"Song of the week" #9

One of my favorite albums ever? It contains this week's song: here we go...

"Diminished" by R.E.M.
From the album "Up", 1998

Note: at the end of the clip, you can listen to a hidden track called "I'm not over you".

FFXIV Limsa Lominsa BGM + FF Vocal Collection

A Realm Reborn official developers' blog has been updated, this time letting us listen to Limsa Lominsa and La Noscea new BGMs (medley)! Here we go:

Like it? There's more: "Final Fantasy Vocal Collection" will be available tomorrow in Japan (click), and will contain 10 tracks from various Final Fantasy games, including "the full, uncut version of “Answers” sung by the lovely Susan Calloway! That's right, the version you heard in the End of an Era trailer was only half the masterpiece! But now, for the first time ever, the song will be available to the public (outside of limited-edition sets sold at private shows, etc.)". With this CD, "Answers" lyrics will be released in printed form. You can also read them here!

Final Fantasy XIV "Chocobos Rule the World" contest + quick news

With a small delay (I was in hospital!), here I am with more Final Fantasy XIV news.

• Official contest "Chocobos Rule the World" is now open. You could win a FFXIV: A Realm Reborn postcard set. Click here (EU; France, Germany, Spain, UK only) or here (NA) to check all the details and enter
• Advanced map marking system coming to A Realm Reborn: info here
• It will be possible to move the NPC dialogue widget to the location of your choice on the screen. Position will be saved
• Alert feature for sold items and purchased item history: click
• Arcanist will be available without specific requirements, as a starting class (click here to check Arcanist or here for the Summoner job)
• A Realm Reborn beta test will feature clear and cloudy in-game weather
• A new developers' blog post is now online: "Devsmoot"

FFXIV A Realm Reborn: new beta and benchmark screenshots + quick news

Letter from the Producer XLI has been published on the Lodestone. Naoki Yoshida shows us new screenshots from Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn beta test and beta benchmark, which is coming soon. "Starting from phase 1, all races will be available for testing [...] not all customization options will be available. We're putting a lot of work into various options such as hair styles and colors (a whopping 192 shades are being planned!) based on feedback from the alpha test, and everything should be ready by phase three". So, have a look: a Hyur Highlander female, a Miqo'te male and a Roegadyn female are posing for the "camera" as well!

And now, some quick official news from the last few days:

• More info on Linkshells and Free Companies management: "/lsmes", FC members' ranks and comments, etc: click
• Enemy and Ally signs will be combined into one category. Only party leaders will be able to use them but everywhere (their usage was previously restricted to Guildleves)
• Some knockback abilities will be available to players; there will still be monsters with draw-in and knockback ones
• A Realm Reborn's new Lodestone website will feature crafting recipes improved search system and detailed information: items level, stats, etc
• Gathering point grades will be available for each level, making it easier to level up ("We feel this should solve the problem [...] where the experience points you were receiving past 40 from grade 5 gathering points just wasn't enough to level up efficiently".)

Resident Evil Revelations heading to PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U this May

Capcom announced that Nintendo 3DS game Resident Evil Revelations, released January 2012, will also be made available for PC and home consoles with "enhanced HD graphics and lighting". This new version, named "Unveiled Edition", will feature a new enemy, a new harder difficulty and more: learn all the details here.

"Song of the week" #8

"Song of the week" #8 is a very recent one I knew thanks to music blog Popslut (Italian). While the song itself is cool and got me addicted, the video, starring burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese, is the real deal here; it is one of the best I've seen in the last few years. Note: maybe, it's partially NSFW.

"Disintegration" by Monarchy and Dita Von Teese (2013)

Shiva's diamond dust to hit Final Fantasy XIV

New A Realm Reborn official developers' blog post, this time with a new primal! WIP model and artwork of Shiva have been released. Here we go:

Like her?

FFXIV: Gridania during the night + quick news

Everyone who was able to play A Realm Reborn alpha knows that the time was stuck at 11 AM. A new post from Final Fantasy XIV official developers' blog shows us how Gridania looks like at nighttime (beta). Beautiful, isn't it?

Also, here are some quick official news which surfaced in the last days:

• Crossfire/SLI will be supporter when ARR gets released
• There are currently no plans to offer a lifetime subscription option; however, there's always a possibility it will be available in the future
• In ARR it will be possible to choose between displaying both first name + last name or just one of the two
• Bards will take their harp out when performing a song ability (not an item; animation only)
• ARR will offer a spectator mode for Coliseum fights (PvP), and only for those
• It will be possible to take screenshots even during cutscenes
• Clarification about level of 1.0 characters imported into ARR beta test (phase 3): click
• A new method to /tell someone by clicking on their name in the chatlog will be introduced
• Linkshells will be mostly about chatting with friends; Free Companies will have advanced management features, like the option to kick someone who is offline. There will probably be also a "feature where leadership will be passed to another member of the Free Company if the leader does not log in for a certain period of time"

FFXIV: A Realm Reborn beta testers recruitment and opening movie

Final Fantasy XIV producer Naoki Yoshida told us that something would have happened today. As assumed, Beta Testers Application Site is now online (details below). There's more: you can now watch the opening movie of A Realm Reborn!

Beta test: click here (EU), here (NA), or here (JP) to apply. Notes from Square Enix:

• Players who met the Legacy campaign requirements can participate in the beta test starting from phase 1 and are not required to apply. Users who applied for the alpha test are not required to reapply for the beta test; however, participation in the alpha test does not guarantee selection for the beta test. Please note that, in both cases, you must submit a new application if you wish to apply for testing the PlayStation 3 version.
• If you applied to be a PlayStation 3 beta tester for FFXIV Version 1.0 and were selected to test the Windows version instead, you need not apply again to test the PS3 version—your original application will be reconsidered when we start selecting PS3 testers. However, if you wish to be considered as a Windows PC tester, we ask that you apply specifically for that.
• Players who wish to participate in the PlayStation 3 beta test and who have a Square Enix Members code that came bundled with the initial shipments of Final Fantasy XIII (PS3), please enter this code in the designated area. You will be given priority when the time comes to select PlayStation 3 beta testers. If you entered this code when applying for the beta test for Version 1.0, please indicate this on your application. Following confirmation, we will attempt to prioritize your application during the selection process.

Peruse all the details about beta test (phases, restrictions, etc) by clicking here.

"Song of the week" #7 + some thoughts

So, a new year has just begun. I said it every past year, and I'm saying it again: I hope that 2013 will bring more rights for everyone. Equality. I hope 2013 will bring less ignorance and more tolerance in our hearts towards who's "different" to us. After all, we're all the same, because we're all different in our own way. "Song of the week" #7 is from 1992 but, sadly, even today is still 100% accurate, for many people and in many countries of the world. I hope that, sooner or later, this song will become "useless". I hope that, sooner or later, everyone will learn to live and let live.

"Why's it so hard" by Madonna
From the album "Erotica", 1992

Happy new (A Realm Reborn) year! FFXIV artworks and beta signup (?)

Happy new year everyone! Final Fantasy XIV team also wants to wish you a happy 2013 and, for the occasion, is sharing some artworks on The Lodestone and the official developers' blog! There's more: FFXIV producer Naoki Yoshida (aka Yoshi-P) is suggesting "to jot January 7 down on your calendars!"; maybe will Final Fantasy XIV Beta Tester Application Site go live? Let's wait...

You can see a helm "perfect for the coming year of the snake" and a cute "baby behemoth" (it looks more like a baby Kujata to me, tho!).