[Jackel]

Hello all!
Fernehalwes back again for another installment of the Developers' Blog.

Recently, I’ve seen several people on the Lodestone forums express how cool it would be if, instead of pics, I could sneak a few music clips up on the blog as well. So, I donned my ninja garb, popped open a bottle of prism powder, and slipped into the shadows of the sound department—destination: FINAL FANTASY XIV sound director Masayoshi Soken's studio.

But alas, I should have known! Soken detects his prey by sound, not sight! I never stood a chance...and now I am his prisoner, forced to translate this message...

-----

Greetings earthlings! I now control the horizontal and the vertical. The Developers’ Blog is mine, and by mine, I mean the personal property of one Masayoshi Soken—Japan’s number one fan of knee-socks—a.k.a. Knee-Soken!



For those of you following my twitter feed (that would be all of you, I presume), you may recall a few days back I HYPOTHETICALLY asked that if I were to HYPOTHETICALLY leak a few of the HYPOTHETICAL tracks I was HYPOTHETICALLY working on for XIV, which ones would you HYPOTHETICALLY want to hear?

Well, despite a few nay-sayers who claimed I didn't have de Balzac to follow through with my intentions, most of you were psyched about getting the chance to listen to some previously unreleased tracks. And so, I devised this über complex plan to lure project manager M into my sound lair and bend her to my will. But wouldn't you know it, Fernehalwes happened to drop by, so I guess this’ll have to do.

Now that the blog is mine and I can do whatever I want, how about I start by leaking one of the tracks for Limsa Lominsa? Oh, and while I'm at it, how about these two tracks for La Noscea? Sure, they won't be officially released in-game until the 3rd phase of the Beta Test, but who's going to stop me? Mwahahahahaha!




<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/52g8TPxR9XQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


The soft breeze off the ocean, the endless blue sky. Ah, what I wouldn't give to escape from this stuffy office and steal away to a place like Limsa Lominsa, where I could fill my lungs with the salty air and listen to the gulls while sipping on a glass fine wine. If I close my eyes, I can almost feel the cool sea spray tickle my skin.

That reminds me!
The FINAL FANTASY Vocal Collection goes on sale tomorrow in Japan...and it will contain the full, uncut version of “Answers” sung by the lovely Susan Calloway! That's right, the version you heard in the End of an Era trailer was only half the masterpiece! But now, for the first time ever, the song will be available to the public (outside of limited-edition sets sold at private shows, etc.), and that means for the first time ever, the lyrics will be unveiled!!1!

(Um, Mr. Knee-Soken, Ferne here. I, uh, posted the lyrics on the Lodestone forums a few months back, so actually, this is technically the second time ever they will have been released to the public!)

Silence! This is my blog, and I'll have none of your insolence! I was merely saying that it was the first time the lyrics would be released in PRINTED form!

Now, where was I?
Ah yes, the CD! You can find out more about it here. But be careful before opening the site at work, unless you don't think your boss'd mind the silky smooth sounds.

And uh... I guess that's all? Very well. You can have your blog back...for now. But one day I'll return. You won't know when, and you won't know where (though it'll more than likely be here), but mark my words, you haven't heard the last of Knee-Soken! Mwahahahaha!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

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I love it when a plan comes together. ;)
(cue fanfare)

Fernehalwes.

[Aladek Windrunner]

Ahhh silly Ferne, Silent Oils, GOTTA ALWAYS REMEMBER TO PACK YOUR SILENT OILS!

Anyways sounded great, personally got some nostalgia from FFXII lol kinda like how the zone borders *Blue Dotted Horizontal Lines* mimic those from XII as well, unless those were scrapped and I haven't heard about it.

On a side note, has anyone else had problems loading YouTube videos on the pages aside from going directly to YouTube? I read somewhere it can happen cause youtube wants you to go there? Idk was just curious it's not just this website either, pretty much all of them for me.

This post has been edited by Aladek Windrunner: 29 January 2013 - 09:00 AM

[Jackel]

Aladek Windrunner, on 29 January 2013 - 08:52 AM, said:

Ahhh silly Ferne, Silent Oils, GOTTA ALWAYS REMEMBER TO PACK YOUR SILENT OILS!

Anyways sounded great, personally got some nostalgia from FFXII lol kinda like how the zone borders *Blue Dotted Horizontal Lines* mimic those from XII as well, unless those were scrapped and I haven't heard about it.

On a side note, has anyone else had problems loading YouTube videos on the pages aside from going directly to YouTube? I read somewhere it can happen cause youtube wants you to go there? Idk was just curious it's not just this website either, pretty much all of them for me.

I have not, no. I will do my best to provide some alternative methods though if that helps.

[Aladek Windrunner]

Jackel, on 29 January 2013 - 09:01 AM, said:

I have not, no. I will do my best to provide some alternative methods though if that helps.

That's cool, was just curious :O

[Aerin]

So was that introduction a hint that we'll be getting prism powder and silent oils and such? I don't think 1.0 had those did it?

[DemonKaioh]

The A-team reference at the end there makes me love Ferne just that much more... also when he said cue fanfare my brain played the A-team theme.

[ArkhamNative]

Sometimes I think Fernehalwes gets paid by the word, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying his FFXI references. Soken detects by sound!, ROFL! (I wonder if sneak/invis will make it into ARR, other than the gathering abilities (in v1) of course.)

The music sounds good, but the tracks from the vocal collection are amazing. IMHO.

[Neoryudo]

i really don't like it , its a shame, i really like Soken but i don't like his music, its a shame really, to me it sounds like Cutscene music, but i guess thats what playing a game for 2 years and never turning the music off does to you, on a side note its a good thing we have people working on replacing the music

This post has been edited by Neoryudo: 29 January 2013 - 09:47 AM

[Jackel]

Neoryudo, on 29 January 2013 - 09:43 AM, said:

i really don't like it , its a shame, i really like Soken but i don't like his music, its a shame really, but i guess thats what playing a game for 2 years and never turning the music off does to you, on a side note its a good thing we have people working on replacing the music

Didn't Soken only have a handful of songs throughout the run of 1.x? Like 5 or 6 of the 30+ ?

[tralynn]

Aerin, on 29 January 2013 - 09:17 AM, said:

So was that introduction a hint that we'll be getting prism powder and silent oils and such? I don't think 1.0 had those did it?

1.0 did not have those. I hope we do get them in 2.0! I have fond memories of XI and having to get places using these - well I was WHM so I had my spells, but if you were in a magic aggro area I had to use the pots :) Having mobs detect you based on sound, sight, smell, magic etc. (and having to know which ones did which) made the game challenging.

[Jackel]

tralynn, on 29 January 2013 - 09:59 AM, said:

1.0 did not have those. I hope we do get them in 2.0! I have fond memories of XI and having to get places using these - well I was WHM so I had my spells, but if you were in a magic aggro area I had to use the pots :) Having mobs detect you based on sound, sight, smell, magic etc. (and having to know which ones did which) made the game challenging.

Yup - and not just getting from point A to point B. Having to move and setup as a group made for some tense moments. Lower level artifact and coffer key hunting made for some unique chat :D

[tralynn]

Jackel, on 29 January 2013 - 10:02 AM, said:

Yup - and not just getting from point A to point B. Having to move and setup as a group made for some tense moments. Lower level artifact and coffer key hunting made for some unique chat :D

AND without vent....LOL having to organize it all with typing. My sneak is going....My invis is going.... it was so exciting.

[be_hunted]

Loving Limsa Lominsa music...reminds me of a more intense take on the Bastok song but with some Dark Cloud influence or something. I'm glad that they're doing a music overhaul since 1.0 was really weak in that department. I remember being in Limsa Lominsa and it just played the trailer song then outside there was a piano song which was amazing but got a little tiring since it's all I ever heard (perhaps they just needed more areas; La Noscea was too big and bland). I do hope they keep Nobuo's songs though. I've heard them a lot, but they were amazing.
Really good music. Hopefully they'll implement as much variety as possible.

[HavokfireHero]

That's one very enthusiastic blog post
Still, nice to hear some music, but I'm curious to know how "Answers" was only half the length for the trailer. Looking forward to hearing the whole thing.

[Orophin]

I felt a throwback to FF12 too on the first track that started. I think the game will have a good soundtrack, it'll just be a little different to what we're used to with Uematsu and Mizuta.

Another brilliantly written blog post by Fernehawles as well.

[ArkhamNative]

HavokfireHero, on 29 January 2013 - 11:59 AM, said:

I'm curious to know how "Answers" was only half the length for the trailer. Looking forward to hearing the whole thing.

It probably just didn't fit, or certain lyrics seemed out of place.

I first heard the full song around launch, and have heard it at least a dozen times since then. I still tear up near the end. Since launch the song also made me think that the development of FFXIV, the broken v1 and the journey to what's now ARR, could also be a tale of hope and redemption, for us fans and SE.

The full-length song (YouTube):

Spoiler

The lyrics (mostly from Fernehalwe's post but with minor corrections). (Red = not included in the End of an Era trailer):

Spoiler

Answers

Music: Nobuo Uematsu
Lyrics: Yaeko Sato & Michael-Christopher Koji Fox
Vocals: Susan Calloway

I close my eyes, tell us why must we suffer
Release your hands, for your will drags us under
My legs grow tired, tell us where must we wander
How can we carry on if redemption's beyond us?

To all of my children in whom Life flows abundant
To all of my children to whom Death hath passed his judgement
The soul yearns for honor, and the flesh the hereafter
Look to those who walked before to lead those who walk after

Shining is the Land's light of justice
Ever flows the Land's well of purpose
Walk free, walk free, walk free, believe...
The Land is alive, so believe...

Suffer (Feel) Promise (Live) Witness (Teach) Reason
(Hear) Follow (Feel) Wander (Faith) Stumble (Teach) Listen
(Speak) Honor (Speak) Value (Tell) Whisper (Tell) Mention
(Hope) Ponder (Hope) Warrant (Wish) Cherish (Wish) Welcome
(Roam) Witness (Roam) Listen (Roam) Suffer (Roam) Sanction
(Sleep) Weather (Sleep) Wander (Sleep) Answer
Sleep on

Now open your eyes while our plight is repeated
Still deaf to our cries, lost in hope we lie defeated
Our souls have been torn, and our bodies forsaken
Bearing sins of the past, for our future is taken

War born of strife, these trials persuade us not
(Feel what? Learn what?)
Words without sound, these lies betray our thoughts
Mired by a plague of doubt, the Land, she mourns
(See what? Hear what?)
Judgement binds all we hold to a memory of scorn
Tell us why, given Life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?

Witness (Feel) Suffer (Think) Borrow (Teach) Reason
(Hear) Follow (Feel) Stumble (Think) Wander (Teach) Listen
(Blink) Whisper (Blink) Shoulder (Blink) Ponder (Blink) Weather
(Hear) Answer (Look) Answer (Think) Answer together

Thy Life is a riddle, to bear rapture and sorrow
To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow
In one fleeting moment, from the Land doth life flow
Yet in one fleeting moment, for anew it doth grow
In the same fleeting moment
Thou must live
Die
And know

This post has been edited by ArkhamNative: 29 January 2013 - 01:33 PM

[Bek]

Jackel, on 29 January 2013 - 08:23 AM, said:

Recently, I’ve seen several people on the Lodestone forums express how cool it would be if, instead of pics, I could sneak a few music clips up on the blog as well. So, I donned my ninja garb, popped open a bottle of prism powder, and slipped into the shadows of the sound department—destination: FINAL FANTASY XIV sound director Masayoshi Soken's studio.

But alas, I should have known! Soken detects his prey by sound, not sight! I never stood a chance...and now I am his prisoner, forced to translate this message...

I laughed so hard after reading this. Love the references to XI. I do hope they include those items along with many others from XI. Let's face it... the majority of this fan base played XI and we love some familiarity mixed in with the new.

Anyway, on topic, the music sounds amazing as always. I'm not sure anything will ever beat XI though because of all the memories associated with it. I think I have a couple memories with each song. I literally have playlist favorites on my web browser lol. I do hope that ARR can bring me the same satisfaction as XI did; and if it can the new music will be all the more memorable years from now.