Comments from the Devs

[Alkar]

A new letter that simply announces that there'll be new announcements next month... did you even read the letter?
At least there's a new patch in 3 days despite not knowing what's going to be in it.

[Lucavi]

A new letter that simply announces that there'll be new announcements next month... did you even read the letter?
At least there's a new patch in 3 days despite not knowing what's going to be in it.

At least we get one of these once a week. I suppose that means the thread should be locked every Tuesday through Sunday since the letters contain nothing of use and people will eventually go off-topic anyway.

[vadre]

Must be some seriously spoilered content coming in 1.23 if skirmish is one of very few things they're announcing beforehand.

All we really know aside from that is Nael's going to get his ass handed to him, and we're supposed to be getting some content related to 'the twelve'. They also mentioned that we'd be getting quests explaining individual changes to the world (such as that giant orange crystal construct in the concept art) which havent surfaced yet

[Spira]

At some point they swapped around the music for certain areas (I think LL's music just outside the city was changed as well) and added variation depending where in the zone you were.

The old Black Shroud music is still there it's just in different parts.

edit: also speaking of Garuda's music, I call bullshit that there's lyrics anywhere in there other than "Now fall".

the lyrics are from 1:30-1:43 but aren't exactly audible... you can just hear some kind of whispering....

They definitely swapped La Noscea and Black Shroud around. the newer ones are slightly more lowbie sounding lol..

I don't think that Uematsu's original score for FFXIV is anywhere near bad. There are a number of standout tracks that really create an impact (like Coerthas battle, united we stand, dungeon theme (non battle, etc)). but the thing about them is that they don't really lend themselves well to FFXIV, to an MMO.

...i think there are arguably 3 points of view to take with the music.

1) the music in itself. judging it based on the music alone, not knowing/caring where its played.
This is where the FFXIV ost actually shines. there are a lot of great tracks. great to listen in itself.. but not necessarily when you pair it together with the game.
all the tracks i mentioned above have this quality. music with 'character' as i like to call it. this is also the type of music where it can be written to convey a specific emotion. Uematsu is good at this.

2) musical immersion. this is where the music fits the environment/scene its used in, completing the feel of the game, or enhancing it.
for environments, Uematsu is terrible at this.. especially in a perpetual game like an MMO where the soundtrack can play for hours on end. His songs have too much character by themselves - the single tone melodies, that are hard to merge without a specific setting. in these situations, atmospheric is a lot better.
take for example the Cerobi Steppe in FFXII - not very memorable, but it seems to fit so well in with the environment, giving the zone a dreamy fantasy feel.

3) borrowed emotion through the game. i suppose this is the reverse of immersion. In such a case, the music may be relatively lackluster, but the events of the game is what creates an emotional impact, which players then associate with the motif or musical theme being used. take for example, Succession of Witches. It's not that great, but it introduces the sorceress motif and builds emotion with it, occasionally revisiting the track, to remind people of its association.. other tracks that exploit the same motif may be used to build more emotion (Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec for eg), and then brings it back in an emotionally heightened arrangement (Premonition, which recalls both Fithos Lusec and Liberi Fatali) to captivate the senses. it isn't a natural immersion, so to speak, but one that has sort of been 'cultivated' in you.

OWA is an amazing song, especially in its advent children choir/rockband/orchestral arrangement, but I don't think people like it because of the music that much. they remember it as badass because sephiroth was a badass.

in any case, you need to actually play the game to experience the 2nd and 3rd points. how good the music is in game really depends on those 2 points of view. And as far as we know a lot of us don't actually play XIV to understand or appreciate elements of immersion/emotion. That would probably be the greatest reason why people don't like XIV's OST. but for anyone who has played a fair bit, i think it's quite glaring how the tracks (no matter how beautiful) just seem out of place.

[Toth]

The Garuda theme is actually one of the best FF mob specific battle themes in years. It is the most awesome part of the battle for me (and winning, which my ls is now doing with regularity!)

[Spira]

I agree on the Garuda theme tho.. it just feels very fitting, and yet is able to take on that rock/metal vibe. It's all about having the right balance of it i think.

Somehow I feel that Broken Angel is Naoshi Mizuta's doing. He has a knack for balancing atmospheric immersion with throwaway single-tone melodies.. which works very well to create fitting tracks..

The ones that still get to me:
Ululation from Beyond.. so haunting..
Paradigm Shift.. contains a simple solid hook but doesn't force it on you, instead it takes you along some simple easy-listening pop synths.. and creates tension with violins...

[vadre]

Yeah he's pretty great, he created 'Eternal Paradox' from 13-2 as well I believe, which is my favourite song from that game. Gotta give credit where it's due in XIV's recent songs, they're doing a great job of capturing the situation and tone.

[xopher]

Broken Angel sounds more like Tsuyoshi Sekito than Mizuta.

And yeah I agree, the new songs they are adding are getting better.

[shepardG]

Moogle fight song greater than all. Hands down. I'm singing it right now, and later, and probably tommorow and the day after that also.... HAHAHAHLOLRODFLGOODKINGMOGHAHAHASHISKERWALLHAHAHA

[Odin'sLaw]

Moogle fight song greater than all. Hands down. I'm singing it right now, and later, and probably tommorow and the day after that also.... HAHAHAHLOLRODFLGOODKINGMOGHAHAHASHISKERWALLHAHAHA

100% agree because "we love king mob" sounds at lot like the tune to "this is halloween" <3 that film

[Lucavi]

Broken Angel sounds more like Tsuyoshi Sekito than Mizuta.

And yeah I agree, the new songs they are adding are getting better.

Oh ho ho! Now you're one of the "you people!"

[Churchill]

Broken Angel sounds more like Tsuyoshi Sekito than Mizuta.

And yeah I agree, the new songs they are adding are getting better.

can we please start discussing the comments from the devs pls

[Rocl]

i'm steamed dueling may not implemented on 2.0 release

[Therin]

You simply cannot, in the same breath, call music boring while simultaneously call it good if you wish to make any sense at all.

Yes you can, easily. A song can definitely be boring to someone while being very interesting to someone else. FFXII's music bored me, but I realize its technical complexity. It is the technical complexity that makes it good music. Therefore to me it is both boring and good. "Boring" is a subjective term whereas "good" is an objective one. That may sound strange to word it that way but it's pretty easy to understand, really.

I've heard people claim that "good" music is subjective to the listener but that's just not true... it's something people say to justify the fact that they like to listen to bad music. If you take music theory you'll understand what I mean.

[xopher]

Oh ho ho! Now you're one of the "you people!"

I don't understand what you mean

[LD]

i'm steamed dueling may not implemented on 2.0 release

Fie. If the basic combat works, then we can see if pvp can work.

[Gokulo]

Local levels in 2.0

We have received requests for adding a teleport feature to the journal for local leves. Instead we have a better idea! In version 2.0, it will be possible to open up multiple widgets from the system menu so you will be able to select your teleport destination while looking at your journal!

And to talk just a little bit more about local leves, in version 2.0, the methods for delivering local leves will change and the delivery destination for each level will mostly be decided. We feel that these changes will make it easier to figure out where you need to go to deliver materials.

Achievements changes

I have a few future UI adjustments to achievements to share with you guys! /drum roll


We are planning to change the display method to make viewing achievements easier! The specifics are still being looked into so I can’t give those details to you just yet.

Also, we are currently revamping the process of unlocking achievement categories and receiving achievement rewards and will be looking into other ways instead of talking to those pesky NPC’s.

[LD]

Was I the only one who was under the impression that unlocking achievements would go away with 2.0 (the going to an NPC part)? I mean, you can make progress with achievements even when they're locked, but I still seems weird. Must be a hard code hold-over or something.

[Gokulo]

Maybe they just tie it to the tutorial part or something. I think that would be one of the better choices. Also get rid of the going back to npc to get titles... Visiting them for items can stay I guess.

[Gokulo]

Magicked prism delay! (whatever it will do)

Unfortunately, the Magicked Prism Grand Company items will not be made available as a part of patch 1.23 and will be introduced at a later time. Therefore, those items have been removed from the list of prizes. We apologize for the adjustment and have amended the post to reflect this change.

That said, the entries so far have been amazing everyone! We look forward to seeing more!