水の音とハトの音。アバディーンにいるハトを追いかけると様々に音が変化する。オブジェクトに近づくと音が変化する、もしくはし続けるというシステムはゲームならでわだね。

Translation:   

"Dreamcast of course ran a 3D sound system, like the one present in Unity*. What's interesting about the changes in sound are the sounds of fountains and pigeons. When you chase pigeons in Aberdeen, the sounds change in various ways. The system where the sound changes, or continues to change, as you move closer to an object, is something that's unique to games".

*Unity, along with Unreal Engine, is one of the most popular software development platforms used to create 2D and 3D games and simulations.

Three-dimensional sound is employed effectively with the pigeons in Aberdeen 

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[Part One] Shenmue Anecdotes from Composer Osamu Murata

The Musical Genius of Osamu Murata

The musical talents of Osamu Murata have left an indelible mark on the Shenmue series, captivating players around the world with his unforgettable compositions.

Osamu Murata (profile photo from Twitter / X)

Fresh out of university, Murata joined the AM2 Sound Section at SEGA in 1997 and quickly immersed himself in a number of arcade projects - more than 10 titles during his time there, including classics like F355 Challenge and Virtua Cop 3.

Murata's exceptional talent as a composer led him to create an estimated 800-1000 songs for the Shenmue project, pouring his heart and soul into crafting the atmospheric pieces that enrich the Shenmue experience. His dedication to his craft was so intense that he once blacked out at the piano during a grueling composing session (as he shared in an interview with Shenmue World magazine, Issue 2).

When Murata first joined the Shenmue project, he was also responsible for recording voice lines for many actors and is officially credited as Voice Recording Chief for US Shenmue.

Among his many compositions are such standouts as Nozomi's Theme, Xiuying's Theme, and Yokosuka Blues (Goro's Theme) which became instant classics, each adding depth and emotion to the Shenmue universe. Additionally, some of his compositions, from the vast pool of unused music from the original project, were selected for inclusion in the latest chapter, Shenmue 3.

In today's post, we share a selection of Murata's tweets from recent years, where he recounts anecdotes and memories from his time working on the Shenmue project as one of the music composers. These tweets offer an insightful look into the creative process behind one of gaming's most beloved series, directly from the perspective of one of the individuals who contributed to its music.

Let's dive into Murata's firsthand experiences and reflections below!

Note: Additional images and videos accompany some of the tweets for additional context.

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Poll Result: Patrons' Choice Topic for September 2024

Every month Phantom River Stone holds a poll among our patrons to choose a topic for the blog in the coming month. After tallying the votes (including accumulated votes from previous months), the winning topic that has been voted this time is:

"1999 Interview with Yu Suzuki and Kenji Eno (Famitsu)"

In the October 1999 edition of Famitsu magazine, an extensive interview was published with two great figures in the games development industry: Yu Suzuki (SEGA) and Kenji Eno (Warp Inc.), about their much-awaited upcoming titles that would see release in Japan a few months later in December of that same year.

Yu Suzuki and Kenji Eno

The interview has the following introduction, suggesting a mix of anticipation and frustration from gamers at the time:

Shenmue and D2: two titles that have been included in the Dreamcast's lineup since the console's announcement. However, these two games have continued to be delayed, much to the disappointment of many. While some devoted fans have patiently waited, the number of fans growing frustrated has also risen.

These two epic titles have finally begun to reveal their full scope. The timeline for their release has almost solidified. The more you see and learn about these games, the more you realize that they are not the kind of projects that could be completed in just a year or so. Both of these games possess the characteristic of moving movie-level realistic CG in real-time, interactively. For example, ten years from now, those who attempt to write the history of games as interactive entertainment will surely recognize that these two titles have irreversibly changed the quality and quantity of games as interactive entertainment.

Should we not humbly appreciate the fact that we are witnessing this moment in history? 

We will be translating this extensive 6-page interview, from scans kindly provided by SkillJim.

Coming soon to the blog!

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