Author: Padraig Fahy

  • [The Jukebox] #65 – Masayoshi Soken – A Long Fall

    [The Jukebox] #65 – Masayoshi Soken – A Long Fall

    Earlier this week, Square-Enix finally released the Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST onto streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.

    This gives me the perfect excuse to highlight one of the biggest memes in Final Fantasy XIV in the last couple of years: A Long Fall.

    ‘A Long Fall’ is the accompanying score to the Level 80 dungeon, “The Twinning”. The song is a remix of two older themes, “Out of the Labyrinth” (From the Syrcus Tower raid in Patch 2.3) and “eScape” (From the Omega raid in Patch 4.4)

    Syrcus Tower theme
    Omega theme

    The lyrics for eScape were sung by the composer for Final Fantasy XIV, Masayoshi Soken and the lead English translator, Co-lead of the World and Lore Developer, Michael-Christopher Koji Fox.

    When Shadowbringers was released in July 2019, ‘The Twinning’ was one of the dungeons that was included with the initial patch which contained the very catchy tune.

    A Long Fall

    The song became an underrated masterpiece and considered one of Soken’s best works (Of which there are many)

    On August 27th 2019, YouTube user kcat729 uploaded a video titled ‘twinning.mp4’ which contained the song but super imposed with 4 copies of John Jacobson from the Double Dream Feet video from 2011.

    twinning.mp4
    Double Dream Feet from John Jacobson

    Word about twinning.mp4 made its way around the various websites such as Twitter, Reddit, the Final Fantasy XIV Official Forums and eventually the developers of the game.

    At the Final Fantasy Fan Festival 2021 (Which took place in a closed theatre in Japan due to COVID-19), Square-Enix held a concert at the end of Night 2 of their event featuring their in-house band “The PRIMALS” which is comprised of the aforementioned Soken, Koji Fox and 3 other band members.

    They traditionally cover in-game music made by Soken in a more heavy-metal direction but in recent times, their music has created for the game.

    During their performance, they had community team members recreate the dance from the twinning.mp4 meme video.

    You can see that the team members are wearing red, blue and green shirts. This is to depict the ‘roles’ that you can play in Final Fantasy XIV. Red for Damage Dealers (DPS), Green for Healers and Blue for Tanks.

    To promote the upcoming album “FINAL FANTASY XIV: Scions & Sinners”, The Primals created a music video for A Long Fall which shows the members performing the song while Koji Fox is dressed up as a Ascian (whom are the antagonists in Final Fantasy XIV) performing the Double Dream Feet dance and also some in-game dances such as the ‘Manderville’ and the ‘Ball Dance’

    You can tell that throughout the official music video and the video from the Fan Fest that they really enjoyed performing this song. Hopefully at the next Final Fantasy Fan Festival in 2023, we’ll be able to hear the song in person.

    The official soundtrack for Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is now available on Spotify and Apple Music.

    SHADOWBRINGERS: FINAL FANTASY XIV Original Soundtrack by Masayoshi Soken
    Album · 2019 · 88 Songs
    Apple Music

  • Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker Benchmark Released

    Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker Benchmark Released

    This past Sunday, Square Enix released the benchmark for the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Endwalker.

    The benchmark contains the character creator which allows you to create characters which can be used in the main game when the expansion launches on November 23rd including the new Male Viera race.

    The benchmark can be downloaded for free from here: https://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/benchmark/ (Windows only)

    Square Enix also published the video of the benchmark which shows landmarks, characters, spells, and more which feature in the expansion.

    My result. This would be a couple of hundred points of the ‘Maximum’ tier of 15000+. I could probably improve this with a better hardware and optimisation but I am not going to worry about it.
  • [The Jukebox] #64 – The GazettE – Ganjisuni Akai Bara

    [The Jukebox] #64 – The GazettE – Ganjisuni Akai Bara

    Over the last 10 or more years, I discovered a Japanese band that I fell in love with, and something that I have never highlighted ever on The Jukebox and while I will doing a featured special about them one day, today, I wish to introduce to you all, my 2nd favourite Japanese band.

    Background

    The GazettE were formed in 2002 featuring the band members: Ruki, Uruha, Aoi, Reita and Kai. I have a hard enough time trying to keep track as to who is who in the Japanese Visual Kei and Rock genre.

    The band members of The GazettE with one of the members sitting on the bonnet of a car which has partial damage to the front of it.
    The GazettE band members

    STACKED RUBBISH is the bands 3rd studio album which released in 2007 which reached 3rd in the Oricon album charts (Oricon is similar to the Billboard in the US or IMRO in Ireland)  

    On May 26th 2021, the band released their 10th studio album titled: “Mass”

    While this album has some greats tracks, the first one that I want to highlight is their 5th track, Ganjisuni Akai Bara.

    YouTube & Spotify

    Lyrics

    When speaking figuratively you seem to be
    A crow that wanted to dive on the water’s surface with spread wings
    What are the eyes seeing that pretend to be innocent?

    Please give ease to the girl who’s thin hands are pointing to the sky…

    A rosary made of brass hangs around your neck
    And was replaced by a light brown leather rope
    The hymn mixed with a smile is interrupted and at the same time you lose your footing

    While watching the trembling shadow, rationality is mutilated
    Understanding has no meaning in this scattered cult like the tone of a bell that’s ringing coldly

    February is decorated in taciturnity, palms put together in a deep prayer
    To God, unable to save, please answer me…

    Experiencing life’s value in death, this death lets the flowers of life bloom
    A colorless God and a sleeping withered rose
    I hold onto the drowning you, let’s face the beautiful darkness

    In order for wax to melt, it’s shape was taken
    When tomorrow is left without shadows, what is there more than reality?

    I want to aknowledge you, please don’t be sad, even if there’s nothing reflected in these eyes anymore

    February is decorated in taciturnity, palms put together in a deep prayer

    To God, unable to save, please answer me…
    Experiencing life’s value in death, this death lets the flowers of life bloom
    I’m singing those deserted words

    Your birthday is decorated in taciturnity, no matter how many times the celebrating of this day was continued
    You were born and raised here, at the place you loved

    Weakly it continues trembling and flowing, this eternal sleep in beauty.
    Your journey was decorated by red roses.

    What I asked peacefully is to never entrust the language of emotions
    Can you laugh from your heart, I wonder if there is any happiness?

  • Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2021 – Around the World – Opening Keynote

    Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2021 – Around the World – Opening Keynote

    Naoki Yoshida, Director and Producer of Final Fantasy XIV, took to stage in a closed location and revealed information regarding the new Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Endwalker.

    • Opening with Trailer
    • Scythes confirmed!
      • Fall 2021 release
    • Yoshida is dressed as the new job wielding a Scythe

    New Jobs

    • Zenos has changed jobs to the new job
    • New Job: Reaper
    • New Job original to FFXIV

    • Showing a trailer demonstrating job abilities

    About Reaper

    • Role: Melee DPS
    • Shares gear with DRG
    • Weapon: Scythe (Two-handed)
    • No required class
    • Must have Endwalker and have 1 job at Level 70.
    • Starting: Level 70

    Concept

    • Welds a scythe for dynamic close-quarter combat
    • Calls upon an avatar from the void to join the battle
    • Can serve as a host for their avatar
    • Job Quests are planned to start in Ul’dah
      • More information about Reaper RPR(?) at a later date

    Story

    • The story will wrap up in Patch 6.0
    • There is a LOT of content in Patch 6.0
    • 6.1 will start a brand new story

    • We will be going to the Moon… but before that, we will be going to Old Sharlayan
      • This will serve as the ‘Hub city’ simialar Crystarium, Idyllshire, Rhalgr’s Reach.
      • They show a trailer of Old Sharlayan

    • This city has VERY important since the early days of Final Fantasy XIV developement
    • There was supposed to be 6 starting cities in FFXIV 1.0 – (The other 3 were Ishgard, Ala Mhigo and Sharlayan)
    • This was cut to 3 and the ARR rebuild retained this.
    • Very important to the story.

    Main theme for Endwalker

    • About 3 to 4 days to come up with the lyrics for the Endwalker theme.

    • Sophia theme (Containment Bay P1T6) was created in 2 hours.

    • Amanda Achen also sang the ‘Tomorrow & Tomorrow’ song

    • The main vocals were by Sam Carter from Architects

    • Song contains elements from the Stormblood theme and the Heavensward theme

    • The trailer is already available on YouTube.

    Characters from the trailer

    Estinen

    • He will appear in the Main Story and can be used as a Trust in dunegons.

    Vydra

    Name Unknown

    • Very important role in the Endwalker story
    • You will find out more about him in Patch 5.5 – Death Until Dawn – Part 2
      • Readers of the Encycolopedia Eorzea books may know who he knows.

    Massive New Areas

    • Same amount of areas being added as previous expansions

    • Shows trailer

    Labyrinthos

    • It’s an underground area with a domain lit by an artifical light.
    • Why you need to go there will be uncovered in the expansion.

    Thavnair area & Radz-at-Han city

    • Shows trailer of Thavnair
    • Very colourful
    • Showing trailer of Radz-at-Han city
    • The sky may not be blue in-game
    • New area – No information about it at this time

    Garlemald


    The Moon – Mare Lamentorum

    • Will not say how you will get to the Moon.
    • Music is very simialar to The Tempest
    • Air and gravity present (This will be explained in the story)
    • Mare Lamentorum is just one area of The Moon, not the entire Moon itself.
    • Find out more when Endwalker is released.

    New Encounetrs

    The Magus Sisters

    Loporrits

    • You will find Loporrits on The Moon

    Also Coming in Version 6.0

    (Most of this info was announced at the Announcement Showcase )

    • New Healer: Sage
    • A Higher Level Cap – Level 80 -> 90
    • 5 New Role Questlines
    • Trust System Update
    • Downscaled Values in Battle Calculations
    • No More Belts
    • New Small-scale PvP Mode
    • New Raid – Pandæmonium
    • Island Sanctuary (Mostly solo content and will be updated throughout 6.x)
      • Not locked to DoH/DoL
    • New Residental District: Ishgard
    • Viewing only in 6.0
    • Plots available in 6.1
      • Making adjustments to housing to prevent ‘house cheaters’ and RMT
      • Investing in new servers for the housing.
      • Looking into a ‘Lot System’
    • Data Center Travel System
      • Releasing before 6.0 Patch
    • Challenging New Dungeons
      • Video showing new dungeons – No names or anything

    • New Alliance Raid

    • Name: Myths of the Realm

    • New original story to FFXIV. No cross-over.
    • Collectors Edition


    • In-game items
    • Arion mount


    • No discs included

    • 85% of players bought a digital version of FFXIV: Shadowbringers hence the decision to switch to digital only

    • FFXIV Endwalker: Collectors Edition for PC / Mac Only [This includes the game]

    • FFXIV Endwalker: Collectors Box for PS4/PS5/Steam Only [This does not contain the game]

    • FFXIV Endwalker: Digital Collectors Edition for all platforms.

    • FFXIV Endwalker: Standard Edition for all platforms.

    • Pre-order Bonuses – "Wind-up Palon Minion" & "Menphina Earring"

    • EXP earring like ShB

    • Pre-order also grants "Early Access"

    The release date:

    November 23rd 2021!

    • (Approx 6 months from 5.5 release which is at the end of the month.)~

    One more thing

    • Male Viera
    • Lore about Male Viera will come at a later time!




    • Female Hrothgar

      • "It’s coming, but not right now"

    • One more announcement

    • Players from over 200 countries

    • NEW Oceania Data Center

      • "Multi-million investment"
      • Opens in 6.1

    November 23rd 2021 – On Sale

    November 19th 2021 – Early Access

    PLEASE LOOK FORWARD TO IT!

    Mr Square-Enix CEO (Yosuka Matsuda) is on stage.

    • He thanks the player for the last 10 yars of Support of FFXIV

  • How to upgrade Ghost 4 on Plesk Obsidian

    How to upgrade Ghost 4 on Plesk Obsidian

    This is a follow-on to my previous post about installing Ghost 4 on Plesk Obsidian.

    As with the previous post:

    I am not an expert in Docker, npm, node.js or related technologies. What I am documenting here is what worked for myself.

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  • How to install Ghost 4 on Plesk Obsidian

    How to install Ghost 4 on Plesk Obsidian

    This has been superseded by the Ghost 5 install guide:

    How to install Ghost 5 on Plesk Obsidian

    Ghost 4 was released earlier today which brought some nice new features, mainly a way for you to easily create a subscription for your content.

    Note: I am not an expert in Docker, npm, node.js or related technologies. What I am documenting here is what worked for myself.

    (more…)