University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

"""Hear, feel, think"": Musical narrativity in Final Fantasy XIV"

Chang, Seoin

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/107190

Description

Title
"""Hear, feel, think"": Musical narrativity in Final Fantasy XIV"
Author(s)
Chang, Seoin
Issue Date
2020
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Taylor, Stephen
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Taylor, Stephen
Committee Member(s)
  • Hobson, Ian
  • Kruse, Adam
  • Tipei, Sever
Department of Study
School of Music
Discipline
Music
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
A.Mus.D. (doctoral)
Keyword(s)
  • game music
  • musical narrativity
  • interactivity
  • non-linearity
  • musical topics
  • Final Fantasy XIV
  • Masayoshi Soken
Language
en
Abstract
Online video games are the latest artform of our time and music is key to its thematic unity and narrative momentum. The social demands of online video games are high, and players are significantly engaged by game music. Besides commercial success, Final Fantasy XIV has proven its significance by holding two Guinness World Records, for having the longest end credits in a massively multiplayer online game as well as having the most original pieces of music in a video game (384 pieces as of November 2016). More music has been composed as new expansions of Final Fantasy XIV are released. This prolificacy speaks to the significance of online video game music. If the music is an essential element that carries narrativity in online video games, the ongoing popularity of Final Fantasy XIV makes it a good model to examine musical narrativity in this most contemporary artform. When the players hear music in gameplay and can link it to the storytelling, they will be able to participate in the game narrativity through music, finding their own interpretant from it. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate musical narrativity in Final Fantasy XIV, with an emphasis on its first three series: A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, and Stormblood; through the music, I will examine how the nonlinear gameplay experiences are united and brought together as a big picture.
Type of Resource
  • text
  • still image
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/107190
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2020 Sarah (Seoin) Chang

Owning Collections

Doctoral Project Theses [Option 2] - Music PRIMARY