Final Fantasy XI

[Vostok 7]

I bought FFXI the other day.

Yeah, a little late, but supposedly it had just been put out that day... Lucky! (or not... but I won't go into that )

Anyway, coming off my first true MMORPG, SWG, this is quite refreshing. Missions are actually interesting, rather than just run, gun, get paid missions like SWG. Graphics are a touch dated, but still are gorgeous. There's NO LAG!!!! That's the best part!! And there's shops! Not just a global auction system with a 100% player created economy like SWG, FFXI has an NPC economy as well as an auction system with a playerbased economy... Nice! There are mounts already in the game (chocobos) but I have yet to make use of their services. Also, the POL (PlayOnline Viewer) is AWESOME. What a great interface!! Messaging, managing friends, etc. etc. It's a great little tool. You can check to see if your friends are on without logging and loading into the game! Sweet!

Complaints... Well, there's not real much I have to complain about. Loading screens between regions in a city or outdoors is a little frustrating coming off the full open roaming of SWG... Makes it feel like a PS2 game (which really, it is...) and kinda is disappointing. However, the towns are large and feel busy, not empty and awkward like the cities in SWG. Graphics were also a little disappointing, but they're still decent. And the biggest complaint, no server choosing. You are randomly spawned on a server. There's some pros to this (population capping, reduces lag incredably) but there's alot of cons too, since it makes it a pain to play with any friends.

All in all, it's a great game. I'm having fun.

Vostok 7 (Alexsandr, lvl 1 Hume male warrior, Bastok, Unicorn Server)

[yellowlightman]

You'd recommend it then? By friend's debating about whether to get this game or not, and asked for my opinion so i had no idea what to tell him.

[Effect]

Glad you are enjoying it. I won't be getting FFXI till around December(mom might have actually picked it up, at least the way she is hinting at things, she knows I'm a huge FF fan(have her and my dad to thank for getting me into them)). In the mean time SWG is pretty enjoyable, even though I've been playing for a few days to relax from classes. FFXI does look good it a bit like EQ in certain ways(been told I'm wrong which is good I was wrong about SWG in this reguard as well) but I'll give it a fair chance(free month) once I pick it up and decide which of the two I enjoy more.

Edited November 14, 2003 by Effect

[Vostok 7]

You'd recommend it then? By friend's debating about whether to get this game or not, and asked for my opinion so i had no idea what to tell him.

I would. It has it's strong points, and it's weak points, but all in all I enjoy it more than I did SWG.

SWG is a great game. I miss it some times. But it's way too boring to play, and it really requires having someone you know and trust in the game with you to be any fun. And with all the troubles it's having lately, I'd rather skip the hassle of all my friends leaving and having to deal with all it's bugs.

Vostok 7

[Vostok 7]

BTW, just to clarify, I'm a lvl 1 character because I just got a worldpass for Unicorn (you have to create a new character on the server you get a world pass for) hence, I haven't had a chance to level up any yet.

Happy now Abombz? <_<

Vostok 7

[rnurmin]

Between, is this a PS2 game??? Online game?

[Vostok 7]

The fabled MMORPG FF. On PC.

Vostok 7

[Yohsho]

Wait a minute, what you just say? You just got onto the Unicorn server with Abombz? They're gonna have hell. I might just have to pick up this game sooner than expected.

[Veifwan Es]

The fabled MMORPG FF. On PC.

After DAOC and SWG, I swore off MMORPG's, but a small part of me wants to see one suceed in the one catagory most of these fail to provide:fun

The FF universe is a cool setting for a MMORPG, I'd like to heard an update from you after a few weeks of play.

[Vostok 7]

Wait a minute, what you just say? You just got onto the Unicorn server with Abombz? They're gonna have hell. I might just have to pick up this game sooner than expected.

What are you trying to say?

I said nothing about Abombz being on Unicorn <_<

Vostok 7

[David Hingtgen]

#1 complaint I've seen has been the whole server/worldpass thing. That alone is reason for me not to get it. (For there are few people I'd want to play with, but would LOVE to play with those few people). It'd be a long expensive process to get everyone together. Just not worth it.

(In addition to me deciding not to get it the day it was announced) First FF ever I won't buy. ::waits for FF12, thankfully FFX-2's out next week::

Last time I checked, FFXI sold 1/4 the copies of FFX in Japan. Any more recent numbers? Hopefully Square learned their lesson with a 75% drop that we want FF to be traditional, not on-line.

[Abombz!!]

#1 complaint I've seen has been the whole server/worldpass thing. That alone is reason for me not to get it. (For there are few people I'd want to play with, but would LOVE to play with those few people). It'd be a long expensive process to get everyone together. Just not worth it.

(In addition to me deciding not to get it the day it was announced) First FF ever I won't buy. ::waits for FF12, thankfully FFX-2's out next week::

Last time I checked, FFXI sold 1/4 the copies of FFX in Japan. Any more recent numbers? Hopefully Square learned their lesson with a 75% drop that we want FF to be traditional, not on-line.

Ppl whine and whine about the world pass and the random server placement.... when its quite possibly the best idea anyone had and quite easy to hook up with your buddies. A world pass is not necessary, each time you create a character, it will be placed on a random server. Your copy doesn't have an assigned server (unlike PSO). All you have to do is create and recreate a character untill you land on the server you want. The World pass depends on the population of the server its parice can range from 100 gil to 10000gil.

(In addition to me deciding not to get it the day it was announced)    First FF ever I won't buy.  ::waits for FF12, thankfully FFX-2's out next week::

Last time I checked, FFXI sold 1/4 the copies of FFX in Japan.  Any more recent numbers? .

That makes alot of sense.... you say you don't want one of the most original FF games.... but instead you wait for a game thats has whores as main characters, and enough fan service to make a dead man kill a kitten(Yes... I'm refering to Rikku and Yuna), a Tomb Raider like game play, mission based game, and a soundtrack that sucked... and now sucks even more because Square decided to dub the songs.

Hopefully Square learned their lesson with a 75% drop that we want FF to be traditional, not on-line.

"We"? Speak for yourself... 90% of the ppl who picked this game up have absolutly loved it. I don't really see where you are coming from

Why was it a 75% drop from FFX? Because most players don't have the resources to put their PS2 online.... if only they had released the PC version along side the PS2 version.

[Vostok 7]

I agree with Abombz. The worldpass system is both a blessing and a curse. However, like she said, it's not that hard to shaft the system and do what you want. Not only that but WorldPasses are not one time use. If someone buys one, they can be used for a limited number of people, not just to bring in one person.

Yeah, on the surface it sounds like a horrible idea. But I actually think that in practice it's a great idea. I remember when I first started playing SWG (the day it was released) and lag was nothing, not even a glimmer. And then, all of the sudden, within two months it was nearly unplayable thanks to lag. FFXI on the other hand has been going strong for two years now and yet there was absolutely no lag whatsoever. none! It's a dream come true!!

While this is my first FF game (ducks flames, boos and cries of "heretic"), I enjoy it quite a bit and look forward to aquiring more FF games (yes, including FFX-2. )

But then, I thought they should have made a game based on The Spirits Within <_<

Vostok 7

[dna]

I can't believe they didn't make a game from The Spirits Within. Every movie has a game these days and this movie is from a place that makes games. Weird.

Has this game really been going for 2 years already? Wow. I might have to check it out.

[Vostok 7]

I can't believe they didn't make a game from The Spirits Within. Every movie has a game these days and this movie is from a place that makes games. Weird.

Has this game really been going for 2 years already? Wow. I might have to check it out.

Yeah, I think next year will be two years. It's been out in Japan for some time now, so it's got alot of support behind it, and it shows. SWG's bugs are a thing of the past for me.

Vostok 7

[Sundown]

Nuts, I had no idea FFXI had been running for so long. Thought it was a brand new game. Guess it's just new to the US/PC. Anyway, a friend from SWG seems to despise it, if not just for the control interface, which seems to be unconfigurable. I'm also surprised he says the graphics aren't very good... since all the screen shots I've seen show phenomenal and beautiful character models.

-Al

[Vostok 7]

Abombz also keeps saying that the graphics in SWG sucked, but I thought they were great.

FFXI's graphics aren't as sharp as SWG's but there's alot more detail, and more... life... to the world somewhat.

I don't know, it's sort of a trade off. The cities in SWG were bleak and empty (and tiny compared to what they should be) whereas the cities in FFXI are busy and well detailed. However, the terrain and wildlife in SWG is gorgeous (before everyone started putting houses and mining equipment everywhere ) and the terrain in FFXI seems a little more off.

I dunno. I need to play FFXI some more.

Vostok 7

Edited November 15, 2003 by Vostok 7

[imode]

Nuts, I had no idea FFXI had been running for so long.  Thought it was a brand new game.  Guess it's just new to the US/PC.  Anyway, a friend from SWG seems to despise it, if not just for the control interface, which seems to be unconfigurable.  I'm also surprised he says the graphics aren't very good... since all the screen shots I've seen show phenomenal and beautiful character models.

-Al

Its a difference between high pixel count and high aesthetics. FF was made to play on the ps2 and is already a year old, so the textures, while nowhere near inferior, are not as sharp as games that are appearing on the market right now. However, the Japanese aesthetics plus the signature Final Fantasy touch gives this game a much more pleasing look than most any mmorpg out there. Character designs, while limited, look a whole lot nicer than most, and environments are wildly creative and detailed with beautiful weather effects.

I think the game that comes closest to this right now is Korea's Lineage II which is still a few months off.

Oh, and I think Square wants to forget about The Spirits Within. It's forgiveable if you make a bad game off a good movie. Totally heinous to make a bad game off a bad movie. FF movie lost BIG bucks for Square, and most likely played a role in this whole new Square Enix thing. All I have to do is look down the street and remember that the tall building that once housed Square's movie production studio, and all my friends that are now in different lines of work after it closed down.

Edited November 15, 2003 by imode

[Sundown]

Well, I wouldn't say the graphics in SWG sucked... except that it was inconsistent at times. Most of my gripes are with the animations and poses of characters. They look... odd... and not very expressive or dynamic... or even very realistic at times. People just looked like lifeless zombies when standing around, and the combat animations were sorta hokey looking. The character models themselves were alright, except it's hard to get an avatar that looks really good unless you spend a long time customizing your facial features. Most characters look a little blah, and only a few look right to my picky eye only cause the creator probably spent a lot of time with it.

The wildlife and terrain looks pretty good actually, I'll give ya that. Cities do for the most part feel dead, and it doesn't feel as if any of the NPC residents actually lead a purposeful existence or anything.

-Al

[JB0]

Oh, and I think Square wants to forget about The Spirits Within. It's forgiveable if you make a bad game off a good movie. Totally heinous to make a bad game off a bad movie. FF movie lost BIG bucks for Square, and most likely played a role in this whole new Square Enix thing. All I have to do is look down the street and remember that the tall building that once housed Square's movie production studio, and all my friends that are now in different lines of work after it closed down.

One of 2 things, actually.

Spirits Within didn't make NEAR what they expected(didn't even cover production costs), but FF8 also fell massively short of sales expectations. They probably could've handled 1, but not both.

...

Though the Square/Enix merger was a VERY logical move. It united 2 of the bigger names in the industry, and made a company that had both programming and publishing capabilities.

Before the merger, Enix had no programmers. Even their legendary Dragon Quest series was licensed out to other companies for development. And Square had no publishing facilities, relying on companies like Sony and Electronic Arts to publish for them.

[Hikuro]

Oh Hey that's cool your in the same server as me, I'm a level 3 Hume in Bastok, my PC's name is the same as my handle here in MW...so if you ever find me let's hook up and play sometime, I may be on later tonight or tomorrow, Abombz is in the same server also.

[Yohsho]

Ok I guess my only 2 questions are how much does it cost and what happened to the cool japanese server names.

[Hikuro]

first question, it's between 40-50 dollars pending where you get it, it cost me 50 dollars. Than you are given your free month and wont have to pay for your PlayOnline status till the end of the month and it's 13 dollars each month paid by debit or credit card. You get 1 free character slot, after that it costs a dollar for each new character you create.

To play with friends you need to figure out their worldpass number and server name with town during your character creation. You can not have an exisiting character change worlds since they are programed once they first log in to what server they belong too. Once you've got it all set up it's pretty easy to play so just go to FFXI Configuration and blah blah blah.

As for the Jap servers, I have not a clue, didn't know we could actually go into them...I probably wouldn't

[gnollman]

I thought the Japanese and American servers were shared..... one and the same....

[Druna Skass]

I was really looking forward to this game but the price just killed it for me.

Ah well I've heard Square Enix is working on FFXII, I'll just wait for that...

[Vostok 7]

I thought the Japanese and American servers were shared..... one and the same....

They are. There's some server names like Bahamut and stuff

Vostok 7

[Hikuro]

lol sorry man I got booted offline, said something about a problem while I was fighting that monster and got booted pretty harshly, complete reboot.

[Vostok 7]

Well, I just finished my longest stretch of playing the game. like 6hrs straight almost.

All I can say is... FUN!

6hrs of SWG would have bored the crap out of me. With FFXI though... I didn't get bored once! Running all over the country side whacking monsters and reaching lvl 6 was actually fun.

This game rocks!!

Vostok 7

[Yohsho]

Thanks for answering my questions.

I'm a very weak person... I just bought the game so, which server are you guys on? So at least I know some ppl on it. I might go random or try for Pheonix.

[Vostok 7]

We're all on Unicorn (Hikuro, Abombz and I).

Try for that I suppose. Otherwise one of us can try to scrape up some dough for a worldpass.

Look me up on Playonline. My handle is Vostok 7 (duh).

Vostok 7

[Vostok 7]

I'm at lvl 11 Warrior, lvl 6 Monk now.

Monk is awesome. I don't know why I didn't start with it or something!! You get two hits for every one hit a Warrior would make!

I love this game.

Vostok 7

Edited December 4, 2003 by Vostok 7

[Ladic]

They will never be as Great as Everquest, muahahah.

[Vostok 7]

They will never be as Great as Everquest, muahahah.

I know people who would disagree. <_<

FFXI is hella addictive for me... The only problem is that it gets tough to find challenges as you get higher, and almost requires that you party, which has been a problem for me lately since all my friends are either never on or just pretending they're not .

Once I hit lvl 11 Monk I'm gonna do some exploring until my friends get back and can play, if they ever do. There's lots of places to check out, and I haven't even gone farther than Gustaberg.

Vostok 7

[Ali Sama]

I bought FFXI the other day.

Yeah, a little late, but supposedly it had just been put out that day... Lucky! (or not... but I won't go into that )

Anyway, coming off my first true MMORPG, SWG, this is quite refreshing. Missions are actually interesting, rather than just run, gun, get paid missions like SWG. Graphics are a touch dated, but still are gorgeous. There's NO LAG!!!! That's the best part!! And there's shops! Not just a global auction system with a 100% player created economy like SWG, FFXI has an NPC economy as well as an auction system with a playerbased economy... Nice! There are mounts already in the game (chocobos) but I have yet to make use of their services. Also, the POL (PlayOnline Viewer) is AWESOME. What a great interface!! Messaging, managing friends, etc. etc. It's a great little tool. You can check to see if your friends are on without logging and loading into the game! Sweet!

Complaints... Well, there's not real much I have to complain about. Loading screens between regions in a city or outdoors is a little frustrating coming off the full open roaming of SWG... Makes it feel like a PS2 game (which really, it is...) and kinda is disappointing. However, the towns are large and feel busy, not empty and awkward like the cities in SWG. Graphics were also a little disappointing, but they're still decent. And the biggest complaint, no server choosing. You are randomly spawned on a server. There's some pros to this (population capping, reduces lag incredably) but there's alot of cons too, since it makes it a pain to play with any friends.

All in all, it's a great game. I'm having fun.

Vostok 7 (Alexsandr, lvl 1 Hume male warrior, Bastok, Unicorn Server)

go to your settings and increase the graphcsi quality. by default it;s set to very low.

go to the start menu, playonline ffxi

[Vostok 7]

go to your settings and increase the graphcsi quality. by default it;s set to very low.

go to the start menu, playonline ffxi

I had it set on the highest settings. I think I just expected too much from the graphics, since the game is what, 2 years old now?

It really does look good... Once I really started paying attention to the graphics, they're really great. There's more details than SWG had in alot of places. Though I still feel everything is a little too "plain" for my tastes. SWG's environments felt more alive, more realistic in that way... But, FFXI has one thing over SWG that makes all the difference... Enjoyability. FFXI doesn't get boring like SWG did. SWG got old... very very fast. FFXI has yet to do that for me.

Vostok 7