iMUSE

iMUSE (Interactive Music Streaming Engine) is an 3 See also

interactive music system used in a number of LucasArts
video games. The idea behind iMUSE is to synchro- • INSANE (engine)
nize music with the visual action in a video game so that
the audio continuously matches the on-screen events and
transitions from one musical theme to another are done
seamlessly.[1] iMUSE was developed in the early 1990s
4 References
by composers Michael Land and Peter McConnell while
[1] “iMUSE and the Secret of Organic Music”. 1UP.com.
working at LucasArts. The iMUSE system is patented
2012-06-26. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
by LucasArts,[2] and was added to the fifth version of the
SCUMM game engine in 1991.[3] [2] US patent 5315057, LAND MICHAEL Z [US]; MC-
CONNELL PETER N [US], “Method and apparatus
for dynamically composing music and sound effects us-
ing a computer entertainment system”, assigned to LU-
1 Development CASARTS ENTERTAINMENT CO [US]

[3] “SCUMM Versions”. ScummVM. 2005-04-10. Re-

iMUSE was developed out of Michael Land's frustration
for the audio system used by LucasArts while composing
The Secret of Monkey Island. His goal was to create a sys-
tem which would enable the composer to set the mood via
music according to the events of the game. The project
was much more daring than he had imagined. He brought
in an old friend, Peter McConnell, to collaborate on cre-
ating the system, which they later patented together.[4]
iMUSE was also found to be useful to account for differ-
ences in processing speed between personal computers at
the time, as there was no directs means of synchronizing
sound and gameplay rendering. To account for this, the
iMUSE system acts as a pit orchestra, according to Mc-
Connell, playing back shorter or longer sections of music
while waiting for key events to occur within the game’s
drawing engine.[5]
trieved 2013-08-28.
[4] “LucasArts’ Secret History: Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s
Revenge - The Music of LeChuck’s Revenge”. The Inter-
national House of Mojo. 2008-08-04. Retrieved 2013-
08-28.
[5] Mackey, Bob (March 7, 2016). “Day of the Tenta-
cle Composer Peter McConnell on Communicating Car-
tooniness”. USgamer. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
[6] “Jesse Harlin and Wilbert Roget Interview”. The Interna-
tional House of Mojo. 2011-03-04. Retrieved 2013-08-
28.
[7] “LucasArts’ Secret History: Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s
Revenge - Trivia”. The International House of Mojo.
2008-08-04. Retrieved 2013-08-28.

The first game to use the iMUSE system was Monkey Is-
land 2: LeChuck’s Revenge,[6] and it has been used in all
LucasArts adventure games since.[7] It has also been used
for some non-adventure LucasArts titles such as the DOS
version of Star Wars: TIE Fighter.[8]
[8] “Star Wars: TIE Fighter demo (MS-DOS)". The Interna-
tional House of Mojo. 2010-09-13. Retrieved 2013-08-
28.
[9] “Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge - Special Edition
Review”. Adventure Gamers. 2010-07-23. Retrieved
2013-08-28.

2 Usage
5 External links
One often cited example of the iMUSE system is at
• iMuse Island
the very beginning of Monkey Island 2 where Guybrush
finds himself in Woodtick, the small town on Scabb Is- • LucasHacks
land. Whenever Guybrush walks into a building, a vari-
ation of the Woodtick theme plays, each with a different
instrument.[9] When Guybrush then walks out again the
music has a closing flourish that leads back into the basic
Woodtick theme.[1]

1
2 6 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

6 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

6.1 Text
• IMUSE Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMUSE?oldid=773720279 Contributors: AxelBoldt, Frecklefoot, Michael Hardy, Www-
wolf, Quoth-22, Misterkillboy, Micru, TerokNor, Izwalito~enwiki, Thanos6, Drat, Dave.Dunford, Marasmusine, GregorB, Pictureu-
ploader, Urbane Legend, GreyCat, Liontamer, Wavelength, EEMIV, Sneftel, SmackBot, Eskimbot, Thumperward, Sevua~enwiki, S@bre,
Bobjuch, Jinnai, Masem, Twas Now, Clyde Miller, Mika1h, Thijs!bot, Jopo, Jared Hunt, Clone2727, Thibbs, Lozzaaa, Dispenser, Pipep-
Bot, Kbdankbot, Nevermore4ever, Lightbot, Legobot II, CoolingGibbon, EmausBot, JenniBee, Lordtobi and Anonymous: 25

6.2 Images

6.3 Content license

• Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0