Final Fantasy XIV Field Tracks :: Liner Notes Transcribed by Chris

	Album Title:	Final Fantasy XIV Field Tracks
	Record Label:	Square Enix
	Catalog No.:	SQEX-10203
	Release Date:	September 29, 2010
	Purchase:	Buy at CDJapan

Commentary

Nobuo Uematsu - Composer

A Reminiscence of Final Fantasy - Part 1

When the first Final Fantasy was being developed in 1987, who could have predicted that it would become the hit series it is today, now into its fourteenth instalment? Our development at the time had close to zero experience, but what we did have was a group of stubborn twenty-somethings with a never-back-down attitude towards making games. Some members in the team were still enrolled in college.

It never helps to have so many hard-headed people on a creative project, so you can imagine how much things were when we were all so young and naive. Now everyone is in their forties, we've mellowed out a bit, but back then it didn't take much to set us off. There were screaming matches, finger-pointing, name-calling, and conflicts that went along the lines of: "You're askin for it! Basement parking lot! Now!" "Right behind you!" Our first Final Fantasy baby was raised in an environment as far removed from "mature" as you can get.

In 2008, twenty years after Final Fantasy was unleashed on the world, we held a small celebration with the original members of the team to commemorate the coming-of-age of our creation. Everything started out all friendly and jovial, until the drinking took its toll and we began discussing game development. Naturally, the discussions became heated and erupted into arguments. We were yelling at each other in the middle of the bar. "You've got it all wrong!" How stupid can you be? That's why you'll never understand!" Some things never change, no matter how old we get.

Setting aside the inevitability of arguments, I think creative people need that kind of passion, and I prefer those who don't try to hide it. Call me old-fashioned.

For all the young people reading this: live your life with passion. Forget about trying to look cool. That's for poseurs.