Final Fantasy XIV Online Eorzea Introduction

Snowflake wrote:: Omg if they did allow transfer now that would be redicilous

ya lol

lvl 75 right from the start ... rofl i will rush and buy a FFXI lvl 75 account if that were the case and sell it to ppl who dont want to grind heh

AxLR0Se wrote:: If...If....If....FF is scheduled for early 2010, i won't be buying Aion..
If i buy a p2p game, it's going to be a game i'll be playing for a long time. Not just a few weeks. :)

So if it's just a few months for example like 3-4, buying aion would be a waste of cash. As FF would really be the game i would want to play.

So if it's early, 2010+ will be SC+FF for me. :)

hehe i dont think we will be playing aion for a few weeks only,most likely FFXVI will be out around june or after of 2010.so axl u can just buy aion and enjoy the game with us :)

i will post here if they have a confirmation date of the launch.

2010 SE will release 2 FF games.one rpg and one mmorpg

this is the trailer site for FFXIII aka FF13 before FFXIV online
its very nice heh

http://www.finalfantasyxiii.com/

The ZAM team sent a total of 10 questions to Square Enix this morning. Of these 10, four are answered below.

>> Will current owners of the Square Enix Security Token be able to use the same token they use in FFXI to secure their FFXIV account?

Players who have already obtained a SQUARE ENIX Security Token and have been using an OTP for FINAL FANTASY XI will not need to purchase a new one, and will be able to use their current one for XIV.

>> Will Final Fantasy XIV be available on Direct2Drive at launch?

Because of the estimated size of the game, we are aiming for a package release. However, we are also considering distribution via download.

>> People were ecstatic to hear about the beta. Can you tell us anything about it? Will it be a closed or open beta?

We are planning both closed and open beta testing periods. The schedule is not yet decided.

>> You've confirmed that FFXIV will not be using PlayOnline. Will FFXI continue to be launched through PlayOnline or will it be done away with completely?

As long as FINAL FANTASY XI service continues, PlayOnline will continue.

For the rest of the questions we don’t have any comment at this time. Glad to see you guys excited about FINAL FANTASY XIV!

Full list of questions asked:

You stated today that the races were ported over to FFXIV to make FFXI players comfortable in the new game, but will their backgrounds be the same or are the similarities only aesthetic?

Will current owners of the Square Enix Security Token be able to use the same token they use in FFXI to secure their FFXIV account?

Could you elaborate a bit more on how you will make the job system different from FFXI? Will players be able to play all job classes from the start rather than have to progress to a certain point to gain access to an Advanced job?

Will Fan Festivals now combine both FFXI and FFXIV players? If so, will we be able to hear any of the new score at this year's Fan Festival?

It took more than six years for a male mithra to make any kind of entrance into FFXI, will players be able to play a male mithra character from the start? What was the original reasoning behind making Mithras a female only race?

Campaign and Besieged have both been, without a doubt, very successful battle systems for FFXI. When you say that you will be implementing systems not previously utilized by MMO titles, does this include FFXI or will you implement a different version of your most successful systems into FFXIV?

The FFXI developers have always seemed to look upon true PvP with distaste, at least in Vana'diel. Will this outlook change in any way for FFXIV? Will you have special PvP servers for players who are attracted to this style of playing?

Will Final Fantasy XIV be available on Direct2Drive at launch?

People were ecstatic to hear about the beta. Can you tell us anything about it? Will it be a closed or open beta?

You've confirmed that FFXIV will not be using PlayOnline. Will FFXI continue to be launched through PlayOnline or will it be done away with completely?

The big Square Enix Press Conference is about to start and I'll be live blogging the event. They are only letting 75 members of the press into the press event so hopefully we'll get some amazing information for you. Stay tuned!!

[11:18] Get ready for infoz!

[11:28] We're still standing in line waiting to get in. Anyone have any predictions?

[11:37] *Speculation* They are late letting us into the press conference so obviously they've delayed FFXIV.... :(

[11:44] We're inside and sitting down, the press conference should begin shortly!

[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.

[12:29] That's all folks! Full transcription from the Press Conference is coming soon!

nothing special or something you couldn't guess said here yet

Why the heck the press asks so much about FFXI and relations to that instead of getting more real info about FFIV

from what i gather from the answers they given.

cb and ob will be some time away.most likely around june or last quarter of 2010.we should registered early and aim for getting in the cb instead

pvp is under consideration since they did not reject the idea outright.but in what form of pvp is not known yet...a big step consider FFXI is just a pve mmo

they targeting world audience like us not just FFXI 500k population since they will still update FFXI even after FFXIV is out.good news to us heh

worldwide release so confirm no ip block

game will be less grinding ... slightly more casual compare to FFXI

@snow yea i wish they ask more about the features in FFXIV like mounts and classes and combat system and stuff like it will be stats based lvling system or skill based lvling system or hybrid heh

i agree with snow lol......but why o why is it soo far away

Quote:
We will NOT be using PlayOnline, but friend lists will transfer over

Quote:
12:27
Q: If I'm new to the MMO genre, why would I choose FFXIV over other games?
12:27
A: We believe that players will fall in love with the world & story that we have created.

Quote:
Q: FFXI has evolved a lot over the years, especially in the areas of player accessibility and the ability to solo. Will you carry over features like level sync and other features to FFXIV?

A: Yes. All of the knowledge and experience we gained from FFXI will be used in the development of FFXIV. At the launch, we intend to have content for solo players as well as large-scale battles. We want a wide-variety from the start.

Q: Will all servers be worldwide or split by territory?
12:07
A: The current plans are to have worldwide servers that are cross-platform and cross-region. We will do a beta test and look at the balance and player experience. We want to look for a good balance between region and cross-region play.
12:07

Q: Is there any special element in the MMO genre that you will improve with this game?
12:13
A: Our plan from the beginning was to make the best Final Fantasy game available. That is our vision for XIV. Then we thought, how can we make the best FF game and we came to the conclusion that it would be an MMORPG. It was decided to make the best FF first, then led to the decision to make it an MMORG and use that genre.
12:13
A: However, we are trying to implement a lot of new systems that other MMO's haven't used in the past.
12:14
Q: Why did you decide to make a new game rather than continue to evolve FFXI?
12:16
A: It all comes down to, originally, FFXI was designed for the PS2. It then moved to PC and Xbox 360. A lot of people have asked for a port to the PS3. With an MMORPG of this size, you have to develop new content. Porting to a new technology would take a lot of effort. Instead, we decided to use that time to make something new.
12:17

Q: Yesterday's trailer that was shown, was that running of a console or was it pre-rendered?
12:18
A: There were parts that were pre-rendered and parts that were running on the in-game engine.
12:18
Q: Is that the quality you're aiming for? The scene with the Galka fighting, is that what you're aiming for?
12:19
A: Yes, that is the part that was running in-engine.
12:19
Q: In that scene, we saw many parties and many enemies. Is this the new focus: many parties fighting many enemies?
12:20
A: I cannot say too much, but we hope to have battles that are many vs. many and many vs. one.

We're asking questions, but they are currently going through the international and Japanese press.
12:22
A: For FFXIV, the keyword that we've been using is "The Growth and Development of the Character." We will have the same type of storytelling and high-quality graphics. We also want to expand and create new in-game systems. The player can grow & develop in a more natural way without putting too much weight on the player. We will expand the job system to make it fairly different from the one in FFXI.
12:23

A: Another very important concept that takes a different direction from FFXI, for FFXIV we want to make it so the player can choose to play solo, in a party, 40 minutes, all-day... there will be content for ALL of those play styles and systems for all of those play styles.
12:24

Q: I've been seeing information that the title is free to play, is this true?
12:31
A: No pricing has been decided at this time. It is still TBD.
12:33

Worldwide release

PC and PS3 - (360 may be in the pipeline)

Integrated servers

New world, similar races

New job system

More solo friendly and casual content

The scene with the galka in the trailer used the game engine

No POL - but friend lists will be moveable

No FFXI > FFXIV transfers

They will continue to develop and support FFXI.

No pricing determined yet.

A few nice points there. Can't expect much more info then this but well it's enough to know that I WANT TO PLAY IT!!!!

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.

Not a lot of details on the PvP aspec. I'm looking for fun pvp. >.>
Aion seems to have fun pvp, hope FF does too..

AxLR0Se wrote:: Not a lot of details on the PvP aspec. I'm looking for fun pvp. >.>
Aion seems to have fun pvp, hope FF does too..

highly doubt FFXIV will allow random pvp/pk heh.most likely arena or limited pvp in some form.

it is more cater to pve aspect and more like playing a rpg together online in a huge world

for pvp and pk fun i think aion will be better heh

Final Fantasy XIV Online PlayStation 3Interview - E3 2009: Interview

More Final Fantasy XIV Online Info

woo 4 months or longer beta testing of FF14

i really hope i can get in then lolz

I think I'm gonna quit being a pc gamer. I'll play this using the PS3 console when its out.

hehe evo.i still not yet figure out how to connect to net using ps3 online.heard can play games for free?lolz

still think using pc is best.can surf at the same time ^^

Ok this is really interesting: "growth" not so much by lvling but actually weapon that sounds quite sweet. Would be cool if you could lvl up your weapons aswell.
And ohter aspects that grow, from doing everything sounds quite good.

But this game gonna use high end engines ^^, I'm afraid my quite new lappy won't be able to run it and I ll have to get a new one before this one is actually burned out. I might consider buying a ps3 if my lappy won't be able to run it.

As for pvp, knowing FFXI you won't get much pvp fun in here. You might see some kind of form of duels, and maybee an arena but not much more probably.

Also I'm rather concerned that they plan on transferring names from FFXI to this game. I mean for people that didn't get a chance to play FFXI you will have to end up with a name like POIEJOJWOIJFJjpeswhwe1224345 because everything else would be taken.
I mean new game give everyone new fair playing field.

Anyway so far I like what I see hehe, want to play it even more :yersh:

Lmao guys stop drooling over this , theres alot of time :D.

Snow go try FFXI out , its good , you can get the trial ^^ . Seriously I dont know how FFXI is your favorite MMO and you never even played it :laugh:

haha dias it'll cool down eventually till the cb date is announced lol

Guest

nahhh don't think so ... i think every1 expects this game to be awesome .. just hope it wont be a disappointment

ff cant be a disappointment even if they tried lol......im anxious too but its atleast a yr away

Guest

lulz ... most failures come when they try to much :dark:

waiting is part of the fun,its true no need to be too hype over it.still have long time before it reach us and when it does we still have to wait for 4 months or longer of beta testing :)

and testing out something with 6 years history and ruining my view of ff14???? no tyvm ^^
i know ff11 still have pretty good reviews considering the fact its 6 years old but i can say 100% ff14 will be better,its like playing ps3 and asking u to go back to ps1....no kick out of the experience lol

nub if u expect ff14 to be awesome in right direction then u wont be disappointed heh.if u expect it to have a lot of pvp and pking then u will be disappointed ^^.all i expecting is having fun playing a huge size mmorpg with loads of pve content with expectation of playing the best FF game...or so the developers claim ^^

As far as I can see so far it's gonna be better then FFXI which mean it can't be a failure :yersh:

Guest

i am not much of a pvp'er ... pve is my thing ... i like to chill and kill mobs ... i usually pvp/pk when i'm high lvl ...
until then doing quests , relaxing , grind a little i hope not so much , hehe :laugh:

so i guess FF will be cool 4 my play style

» FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn - A Tour of Eorzea, Part 1 & 2
» Final Fantasy XIV v2.0 "A Realm Reborn"
» Final Fantasy XIV: Everything You Need to Know
» Final Fantasy XIII-2
» FINAL FANTASY XIV Version Update (Oct. 22)