ffxiv

So, thanks to some kind (although slightly NDA breaking) fellows in the beta, we have a glimpse of the options for character creation for FFXIV. I've uploaded the most interesting images from these, including beards and hairstyles. Tomorrow, there should be more images showing the particular facial features available to each face (such as scars and tattoos). So keep checking this gallery as the beta progresses.

FFXIV will be released globally for PC on September 30 of this year for $49.99. There will be a Collector's Edition released September 22, priced at $74.99 (with pre-orders already up on Amazon). Amazon also lists March 31, 2011 as the release date for the PS3 version. The Japanese website says the PS3 version will arrive early in March 2011. Subscription is $12.99 for 30 days. Additional characters will be $3 more. Each account gets one free retainer NPC (the thing that lets you sell Bazaar items without being logged in), then additional retainers are $1.

The collector's edition includes a security token, a "behind the scenes" DVD, a tumbler, Eorzea map, concept art book (with art by Yoshitaka Amano), something called a "Right of Passage" certificate, and a guest pass for a friend to play. There's also a preorder-only in-game item that shortens the time it takes to recover after a KO. Preorders for both versions give you a pair of spiffy goggles that make you level faster, pictured here. Codes distributed with Final Fantasy XIII will allow you to get the "Asuran Armbands," which improve the effectiveness of tools. All versions will provide 30 days of free play.

Final PC version recommended specs are: Windows XP/Vista/7, Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz or AMD Athlon X2 2GHz, 2GB of RAM, 15GB HDD space, NVIDIA GeForce 9600 512MB or ATI Radeon HD 2900 512MB and DirectX 9.

via FFXICore.

We’ve been getting a lot of FFXIV news ever since the alpha started, it’s hard to keep track of it all. I’m going to try my best to summarize the most interesting details. There is a long list of sources at the end. The new known details mostly concern features that will appear in the beta, which starts globally by July at the latest. The first round of beta testers will only consist of the same testers from the alpha, but with time, new testers will be invited.

One of the more interesting points in my eyes has been this discussion of a “Company” system in addition to the linkshells. Not only will linkshells be a more fully featured communication tool, but companies will exist as groups of linkshells. When producer Horimichi Tanaka was asked of alternatives to FFXI’s Conquest system (the warring city-states and such), he mentioned the Company system, implying that companies would compete in a similar manner. He went on to compare those companies to guilds or clans. 1up managed to confirm that there will be shared housing (in addition to player housing) for Companies, and that they would be able to "level up." More details on this system will come at a later date. Linkshells will appear in the beta a little after it starts.

As mentioned in an earlier article, the battle system has been sped up significantly for the beta. You have three gauges - effect, TP, and MP, which dictate the types of actions you can make on individual timers. The effect gauge will always refill itself, in and out of battle, with the type of action you take affecting how much of the gauge is depleted. For a more powerful, constant attack, each enemy should be engaged with a full gauge. There are also going to be macros like the ones in FFXI that allow you to announce your attacks, or string certain abilities together. Of course, timing your attacks with party members will still be important.

Much more after the jump.

By Mashira

With all of the E3 news buzzing around square being the sneaky tricksters they are have released a benchmark tool for FFXIV.

It shows what I'm pretty sure is the opening cutscenes. You get your choice of premade characters of every race/gender combination. The goal of the benchmark tool is to assess your computer's readiness for FFXIV, though the final specs have yet to be released.

If you're too lazy, or cant download it i'll write up a quick summary of what takes place just for you! Check it and my thoughts on the experience after the jump.

Behold, the new trailer. It seems like a lot of this is actually game footage.

"We decided to remove the effect gauge and we are going to use the action gauge in a different way."

Battle speed has increased because you don't have to wait for your action gauge to fill any more. This means you don't have to wait between making attacks, but each attack is still a deliberate action you make. It still looks a bit rough, but it looks more natural than what they previously had.

LOOK AT THE ONION.

The Japanese dialogue is mostly like "Oh, isn't that pretty, how cute," etc. Nothing groundbreaking. (The translation's here). BUT LOOK AT THE ONION.

It's the little details that really sell a package. Also note that this video is the first posted to FFXIV's new Youtube channel.

I'll start by dropping this link. There, you can find a gallery of images from the Japanese FFXIV site detailing the various "clans" each race in FFXIV will have. Each clan seems to have various associated bonuses and regional differences, suggesting clan choice could affect your starting location (or allow you to choose one, perhaps in some cases).

This bit of general news won't mean much until we're closer to playing the game, but it has reminded me of the reason I really loved playing FFXI. The art direction in that game brought the segmented world together, and it really felt like a journey to go from one end of it to another. A lack of travel options may have had something to do with that sense of scale, but the ability to appreciate the design of almost every single environment really helped form a connection to the game. Coming back from a long journey to arrive in West Ronfaure was like driving home from a long trip and reaching your home town. The sites are familiar, the ambience is welcoming and personal. These clan details define differences among characters down to the glassiness of their pupils. Such details are unheard of with any other type of MMORPG.

There was racial pride in FFXI, with each race allowing players to define themselves in the game space. Now that the races are more stratified, those personal associations will have yet another level with which to interact.

Of course, it remains to be seen if these things can be pulled off in a game that's actually fun to play.

Hey, another quick note here. Final Fantasy XIV, the new FF MMORPG put up beta sign-ups a few weeks ago, and now they've apparently chosen the first round of applicants who will be able to play in the closed beta. If you signed up for it, you probably already know whether or not you were chosen for the March 11 round. Apparently, though, they'll be choosing more people as time goes on, so there's still hope for you to get chosen at some point.

Remember, if you love me, take explicit notes on the character progression and subjob system. I won't tell anyone, I swear.

Edit: The buzz around town says people who were accepted into the beta will get their emails tomorrow, and the only people among those are current FFXI players. (Confirmed. - Click on "secret bonus stage")

EDIT: Check out the FFXIV site for a blurb about character creation, with better pictures than these scans, new screens, new music, and some generic story content.

Famitsu is a pretty cool magazine. They’re more closely tied to the developers than any American games journalist publication/site currently is, so they have a tendency to present material in a sugar coated way, depending on the manner in which it was provided. As such, scans have emerged from the Japanese magazine showing off the finer details of the character creator in FFXIV. Of course, by "finer," I mean they've shown us an inordinate amount of beautiful women, plus some manly men... with scars! In short, those characters are going to be fiercely customizable. In long, I translated some of what the scans said.

The text given at the top of this article, paraphrased a whole bunch, says that the system allows for simple variations, like changes in skin and hair color. Then, if you want to get into the finer details, you’ll find things such as various eye colors and different underwear material textures. The blurbs on the full version of that page (the first scan here, after the jump) continue to elaborate on those points, showing how each detail is in fact, there. Looks like there’s some breast size action as well, so if you were worried about that, go smoke a celebratory sausage. Other scans with these “Hyur” women point out that lip color can be changed as well.