Final Fantasy XIV console beta codes to be honored!

Started by Epelesker, December 05, 2012, 02:40:44 AM

Epelesker

Anyone remember back when Final Fantasy XIII was released and it came with codes for the original PlayStation3 beta test for the then-upcoming online game? That... didn't exactly work out too well, did it? XIV version 1.0 is now closed for good, after a dismal reception that has not only forced Square Enix president Yoichi Wada to publicly apologize and drastically reshuffle the development roster, pushing back any chances of a console release indefinitely.

A Realm Reborn, however, is now inching closer to reality: Alpha test footage has been posted on the game's official Youtube channel over the past couple of weeks.

There is additional good news according to this interview from October (http://www.examiner.com/article/new-beta-details-for-the-ps3-version-of-final-fantasy-xiv-a-realm-reborn), where it's been stated that the original Beta promotion that ran back in 2009 with the release of FFXIII will still be honored.

QuoteWe haven't yet started talking about our BETA plans in detail, but yes, we do fully intend to honour the promotion we ran with XIII for beta codes.

Starsman

Quote from: Epelesker on December 05, 2012, 02:40:44 AM
Anyone remember back when Final Fantasy XIII was released and it came with codes for the original PlayStation3 beta test for the then-upcoming online game? That... didn't exactly work out too well, did it? XIV version 1.0 is now closed for good, after a dismal reception that has not only forced Square Enix president Yoichi Wada to publicly apologize and drastically reshuffle the development roster, pushing back any chances of a console release indefinitely.

It did? That game was such a huge disapoinmtent, i tossed it aside long ago never looked back at the box contents, will have to look again... although I got an XBox copy...

BTW... how much they changed the game? I got it for PC at launch and it was a disaster.

Got to hand it to them for sticking to the title, though... hosting it FREE for over a year and then doing a full relaunch... I forgot my loging info though...
For the sake of the community: please stop the cultural "research" in your attempt to put blame on the game's cancelation.

It's sickening to see the community sink that low. It's worse to see the community does not get it.

I'm signing off and taking a break, blindly hope things change.

Epelesker

The game's current Alpha footage is limited to demoing character creation and some zone exploration: there's nothing for combat or other systems as of yet. The UI has changed its style as well. Also, I read somewhere that despite the high quality of graphics, it's not going to need really sophisticated CPU hardware to run... though that may or may not be subject to change. From trailers, there is chocobo riding and a 'limit break" system for parties was previewed.

Level sync (what we know as sidekicking) may also make a return from XI.

I've seen a lot of optimism that Naoki Yoshida, the new director, could actually turn around XIV for the better.

Starsman

Well, I doubt they changed much in the 3D models and graphic engine departments. I played the game when it first launched and was shocked at how many art assets where taken directly out of Final Fantasy XI. Mind you: they looked better thanks to a better engine with better shaders and the like. Character models where brand new but nearly the same design as the previous game.

The problem with the game when it launched were not graphics (although hear that graphics did cause it to launch for PC only at first,) but gameplay issues.

It was touted to be casual friendly, that "we learned from WoW's success", but the final game was even grindier than Final Fantasy XI and Classic Everquest 1 put together. Missions consisted of traveling like crazy to go kill a handful of critters in an open area and return... then be limited to X number of quests per day... combat was... slooooooow. And the crafting system... oh lord, at launch it required you to master every single trade skill to get a single sword crafted, because they attempted to interlock crafting in a way that every skill would be required to... well... trade with each other.

Finally the refusal to implement an auction house and stick everyone into afk player kiosks.

At the end of the day, FFXI felt way more of a casual game.

As I mentioned before, the reception was so bad they made the game free for a year or so, think they fired the lead designer, started working on this new "incarnation" and decided to put the PS3 version on hold until they managed to come up with a GOOD MMO.

I understand the goal with Rebirth is precisely to change all that 180, but have never been clear (to me) on how they will do this. My fear is that during that time window they may had listened too much to the players that stuck around, those players likely enjoyed the grindfest.

I'm a BIT hopeful, though. I liked the feel of the world in FFXI and would love if FFXIV became a casual version I was able to tolerate, because after playing CoH, I was unable to ever again enjoy FFXI.
For the sake of the community: please stop the cultural "research" in your attempt to put blame on the game's cancelation.

It's sickening to see the community sink that low. It's worse to see the community does not get it.

I'm signing off and taking a break, blindly hope things change.


Ceremonius

Well, I don't know about the console support, but the PC closed beta (the first one) was extremely horrible.

I got a beta key (indeed I am a freelance volunteer editor for an mmo online mag) and as I registered it, I started to read at the forums.
Reading known issues within the closed beta, how to solve them and so on. Just in case if anything is about happen.

But I instantly stopped at that point. Didn't even downloaded the CB Client.
In the forums it was mentioned that there is NO support at all. Wich means: You have a problem, report it, but don't bug anyone with it and solve it yourself.

I NEVER EVER expierenced that sort of non existend community support by a dev/publisher!
That's why I instantly dropped all the work and maybe good writings about the game. I also stated that in an issues of said magazine that due no support the game wasn't tested and previewed. 

I don't know what is now, due the fact the game seems to get an major redesign. 
But the lack of support, even for press representives, is just something wich was simply not acceptable.

Hopefully SE learned from their mistakes.
No Guts, No Glory! No Pain, No Gain!
One for all, all for one; Riders on the range!
No Guts, No Glory! We're taking a stand!
Ready to prove it again!
~Galaxy Rangers

Starsman

@Ceremonius, the original game release for PC was indeed a disaster. SE acknoledged it, to the point they refused to charge anyone a monthly fee for about a year. They fired some people, canceled the PS3 release and started working on a redesign of the game. What is coming out now seems to be that redesign (for both PC and PS3.)

Seeing the video posted by Epelesker, the game seems to have been changed a lot to a more world of warcraft direction, at least in the contact/quest and even in part of the interface while at the same time giving it a more Final Fantasy 13 feel (the gui). Cant tell for sure about the combat.

Oh, and I don't think you were able to jump in the original release. I know I got a bit shocked to see the character jumping fences in that video.
For the sake of the community: please stop the cultural "research" in your attempt to put blame on the game's cancelation.

It's sickening to see the community sink that low. It's worse to see the community does not get it.

I'm signing off and taking a break, blindly hope things change.