This video tells you why some people thought FFXIV 1.2. is a better MMO than 2.0

[Sigma-Astra]

This is entirely based on opinion. 1.x (IMHO) sounded far more original than ARR, which for the most part, felt like it pulled from so many other popular compositions (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc.). Like so many other aspects of the game - original races aside - the music of 1.0 felt like it was trying to be different and have its own character, while still feeling very Final Fantasy. HW music (again, IMHO) was a vast improvement over ARR, but even it sounded like it pulled liberally from other sources (Secret of Mana, Kingdom Hearts, etc.). Unfortunately, SB music seems to be the worst of the bunch, with the main theme being greatly overused with little variance.

The reason that 1.0 felt like it was trying to be "different" was because there was no musical direction in 1.0 at all, the music was all over the place. They went to Uematsu and basically just said "Here's a game, now make some music for said game", and that was it. That's not really because of originality, it's because there literally was no art direction concerning the musical scores. They basically just took whatever Uematsu put out, put a stamp on it, and threw it into the game. And the one part that isn't entirely based on opinion is the fact that 1.0 does not use real instruments. It's all synthesized and fake, and you can hear the difference between listening to a 1.0 soundtrack and XIV one where Soken changed aspects of it.

As for the main SB theme being used a lot throughout the game, that's called a motif and something that gets used a lot in music composition generally. Soken has done that since ARR, it was lightly noticeable in HW, but SB's theme is just a very easy melody to hear than the HW theme with a very distinctive pattern of notes.

Regarding your snippets and nitpicks over ARR pulling inspiration from other renowned musical talents, I'm not sure how you think that's a bad thing again (I'm also not sure how anything in XIV sounds like Star Wars to you).

/shrugs

[Theplatter]

The reason that 1.0 felt like it was trying to be "different" was because there was no musical direction in 1.0 at all, the music was all over the place. They went to Uematsu and basically just said "Here's a game, now make some music for said game", and that was it. That's not really because of originality, it's because there literally was no art direction concerning the musical scores. They basically just took whatever Uematsu put out, put a stamp on it, and threw it into the game. And the one part that isn't entirely based on opinion is the fact that 1.0 does not use real instruments. It's all synthesized and fake, and you can hear the difference between listening to a 1.0 soundtrack and XIV one where Soken changed aspects of it.

As for the main SB theme being used a lot throughout the game, that's called a motif and something that gets used a lot in music composition generally. Soken has done that since ARR, it was lightly noticeable in HW, but SB's theme is just a very easy melody to hear than the HW theme with a very distinctive pattern of notes.

Regarding your snippets and nitpicks over ARR pulling inspiration from other renowned musical talents, I'm not sure how you think that's a bad thing again (I'm also not sure how everything in XIV sounds like Star Wars to you).

/shrugs

Thank you for your well-constructed response, that was unfortunately soiled by your last statement - I never once said that everything in XIV sounds like Star Wars. It was listed as one of Soken's sources of inspiration that I heard in ARR.

[Sigma-Astra]

Thank you for your well-constructed response, that was unfortunately soiled by your last statement - I never once said that everything in XIV sounds like Star Wars. It was listed as one of Soken's sources of inspiration that I heard in ARR.

Ah, sorry, I meant "anything", but my brain typed "everything". Still, I'm still not sure what you heard that reminds you of Star Wars. I can't think of any track that comes to mind close towards that type of style anyways.

[Theplatter]

Ah, sorry, I meant "anything", but my brain typed "everything". Still, I'm still not sure what you heard that reminds you of Star Wars. I can't think of any track that comes to mind close towards that type of style anyways.

Teleport into Little Ala Mihgo at night and you'll swear Luke's aunt and uncle were just murdered. I'm aware it's not John Williams' score note-for-note, but the inspiration is still very much there.