Connect!On Article & Interview.

Credit for the translations, and this entire writeup goes to Elmer from Allakhazam. This is a interview from the Japanese online gaming magazine "Connect!On" and I take no credit for this article, interview, nor translation. The article can be found here on Allakhazam, and the discussion can be found here.


Elmer~
The magazines just keeping rolling on in recently! Today we have a special collection of information from Connect!On that features questions answered by Final Fantasy XIV Producer Hiromichi Tanaka and Director Nobuaki Koumoto along with some new comments and analysis. Connect!On is a monthly magazine dedicated to online gaming in Japan. Now that Final Fantasy XIV made its grand debut at E3, Final Fantasy XI had to scootch over a bit this month and lend some of its pages to promote the new MMO.

Basically, what we have here is a collection of what Connect!On editors felt were the most important facts from interviews and articles from E3 until now. There are also a few original tidbits thrown in there, so if you need a refresher, read on and check it out.

Discuss this article on the ZAM forums!

I was a bit worried that with all the news and interviews flying about, Connect!On would not really have anything new to share. It comes out only once a month and mostly contains articles, artwork and experiments submitted from players. When I picked it up at the bookstore, however, I was warmly greeted by the Final Fantasy XIV logo.



But will it have new information, or just recycled stuff from E3?

Well, a little bit of both, it seems. What the article contains is a recap of all the information we have received thus far, with a special focus on some things that may have been overlooked. There are also a number of clarifications that may help us all get on the same page regarding FFXIV news. I will run down the article for you and show you what Connect!On has diligently collected on FFXIV since the trailer first hit.

Eorzea

After the first lines of text rolled in the E3 trailer, the movie panned across an expansive land filled with trees and waterfalls. This was introduced to us as "Eorzea," but it seems there will be more meaning to the name than simply labeling a single region of land. In addition, we have discovered that the name of the entire world will be バイデリン (ha-i-de-ri-n). Koumoto has stressed that this world will have a new feel compared to Vana'diel and bring a different kind of fantasy environment, one that is a little more "hi-tech" perhaps. The peculiar flying pods battling monsters in the sky are said to be an example of the new direction they are looking to take.

Also, it seems that the admittedly strange pronunciation of Eorzea, エオルゼア (e-o-ru-ze-a), has evoked some reactions amongst the Japanese media as well. Game reviewer "Hamamura Tsuushin" came up with his own theory, commenting that it sounds like something that would come out of 高知県 (Kou-chi ken) the Kouchi Prefecture of Japan, where people speak in 土佐弁 (to-sa ben) Tosa dialect. This is because words in Tosa dialect often contain "ze" and "ya" and the speech pattern is also influenced by 関西弁 (kan-sai ben) Kansai dialect, which is well-known for being amusingly jumbled and rowdy.

The E3 Presentation

Tanaka stated that he wished to unveil FFXIV at E3 in particular to highlight their intention to release the game simultaneously across all supported regions. E3 was the perfect place to find foreign media from around the world gathered together. This certainly would indicate Square Enix is ready to fully support all players right from the start, and could give some hope to players in North America or Europe who may have felt snubbed in the past.

As an funny side note, it is reported that the announcement of FFXIV caught some people really off-guard. Apparently, the instant Jack Tretton, President of SCEA, uttered the words "Final Fantasy Fourteen," some people took it as a joke and could not believe their ears. However, that feeling was quickly dispelled once the trailer started running, and the room soon erupted in applause and shouts of joy.

Races

In order to entice FFXI players over to the new game, Tanaka said they designed avatars to be similar in style. This way, there would be a connection that could make people feel comfortable transferring over, and let them know they could continue with their preferred "virtual self." However, while the races are the same on the surface, they will be given new names and some other cosmetic changes. Furthermore, eagle-eyed forum-goers have spotted what Connect!On refers to as a "horned elf" behind the counter on the far left, that could hint at the addition of new races. Unfortunately, there is no official confirmation of this as of yet. When pressed on the number of races planned, Koumoto has been hesitant to say if anything is decided.

System

According to Koumoto, battles in FFXIV will involve more thinking and strategy than FFXI. While FFXI was about timing and quick action, FFXIV is going to take a new approach that will provide a comfortable learning curve for new players, yet allow for the challenge that hardcore players also crave.

The keyword is "growth" and FFXIV will be sold as a game that allows improvement without unnecessary hardship. Koumoto references FFXI, saying it is a game that relies too exclusively on defeating enemies over and over to advance, and that FFXIV will bring new avenues of facilitating character growth, such as quests.

In addition to partying, solo play will also be possible, but instead of focusing on boosting one or the other, Koumoto has said FFXIV will be a game that, above all else, aims to meet the needs of the users, no matter what style they choose to play. One day you might want to adventure with a friend, and another day you might want to go it alone. FFXIV will allow you to choose your path as you please and find enjoyment in your unique play style.

Jobs

For the Job System, Koumoto has expressed interest in taking aspects of FFXI's flexible style but expanding greatly upon it in new ways. In the end, it will be completely different from what we are familiar with in Vana'diel. The keyword here is "weapon," which we have heard was also the theme of the FFXIV logo. Somewhere in that wheel of adventurers lies a hint as to how jobs and leveling may change. Speaking of which, we have also heard from Tanaka that the traditional experience points and level system will not be used this time around. While he was more than eager to divulge that bit of info, there has sadly been no clarification as to what system will replace it.

Movie Speculation

Probably the first thing everyone noticed was that the trailer was exceptionally beautiful. It is said that there was actual in-game footage mixed in as well, which is quite impressive. According to reports, the scenes with a Mithra-looking mage casting a magical barrier and the tail-less Galka wielding a great axe could very possibly reflect the level of quality we can expect during actual gameplay. A giant sea serpent leaping over the ship has been speculated to be Leviathan, but there is no such confirmation from official sources. Another part of the trailer that viewers focused on was the Chocobo at the end. Koumoto has mentioned that the Chocobo caused more of an uproar than he had anticipated. This is attributed to the fact that the Chocobo was a symbol that let everyone know: "This is a true Final Fantasy game."

Analyzing the boat scene again, questions were asked regarding whether it was hinting at a party vs. party style battle system. Koumoto admits that limiting the game to parties simply bludgeoning a single enemy to death would lack variety, and the team is looking into large-scale battles as well. Also, it may not always be against an enemy. PvP content is also being considered, but it seems they are stopping shy of allowing unrestrained dueling and player killing. Tanaka adds that they are maintaining the same stance against griefing through PKing and kill stealing as they have in FFXI.

To FFXI Players:

In closing, Connect!On reprints some of the final thoughts that Tanaka and Koumoto had for existing FFXI players.

Those of us who continue to enjoy FFXI have heard Tanaka tell us time and again that Vana'diel will live on for years to come. There is a team of people who continue to work solely on FFXI, so they should not been disrupted or slowed down even after the release of FFXIV. Not only that, but FFXIV will be designed so that one can balance their play time between the two games without having to upset their daily lives. FFXIV will be a game that is kind to the casual player, and not demand copious amounts of time to make progress.

With great care being paid to the existing FFXI community and the media attention MMO addiction has been receiving throughout Japan recently, it seems we can really expect a game that will deliver without being demanding. Personally, I think this is an excellent concept, and hopefully Square Enix will find that a more relaxed atmosphere will encourage people to keep active accounts for longer.

Final Fantasy XIV will go live around the globe in 2010, and a beta is still guaranteed to precede the start of public service. The ZAM FFXIV Team will continue to keep our eyes and ears open so be sure to check back often! In the meantime, feel free to discuss this article or join in any of the hot topics circulating the FFXIV forums.

Well, it seems like the same information, which keeps getting rehashed over and over. The developers are keeping real quiet right now, as to be expected from Square Enix. However, each time if you look closely you can find small tidbits of new information.

Koumoto has stressed that this world will have a new feel compared to Vana'diel and bring a different kind of fantasy environment, one that is a little more "hi-tech" perhaps.

This really makes me wonder. If I had to take a guess, from what they have said in the previous interviews, it won't get "too" high tech. It seems the game will be set in the traditional swords & magic type fantasy setting, but with some high tech elements. This is more or less the exact same thing we've seen in FFXI. And what makes many final fantasy games, well, Final Fantasy games. I don't expect they will go too overboard though, and doubt we'll see the level of tech something like FF7 had to offer. It might be a lot closer to FFXII as far as the high tech spectrum goes, but personally I don't think it will even be that high. I imagine it being close to the level FFXI had, but most likely a bit more. I see more creativity, but it does still have to keep it's final fantasy feel.

As far as the new races go, it's pretty much still just the same information we've already known and speculated on.

Speaking of which, we have also heard from Tanaka that the traditional experience points and level system will not be used this time around. While he was more than eager to divulge that bit of info, there has sadly been no clarification as to what system will replace it.

Just as I and many others have guessed. This will truly be a lot better built game, more about focusing on enjoying the game itself, and less about grinding. I see many ways on how you will still need to work hard, and progress throughout time to take your character to new heights, but it seems this time around it will be done in a much more streamlined and perfected manner.

Koumoto admits that limiting the game to parties simply bludgeoning a single enemy to death would lack variety, and the team is looking into large-scale battles as well.

It really does seem that the developers have learned from all their mistakes. Each time I read things like this it brings me much excitement and joy. No more going to Bhaflau Thickets for 4 hours a day, killing the same little birds over and over again for years. It seems this time we will have some more variety, challenge, and will seem a lot more fun all together. Who's to say, but this is the most logical guess so far.

Also, it may not always be against an enemy. PvP content is also being considered, but it seems they are stopping shy of allowing unrestrained dueling and player killing. Tanaka adds that they are maintaining the same stance against griefing through PKing and kill stealing as they have in FFXI.

I completely agree with the developers on this stance. I'm sure we will have some form of PvP. I personally think dedicated arena's for it where matches can be held or certain types of battlefields would be the best idea for implementation of PvP. But doing it on the open range, or god forbid, doing it freely, is not something I want to see at all. It cheapens a game and decreases the playability and increases the frustration. Those are two main things Square Enix is obviously trying to avoid, so I'm glad to hear that.

We also read on, to hear more about how they plan to continue development and support for FFXI. We've heard it time and time again, and it's nice to know the developers aren't scrapping FFXI and take as much pride in it as I do. I look forward to new content, improved systems, and new missions and quests in every FFXI update and expansion. From what they are saying, the new game will be easy to balance with a FFXI schedule. Although they don't always take into account how hardcore most end game players are. This is fine though, to know that FFXIV will present a challenge, but not enough to dig too deeply into your life and schedule, excites me beyond reason. In my opinion, when all is said and done, as much as I love Vana Diel, I see FFXIV being a much better created and implemented game. Let's just hope it can produce as much of a unique feel as Vana Diel has.

That's it for now though, more copy-pasta information along with some of my own opinions. Once again, I put the links to the official thread and artical done by Elmer at the top of this post. Be sure to go there and check them out, as I'm just relaying information. The official article was in Connect!On magazine, a Japanese Online Gaming Magazine, and once more I claim 0 credit for any of this, and none of it is my property.

Keep tuned in for more updates and information on my blog about FFXIV.

Dengeki Magazine Interview.

Credit goes to Elmer the Pointy for translations and putting this up. You can also view the Interview here, and discuss it here on Allakazham. This is a interview that it looks like Dengeki Magazine of Japan has with Square Enix Developers Tanaka and Komoto. Pretty much the same stuff we've already heard, but a few new tid bits. So here's the interview, enjoy~

Does the new land of Eorzea hold any connections or similarities to Vana'diel?

Tanaka reiterates that while Vana'diel was an fully developed world, Eorzea is simply a region within the world of Final Fantasy XIV. This will, however, be the main region in which players interact, so webmasters who snatched up an Eorzea based URL can breathe a sigh of relief. The world itself will be named ハイデリン　(ha-i-de-ri-n), but we have yet to receive an official English spelling of the word. As for differences between the two worlds, Final Fantasy XIV will be a little more "high-tech" in line with the sci fi style of Final Fantasy XIII. However, they still wish to have the foundation of the game's setting based in traditional fantasy.

Are there any connections beyond the style of Avatars?

Tanaka states that players can go into Final Fantasy XIV expecting no significant similarities. However, they realize some comforts just cannot be abandoned so easily - like friends. Therefore, they are looking at ways to allow names to transfer as well as other methods to keep adventurers together. The main objective here is to make transferring to Final Fantasy XIV as comfortable as possible without providing the advantage of transferring completed characters. The ideal situation is one in which players can choose freely between playing in Vana'diel one day, and Eorzea the next. Tanaka envisioned a new door in one's Mog House that would act as a dimensional portal into Eorzea, allowing players in either game to quickly join their friends wherever they may be. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, Tanaka was unable to bring this plan to fruition.

If there are no levels, how do characters advance?

Although Final Fantasy XIV will eschew the traditional leveling system in favor of something new, there will be parts of the Job System that make it over. Most importantly, they wish to retain the concept of being able to switch roles and work on one job one time and another job the next time. At this time, the developers are unable to give any specifics.

How will the payment plan look?

While Final Fantasy XI runs on a monthly plan through PlayOnline, Final Fantasy XIV will drop PlayOnline and utilize the recently established Square Enix IDs and Security Tokens. The monthly plan is also due for a change, and Tanaka says they are considering a more versatile plan, based on 30-day payment cycles. Some people have been confused by this, but all it involves is altering when a player's plan stops and starts. If you count by days instead of months, you have the freedom to stop and start more freely. This would allow billing to break free from the shackles of the monthly cycle and possibly really help out customers by helping them avoid paying for unused time and lessen the inconvenience of the regularly scheduled billing maintenance.

How is the announcement of Final Fantasy XIV affecting the current players?

Tanaka realizes that playing both XI and XIV could take up way too much time for the average player. Taking this into account, Final Fantasy XIV is designed to be much lighter on one's schedule and contain a wider variety of content so players can find the best way to enjoy the game for themselves. Final Fantasy XIV definitely will not be as rough on the player, and it is speculated that this will cause as eventual shift of users to the game.

Is this the untimely end of Final Fantasy XI?

Updates for Final Fantasy XI are planned out for the next year already, and there is no intention to stop after that. The development team has been divided between both games for some time now, so Tanaka says there is no reason to panic. There is still much more left that the team wants to do. Even within the next two Version Updates, the developers claim there is plenty of content in the works, and it will be tough to get it all in. Of course, this includes the next add-on scenario, "A Moogle Kupo d'Etat" - an addition that all players can look forward to!

When does the Beta start?!

According to the announcement, Final Fantasy XIV will go on sale and begin service sometime in 2010. Looking at how things will go forth, Tanaka confirms that a beta test beginning next year will be most likely, with the test leading into the public release of the game. However, the exact timing is still unknown.

A word for Final Fantasy XI players...

Tanaka states his admiration for the players helping Final Fantasy XI to continue all these past seven years and how they helped it mature into such a fantastic experience. While Final Fantasy XIV will take the series in a new direction, Tanaka sincerely looks forward to delivering something that all users can thoroughly enjoy, and hopes you look forward to its release.

Komoto also expresses his fascination at the amazing world that the users have built Final Fantasy XI into. Komoto hopes to continue to develop a place where users can meet each other, make lasting friendships, maintain sporting rivalries, and most importantly, enjoy the experience in any manner they wish. Final Fantasy XIV will be an MMO that provides such freedom, and introduce a new land in which players can accompany their friends and challenge their rivals.

Gria?! And what this might mean!

We already went over the issue of Male Mithra, and why I, and many others, are so certain they will be added. But this leaves the obviously Male only Galka, with no Female Only Race counterpart... That is, until earlier, when something caught my attention.



Gria, which have made appearances in a few other Final Fantasy games, as a known Female Only type of race. They go off the whole lore of the Demon/Pixie/Fairy type, and would fit in PERFECTLY as a Female Only race, to offset the balance of having Male Mithra, and Male Only Galka (as we can safely presume that Galka are far too manly for their to be a Female Counterpart).

Now, whether or not FFXIV will see anymore new races other than Male Mithra for the guys, and Gria for the Gals, we can only speculate. But I would say it would be safe to presume those two races. Giving the guys something that have wanted for a long time (Male Mithra) and giving the Gals something new to play around with, to offset the Galka race.

I will also give you a link to my thread on Allakazham, further discussing the matter, and post the context of the OP here:

I'm making my own thread about this, because the "More Races" or "What races do you want to see" threads don't discuss this topic in the detail that I wish to.

It is obvious from the FFXIV main website's art, that there is indeed a small horned girl in the far left, at bottom of the picture. Now, many people have been speculating that this will be a Gria. However, what most people don't know is that Gria, at least so far, has been a primarily Female race (to my knowledge, correct me if I'm wrong).

Now, many have said, the Main reason we could not have Male Mithra in FFXI is because it would offset the balance of one Male race and one Female race. People all too well know, that adding a Female Galka simply wouldn't work, so I and many others have speculated that if we added a all Female Race, it would balance the issue, and allow for Male Mithra (which perfectly well exist, we just cannot play them in FFXI).

Now, another great thing about this is, the Gria are a perfect all female race. They are cute, they have the little devilish horn thing going on, and are feminine. They are to Women what Galka are to Men. This could be a perfect balance to offset the Galka. Both races in their lore are more "divine" than most other races, having a interesting way of appearing and ways of life. But keep in mind, I'm not saying Male Gria do not exist, or that they will not exist in FFXIV, I'm just brainstorming about the idea.

But from what I've seen, it's obvious in the art work that Square Enix is teasing us, both with the Pictured Male Mithra, and the Gria.

It is widely agreed upon and almost certain from what many have seen and speculated throughout many threads, that we will most likely see Male Mithra for a number of reasons. I don't feel like re-discussing all of them here, and would like to keep this thread focused more on the Gria Issue. So if you wish to view those discussions, do so :

Here, and Here.

But what we can gather is: There's a huge demand for Male Mithra, and with as popular as the whole furry thing is, or as popular in the least as being part of the exotic animal race, there's simply too big of a demand to ignore, and they would be losing out on potential money by not adding Male Mithra.

Male Mithra would also introduce a type of personality and mindset for Men that they have wanted very badly and did not receive in FFXI. A way to be more "feminine", without being hulky, bulky, or tiny and overly cute. It's a style I guess many can refer to as "Metro Sexual" (Don't even go past this point, don't EVEN...). But let's not forget, this is a new game, and the possibilities are endless, allowing the developers to be creative, and do many things they have wanted to in the past with FFXI, but were unable to (which they've even admitted to themselves).

Galka, are indeed a very masculine race. And a Female to the Galka race would simply not fit in, but that doesn't mean there's not MANY possibilities for Females for their own races, where Males would have an equal place in not fitting in.

So, with all this being said, I think I might have just connected some dots. But, it's all just speculation right now. What does everyone else think?

Suggestions To Square Enix: Part 1

I have made this as a topic on several FFXI and FFXIV message boards and forums. So I suppose I will go ahead and add it here to my blog as well. These are commonly agreed upon issues, that need fixing, changing, and and that we do not want to see in FFXIV. There are many issues that have held FFXI back over the years, from being the top MMORPG in the world, and for one reason or another, while many things were changed, many things didn't. They were ignored, or never updated (as of this post at least) and have lead to many people quitting FFXI, many people grieving, much unneeded drama, and simply a feel that should not be in a MMORPG.

However, not everything is bad. There are many things FFXI Did right, and I would like to recognize, honor, and suggest more of the good things FFXI had, that most people including myself, would openly welcome in FFXIV. So without further delay, here is the list.

Less ways to lose hard earned work, effort, and time.

There are many systems in Final Fantasy XI online where you can easily lose a lot of work, effort, and time. This is real people's real time, real life, and real effort they put forth into a game, so it should not be taken so lightly. The main reason for this, is because a lot of systems are left up to a players discretion. This is bad, because many people are anonymous online, and will take the opportunity to manipulate others for their own selfish gain. They will also kick others, and do wrong doings to others at their own discretion whether it is right or wrong, and there are no implications for this.

Real people can lose thousands of hours, and years of time out of their real lives over this. The playerbase no longer wants to see systems like this, where they are left so random and openly, and where the player has no insurance that their hard work and effort won't be in vein.

Less Random Reward, and Less Hard Work going Unrewarded.

There are to many times in Final Fantasy XI, where some one can get something out of pure luck, when they might not even appreciate it, or have earned it, all while some one who has put much effort in, can not obtain the said reward. Some times, people will hunt for a Notorious Monster for a long time, and kill it many times over, waiting and waiting, and hoping to obtain a certain drop from it, but because of the random luck factor (on most of the Notorious Monsters) they may not get it. All the while, some one might wander through, at the right time, kill the Notorious Monster, and get the spoils. I see this as a unfair, and majorly flawed system, and know many others do as well.

There are also many end game events, where a player will work very hard for a long time to obtain something. But they might not see it fall, and there might be many people who need it as well, who will get it before them because they have been in the particular group for a long period of time, and have build senority. Again, when it's left up to player discretion, there is nothing protecting them. The group could simply disband, or the person could get removed for no good reason at all, losing all their hard work and effort. All the while, many people will go to the right group at the right time, and obtain all the spoils they want very quickly, not having to work hard or earn it much at all. We need less systems like this in Final Fantasy XIV.


Less Life Consuming Events that take far too much Time and Effort.

It's fine to have large scale systems that take some one a long time and much effort, but it must be done in a way that people are not sacrificing their real lives, or having to cheat to accomplish it, which many do have to in Final Fantasy XI. These Systems include things like Dynamis Relic Weapons, and Mythic Weapons.

Less Long Session Events, which take too long at a single sitting

A very big complaint people have is how long some events take in game. You have to allow and figure in time for everyone to gather together, time to do the event, time to enter, time for people to gather supplies they might need, and time for many people who end up late. You also have to remember, not everyone will be in the same time zone, so if an event takes too many hours at a single time, it excludes a lot of people from doing the event together. A long event is good some times, but only if it is every so often, and really worth the effort. It should not be a means to an end though. And should not be a common practice.

No More Sub Jobs!

It seems to be a pretty common theory that people do not want the sub job system anymore. They want ways to specialize their jobs, and be versatile at them, however they don't want to have to level other jobs to be complete on the job they wish to play. It allows for too much confusion, and also takes away from the uniqueness and feel of some jobs. Each job should be good at what it does in it's own way, and with it's own abilities and trade marks. You should have ways to do different things differently, but the use of sub jobs seems to be something that people no longer wish to have to bother with. It simply has too many drawbacks and problems.

Less Grind, in the same area, for too long, in the exact same way.

Grinding is just fine, it's part of any Massive Multiplayer Online Game. But with grinding, you also need variety. In Final Fantasy XI online, there is very little variety as far as grinding goes. Most of this is attributed to the fact that certain monsters will yield a much more decent amount of experience points than others. It needs to be more even across the boards, and perhaps allow different types of monsters to be killed better with different setups, and many to be killed with all kinds of setups.

Less time being Idle (Standing around doing nothing)

This is a very major flaw and upset within the Final Fantasy XI community. Having to stand around for what can be hours and hours, and some times even DAYS, just for a CHANCE to be able to fight something is Ludicrous. People want to play a game, and have fun fighting things and conquering tough foes, traveling, adventuring, and exploring. They do not want to sit in one spot, for a very long period of time, doing absolutely nothing.

Less Job Exclussion

No job should be laughed at, or made fun of, all jobs should do things differently in different ways, and should exceed at different things individually. But at the same time, for many missions, and quests in Final Fantasy XI, there are only certain job combinations that people will use. This leaves many people excluded, and feeling disgruntled because they are not able to accomplish many things, or progress as what they are.

No More Gear Swapping (changing gear mid battle).

Situational Gear is fine, and having different gear for different events is fine as well. But there should be some sort of penalty for changing your gear, and should not be something that is done every few seconds in the midst of a battle. It makes things very confusing, very hard on people, and very stressing on your inventory. Again, different gear for different situations is a good thing, but changing gear every few seconds to maximize performance during a battle is simply troublesome and annoying.




______________________________




Now, with that being said, let's move on to the next part. The things we DO want to see in Final Fantasy XIV online. These things include most commonly, but are not limited to...


More In Game Point Systems!

For many years people have been trying to figure out how to implement point systems properly in Final Fantasy XI online. It becomes a whole other job just figuring it out, and it is never fair, not can it ever please Everyone. There needs to be point systems already setup in the game, to distribute rewards to players, that Square Enix sets up themselves. This will keep things a lot less stressful, especially for leaders, and keep things a lot more fair. It will also alleviate a lot of "Drama" in the game.

More Places to Gain Experience Points, with Variety and Adventure

As mentioned before, "Grinding" or gaining experience points, is suppose to take awhile, but there also has to be variety to it to keep people from getting too bored. There should also be more than one way to gain it, and perhaps ways to gain is solo at some levels and at some points, without hurting the dynamics of working together as a team. Meaning, you should be able to do it for a lesser reward to your experience points, but still enough to make small progress if you are unable to group together at a certain time for any certain reason.

More Systems like Assault/Einherjar, and more point systems in General

I'm sure Square Enix knows themselves, how widely agreed it is that these systems are far more fun, more rewarding, more fair, and more favored these systems are than any other in the game. It's because people know that for their hard work, they will eventually be rewarded. It does not make the items any less rare, or any less valued. They can be hard to obtain, or take a long time, but knowing you are making progress makes people feel very happy and content, and feel less like they are going to lose hard work and effort.

More Systems like Campaign/Fields of Valor.

Systems like this, where you can just sporadically go with a friend, or a few friends, and enjoy yourself, make some progress, and do something fun together on your own time, is HIGHLY desired and appreciated. This kind of system allows people to have fun on their own time, or with a friend (or several!).

More Systems like BCNM/KSNM/ISNM/ANNM

Which stands for Burning Circle Notorious Monsters, Kindred Seal Notorious Monsters, Imperial Standing Notorious Monsters, and Assault Note Notorious Monsters. These battles can yield great rewards and are fun to do on your own time with friends or random company you might pick up along the way, and really test your skills and abilities.

A bigger inventory, and more storage space.

One of the biggest flaws in Final Fantasy XI online, is the inventory and storage space issue. Once you acquire so many items, especially many that cannot be stored by a NPC, it gets very intensive and stressful on a player on where to keep all their stuff. For people like me, who have 10+ level 75 jobs on Final Fantasy XI online, and with all the situational gear, and all the gear that you cannot send some where else, or cannot be stored by a npc, it means you have to "mule". Muling means you have to put gear on other characters, and if you wish to change jobs, you have to retrieve it from them. This can take upwards of an hour at times, and takes a huge chunk of time away from the game you should be enjoying, just because you wanted to change your job.

The Ability to Change Jobs.

With the inventory Issue out of the way, I think it is widely agreed that one of the greatest things about Final Fantasy XI is that you are able to change your job or profession on a single character. This allows people to have so much more fun and personalize who they are so much greater. I do not want to see people having to make different characters just because they wish to level a different job. This is one of many things Final Fantasy XI did right!

Player Vs. Player (PvP)

I very much agree with the Square Enix view that a MMORPG should be more focused on storyline/conquering foes together/player vs. environment (PvE) than PvP. However it is a aspect that you need at least a small amount of. The PvP system in FFXI was sadly not very well done. I think there should be some small scale scenario's to it, and possible some larger scale scenario's to it if the time called for it, sort of like a instanced event either way.

I've always though one neat idea, would be sort of like an Arena, maybe more than one, where people could go, sign up, and test their skills against one another. Perhaps in one of the main towns, so other people could watch the fights. It could turn out to be very entertaining!



______________________________



So, now we have that out of the way, and I thank you for reading. You can also read the posts I have made on this issue in these threads as well, which contain even more suggestions and opinions on the subject.

On Allakazham, my main thread "Suggestions to Square Enix".

On Eorzeapedia, my Suggestion thread there.

And the main suggestion forum on Eorzeapedia (Some very good suggestions there as well, some... Not so good).

Square Enix Press Conference & Interviews at E3

I believe there are several interviews, transcripts, and write ups from E3 2009 with Square Enix regarding Final Fantasy XIV online. I'm not sure exactly how many there were, I'm trying to find out the exact info this very moment, so I'm not sure who to give credit to. I know there is Brian Leshy from TheFeed and Tamat Damat from Allakazham. If there is anyone I am not giving proper credit to or anymore interviews I forgot, please forgive me, I'm merely posting the findings and interviews from E3 2009 that I have found on various websites.


Square Enix Press Conference.

[11:54] It's begun, they are bringing out the speakers.

[11:55] Clarification about the confusion in regards to the exclusivity of Final Fantasy XIV - The game will be coming to the PS3 and the PC and they are still considering Microsoft products. Xbox 360 is not out of the question.

[11:56] Question: What are the ties to FFXI, if any? - Answer: The FFXIV world is completely different and even though the races look similar, they are completely different. They made them look similar so that players that enjoyed FFXI will be comfortable and can remake a similar character.

[12:00] They started developing FFXIV four years ago and plan to continue FFXI even after FFXIV launches. They have no plans to stop producing new content for FFXI, in fact they have new content in the pipe that they are working on for the next year.

[12:01] Question will FFXIV be similar to World of Warcraft - Answer: We will try to keep it more casual but our game will not attempt to copy World of Warcraft.

[12:05] Question: World wide release or staggered? - Answer: It will launch world wide for PC and PS3 and will be localized for four different languages.

[12:07] Question: How will you deal with the different game communities? (FFXI vs FFXIV) - Answer: We'd like to have players playing both games and not have to choose between one but they are leaving that up to the player.

[12:11] Question: Will the title be translated for the spanish community - Answer: *Seemingly sarcastic smirk from the panel* If there is a large group of people asking for it when the game launches, we will consider it.

[12:17] Question: The trailer that we saw yesterday had great quality, is that the quality we can expect in game? Answer: Some of that was cinematic but there was some in-game footage.

[12:21] Question: What are some of the highlights that you really want the player to understand? What are the major differences between FFXI and FFXIV? Answer: We will have the same kind of story telling but we want to expand on that so that characters develop in a more natural way. We also want to expand on the job system to make that different.

[12:22] They really want to make FFXIV so that it's not as much of a party game and more of a 'do what you want' game.

[12:24] Questions from ME: Beta schedule? Will you let FFXI current subscribers into beta? Answer: It's to early to talk about any of that.

[12:25] Question from ME: Any chance of characters from FFXI being ported over? Answer: No. Different world, different system, no character transfers. However, the character design is extremely similar so FFXI players will be able to create a very similar character. CONFIRMED zOMG

[12:26] Will not use PlayOnline for FFXIV but will keep your account info to make that easy.



Interview with Square Enix FFXI/FFXIV developers regarding FFXIV.

Now, once again, I'm not exactly sure who did which interview, but I believe this is the second interview held after the actual press conference. I might be incorrect, however all these interviews and transcripts are 100% genuine with the Square Enix developers from several very accredited gaming websites.

The floodgates have opened. With Tuesday's unveiling of Square Enix's new title, previously known only as Project Rapture, everyone is now scrambling for Final Fantasy XIV information. All eyes and ears were on Hiromichi Tanaka and company as they answered a few questions at the private Square Enix press conference at E3 on Wednesday.

Afterwards, they went behind closed doors and thought, "Hey, answering 10 questions was kind of fun, why not answer 20-30 more?"

Read on to see what they had to say and discuss this on the ZAM forums!

Sources: GameWatch , 4Gamer , Famitsu

Right off the bat, Tanaka confirms that it was the plan all along to make "Rapture" into the latest numbered installment in the Final Fantasy series. However, he jokes that they were not sure if Square Enix would have already made it to 14 during the four years they spent in development, forcing them to go with Final Fantasy XV Online. Also, just as they did with XI, they wanted to show players that they had full confidence in the game being worthy of the Final Fantasy name - a feeling that may not have been conveyed by using "FF World" or "FF Online."

Eorzea will differ from Vana'diel in a number of ways. First, Eorzea is but a region within the full world of Final Fantasy XIV, which will be named ハイデリン (ha-i-de-ri-n). This land will be blessed with high technology, but not to the point of more sci-fi themed worlds found in Final Fantasy XIII or Final Fantasy X. This new MMO will stay true to the fantasy-style roots of the series, while setting itself apart as a completely different world than Vana'diel.

As we have seen in the trailer, all the races from Final Fantasy XI appear to be present and accounted for. Tanaka comments that this was done in order to add an air of familiarity to the game, so the Final Fantasy XI community would be comfortable transferring over and trying it out. However, while they look similar on the surface, they will be given somewhat of a makeover, which Tanaka says will include new names for the races. Many noticed the Galka-looking character in the trailer was missing a tail. Little changes like that will further define the races in Final Fantasy XIV. TaruTaru and Mithra fans can also rest easy knowing that similar models will be waiting for them in Eorzea.

The developers attribute the long-lasting success of Final Fantasy XI to the Job System, and plan to learn from it and greatly expand off the concept. They want to end up with something completely different, one that maintains this lasting appeal for the player. Instead of leveling up with experience points, weapons will play a key role in how a character grows and develops. When the interviewer asks if series mainstays like Warrior or Paladin will appear, the developers simply hint that nothing will be exactly the same as we know it. No more grinding XP for levels - they have something new in store.

So what is going to drive people to buy Final Fantasy XIV? The developers claim that Final Fantasy XIV is all about "growth." They laugh as they admit that "growth" in Final Fantasy XI would often amount to an endless cycle of shoot-pull-kill, shoot-pull-kill. The new MMO will focus on the variety and accessibility of methods to grow one's character. This includes an emphasis on attracting people who are not as familiar with online games with a smooth progression of content. Core fans can also count on there being plenty of story-driven content and cut scenes to enjoy. Everyone will be able to freely choose how and when they want to play, regardless of style or schedule.

Players looking for action can start sharpening their blades in anticipation for a battle system that takes a marked departure from Final Fantasy XI. In order to make the battles interesting and have lasting appeal, there will be a number of strategical elements added to encounters. They imply there will be a learning curve of sorts - beginners can expect simpler fights as they get the hang of things, while hardcore players looking to test their mettle can find serious battles that require much more cunning. It will not be realtime, action style encounters, but rather a number of more cerebral aspects.

Career loners will be happy to know solo play is getting a lot more attention this time around. However, the developers are still going to have a lot for parties to do. The core concept is growth through one's natural, everyday activities. Perhaps you solo a lot of quests, maybe you meet some people and band together against evil. it's all about enjoying the game in your own way, and developing as you see fit. Here, Tanaka chimes in to express his preference for balanced parties, as opposed to everyone meleeing at once. When designing the party system, he made sure it would facilitate more strategic setups, where everyone can play their respective role.

As for enemies, there will be instances where you face one at a time and others where you take on a bunch, but nothing more could really be said, as it has not been fully fleshed out at this time. Tanaka admitted the Battle System as a whole has not yet been perfected because that is something beta testers will need to take a crack at. The interviewer also brought up PKing and PvP, to which the developers responded they were considering options for the latter. They explain that while the game will involve cooperation, this does not necessarily always mean party vs. monster. Still, they say PvP will more likely take a shape similar to Final Fantasy XI, and they seem to shy away from allowing players to simply fight and kill each other anywhere, worrying it could lead to monopolization of content.

In response to praise regarding the quality of the trailer, the developers admit there was a lot of work put in to making an epic presentation, and are unable to comment on how exactly everything will be utilized in the game world itself (such as those flying totem poles). As the trailer implied, the atmosphere of the game will mix high-tech and fantasy elements. Unfortunately, speculation about the giant sea serpent's identity (Leviathan, perhaps?) was met with no comment.

Sure to please Chocobo fans, players can expect those speedy, yellow birds to appear in Eorzea. The developers relate how the audience erupted in excitement the second they appeared during SCEA's presentation. Apparently, everyone had been a little confused up until then, but once a Chocobo graced the screen, everyone knew they were in for another Final Fantasy title. In this way, Chocobos are practically inseparable from the series and need to be included. However, just like the races, they will be looking to develop a new incarnation of Chocobos unique to this title. Unfortunately, it is causing them a bit of worry regarding how exactly to do this.

Originally, thought to be a PS3 exclusive, Final Fantasy XIV will in fact be making an appearance on the PC. The developers delve into this a bit, mentioning Crystal Tools, a development platform that will also be used for Final Fantasy XIII and is designed to allow them to port more smoothly to multiple systems. In regards to the PC version, the game will utilize the most current version of Direct X that is out when beta testing begins. This goes for Operating System as well. Similarly, they do not specify Vista or Windows 7 as an operating system, saying again that it will depend on what is out at the time. For those of you looking to prep a new PC, Tanaka claims they are really looking to get on the cutting edge of technology with this installment. Like Final Fantasy XI, the game specs will be extremely high for the time, but in about 5 years, an average machine can run it on max settings with little to no issues. Tanaka also expressed interest in making a benchmark program available.

To compose the musical side of Eorzea, Uematsu was tapped for his extensive work in the Final Fantasy series. Tanaka was a little nervous that Uematsu's busy schedule would not allow for him to bless the world of Final Fantasy XIV with his compositions, but luckily he was happy to oblige. Although there were a few snags, being as this is an online game, they are researching the most effective way to deliver Uematsu's work in full 5.1 channel surround sound.

Final Fantasy XIV will have a number of Worlds/Servers, and they are aiming for a capacity of 5,000-6,000 simultaneous connections. The exact amount of Worlds has not yet been decided, but they have plans to add more Worlds as user demand increases. The most they can say is that they will work hard to exceed the amount of Worlds contained within Final Fantasy XI! When asked whether they plan to have as many as 30 Worlds upon launch, Tanaka states that he does not believe that many will be required so soon. Final Fantasy XI started with 16, but it grew gradually with a Windows release, NA release and EU release, so it will at least be more than that it is assumed.

If you were diligent in acquiring your Mog Satchel, those Square Enix IDs and Security Tokens we set up are going to come in handy. As Square Enix revealed yesterday in a response to a series of questions from ZAM, the Security Tokens will be used to secure Final Fantasy XIV accounts and PlayOnline will not be used as a portal for accessing the game. Tanaka further explains that exclusively using the Square Enix ID also allows them to be more flexible with the payment plan. He expresses interest in switching from a monthly plan to one that charges in 30-day increments. As for being able to purchase in-game items with real money, the developers indicate they are not considering the option at this time.

Some may find it ironic that Rapture was first announced four years ago at an E3 Microsoft press conference, yet is now touted as a PS3 console-exclusive title. However, the interest appears to be there for an Xbox360 port, but Tanaka laments that they just have not been able to reach a full compromise with Microsoft yet. Talks will continue, but there is no more comment on whatever progress may have taken place.

One concern certainly being voiced across many forums is the fate of Final Fantasy XI in the face of this new release. Well, rest assured that Vana'diel will persist well after the release of Final Fantasy XIV. Tanaka admits that while players can play both games simultaneously, it could be quite taxing on one's free time. However, he reiterates that the focus for XIV is having a variety of content that allows you to spend your time how you want and still progress. In the end, it is up to the player if they want to remain in XI, try out XIV, or maintain a presence in both games. Users are encouraged to explore the full freedom both games offer.

Besides the visual similarities between the characters you create, there will be no solid connection between Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV. There will also be no character transfers, but they are investigating a way in which you can carry your preferred name over from XI. The developers stress that they want to maximize the comfort for community members transferring from one game to the other. Character transfers would take people out of XI, when the goal is to encourage freedom of play, rather than bunch everyone into one game or the other. The ideal would be enabling you to play with your friends in either XI or XIV as you so choose. Tanaka even states there was an initial plan to add a new door to the Mog House that would exit into Eorzea, much like a portal to a new dimension. However, the technical hurdles involved in accomplishing such a feat were too much to overcome. Some things they can do, however, include transferring over Linkshells or Friend Lists to Final Fantasy XIV. Still, none of this is set in stone yet.

Jumping back to Final Fantasy XI for a bit, we are able to shed a little light of hope for the devout denizens of Vana'diel. We know updates are planned out for the next year, but will development cease after that? When pressed on this issue, Tanaka gives a reassuring "no" to the idea the development would cease, and says that updates will continue as long as there are users to support. The Final Fantasy XI team has already been multi-tasking on Final Fantasy XIV for several years now, so there is no reason to think they will suddenly drop the game now. Players are encouraged to look forward to more updates, including the next add-on scenario, A Moogle Kupo d'Etat.

Final Fantasy XIV will also have a strong story backing up the gameplay. Like Final Fantasy XI, the story will be epic in scale, having the feel of a single-player title. Rich, full cut scenes will also become a staple of this title. When asked whether the game will feature voice acting for NPCs, the developers simply gave a nod and a wink and asked that we all "wait and see." Crystals will also be back with a role in the story, but again, players should expect to see them take a unique form this time around.

In the end, Final Fantasy XIV is all about taking the latest hardware and cutting-edge technology and developing a unique experience that really delivers for all types of players. Long time fans of the series can look forward to a truly amazing world in which they can immerse themselves, while faithful players of Final Fantasy XI have unexplored lands to tame alongside those whom with they have forged lasting friendships throughout their time in Vana'diel. However, Final Fantasy XI will be here to stay, and Square Enix made sure to convey the idea that the users who brought them this far will not be abandoned.



And lastly, a video interview, can be found here.

Male Mithra?!

Well, as promised, I will delve into this subject for a moment with what little information we have so far. Now remember, this is speculation and educated guessing on my part, but I put some effort and knowledge behind what I say, and it is not just random speculation.

First of all, it looks like there will indeed be Male Mithra, in fact, I am almost certain of it. As the FFXI players know, Male Mithra indeed exist in FFXI, but they are not a playable race. The first time one actually makes an appearance is in the Wings of the Goddess expansion for FFXI. His name is Lehko Habhoka and he was a technical adviser and commander during the crystal war. Now, a little about the Mithra Race as of FFXI.

In the FFXI lore and story, Mithra are a race of cat like people who originally came from a very large island far far to the south east. As of the time of this post though, we have never visited that island. There is a lesser island, much further north, located to the known world of Vana Diel, this island is called Elshimo. The Mithra made their presence there and took up fort, inhabiting the island, however they are not native to there contrary to popular belief. The Mithra also settled in and made their presence in the Federation of Windurst, where they helped the Tarutaru combat the Yagudo Beastmen.

There was however a design that Square Enix implemented with the race, to make them a Female Only playable Character. You see, the Mithra Tribes who settled in Elshimo and Windurst are comprised of Renegade Mithra Women. That's right, huntress's. Even though they speak of their rare men, or the men on their homeland, their tribes are composed from what you see, solely off of women. This is how Square Enix implemented Mithra as a Female Only race in FFXI, even though technically they were indeed NOT a female only race, and from what you learn from NPC's and from Lehko Habhoka, are perfectly common in their homeland.

Now, to equalize the Female Only race of Mithra in FFXI, Square Enix added a all Male race known as the Galka. The Galka work in a bit different way than the Mithra. They inhabit the Republic of Bastok mainly, and are originally from the ancient desert region known as "Altepa". The Galka are explained throughout the Bastok and other storylines as a "Divine" race, without gender, but are referred to as "Men" based on their appearance. You can think of them sort of like a "God" type race (although that's going a bit far, even though we love our Galka!). The Galka are born through a spiritual manifestation process which happens every so often in Altepa. You learn more about this from the Bastok Storyline in FFXI.

Now, how these races will work in FFXIV, I'm not very sure, but I will go on and explain why I, and many others are indeed almost certain there will be Male Mithra.

The developers said before, after the fact was to late, that they did want to add Male Mithra, but after the way the game was designed, it would simply not really allow for it. The Mithra indeed have males, and indeed it is very odd that you can only play the females. A lot of men actually play as Female Mithra just for the style and stats of the race. The biggest factor though is, Men want to be cats to! The entire "Bishi" and cute style of Male Mithra is a highly desired style from society and young men now days. It has been begged from Square Enix from many forums, from many communities and from many people that they add Male Mithra to FFXI, but it has never happened. Many people have dreamed and hoped for them for a very very long time, and many people have rallied together to try to get Square Enix to implement it, however it still has not happened for FFXI. Another thing to keep in mind, is that in FFXI you never really had the option to make a more "Feminine" male avatar. You were either Galka (Big and Bulky, Masculine and Strong) Elvaan (Tall, Strong, Langy, but Masculine) Hume (Short, Stocky, and built up) or Tarutaru (Tiny little midget dwarf person). There was no option for one of the most highly in demand and most favorite male styles in pop culture today. I think they see this now, and they would be crazy not to implement it.

However, in FFXIV, we are playing by a new set of rules, and the new races will most likely have new names and new stories behind them. This will allow Square Enix to finally be creative with the race that they, and everyone else, has always wanted to see the Male Counterparts to. You can call it fanservice, from both the audience and the publisher. Both parties have wanted to see it happen for a long time, and now they finally have the chance. It will give the developers something to create off of something that already exists, that they've always wanted to. And give people from FFXI the chance to also play as something they have always wanted. This could be a GREAT way to draw even more people from FFXI to FFXIV.

Not only that, if you look closely at the art work on the FFXIV website, you will see what appears to be a Male Mithra sitting at the table with his hand on his chin.



It is clear the other two Mithra in this art work (not seen in this clip) are clearly female, as much as it is clear that this Mithra in question is clearly a Male. I think Square Enix added it as a hint, and a teaser with other teasers in the art work as well (I'll go on more about that later). But to view the entire Art work, go to the FFXIV website.

I simply think there is too much at stake, too much to gain, and far too much to lose if they did not add Male Mithra. So while it has not been announced, if you use common sense, you can almost be guaranteed there will be Male Mithra.


You can view more discussions on this topic, and hear more on why most people believe and want Male Mithra in these threads on Allakazham, here, here, and there's probably more I've missed and am overlooking. The votes are in though, and worldwide it is very high in demand thing that everyone seems to want. They have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

FFXIV Trailer Revealed!

Well the official FFXIV site is up and running, so I would like to draw your attention there for a moment to view the official trailer, and hear some of the amazing new music for FFXIV done by Nobuo Uematsu!

Final Fantasy XIV official site.

On june 2nd at E3, Square Enix announced it's much anticipated, and highly secretive next MMORPG title, which will indeed carry the Final Fantasy Franchise name. Final Fantasy XIV Online! As you can see in the trailer, it is a very beautiful looking game so far, stunning in every way possible, and highly captivating. But what can we learn from this video?

Well, some things are obvious. It looks like some of the old races from FFXI will be making an appearance in the new FFXIV game. In a recent interview at E3, Square Enix developers said they wanted to bring some of the familiar styles of Vana Diel over to FFXIV to give the FFXI community a more welcoming and familiar feel, to help the transition over to the new game.

But will there be other, new races? If I had to bet, I would say most definitely. But no one knows for sure yet, or in what form they will come. I will do another writeup with more info on the speculated new races, and the highly anticipated "Male Mithra" later on.

It looks as though the world of Eorzea will have a high tech element, while still keeping the midevil/fantasy feel to it. The world itself looks spectacular, but what can we expect from graphics? In a interview, the Square Enix developers pointed out that a lot of the trailer was indeed made to look very stunning to captivate people, but that some of it was actual in game play. Supposedly, according to them, the part where you see the battle scene at the very first, with the (what looks to be) Galka, should be what we can expect from in game graphics. It's hard to gather too much off of it though, especially being a night time scene like that. So we'll just have to wait for more to make further judgments, but so far so good!

We can also look forward to music and themes done by Nobuo Uematsu, who has a renowned title for his amazing music, especially in the video game industry. You FFXI fans can rest easy, knowing he did the music for FFXI. I cannot wait to hear more! But from what I've heard in the trailer, and on the official FFXIV website, the music so far is simply stunning!

In closing, I would like to say the trailer looked absolutely beautiful, and I simply cannot wait until the highly anticipated release of Final Fantasy XIV online!

Final Fantasy XIV Revealed!

Hello everyone! And welcome! Endless Journey here, from Allakazham.

Well, two days ago FFXIV was announced. And since then, I have decided to start a blog for it. This blog will act as a information site, and a site to keep track of announcements and updates regarding FFXIV. I plan to keep the site as professional and well rounded as possible for your viewing pleasure.

I've always been a huge fan of all the Final Fantasy games, and I have been a hardcore FFXI player since the game came out 6 years ago in north America. How hardcore am I? I've been deeply involved in FFXI endgame for the majority of my time on FFXI. As of this post, I'm still playing it, and have 12 level 75 jobs. I have some of the rarest, hard to obtain armor in FFXI. I have done all there is to do, fought all the fights, merited as much as possible, beat all the missions and quests, and done just about all there possibly is to do in FFXI. I have also made many of my own inovations, and revolutionary strategies. I have figured out many different ways to solo/duo/trio some incredibly tough battles and events, and I have also lead big linkshells (the guilds of FFXI) into and conquering some of the toughest of foes of the game.

So, enough bragging, what I'm trying to say is, I know FFXI inside and out. I have also been a very active member in the FFXI community in more ways than one. With this said, the comming announcement of FFXIV really cought my eye, it captivated me, and left me speachless. I want to do as much as possible to inform people of the great game of FFXIV in all it's stages.

I plan to add educated information and community feedback as to what you can expect to see in the planning stages, in the time coming close to the game, through the beta, and during and through the actual game itself. I want to help the community enjoy and decipher FFXIV as best as possible with my knowledge and expertise.

So I hope you enjoy this blog, and stay tunned into it. Because it will remain updated regularly with the best possible information I can provide. Feel free to leave comments and feedback as well!