[Suggestion] Custom soundtrack manager

[Lenneth_Valkyrie]

First.. I didn't see any truly fitting forum so I didn't know where to post this.. so I will do here.. if it's the wrong section please move the post to the appropriate one accordingly..

Second.. don't get me wrong..! I don't mean to diss nor to lack respect for the work of Uematsu-dono.. I think he did an excellent job on the soundtrack of FFXIV.. I love especially the title song Answers..

A custom soundtrack feature would just be something to implement some customization to the gameplay, so that people can sometimes put another, say, battle music for example.. just for a change and just for themselves..

The soundtrack manager could be built as part of the external "FINAL FANTASY XIV Config" program.. in short a bit like the custom font manager.. in which the user would be able to listen to the in-game tracks(without showing any spoiling names) and decide which other audio file to be played in it's stead, having it loop normally from end to beginning..
I've appreciated this feature very much in some other games which have it.. and I think it would be quite a nice addition..

Thank you very much for your consideration..

[RemnantWolf]

I could see this as an improvement to the game. I also do not mean to say the music in the game isn't already good but I feel it was stretched a bit too far. I feel that the music system needs to be improved on way or the other and this is definitely an option, especially with SE's huge music library from past games.

[OJtheLIONKing]

I like the idea, although unfortunately I'm not sure how to propose it in a way that doesn't potentially insult the awesome work of Uematsu on this game. It's just that MMOs have an even longer playtime than regular RPGs, and if you hear it enough times you'd get tired of even the best songs, especially the ones in the cities where many people are most of the time. I'm nowhere near that point yet, but it will happen eventually--I quite liked FFXI's soundtrack but after a few years I found myself listening to other music in the background and muting the game's music, simply because I'd heard it so many times.

As far as implementation, I think Unreal Tournament 2004's good simple playlist manager that played MP3s and .oggs would transfer quite well to this game. I'm not sure how the sound is encoded in this game, though, so I don't how how many man-hours it would take to do this, but it'd be quite nice in the future.

[Reika]

I would throw in some FFXI music to replace the black shroud and uldah musics :P

[Arya]

Hmm, I agree that it does /slap the effort made by Mr Uematsu and others to some extent.

Perhaps as has been suggested above, the option to add FF tracks for certain situations could be added. I must admit, I do miss some of the FFXI battle themes, as well as the theme for Sanctuary of Zi'Tah (very relaxing). While I don't dislike the FFXIV themes, being able to increase the pool of music the game can choose from would be nice.

The other option would just be to create new music and add it in I guess.

[Lenneth_Valkyrie]

Well in the end it wouldn't be excluding the original soundtrack of the game.. just giving the opportunity for players to chose some of their own music as bgms.. I think many others would appreciate this feature..

[Kallera]

I wonder how loop points are determined with these soundtracks...I for one don't want periods of odd fade and silence while fighting a long battle, or crafting.

[Lenneth_Valkyrie]

I think a 5 seconds cross-fade between end and start of the track would be optimal..

[Lenneth_Valkyrie]

Anybody else think this would be a good idea..?

[Lenneth_Valkyrie]

Bumpity bump..

...wait is this allowed..?