http://www.gmronline.com/info.asp?CatNu … X-10088~94

I know FFXI's OST was kind of lame, but is anyone else happy to see this? For around $100 you get 5 CDs from FFXI, unreleased cuts and a Piano Collection, along with the bonus stuff. Not too bad.

Yummy. 

I'm such a sucker for box sets... :'(

Me, too. I remember pre-ordering the NAMCO Wonder Box a couple of years ago, but that shit got canned. It had, like, 50 CDs in there or something. Total lunacy.

I just wonder why the Star Onions CD isn't included in the FFXI box. Hmmm...

I couldn't be happier about this. There were many unreleased tracks that needed to be released, and I am MEGA pumped about the piano collection (I was worried it would never happen).

This release probably marks the end of official XI expansions. Good timing IMO.

The fact that Star Onions isn't put on the set suggests to me, however, that a 2nd Star Onions CD will be released. I know when I spoke with some of the band members that they said they hope to do so.

Ramza

(PS - now all I need is a I-III Piano album and a XII Piano album and I'll be a happy man).

I hope they release a piano colleciton seperate too...

-Joshua

Personally, I really like the osts for FFXI, the music is very soothing and relaxing to me.

Hmm... unreleased stuff, eh?  I wonder if those are the same as the unknown FFXI tracks that I found in a gamerip collection of unused Final Fantasy tracks.

That piano collection could be pretty good too, but I agree, no Star Onions cd kinda stinks.

I wonder what the box will look like, I love the first print of the first ost.  I would really like to see it have the newer Yoshitaka Amano art, particularly the pieces that he did for Treasures of Aht Urgan.

At the moment, SQEX-10082 has been left unidentified. There's a chance it could be the piano collection. But it looks like the box set is coming with the sheet music for the Piano Collection, so after all the importing one would have to do to get both the CD in the book, you may as well buy a sweet box set.

But for those that already own the other albums and would just want "the rest", it's a shame that the unreleased album (and probably the piano collection) would only be available in this massive box.

Ramza

A developer said this summer that they had already started to work on the next expansion. Considering FFXI still holds 400,000 to 500,000 players, they may well be able to release one or two titles till the release of a next FF MMORPG (Plus, I hear Sony has actually released the expansion of EQ1 along with EQ2).

FFXI PC is really a blessing as long as the tracks are picked from the first FFXI OST (the second was still decent, but the third and fourth were plain).

The only soundtracks worth getting in that box set are the FFXI OST and the Rise of the Zilart expansion album. The rest IMO ranges to contain some decent tracks to some Mizuta-infected boringness. The piano collections is a nice idea, I wonder who the arranger is. Again, not a package I'd purchase.

Yeah i kinda have the same views on this box as Harry above.
Nice item but i'm not sure i'd enjoy spending 6 hours bored to death because of the uninspired composition.
Still dunno what to do regarding this boxset..
Later,

Alcahest

Eh. I thought Mizuta was boring in the FFXI OST and he got even more so in the expansions. I think I'll pass.

I count myself among the FFXI detractors as well. I had enough of that mini-franchise's music from the first OST to tell I had heard enough of Naoshi Mizuta. Kumi Tanioka on the other hand...Her XI work was no indication (at least from what I can recall...which wasn't much) of her Crystal Chronicles OST thankfully, which was pretty good.

Good deal for FFXI nuts, but I'll blow my $100 elsewhere...

sad to hear such low opinions on the music. The Zilart expansion has some incredibly enjoyable music, and while CoP's soundtrack was dull, I think Aht Urhgan has nice stuff. And the original 2 discs are some of my favorite songs from the FF series.

I guess I'm just crazy like that. Well...I have also blown about 40 days of my life playing FFXI so I may be biased.

Ramza

Well, according to what CDJapan has written up, that piano cd doesn't have to do with FFXI at all.

Here's what I got in my email today:

"Price: Yen- 10476, US$(87.22) Release Date: 28-Mar-2007
Soundtrack box set release from hit online game "Final Fantasy XI"
includes the original 2-disc "Final Fantasy XI Original Soundtrack"
album, "Final Fantasy XI Jilart no Genei - Original Soundtrack,"
"Final Fantasy XI Promathia no Jubaku - Original Soundtrack," and
"Final Fantasy XI Treasures of Aht Urhgan: Original Soundtrack"
releases plus two bonus CDs: an unreleased collection of tracks from
the game performed by opera star Izumi Masuda and the hit "FFIX Piano
Collections" release.  Box set includes all seven discs plus the
complete piano sheet music for the "FFIX Piano Collections" album."

I don't know what other FFXI stuff Izumi Masuda has done, but she did do the song "Distant Worlds" which is the ending(?) theme to Chains of Promathia.

The track is included on this cd, which Uematsu composed the music for.

I don't know about any of you, but I'm bummed to hear this. 

I never had bought the FFIX piano album, but I never expected it to be a bonus in this collection, and I sure don't need any sheet music for it.

Smells to me like S.E. is getting lazy. 

I hope that the "IX" is a typo. That makes absolutely no sense at all if they let the IX PC into the XI box.

yeah jayme, it is without a doubt a typo. Don't believe it just cuz CD Japan posted it.

Sheesh.

Yup, not the first time that CD Japan has made some slight errors, I still remember the times when they we're selling Final Fantasy Vocal Correction album. :P

It's a typo.

http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/sem/page/ff11box/

oh wow,, i totally forgot that my ff11 ltd ost came with a dvd,,, now that i have a reigonfree dvd player i can check it out... even if it is just an extended advertizement...

WEll, the official website says: XI Piano Collections

http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/sem/page/ff11box/

I have to say that this pisses me off.  I want the new discs, but I already have all the released FFXI stuff and see no reason why I should pay out the ass for the new stuff.

Agreed 100%.  They'd better damn well release that piano collection separately at some point.

Is this 'Previously released material' sales tactic going to spread to video game music as well now?

*cough*BIOHAZARD BEST SELECTION BOXSET*cough-cough*

I don't have a problem with the boxset at all -- if done right, they can be nice to have, and usually one can make much of one's money back selling the old albums.

I just don't like how many sets you have to buy the set to get certain music. I just want the PC <.< (and I don't like the expansions much....)

-Joshia

I can see why some people might not dig Mizuta's style for FFXI, but I pretty much second mjaye's opinion (lame OST or not). I don't think it's boring music when I'm just relaxing around the house, reading a book, laying down and chilling out, etc. I'm not sure if I'd want to drive around town with this stuff blaring, but it's good for setting a nice calm mood. No low blows, but it's nap music. There's nothing like throwing on some Zilart before bedtime...

Oh man, while I was reading this because I was curious as to what others thought of this box set, the 'Correction' album got me laughing. Ah.. that's pretty funny.

Pics of the box set up at Amazon.jp:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASI … ntasy2-22/

Nice Amano artwork!

BTW, are either this or the KH box sets getting 1st Print /LE runs?

Wow, I'm really disappointed...  For the price, I expected *way* fancier.

I think it's a fine deal. Don't forget that along with all that is the sheet music to FFXI Piano. Sold separately, it would've been a 2000 yen deal.

I think the price is good on FFXI. The KH box, on the other hand...is some expensive shi-ot.

Ramza

I'm satisfied with how the box looks. It only cost me about $85 from CDJ, so that's not bad for seven CDs and sheet music. Most single CD albums cost in the neighborhood of $20 new anyway (in a standard jewel case), so I think the package is quite nice for the price.

But, yeah. 15000JPY for the Kingdom Hearts box? That price better include some Shimomura DNA or something.

I would LOVE to pay even 3000 to get the piano CD instead of 11000 to re-buy a bunch of CDs I already have to get it.  >:(

yeah, I was refering to the book. CD and book would cost you 5000 yen minimum, and the unreleased disc would probably be another 2000 yen. At that point, you MAY AS WELL buy the box.

Ramza

If I cared about all the music for FFXI, I'd probably say "well I like it because it saves space, even though I have most of it" -- but eh, the expansion discs never did much for me. I DO hope the piano CD is available seperate sometime though....

-Joshua

Seriously.  I like the way the set looks, but I don't want to spend $100 just to get two the two new discs.

As expected, my initial impression of this box is not so high. Physically, the box set is just space-occupying and it doesn't include any liner notes. Musically, The unreleased collection pretty much consists of dull and boring pieces, with some exceptions. On the other hand, PC is far better than anticipated, since I thought it would be dreadful and even worse than Star Onions. "Battle Theme #2" is surprisingly improved by the dynamics. "The Federation of Windurst" that was one of the best town theme is still enjoyable. I'm not sure if I can say much for the rest ATM, though.

I can't recommend this even for FFXI music fans. Still, if you don't have any of previous albums, it may not be such a bad buy.