FFXIV News: ZOMG SE IS RMT!

Sarcasm guys, sarcasm.

Anyway, SE's president made this announcement (translated by Elmer the Amazingly Pointy on BG):

“The basic model hasn't changed,” he said. “It's a monthly flat rate service with additional charges for items that users want to buy.
“For FFXI we didn't initially set up the item transaction model that well – although the demand for it was high. We thought that it would be a benefit for users, but that we wouldn't be able to charge.

“We soon learnt that there are a lot of people who want that kind of model, so we would like to introduce more pay-as-you-use items into the game. But there were too few items in FFXI – however we don't want to take it to the other extreme entirely for FFXIV.

Now, of course people like Jaxzer immidiately took this to mean that there will be wholesale RMT for every item in the game, but the more level headed, and even the not-so-level-headed-and-for-the-most-part-generally-apocalyptic Iceblazek stepped in and said this is almost definitely not going to be about game-balance changing gear.

There are lots of way to sell in game items that are no game breaking. WoW does it pretty well, but there are even more ways to do it. WoW does it well with vanity pets now, and their server changing options. SE already has done it with the Tidal Talisman and some would say the Moogle Satchel and the Nexus Cape but I would argue those are slightly different. The former was to provide an incentive to people to improve their security that they couldn't resist and the later was more of a reward for finishing an expansion even if you did get it on the purchase of the last expansion. There are a bunch of other ways to increase profits without wreaking the game, and I have always been a big advocate that as long as it doesn't mess with real game balance (and no, carrying around more stuff doesn't effect real game balance, nor does warping to Tiamat). I can think of a few examples off the top of my head: vanity pets and vanity mounts both from WoW, furnishings, server transfers and other related data transfers, character beautification (changing hair/skin coloring), gear beautification (different colors or even particle effects on gear) and the list goes on and on.

The other thing that I think is important is that this is SE's President talking, not Tanaka. This is Tanaka's game, and he has already mentioned this in passing but seemingly assured players it wouldn't effect balance. I don't think Tanaka would be down with full scale RMT, and the President of SE has said some other things about FFXI and FFXIV that haven't panned out. Tanaka is a game developer, SE's President is a business guy. Business guys tend to say things they think the media wants to hear, game developers say things they think the players want to hear. Remember some of the gaming media still defends RMT on some level to satisfy those with attention spans smaller than a gnat.

I think this will probably be one of those much ballyhoo'd issues that doesn't amount to as much as it first appears. Like the "PS3 exclusive" comments, this will probably get explained again, and again until we get a real picture of the situation.

Sarcasm guys, sarcasm. <br /><br />Anyway, SE's president made this announcement (translated by Elmer the Amazingly Pointy on BG): <blockquote>“The basic model hasn't changed,” he said. “It's a monthly flat rate service with additional charges for items that users want to buy.<br />“For FFXI we didn't initially set up the item transaction model that well – although the demand for it was high. We thought that it would be a benefit for users, but that we wouldn't be able to charge.<br /><br />“We soon learnt that there are a lot of people who want that kind of model, so we would like to introduce more pay-as-you-use items into the game. But there were too few items in FFXI – however we don't want to take it to the other extreme entirely for FFXIV.</blockquote><br /><br />Now, of course people like Jaxzer immidiately took this to mean that there will be wholesale RMT for every item in the game, but the more level headed, and even the not-so-level-headed-and-for-the-most-part-generally-apocalyptic Iceblazek stepped in and said this is almost definitely not going to be about game-balance changing gear.<br /><br />There are lots of way to sell in game items that are no game breaking. WoW does it pretty well, but there are even more ways to do it. WoW does it well with vanity pets now, and their server changing options. SE already has done it with the Tidal Talisman and some would say the Moogle Satchel and the Nexus Cape but I would argue those are slightly different. The former was to provide an incentive to people to improve their security that they couldn't resist and the later was more of a reward for finishing an expansion even if you did get it on the purchase of the last expansion. There are a bunch of other ways to increase profits without wreaking the game, and I have always been a big advocate that as long as it doesn't mess with real game balance (and no, carrying around more stuff doesn't effect real game balance, nor does warping to Tiamat). I can think of a few examples off the top of my head: vanity pets and vanity mounts both from WoW, furnishings, server transfers and other related data transfers, character beautification (changing hair/skin coloring), gear beautification (different colors or even particle effects on gear) and the list goes on and on.<br /><br />The other thing that I think is important is that this is SE's President talking, not Tanaka. This is Tanaka's game, and he has already mentioned this in passing but seemingly assured players it wouldn't effect balance. I don't think Tanaka would be down with full scale RMT, and the President of SE has said some other things about FFXI and FFXIV that haven't panned out. Tanaka is a game developer, SE's President is a business guy. Business guys tend to say things they think the media wants to hear, game developers say things they think the players want to hear. Remember some of the gaming media <span style="font-style:italic;">still</span> defends RMT on some level to satisfy those with attention spans smaller than a gnat.<br /><br />I think this will probably be one of those much ballyhoo'd issues that doesn't amount to as much as it first appears. Like the "PS3 exclusive" comments, this will probably get explained again, and again until we get a real picture of the situation.

FFXIV News: Beta Sign-ups Begin!

The beta sign-ups for FFXIV have begun! You can head over to the sign up now, or if you are afraid that I am trying to haxxor your account you can go there directly from the Final Fantasy XIV website. Just click on the big "beta sign-ups" button on the main page. That is only for the NA site, but from that link you can sign up for whatever region you are from or your account is from.

This is pretty surprising news as there was no hint of this before yesterday. It also disproves the idea that people will be picked from the largest HNM LS's, which I thought was crap to begin with.

<a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXIV_Logo.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXIV_Logo.png" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 274px;" /></a>The beta sign-ups for FFXIV have begun! You can head over to <a href="http://entry.ffxiv.com/na/index.html">the sign up</a> now, or if you are afraid that I am trying to haxxor your account you can go there directly from the <a href="http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/">Final Fantasy XIV website</a>. Just click on the big "beta sign-ups" button on the main page. That is only for the NA site, but from that link you can sign up for whatever region you are from or your account is from.<br /><br />This is pretty surprising news as there was no hint of this before yesterday. It also disproves the idea that people will be picked from the largest HNM LS's, which I thought was crap to begin with.

FFXIV News: To Coupon or not to coupon.

The release date of FFXIII is racing forwards for Japan, while the rest of the world gets to wait in line and merely drool over the pretty pictures that are emerging to tease and tantalise us.

One such hook to reel in the eager masses was the release of further magazine images of the game which also contain a little caption at the foot of the page suggesting that a coupon will be available in Japan to those who buy the game that has some bearing on the next mmo from SE, FFXIV. Credited source goes to Finalfantasy.cc


Speculation is rife as to exactly what this coupon will allow you to do, with the leader being access to the beta testing of the game. If nothing SE is being consistent with its game plan of offering ingame articles for money, branching out across their games now rather than just being internal.

It IS a lure, although with the fan base being teased with the melting pot of images, teasers and tips I suspect there will be no small queue to aquire this game. While this seems to be currently only a Japanese promotion I do wonder if they will offer anything similar to the US/EU people, although a somewhat skeptical me doubts that will happen, particularly as it eventually trickles down to the EU side of the world, a small twinge of sadness realises that we get cut out of the loop a lot of the time. Sometimes it definately feels like we are the smaller, younger child bouncing after the grown ups going "hey look look, include meee too!"

Hey! I'm a gamer too! I don't want to just read about all the cool stuff other people are doing! I want to particpate too!

The release date of FFXIII is racing forwards for Japan, while the rest of the world gets to wait in line and merely drool over the pretty pictures that are emerging to tease and tantalise us.<br /><br />One such hook to reel in the eager masses was the release of further magazine images of the game which also contain a little caption at the foot of the page suggesting that a coupon will be available in Japan to those who buy the game that has some bearing on the next mmo from SE, FFXIV. Credited source goes to <a href="http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/unions/read_article.php?topic_id=27095233&union_id=1838">Finalfantasy.cc</a><br /><br /><a href="http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/ZLM34/ff1301.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/ZLM34/ff1301.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" /></span></a><br />Speculation is rife as to exactly what this coupon will allow you to do, with the leader being access to the beta testing of the game. If nothing SE is being consistent with its game plan of offering ingame articles for money, branching out across their games now rather than just being internal.<br /><br />It IS a lure, although with the fan base being teased with the melting pot of images, teasers and tips I suspect there will be no small queue to aquire this game. While this seems to be currently only a Japanese promotion I do wonder if they will offer anything similar to the US/EU people, although a somewhat skeptical me doubts that will happen, particularly as it eventually trickles down to the EU side of the world, a small twinge of sadness realises that we get cut out of the loop a lot of the time. Sometimes it definately feels like we are the smaller, younger child bouncing after the grown ups going "hey look look, include meee too!"<br /><br />Hey! I'm a gamer too! I don't want to just read about all the cool stuff other people are doing! I want to particpate too!

FFXIV News: New Pictures Make Omoikitte Hot in the Pants.

So a few more teaser pictures were posted from this coming weeks Famitsu. Apparently the Japanese take pictures of coming articles from their own magazines then post them on the internet to get people interested. It's quite a novel concept for me, and while a little "Japanese weird" (you know like tentacle rape and Japanese cuisine) it definitely gets you going, and make you want to get the magazine. I am sure that Elmer will have it and I will get to sing his praises again on Friday.

The cover of the article gives a little information through pictures like a Mithra running around with a polearm. It also shows that the Hume character may be a Ranger, or as they call the job in the second picture, an Archer. Also, if you look closely, you can see someone cooking over a fire.

This second picture has a lot more information. Two new job names are revealed, Lancer and Archer, and several new monster types. The Raptor looks pretty much exactly the same, but the other mobs are new models completely.

Looking forward to more information from Elmer come Friday. :)

So a few more teaser pictures were posted from this coming weeks Famitsu. Apparently the Japanese take pictures of coming articles from their own magazines then post them on the internet to get people interested. It's quite a novel concept for me, and while a little "Japanese weird" (you know like tentacle rape and Japanese cuisine) it definitely gets you going, and make you want to get the magazine. I am sure that Elmer will have it and I will get to sing his praises again on Friday.<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Fam_cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Fam_cover.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />The cover of the article gives a little information through pictures like a Mithra running around with a polearm. It also shows that the Hume character may be a Ranger, or as they call the job in the second picture, an Archer. Also, if you look closely, you can see someone cooking over a fire. <br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Fam_Info.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Fam_Info.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br />This second picture has a lot more information. Two new job names are revealed, Lancer and Archer, and several new monster types. The Raptor looks pretty much exactly the same, but the other mobs are new models completely. <br /><br />Looking forward to more information from Elmer come Friday. :)

FFXIV News: FFXIVCore Follow-up Interview.

FFXICore has posted some very interesting follow-up questions from their original meeting with the FFXIV many months ago (I know, shocking that SE took forever to do a follow up). The questions and answers are up my alley when it comes to what I am looking for when it comes to FFXIV information. I don't care about the storyline or the monsters we will be fighting. I don't even care about the job system or how you level up. Those are things that you do first when making an MMO, and if they don't work then the game won't work, and SE's track record when it comes to these aspects of the game is very good.

I am much more interested in the day to day aspects of how the game will work. Will I need to use macros? Will I use mouse and keyboard or only keyboard or a game controller? What will linkshells/guilds be like? Other technical aspects that I want to know about while other people are drooling over pretty pictures and storylines, I am kicking the tires and checking the oil.

There are a few interesting notes that stand out. There is no self-directed flying as of yet, and honest that doesn't mean a thing to me, but I know people will be screaming about how Aion has flying just like they screamed about WoW having jumping when it first came out. (A side note to people that are playing Aion: You are playing a very, very pretty but completely recycled Korean MMO, and prettiness does not an MMO make.)

There will be quests similar to AF and Limit Break quests, which to me is very important to the overall progression of the initial gameplay and it gives people the sense of accomplishment even if they haven't really accomplished anything major in the game. It definitely breaks up the grind.

The combat system will be something completely new and revolutionary. Excuse me if I don't have the same enthusiasm that SE has about this, but it is very rare when things are truly new and revolutionary in video games. I have no concern that it will be too much like WoW, because SE has been making MMO's longer than Blizzard and while they have definitely borrowed concepts they don't really seem interested in borrowing their formats.

Finally, it should be noted that the economy in FFXIV probably wont be the same as FFXI and that is a good thing. To combat RMT they are likely going to make many more things Rare/Exclusive, and it seems like they are going to handle crafting in a different manner than they did in FFXI. What does this mean? Who knows, but I doubt you are going to see the imbalance in prices that you see in FFXI.

The entire set of follow-up questions below the break:

From FFXIVCore:

Awhile ago I attended Gamescom in Germany and got to interview the Square Enix team about Final Fantasy XIV. I was limited to 45 minutes of time, but they gave me the chance to email a couple of questions that was left from the FFXIVCore.com community which they promised to answer in due time.

Well, that time has come and I present you with a mini interview (twelve questions and answers), answers are courtesy of Square Enix and the questions asked are from the community here at FFXIVCore.com. Enjoy!


Q1: Will we be able to fly somehow either by ourselves free roaming or scheduled transport airships like in FFXI?

A: At present, we have no plans for free-form aerial movement for players. We are, however, looking into a number of different types of flying transportation.


Q2: How will player run guild/linkshells work? What features can we expect and what benefits can a guild/linkshell get through progression if any?

A: For the time being, we are still keeping this information secret. But, we are very adamant about creating an entirely novel system.


Q3: Will the races hold the same benefits as they did previously in FFXI, or will the stat bonuses be different and play a larger role? In addition, will faction choice play a bigger role? In FFXI we had separate mission lines and friendly competitions such as ballista. Will we see something similar or something dramatically different than FFXI system for different factions?

A: The bonuses among races will be of a different variety than those seen in FFXI. But players need not be concerned with this when choosing a race based on aesthetics.

There is also an element of freedom in that players will not pledge their allegiance to a single city-state. This means that the guildleves or skills available will differ region to region, which all being accessible. Of course, this applies quests as well.


Q4: Will the artifact story line quests return for each class from FFXI? If not, will similar quest lines carry on a system of “right of passage” such as limit break quests?

A: Character development along the lines of the Armoury system and skill levels will incorporate familiar concepts from FFXI as well as entirely new elements.


Q5: What do you expect the cap level to be in FFXIV at the start and/or at the end?

A: This has yet to be decided. We will be setting the level cap after looking at the Beta phase results and other considerations.


Q6: Will there be a cooldown timer or anything that limits how often we can change class?

A: There is no real concept of static "classes" in the traditional sense. Rather, there may be somewhat of a restriction placed on the changing of weapons or tools mid-combat.


Q7: Will there be something like a Mog House? Maybe this time around we will have an actual HOUSE, and not a little tiny room!

A: Nothing is set in stone yet. There are a number of possibilities that we are still looking into.


Q8: Limit Breaks were powerful combat moves featured in several Final Fantasy titles. In FFXI we saw Weapon Skills and Magic Burst. Do you have any plans to include a similar system in FFXIV?

A: This has not been decided at this time. But it's safe to say that players can expect to see a completely new and revolutionary system.


Q9: Are there any plans to add female Roegadyn and male Miqo'te?

A: Well, the character model designs are finished... But further details regarding their implementation have yet to be decided.


Q10: Will this FFXIV be more "new person friendly" than FFXI was? (Once everyone had been playing for years, it was hard for new people who started to be able to play, even with the "level sync" system that was added in later. Not to mention, finding armors/weapons in the Auction House was nearly impossible for new players. Barely anyone used the "mentor" system in FFXI either, or rather, there were barely any hosts.)

A: We are developing in-depth introductory tutorials for new players. We are also designing the game while keeping in mind those users who enjoy playing solo, as well as those who can only log in for short periods of time. There will also be plenty of content for newcomers.

But, on the other hand, there will also be complex battles requiring large numbers of people for players more interested in content of that nature.

Our main goal is really to create a variety of ways in which to enjoy the game.


Q11: Will mobs actually drop armors/weapons like most MMOs or is FFXIV going to be like FFXI where you can only obtain these in Auction House or Crafting, or Raids?

A: The complete details of this are still undecided.

As in FFXI and other MMORPGS, some monsters will drop armor and weapons. However, items that drop in this manner are always a target for RMT exploitation. So to avoid any kind of player exclusion, most instances of these drops will yield items which cannot be passed between players.

To put it broadly, there will be a number of ways available to obtain a number of different items.


Q12: Is crafting still going to be an integral and value added portion of the game and somewhat prohibitive so that a selected dedicated few will feel like they are part of the economy and adventuring aspects? (Crafting and not adventuring usually keeps me hooked)

A: Players who wish to do so will be able to fully enjoy the game using only their crafting skills.

The same can be said not only for those wishing to specialize solely in synthesis of items, but those who prefer combat or the gathering of materials as well. All of these types of players will be important to the game world.

<a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXIV_logo_new.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXIV_logo_new.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 229px;" /></a><br />FFXICore has posted some very interesting follow-up questions from their original meeting with the FFXIV many months ago (I know, shocking that SE took forever to do a follow up). The questions and answers are up my alley when it comes to what I am looking for when it comes to FFXIV information. I don't care about the storyline or the monsters we will be fighting. I don't even care about the job system or how you level up. Those are things that you do first when making an MMO, and if they don't work then the game won't work, and SE's track record when it comes to these aspects of the game is very good.<br /><br />I am much more interested in the day to day aspects of how the game will work. Will I need to use macros? Will I use mouse and keyboard or only keyboard or a game controller? What will linkshells/guilds be like? Other technical aspects that I want to know about while other people are drooling over pretty pictures and storylines, I am kicking the tires and checking the oil.<br /><br />There are a few interesting notes that stand out. There is no self-directed flying as of yet, and honest that doesn't mean a thing to me, but I know people will be screaming about how Aion has flying just like they screamed about WoW having jumping when it first came out. (A side note to people that are playing Aion: You are playing a very, very pretty but completely recycled Korean MMO, and prettiness does not an MMO make.) <br /><br />There will be quests similar to AF and Limit Break quests, which to me is very important to the overall progression of the initial gameplay and it gives people the sense of accomplishment even if they haven't really accomplished anything major in the game. It definitely breaks up the grind. <br /><br />The combat system will be something completely new and revolutionary. Excuse me if I don't have the same enthusiasm that SE has about this, but it is very rare when things are truly new and revolutionary in video games. I have no concern that it will be too much like WoW, because SE has been making MMO's longer than Blizzard and while they have definitely borrowed concepts they don't really seem interested in borrowing their formats.<br /><br />Finally, it should be noted that the economy in FFXIV probably wont be the same as FFXI and that is a good thing. To combat RMT they are likely going to make many more things Rare/Exclusive, and it seems like they are going to handle crafting in a different manner than they did in FFXI. What does this mean? Who knows, but I doubt you are going to see the imbalance in prices that you see in FFXI.<br /><br />The entire set of follow-up questions below the break: <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />From FFXIVCore:<br /><blockquote>Awhile ago I attended Gamescom in Germany and got to interview the Square Enix team about Final Fantasy XIV. I was limited to 45 minutes of time, but they gave me the chance to email a couple of questions that was left from the FFXIVCore.com community which they promised to answer in due time.<br /><br />Well, that time has come and I present you with a mini interview (twelve questions and answers), answers are courtesy of Square Enix and the questions asked are from the community here at FFXIVCore.com. Enjoy!<br /><br /><br />Q1: Will we be able to fly somehow either by ourselves free roaming or scheduled transport airships like in FFXI?<br /><br />A: At present, we have no plans for free-form aerial movement for players. We are, however, looking into a number of different types of flying transportation.<br /><br /><br />Q2: How will player run guild/linkshells work? What features can we expect and what benefits can a guild/linkshell get through progression if any?<br /><br />A: For the time being, we are still keeping this information secret. But, we are very adamant about creating an entirely novel system.<br /><br /><br />Q3: Will the races hold the same benefits as they did previously in FFXI, or will the stat bonuses be different and play a larger role? In addition, will faction choice play a bigger role? In FFXI we had separate mission lines and friendly competitions such as ballista. Will we see something similar or something dramatically different than FFXI system for different factions?<br /><br />A: The bonuses among races will be of a different variety than those seen in FFXI. But players need not be concerned with this when choosing a race based on aesthetics.<br /><br />There is also an element of freedom in that players will not pledge their allegiance to a single city-state. This means that the guildleves or skills available will differ region to region, which all being accessible. Of course, this applies quests as well.<br /><br /><br />Q4: Will the artifact story line quests return for each class from FFXI? If not, will similar quest lines carry on a system of “right of passage” such as limit break quests?<br /><br />A: Character development along the lines of the Armoury system and skill levels will incorporate familiar concepts from FFXI as well as entirely new elements.<br /><br /><br />Q5: What do you expect the cap level to be in FFXIV at the start and/or at the end?<br /><br />A: This has yet to be decided. We will be setting the level cap after looking at the Beta phase results and other considerations.<br /><br /><br />Q6: Will there be a cooldown timer or anything that limits how often we can change class?<br /><br />A: There is no real concept of static "classes" in the traditional sense. Rather, there may be somewhat of a restriction placed on the changing of weapons or tools mid-combat.<br /><br /><br />Q7: Will there be something like a Mog House? Maybe this time around we will have an actual HOUSE, and not a little tiny room!<br /><br />A: Nothing is set in stone yet. There are a number of possibilities that we are still looking into.<br /><br /><br />Q8: Limit Breaks were powerful combat moves featured in several Final Fantasy titles. In FFXI we saw Weapon Skills and Magic Burst. Do you have any plans to include a similar system in FFXIV?<br /><br />A: This has not been decided at this time. But it's safe to say that players can expect to see a completely new and revolutionary system.<br /><br /><br />Q9: Are there any plans to add female Roegadyn and male Miqo'te?<br /><br />A: Well, the character model designs are finished... But further details regarding their implementation have yet to be decided.<br /><br /><br />Q10: Will this FFXIV be more "new person friendly" than FFXI was? (Once everyone had been playing for years, it was hard for new people who started to be able to play, even with the "level sync" system that was added in later. Not to mention, finding armors/weapons in the Auction House was nearly impossible for new players. Barely anyone used the "mentor" system in FFXI either, or rather, there were barely any hosts.)<br /><br />A: We are developing in-depth introductory tutorials for new players. We are also designing the game while keeping in mind those users who enjoy playing solo, as well as those who can only log in for short periods of time. There will also be plenty of content for newcomers.<br /><br />But, on the other hand, there will also be complex battles requiring large numbers of people for players more interested in content of that nature.<br /><br />Our main goal is really to create a variety of ways in which to enjoy the game.<br /><br /><br />Q11: Will mobs actually drop armors/weapons like most MMOs or is FFXIV going to be like FFXI where you can only obtain these in Auction House or Crafting, or Raids?<br /><br />A: The complete details of this are still undecided.<br /><br />As in FFXI and other MMORPGS, some monsters will drop armor and weapons. However, items that drop in this manner are always a target for RMT exploitation. So to avoid any kind of player exclusion, most instances of these drops will yield items which cannot be passed between players.<br /><br />To put it broadly, there will be a number of ways available to obtain a number of different items.<br /><br /><br />Q12: Is crafting still going to be an integral and value added portion of the game and somewhat prohibitive so that a selected dedicated few will feel like they are part of the economy and adventuring aspects? (Crafting and not adventuring usually keeps me hooked)<br /><br />A: Players who wish to do so will be able to fully enjoy the game using only their crafting skills.<br /><br />The same can be said not only for those wishing to specialize solely in synthesis of items, but those who prefer combat or the gathering of materials as well. All of these types of players will be important to the game world. </blockquote><br /></span>

FFXIV News: Beta Information Released?

The internet is a serious of tubes and if you line up all those tubes you sometimes get some decent information. This beta information comes via several different sources, but it is originally from a Gamewatch interview with Tanaka, the head honcho.

The beta tests are going to go in stages, starting with closed limited, then closed less limited, then closed unlimited, then closed stress test, then open. That may sound a little overwrought but they seem to have very specific goals for each stage. Tanaka also said that testing was coming along well and he thought that they could aim for a release next summer. I think that is way earlier than most people had considered.

Corinth posted the information, and presumably handled the translation because she is cool like that. You can check out all of the information here.

<a href="http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/images/_MG_9501.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/images/_MG_9501.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" /></a> The internet is a serious of tubes and if you line up all those tubes you sometimes get some decent information. This beta information comes via several different sources, but it is originally from a Gamewatch interview with Tanaka, the head honcho.<br /><br />The beta tests are going to go in stages, starting with closed limited, then closed less limited, then closed unlimited, then closed stress test, then open. That may sound a little overwrought but they seem to have very specific goals for each stage. Tanaka also said that testing was coming along well and he thought that they could aim for a release next summer. I think that is way earlier than most people had considered. <br /><br />Corinth posted the information, and presumably handled the translation because she is cool like that. You can check out all of the information <a href="http://www.eorzeapedia.com/2009/09/28/game-watch-interviews-tanaka-and-komoto-at-tgs/#more-1161">here</a>.

FFXIV News: Another update!

SE have never been afraid of keeping their fans on tenderhooks, infact it is their default modus operandi in just about anything they do. Regardless of what game or release they are tendering at that particular time they drip feed the player base to generate interest and speculation.

AND! It works!!!. As much as people grumble and groan and complain about how much SE never says anything, doesn't give enough information, doesn't do this that and the third, forums are filled to overflow with people talking, communicating and wildly speculating on what is to come, what has been and what shall never be.

Its good, old-fashioned marketing. In this day and age of instant communication, SE play the rumour mill like a seasoned pro. It is so easy, to just give in to everything that people want, after all, its just a click of a button away at that point, but the suspense, mystery and build up is lost. There was a reason Lucas held off sales of Episode I, to recreate the snake of people around the cinema that we just don't see any more in this digital age.

Of course there are drawbacks to this, the actual product eventually usually ends up being an anti-climax, a complete dud and just occasionally a shining spot of gold although that is extremely rare. Which is where you are at now with FFXIV.

Comparisons are inevitable, come on SE have been making THE SAME GAME for 14 incarnations at this point, this area is going to remind you of X zone, this character is going to remind you of Y person from FF(Fill in the blank). Infact for 14 incarnations of its Final Fantasy series, SE have plagarised, stolen, looted, lifted and reused themes, plots, characters and ideas from their own series.. Isn't this why we keep coming back?



I mean come on seriously, I listen to all the complaining and whining and realise I just don't care. LoL I am interested just for its own sake, not for what parallels I can draw from elsewhere. Oh look its a field, looks like a field in Rolanberry Fields (FFXI) it also looks like the lane just coming out of my father's house in Scotland. *gasp* SE must be fiends for just reusing rl generic landscapes.. oh.. wait... when you actually break it down it starts to sound a little ridiculous and mostly generated by fear of the impact it will have on a game that most of us have played for a good 5+ years now.

After all, we have good reason to wonder what SE are doing with their time, with these half-hearted updates and scenarios to try and maintain the player base, but that is rather like Ringthree trying to cure an entire alliance while "someone is WRONG on the internet", the alliance doesn't end up looking too healthy at the end of it due to the division of attention.

Better speculation would be to wonder why SE are not keeping the two games seperate, the whole thing smacks of the same people doing both games, and not being able to focus on both, in a company that size, they must be able to have 2 teams able to look after both games independantly surely?



A closer look at the released artwork and content of the game definately sheds a little light on this, SE have taken the lessons learned from FFXI and expanded, updated and polished off to a gleaming shine the results. If anything, FFXIV makes XI look like a beta test. Just a VERY LONG beta test. People are getting upset at how similar to FFXI this new MMO from SE looks, they feel abandoned because FFXI is being left to limp along with the content it has, and the groupies are thirsting for blood (which is a little creepy) but I get something different from it. I definately get a huge sense of love from SE for what they created. So much so they don't just want to toss it to one side and forget about it, and start from scratch.

Instead, they've taken something they have invested a colossal amount of time in, and lets be honest here, they have spent MORE time on this game than we have, and made it look better and more accessible (they are a business after all). It is so selective how people view improvements. I don't see people complaining over mobile phone technology and the speed at which it is developing rendering your "new phone" obsolete in a matter of months. Which is 500x more expensive for the consumer than what we are doing here. I am sure "SE" is just as passionate about Final Fantasy as we are.



Since SE has updated their site for FFXIV with a lot more detail and content, you can take a closer look at what, at least for now is the surface patina of the game. There is the introduction to the world of Eorzea, with the usual planet-wide crisis that threatens civilization, nothing like SE aping RL at all is it hmmm. Then the exposition of how the denizens of the world cope with the threat, and where we as the playerbase fit into this grand scheme of things.

Fair enough, a well crafted mmo needs a solid, well-thought out storyline to carry it or it will fizzle out and shrivel up like SO many other MMO's before it. And the one thing I will not begrudge SE on is craftmanship, their attention to detail and their desires to really push the boundaries on what is possible graphically and technically is always apparent in each incarnation of their new releases.

There are lots of nice new clickables on the website that expand on the cities, on the races, and highlight a little bit on what to expect from the job classes and the system. There are several things on reading that which did pique my interest.

The job system for FFXIV seems very much to be a cross between the access to all jobs and complete change that came from FFIV combined with the class specific progression of FFIX. It definately promises to offer a lot of flexibility for the people roaming around the world and doing whatever it is that real people do in a sandbox game. I also speculate that chocobos will not be so much as ridden as become your "nomad moogle" for all your articles, weapons and pieces of gear, quest items, drops and other random bits that you want to carry around with you. A mobile packmule to further enhance this idea of a greater accessibility and flexibility in what you can and can't do within the scope of the game.



The other thing that caught my interest was a bit in the characters segment that hints at a way to customise your character beyond the slightly generic creations that exist in FFXI. If they DO make this available, that means that basic models might look the same, but everyone will be unique. Which is a fantastic idea, everyone wants to look different in an mmo, but definately in FFXI there is limited scope for that as everyone wears the "best" for their job and ends up looking identical. Line up Clubber, Izman and Ninjafox on WAR in Versus and you would be hard pressed to really see that much of a difference. While SE gave us a vast selection of gear options, really it became a much narrower field to excel, only mages seem to be able to get away with a greater flexibility in what they wear.



Its odd really, people become so comfortable with the familiar they essentially assasinate the strange or new if they feel it encroaches and no matter how you twist in the wind FFXIV IS going to encroach on FFXI. I remember when I first started playing FFXI, I logged in and the vistas were stunning, the animations were crisp and smooth and it was exciting. FFXIV holds the promise of all that over again in even prettier depictions, smoothness and boldness.

SE are definately getting a lot of flak from the community over this game, but I can't help but realise there is a tingle of excitement over how crisp and slick this game is looking already. Go play on the website, go oooo at the pretty scenery, ponder the implications of the Guildleves and the armoury system (WHICH SE has spelt correctly for once and not Americanized /cheer of approval) but most of all, go look at it with an open mind and not one filled with hostility over the new kid on the block. You never know, it might not be all bad. ^.^

<a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXI_splash.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXI_splash.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" /></span></a><br />SE have never been afraid of keeping their fans on tenderhooks, infact it is their default modus operandi in just about anything they do. Regardless of what game or release they are tendering at that particular time they drip feed the player base to generate interest and speculation.<br /><br />AND! It works!!!. As much as people grumble and groan and complain about how much SE never says anything, doesn't give enough information, doesn't do this that and the third, forums are filled to overflow with people talking, communicating and wildly speculating on what is to come, what has been and what shall never be.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Its good, old-fashioned marketing. In this day and age of instant communication, SE play the rumour mill like a seasoned pro. It is so easy, to just give in to everything that people want, after all, its just a click of a button away at that point, but the suspense, mystery and build up is lost. There was a reason Lucas held off sales of Episode I, to recreate the snake of people around the cinema that we just don't see any more in this digital age.<br /><br />Of course there are drawbacks to this, the actual product eventually usually ends up being an anti-climax, a complete dud and just occasionally a shining spot of gold although that is extremely rare. Which is where you are at now with FFXIV.<br /><br />Comparisons are inevitable, come on SE have been making THE SAME GAME for 14 incarnations at this point, this area is going to remind you of X zone, this character is going to remind you of Y person from FF(Fill in the blank). Infact for 14 incarnations of its Final Fantasy series, SE have plagarised, stolen, looted, lifted and reused themes, plots, characters and ideas from their own series.. Isn't this why we keep coming back?<br /><br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/K_field_2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/K_field_2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" /></span></a><br /><br />I mean come on seriously, I listen to all the complaining and whining and realise I just don't care. LoL I am interested just for its own sake, not for what parallels I can draw from elsewhere. Oh look its a field, looks like a field in Rolanberry Fields (FFXI) it also looks like the lane just coming out of my father's house in Scotland. *gasp* SE must be fiends for just reusing rl generic landscapes.. oh.. wait... when you actually break it down it starts to sound a little ridiculous and mostly generated by fear of the impact it will have on a game that most of us have played for a good 5+ years now.<br /><br />After all, we have good reason to wonder what SE are doing with their time, with these half-hearted updates and scenarios to try and maintain the player base, but that is rather like Ringthree trying to cure an entire alliance while "someone is WRONG on the internet", the alliance doesn't end up looking too healthy at the end of it due to the division of attention.<br /><br />Better speculation would be to wonder why SE are not keeping the two games seperate, the whole thing smacks of the same people doing both games, and not being able to focus on both, in a company that size, they must be able to have 2 teams able to look after both games independantly surely?<br /><br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Elzen.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Elzen.png" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" /></span></a><br /><br />A closer look at the released artwork and content of the game definately sheds a little light on this, SE have taken the lessons learned from FFXI and expanded, updated and polished off to a gleaming shine the results. If anything, FFXIV makes XI look like a beta test. Just a VERY LONG beta test. People are getting upset at how similar to FFXI this new MMO from SE looks, they feel abandoned because FFXI is being left to limp along with the content it has, and the groupies are thirsting for blood (which is a little creepy) but I get something different from it. I definately get a huge sense of love from SE for what they created. So much so they don't just want to toss it to one side and forget about it, and start from scratch.<br /><br />Instead, they've taken something they have invested a colossal amount of time in, and lets be honest here, they have spent MORE time on this game than we have, and made it look better and more accessible (they are a business after all). It is so selective how people view improvements. I don't see people complaining over mobile phone technology and the speed at which it is developing rendering your "new phone" obsolete in a matter of months. Which is 500x more expensive for the consumer than what we are doing here. I am sure "SE" is just as passionate about Final Fantasy as we are.<br /><br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXIV_cave.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXIV_cave.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" /></span></a><br /><br />Since <a href="http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/">SE has updated their site for FFXIV</a> with a lot more detail and content, you can take a closer look at what, at least for now is the surface patina of the game. There is the introduction to the world of Eorzea, with the usual planet-wide crisis that threatens civilization, nothing like SE aping RL at all is it hmmm. Then the exposition of how the denizens of the world cope with the threat, and where we as the playerbase fit into this grand scheme of things.<br /><br />Fair enough, a well crafted mmo needs a solid, well-thought out storyline to carry it or it will fizzle out and shrivel up like SO many other MMO's before it. And the one thing I will not begrudge SE on is craftmanship, their attention to detail and their desires to really push the boundaries on what is possible graphically and technically is always apparent in each incarnation of their new releases.<br /><br />There are lots of nice new clickables on the website that expand on the cities, on the races, and highlight a little bit on what to expect from the job classes and the system. There are several things on reading that which did pique my interest.<br /><br />The job system for FFXIV seems very much to be a cross between the access to all jobs and complete change that came from FFIV combined with the class specific progression of FFIX. It definately promises to offer a lot of flexibility for the people roaming around the world and doing whatever it is that real people do in a sandbox game. I also speculate that chocobos will not be so much as ridden as become your "nomad moogle" for all your articles, weapons and pieces of gear, quest items, drops and other random bits that you want to carry around with you. A mobile packmule to further enhance this idea of a greater accessibility and flexibility in what you can and can't do within the scope of the game.<br /><br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Sorc_City.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Sorc_City.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" /></span></a><br /><br />The other thing that caught my interest was a bit in the characters segment that hints at a way to customise your character beyond the slightly generic creations that exist in FFXI. If they DO make this available, that means that basic models might look the same, but everyone will be unique. Which is a fantastic idea, everyone wants to look different in an mmo, but definately in FFXI there is limited scope for that as everyone wears the "best" for their job and ends up looking identical. Line up Clubber, Izman and Ninjafox on WAR in Versus and you would be hard pressed to really see that much of a difference. While SE gave us a vast selection of gear options, really it became a much narrower field to excel, only mages seem to be able to get away with a greater flexibility in what they wear.<br /><br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Lalafell.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Lalafell.png" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" /></span></a><br /><br />Its odd really, people become so comfortable with the familiar they essentially assasinate the strange or new if they feel it encroaches and no matter how you twist in the wind FFXIV IS going to encroach on FFXI. I remember when I first started playing FFXI, I logged in and the vistas were stunning, the animations were crisp and smooth and it was exciting. FFXIV holds the promise of all that over again in even prettier depictions, smoothness and boldness.<br /><br />SE are definately getting a lot of flak from the community over this game, but I can't help but realise there is a tingle of excitement over how crisp and slick this game is looking already. Go play on the website, go oooo at the pretty scenery, ponder the implications of the Guildleves and the armoury system (WHICH SE has spelt correctly for once and not Americanized /cheer of approval) but most of all, go look at it with an open mind and not one filled with hostility over the new kid on the block. You never know, it might not be all bad. ^.^<br /></span>

FFXIV News: The Pied Piper of Shibuya.

The more and more I hear about FFXIV the more and more I get concerned. I was really looking forward to this new game, but really I have to wonder if I am interested in a new version of FFXI if SE hasn't really determined what are the real problems with FFXI. Sure SE is covering all their bases, describing the new job system, quest system and other things. But these are all things that SE does correctly right now. What about things like job balance? What about some of the insane and inane content? Instancing? World spawns? What about the basic information that anyone outside of the fanboys are really interested in when choosing a game.

The forums are frothing at the mouth over a game where they have seen nothing more than concept art. Are they going to want a game that doesn't support external add-on development again? Are they going to want to play a game that does even let you alt-tab out again, and basically requires anyone to violate the rules to even have the game playable on a PC for the first four years it is available? This is just the internet at it's worst. All flash and no content.

Don't get me wrong, I want this to turn out really well! I want FFXIV to be great, but I don't want to have to give up almost two years in FFXI content to get to that point and I don't want to have to experience the same exact mistakes they have made for seven years just delivered in a shiny new package.

Also, we haven't ever gotten the real honest truth on some issues from SE and their answers tend to change over time to fit the current mood of the player and the development team. PS2 limitations are a great example of excuses that were nothing more than hot air for a lot of things that were implemented later on.

Is the real reason they are using the same races from FFXI really to provide continuity between FFXI and FFXIV, or is it because it just saves them a lot of programmer/designer time to just reuse something they have already been developing designs for? Sure there are differences, but the creativity has been removed from that part of the development cycle.

The question is this: Are the problems in FFXI because of structural game designs that SE isn't going to have with FFXIV, or are the problems because of the people that developed FFXI feel they know better than the players? If the problem is the former, then FFXIV will likely be a great game because there is so much that has happened in the MMO world since FFXI was released and a new platform will let SE unleash their ideas integrated into a much more playable platform. If it is the latter though, then FFXIV will be nothing more than a gussied up but casual version of the game we already play. If that is the case, I already have my old faithful crack, I don't need New Crack™.

Here is my run down on the more specific issues that have been presented about the game.

The new job system - This is the main thing that FFXI got right, and it sounds like the are going to do something different but similar enough to maintain the flexibility to change jobs. Doing it on the fly will be even better. This is my one shining hope for this game.

Crafting - Oh god, not this again. Crafting in FFXI sucks, the system sucks, the skilling-up sucks, the HQ system sucks, and the economy sucks. Some people like it and I am not saying they are wrong, I am just saying that it could be so much better. Crafting shouldn't be an end in itself, but a means to make money. Integrating it into the job system seems like they are trying to make it an end again. There needs to be a purpose for crafting and that purpose needs to be making an income of a reasonable amount.

Trading-off skills - No. Just please God no. No one likes it in FFXI because it is not a "fun, additional aspect to player customizing", it is an artificially construct limit on your potential. Artificial limitations in combat skills, magic skills and crafting don't do anything to provide customization, they just sharpen the edges of the cookie-cutter even more.

Races - I stated this above but it bares mentioning again. I have to wonder how hard they really are trying here if it's just the same people in a different place with just more technology than in Vana'diel. Even the story line seems to have major resemblances to Vana'diel.

UI/Macro system - This is one place where uncertainty definitely is playing a role in my doubts about FFXIV. I should be assuming that SE is going to have a wonderful new UI and Macro system and there have already been statements about the ability to quickly swap around sets of gear, but SE's inability/lack of want to improve FFXI's UI and failure to create a decent Macro system makes me have major reservations.

Communication - SE seems to be taking the same exact approach as they did with FFXI, while every other major MMO developer is moving toward more contact with it's player base. I understand that it is a Japanese company so there will be some disconnect, but Blizzard seems to handle it's Oceanic players with a modicum of respect. The NA representatives for SE seem to be as out of the loop as the players are for most things.

Balancing - SE doesn't have to worry about job balance in FFXI as much as other games because people can freely change and level different jobs, and FFXIV appears that it won't have this problem either, and it may be even less of a concern depending on the amount of over lap that is available for already trained skills. The problem is that SE actually though the subjob system was going to allow this to happen in FFXI, but instead the subjob system just worked to further restrict players choices. The major concern I have over game balance as a whole is that we will see mobs like Absolute Virtue again. This just causes frustration more than anything else, and is the best, most obvious example of the disconnect between how the developers envision the game and how the players actually play it.

I have high hopes for FFXIV, and I have real apprehensions. Either way, as of right now, I have no plans to stop playing FFXI. Nothing that has been present so far has made be change my plans at all. I will definitely pick up FFXIV, but the jury is still out on how everything is going to pan out.

The more and more I hear about FFXIV the more and more I get concerned. I was really looking forward to this new game, but really I have to wonder if I am interested in a new version of FFXI if SE hasn't really determined what are the real problems with FFXI. Sure SE is covering all their bases, describing the new job system, quest system and other things. But these are all things that SE does correctly right now. What about things like job balance? What about some of the insane and inane content? Instancing? World spawns? What about the basic information that anyone outside of the fanboys are really interested in when choosing a game. <br /><br />The forums are frothing at the mouth over a game where they have seen nothing more than concept art. Are they going to want a game that doesn't support external add-on development again? Are they going to want to play a game that does even let you alt-tab out again, and basically requires anyone to violate the rules to even have the game playable on a PC for the first four years it is available? This is just the internet at it's worst. All flash and no content. <br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I want this to turn out really well! I want FFXIV to be great, but I don't want to have to give up almost two years in FFXI content to get to that point and I don't want to have to experience the same exact mistakes they have made for seven years just delivered in a shiny new package. <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Also, we haven't ever gotten the real honest truth on some issues from SE and their answers tend to change over time to fit the current mood of the player and the development team. PS2 limitations are a great example of excuses that were nothing more than hot air for a lot of things that were implemented later on.<br /><br />Is the real reason they are using the same races from FFXI really to provide continuity between FFXI and FFXIV, or is it because it just saves them a lot of programmer/designer time to just reuse something they have already been developing designs for? Sure there are differences, but the creativity has been removed from that part of the development cycle.<br /><br />The question is this: Are the problems in FFXI because of structural game designs that SE isn't going to have with FFXIV, or are the problems because of the people that developed FFXI feel they know better than the players? If the problem is the former, then FFXIV will likely be a great game because there is so much that has happened in the MMO world since FFXI was released and a new platform will let SE unleash their ideas integrated into a much more playable platform. If it is the latter though, then FFXIV will be nothing more than a gussied up but casual version of the game we already play. If that is the case, I already have my old faithful crack, I don't need New Crack™.<br /><br />Here is my run down on the more specific issues that have been presented about the game.<br /><br />The new job system - This is the main thing that FFXI got right, and it sounds like the are going to do something different but similar enough to maintain the flexibility to change jobs. Doing it on the fly will be even better. This is my one shining hope for this game.<br /><br />Crafting - Oh god, not this again. Crafting in FFXI sucks, the system sucks, the skilling-up sucks, the HQ system sucks, and the economy sucks. Some people like it and I am not saying they are wrong, I am just saying that it could be so much better. Crafting shouldn't be an end in itself, but a means to make money. Integrating it into the job system seems like they are trying to make it an end again. There needs to be a purpose for crafting and that purpose needs to be making an income of a reasonable amount.<br /><br />Trading-off skills - No. Just please God no. No one likes it in FFXI because it is not a "fun, additional aspect to player customizing", it is an artificially construct limit on your potential. Artificial limitations in combat skills, magic skills and crafting don't do anything to provide customization, they just sharpen the edges of the cookie-cutter even more.<br /><br />Races - I stated this above but it bares mentioning again. I have to wonder how hard they really are trying here if it's just the same people in a different place with just more technology than in Vana'diel. Even the story line seems to have major resemblances to Vana'diel.<br /><br />UI/Macro system - This is one place where uncertainty definitely is playing a role in my doubts about FFXIV. I should be assuming that SE is going to have a wonderful new UI and Macro system and there have already been statements about the ability to quickly swap around sets of gear, but SE's inability/lack of want to improve FFXI's UI and failure to create a decent Macro system makes me have major reservations.<br /><br />Communication - SE seems to be taking the same exact approach as they did with FFXI, while every other major MMO developer is moving toward more contact with it's player base. I understand that it is a Japanese company so there will be some disconnect, but Blizzard seems to handle it's Oceanic players with a modicum of respect. The NA representatives for SE seem to be as out of the loop as the players are for most things.<br /><br />Balancing - SE doesn't have to worry about job balance in FFXI as much as other games because people can freely change and level different jobs, and FFXIV appears that it won't have this problem either, and it may be even less of a concern depending on the amount of over lap that is available for already trained skills. The problem is that SE actually though the subjob system was going to allow this to happen in FFXI, but instead the subjob system just worked to further restrict players choices. The major concern I have over game balance as a whole is that we will see mobs like Absolute Virtue again. This just causes frustration more than anything else, and is the best, most obvious example of the disconnect between how the developers envision the game and how the players actually play it.<br /><br />I have high hopes for FFXIV, and I have real apprehensions. Either way, as of right now, I have no plans to stop playing FFXI. Nothing that has been present so far has made be change my plans at all. I will definitely pick up FFXIV, but the jury is still out on how everything is going to pan out.</span>

FFXIV News: ORLY? YARLY!

I love it when people with no real working knowledge of FFXI make commentary about it, but it is even better when people with limited working knowledge work for the "online gaming media" and post articles about FFXIV and compare it to FFXI.

It is usually a feeding frenzy whenever new information appears, at least in our very small pond. I can not reset to dive in, but how about we add a flip and a half twist to that dive? Let's take a look at 1UP's coverage of the new FFXIV information and add a little bit of Ring spice to it.

If you aren't interesting in my spice, I understand, but I have some new pictures of FFXIV that I will put at the bottom of the column after the cut, so then you will HAVE to click and maybe you will even read my comments! :)

1UP: Why is this peppy young swordsman looking so smug? Probably because he's found himself in the land of Eorzea, a wild place filled with squabbling city-states, plundering barbarians, and all kinds of other enemies, natural and unnatural. He's made it, in other words.

Ring: Yeah, he really has made it. He has made it directly from the FFXI teaser from about 10 years ago. And Eorzea looks more and more like Vana’diel from what I have seen so far. Similarities? Parallel Universe? Lazy Developers? Failed Attempt at FFXI-2? Which do you think is more likely, hmm?

1UP: Eorzea's nations used to be constantly at war with each other, but the advent of airborne battleships and other shockingly powerful weapons has created a state of détente throughout the land. The resulting peace has led to a wide swath of soldiers and mercenaries suddenly without a job, and so they're now forming guilds and calling themselves under a new name: adventurers.

Ring: Wait… what? Nations at war, but airships are the ultimate weapons that stop them from fighting? Soldiers and mercenaries becoming “adventurers”? Stop me if you have heard this before!

1UP: That's the very basic plot behind Final Fantasy XIV, the PS3/PC online RPG that Square Enix revealed at this year's E3. Now Square Enix is ready to reveal more of the goods, and in this week's issue of Famitsu magazine, game director Nobuaki Komoto offered some of the first really concrete details behind the MMORPG's gameplay. Here are the details:
- Eorzea, the continent where players begin their game, is a small continent with several surrounding islands. Time passes, and weather changes, on a regular basis in this world, with one in-game day currently set to be about an hour of realtime. This exact figure may change, but as Komoto puts it, "it won't be like Eorzea will be night for hours because it's nighttime in reality... I want FFXIV to be enjoyed even by those who can play only a short time out of the day, so I'd like the sort of time schedule such that it's always a different experience timewise when you login to Eorzea."

Ring: More and more emphasis on casual play? What about us psychos? What is in there for us? But really, this again shows that FFXIV will be following in FFXI’s footsteps in the way the world works.

1UP: Eorzea is home to five races which, although they have different names, look quite a bit like the races in Final Fantasy XI. You have the Hyuran (Hume in FFXI), Miqo'te (Mithra), Lalafell (Tarutaru), Elezen (Elvaan) and Roegadyn (Galka), and as you'd expect, you can fully customize the look your character no matter what race he or she's a member of. Hyuran are further divided into "midlanders" and "highlanders," and Miqo'te are divided into the diurnal Sunseekers and the nocturnal Moonkeepers, though how this affects gameplay is still under wraps.

Ring: Five races exactly like FFXI, of course. Seriously, are we really supposed to believe that this isn’t FFXI-2? They are just giving us features that we have wanted in FFXI for a long time. They probably decided that it was just easier to reboot the whole thing than rework the entirety of FFXI. And why do people care about Manthras anyway? Seriously, who wants Mithras with dicks?

1UP: FFXIV's "armory system" is what defines your character's growth. The game has four broadly defined "job skills" -- Fighter, Sorcerer, Gatherer and Crafter -- each of which has a variety of more specific classes (Swordsman, Blacksmith, Caster, etc) attached to it. You can change your class instantly simply by changing your weapon and armor, and as you fight and complete quests with that equipment, your character will advance in that class. You're free to concentrate entirely on one class, or try to balance yourself out among all the job skills.

Ring: Ok, so the new job system that “isn’t a job system”. Sure, whatever. This job system may not be like the FFXI one, but it’s not that new or innovative or anything. Many other games use a branching leveling system. Yes, right, I forgot… FFXIV has no levels! Ok, the character has no “levels” but their skills have levels, and you will have to build up some kind of points to increase these levels. Calling a spade a heart doesn’t make it any less a spade. Not saying that a job system is bad or anything, I love the new idea; I just wish the marketing packaging of this whole thing was a little more honest.

1UP: This armory system isn't exactly like the "job" concept that most Final Fantasy games work under. "The way I see it, the player can define how his own job works," says Komoto. "For example, if you have the Swordsman skill, that's enough to let you play by yourself, but if you've also raised your Sorcerer skill enough to unlock that skill's healing magic, that'll make solo play a lot easier for you. You can carry enough equipment around at any given time to change your style freely, and the system makes this easy by letting you change sets of equipment all at once."

Ring: Sounds like the subjob system, but what matters is if you can do this really on-the-fly. Does that mean you kill a mob, then change gear to heal yourself, then change gear again to fight the next mob, or does it mean you are fighting the mob, take some damage, change gear to heal yourself while you are fighting the same mob then swap back to kill the mob? Are we going to still fucking lose target? This all sounds nice for the casual player, but I am much more interested in how specialization is going to work. Where is the hardcore player, end-game info?

1UP: This skill and class system largely replaces the traditional RPG concepts of levels and experience points in FFXIV. Instead of worrying about EXP, "I think the main thrust will be raising the skills you have at hand," as Komoto puts it. You'll probably still have to engage in good old-fashioned MMORPG grinding to improve your character, though.

Ring: If by “replaces”, you really mean “renames”. It’s going to be easier to level and level a variety of different jobs without much downtime, but grinding is still there, and from things I have read else where they are going with a durability system instead of an XP loss system as death punishment. Changing the name of something does not make it “new”.

1UP: FFXIV's quest system involves visiting Eorzea's guild and receiving work passes from the guildmaster. Other players can cooperate with you, and everyone can put their passes together to involve the entire gang in a sort of mini-campaign. The available passes change at regular intervals, and completing a single quest from one of these passes will be a relatively short process -- Komoto estimates it at around half an hour or so. "You don't need a set number of people for each quest," he said. "That you can work out by yourself with the other players in the guild, since they're all there for the same goal."

Ring: Content you can enjoy because SE didn’t make it! This is like a combo FoV and MMM combo. Sounds like they are totally abandoning the party system, which is good and bad. The party system created a minimum level of interpersonal decency in FFXI, which is not replicated in many places where solo play is emphasized (*coughWoWcough*). Though this system doesn’t sound like a bad idea, I just wish that there was some self-correcting anti-douche mechanism like the party system in FFXI. And I want to know how end-game is going to look…
And there you have it, my coverage of 1UP’s coverage. You might see a few consistencies in my comments. And some more pictures to prove my point. These are a few of the "new" cities in FFXIV.

Jeuno?


La Thiene Plateau?


Konschtat Highlands?


Pashhow Marshlands?


Sarutabaruta?


Here is a bonus shot of a Sorcerer in a city. This at least looks interesting. More "high-fantasy" themed as they have said.

And finally a picture of a page with several different cities on them. Click on the picture for the full size version. You might see a little familiarity there too. Castle city? Forest city? Bastok, San d'Oria and Windurst all have themes like this.

<a href="http://www.1up.com/images/logo-1updotcom.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.1up.com/images/logo-1updotcom.gif" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 75px;" /></a>I love it when people with no real working knowledge of FFXI make commentary about it, but it is even better when people with limited working knowledge work for the "online gaming media" and post articles about FFXIV and compare it to FFXI. <br /><br />It is usually a feeding frenzy whenever new information appears, at least in our very small pond. I can not reset to dive in, but how about we add a flip and a half twist to that dive? Let's take a look at 1UP's coverage of the new FFXIV information and add a little bit of Ring spice to it. <br /><br />If you aren't interesting in my spice, I understand, but I have some new pictures of FFXIV that I will put at the bottom of the column after the cut, so then you will HAVE to click and maybe you will even read my comments! :) <br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1UP</span>: Why is this peppy young swordsman looking so smug? Probably because he's found himself in the land of Eorzea, a wild place filled with squabbling city-states, plundering barbarians, and all kinds of other enemies, natural and unnatural. He's <span style="font-style:italic;">made</span> it, in other words. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ring</span>: Yeah, he really has <span style="font-style:italic;">made</span> it. He has made it directly from the FFXI teaser from about 10 years ago. And Eorzea looks more and more like Vana’diel from what I have seen so far. Similarities? Parallel Universe? Lazy Developers? Failed Attempt at FFXI-2? Which do you think is more likely, hmm? <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1UP</span>: Eorzea's nations used to be constantly at war with each other, but the advent of airborne battleships and other shockingly powerful weapons has created a state of détente throughout the land. The resulting peace has led to a wide swath of soldiers and mercenaries suddenly without a job, and so they're now forming guilds and calling themselves under a new name: adventurers.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ring</span>: Wait… what? Nations at war, but airships are the ultimate weapons that stop them from fighting? Soldiers and mercenaries becoming “adventurers”? Stop me if you have heard this before!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1UP</span>: That's the very basic plot behind Final Fantasy XIV, the PS3/PC online RPG that Square Enix revealed at this year's E3. Now Square Enix is ready to reveal more of the goods, and in this week's issue of <span style="font-style:italic;">Famitsu</span> magazine, game director Nobuaki Komoto offered some of the first really concrete details behind the MMORPG's gameplay. Here are the details: <br />- Eorzea, the continent where players begin their game, is a small continent with several surrounding islands. Time passes, and weather changes, on a regular basis in this world, with one in-game day currently set to be about an hour of realtime. This exact figure may change, but as Komoto puts it, "it won't be like Eorzea will be night for hours because it's nighttime in reality... I want FFXIV to be enjoyed even by those who can play only a short time out of the day, so I'd like the sort of time schedule such that it's always a different experience timewise when you login to Eorzea." <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ring</span>: More and more emphasis on casual play? What about us psychos? What is in there for us? But really, this again shows that FFXIV will be following in FFXI’s footsteps in the way the world works. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1UP</span>: Eorzea is home to five races which, although they have different names, look quite a bit like the races in Final Fantasy XI. You have the Hyuran (Hume in FFXI), Miqo'te (Mithra), Lalafell (Tarutaru), Elezen (Elvaan) and Roegadyn (Galka), and as you'd expect, you can fully customize the look your character no matter what race he or she's a member of. Hyuran are further divided into "midlanders" and "highlanders," and Miqo'te are divided into the diurnal Sunseekers and the nocturnal Moonkeepers, though how this affects gameplay is still under wraps.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ring</span>: Five races exactly like FFXI, of course. Seriously, are we really supposed to believe that this isn’t FFXI-2? They are just giving us features that we have wanted in FFXI for a long time. They probably decided that it was just easier to reboot the whole thing than rework the entirety of FFXI. And why do people care about Manthras anyway? Seriously, who wants Mithras with dicks?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1UP</span>: FFXIV's "armory system" is what defines your character's growth. The game has four broadly defined "job skills" -- Fighter, Sorcerer, Gatherer and Crafter -- each of which has a variety of more specific classes (Swordsman, Blacksmith, Caster, etc) attached to it. You can change your class instantly simply by changing your weapon and armor, and as you fight and complete quests with that equipment, your character will advance in that class. You're free to concentrate entirely on one class, or try to balance yourself out among all the job skills. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ring</span>: Ok, so the new job system that “isn’t a job system”. Sure, whatever. This job system may not be like the FFXI one, but it’s not that new or innovative or anything. Many other games use a branching leveling system. Yes, right, I forgot… <span style="font-style:italic;">FFXIV has no levels!</span> Ok, the character has no “levels” but their skills have levels, and you will have to build up some kind of <span style="font-style:italic;">points</span> to increase these levels. Calling a spade a heart doesn’t make it any less a spade. Not saying that a job system is bad or anything, I love the new idea; I just wish the marketing packaging of this whole thing was a little more honest.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1UP</span>: This armory system isn't exactly like the "job" concept that most Final Fantasy games work under. "The way I see it, the player can define how his own job works," says Komoto. "For example, if you have the Swordsman skill, that's enough to let you play by yourself, but if you've also raised your Sorcerer skill enough to unlock that skill's healing magic, that'll make solo play a lot easier for you. You can carry enough equipment around at any given time to change your style freely, and the system makes this easy by letting you change sets of equipment all at once." <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ring</span>: Sounds like the subjob system, but what matters is if you can do this really on-the-fly. Does that mean you kill a mob, then change gear to heal yourself, then change gear again to fight the next mob, or does it mean you are fighting the mob, take some damage, change gear to heal yourself <span style="font-style:italic;">while you are fighting the same mob</span> then swap back to kill the mob? Are we going to still fucking <span style="font-style:italic;">lose target</span>? This all sounds nice for the casual player, but I am much more interested in how <span style="font-style:italic;">specialization</span> is going to work. Where is the hardcore player, end-game info? <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1UP</span>: This skill and class system largely replaces the traditional RPG concepts of levels and experience points in FFXIV. Instead of worrying about EXP, "I think the main thrust will be raising the skills you have at hand," as Komoto puts it. You'll probably still have to engage in good old-fashioned MMORPG grinding to improve your character, though. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ring</span>: If by “replaces”, you really mean “renames”. It’s going to be easier to level and level a variety of different jobs without much downtime, but grinding is still there, and from things I have read else where they are going with a durability system instead of an XP loss system as death punishment. Changing the name of something does not make it “new”.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1UP</span>: FFXIV's quest system involves visiting Eorzea's guild and receiving work passes from the guildmaster. Other players can cooperate with you, and everyone can put their passes together to involve the entire gang in a sort of mini-campaign. The available passes change at regular intervals, and completing a single quest from one of these passes will be a relatively short process -- Komoto estimates it at around half an hour or so. "You don't need a set number of people for each quest," he said. "That you can work out by yourself with the other players in the guild, since they're all there for the same goal." <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ring</span>: Content you can enjoy because SE didn’t make it! This is like a combo FoV and MMM combo. Sounds like they are totally abandoning the party system, which is good and bad. The party system created a minimum level of interpersonal decency in FFXI, which is not replicated in many places where solo play is emphasized (*coughWoWcough*). Though this system doesn’t sound like a bad idea, I just wish that there was some self-correcting anti-douche mechanism like the party system in FFXI. And I want to know how end-game is going to look… <br />And there you have it, my coverage of 1UP’s coverage. You might see a few consistencies in my comments. And some more pictures to prove my point. These are a few of the "new" cities in FFXIV.<br /><br />Jeuno? <br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Jeuno_2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Jeuno_2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 499px; height: 187px;" /></a><br /><br />La Thiene Plateau?<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/K_field.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/K_field.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 282px;" /></a><br /><br />Konschtat Highlands?<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/K_field_2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/K_field_2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 272px;" /></a><br /><br />Pashhow Marshlands?<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Pash_2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Pash_2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 280px;" /></a><br /><br />Sarutabaruta? <br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Saru_Field.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Saru_Field.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 270px;" /></a><br /><br />Here is a bonus shot of a Sorcerer in a city. This at least looks interesting. More "high-fantasy" themed as they have said. <a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Sorc_City.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Sorc_City.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 269px;" /></a><br /><br />And finally a picture of a page with several different cities on them. Click on the picture for the full size version. You might see a little familiarity there too. Castle city? Forest city? Bastok, San d'Oria and Windurst all have themes like this. <a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXIV_cities.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXIV_cities.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 318px;" /></a></span>

FFXIV News: New Pictures and More.

Elmer the Almighty has put up a new article on ZAM! and detailed a few new pictures that were leaked about FFXIV from a new Japanese magazine that is due out at the end of the week. Elmer's full article can be seen here.

Elmer provides as much information as he can about the races and classes that have been presented so far in FFXIV. The races are the first things that he discusses and all the old reliables are there. Hume (Hyuran), Elvaan (Elzen), Tarutaru (Lalafell), Galka (Roegadyn) and Mithra (Miqo'te). The designs for all of them are almost exactly the same as FFXI designs except for the Lalafell which actually appear to have elbows and knees, features that were lacking for our miniature stiff-limbed companions. Yes, of course the designs have been updated, but if you look at the Hume/Hyuran design from the FFXIV trailer and compare him to the one from teh FFXI trailer the resemblance is striking.

Next up is the vague description of the job system, called the Armory System. It appears that SE is going to follow something like other games use with general archetypes that become more and more specified with more "training" through the use of different weapons. So use a different weapon and you train/develop as a different job. It should make things relatively easy to switch jobs, and the information seems to indicate that we will be keeping the equipment-centric system because you will be able to change jobs on the fly. Thank god.

It also appears that crafting is interrelated within the job system. The original jobs featured were Fighter which specialized into Fencer and Archer. Sorcerer which specialized into some kind of Shaman and some kind of Illusionist. The thing to remember here is that details were vague but they did follow some traditional Final Fantasy roles for the most part. The crafting classes appeared to be broken down into Crafter and Gatherer, with Blacksmith and Chef, and Gardener and Fisherman respectively. Job changing appears to be wholly based on changing the weapon that is currently equipped.

Finally, Elmer discusses the questing system. It appears to be more player-driven than anything else I have seen on the market. You select "leaves" (of a book?) and it lets you develop the goals of the quest and how to fulfill them. Want to craft? Go for it? Kill a bunch of easy mobs or just on big baddy? Your choice. Elmer mentions that this sounds like the Moblin Maze Mongers system, but I think it might also resemble Fields of Valor where you are given options within certain perimeters rather than total randomization. This was the lest clear part of the article, out of no fault of Elmer's but rather because the screenshots he was reviewing are not complete.

I look forward to seeing the translation of the full article later this week. Check below the cut for all the picture available so far.

A facial shot of most of the races.


Hyuran/Hume


Elzen/Elvaan


Lalafell/Tarutaru


Roegadyn/Galka


Miqo'te/Mithra


The "Figher" Class


The "Sorcerer" Class


The "Crafter" Class


The "Gatherer" Class


The "Guild Leave" System

<a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXI_info.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/FFXI_info.png" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 188px;" /></a>Elmer the Almighty has put up a new article on ZAM! and detailed a few new pictures that were leaked about FFXIV from a new Japanese magazine that is due out at the end of the week. Elmer's full article can be seen <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/story.html?story=19138">here</a>. <br /><br />Elmer provides as much information as he can about the races and classes that have been presented so far in FFXIV. The races are the first things that he discusses and all the old reliables are there. Hume (Hyuran), Elvaan (Elzen), Tarutaru (Lalafell), Galka (Roegadyn) and Mithra (Miqo'te). The designs for all of them are almost exactly the same as FFXI designs except for the Lalafell which actually appear to have elbows and knees, features that were lacking for our miniature stiff-limbed companions. Yes, of course the designs have been updated, but if you look at the Hume/Hyuran design from the FFXIV trailer and compare him to the one from teh FFXI trailer the resemblance is striking.<br /><br />Next up is the vague description of the job system, called the Armory System. It appears that SE is going to follow something like other games use with general archetypes that become more and more specified with more "training" through the use of different weapons. So use a different weapon and you train/develop as a different job. It should make things relatively easy to switch jobs, and the information seems to indicate that we will be keeping the equipment-centric system because you will be able to change jobs on the fly. Thank god. <br /><br />It also appears that crafting is interrelated within the job system. The original jobs featured were Fighter which specialized into Fencer and Archer. Sorcerer which specialized into some kind of Shaman and some kind of Illusionist. The thing to remember here is that details were vague but they did follow some traditional Final Fantasy roles for the most part. The crafting classes appeared to be broken down into Crafter and Gatherer, with Blacksmith and Chef, and Gardener and Fisherman respectively. Job changing appears to be wholly based on changing the weapon that is currently equipped. <br /><br />Finally, Elmer discusses the questing system. It appears to be more player-driven than anything else I have seen on the market. You select "leaves" (of a book?) and it lets you develop the goals of the quest and how to fulfill them. Want to craft? Go for it? Kill a bunch of easy mobs or just on big baddy? Your choice. Elmer mentions that this sounds like the Moblin Maze Mongers system, but I think it might also resemble Fields of Valor where you are given options within certain perimeters rather than total randomization. This was the lest clear part of the article, out of no fault of Elmer's but rather because the screenshots he was reviewing are not complete. <br /><br />I look forward to seeing the translation of the full article later this week. Check below the cut for all the picture available so far. <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />A facial shot of most of the races.<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/All_races.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/All_races.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 346px; height: 415px;" /></a><br /><br />Hyuran/Hume<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Hyuran.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Hyuran.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 343px; height: 368px;" /></a><br /><br />Elzen/Elvaan<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Elzen.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Elzen.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 416px;" /></a><br /><br />Lalafell/Tarutaru<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Lalafell.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Lalafell.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 450px;" /></a><br /><br />Roegadyn/Galka<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Roegadyn.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Roegadyn.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 351px; height: 434px;" /></a><br /><br />Miqo'te/Mithra<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Miqote.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Miqote.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 435px;" /></a><br /><br />The "Figher" Class<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Fighter.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Fighter.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 403px; height: 472px;" /></a><br /><br />The "Sorcerer" Class<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Sorcerer.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Sorcerer.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 366px; height: 415px;" /></a><br /><br />The "Crafter" Class<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Crafter.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Crafter.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 401px; height: 412px;" /></a><br /><br />The "Gatherer" Class<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Gatherer.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Gatherer.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 437px;" /></a><br /><br />The "Guild Leave" System<br /><a href="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Leaves-1.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/ringthreetheicp/Leaves-1.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" /></a><br /></span>