Viewing Thread:
"Final Fantasy XI - Missing Something?"

I've read a lot of reviews of Final Fantasy XI, Square's first attempt at bringing the FF series online. There's always two things that jump out at you from these reviews:

Firstly: Cynical journalists are usually of the opinion that we just won't see Final Fantasy XI in Europe because Sony is dithering too much about releasing its Online Service. By the time gamers in the UK are all connected together via hi-speed cable they'll be using PS3s to play online.

Secondly: What IS the point? In every other Final Fantasy game there has been a quest, a purpose to all that levelling up, a reason for acquiring new weapons and magics. Because towards the end of the game there would be closure to the storyline and a massive boss fight. Then you'd get the credits. MMORPGs work slightly differently. You have the levelling up, the acquiring of new weapons and magics, but then what?

Unless there's a main quest thread in a game to follow through to the end there can be no ending, and like all other MMORPGs you get to the stage where eventually all you are doing is levelling up for the sake of it. The monsters all get easier to beat, you've got every rare item under the sun, you've seen all there is to see, and essentially all you have left is a glorified chatroom with graphics.

Then you've got the problem of server overload where 2000 players on the same server at one time (FFXI is said to be able to handle much more than this) creates the dreaded lag, not to mention the fact that everytime you go out to kill something to level up there's another group just ahead of you killing it before you get there.

PSW showed online footage from the Japanese beta test of FFXI on its demo disc this issue, sure enough it looks beautiful (if a little drab in places), but imagine logging in to play each day with the realisation that you've already seen all this? After a while, like many other MMORPGs, you end up standing in the middle of town chatting to your mates about the time you defeated the WoomlyGrub bare handed and what you did at the weekend whilst you eye up the local Mithraa talent and try to pull.

When it comes to online play for the PS2 I think football, racing, shoot 'em ups and beat 'em ups will rule the online genres, because you can compete and defeat. MMORPGs still have a bit of thinking to do before they can really come of age. I think Square jumped the gun a little bit.

I've read a lot of reviews of Final Fantasy XI, Square's first attempt at bringing the FF series online. There's always two things that jump out at you from these reviews:

Firstly: Cynical journalists are usually of the opinion that we just won't see Final Fantasy XI in Europe because Sony is dithering too much about releasing its Online Service. By the time gamers in the UK are all connected together via hi-speed cable they'll be using PS3s to play online.

Secondly: What IS the point? In every other Final Fantasy game there has been a quest, a purpose to all that levelling up, a reason for acquiring new weapons and magics. Because towards the end of the game there would be closure to the storyline and a massive boss fight. Then you'd get the credits. MMORPGs work slightly differently. You have the levelling up, the acquiring of new weapons and magics, but then what?

Unless there's a main quest thread in a game to follow through to the end there can be no ending, and like all other MMORPGs you get to the stage where eventually all you are doing is levelling up for the sake of it. The monsters all get easier to beat, you've got every rare item under the sun, you've seen all there is to see, and essentially all you have left is a glorified chatroom with graphics.

Then you've got the problem of server overload where 2000 players on the same server at one time (FFXI is said to be able to handle much more than this) creates the dreaded lag, not to mention the fact that everytime you go out to kill something to level up there's another group just ahead of you killing it before you get there.

PSW showed online footage from the Japanese beta test of FFXI on its demo disc this issue, sure enough it looks beautiful (if a little drab in places), but imagine logging in to play each day with the realisation that you've already seen all this? After a while, like many other MMORPGs, you end up standing in the middle of town chatting to your mates about the time you defeated the WoomlyGrub bare handed and what you did at the weekend whilst you eye up the local Mithraa talent and try to pull.

When it comes to online play for the PS2 I think football, racing, shoot 'em ups and beat 'em ups will rule the online genres, because you can compete and defeat. MMORPGs still have a bit of thinking to do before they can really come of age. I think Square jumped the gun a little bit.

'I think Square jumped the gun a little bit.'

Recently thats what i have been thinking. I dont think enough thought has really gone into this at all and basicly it has been Sony just pressuring them to get a 'good' online game out there that is going to attract many people, but its not going to really take off here is it. We dont even has any concrete details about getting out PS2's online so no one is likly to commit to something like that. And while the prospect of playing FF online, i would much prefer to take on you lot at the likes of Pro Evo or Timesplitters.

Oh, and another thing, about the quest of the game ect. How exactly is that going to work? What is the aim of the game, to complete a story line or reach a certain level, or is there and end? In the last games there has just been you and your team completing a story line, with many players this time thats not going to work is it.

Much too complicated for me, ill stick to the sport and shooting online games and the normal FF me thinks.

Apparantly you can watch FF11 live beta testing @
http://stream.pol.com/cgi-bin/nav-cgi?ff11/+ff11.asx

You need Windows Media Player 7.1, I am working on Windows NT so will have a look when I get home tonight.

if there was some kind of reward in the game maybe it would be worth it (It's like writing a review without the chance of GAD.)

G1NGER.NET wrote:
> Apparantly you can watch FF11 live beta testing
> @
http://stream.pol.com/cgi-bin/nav-cgi?ff11/+ff11.asx

You need Windows
> Media Player 7.1, I am working on Windows NT so will have a look when I get home
> tonight.

Don't get your hopes up, I get 'Requested URL not found on this server' when I try that link :(

FantasyMeister wrote:
> G1NGER.NET wrote:
> Apparantly you can watch FF11 live beta testing
>
> @
http://stream.pol.com/cgi-bin/nav-cgi?ff11/+ff11.asx

You need
> Windows
> Media Player 7.1, I am working on Windows NT so will have a look
> when I get home
> tonight.

Don't get your hopes up, I get 'Requested URL
> not found on this server' when I try that link :(


I get, 'Unauthorised access message'

I got the link to work in the end. I clicked through from an embedded link in RPG.com. All you see is the 1st person view from another character. I watched for 3 minutes as several characters just walked by or stood there chatting to each other.

Apart from that...nothing. I remember from playing Final Fantasy games that something is supposed to happen every few seconds or so, like the storyline, a quest, a fight, a game. None of that here. Just what looks to be a bunch of very bored beta testers.

FantasyMeister wrote:
> I got the link to work in the end. I clicked through from an embedded link in
> RPG.com. All you see is the 1st person view from another character. I watched
> for 3 minutes as several characters just walked by or stood there chatting to
> each other.

Apart from that...nothing. I remember from playing Final Fantasy
> games that something is supposed to happen every few seconds or so, like the
> storyline, a quest, a fight, a game. None of that here. Just what looks to be
> a bunch of very bored beta testers.


where about is this link at rpg.com?

I tried looking to see if the .com bit was wrong so i tried .org .co.uk and .net. And look what i found....how strange!

http://www.rpg.org/

http://www.rpgdot.com/popup.php?popup=1&search=Final%20Fantasy &date1=2002-2-13&date2=2002-2-20

(remove space after Fantasy)

Third article down entitled: Final Fantasy XI Beta Video Stream. The link is in that one.