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A World of Warcraft player's guide to Final Fantasy XIV
Tweet So you're a veteran player of World of Warcraft, and you're ready to take a step away from the game that you've been playing for however many years and start in on something new. And you even know where you want to forge your new home: Eorzea, the continent on which Final Fantasy XIV's adventures take place. It should be a fairly easy transition, yes? While Square-Enix has taken a distinctly different approach with its newest game compared to the decidedly old-school Final Fantasy XI, that doesn't mean that Final Fantasy XIV is World of Warcraft with moogles and chocobos. There are a lot of similairities, a lot of differences, and some subtle points that can be all too easy to miss when you're just starting out. So if you're moving from the current 100-pound-gorilla of the MMO scene into the newest title, you might be well-served to take a good look at this guide first.
The Mog Log: The natives are restless
Allow me a little bit of woolgathering. When I started working for Massively, it was October of last year, and Final Fantasy XIV had just been announced as the official title for the game code-named "Rapture" and unofficially codenamed "the sequel to Final Fantasy XI" by everyone else who had seen a single screenshot. About four days after you read this, the game is going to be officially live for players around the world willing to shell out an extra bit of cash for various doodads and a headstart. This is kind of baffling. Objectively, you know that the game is getting close to release, but it's not made real until the release is right at your doorstep. So before I go too far off the deep end and start thinking about things like the franchise having started when I was four, let's move on to the discussions coming out of the impending launch. And really, do come back next week when Final Fantasy XIV comes out, as I'm sure we'll have plenty of things on launch day. (Very sure, in fact.)
Final Fantasy XIV, like Nixon, can in fact go to China
The Chinese market for MMOs is immense, but it's also a market that's proven remarkably resistant to foreign intrusion. (We don't need to recount the whole saga of World of Warcraft over there.) But in addition to launching nearly everywhere else, it looks as if Final Fantasy XIV will also be going into the Chinese market in a partnership with Shanda Games Limited. This comes after Square-Enix CEO Yoichi Wada had mentioned a year ago that the company wished to pursue business partnerships with companies inside mainland China. Shanda Games Limited will most likely be operating the servers for the game, which will remain separate from the "normal" servers -- the only region-locked servers that the game is currently set to have, as a point of fact. There's no word on when the game will launch, either, simply that it is in the pipeline for release thanks to the new partnership. The rest of the world, of course, will get to start enjoying Final Fantasy XIV on the 30th (or the 22nd with the collector's edition). [Thanks to FusionX for the tip!]
Final Fantasy XIV releases new Gridania assets
With only a few days left until release, Final Fantasy XIV has lifted the shroud surrounding the third of the starting city-states for new characters. Gridania, nestled in the Black Shroud, is a city built into the very structure of the wood around it, filled with reverence for the spirits and creatures that dwell in the environment. The newest pictures have been put together in a gallery showing off the environment of the city -- as well as a hint of the Garlean Empire. A city of warm earth tones and expansive wooden buildings, Gridania manages to carry its own distinct feel from its sister cities, especially with the stained-glass architecture that dominates the adventurer's guild. While the preview images lack the callbacks that the recent Ul'dah reveal carried, they still show off an environment that is both engaging and alien. Take a look at the full gallery, and keep your eyes open to see if Final Fantasy XIV has any more secrets to reveal prior to next week's launch. %Gallery-102406%
Bonus item event in Final Fantasy XIV's beta
Final Fantasy XIV's open beta is only going to last until the 19th, which is just a stone's throw away. This would be worse news if not for the fact that the collector's edition of the game will be launching three days after that, meaning that the game's fans will have other things to do shortly thereafter. (The game's detractors don't really need the game to run one way or the other.) But if you'd like to take part in one last hurrah before launch, Square-Enix is hosting a special event on the newly-added Karnak and Narshe servers. All characters created on the special servers before 1:00 p.m. PDT on the 16th will have both the Onion Helm and Asuran Armguards added to their inventory. The former is the bonus for pre-ordering the collector's edition of the game, while the latter is the reward for also owning a copy of Final Fantasy XIII. It's not quite the potpourri of good news revealed from the pre-launch event yesterday, but it promises to still be a nice chance for Final Fantasy XIV beta testers to go out with a bang.
One Shots: Hey baby, nice chainmail
It seems like the closer to launch that Final Fantasy XIV gets, the louder the love-hate war rages about this particular title. Some people can't wait until the release later this month, and others are taking just about every chance they can get to vent their spleens. But no matter which side of the fence you're on, there's very little point in attempting to deny that the graphics are quite luscious. Today we have some more eyecandy from the Final Fantasy XIV beta, courtesy of Andrew B., who writes in to explain the scene: "[I] was at the bazaar, looking at copper buckles, when I was suddenly transfixed on the detail of her chainmail. Final Fantasy XIV has probably the most beautiful graphics with the utmost attention to detail. One walk around the La Noscea region and I was intrigued. I started switching weapons around, toying with crafting and gathering, doing levequests and was hooked!" From big to small, we love MMOs, but we need you to send in your screenshots for One Shots to work! All you have to do to take part is to email your images to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing in the image. (Guild, server, etc., are also always welcome.) Please make sure your image is at least 1024 pixels wide and has as few visible UI elements as possible. Your screenshot could wind up as the next one featured here on Massively! %Gallery-85937%
Final Fantasy XIV assets released for the city-state of Ul'dah
The release date for Final Fantasy XIV is just under a week away, but Square-Enix still has plenty to show off for the game and a huge amount of material left unseen. The company has just released a large batch of screenshots of the city-state of Ul'dah, centered in an arid desert as one of the three starting locations for new characters. Very distinct from both of the other starting cities, Ul'dah evokes much of the middle eastern imagery found in Al Zahbi from Final Fantasy XI. A city known for lavish displays, gambling, and gladiatorial contests, Ul'dah also has no shortage of fine architecture or detailed cityscapes. The full set of screenshots can be found in our gallery just below, which also contains several shots of what appear to be automatons of Final Fantasy XI fame, as well as few pictures of the beastmen known as Amalj'aa. If you're interested in Final Fantasy XIV, it's well worth a browse through the city's scenic locales. %Gallery-102067%
Final Fantasy XIV fans enjoy pre-launch coverage and new trailer
Final Fantasy XIV's launch date is just around the corner, and while there has been some controversial talk lately, it can't be denied that there are a lot of fans ready and willing to jump in the minute the game launches. FFXIVCore has been doing a fantastic job of keeping up on all the latest updates, and today's forum post has everything rounded up beautifully for fans who may have been overwhelmed by all the news. Check it out for a concise, organized list of everything we know about important game mechanics at this point. To top off all of this handy information, there is a brand-new CGI launch trailer that players should love. Clocking in at nearly eight minutes, the video features an epic Malboro battle and much more. Follow along after the jump to check it out, and keep up with all the pre-launch coverage at FFXIVCore.
One Shots: A productive day
Sundays are great days for getting those real-life tradeskills leveled up -- as well as relaxing in various worlds! After all, there's something to be said for squeezing in a bit of fun during that inane laundry grind. Today, we offer up an adventurous screenshot from the Final Fantasy XIV beta, courtesy of Jon C., who writes in: "After a long day of exploring and harvesting trees I started marching my way back to Uldah so I could start crafting, when I ran into this great image of the city as the sun went down. I'm having a great time in beta counting down the days until release." If you're taking part in a beta -- with the NDA down, mind you -- why not snap a screenshot and send it to us? We're always curious what players are excited about in terms of upcoming titles. All you have to do is email them to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in. %Gallery-85937%
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XI and the future
So, I had planned to go back to my soloing experiment from Final Fantasy XI this week, but two things got in the way. The first is named Final Fantasy XIV's open beta, and I'm not going to start talking about that because I won't stop. The second, however, is the September version update and the fast-approaching end of that timeline we saw back at VanaFest. While I'm not wholly qualified to talk about everything in the version update at the moment, I can certainly talk about what comes after. And here's why: This is a significant update for the game. It's the last update before the release of Final Fantasy XIV later this month, it's the second stage in the level cap increase, and it's the second-to-last additional content that we know we're getting. And what it's doing for Final Fantasy XI says volumes about what's going to happen in the game in the coming months, as well as what we can hope for.
Final Fantasy XIV's open beta has an announced conclusion
Love it or hate it, Final Fantasy XIV's open beta has given players a fair idea of what to expect when the game goes live near the end of the month. But all good things must draw to a close (or bad things if you're in the other camp), and so too must the game's beta testing. Today, Square-Enix announced that the open beta will close on September 19th, a mere three days before the launch of the collector's edition with its headstart. Although the beta will be fully closed at 5:00 p.m. PDT on the 19th, the beta tester site will remain open until the following day at 12:00 a.m. PDT. While there's only a bit more than a week left of the testing, the steady pace of patches makes it clear that the game will likely be updating straight through to launch. So if you haven't gotten enough of Final Fantasy XIV testing to sate your interest, positive or negative, now would be the time to get to playing.
Anti-Aliased: A few thoughts on the Final Fantasy XIV beta
Holy crap. Look at that sweet screenshot. It's a veritable action movie! There. That's your article. Now, if you could excuse me, I'm going to go explore Eorzea some more. Oh. You're still here. Damn. I was hoping you'd all be distracted by the pretty. I'm guessing you've all figured out that I've been getting some time in on the Final Fantasy XIV beta, and I've been enjoying myself so far. While I understand that many people have plenty of dislike for the title (and some of that dislike is well-deserved, I do admit), I have to say that something about this game has gripped me in the right way. While I can't claim a huge amount of time with the title just yet, I do want to devote some time to picking out the good and bad areas of my visit in Eorzea so far. So join me this week as we discuss the ups and downs of Final Fantasy XIV's eclectic design, as well as the starting portions of Gridania and Limisa Lomisa. %Gallery-69600%
The art director speaks in the latest video for Final Fantasy XIV
One of the defining elements of Final Fantasy XI was the attention to detail, with every area of the world carefully crafted for maximum verisimilitude. It's a tradition that has been carried on to Final Fantasy XIV, with the game's art direction as one of its primary selling points. Akihiko Yoshida, the art director for the game, shares his thoughts on the design of the game and his hopes for the player experience in the newest Making of Eorzea video, embedded after the cut. Yoshida discusses the added challenges experienced with the game's dynamic format, as well as the many ways that the team has tried to expand upon the lessons learned from Final Fantasy XI. Players of the open beta have no doubt noticed the amount of detail going into each environment, and it helps make even mundane tasks more enjoyable. See what Yoshida has to say about designing Final Fantasy XIV's visuals after the cut, and keep your eyes open as the open beta continues (Square-Enix has been rolling out a new patch nearly every day).
Fans dig out a hardware mouse in Final Fantasy XIV
One of the more regular complaints against Final Fantasy XIV's current open beta has been the lack of a hardware mouse. The currently implemented software mouse has certain issues, among them the fact that (like any software mouse) performance can vary wildly depending on your framerate within the game. Amidst all the clamoring of fans for an official fix, a fan looked into the code and realized that the game already has the support coded in... it's just not enabled. The fan-written patch to address the issue notes up front that it's an entirely unsupported change, will be wiped out by each new patch to the beta (patches have been coming almost every day), and simply enables the existing code hidden within the game client. There's also no word from Square-Enix at this time as to how the company views this alteration, as it technically falls under the aegis of being a non-permitted modification to the client. Still, if you're in the Final Fantasy XIV open beta and have little hope Square will activate the code on its own, a fix is being made available. [Thanks to Cliff and Amana for the tip!]
Final Fantasy XIV fansite mines out guildleves and hidden models
Final Fantasy XIV is a game that's provoked no shortage of strong opinions, ranging from adoration to venomous loathing. If you're knee-deep in playing it, however, you could certainly use a full rundown of the guildleves available in the game. FFXIVCore, which has been quite active over the course of the beta, has provided a full rundown of the leves in the game, sortable by various criteria and listing all relevant data about each given levequest. Should that not be quite enough to tickle your fancy, some astute glancing through the data files for the game has revealed the ship models and several other currently unused files within the game. Although the models are untextured, there are some that should provide no end of fan speculation, such as the model very clearly resembling the ubiquitous Ifrit. Final Fantasy XIV hopefuls whose expectations have sunk will probably not care, but current players should be happy for the new resource.
PAX 2010: Wrassling the FFXIV community with Square-Enix
It was hard to miss Final Fantasy XIV at PAX Prime this year -- its booth loomed large, white and sprawling right inside of the main exhibition hall doors. As players poured in to get their hands on this imminent title, Massively pulled aside Square-Enix's Yasu Kurosawa and Sage Sundi for a chat about managing the global community. Sage deals with more of the global aspect across multiple regions, while Yasu is Square Enix's North America representative and is tasked with bringing the community's voice back to Japan. Unfortunately, we were limited from discussing gameplay aspects of FFXIV, but the pair were open about the challenges and difficulties of handling a community worldwide, especially in regions where the game's developers are not linguistically fluent. Read on for their thoughts on the subject.
The Daily Grind: Are open betas necessary?
Final Fantasy XIV is in open beta as we speak, and anyone with even a passing interest in MMORPGs is probably already aware of that fact. What you may not be aware of is that very little is actually going to get "tested" (much less re-implemented) during this month-long honeymoon. Many people have even begun referring to open beta periods as marketing betas, since they basically exist to generate awareness of the title and build as much hype as possible. While my own reaction to MMO betas mirrors the hard-working tester in the photo above, many of you are no doubt enjoying Square-Enix's latest. What's your take on open betas in general and FFXIV's in particular? Do you even bother submitting feedback and/or testing, or do you look at them as pre-release free trials?
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV did not ruin your birthday party
If you were one of the many, many people trying desperately to get Square-Enix's account management page to work on Wednesday evening, you're probably not one of the people this week's article is aimed at. It's pretty clear that even amidst all of the recent controversy surrounding Final Fantasy XIV, there is no shortage of players who couldn't wait to get into the game at the first opportunity. So if you were also up until way too darn late hitting "Refresh" and getting sick of hearing that the connection was reset, you don't need to worry. But there are a lot of things that have prompted players to call the premature death of Final Fantasy XIV. The fatigue system in particular did a wonderful job of making roughly nobody happy, spawning rage-filled comments that are still showing up in my inbox. Guildleve cooldowns are another big complaint, the one that originally prompted me to start planning this article. (Yes, well before Komoto tried to calm people down and accidentally did precisely the opposite.) But the sky isn't actually falling, and these systems do have their positive points... and there are very good reasons that we shouldn't be worried.
Final Fantasy XIV beta gets new servers and a roleplaying home
If you weren't lucky enough to get into the Final Fantasy XIV open beta right away, it's been an interesting couple days, with beta keys being given out briefly, disabled briefly, then given out once again ad infinitum. While the cycle continues unabated, it's telling that Square-Enix has released a new quintet of servers for the beta, bringing the current total to 15. While that doesn't mean the distribution of beta keys has returned to full operation, it's clear that Square is working overtime to address the demand. In other server-related news, Final Fantasy XIV's official server list has sparked a number of community votes for movement, including one that will have a large impact on server atmospheres. The community-run FFXIV Roleplaying Coalition has designated the Besaid server as the unofficial RP server after a day-long vote, a fact which has been spread around to the general fansite community in hopes of promoting the destination. Roleplaying linkshells and communities have already begun establishing themselves on Besaid, both to reserve character names for launch and to begin building a future server culture.
Trailer for Scars of Abyssea surfaces for Final Fantasy XI
While there's quite a stir around the new open beta for Final Fantasy XIV, there are some very big additions coming to Final Fantasy XI as well. Scars of Abyssea is due to be released with the September version update, and lest players forget about it, Square-Enix has updated the teaser site. Not only does it include previews of the new Empyrean armor sets and a new trailer for the mini-expansion, it also offers us a predicted launch date for the update of September 8th. Although the chest pieces are not shown and it's a bit early to be sure, it does appear that most of the Empyrean Armor sets are the new Artifact pieces (an upgrade from the previous Relic Armor). Combined with the coming upgrades to Trial of the Magians, this armor set may become the norm for quite some time. Players can take a look at all of the coming attractions on the official teaser site, and the Final Fantasy XI update should be available early next week.
