making-of-eorzea
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The art director speaks in the latest video for Final Fantasy XIV
One of the defining elements of Final Fantasy XI was the attention to detail, with every area of the world carefully crafted for maximum verisimilitude. It's a tradition that has been carried on to Final Fantasy XIV, with the game's art direction as one of its primary selling points. Akihiko Yoshida, the art director for the game, shares his thoughts on the design of the game and his hopes for the player experience in the newest Making of Eorzea video, embedded after the cut. Yoshida discusses the added challenges experienced with the game's dynamic format, as well as the many ways that the team has tried to expand upon the lessons learned from Final Fantasy XI. Players of the open beta have no doubt noticed the amount of detail going into each environment, and it helps make even mundane tasks more enjoyable. See what Yoshida has to say about designing Final Fantasy XIV's visuals after the cut, and keep your eyes open as the open beta continues (Square-Enix has been rolling out a new patch nearly every day).
New Making of Eorzea video sits down with Final Fantasy XIV's composer Uematsu
For many people, Nobuo Uematsu's name is inextricably linked to the Final Fantasy series. And with good cause -- he's one of the people most closely associated with the feel of the series, with several of his compositions having become ubiquitous even within games he didn't score. Having been the sole composer for Final Fantasy XIV, the newest Making of Eorzea video sits down with Uematsu and discusses the experience of composing the full score for the game. While Uematsu estimates it's been about ten years since he was in charge of a full score for a game, there's little argument to be had about his suitability for the job. He discusses both the scope of the project and his experiences in composing such memorable tracks as the theme song -- which, in his own words, was sung by Susan Calloway at his own insistence. See more about the music of Final Fantasy XIV in the video, embedded after the cut.
The cities and world of Final Fantasy XIV
If you're all about living the life of a pirate, then odds are good you don't mind being restricted to Limsa Lominsa in the Final Fantasy XIV beta. But if you've done the sea serpent tango more than once, Ul'dah and Gridania are no doubt sounding pretty good. So it's a good thing that MMOSite is reporting that the next phase of beta will start in September and will include the two heretofore unseen cities as playable areas. Considering the recent hands-on experience with the starter cities, we think it's well within the realm of possibility. Of course, one of the major components to making each of the starting cities and subsequent areas stand out is the worldbuilding efforts of the development team. The most recent Making of Eorzea documentary covers precisely this, and not coincidentally, it can be viewed past the cut. With a discussion of the scenery and the visual culture of the game's landscape, the video is something every Final Fantasy XIV player can enjoy, and it shows that the vibrancy of the world has been a big priority during development.
Completing the look in Final Fantasy XIV
It's only been a day since Final Fantasy XIV's newest round of beta started up, but the first day included the announcement that screenshots and experiences from beta could be shared freely. So, as one can imagine, there's plenty of information being shared all over the internet. Today has seen the intrepid staff at FFXIVCore delving into the depths of the character creator, testing the limits of just how powerful it really is. It's not just a significant upgrade from Final Fantasy XI, but quite a potent tool in its own right. Of course, the one thing that can't be shared from the beta is video... but that doesn't mean you have to go without moving pictures. Dovetailing nicely with an article on illustrating your character is the newest installment of Square-Enix's Making of Eorzea videos, this one focusing on equipment variations to keep every character looking distinct. The video is embedded past the cut, and should provide both familiar and new looks for Final Fantasy XIV's eager audience.
