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Timber TV Station

Outdoor screen displaying the interference.

If I remember correctly, radio waves haven't been used in 17 years.

Radio interference is a phenomenon in Final Fantasy VIII that has made the use of radio waves nearly obsolete by the time of the game's start. It began with Esthar's 17-year-long silence. Almost all radio communication facilities were shut down because of noise across all frequencies, although short transmissions were still possible. At the time it was believed to have some relation to the moon, but details were unknown.

Although most countries in the world of Final Fantasy VIII began to communicate via underground HD cables, many of these cables are cut off by monsters or due to various skirmishes and battles. Due to this many countries are left without proper means of communicating with each other. A student in Balamb Garden mentions that communication is either done online, or sometimes using chocobos as messengers.

Story[]

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

This noise is broadcast over most of the frequencies. Something has to be done about this before they can broadcast it over the air.

Squall
FF8ScreenshotRadioInterference

The origin of the interference explained.

The reason for the interference is Sorceress Adel's tomb, which, orbiting the planet, interferes with the radio waves and fills all frequencies with noise. This led to most wireless technology being abandoned, and facilities, such as the Communications Tower in Dollet and the TV Station in Timber, fell to disuse. An outdoor TV display in Timber displays the interference, and one can decipher a message from Adel among the noise.

Because radio technology has largely been abandoned, making live broadcasts has been difficult. When Galbadian president Vinzer Deling wants to broadcast Sorceress Edea's ascension as the nation's new ambassador, he invades the Communications Tower in Dollet to make the broadcast. While grainy, the broadcast is a success until it is interrupted by Seifer Almasy.

Ragnarok-Bridge-FFVIII

Esthar air station contacts the Ragnarok.

After Adel's Tomb falls the radio interference ends. Esthar air station contacts Ragnarok via radio waves and directs it home on autopilot. Later Esthar contacts Ragnarok to summon the SeeDs for a mission to stop Ultimecia.

Spoilers end here.

Message[]

Radio interference in Timber Japanese version from FFVIII

The message within the interference shown in a dialogue window in the Japanese version.

On the giant screen outside the TV Station in Timber, the following message can be seen on the screen. The message is spelled out in a dialogue window in the original Japanese version, but only present in the animated background in the international version.

  • I AM ALIVE HERE
  • BRING ME BACK THERE
  • I WILL NEVER LET YOU FORGET ABOUT ME
  • I WILL NEVER LET YOU BOUND ME BACK

Etymology[]

Electromagnetic interference (or EMI, also called radio-frequency interference or RFI when in radio frequency) is disturbance that affects an electrical circuit due to either electromagnetic induction or electromagnetic radiation emitted from an external source.

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