Not long ago, Andreas Waldetoft (hereinafter referred to as Andreas), the in-house composer for Paradox Interactive (hereinafter P社) and creator of Faster Than Light, came to Shanghai for the 10th-anniversary concert of Stellaris. As a notorious P社 criminal—I mean, one of the P社 players myself—I naturally seized this opportunity and chatted with Andreas for a while before the concert began.
What surprised me most was that although Andreas appeared quite outgoing in the subsequent interview, he personally told me that he actually prefers the Commonwealth of Man over the United Nations of Earth—it feels like artists always have a bit of that P社 player potential.
Without further ado, here is the interview transcript.
Q: What prompted you to become a video game composer? While researching your background online, I learned that you have a classical music background—typically, people dive directly into classical music, study classical theory, and pursue traditional classical composition roles, but you entered the relatively新兴 (emerging) game industry.
Andreas:Yes, that's correct. I received complete classical music training, studying music theory and playing piano, guitar, etc. But when I was a teenager, around seventeen or eighteen, Final Fantasy VII was released. I became completely obsessed with this game and hand-copied a large amount of the soundtrack composed by Nobuo Uematsu. At that moment, I thought, this is what I want to do; I want to create music for games. Since I already loved both games and music, combining the two was perfect for me.
When I was in high school, I even held a small concert, performing the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack with a small string ensemble—that was the reason I resolved to become a game composer.
I love games, and I love music. Having the best of both worlds, why not?
Q: Many people play Final Fantasy VII not for the music, but for Tifa—I've talked to many people, and whenever "Final Fantasy" comes up, Tifa is unavoidable. If you say you played it for the music, others would be quite surprised, haha. However, that music was truly cool.
Andreas:Actually, the soundtracks for Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX are all excellent. My impression of titles after Final Fantasy X isn't as deep, followed by Final Fantasy XI and XIV.
Q: Do you like Final Fantasy XIV?
Andreas:I really enjoy MMORPGs.
Q: Speaking of Final Fantasy VIII, it features the song "Eyes on Me" sung by Faye Wong, which is very well-known in China.
Andreas:I know that song; it's indeed excellent.
Q: You joined P社 in 2005. Over your twenty-plus years of composing, what is the biggest change in your initial perception of game music compared to now?
Andreas:When I entered the industry, although it wasn't the ancient era of the FC (Family Computer), the number of available audio tracks was still quite limited. Back then, recording soundtracks with real symphony orchestras was not common, and many of my early works could only be digitally composed. Now, game music budgets are more sufficient, and we have audio middleware like Wwise and FMOD, making adaptive music much easier to implement.
Modern game soundtracks are no longer just a single looped track; instead, numerous musical fragments are created and dynamically arranged by audio middleware. This is crucial for games with thousands of hours of gameplay, ensuring players don't get tired of listening. Music can automatically change based on in-game events.
Q: Does this mean that the job of a game composer has become more difficult nowadays?
Andreas:Exactly. Today, you must master more technical knowledge. Some music needs to be integrated by the composer themselves before being handed over to the audio department for final adjustments. My experience working at P社 allowed me to master middleware-related technologies.
People often ask me what one should study to become a game composer. My advice is to learn Everythinggj—not just orchestral and synthesizer composition techniques, but also music integration, understanding how your music will be called within the game... It's best to get hands-on experience yourself, so you truly know what the music will actually sound like when played in the game.
Q: You studied classical music from a young age. How did your classical foundation influence your subsequent epic scoring style for P社 games? P社's game themes span a huge range, from the Industrial Age in Victoria, to medieval feudal simulation in Crusader Kings, to space fantasy in Stellaris—it's incredible that you can master so many completely different musical styles. So, is classical music the foundation of all your excellent works?
Andreas:Classical music is certainly the foundation. Classical music itself spans countless eras and is not limited to a specific year. Music theory knowledge has helped me immensely; theoretically, I know clearly what works, allowing me to quickly build the framework of a piece.
But afterwards, I must learn to temporarily set aside theory. Music cannot be rigid; it needs variation and must come from the heart. Creation requires inspiration, but in the long run, a solid foundation in music theory is always beneficial.
Q: Sounds like you first establish a theoretical foundation and then freely improvise.
Andreas:Yes, the most important thing is that the piece moves people—this applies to both players and the composer themselves.
Q: How do you precisely adapt to completely different themes? Space, the Industrial Age, war... Do you have a fixed pattern for different themes, or do you improvise?
Andreas:One thing is common—whether writing for the Middle Ages or the future, my works always bear my personal imprint. I won't replicate authentic medieval primitive music, but rather create a medieval style that players would enjoy, based on my understanding.
If you completely copy ancient music, modern listeners will find it hard to accept. However, before working on each game, I listen extensively to music from the corresponding era. Working at P社 taught me a lot; as a composer, you must be able to navigate between vastly different styles, from the Middle Ages to the future.
Q: No wonder you said you must explore many fields to control the direction of the music.
Andreas:Exactly. But it will never be an exact replica of classical music; rather, it reflects my interpretation of the era's style. The results have been quite good so far. Stellaris, on the other hand, is a completely different story.
Q: Did the theme of Stellaris give you more creative freedom?
Andreas:Yes, the degree of freedom is very high. I conducted many experiments in the Stellaris soundtrack. The final product everyone hears today can be described as "Stellaris as I envision it." The music I composed for this work blends many different elements and is deeply influenced by artists like Vangelis.
Q: From a composer's perspective, which Paradox Interactive title is your personal favorite?
Andreas:To be honest, it's Stellaris. I had almost no constraints when creating it. Sometimes limitations are good, but with Stellaris, I had complete freedom—especially with the base game.
Much of the inspiration for Stellaris comes from my childhood, from the vinyl records my father collected, such as Van Halen and Mike Oldfield. This creative experience was very important to me. Back then, I would go outside at night to gaze at the stars—what else is out there in the universe? This reverie gave me immense inspiration.
Q: It reminds me of a sci-fi short story I really like, about alien monitors hidden in the solar system suddenly sounding alarms because a native monkey on Sol-3 has been staring at the sky for so long that it shows signs of becoming an intelligent species.
Andreas:Yes, you often encounter such beautiful scenarios in games, where primitive civilizations exist on your planet that you cannot yet establish diplomacy with. Even during wars, seeing these small primitive civilizations, I don't want to destroy them. I hope they develop peacefully. I would uplift them, and once they reach space too, I'd open my arms and say—welcome to the interstellar family, welcome to the universe.
Q: Let's delve deeper into your creative process. Many of your recent works were recorded with professional symphony orchestras—what is the biggest difference between recording with a real orchestra and purely digital composition?
Andreas:Stellaris uses a lot of hybrid scoring, combining symphony orchestras with digital synthesizer elements. If an orchestra recording is confirmed, I do a lot of orchestration work. If using synthesizers, I spend a lot of time selecting and polishing synthesizer tones.
When recording with an orchestra, the biggest challenge is blending real instruments with synthesizers. You have to consider the frequency spectrum; for instance, if you use a flute here, you shouldn't use a synthesizer tone with overlapping frequencies. But my starting point for creation is consistent—sitting at the piano to begin conceptualizing. I write some demos, find suitable themes and tempos, and clarify what emotion the piece should convey... The early process is exactly the same. In the later stages, if an orchestra recording is planned, I need to write complete instrumental scores and think about how to adapt them to electronic tones.
Q: Do you get noise complaints when writing demos? When I was in university playing music, my friend would write demos on an electric guitar in our dorm, and the dorm manager would bang on the door outside.
Andreas:The town I live in has only 4,000 residents; it's not a big city. There's a small studio behind my house, with a lake and woods right at the back. No need to worry about noise complaints. At most, a moose might wander by, but luckily they don't voice their protests, haha.
Q: Unless you're willing to uplift them...
Andreas:That doesn't sound like a bad idea.
Q: Then, a newborn Moose-person comes over and says, "Hey! Brother, my great-grandfather said you used to write noise all the time, but now that I listen to it, it actually sounds pretty good?"
Andreas:Hahaha.
Q: So, do you design exclusive thematic music for different gameplay states—war, exploration, peace?
Andreas:It depends on the project. For early P社 games, we created a general playlist suitable for most scenarios, with a fairly generic style and some upbeat tracks. Ten years ago, mature middleware technology didn't exist. Now, music can respond to in-game events and change completely according to player actions.
But as you know, P社 games are massive in scale—an entire planet or galaxy. It's impossible for us to write exclusive music for every single detail—I mean, we can't write ten hours of Chinese-style music and ten hours of Polish-style music, unless the budget is truly sufficient. So now, relying on middleware, music can adapt well to player behavior.
Q: Have you ever encountered creative blocks or run out of inspiration?
Andreas:Of course, everyone encounters this. As we discussed earlier, classical training means I can theoretically write music at any time. But the question is whether the resulting piece is good. To create good work, you need inspiration. Input leads to output. I can still produce music when uninspired, but being inspired is always better.
Q: When you lack inspiration, do you save the demos you write to use in other pieces later?
Andreas:I generally don't, as those pieces always feel like they lack soul. I usually jot down some inspirations, look at them again after a few days, and rewrite them; only then do the pieces gain vitality.
Of course, there are times when I really don't feel like writing music. After all, composing is a job and a means of livelihood; it's impossible to be filled with work desire every single day.
Q: Completely understandable; everyone wants to put down work and enjoy life sometimes.
Andreas:During those times, I would play games. I love gaming myself, but unfortunately, I don't have much time. Coming here (to the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association Game Museum) and seeing many items that carry my childhood memories feels great.
This is also why I prefer composing for games over films—the creative space in games is more open. The gaming industry today can constantly create new things without repeating old paths. I love all of P社's games, but this is also why I transitioned from being an internal full-time composer at P社 to an external freelance composer: I can choose projects independently and make more new attempts.
Q: I was just about to ask you that question.
Andreas:I still love P社's games. P社 is like family to me. I was employed there full-time for nearly 11 years, which was a very precious experience in my life and an important part of it. P社 will always be in my heart.
Q: After establishing your independent studio, what are the biggest differences in your work mode compared to when you were employed at P社?
Andreas:My attitude towards any project is consistent. I gather as much game-related information as possible—what plot events will occur, what emotional atmosphere is needed. Then, I obtain a large amount of art assets for inspiration—I ask for as much project material as I can. The core of the work doesn't differ much; the only difference is that as an internal full-time composer, my job involved far more than just writing music; I also had to attend numerous meetings.
Really, a very, very large number of meetings.
You have to attend meetings early in the game development cycle, even when it's uncertain whether the project will get approved. One thing I really appreciate about external collaborations now is that I can focus solely on writing music and doing my best with it.
Q: Are you still composing music for other games?
Andreas:I am currently collaborating with many companies, but most projects are not yet public. However, I am working with a Chinese developer on the soundtrack for the first generation of the Foundation project. It's a mobile game set in Asimov's "Foundation" universe. The developer is from Chengdu—which is also one of the reasons I'll be going there later, to see the giant pandas along the way.
Q: Let's return to the core question—is the primary purpose of excellent game music to serve gameplay, or to stand as an independent aesthetic artwork?
Andreas:The answer might sound mundane—it's both. First, the soundtrack must serve the game, fit the game, and align with the design philosophy. At the same time, the quality of the music itself must be excellent; both are equally important—otherwise, why have a soundtrack? Music needs to enhance emotions and collaborate with visuals and all other elements to form a complete game experience. Thinking about it now, it's quite wonderful.
At the same time, as a composer, I create for myself as well—not just for the game and players, but also for my own satisfaction.
Q: Deep down, do you lean more towards artistic expression or serving gameplay?
Andreas:When conceptualizing themes, I strive for artistic quality. But before putting pen to paper, I already thoroughly understand the game, and the game itself drives my inspiration. As mentioned earlier, input must come before output.
Q: A large number of Chinese players fell in love with Stellaris because of its soundtrack. My friend played until 5 AM last night just because he kept looping the track "Faster Than Light"—getting more excited as he played. Do you have anything you'd like to share with Chinese players regarding this?
Andreas:I am deeply honored that so many people in China enjoy my music. I wasn't aware of this before and rarely received letters from China. Only after coming to China did I truly feel everyone's affection. Tomorrow, my works will be performed here, and I feel incredibly honored. I want to express my gratitude to all Chinese fans, and thank Shanghai for its warm hospitality, making me feel right at home.
Once again, thank you to Chinese players. I'm very happy to be here; please send my regards to everyone.