GDC2017 Epic AND Interactive Music in FINAL FANTASY XV

Epic AND Interactive Music in FINAL FANTASY XV Sho Iwamoto Audio Programmer / Square Enix

What I will talk today What I will NOT talk today  Interactive musics in FFXV  Tools and techniques  Synchronization issues  How to compose epic musics © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Who am I  Sho Iwamoto  Audio Programmer at Square Enix since 2014  MAGI system developer  Designing and implementing interactive music system for Final Fantasy XV © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Challenge EPIC VS INTERACTIVE © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

FINAL FANTASY MUSIC  Epic  Memorable  lots of Concerts  has Strong melody line  one of the Sales points © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Goal EPIC AND INTERACTIVE MUSIC IN FINAL FANTASY XV for wide & seamless gameplay © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Concept Design Features  Not to reduce repetition  but to enhance the emotional experience  Make transitions musical as much as possible © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Concept Design Features Bidirectional change Unidirectional progress use Vertical remixing use Horizontal resequencing © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Concept Design Features  Vertical Remixing  Chocobo Riding  Fishing  Outposts (Hammerhead, Gardin Quay, Lestallum, Cape Caem, etc...)  Horizontal Resequencing  Astral Summons  Boss Battles (VS Loqi, Titan, Leviathan, Ifrit, etc...) © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Intro MAGI Vertical remixing Horizontal resequencing Synchronization Conclusions & Future © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Music API for Gaming Interaction 1, Features 2, Authoring Tool

Features of MAGI  Enables vertical/horizontal transition  Allows any tempo, time signature and their changes  MIDI import (auto set up tempo/meter)  Easy to use © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Authoring Tool for MAGI © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Intro MAGI Vertical remixing Horizontal resequencing Synchronization Conclusions & Future © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. “Mode” Transition 1, Chocobo 2, Gardin Quay

“Mode” is  Each mode has  layer volumes  volume, pitch, LPF  transition parameters  fade time, fade offset, fade curve type, sync type © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

1, Chocobo  Speed based mode transition © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

1, Chocobo - implementation  Different transition time for each mode  from Run to Walk(may be not intentional) : long transition 4 bars  from Walk to Run(mostly intentional) : short transition 6 units = 1.5 beat © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

1, Chocobo - Pros and Cons  Pros  not being messy  quick feedback when start running  Cons  few chance to hear slow version (except for swimming) © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

2, Gardin Quay  Position based mode transition © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

2, Gardin Quay - implementation  Transition on musical timing  wait for next 2 bar (no problem) © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Wrap up - “Mode” transition  Transition techniques  Different transition time for each mode (Chocobo)  Transition on musical timing (Gardin Quay) © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Intro MAGI Vertical remixing Horizontal resequencing Synchronization Conclusions & Future © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. “Section” Transition 1, Tempo & Time signature changes 2, Custom Sync Points 3, Pre-end section

“Section”  makes Musical progression © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.  has Transition parameters

Boss Battle  Situation based transition (linear)  End music in sync with the game © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Section transition - challenges Time signature & Tempo changes © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Custom Sync Points Pre-end section

Time signature & Tempo changes Custom Sync Points Pre-end section  Case : Invidia (vs Loqi)  Mix of 3/4 and 4/4  Case : Omnis Lacrima (vs Boss Monster)  Many ritardandos © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Time signature & Tempo changes Custom Sync Points  Every beat/bar/grid couldn’t work  Customize sync point for each song enables musical transition  may have to wait 16 bars (about 14sec) © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Pre-end section

Time signature & Tempo changes Custom Sync Points Pre-end section  “Main Loop” “Pre-end” “End” structure Main Loop section “Main loop” to “Pre-end” : Music first Pre-end section “Pre-end” to “End” : Synchronization first End section © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Wrap up - “Section” transition  Epic music that has strong melody line needs 1. Tempo & Time signature changes support 2. Custom Sync Points 3. Pre-end section © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Intro MAGI Vertical remixing Horizontal resequencing Synchronization Conclusions & Future © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. 1, VS Leviathan 2, VS Ifrit

Spoiler Alert! © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

VS Leviathan - Overview  Tornado happens : transition to Pre-end  Ending scene starts : transition to End © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

VS Leviathan - Synchronization © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

VS Leviathan - Comparison  Long version © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.  Short version

VS Ifrit - Overview  Ifrit gets “serious” mode : transition to Pre-end  Ending scene starts : transition to End © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

VS Ifrit - Synchronization © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

VS Ifrit - “Hellfire” © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Wrap up - Synchronization  Be considerate of Durations      Duration of transition Duration of loop Duration of cutscene Duration of gameplay Duration of player’s emotional change © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Intro MAGI Vertical remixing Horizontal resequencing Synchronization Conclusions & Future © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Conclusions  Epic music that has strong melody line  Needs any tempo/time signature support  Needs Custom Sync Points  Use pre-end section to synchronize with game  Be considerate of durations of transition, gameplay, emotion, etc... © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Future  Custom transition “destination”  “Interactive VS short loop” problem  More interactive music features :) © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Q&A Sho Iwamoto Email: [email protected] Twitter/Facebook: @geekdrums © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Special Thanks Yoko Shimomura Tetsuya Shibata Yoshino Aoki Yoshitaka Suzuki Shota Nakama Mitsuhiro Ohta Keiji Kawamori Toru Osanai Main Composer Composer Composer Additional Composer Additional Composer Arranger Music Supervisor Music Planner and All Staff of FINAL FANTASY XV © 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.