Alpha First Look: Video 3 - The Black Shroud

[Charismatic]

I so knew the Maelstrom Command was Mizuta work.
(You can even see that in the comments section on one of the youtube uploads for that music, I thought it was the one you linked but apparently not)

[xopher]

Maelstrom Command sounds like a Vana'diel March. The other one sounds like Movapolis in the beginning.

I don't think I ever heard either of these songs. They're fantastic.

[Jamison]

Both of those tracks have a basic-ness that is very reminiscent of FFXI... and I don't mean that in a bad way.

[Ropeydonkey]

Looking good, shaping up into a game I can sink a decade into...

That said, I don't feel like I've seen anything truly 'new' in the videos/screens for a long time (well, not officially released ones at least). Not a bad job of conveying look & feel, but generally a bit dull.

There are several bits where they stand and pan, as if to say.... "Behold, bask in the glory of our beautiful environments...". Maybe it's just the lolYoutube 720p encode, but they aren't exactly mind-blowing. You keep having to remember that its good for an MMO and pray it scales well on good/future rigs.

Shadows are too sharp, animations are average (running up the ramp/stairs, turning on the spot etc.) - just has that 'alpha' feel but I don't think that much will change between now and launch.

But seriously, in official videos... stop fucking jumping when there's no reason to.

Agreed. There's a jump button - congrats, lets move on. Having them jump in these videos just screams 'we managed to implement jumping, go us!' which is pathetic.

[Lucavi]

Want fite. Show fite.

[Alkar]

We won't see anything new until Beta starts (or shortly before) so better get used to it.
So far we've had character creation, Gridania and now The Black Shroud. The whole point of the last two is to show the locations and see how different they are.
If they make another alpha video they'll probably show either combat or the raid. There's really nothing else in alpha as far as I know.
If I had to guess I'd say we won't see battle footage until Beta, there's really nothing in alpha that can properly display the new battle system.

[millionsknives]

Whoever did the WotG soundtrack is my god, and I'd love for them to do XIV. Every zone song in WotG was perfect imo, I listen to it a lot. So far the music in XIV is a bit too ambient for me, but sounds wayyyy better than 1.0, plus its hard to make a judgement until youre in the zone and can emmerse yourself in the song and setting. Cant wait to hear the new ul'dah tune!

XIVs original soundtrack was the worst of all the FFs. Nobuo used to be gold, but he lost it after the PS1 era. He never managed to update his sound for when games could finally hold orchestral scores, and so his tunes just sound dated, corny and out of place.

[Charismatic]

Whoever did the WotG soundtrack is my god, and I'd love for them to do XIV. Every zone song in WotG was perfect imo, I listen to it a lot. So far the music in XIV is a bit too ambient for me, but sounds wayyyy better than 1.0, and its hard to make a judgement until youre in the zone and listening to it for yourself. Cant wait to hear the new ul'dah tune!

Mizuta and Tanioka... just like most of the FFXI music, lol.
I'm pretty sure it is just more years of working on the game and more experience overall that made it sound better. I personally feel like the music got better and better in every major expansion.

[Deuce]

I'd certainly have to agree that the music got better after each expansion. I can only hope for the same with ARR.

[kisada]

i literally will never get tired of zoning into the black shroud. the music is fantastic.

and not that the deal hasn't already been sealed for me, but when he panned up to look at the moogle balloon, i thought to myself "now this is how you make create that final fantasy feeling."

[Lokus]

Nothing really new from that video aside from a closer look at that dungeon. I just hope they touch up the animations a bit. I mean, SE and all of the OF touts how next-gen XIV's animations are but the jumping is just amateur looking and not very fluid. I know they can do better so I'll concede to the "but it's alpha" excuse. The way the character just slides around as you pan the camera though, seems a bit weird but I honestly didn't even notice it until someone mentioned it.

On the bright side, I guess the next video they show will be actual gameplay. I hope SE isn't foolish enough to stretch out more "first looks" at the Black Shroud or other areas.

[Therin]

opinions, but if you thought XIV was the best complete soundtrack since IX, its probably because you happen to like Uematsu a lot and has little to do with how the soundtrack bears over the game.

don't get me wrong. I like XIV's soundtrack overall but I felt there were very few standout tracks,

Songs that come to mind as very enjoyable for me in FFXIV (I don't really know many of the names), that I could listen to almost endlessly:

Gridania
Both Shroud themes (Great ambience.)
Ul'dah
Thanalan
Coerthas ("Unspoken")
Zahar'ak
Mor Dhona
La Noscea
Natalan
Castrum Novum Theme (LOVE this one.)
"In the Shadow of the Colossus"
"Beneath Bloodied Banners"
"Nail Of The Heavens"
"On Windy Meadows"
"United We Stand" (This is also called Imperium right? My personal favorite from the OST.)
Level 50 Job Battle Theme (Sorry, no clue what the name of it is.)
Garuda theme (AMAZING)
The DOH Leve Theme
Hamlet Defense
Instance Theme

Tons of great tracks. Nothing to pre-FFIX soundtracks but definitely the best since, in my opinion.

[Eagleheart]

Songs that come to mind as very enjoyable for me in FFXIV (I don't really know many of the names), that I could listen to almost endlessly:

Gridania
Both Shroud themes (Great ambience.)
Ul'dah
Thanalan
Coerthas ("Unspoken")
Zahar'ak
Mor Dhona
La Noscea
Natalan
Castrum Novum Theme (LOVE this one.)
"In the Shadow of the Colossus"
"Beneath Bloodied Banners"
"Nail Of The Heavens"
"On Windy Meadows"
"United We Stand" (This is also called Imperium right? My personal favorite from the OST.)
Level 50 Job Battle Theme (Sorry, no clue what the name of it is.)
Garuda theme (AMAZING)
The DOH Leve Theme
Hamlet Defense
Instance Theme

Tons of great tracks. Nothing to pre-FFIX soundtracks but definitely the best since, in my opinion.

Agree with all of the above, would add "The Sands' Secrets", music on the boat between ul'dah and limsa, and the crafting music.

One person I know said "get rid of crafting music." I told them that I own firearms and left it at that. (O.o)

Also, why did they not include this piece in the OST? >_________________> I love this piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otyZC_RuxQc

[Marihoki]

While everything else in the alpha looks great, I'm really not digging the music for ARR so far. I'm really not a fan of the ambient tracks for the zones. Though I didn't care for most of 14's music, especially the Leve and normal battle music, I was hoping for something a little more thematic like FFXI. There are quite a few tracks that I enjoyed in XIV, such as one of the Black Shroud themes, the Thanalan themes, which I thought fit the zones fine. I will say, I'm going to miss the Castrum Novum United We Stand battle music, which was amazing for the battle it was used in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsKUPNVIrkk&feature=plcp

Also, I really like the new map for the Black Shroud, so much better then the old one.

[Deuce]

Imperium, the track you linked to, is probably one of my favorite tracks from XIV, definitely an instant classic.

However, I wouldn't write off ARR's music just yet. We're assuming a lot about the game's music based on ~15min. of segmented gameplay between all three videos. I'm sure once we get our hands on the game our perspectives will be quite different.

[Lordender]

I didn't get a XI vibe from this, I got a XII vibe, the music sounded more like a peaceful zone in XII.

[miokomioko]

That is what I am loving so much about this overhaul. It totally feels like XII.

[Rehn]

Really liked some of the pieces from FF14. Never really followed the game itself, but I'm glad this game's music befits an FF game, for the most part. On the other hand, some tracks really don't fit in...

[Null]

Overall I did not care for the scores from XIV so I kept the game on mute for a year and a half after I grew tired of it.

That said though Thanalan is has one of the most beautiful tracks I've heard in a game.

[Spira]

Mizuta and Tanioka... just like most of the FFXI music, lol.
I'm pretty sure it is just more years of working on the game and more experience overall that made it sound better. I personally feel like the music got better and better in every major expansion.

Just Mizuta actually. he's been the chief (only) composer for FFXI since the original scoring was completed (that one was Uematsu, him and Tanioka). I suppose its similar to how the original scoring of XIV was Uematsu, and thereafter there were 3 composers who stepped in (primarily Soken, but also Ryo Yamazaki and Naoshi Mizuta).

as for XIV, i'm hoping they go with the ambient feel for that extra XII effect, because I loved the audio and visual feel of XIIs world and thought it was the best from any FF thus far. Considering we have Akihiko Yoshida back as conceptartist for XIV as well, I think it'll carry over pretty nicely for the sound too.

I think there are quite a few tracks that still do deserve a place in XIV and shouldn't be removed completely (like the old town tracks and some area themes like Thanalan).. as long as they aren't used as area themes again but in specific cutscenes or whatnot.. because they all sound way more situational than they probably should be.