A new video has surfaced on the Final Fantasy XIV youtube channel showing off a side by side comparison of the alpha and beta builds of the game. The biggest difference you’ll see at the start of the video is the new lighting changes from the depth buffer shadows that has been mentioned. The later part of the video shows the new combat system in action which is definitely much quicker than that of the alpha build.

E3 is now behind us.  FFXIV Producer Tanaka Hiromichi is back in Japan, working on the latest version update for FFXI and the FFXIV beta.  However, that doesn’t mean we are through looking at all the exciting information to come out of the event!

Expect a number of articles to pop up on Eorzeapedia this week and next as we go through the Japanese media interviews and some of the interesting reporting they’ve been doing after the event.

For starters, we have a very lengthy interview from Dengeki.  I have to wonder how many times Tanaka answered variants of the “where are the male Miqo’tes?” question.  Who knows.  Maybe it’s not too late for them to go back and add them for us?  We can hope right?  Most of the interview covers things we’ve already seen in other interviews so it makes a nice review for people who haven’t been following every little piece of news to hit the site.  However, there are a couple things that might be interesting for even the most up-to-date fans out there.

As always, you can read our translated version below or check out the original interview with pictures on Dengeki’s website.

At E3 2010, Square Enix showed the world for the first time a new build of their highly anticipated MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV.  The build is almost identical to the beta build that will be released later to testers.  We were able to play the game for ourselves and follow it up with an interview with FFXIV Producer Hiromichi Tanaka.  We asked for more details regarding the beta and also future development.

–First, would it be alright to consider the demonstration build at this year’s E3 as the beta version?

Tanaka: I think it would be more accurate to call it a build that is very close to the beta.

–Please tell us what the biggest changes are between the alpha and beta builds.

Tanaka: The biggest changes are in the way graphics are displayed and the battle system, which was completely changed.  For the graphics, the biggest difference is in the shadows.  We’ve also changed the character creation system to something that is very close to how it will be in the final release.

–Do you plan on having the available races and clans nearly identical to what we are seeing now?

Tanaka: What will be in the beta is what we expect to include for the starting races when the game is released.

–Is there a particular reason for having only male Highlanders within the game setting?

Tanaka: In the beginning planning stages, female Highlanders were also on the table to be included but for a number of various reasons, we ended up not including them as a possible choice for character creation.  Male Miqo’tes will probably make an appearance as NPCs but sadly, they have also been excluded from the choices people will have at character creation.

–Is there any chance of additional races being added to the game in the future?

Tanaka: I can’t make any promises but it’d be nice if we could.

–Let’s talk about the new trailer.  There are a lot of NPCs that appear in the trailer.  What kind of creature is the white avatar-esque being?

Tanaka: That’s not an avatar.  It’s an elemental.  This time elements are a factor in a lot of things and are very important to the game.  Those elements are related to the elementals.  Unlike FFXI, the cycles of the moon and weather won’t have an effect on things.  Instead, the 6 elements will affect a number of things.

–Next, can you tell us more about the brand new battle system?

Tanaka: The tempo has changed the most.  With the prior system, your action gauge would fill up, and then after that, you would wait for your effect gauge to fill up in order to increase the strength or accuracy of your attack.  However, that time spent filling up would translate into just empty waiting time for the players.  So the first thing we decided to do was get rid of the effect gauge.  Then we made the action gauge longer and made it fill naturally over time.  Players could carry out any of the various actions available to them by using up a portion of that gauge.  If you fill the gauge completely before attacking, you can pull off around 3 or 4 actions in a row.  Even as you carry out those actions, your gauge will start filling again.  In the end, we have a battle system that makes for a much quicker battle tempo.

–So the 2 gauges that accumulate are the TP bar and the new action gauge?

Tanaka: In total you have 3 things that you use to carry out commands: the action gauge, the TP bar, and for some moves, MP.

–So we can expect that the reuse/recast time for a command will be different depending on the action you used?

Tanaka: Yes.  That is particularly true of moves that use up TP.  The recast timer on them is long enough that even if your bar has completely filled again, you still might not be able to use it.

–I imagine you had a lot of requests made regarding the user interface.  Have there been any major changes there?

Tanaka: The main menu has changed quite a bit.  We’ve also added in chat filters and made changes to the log.  We are also looking into making it possible for players to create multiple windows.  (Translation note: This is probably referring to multiple log windows so that you could separate your battle log and your general chat logs.)

–Will there be other communication systems put in place besides just chat?

Tanaka: We are planning on including a macro pallet system.  It could be used to trigger a command and a message at the same time to make it easier to communicate what you are doing to your party members.  Also, we are working on a system where when you are in a party, it is easy to tell which enemy your party leader is attacking.

–Will that be a visual cue?  For example, maybe the monster’s name would blink or there would be a number above the head of the monster.

Tanaka: You’ll have to look forward to how it works. (smiles)  Right now we are trying a number of different things.  The goal is for players to have some kind of communication tool so people don’t go off attacking different enemies.

–Let’s get back to the battle system.  Is there anything you plan on adding to it even after the beta version is released?

Tanaka: A basic version of it is included in the alpha version already but there is a system we are working on called “Battle Regiments”.  We are planning on making various situations in the game where you’ll have to use battle regiments when in a party along with the communication tools we already talked about.

–Will there often be “many versus many” battles in FFXIV?

Tanaka: Right now most of the monsters that are roaming around are just solo mobs.  However, we also plan on including monster groups, like maybe where there is one male and his harem of females.  In particular, the majority of the monsters you’ll fight while doing a guildleve will be in parties.

–Are there any systems that will be new to the beta version?

Tanaka: We’ve said before that items, weapons, etc, would degenerate.  That system will go live in the beta.  It doesn’t mean that your weapons will disappear.   However, they will get worn down to the point of being useless and require repair.  That should lead to an increase in the number of people who choose a class from Disciples of the Land or Disciples of the Hand.

We also plan on adding “Retainers” which are NPCs for hire.  In FFXI, you couldn’t run a bazaar if you were logged out.  However, for FFXIV, it will be possible to leave your items with a retainer and have them stay in the marketplace and sell your stuff for you.

I’m not sure what the timing will be but at some point linkshells will also be introduced to the game.  I think it will have a big effect on the community.

–Are the linkshells going to work the same as FFXI’s linkshells?

Tanaka: Yes.  However, there is going to be a broader level of community building as well and a lot of different things will be built into that system.

–Do you mean something like a power struggle between city-states? (Translation note: He is getting at the Conquest system in FFXI.)

Tanaka: Rather than having to do with the city-states, it’s like a company and the linkshells would fit in below it.

–So it’s more of a group that the players put together themselves versus something set  system-side.

Tanaka: Yes.  It is going to be reminiscent of guilds or clans.

–Will more areas be added to the game when the beta test starts?

Tanaka: We don’t know exactly how big the download will be for the beta version yet.  When you think about adding new areas… well, we’ll be looking into it but it might not be possible.

–So players can expect to be in the same areas around Limsa Lominsa that the alpha testers have been playing in?

Tanaka: It will probably be necessary to test other areas as well.  However, for the time being, we plan on limiting the beta to the area around Limsa Lominsa.

–How big will the final release be?

Tanaka: We are still making a lot of adjustments so it’s not set yet.

–Can you give us an idea of what kind of specs will be required for the PC version?

Tanaka: Once the beta test begins, we will release the required specs for the beta version.  Right now, graphic cards are probably a bigger bottleneck than CPUs so we want to work on optimizing that.

–Speaking of the Windows version, I was really surprised to see a 3D version on display here at E3.

Tanaka: Right now Nvidia is putting a lot of energy into their 3D Surround Technology that allows you to use 3 monitors so we agreed to cooperate with them to make the display.

–Any plans to include this technology in the final release?

Tanaka: We haven’t made any decisions about that yet.  Right now it’s just a demo of the technology.

–What can you tell us about the beta version for PS3?

Tanaka: We are still hard at work on it.  Director Komoto couldn’t come to E3 actually because this is crunch time for development on the beta and PS3 versions.  Right now back in Japan the entire staff is working hard.

–The PS3 can handle 3D images.  Any chance FFXIV might support 3D?

Tanaka: That is another thing we are considering, however, I think it would be very difficult to implement.

–Can you tell us when the beta test will start?

Tanaka: We want to start in July at the latest.  We’ll also announce the PS3 beta at some point in the future as well.

–We’ve also heard before that you are planning on moving to cross-regional service at some point during the beta.  Do you have any idea as to when that will take place?

Tanaka: Right now everyone is actually on the same servers.  They are just divided up into different login windows.  Once things are stable enough, we’d like to switch to something close to 24/7 testing so it might even be soon after beta testing begins.

–Do you plan on adding more testers?

Tanaka: Currently there are 10 servers for the alpha test and the number of testers is already in the 10s of thousands.  First, we’ll start with those testers for the beta.  After watching how things go and making sure everything is running smoothly, we plan on adding more testers.  I’d like to let the alpha testers know that we’ve listened to their feedback and made improvements for the beta version.  So please check out the beta and we’ll work on making it even better.  Of course we’ll continue to make adjustments even after the game is officially released.  Please keep sending in feedback!

Like many media outlets, Famitsu had their interview with Final Fantasy XIV Producer Tanaka Hiromichi (left) and North American Producer/Senior Manager of NA Operations Kurosawa Yasu (right) today.  Topics included the upcoming start of beta testing, possible 3D effects, and community reactions about the ongoing alpha build testing.

You can find a copy of the original interview in Japanese on Famitsu’s website or our translated version below the break.

–Is the version people are trying out at E3 this week the actual beta build?

Tanaka: It’s very close to it.  You could say it’s one step prior to the beta build.  We are still working on balance issues and haven’t finished our final round of debugging.

–Why put out the beta now?

Tanaka: Awhile back we knew we had to start beta testing around this time of year.  However, I do have to say that alpha build testing has taken more time than we originally thought it would.

–Has the character creation process changed a lot with this new version?

Tanaka: It’s close to how it will be in the final release.  There are a few things planned that aren’t included though, like the ability to change the color of a Miqo’te’s tail or change the shape of an Elezen’s ears.  Those things will be added in by the final release.

–There were also changes made to the battle system like how you got rid of “effect” gauges.
(Translation note:  The interviewer referred to them as effect gauges.)

Tanaka: Even before alpha testing began, the developers already felt that the battle tempo was poor and had decided to start working on something new.  However, just to make sure, we decided to ask players for their opinions on the system which is why we started alpha testing with that particular system in place.  As expected, there were a lot of complaints from the alpha testers as well that the battle tempo should be quicker so we continued development on the new system with a faster battle pace.

The action gauge was also part of the problem.  If you have to wait for the gauge to fill before you can attack, that ruins the tempo, so we switched to a system where you have an action gauge that is completely full when you start and it depletes while you attack.  The developers really worked to the last minute to get us this in time to show off at E3 and they are still working on further debugging and balance issues back in Japan.

–Are there any other big changes?

Tanaka: We’ve increased the number of abilities you can set on your action bar to 30 from 20.  We’ve made it so that players will have an even easier time placing their actions on the bar in the way they want.  There are other changes as well.  HP and MP will now grow as part of the system itself, elemental bonuses will be put into play, and the physical bonuses will be separate from that.  I think it will be a much simpler system than what players saw in the alpha build.

–You have a 3D version on display at E3 as well.

Tanaka: We are still looking into using 3D.  For E3, we cooperated with nVidia to make the demo display using their 3D Vision Surround Technology.

–The graphics have also greatly improved with the beta build.  Will this have an effect on the required specs for the PC version?

Tanaka: You do need a bit more processing power to use ambient occlusion or see the shadings on the backgrounds, so we’ve made them optional.  However, a lot of things now require less processing power than they did in the alpha version.  We also used projection shadowing for the alpha build but have now switched to something called depth buffer shadows which creates a much more distinct shadowing effect.

–So is it safe to say that players will be able to start customizing the graphic settings to some extent when the beta is released?

Tanaka: That’s correct.  There are settings you will be able to access and adjust from the main menu.  For people on the PC version, there will also be a way to adjust your settings before you load the game.  Players will be able to judge how their computer will be able to handle FFXIV by using the benchmark software that we recently released.

–At E3, you’ve been showing off the PC version.  Any comments on the PlayStation 3 version?

Tanaka: We are still hard at work on it, continuing development in cooperation with Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE).  Also, while it’s true that individual users can’t make adjustments to their PS3s, we do plan on adding a lot of setting options within the game for players to adjust to their liking.  As an example, you can see what we did with the PlayStation 2 version of FFXI.  Players can expect something similar for the PlayStation 3 version of FFXIV.

–When will beta testing actually begin?

Tanaka: We’ve finished putting in almost all the necessary systems into the version here at E3 so it will probably take place soon.  Right now we are still working on debugging and things.  We’re going to stop the alpha test after this week.  Once we return to Japan, we’ll immediately get to work on preparing for the start of beta testing.  There will probably be a bit of a break before we start up testing again but I don’t think people will be waiting a whole month before beta testing will start.

–Mr. Kurosawa, you’re the North American Operations Manager and Producer.  What have North American player reactions been like?

Kurosawa: We received quite a lot of feedback from players and we’ve been gathering up all the comments to send back to the Japanese developers on a regular basis.  After they get it, they give us additional feedback to pass on to the players.  Then we get more feedback from players and it just continues in a big circle.  That has allowed us to improve game play.

Tanaka: Every week a report is made based on feedback from the three regions: Japan, North America, and Europe.  We continue development while watching what kind of feedback is coming in.

–Do North American players give a lot more feedback than the Japanese ones?

Kurosawa: Well, the feedback just keeps rolling in and that really helps us out.

Tanaka: I’d say that the number of comments from North America and Europe is about 10 times that of Japan.

– What kind of community features are you planning for Japan, North America, and Europe?

Kurosawa: Following in the footsteps of FFXI, we will be using global servers so we’ll be building community tools that can be used by players all over the world.

Tanaka: At some point during beta testing we will start introducing some community tools that players can take advantage of.  One of these is something you could call player sites.  Each player will be able to have their own website.  We also plan on adding a bulletin board function and other tools that any player can use.

–What other communication tools do you plan on adding?

Tanaka: We want to add a simple translate function like we have in FFXI.  We will also have something like the linkshells in FFXI, but on an even larger scale, we are introducing an organizational concept called “Companies”.  That system is currently still in development so we’ll give out more details at a later date.

–Do you plan on adding voice chat?

Tanaka: That’s not something we are looking at right now.  It is difficult to create something that works for both PC and PlayStation 3 players.  It would also be incredibly difficult to add in something that would interpret for players in real time when playing with people from other countries.  When you consider that, it is much easier to work with a text based system.

–Finally, can we get any parting comments for the players?

Tanaka: We’ll be starting the beta test soon so please look forward to it.  I’d like to pass those sentiments on on behalf of the Development Team and director Komoto who wasn’t able to make it to E3 since he’s hard at work.

Kurosawa: We are passing all kinds of opinions on to the developers to make this game a fun one for players all over the world.  Please look forward to it!

So day one (for us) of E3 is behind us – and given that the demo and interview are scheduled for tomorrow, today was something of a bonus day for us.  For those following our E3 tweets some, or most, of this might be repetitive, but here’s what we learned.

Character Creation

We didn’t get a chance to do a hands-on test of this today (we will tomorrow), but the system is robust to say the least.  While watching someone create a Miqo’te, the options were seemingly endless.  Each element we saw had between 5 and 32 options.  So, for example, while height had 5 different options (“tallest” to “shortest”, skin tone had 16 and hair highlights (that was after the hair color option) had 32 different options!  Nose, eyes, pupils (yes pupil size had options), eye brows, hair style, hair color, and mouth each had options.  Then were the “characteristic” options.  Scars, moles, tatoos, etc.  Since we see the availability of Miqo’te with scars, one would assume that these options are universal and that any race would have the same vast array of options – although we can imagine that Roegadyn might have more scar options and less highlight options, but we’ll verify one way or the other tomorrow.  Names were limited to between 3 and 8 (I think) characters each for first and last.  Obviously clan, deity, birthday, and starting city were also within the system as well.

Battle System

This is totally revamped from what has been shown as the alpha system.  What we’re looking at on the right is a bad screen capture of the video uploaded to youtube by SE earlier today – again, we’ll have better images tomorrow, but this helps explain the new system.  Tanaka is using the action “Rousing Provoke” against his target – an island crab.  The top bar is his “Stamina Gauge.”  This bar fills automatically, constantly, and pretty rapidly.  I’d estimate that the full bar fills in maybe 30 seconds, but since it is constantly filling you’re never waiting nearly that long.  You start a fight with full stamina, and every time you use an action it decreases by a preset (but undisclosed) amount.  The box around the left portion of the stamina bar shows the minimum amount of stamina to activate the action.  Note that this is not the amount that the action “costs” in stamina.  So if Tanaka uses “Rousing Provoke” right when the small box is full, the stamina gauge doesn’t necessarily drop to empty.  Since it starts full, you can spam your basic attacks quite a few times in a row very rapidly before you approach the box.  Also, for the standard attacks, the box is smaller, meaning that less stamina is needed to activate the action.  This leads to a very fluid system in which you are balancing spamming basic attacks, building TP from those attacks and then conserving stamina so that you can launch a more advanced attack requiring TP and more of a base stamina level.  The more advanced attacks still had cool-down timers, but I could bounce back and forth between two advanced attacks without running into the cool-down timers.  Also, each of the icons in the action bar shows the amount of TP or MP it requires (curiously not shown in the Tanaka video) – so there is a very fast requirements reference.  This value changes to a cool-down timer once used.

FFXIV 3D + Lighting Effects

Square Enix was showing off, as a tech demo, FFXIV in 3D.  As a tech demo, SE is basically showing off that they can do this, not necessarily that they will do this.  It requires 3D graphics cards and 3D glasses – both of which will likely be costly.  But the effect was stunning.  There was a real feeling that you were surrounded by NPCs while wondering through guilds filled with NPCs.  Names and menu items really seemed to hover in front of the screen – but not to the point where it was annoying or distracting.  What was more distracting was the overall look of Limsa Lominsa in 3D – you could (and I did) easily enjoy just standing on one of the overpasses looking out over the boats, bridges and skyline.  Part (perhaps most) of these stunning visuals was a function of the lighting improvements that beta will feature as compared to alpha.  It is hard to do it justice – but it was just amazing to look at.  Visually it rivaled anything else I saw at E3.  Things just seemed to glow in a very natural way.  This was true outside of Limsa Lominsa as well.  Everything was vibrant.  Players will be treated to an absolutely stunning world when this game gets released.  Plus, it can only get better for release.  The jump in the visuals from alpha (which still looked pretty good) to beta is huge.

Those are the major take-aways from our first day at E3.  We’ll have another chance to demo the beta tomorrow, plus our interview with the development team.  Hope you are all enjoying our E3 coverage.  Don’t forget to follow our E3 twitter for real-time updates.

Alpha testing continues for Final Fantasy XIV at the rate of one to three testing windows per region per week.  This week, we have 4Gamer’s take on how the alpha is progressing.

The report starts with a general warning to visitors of the site.  Things in the alpha build have vastly improved from how they started.  People had trouble just being able to log into the servers.  Even if they got in, some had troubles doing anything due to lag.  Then recently, video of in-game play was uploaded to the Internet by players breaking their NDAs.  The reporter says that people need to keep in mind that FFXIV is just at the alpha stage and still not the quality we should expect from the final product.

The bulk of the report is about the Guildleve system.  First, a review of what the Guildleve system is all about.  4Gamer summarizes it as a user friendly growth system.  To begin a Guildleve, first, players must obtain something that looks similar to a tarot card.  Then, they head out to an Aetheryte crystal to begin the quest related to that card.  There is a wide range of Guildleves for players to choose from.  Some are designed for people that wish to spend their time soloing.  Some are designed for parties of different sizes.  This system allows people to complete quests with a relatively light amount of preparation and time.

Area Map

It is safe to say that the Guildleve system is the main system for game play in FFXIV.  As proof, the 4Gamer reporter looks to what SE is doing with the alpha testing.  First, they worked on the login problems and server stability.  As soon as those issues were overcome, next up on their list was to start collecting feedback from the players as they completed Guildleves and began to test the system.

After a quick review, the reporter goes on to talk about his impression of the system after trying out a Guildleve himself.  Guildleves are divided into two categories.  Regional leves generally require a player to fight something or collect something.  Local leves generally require a player to create something.  The reporter settled on a Regional leve that starts from Camp Bearded Rock.  In fact, all of the starter Regional leves for Limsa Lominsa start at that Aetheryte crystal.  It is the closest camp to the city and only takes about 3 minutes for players to run there from the city’s gates.

Choose Your Adventure?

Alpha testers are only allowed to play in the areas around Limsa Lominsa, so if you are looking to try out the Guildleve system, head to the Adventurers’ Guild located in “The Drowning Wench“.  (The name of this fine establishment is different depending on the version of the game you are playing.  Japanese players, like the reporter, know the place as “The Drowning Dolphin”.)  The NPC in the Adventurers’ Guild will offer you a choice from 3 Guildleves that are suitable for your level.  You can hold up to 8 cards at one time.

After obtaining your card, it’s time to visit the Aetheryte.  From there, you can activate the quest or do a number of other things.  Players can touch the crystal to restore their HP and MP.  It is also possible to teleport to and from the crystals.  Seeing how important the Aetheryte will become to players, the reporter believes it will become the place for players to gather the members needed for their quests as well as a busy market area for players who wish to peddle their wares.

Once you’ve started your quest, your progress will be shown in a separate window along with the amount of time you have remaining.  Most quests have a 30 minute time limit.  People familiar with other MMORPGs should have no trouble figuring out what to do after reading the quest information.  However, should you need it, an arrow will appear on your mini map to guide you.

4Gamer Reporter vs Plague Rats

Worried that there won’t be enough monsters to complete your quest if everyone is doing the same thing?  Fear not!  The reporter says only you and your party members can see the monsters you need to defeat so no need to worry about other people coming in and stealing your prey.  Once you complete the requirements for your quest, a warp point will appear to take you back to the Aetheryte crystal.

While the overall system may not seem terribly special, it will seem fresh to veterans of FFXI and be an easy system for people new to online gaming to get into.  It’s the “service” built into the system (arrows on the map, free warp back, etc) that make it so appealing.  The reporter also makes comparisons to the “Fields of Valor” system in Final Fantasy XI.  People curious about that system can learn more about it by visiting our sister site, FFXIclopedia.

The 4Gamer reporter only tried a basic Guildleve for his report but he goes on to describe other possibilities born from the system.  For example, while a single player is only allowed to carry 8 cards at one time, it is possible for people in a party to mix-and-match their cards to create a new type of quest.  You can also set the difficulty level for the quest on a 5 point scale.

Test Your Strength on a 5 Point Scale

With such a high level of customization available, it’s easy to see how this is the main contents of a game that the FFXIV teams says will be friendly to the casual player but challenging enough for MMO veterans.

More pictures from the alpha build and the original Japanese text that served as the basis for this report can be found on 4Gamer’s website.

Andriasang, a Japanese gaming blog, is reporting that the next Famitsu will feature an interview with the Final Fantasy XIV team.  Their bullet point summary, which came from another gaming blog, Game Jouhou, is as follows:

• The alpha test had bad tempo with insufficient explanations. They’ve made some revisions to the beta, resulting in a completely different system.
• It will be easier to save up Gil.
• You remember that amazing comparison shot showing how much better the beta looks compared to the alpha? It seems that the beta uses a different technique for its shadows. The alpha version used something called “Project Shadows” while the beta version uses “Depth Buffer Shadows.”
• The city of Limsa Lominsa will have two levels.
• There will be a robust log filter in place. This is something that wasn’t finished in time for the alpha.
• They’re readying something large scale for your home, which functions like FFXI’s Mog House.
• They’ll soon be adding alpha testers as part of the new “alpha 2″ phase. They’ve already selected the participants via drawing!
• As you play the game, you’ll be able to freely change the god that you select during character making.
• Vehicles for FFXIV include Chocobo, horse driven carriage, boat, and air ship.
• You’ll be able to select different colors for your equipment.
• The Beta version will see some system changes that will make it so that you can more easily string together your attacks.

Three final notes worth mentioning, a quick look at the original Game Jouhou page (google translation), also shows otherwise unreported lines – first loosely translated from Japanese into broken English by Google, and then from broken English into the below by yours truly.  Even considering the source, these are still noteworthy:

• They are considering allowing player bazaars to run even while players are logged out.
• Players can participate in the the fighting arena and gambling halls in Ul’dah.
• Items can be inscribed like in FFXI.

We’ll be on the lookout for the actual Famitsu article, so we can verify these (and other?) bits of information.

Pop quiz!

1)  What’s the name of the server Final Fantasy XIV testers are currently playing on?

2)  How are FFXIV surnames and FFXI character names related?

3)  Can players level up in FFXIV?

You don’t need to be an alpha tester to know the answer to these questions although knowing some Japanese would help. It’s a little old but a few weeks Famitsu released a developer Q/A on their website.  If you don’t know the answer to these questions, read on!  Keep in mind that since this is a little old, some of the info might already be outdated.

Q: Please tell us how long you think the alpha and beta tests will last.

A: Right now we are doing alpha testing with a limited number of people playing all on one server.  That server is called “Shadowlord”*. We want to run 3 tests a week for each of the three regions.  Each time the testing server is open for about 4 hours.  We’re starting off by testing for stability and server load stress.  After that we’ll move into the first phase of beta testing.  Phase 1 will have the same game contents as the alpha but the testing will be broken up across multiple servers running at the same time.  We’ll also be testing different character growth patterns so at several times in the testing cycle we plan on deleting all of the tester’s character data.  The problems people report during the alpha test and beta phase 1 along with other issues will probably be fixed as we go into beta phase 2.  At that point we’d like to open up the servers to 24 hour testing.  The game contents will also get closer and closer to what will be available in the final release.  We’re also hoping to start PS3 testing around this stage.  We’ll continue to add new servers, add new testers, run server load tests, and get ready for the official start of service.  After that, right before release we’ll probably have an open beta for a few weeks.  However, we don’t plan on letting testers explorer anywhere but the immediate area around Limsa Lominsa.  Only about 20% of the final release will be open for testing by the end.

*Shadowlord is the name of an important figure in FFXI

Q: Why did you decide to add the option of surnames for characters?

A: It won’t be possible to have the same first and last name.  However, it is possible to have the same first name or the same last name.  We did this for Final Fantasy XI players who have grown attached to their character name.  Using surnames makes the chance of overlapping names extremely small and increases the chance of being able to use the name you are fond of.  The names might get long but we are looking into ways to keep players from having to type out a person’s full name when they want to use the /tell command, etc.

Q: Are there any differences between the various starting city-states?

A: Each city-state has its own story.  The facilities and shops will also be a little different so depending on what a player chooses, one place might be a little bit more convenient than another.

Q: What’s the purpose of using so many instanced areas in the game?

A: We really want to make a game where you can play when you want to play.  The guildleves system is an example of this.  In order to be able to monopolize an area and not have to wait in line behind other people, we decided to use instanced areas all over the place.

Instanced areas also work well with the idea from scenario lead Yaeko Sato.  Let’s call it “the power to see the past”.  For myself, I’ve always liked how in FFXI everyone is in the same world however not everyone sees the world in the same way.  However, we could only bring this out in cutscenes and I was never quite happy with that.  That’s where instanced areas can really come in handy.  For every new addition in the FF series, we have to create a new “syntax”.  In FFXIV, that “syntax” could probably be considered the use of instanced areas to show the effects of events.

(*Translator Note: The “power to see the past” is most likely the “Echo” power mentioned on the official site. Also, I’m not really sure what he means by the “syntax” thing.  It’s in quotes in the original too.)

Q: Are there enemies who will just come right out and attack you?  Also, are there any really strong enemies for players to go up against that aren’t a part of the story line?

A:  A resounding YES! to both of those.  For the current alpha build, we aren’t expecting testers to always team up for things so we haven’t included too many strong monsters or monsters that aggro though.

Q: Are there any sort of levels involved?

A:  There is something called your “Physical Level” that shows your HP, MP, Arm Strength, Intelligence, and similar basic stats.  However, your main weapon skill rank is more important.  After all, we want to make the most of the Armoury System.

Q:  We know that you have to use different commands during battle.  Does the amount of time before you can use a command change depending on the weapon?

A: Yes, it does.  Right now we are looking at the overall feedback from testers in the alpha build and that led us to already make some adjustments to improve the battle tempo.

I’m back!  I’ve moved into a brand new apartment that is much nicer than my old place.  It’s also not flooded out and molding which is a plus.  Sadly, moving meant no Internet access for awhile.  I’ve been wondering about what’s been happening in the world of FFXIV and it seems like a ton of alpha news has been released through the Japanese media this week!

We’ll start with Weekly Famitsu who had a chance to sit down with Final Fantasy XIV Producer Hiromichi Tanaka and Director Nobuaki Komoto.  There is a lot of interesting information inside along with a startling picture!

What’s so startling about this picture?  I’ll leave that up to you to figure out. But before you run off to do your detective work, let’s take a look at what they had to say.

Beyond Expectations

A common complaint we’ve been hearing in reports from the Japanese media (like Famitsu or 4Gamer) is that it is difficult to log into the game and actually play enough to really test things out.  That’s the first topic they deal with in the interview.  Tanaka begins by explaining how the alpha test is currently being held.  Testers in Japan, North America, and Europe have scheduled separate login windows in which they can test the game.  Each group has an equal number of testers.  Based on the experience they had with testing FFXI, they figured about 50% of each group would be logged in at one time.  However, the number of people actually trying to log in is much higher.  This is especially true for the Japanese test times.  After April 15th, they adjusted it to where testers’ virtual place in line for logging in would be held for up to 10 minutes.  Testers are asked to try to log in once every 10 minutes.  Thanks to a version update, you can also see how many people are in line waiting in front of you.  Server stability issues might continue to plague testers for awhile but the staff at Square Enix is working to make things better.  They want to apologize to all the testers and thank them for all they have done so far to make FFXIV a better game.

Culture and Comments

Next, they get into the comments players have made about the alpha build so far.  The comments really help them make the game better from a player’s point of view.  As the developers, they already know what buttons to press, where to go, what to do, etc.  However, this information isn’t always relayed to the players in a way that is easy to understand.

It sounds like hearing the comments from the players has been refreshing for Director Komoto.  He says he’s been away from FFXI to work on FFXIV for a long time and it made him feel so far from the players.  Now he’s taking in the comments and checking in with staff on the floor for developers and the operations floor.  It makes him feel like saying “I’m back!”

As for the comments themselves, as they are still really just testing the controls and response times, they’ve asked for feedback and a lot of it is about the same sorts of things.  There is also no tutorial as of yet so many players say the controls are hard to understand.  For example, they published a manual on the tester’s site and immediately received feedback on it.  That forces the developers to look at things from a different angle, look at things from a player’s voice of view.  It makes them feel like they still have a lot of work ahead of them before they release the final product.

There are also cultural differences that have appeared in the comments so far.  As mentioned before, the number of testers is the same per group but the number of comments is completely different!  The Japan group has submitted around 5000 comments so far.  However, the European group is around 19000 and the North American group is around 25000 comments.  Komoto also remarks that a lot of the NA comments are more about ideas for things they want to see included versus feedback on what is already in the game.  In comparison, the Japan group gives off a more gentle feeling, as if they are warmly looking over the staff.  He was expecting harsher feedback but so far just getting in the game has been a huge problem for the Japan group especially so that may be part of it.

They really want the testers to send in their comments though.  Tanaka and Komoto both say that they are working hard to incorporate the ideas from the players and will continue to do so up until the official release and beyond.

Inside the Game

Have any of you seen Azagba Tanaka yet?  That’s the character Tanaka is using to log in during the test windows and experience the game with the players.  Komoto remarked that the staff is generally staying out of things because it is hard enough for the testers to get on the server.  Tanaka laughed and said he waits in front of his computer and keeps trying his luck in the “login battle”.

When asked about the alpha schedule, Komoto said their current goal is to have three stable testing runs per group per week.  They have to get things stable enough so that the testers can really play for a decent amount of time.  Also, they are thinking about changing how they currently run the tests.  The login windows are set for each group but there are people who can’t play during those times.  The alpha testing period is also likely to run longer than they had originally scheduled due to continuing server stability issues.

One interesting bit of information to come out of this interview was about how they plan on wiping character data many times during the test cycle.  Right now, there is a certain character growth pattern being tested.  However, there is another pattern they are considering as well.  At some point, they will wipe everyone’s character data and begin testing the second pattern as well.  Komoto says they will probably wipe character data during the beta and even right before the official release as well.

Once things are stable, they will move into the next stage of testing where testers are spread out across multiple servers.  They haven’t decided if they will call that stage Alpha 2 or Beta 1 yet though.  They also don’t know when they will introduce other parts of the game, bringing it closer to the final release version and making it what most companies would refer to as a “Beta build”.

Some people might also be curious to know when we’ll see the global servers FFXI has become known for.  Right now players in different regions are limited to separated play windows and can’t interact with each other.  Tanaka says that when the test servers are open for testing 24 hours a day, people will probably start playing together.

65%

The final batch of questions were about the overall progress of the game’s development.  The graphics are almost complete but they will still do touch ups here and there.  The planners and programmers are also working on their last batch of adjustments.  However, Tanaka says its hard to say how far along the game is.  He says a low-ball estimate might be 65%.  Also, what testers can currently access is less than 10% of what they plan for the final product.

PS3 users will have to continue to wait for their turn at testing.  While it is being developed at the same time as the PC version, all Tanaka will say is that they are continuing to work towards releasing both official versions as the same time.

That’s all for this time but be sure to check back later in the week for more information about the alpha test straight from Japan!

Information and the image for this article are adapted from the interview that ran in Weekly Famitsu No. 1118, published April 28th, 2010.

If there’s one thing worse than not enough information provided to Final Fantasy XIV fans, it’s too much information provided to Final Fantasy XIV fans. In our quest for knowledge about this exciting new game, it’s easy to forget that we’re only a small part of the potential player base and that the consequences of leaked Alpha test information may have a greater impact than it first appears.

Human beings erect statues to honor four main groups of people: religious figures, politicians, war heroes, and explorers. It’s in our nature to explore new frontiers and we honor those that do. Part of the excitement in a new MMO is getting that taste of a new world to experience. I daresay, “To boldly go where no one has gone before,” if you’ll pardon the geekiness.

It’s just human nature that fans of this game would want to learn all they could before their first journey on release day. After months in the proverbial desert, with only a few drops of precious Final Fantasy XIV news updates to drink, word of an Oasis nearby would be too irresistible to pass up.

But once Alpha testers started leaking information last week, this is exactly what happened. People downloaded copies of the game client to dissect the class ability descriptions contained within the code. Screenshots of the game world and the incomplete character creation screens circled the globe across the internet. And, most infamously, an individual who goes by PookyPoo went so far as to live stream the Alpha test in-progress to presumably hundreds of people: a veritable act of gratuitous pornography in fandom circles.

So while fans swam in data overload last week, it was easy to forget that we really weren’t supposed to see any of what we just saw. But tell a thirsty person that they shouldn’t be drinking the freely available water, and you’re liable to get punched in the nose. I, too, was swept up in the allure of the pond of perspicacity to even consider the consequences of the leaked information I was unexpectedly privy to. And I resented those who tried to control the damage.

“Damage, you say?”

Well, with the data “hangover” now passed, I’ve had a chance to reconsider the consequences of what has transpired. And I believe there is more harm than good to what we’ve just witnessed.

1. Non-fans Get the Wrong Impression

It may be hard to believe, but the Final Fantasy XIV community as it exists today is only a fraction of the number of players who will sign up for the game on release day and beyond. Most people who will play this game someday are only taking a cursory glance at best over what’s going on with its development.

The first impression of someone like this could be a screenshot of some horrible glitch that occurred in the Alpha test. Not having much context to go on, they could conclude that the game was too buggy to play. The result? Square-Enix lost a customer, and you lost a teammate for your guild.

2. Fans Get the Wrong Impression Also

FFXIV Class Ability lists appear on the internet explaining what all the abilities of each Class in the game are. Others have their leveling planned out already based on their observations of the Alpha test.

But forgotten is that Square-Enix is relying heavily on Alpha tester feedback at this stage to (possibly) widely change the direction of the game. Every aspect of FFXIV continues to be quite flexible and could be completely shaken up. Menu screens could be revamped and shuffled, default keys rearranged, abilities could disappear completely, the whole leveling system could be reworked into something different. It’s the whole point of the Alpha test.

Any opinions formed on how things work could be completely out-dated weeks from now.

3. The Appearance of Impropriety on Fan Sites

It’s hard to convince the organization that’s providing you secret information that you’re not breaking their Non-disclosure Agreement while you’re running web site that’s openly discussing their secrets.

Certainly, the administrators of any major Final Fantasy fan site are put in that awful rock-and-a-hard-place because of leaked alpha information that fans irresistibly want to talk about. Do they side with Square-Enix, restrict talk to official press releases only, and potentially alienate the fans that support their site? Or do they side with the fans, and risk jeopardizing all they have worked for to have a close relationship with Square-Enix for years to come?

Leaked information has and will likely continue to strain fan sites as discussions are forced to move off site to less conspicuous locations. The effect leaked information has of sapping the fan base before the game even starts is absolutely damaging to the long term success of Final Fantasy XIV.

The Enemy of Your Enemy Is Your Friend

Certainly, Final Fantasy XIV fans can all agree that they want the game to be as fun and successful as it could possibly be. Wanting to learn about and access the game, even if development is still in progress, is just a part of that passion, and can seem like Square-Enix is working against its fans by trying to keep its Alpha Test a secret.

The reason Square-Enix does make their testers agree to a Non-disclosure Agreement is not because they hate their fans, but because they want to put the best face on FFXIV so that anyone who is curious about it will not be confused about what to expect. If people get the wrong impression now, it may influence them to look elsewhere for a game. The entire point of the NDA, then, is to keep these misunderstandings from happening, especially when anything that happens in the Alpha test could be totally different by release day.

To those thirsty for new game data, particularly when news get slow, it could seem like spilled secrets are mana from heaven. But, when Alpha testers leak information they agreed that they wouldn’t, they cause real damage to the prospects of your future fun. I don’t begrudge anyone who wants to learn what they can about Final Fantasy XIV. But keep in mind, the leakers are not the heroes they may at first seem to be.

Written by SharpTalon.
My thanks to ElementalAngel, DC1701, Kylamay, and Joewight for the elements of this article’s picture.

Surprise!  While Weekly Famitsu and Dengeki PlayStation are the two biggest sources of information we have for FFXIV when it comes to magazines, there are a few other publications out there that cover FFXIV as well.  It is rare to see additional articles so close to some major announcements, but Dengeki Games decided to give everybody a little treat.

Dengeki Games is a relatively new monthly publication that started up last fall.  It runs gaming information for all platforms whether its handheld, console, arcade, or even your cell phone.  The 7th volume just came out with a 4-page summary of the information we’ve recently seen.  However, there are a few extra tidbits to enjoy that weren’t part of the other write-ups.  In this article, we’ll look at what Dengeki Games found out about the current user interface, different classes, and some interesting plans for transitioning from the beta to the official release.

What do all those little icons mean?

The latest screenshot of the alpha build is filled with different icons.  Let’s take a closer look at some of them.

In this closeup, we can see the selected command “Seismic Shock”, one of the Pugilist’s weapon skills.  Under that is the target information.  Destiny was attacking a rather large Peiste.  You can see the enemy’s HP gauge underneath the name.  Next to the name though is a small red icon.  What does it mean?

Question: What does that red mark next to the target name mean?

Answer: It tells you the strength of the enemy party.  In FFXI, you would “Check” an enemy to learn its relative strength and the results would appear in your log.  However, in FFXIV, party versus party battles are more frequent, so the icon tells you the relative strength of the entire party.

That’s a handy feature!  In FFXI, the results of a “Check” would vary from person to person depending on their armor, weapon, the food they had eaten, etc.  This time, we see once again how the game design is focused on party versus party battles looking at the strength of your party as a whole when you go out into battle.

The new battle log has received a bunch of attention since we first saw it at Gamescom.  We’ve heard it would be customizable and that you would be able to move it around.  While FFXI had tabs for different chat modes, the FFXIV version divides logs into different customizable types.  In the screenshot we see General and Battle, but there will be more options for players who want more control over what they see.

Question: What is the difference between the General and Battle tabs above the log box?

Answer: The General log shows everything.  The Battle log is just for things related to battle.  So the tabs are like a filtering system.  For the official release, you’ll be able to add additional tabs and filter the log to your liking.  We are also thinking about making it where you can have 2 different log windows on your screen at the same time.

Question: How much of the layout will you be able to change?

Answer: The things that are a necessary part of the UI, like the HP and MP gauges, the mini map, and the log, can be moved around freely.

While having multiple windows might cut down on how much of the action you could see, there are definitely people out there that would like to be able to keep chat and battle logs separate but still be able to follow both.

The bottom icon bar layout might be old news to some people but let’s take a look at it anyways.  There are a lot of icons that weren’t a part of FFXI so it will be interesting to see how they are used in real practice.

In the middle are your various commands and your TP gauge bar.  Notice the little 1 to the side?  It isn’t mentioned in the article but perhaps this will be used to change command sets much like macro book pages in FFXI.  What we do know is the following.  The first icon on the left, the little sword, is the mode selection icon.  You click this to switch between Active and Passive Mode.  Next to that is the battle regiment button.  It describes this mode as the one you use if you want to pull off a move that requires multiple people.  They compare it to skillchains in FFXI.  Skip over to the right-hand side.  The dark brown bag icon is used to pull up your item menu.  Next to that is the icon that pulls up a list of different motions your character can do like wave goodbye or cheer.  Finally, the last icon pulls up your main menu.

Class Q&A Recap

Most of the following questions and answers were already published in Dengeki PlayStation.

Question: So far in the classes and weapon information, we haven’t seen anything about dual wielding weapons like you see in FFXI.  Will we eventually see dual wielding in FFXIV too?  Also, if that is the case, what classes will they match up with?

Answer: I can’t answer your question as to when but I think it is safe to say we will see it at some point.  As for which classes will be able to dual wield, all I can say is, please look forward to future announcements.

Question: We know you will be able to change your class at any time but will there be any restrictions as to the classes you can change into?

Answer: There aren’t any restrictions right now but that isn’t to say there won’t be in the future.

Question: Can you change your class in the midst of battle?

Answer: In FFXIV, there are two modes: Passive and Active.  In Passive Mode, your HP restores while you move around.  Active Mode is when you have drawn your weapon and are ready for battle.  You can only change your class when you are in Passive Mode.

Question: Can you freely change between these modes?

Answer: Yes, you can change modes anywhere.

Beta Testers Can Keep Their Names?!

One of the most stunning pieces of information to come out of this article is about the beta test.  It is common practice that everyone starts from scratch with the official release of a game regardless of their progress during the beta.  However, it looks like the FFXIV team is thinking about doing things a little bit differently.

Question: Do you plan on letting beta testers carry over their character names or anything else into the final release?

Answer: Yes, that’s the plan.  However, since the number of servers (Worlds) will be different from the beta, there might be a chance that somebody creates a character with the same name as you on the World you want to play on before you do your character transfer.  We’ll need to come up with some rules on how to handle those situations.

Question: Will PS3 beta testers and PC beta testers play on the same Worlds during the beta?

Answer: We have no particular plans to separate by version.  However, as the testing periods will be different, some Worlds might have more people playing on one particular platform than another.  We do plan on making things like FFXI where you can log in with the same account from any platform.

Question: Will the beta servers be separated by language?  Also, will some sort of auto-translator feature be present in the beta?

Answer: We haven’t decided anything yet about when to add the auto-translator function or if there will be language-separated servers during the beta.  However, for alpha testing, the testing time windows are separated for Japan, North America, and Europe.

So that’s the information we have at this time.  How do you feel about the answers?  In particular, how do you feel about the possibility of beta testers being able to keep their names into the final release?  We might be talking about this in the next episode of Aetheryte Radio so please leave your comments in the forums or send a message to the hosts at podcast@eorzeapedia.com.