FFXI Final Fantasy XI Music Hacking Guide


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This Music Hacking Guide was written by: LockeZ.

v1.35 by LockeZ (ff3lockez@yahoo.com)

So, you don't particularly like the music in Final Fantasy 11? You'd rather have Uematsu, or perhaps the Beatles? Maybe you'd like to add music to the areas that have none? Until now you've just had to mute the game and play other music externally. But the problem with that strategy is that when you get in a battle, your CD doesn't change to battle music. In FF11, though, you can easily change what music the game actually uses. No hacking programs needed. All you need is some wav format songs. That's wav, not mp3. Mp3 files will not work. If you want to use mp3s, you have to convert them to wavs first using some program or another. A program at www.mp3fe.com/download/mp32wav.zip has been recommended to me.

Following this guide involves changing the extensions of wav files to .bgw. Please note that in order to change the extensions of files, you must have your Windows Folder Options set to show extensions for known file types. If done correctly, changing the extension should give you a warning that the file may not work.

You can change the songs in both the PlayOnline viewer and in FF11 itself. You can almost certainly change the Tetra Master songs using the same method as the FF11 songs, but I don't play Tetra Master, so I can't try it out. If you figure out a song list (or a partial one) for Tetra Master, email me and I will add it to this guide.

Note that this is perfectly harmless to do. It doesn't conflict with Square's rules, and any version updates will still work fine. If POL tries to update your files when you sign on, you did it wrong.

This guide is obviously for the PC version of FF11. I haven't tried any of this on the PS2 version. I don't know of any way to directly access files on the PS2 hard drive, though, so I doubt it would work. If you can get it to work, email me at the address above.


IN PLAYONLINE VIEWER



The files that the viewer uses are listed in the subfolder SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer\viewer\data\system\bgm and are in .bgw format. If you change a .wav file's extension to .101.bgw, PlayOnline will be able to use it. Just change your favorite .wav format songs' extensions to .101.bgw and put them in the folder. See 2nd paragraph of the guide for detailed instructions on how to change file types. Actually, 101 is an arbitrary number; any three-digit number will work.

After you put your new files in right folder, Open PlayOnline. Click on Navigator, then Options, then Viewer, then BGM. All the songs that PlayOnline comes with will still be listed if you didn't delete them, and all your new songs will be listed as well. Whatever songs you want it to play, select and choose OK. Whatever songs you don't want it to play, select and choose Clear. It now plays your songs instead of the normal ones!

The file Dolphin_(by_Noriko_Matsueda).113.bgw is used while you are connecting to your PlayOnline account. If you want to change what music is played during that part, you will need to overwrite that file with a new one.

Songs simply changed by altering their file extension will not repeat in PlayOnline. If you plan to have the program on for hours at a time and want the song to repeat, read the section below.


IN FINAL FANTASY XI



The process for changing existing songs in FF11 itself is very similar. The files that the game uses are in the subfolders SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\sound\win\music\data and SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\sound2\win\music\data and are in .bgw format. If you change a .wav file's extension to .bgw, FF11 will be able to use it. See 2nd paragraph of the guide for detailed instructions. You can't just name the songs whatever you want, though. The filenames have to be exactly the same as the files already in the folder. The new song will replace the old one and be used in whatever scenes the original would have been used in.

For example, if you had a .wav song you wanted to use, you could rename it music108.bgw and put it in the folder, replacing the file with that name that's already in the folder. Since music108.bgw is used for the title screen, your song will now be used for the title screen.

A problem is that songs you've changed don't repeat in the game. This can be bypassed by using a program downloadable at https://www.lowfyr.com/downloads/ffxi/Ximc004.zip which properly converts songs between .wav and .bgm. Use this program to change the songs from wav to bgw instead of just changing the extension, and they should repeat normally. Most of the program is in japanese, but the "WAV -> BGW" and "BGW -> WAV" buttons are clearly labelled. Uncheck the box in the program if you don't want it to rename each file.

With a lot of help, I've located every music track in the game. They are listed below.


FF11 SONG LIST
  • music101.bgw: Battle: In overworld, solo

  • music102.bgw: Battle: In dungeon, in party

  • music103.bgw: Battle: In overworld, in party

  • music104.bgw: Ghelsba

  • music105.bgw: Mhaura

  • music106.bgw: Ship

  • music107.bgw: San D'Oria

  • music108.bgw: Title Screen

  • music109.bgw: Ronfaure

  • music110.bgw: Jeuno

  • music111.bgw: Game Over

  • music112.bgw: Selbina

  • music113.bgw: Sarutabaruta

  • music114.bgw: Batallia Downs

  • music115.bgw: Battle: In dungeon, solo

  • music116.bgw: Gustaberg

  • music117.bgw: Ru'Lude Gardens

  • music118.bgw: Rolanberry Fields

  • music119.bgw: Battle: Final Boss

  • music120.bgw: Nation Selection Screen

  • music121.bgw: Approching Final Boss

  • music122.bgw: Delkfutt's (Used in cut scenes)

  • music123.bgw: Hopelessness (Used in cut scenes)

  • music124.bgw: Recollection (Used in cut scenes)

  • music125.bgw: Battle: Boss

  • music126.bgw: Mog House

  • music127.bgw: Anxiety (Used in cut scenes)

  • music128.bgw: Airship

  • music130.bgw: Tarutaru Female Creation

  • music131.bgw: Elvaan Female Creation

  • music132.bgw: Elvaan Male Creation

  • music133.bgw: Hume Male Creation

  • music134.bgw: Yuhtunga Jungle

  • music135.bgw: Kazham

  • music151.bgw: Windurst

  • music152.bgw: Bastok

  • music153.bgw: Crystal Prelude

  • music154.bgw: Metalworks

  • music155.bgw: Castle Zvahl

  • music156.bgw: Chateau d'Oraguille

  • music157.bgw: Fury (Used in cut scenes)

  • music158.bgw: Sauromugue Champaign

  • music159.bgw: Sorrow (Used in cut scenes)

  • music160.bgw: Repression (Used in cut scenes)

  • music161.bgw: Despair (Used in cut scenes)

  • music162.bgw: Heavens Tower

  • music163.bgw: Sometime Somewhere (Used in cut scenes)

  • music164.bgw: Xarcabard

  • music165.bgw: Galka Creation

  • music166.bgw: Mithra Creation

  • music167.bgw: Tarutaru Male Creation

  • music168.bgw: Hume Female Creation

  • music169.bgw: Regeneracy (Used in cut scenes)

  • music170.bgw: Buccaneers (Used in cut scenes)

  • music171.bgw: Altepa Desert

  • music181.bgw: Chocobo (Short version)

  • music190.bgw: The Sanctuary of Zi'Tah

  • music191.bgw: Battle: Rise of Zilart, In overworld

  • music192.bgw: Battle: Rise of Zilart, In dungeon

  • music193.bgw: Battle: Rise of Zilart, Boss

  • music194.bgw: Raogrimm's Theme (Used in cut scenes)

  • music195.bgw: Belief (Used in cut scenes)

  • music196.bgw: Fighters of the Crystal (Used in cut scenes)

  • music197.bgw: Tu'Lia Restoration (Used in cut scenes)

  • music198.bgw: Eald'narche (Final Dungeon)

  • music199.bgw: Grav'iton

  • music200.bgw: Kam'lanaut's Theme (Used in cut scenes)

  • music201.bgw: Ending

  • music202.bgw: Quest 1 (Used in cut scenes)

  • music203.bgw: Quest 2 (Used in cut scenes)

  • music204.bgw: Quest 3 (Used in cut scenes)

  • music205.bgw: Quest Completion (Used in cut scenes)

  • music206.bgw: Yve'noile's Theme (Used in cut scenes)

  • music207.bgw: Ve'Lugannon Palace

  • music208.bgw: Rabao

  • music209.bgw: Norg

  • music210.bgw: Tu'Lia

  • music211.bgw: Ro'Maeve

  • music212.bgw: Chocobo

  • music213.bgw: Hall of the Gods

  • music214.bgw: Wedding

  • music227.bgw: Summerfest

ADDING MUSIC TO DUNGEONS



You can also add music to areas that have none. How, you ask? All the areas without music have a wind sound effect in the background. All you have to do is change the wind to a song. You can't modify sound effects just by changing the extension; you have to use the program. It's the same program linked to above: https://www.lowfyr.com/downloads/ffxi/Ximc004.zip . Here's how it works.

Open the program. Maximize it. Once it's maximized you'll be able to see another option at the bottom. Change it from BGM to SE. The buttons will now convert to and from .spw files instead of .bgw files. Click on the WAV -> SPW button and change a file to .spw. Go into the folder where the song is and rename it to the appropriate filename for whichever wind file you're going to replace (se001001.spw or whatever). Move your new spw file to SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\sound\win\se\se001 and replace the default file. You now have music in that area.

There are also a couple more wind files in SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\sound2\win\se\se001. I'm fairly sure they're for the Rise of Zilart areas.

Here are all the known issues with this method.
  1. The background music you add won't cut out when the battle music starts. You can remedy this by either:
    1. Using silent .wav files for the in-dungeon battle songs.

    2. Using short "battle begin" type sounds for the in-dungeon battle music and making them not repeat by manually changing the filename from .wav to .bmg instead of using the conversion program.

    3. Setting the sound effects to half volume so you can hardly hear the background music over the battle music but can hear it fine otherwise. Do this anyway cause some areas that don't have music are considered "overworld" areas.
  2. Sometimes with longer songs you'll get the song playing twice at once, it'll be at two different parts of the song. It's only midly annoying since it usually cuts out after a minute or so and most songs are repetitive anyway.

  3. Some areas use the same wind as each-other. Some areas use more than one wind file depending on the time or weather. In these cases, it is highly recommended you use the same song for all of the different instances.


Here is the list of areas that I know which wind sound effect is for. Please help me by changing other wind files in the wind folder and email me if you find what files are used where in-game. I'm low level and can't explore many places, so I need help completing the list.


FF11 BACKGROUND SOUND EFFECT LIST



Many of the areas that actually have real background music also have wind in the background. You probably don't want two songs playing at once in these areas, so I've marked them with a tag to let you know not to change them.

Sound effect 001003 is used in a bunch of places that don't have music, but also in Windurst. Use your own judgement. I leave it as normal wind, but you might want to change it to music and then nullify Windurst's real music file. Number 001065 has a similar issue, but as the caves in Valkurm are few and far between, I just let the songs overlap.
se001001.spw: Windurst
se001002.spw: La Theine Plateau
se001003.spw: Windurst
La Theine Plateau
Pashhow Marshlands
Konschtat Highlands
se001004.spw: Konschtat Highlands
La Theine Plateau
se001005.spw: Ronfaure
se001007.spw: Ronfaure
se001013.spw: Valkurm Dunes
se001014.spw: Valkurm Dunes
se001015.spw: Valkurm Dunes
se001016.spw: Valkurm Dunes
se001025.spw: Dangruf Wadi
se001033.spw: Ship
se001042.spw: La Theine Plateau
se001053.spw: Gustaberg
se001054.spw: Buburimbu Peninsula
Tahrongi Canyon
se001062.spw: Ronfaure
se001062.spw: Ship
se001064.spw: Sarutabaruta Cave
se001065.spw: Palborough Mines
Outer Horotuto Ruins
Giddeus Caves
Ghelsba Outpost Caves
Valkurm Dunes Caves (played overlapping Valkurm Dunes wind)
Probably almost any other caves in existance
se001066.spw: Zeruhn Mines
se001067.spw: Bastok
se001069.spw: Mog House
se001070.spw: Gustaberg
se001072.spw: San D'Oria
se001073.spw: Bastok
se001074.spw: Bastok
se001075.spw: Gustaberg
se001077.spw: Bastok
se001078.spw: Buburimbu Peninsula
Tahrongi Canyon
se001079.spw: San D'Oria
se001080.spw: San D'Oria
se001081.spw: San D'Oria
se001082.spw: San D'Oria
se001089.spw: Heaven's Tower
se001092.spw: Selbina
se001093.spw: Selbina
se001094.spw: Mhaura
se001095.spw: Mhaura
se001104.spw: Windurst
Want to help expand this list? The best thing you can do is change undocumented wind files to songs you'll recognize if you hear, and see what songs play as the wind when you go to areas. Email me your results if you find anything I don't have listed.

For a while, people were also willing to send me gil to help me get to harder areas so I could test the files. But I've kind of stopped playing. I've logged on once this month. So unless other people find more wind files, this list probably won't be updated any time soon.


CHANGING BARD SONGS AND OTHER SOUNDS



You can change bard songs too. Change them the same way you would change the wind sounds. Open the program, maximize it, change to Sound Effect mode, change a .wav file to .spw, and replace the bard song file. The bard songs are in the folder SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\sound\win\se\se021. Here's the list I have of them so far:
  • se021001.spw: Wind Instrument

  • se021002.spw: String Instrument

  • se021003.spw: Tarutaru Singing

  • se021004.spw: Someone Else (Female) Singing

  • se021005.spw: Someone Else (Male) Singing

  • se021006.spw: Mithra Singing

  • se021007.spw: Galka Singing

  • se021008.spw: Someone Else (Female) Singing
That's obviously incomplete. Let me know if you can confirm any of them.

You can theoretically change any sound effect in the game. But there's 6243 of them, so I'm not going to go through and figure them all out for you. The level up tune is SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\sound\win\se\se000\SE000007.wav if you want to change that one; put a one second delay at the beginning so it'll line up right.

Note that many short .wav sound effects (about ten seconds or less) will not convert into .spw files. But some will. I found that the sound effect for Kefka's laugh converted correctly every time, even if edited, while some longer sound effects failed.


Copyright 2004 Ben McAlpin. Reproduce freely.

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