The latest issue of Famitsu has come out with all new information on FFXIV, including one very exciting map of Eorzea. The developers have spoken in recent times of how the land of Eorzea is simply the first stage we will see in the mighty production of Hydaelyn (Eorzea is simply a region in Hydaelyn, the world which FFXIV takes place in).
In the map we see the city of Limsa Lominsa (Where all the alpha tests have taken place) in the south west corner, it appears to be an island with a waterway disconnecting it from the main continent. In the southern lands in the middle of the map we see Ul'Dah and in the upper right hand corner to the north east, we see Gridania. To the west of Gridania seems to be the city of Ishgard, which is thought to be the "Hub" city (think Jeuno/Whitegate FFXIers) for FFXIV. And if you look to the far north east corner you see the Garlean Empire, quite ominous looking don't you think? I wonder what adventures will await us in that far off land. Also, if you look at the very bottom left corner of the picture you will see the flags for each kingdom. From left to right they are: Ul'Dah, Limsa Lominsa, Gridania, Ishgard.
Read the full article's on Zam and FFXIVcore!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Map of Eorzea and Latest Info from Famitsu.
Famitsu Interview with Tanaka & Komoto.
A new interview has appeared in Famitsu with Hiromichi Tanaka and Nobuaki Komoto discussing the Alpha and Beta stages of FFXIV. A lot of interesting new information regarding their plans as well as what's been going on so far in the tests. Be sure and read the full interview and writeup by Elmer on Zam.
A Closer Look at Limsa Lominsa
Recently Elmer over at Zam did a writeup taking a closer look at Limsa Lominsa. As he explains a lot of Japanese magazines and media sources have been able to sink their teeth deep into some of the great details of the FFXIV Alpha being conducted so far. While so very little is known yet, we are finally able to take some in depth looks and tours around Limsa Lominsa. We get to visit some of the shopping guilds as well where you can see different armor for purchase as well as some novelty gear such as masks, glasses and "Fluff" items. It's nice to see we will be getting some fun aesthetic gear to play around in.
Click here for the full article and more information!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Famitsu talks about "Skillchain" type system.
A new article from Famitsu has been released, showing more FFXIV screen shots and information, particularly about a new "Skillchain" like system. If you played FFXI back in the old days you know what skillchains are and how fun they could be. It looks like the devs are bringing back a similar system in FFXIV to be used in party and group dynamics. You can read the full article here via google translate. Note the translation isn't perfect but it's the best I can come up with for right now. Also, it appears "Batorurejimen" is the new Japanese word for this type of skillchain system in FFXIV.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Famitsu Beta Schedule Information.
I just came across a article on a blog with newly released information from Famitsu, it discusses the "semi-planned" Alpha and Beta schedule for FFXIV from the developers mouths themselves. They talk about what kind of schedule they're shooting for so far for the Alpha and Beta tests, what their current plans on for the phases, as well as information that PS3 owners will be happy to hear. Below I'll post the article itself, but check it out as well as the new screen shots here.
Coinciding with the start of the Final Fantasy XIV alpha test, Famitsu.com was given a chance to quiz the development staff on a variety of game issues. Here's a summary of the Q&A.
The staff first shared a rough schedule for the game's alpha and beta programs.
The alpha test will take place in just one world. The world is named "Shadowlord." They'll be conducting tests three days a week, with each session lasting about four hours. These tests will be conducted in Japan, North America and Europe, each region separate from one-another.
Once they've gotten the basic functionality of the game stable and conducted tests on server load and so-forth, the'll move into phase one of the beta test. Phase 1 of the beta will use the same version of the game as the alpha, but will have multiple worlds running in parallel. There will be some adjustments made in the switch from alpha to phase 1 beta that will require them to do a data wipe.
After they've adjusted the game to fix problems and reflect the opinion of test players, they'll move to beta phase 2. From here, the game will run 24 hours. The content of the game used in this beta will have changed considerably and will be closer to that of the final game. The PS3 version of the beta test will begin here.
Phase 2 will gradually expand with additional worlds as the staff runs load tests on having hundreds of thousands of simultaneous connections.
The final service-in for the game will come following a few weeks of open beta testing.
The current alpha test version of the game limits play to just the Limsa Lominsa city-state and its surroundings. This will be the case throughout the alpha and beta tests. You won't be able to access the rest of the world until the final version. Limsa Lominsa and its surroundings account for less than 1/5 of the final version's full world, according to the staff.
Other topics addressed in the Q&A:
Character Names
FFXIV lets you input both first and last names for your character. The reason for this is that each world will allows multiple players to have the same family name or same first name -- although two players can't have the same pairing of first and last names, of course. This will give players a chance to more easily play using the name of their choice. When using chat, there's a system in place that will make it so that you won't have to input the full name.
Different Starting Points
What kind of differences can you expect when starting in a different country?
Each country will have a different story. Additionally, each city will have different facilities and unique atmosphere.
Enemies
There will be combat-loving monsters who attack you. Additionally, there will be powerful enemies unrelated to the scenario for players to go after. None of this is in the alpha.
More Alpha Information from Famitsu.
Famitsu Magazine has released some more information regarding FFXIV and the Alpha test. Currently for this exact information I cannot find a translation so I'll simply link you to the google translation. Keep in mind that "Girudorivu" refers to Guildleve, " β " refers to Beta and " α " refers to Alpha. They more or less go over the different points about how you start your character out in the Alpha test. They explain about the opening movie and how right after it there's a tutorial type of fight to let you get accumulated to the battle system. They also mention that Limsa Lominsa and it's surrounding areas will be the only starting area during the Alpha and possibly Beta tests. They also explain how while you can recover HP for resting or being in passive mode, recovering MP is done a bit differently by clicking on certain crystals. Speculation is that this is Square Enix's way to keep people from "Camping" so much and to actually move around and explore more.
They continue to go on and explain about how there will be a certain type of "Merit" system from the get go, which will allow you to accumulate points to be spent on different attributes and abilities. This is part of how your character will grow and be customizable in FFXIV. They also explain how it might be possible through this system to allow certain abilities and spells from one discipline to be used on others. Personally, I would think these would be only minor spells, traits, and abilities, much like how FFXI's subjob system works.
That's all I can come up with for now in my sleep deprived state. Be sure and click on the google translation to get all the cool new screen shots as well as the official article.
Famitsu Hands On Alpha Test!
In the latest issue of Famitsu magazine they were lucky enough to actually get to test the newly released Alpha version of FFXIV, and Square Enix was kind enough to let them publish all of their findings! This is the most insight we have gotten to FFXIV so far and we find out a whole bunch of new information and details. There's way too much to list here, so check out the full artical Here On Zam and Here On FFXIVcore to find out all the exciting new screenshots, facts, and details about FFXIV!
FFXIV Devs talk about plans for Alpha & Beta.
Recently, Dengeki magazine got to sit down with the developers and discuss the Alpha and Beta test phases that FFXIV will be undergoing. They got a good look at what the developers have in mind so far and give some great insight as to what you might can expect. There's also more new information regarding the game dynamics itself and how FFXIV will be evolving through the Alpha and Beta stages. Read the full article Here On Zam.
Active Mode, Passive Mode, and Party Dynamics.
In a recent article in Famitsu Magazine, Square Enix developers discuss the passive and active battle modes and how they will effect you in FFXIV. By now you most likely already know that in FFXIV there will be a "Active" stance and a "Passive" stance. One with your weapon sheathed and one with it drawn. What you might not know is that it's more than just being engaged or disengaged with a enemy, like how for example you can be in active or passive mode anywhere at any time. Each will have advantages and disadvantages that are quite obvious, but there are more details to this system than you might think.
We also get some more insight as to how the developers are creating the grouping systems in FFXIV and learn they want us to be able to have quite a bit of freedom. Whether you may want to adventure with many or adventure solo, they assure us that no time will be wasted or without reward.
Take a look at the full article Here On Zam to discover more.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Nvsion Magazine! Now with more FFXIV!
A new spring issue of the popular gaming magazine released by Nvidia's "Nvision" magazine has just hit the shelves and as you can see by the cover, they're giving FFXIV some much deserved publicity. They have a entire section of the magazine all about up and coming MMORPG's for this year, with the first 6 pages being completely dedicated to FFXIV, not to mention the front cover itself and the very back cover. I just picked up my copy, be sure and pick up yours as well! You can get them just about anywhere.
I'll give you guys a run down of what the magazine itself says in these 6 exciting pages of FFXIV goodness.
"And what did you do at work today, honey?"
"Oh, I just created a new world, designed a new planet and some critters to roam the hills and valleys, and outlined the designs for the players that are gonna run around and shoot 'em all."
"That's nice, dear--What are you going to do on the seventh day?"
Building the next generation of massively multiplayer online worlds actually requires years of dedication to concept, design, and execution. Big franchises and bigger teams are crafting the spaces online gamers willl inhabit for the next decade. That requires a talent and commitment level of a flavor that is unique to the games industry, and we're taking you inside the process to reveal what it takes to bring virtual universes to life.
What's clear about the next wave of MMO is that graphics are no longer and afterthought--developers are finally tapping into the full power of the GPU to bring cutting-edge visuals to the genre.
Few gaming franchises combine the longevity, critical approval, and fan adoration that defines the Final Fantasy series. This 14th iteration (not counting all the various off-shoots, side projects, and even animated films) moves the franchise online for the second time (The first time was 2002's Final Fantasy XI). But a brand new world--Hydaelyn--and a new setting on that world called Eorzea require a vast amount of new art concepts, design, and creation--all occurring under the watchful eye of art director Akihiko Yoshido-san. Nvision tapped Yoshida-san for exclusive insights into the process his team goes through to remain within the traditions of the franchise while developing fresh new locations for online gamers to explore.
"The Variety of playing styles available will be considerably greater than that of Final Fantasy XI," Yoshida-san says of the scope of content being created. Hydaelyn blends sci-fi and fantasy elements, as seen in the early images released, leading to a large variety of disparate style needing to be blended into a cohesive world vision. "To deliver the graphics necessary to bring the variety of gameplay to life, we are striving to produce sharp images that are contextually appropriate to the time, place, and situation. An example of this would be the visually stimulating or evocative landscapes," says Yoshida-san, adding, "To help fulfill the expectations that players have cine ti have of afinal fantasy world. One of the first things we take into account is a certain sense of reality. For example, we have paid a great deal of attention to the effects that the passage of time or changes in the weather have on how light is displayed."
Still, veterans of Final Fantasy XI will see some similarities in the character styles and professions, even though the specific races and classes will be new to the series. "The character creation from Final Fantasy XIV will be much more in-depth than that of previous titles of the series," says Yoshida-san, "Players will be able to generate avatars similar to thos in Final Fantasy XI if they choose to do so, but there will also be some new [player character] types." Want more specifics on the new characters? The devs are keeping that information tightly under wraps. though five distinctive races have been revealed so far.
Incredibly, Square-Enix released the single-player Final Fantasy XIII while working on this MMO off-shoot. The games share certain technology details such as the core engine and the tools used to build the worlds, bu the process, challenges, and ultimate requirements are significantly different. More surprising yet is the fact that the world of Hydaelyn revealed in the first release of FFXIV may actually be smaller than the locations crammed on to the Blu-ray disc shipping for FFXIII on PS3. "Since we are still in development a thorough comparison isn't possible, but at releast FFXIB will be about the same scale, if not slightly smaller, than FFXIII," says Yoshida-san.
But that's not to suggest the game world will actually be small. Shortly after its release in Japan, it was revealed that enough content for an entire additional game ended up on the FFXIII cutting-room floor. These game worlds are always massive...and complicated. While Square-Enix is keeping many gameplay details under wraps, five races have been revealed (the Hyur, Lalafell, Miqo'te, Roegadyn, and Elezen) with character classes organized in four discipline types (Disciples of War, Magic, the Land, and the Hand). The races, classes, and disciplines require an intriguing blend of art assets to capture the vast scope of this world. "The world of FFXIV will have certain sci-fi elements such as out-of-place artifacts, perhaps best exemplified by airships," says Yoshida-san. "These elements will play a key role in distinguishing the cultures and civilizations of different nations, regions, and races, but they will not be extremely numerous," adds Yamamoto-san. "We are seeking to create a fantasy world with its core in classic sword-and-sorcery that players will never grow tired of visiting, no matter how much they play."
Veterans of FFXI may, come actual release, recognize certain elements of the class structure, but the developers are happy to point out that lessons learned from the development will be incorporated into a tighter, more focused online Final Fantasy experience. "It would be more accurate to say that we are attempting to achieve a development process that take full advantage of the know-how obtained from Final Gantasy XI while also improving on its shortcomings," says Yoshida-san. "Given the differences in the worlds, there will be no direct transplants from Final Fantasy XIII," he adds, "however, player can expect to see some of the classic monsters from the Final Fantasy series making an appearance, a number of which will be undergoing a makeover from FFXI."
Some of those enhancements will come courtesy of close working relationship between nvidia and the Square-Enix engineers and art department to optimize the vast environments and detailed characters for nvidia GPUs. And you heard it here first: Square Enix is also investigating options to incorporate 3D Vision support.
Like so many in-game details, further specifics on these relationships and what they may deliver to gamers in the year ahead and not being disclosed. Of course, given the evolving development process that MMOs undertake post-launch, many other high-end elements could find their way into the code and your game experience. "We are putting in place a system that will allow us to continually implement fresh, new designs while simultaneously taking precautions to ensure that there is no 'design inflation' early on," says Yoshida-san. "Allowances are also being made for future expansion of the game."
That, for fans of the Final Fantasy universe, is very, very good news. As if the single-player Final Fantasy XIII wasn't enough content, this super-stylized sci-fi epic with swords and sorcery elements will provide even cross-server gaming between locations to keep you entertained for years. And in that time, you'll get to wander some incredible locations, gaze in awe at mind-boggling structures, and craft details on your own character that place it undeniably in the Final Fantasy universe.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Life In Eorzea, Vol. 1
The first entry in Square Enix's FFXIV youtube channel showing us a close up video of Alpha game play has been released! In this video we get a tour of Limsa Lominsa, we get to see some crafting taking place, various emotes, even a chocobo! It's short but very sweet. Below I will post a translation to the video as well. (I did not do this translation myself and am unsure who to give credit to since I've seen it on various sites and blogs and I've not found a source for it)
Riekom: Hi, I’m Square Enix’s Riekom.
Julia: I’m Julia.
Aratam: I’m Aratam.
Riekom: Final Fantasy XIV’s alpha test is just around the corner!
Aratam: Oh, cool.
Riekom: Today we’re bringing you a quick look at Eorzea’s Limsa Lominsa.
Julia and Aratam are impressed.
Riekom: How about this view, huh?
Julia: It’s amazing. What a radiant sea!
Aratam: It definitely has a great, unique feel to it.
Julia: These must be shops.
Aratam: So many great-looking things are lined up. I’m having fun just window-shopping!
Riekom: I’m sure I’ll be spending a LOT of gil here.
Riekom: There’s even fish, and…
All three: Oh! CHOCOBO!
Riekom: There are many different kinds of people working in the city.
Aratam: Aw, she’s crying. I wonder if her boyfriend dumped her?
Riekom: Are you stupid or something? She’s slicing ONIONS.
Aratam: Such realistic movements!
Julia: We can even see the salt he’s putting in.
Riekom: I love cooking, so I feel right at home here.
All three: Oh! HAMBURGER STEAK!
Riekom: We’re also going to show you some character emotes.
Boys: Lalafell~
Creepy Mystery Voice: CUUUUUUTE…
Aratam: She’s dancing!
Riekom: The person controlling this Lalafell is a 30 year old guy.
Creepy Mystery Voice (Julia?): D’OH!
Riekom: This is just the first video, so we can’t show you very much. Sorry!
Riekom: From here on out, we’ll be showing you a lot of things from Eorzea through video, so look forward to it!
All three: See you next time!
New Alpha Screenshot Released.
A new close up look at gameplay and user interface (UI) has been released and gives us a even closer look inside the world of FFXIV. This is a official screen shot from Square Enix themselves! Read the full article and speculation here on FFXIVcore.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Highlander, and a new hope for more Races!
As I was scrolling through all the new information just added to the official Japanese FFXIV website I came across something quite interesting... Quite interesting indeed. Something that could be easily overlooked with all the excitement of new pictures, information and discussions... Do you see it yet? As of now, we have the five races of Eorzea, three of which have male and female counterparts, two of which are gender specific for each gender, as well as two tribes within each race... But what's this? Something is off balance, something is not right... The Highlander? Why is there only a picture of a Male and why does it say only Male Mercenaries of that tribe are seen around anymore?
What this does, is throw off the balance of a equal amount of playable characters for both Males and Females, essentially giving males one more option than females. Now now ladies, there's no need to panic. I highly doubt in modern society a company like Square Enix would dare to do something so taboo. What does that mean? Well it means more or less we're going to be seeing something to return the balance of playable options for both males and females. Most likely a all female tribe. But where will it fit in...? Perhaps a new race...? And why would they keep this from us at this point if there was only one more tribe of all females to be added...? Why would they risk the bad publicity and panic of their being more options for males...?
Once you ask these questions it seems obvious... Square Enix is teasing us, they have more up their sleeves than meets the eyes, and they did this to make us think... More than likely there will not only be a tribe of all women (like the highlander is to all men) announced before release, but we will most likely see other tribes and perhaps new races announced with it. For those of us still hopeful of Square Enix adding Male Miqo'Te this comes as great news and gives us new hope.
If you think about it logically, if I was Square Enix personally, I wouldn't want to announce something coveted and wished for as Male Miqo'Te till the very end. Why is this you ask? Because, If they announced to early on it would lose it's sense of hype, however if they announce it at a date closer to release where it comes as a BIG SURPRISE and something that a lot of people have wanted for a long time, it will influence a lot more people and make it easier for them to make the purchase of FFXIV. It's all about marketing my friends!
There's also a possibility that Square Enix could add a all-female tribe to the Hyur just as they did with the Highlanders. It would also make sense if you look at the names. We have Highlanders, Midlanders... But what about Lowlanders? Those could very well be the race of all-female-Hyur. Who's to say? There might be more tribes added for ALL races. Square Enix seems to want to give us a lot of options this time around, perhaps they will give the ladies a more bulky/amazonian tribe if they wish to be like that, and give the guys a more feminine tribe (like male miqo'te) if they want that option as well. And there's always the chance that Square Enix just might not have the information ready for us yet (as they've shown with how they add bits and pieces at a time, like the city-states and disciplines). Nothing is set in stone yet, so all we can do is wait.
Till we learn more, keep these thoughts in mind and remain hopeful!
(Screen Shot and Picture in this Article belongs to and all rights reserved to Square Enix Co, LTD.)
Official FFXIV website updated.
The official FFXIV site has been updated! Although right now it has only been updated in Japanese. In the next day(s) it will be updated on the North American and European sites, until then I'd like to direct your attention to The Official Japanese FFXIV website. Here you will see all new information as well as more pictures on the new races and tribes for FFXIV! Since it is only in Japanese right now I will give you some rough translations and a few of the new pictures. (Credit for Translations goes to Lumokai from FFXIVzam.com)(pictures are owned and all rights reserved by Square Enix Co, LTD.).
Midlander
Among the populous Hyuran, the majority is comprised of this great clan. They reside in various regions, and are enriched with a diverse livelihood. From a young age, Midlanders become accustomed to books. Because of this, they seem to have a deep, intellectual society.
Highlander
The highlanders dominate the remote, northern highlands. They are the strong, muscular, tribe of the Hyuran. After their city-state of Ala Mihgo fell to the Garlean Empire, with the exception of Male Mercenaries, it has become rare to see them in other cities.
Plainsfolk
The Plainsfolk gather and built villages from the materials of the plains, and have come to be called "The people of the Plains". Their earthly green, flaxen hair resembles vegetation. With their large ears, they can hear even the faintest footsteps of a mole.
Dunesfolk
Large, domesticated livestock are made to carry the homes that the dunesfolk migrate and live in. They live with the movement of the soil, and are called the "People of the Dunes" among the Lalafell. One of their unique features is that their eyes are enveloped by a protective clear film, which makes their eyes resemble a Crystal Ball. On their forehead, a jewel which represents their star of fate is affixed.
Forester
For hundreds of years, this Elezen tribe have inhabited the deep green forests. They are proud of their hawk-like eyesight, and excel in archery. Nowadays, those who have adapted to city life or those who live a nomadic life in the plains often return to the woodlands.
Shader
For hundreds of years, the Shaders have inhabited dark caves. Developing bat-like ears, they can sense the enemy's movement by the rustling of clothes. Because of this, many Shaders excel in hand-to-hand combat. Turning to thievery in order to sustain their cave-dwelling life, they are despised by the forester as turncoats.
Seawolf
Known as "Seawolves", this Roegadyn tribe is feared as marauding pirates from the northern seas. Nowadays, the number of Seawolves who fare the high seas are becoming numerous.
Lohengarde
Residing in the vicinity of volcanic craters, the Lohengarde are a tribe of Roegadyn who are faithful in the "Gates of Hell". They are called the "Gatekeepers of the Flame" . Not only are their bodies hard and tempered, their "fire-walking" asceticism allows them to nurture the qualities of magickal ingenuity.
Sun Seekers
One tribe of the Mi'qote call themselves "The people of the Sun". The followers of the Sun God Azema are numerous, and they are very active in the daytime. They have cold, piercing,, colorful, cat-like eyes.
Moon Keepers
The other tribe of the Mi'qote call themselves "The Wards of the Moon". They are the many followers of the Moon God Menefina, and many follow a nocturnal lifestyle. Many of the Moon Keepers apply vivid war paint onto their face.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Official FFXIV website updated.
As of March 12th 2010 the official FFXIV website has been updated. Mainly, it has been updated with the information we already knew thanks to Famitsu. But be sure to check it out. Go to the "Gameplay" section under "Disciplines" and you will find new detailed information about the disciplines in FFXIV. Still much info is left to be added for the disciplines themselves, and many other aspects of the official website. But for now, be sure to read up on the latest information they added regarding some of the disciplines, how they will work, what weapons they will use and more!
Beta Test Site Now Open.
Well it would seem the BETA test site is now open... "Technically", although as of right now the client (BETA version of the game) is not yet up for download. Word on the street is that Square Enix is having some technical difficulties feeding the hamsters that power the servers- Errr, I mean Square Enix is having some technical difficulties with the test servers. No one knows yet when it will be open, hopefully sooner than later so we can get this all underway and get closer to final stage BETA and the final product.
More rumors continue to circulate about Square Enix sending out more BETA test invites, however, these from what I see are nothing more than rumors. Still no word has been received on the winners of the BETA test invites from the premium FFXI websites "BETA test invite drawings" held about a month back.
I guess for now, all we can do is stay tuned and hope for the best. Keep checking those E-Mails/BETA test site/FFXIV official site/Blogs/Forums!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
New Information from Famitsu!
New information has just poured in from Famitsu Magazine. This information is just a little more insight to the jobs of FFXIV and how they will work and be played. Quite the interesting read indeed.
With all that being said, I will link you now to the articles discussing this very matter.
Article on Zam.
Article on Eorzeapedia.
Article on FFXIVcore.
Original Artical on Famitsu (In Japanese).
It's nice seeing how your physical positioning when fighting will play a big role in this game, depending on what your job is. It also seems like always, each job has strengths and weaknesses. The six major elements will also be making an appearance and the developers even talk about how this could come into play with the jobs themselves. Sadly, Light and Dark don't seem to be elements that players will be using and taking advantage of. This could very well change though, it's too early to tell, as the game is still in it's Alpha Stages.
For those of you wondering, the elements are Fire/Earth/Wind/Water/Thunder/Ice. Each element is weak to one and strong to one. It makes a game a bit more interesting and seems to be playing a bigger role than it was in FFXI even.
(credit for the image goes to Eorzeapedia and Square Enix, co. LTD)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Let the BETA begin.
Vanafest 2010 brought some exciting new information regarding Final Fantasy XIV. Beta information, to be exact. Turns out the official Beta will be up for download on the official FFXIV beta tester website on march 11th. From what I heard, Square Enix sent E-mails out on the first of march informing people who got into the first stage of Beta, which they are calling the "Alpha Test". If you got in, congratulations! If not, don't fret. Square Enix seems to have picked the Beta testers completely randomly, for the Alpha Test at least. Or perhaps they only had so many spots and wanted a bunch of different types of people, machines (PC only at the moment, sorry PS3 owners), and demographics.
One can rest assured though, as these tests go on, quite frequently they will add more and more people, they send this themselves in a interview. The best thing to is... "Check your E-Mail... And Check it often". As time goes on they will add more and more people to the Beta, commencing with the final "Open Beta" which will most likely last several months as it does with most MMORPG's. Open Beta pretty much is the final Beta stage and more or less anyone can get in. So, with all that being said, keep up your hope. If you didn't get a E-Mail from Square Enix yet, just keep checking regularly.
One thing to note though, is that this E-Mail can often come up in Spam Folders, so be sure to check yours. Another thing, is that the E-Mail will come to the E-Mail address you have registered on your Square Enix account. If you don't have a Square Enix account it will come to whichever one you registered with on the Beta Application.
Official FFXIV website updated.
Sorry for being slow about this, however not too long ago the FFXIV site was updated with new information. As of now, this is the latest information on the FFXIV site. The update consisted of more information being added about the story of Eorzea, new character customization options, as well as new screen shots.
Be sure to check it all out on the official FFXIV website under "World > Races, World > Story" and "Media".
Changes to my Blog...
For Awhile now I've been keeping this blog as updated as possible, however a lot of the information here is simply me copying information I have found for your viewing pleasure and presenting it to you. Although, more often than not I could have simply linked you to the information itself. However, that being said, Most of the time I have indeed added in my own opinions and views as well as a few of my own translations and interpretations on what things mean.
I've kept this site up because I have been a avid FFXI player since it's very beginning and have much pride in how proficient I was at that game. Because of this I was always at the cutting edge of new things, top notch gear, and the best strategies around. I took a lot of pride in finding out exactly what was the best gear combinations, job combinations and generally how to do things with peak performance in any kind of situation.
FFXI was my bread and butter and major hobby for the longest of times, however when the slightest rumor of a successor to the longstanding MMORPG was rumored to be in development years ago, I started my research. I started looking, lurking, and trying to find as much information as possible, I was even there back when everyone started calling it "Project Rapture". When FFXIV was announced at E3 I knew -many knew- it was going to be announced, so when the announcement of FFXIV did come forth I wanted to be on the forefront of data and up to the minute information on this sort of thing.
However, I have found that there are other sources of information (mainly the Japanese Magazines), and better translators than myself around, sadly... I have (with given credit) used a lot of the information (while adding my own to of course) on this site. But at the end of the day, their big teams and staffs can do a better and quicker job than I can.
So the time has come that I think some changes should be made... The fact is, this information is already available on other parts of the internet for your viewing pleasure, quicker than I can get it up. So I have decided simply to link to that information for you. Don't worry though, this will allow me to add up all the different sources in one place as fast as possible and keep them compiled (something most sites won't do so they keep their exclusiveness). But the main reason for all of this?
I will be able to write more articles simply on my own terms, about what we know. Not so much just information from Square Enix and the Japanese media, but what you can expect from a expert MMORPG gamers point of view, what to look for, etc. Think of it like those idiot's guides to everything (not that I'm implying there's any idiots on the internet...)
So I hope you all continue to enjoy my blog and the coming articles and information!
