The direction of FFXIV's music.

[JackDaniels]

Down with J-Rock!

[alexhatesmil]

Where the hell are you getting J-rock? the OST has NOTHING that sounds similar to that. It's all progressive rock/metal of some sort. Which Uematsu has been doing since what? 2003? It's certainly nothing new. Lost Odyssey had it, The Black Mages was comprised of nothing but it, and XIV has a small handful of songs similar to it.

I liked the direction they went with the music for the most part. I'd like to see a different boat theme, though. That's really my only complaint.

This. There's no J-Rock in this game (and CERTAINLY no J-Pop), just good ol' fashioned rockin' Uematsu. He's been doing stuff like this for his entire career, to some extent. Let's pull some examples from previous games, shall we?

Final Fantasy IV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO1ljD3K4-A
Final Fantasy V: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CMTXyExkeI
Final Fantasy VI: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-fnJNujuRk
Final Fantasy VII: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCXs-Gpld_8
Final Fantasy VIII: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYDT_Y6Jj5c
Final Fantasy IX: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_7u16pL4As
Final Fantasy X: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWE0nlhpdq8

What I really like about the music from this game, though, is that it's so different from the 'epic' soundtracks of other MMOs, which often times sound forced. Oh, we need some grand-sounding music? Just add a choir! Rinse and repeat.

[Rjain]

I love a lot of the songs in this game. Some of the songs in this game outbeat most in the series IMO.

I will be very disappointed if they happen to remove them. Some could do with some touching up, but there's few of those.

I like the variance. It's an MMO, variance is good. One particular style through the whole game and you'll wind up getting bored of the music too easily. Some of my favourite songs are the two dungeon theme mixes, the new lower level La Noscea music, the theme of Ishgard, Shposhae battle theme, and the Thanalan stronghold.

[Viritess]

Always been a big FF music fan. And overall i enjoy the score for FF14. As far as classic FF synth, it was "synth" mostly because of the timitations for the music. And was often very catch due to the low amount seperate notes. Human minds tend to find things we can hum/whistle/ or sing more "Catchy" because its reproducable. Think Penny arcade has a video about it, its the "so you want to make games" series of videos, very interesting, but to the point.

Personally theres nearly no type of music i dislike but orchestral always seemed to fit FF better then most. The Goobbue music is fantastic i agree, its like long journey music more fitting to what your doing then the beast itself.

I've had my Chocobo for about a week and a half and i must say, i love the chocobo music, always have but, it seems far too epic for my trip to a tree harvest. and the volume boost when its moving is slightly annoying.

I enjoy how in places like Muy-tai cellars the base BGM and the battle BGM convey the mood well and are similar in their chords. Even though without the game you can definately tell ones is more laid back and one has more adrenaline.

My opinion on game music is:
1: Use whatever style of music, be in Orchestral, Jazz, Rock or rap so long as it converys the mood of the actions or area it acompanies.

2: Soundtracks for things your do often, repeatedly with small amounts of time in between, need not, and often should not be "Overly" epic. (Chocobo BGM would be more fitting to say, a lance down Chocobo charge. Or leaping through landscape as your chased to bring the General the missive full of war secrets)

Try to keep those actions listed above slightly more laidback sounding, because if your on and off your Chocobo as you search for nodes the Goobbue soundtrack si much more fitting.


3: Background music is only background if it seems to lose its connection to whats going on within its play. This kind of fit with the first point. The Inn room music; light, fitting complicated enough to be interesting to hear but it still sounds much like a lulla-by. In my opinion an excellent choice.

Now for some this may seem an odd example since i'm not sure what any readers exposure to different types of music and their varied delivery, but here goes.

If anyone has seen a real quality opera or some times you'll find a musical performance that lacks words but is conveyed through the score (Think Peter and the Wolf; No words were used, the dialogue was all conveyed through instruments and music) I'd love to see some experimentation into Dynamic music. If a enemy "Suddenly appears" a small short musical piece that brings you into the battle music would be a nice way to alert you. If you get an add, it would be nice if the battle music theme could trill or spike for that moment.

Dings, bells, etc are definately useful but hardly engrossing and dynamic. I don't know the feasability of such a system, but my musical ear would love to hear someone give it a try.

TL;DR In my opinion its not the type of music thats used. If it fits the scene and conveys the mood then pick whatever you like. (WOW soundtrack for the Grizzly Hills is a perfect choice of area, mood, theme and score)

Epic music should be for Epic things (Chocobo riding music -Possibly over the top- Goobbue music -Fits perfectly for the action, but possibly not the mount itself)

But what i enjoy the most is the creativity in music for things such as games. But what i personally would ask of composers who are working on games is to by all means see and know what you are writing those songs for and don't be afraid to creep me out, spook me out, lull me to sleep, make my adrenaline pump, laugh or cry through your music just because its a game soundtrack. GW1 for its good and its bad, had some excellent songs placed in excellent areas. as does FF14.

[Platinumstorm]

TL;DR In my opinion its not the type of music thats used. If it fits the scene and conveys the mood then pick whatever you like. (WOW soundtrack for the Grizzly Hills is a perfect choice of area, mood, theme and score)

SNIP:

I also use the WOTLK expansion as an argument to how MMO music should be. While WoW music is often really ambient, maybe too ambient for my taste, it follows their design for the mood of the zone. Their goal, in some zones, is to literally make you feel like the music isn't there because it's such an integral component to the zone. In other zones, the music is in the forefront as the battle drums of Orgrimmar pound on your skull, or the choir of Stormwind brings you into its grandeur and tradition.

For those without the background information from WoW, the continent of Northrend was designed to be majestic, wild, and untamed, and the music reflects it as such. It's also the expansion that brought the death knell to one of Warcraft's most prominent characters - the son of a king.

Frankly, I was surprised at how attatched I became to the WOTLK music, but the Grizzly Hills, Howling Fjord, and Wintergrasp theme's, along with Arthas' elegy, "Invincible," made for some very classic, and impactful musical scores.

The care put into WoW zone design musical scores is incredible. Grizzly Hills has 25 minutes of daylight music, and 25 minutes of night time music. Depending on where you are in the zone, and what sort of mood you're supposed to have, it can range from being majestic, beautiful, or plaintive. It has an entire scale of emotion with it. If Uematsu could tackle FF14's zones in such a way to convey the World of Warcraft level of music design with his expertise, FF14 would have a masterpiece of music on its hands.

Side note: Love the Gobbue music. It reminds me so much of the Falcon's airship in Final Fantasy III [VI]

[Endemerrin]

1: Use whatever style of music, be in Orchestral, Jazz, Rock or rap so long as it converys the mood of the actions or area it acompanies.

I think this is one of the biggest things that XIV lacks. It's been said that Uematsu actually didn't have a chance to really see the zones he was composing for, and was rushed to push out XIV's OST. I think this shines through in some areas, though not all. For example, Ul'dah's music. Just doesn't seem fitting at all in my opinion. The (new) La Noscea music in the low level areas also seems incredibly out of place. Thanalan's music is a bit off during day hours, as I'd expect a more vigorous and flavorful composition for a desert (much like Halatali's new theme).

I also miss boss fights having their own unique music. Seems like a lot of our major cutscene boss battles and the like have the same old music. The only themes that really stick out right now are Ifrit's and the Moogles as far as a boss battles are related. The dungeon music is all the same old stuff, which is unfortunate.

Above all else we need music that really captures the landscape it's in, or captures the task at hand. Keep in mind, the current OST was made with the current Eorzea in mind. With the new zones, some music might no longer be fitting. That's another reason why I'm curious as to whether or not we'll see a new OST.

While a track might be fitting for a certain zone right now, the radically re-defined areas might give a different vibe and the old tracks might throw that off.

[Platinumstorm]

I think this is one of the biggest things that XIV lacks. It's been said that Uematsu actually didn't have a chance to really see the zones he was composing for, and was rushed to push out XIV's OST. I think this shines through in some areas, though not all. For example, Ul'dah's music. Just doesn't seem fitting at all in my opinion. The (new) La Noscea music in the low level areas also seems incredibly out of place. Thanalan's music is a bit off during day hours, as I'd expect a more vigorous and flavorful composition for a desert (much like Halatali's new theme).

I also miss boss fights having their own unique music. Seems like a lot of our major cutscene boss battles and the like have the same old music. The only themes that really stick out right now are Ifrit's and the Moogles as far as a boss battles are related. The dungeon music is all the same old stuff, which is unfortunate.

Above all else we need music that really captures the landscape it's in, or captures the task at hand. Keep in mind, the current OST was made with the current Eorzea in mind. With the new zones, some music might no longer be fitting. That's another reason why I'm curious as to whether or not we'll see a new OST.

While a track might be fitting for a certain zone right now, the radically re-defined areas might give a different vibe and the old tracks might throw that off.

I actually think Ul'dah and Thanalan's music are two of the best in the game, and two of the most fitting. Arab inspired, or faux-Arab themes are not the go-to rule for desert settings.

I also wouldn't have been opposed to putting the Christmas music as Gridania's permanent theme.

[Endemerrin]

I actually think Ul'dah and Thanalan's music are two of the best in the game, and two of the most fitting. Arab inspired themes are not the go-to rule for desert settings.

No, of course not, but usually something along those lines helps really push the overall theme along. I guess with Ul'dah I just expected something a bit more grandiose. Given both it's size and nature. Thanalan is amazing, too. Never said it wasn't, I just think for daylight hours it isn't terribly fitting. It's perfect for night hours.

But, to each their own.

[kimoi]

I enjoy much of the music that has appeared in the past few patches. Basically I listen to this on repeat all day.

[alexhatesmil]

I think this is one of the biggest things that XIV lacks. It's been said that Uematsu actually didn't have a chance to really see the zones he was composing for, and was rushed to push out XIV's OST.

I believe this to be the case, and it really shows. My only real problem with the soundtrack is that it lacks thematic cohesion. Even though Uematsu did very little work on Final Fantasy XI, he still composed a theme ("Memoro de la Stono") that reappears intermittently throughout the game. There are no such repeating motivic elements in XIV. What we need is some sort of theme to latch onto.