Caves of Narshe
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FFXI Released in North America

Posted on Wednesday 29th October 2003 at 18:08 by Phoenix
General Final Fantasy
Service for Square's newest addition to the FF series, Final Fantasy XI, began yesterday in North America.

For those not familiar with the title, Final Fantasy XI is Square's first Massively Multiplayer Online RPG (MMORPG) release. The game offers players a myriad of gameplay experiences, from customizable characters to multiple platform support.
Character customization includes race, gender, and job class. Available races include Hume, Elvaan, Tarutaru, Galka, and Mithra. Fifteen job classes have been released on the Official FFXI website (including Final Fantasy classics like White Mage, Black Mage, and Thief), along with allusions that other jobs may exist as well.
FFXI has currently been released on both Windows and PS2. Players on both platforms can play and interact on the same realms; additionally, realms are international, allowing players from different nations to team up to complete quests. Also, Square has included an automatic in-game translation system for common phrases to help facilitate international gameplay.

More can be read at Square's recently revamped FFXI site, The Final Fantasy XI Van'Diel Journal

***

Hype about the game's release seems high among Caves of Narshe members. In a recent poll on the website, over two thirds of the 201 responding members said they would purchase the game for one of the available platforms. Complete poll results are below:

Thinking about getting Final Fantasy 11?

25.4% - I'll buy it for PS2
34.8% - I'll but it for PC
6.5% - I'll buy it, but I don't know for which platform
16.4% - I'll try it before making a decision
16.9% - It's not for me

***

Admittedly, I'm a little skeptical about the game.
After hearing about the major server problems upon initial release in Japan, and after witnessing first-hand the endless shelves of unsold FFXI copies in Japanese gaming stores, I can't help but wonder if the game will really work out to be everything Square's said it will be...
Posted in: Square-Enix News

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Phoenix

Comments

FraudulentTommahComment 1: 2003-10-30 02:13
FraudulentTommah I doubt I'll get it unless there's a free month to try out on PC.
PhoenixComment 2: 2003-10-30 03:36
Phoenix Sheesh.

Is there really a monthly charge on the game?
If so, that'll really hurt my chances of purchasing the game.

-Phoenix
SSJ_CloudComment 3: 2003-10-30 03:40
SSJ_Cloud
Quote (FraudulentTommah @ 29th October 2003 21:13)
I doubt I'll get it unless there's a free month to try out on PC.

The initial month is included with the purchase of the software, if I recall correctly.
TiddlesComment 4: 2003-10-30 10:35
Tiddles The thing about a MMORPG is that someone has to pay for the servers, both for playing the game and storing data, and they have to be able to cope with huge amounts of traffic. While a subscription may be offputting, it's hard to imagine how else it could work.

It's still the most important factor preventing me from giving it a go, however. Justified as it may be, I can't afford stuff like that.
Rangers51Comment 5: 2003-10-30 13:22
Rangers51 And the stupid news begins to break. No, Square, that's okay, I didn't want to play an MMORPG with my friends.

As is the standard, [dohtml]<a href="http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2003-10-29">Penny Arcade is quick to point out what's wrong with this picture.</a>[/dohtml]. But the wifebeater-wearing fairy unnerves me.
SSJ_CloudComment 6: 2003-10-30 14:20
SSJ_Cloud
Quote (Rangers51 @ 30th October 2003 08:22)
And the stupid news begins to break. No, Square, that's okay, I didn't want to play an MMORPG with my friends.

As is the standard, [dohtml]<a href="http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2003-10-29">Penny Arcade is quick to point out what's wrong with this picture.</a>[/dohtml]. But the wifebeater-wearing fairy unnerves me.

While it was well intentioned (it was to balance the servers), it think it was a bad move by Squeenix. However, I think Penny Arcade's self importance makes it a bigger issuse that it is. It's really not all that hard to get on the same server as you friend. Here are some quotes from the beta testers on the issue:

"You can get around this pretty easily by just deleteing and recreating till your on the server you want. And the worldpass thing is not much of a hassle. It's really not that big of a deal."

and

" ...or you could spend 20 minutes remaking characters until you get the one you want, or wait half an hour for someone to earn 500 gil, or if you're really desperate get one of the world passes that are posted by Japanese players on message boards.

If you think this makes it "impossible to play with friends" you're mistaken since half of the players I was with in Beta are already on the server we plan on."

Those quotes are from the Something Awful forums, so if anyone is a member there and wants to see the actual source, PM me for the link.

AngelmanDxComment 7: 2003-10-30 15:56
AngelmanDx I was reading a magazine about FFXI, KH: Chain Of memories and KH 2. It said good things about the game for PC but a was a bit harsh criticizing the PS2 version with hardrive included.
I wont Spoil about the KH games.
toodles
-Angel
Dark PaladinComment 8: 2003-10-30 18:26
Dark Paladin The biggest thing for me would be threat of cheaters and hackers. I've heard so many complaints about the US server that was what kept me from going online with PSO (the EU and JAP servers were supposedly better, though).
Zero_HawkComment 9: 2003-10-30 22:30
Zero_Hawk Well, as everyone knows (Or i'd assume) I've been awaiting this game since the day I heard of its release, I was almost as bad as a super star wars fan, finding every single thing I could. Rumors, screenshots, background, you name it I found it. Anyways, the 50$ charge for the game is the only thing that really hampers me from buying it at the moment. (I'm jest poor) and I found this quote on another forum from people who bought the "Interesting thing, apparently the costs have been cut way back, the monthy charge is apparently $1.29 now, but that is for a single character, you must pay $0.10 for each additional character." that certainly brighted my spirits, can anyone confirm that quote though?
SSJ_CloudComment 10: 2003-10-30 23:20
SSJ_Cloud I'm not trying to burst your bubble, ZH, but that almost certainly isn't true. The major gaming news web sites would be all over it. They aren't. The price may be lowered eventually, but I don't think it will ever get that low.
Rangers51Comment 11: 2003-10-30 23:20
Rangers51
Quote (Zero_Hawk @ 30th October 2003 16:30)
Well, as everyone knows (Or i'd assume) I've been awaiting this game since the day I heard of its release, I was almost as bad as a super star wars fan, finding every single thing I could. Rumors, screenshots, background, you name it I found it. Anyways, the 50$ charge for the game is the only thing that really hampers me from buying it at the moment. (I'm jest poor) and I found this quote on another forum from people who bought the "Interesting thing, apparently the costs have been cut way back, the monthy charge is apparently $1.29 now, but that is for a single character, you must pay $0.10 for each additional character." that certainly brighted my spirits, can anyone confirm that quote though?

I was hoping YOU could, since you found it. tongue.gif
Del SComment 12: 2003-10-30 23:53
Del S This game is Suicide, and as tactically sound as fighting Emerald Weapon with a peashooter.
Square-Enix not only botched the playing with freinds bit, but they are extremly screwed here thanks to British Telecoms latest B/E (Bottom/Elbow) conflict with Broadband, namely, the LACK of it outside London and England.

It should have just been named 'Final Fanatsy Online' and not tainted the name of the series with its foul Chaos heresies... it is a cheap money-grabbing scheme that rips off fans, AND i bet the thing will be unplayable for cheaters...
Naturally, im not gettign it. This is one Scot being tight-fisted, but because its not worth it.
and.. a MONTHLY fee? That money i would spend on the fee (i predict UK fee to be £2-3) for 11 could be better spent on goign to Glasgow, and playign a Game of Warhammer in the Games Workshop.

Rant Over.

Zero_HawkComment 13: 2003-10-31 00:34
Zero_Hawk Oy, just crush my dreams all over the place why dontcha? dry.gif
The_Pink_Nu1Comment 14: 2003-10-31 05:19
The_Pink_Nu1
Quote (Dark Paladin @ 30th October 2003 13:26)
The biggest thing for me would be threat of cheaters and hackers. I've heard so many complaints about the US server that was what kept me from going online with PSO (the EU and JAP servers were supposedly better, though).

Ditto.

And monthly fee. sad.gif
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