From The Desk of the Community Team (06/21/2011)

[Gergall]

http://na.square-enix.com/ffxi/newsl...tter_48_05.jpg

tl;dr new test server will be cool and we still read the community forums.

[Kaisha]

Test server makes me curious how they'll be handling the updated dat info, since we can't exactly have features in testing be operating on our proper accounts also.

[Gergall]

Test server makes me curious how they'll be handling the updated dat info, since we can't exactly have features in testing be operating on our proper accounts also.

Have they said whether it would be available for PC only? It sounds like a serious hard drive space issue for the PS2 users.

[Kaisha]

I don't think they've said anything beyond "Hey! Test server coming", but that's one of the things I was considering there, as I doubt the PS2 can afford to have both normal update data alongside test-server data.

Does anyone know if POL on PS2 shares the same partition as FFXI? The POL account management transition to SE-Accounts would allow them to trim a fair bit of the client away as a lot of the menu graphics/information wouldn't be needed anymore.

[Byrthnoth]

I'm assuming that the test server is going to be an actual server that we log into, basically opening up Atomos. Because our client software basically just displays the things that SE sends us, the real changes are going to be on their end. And even that isn't really a change, because Atomos has existed since the dawn of FFXI so they obviously already have the software written.

[shaddix]

I don't think they are going to need to change the dats at all are they? Only if they're testing new animations, sounds, and gfx.

[Kaisha]

Aren't things like mobs/npcs hard-coded into the entity list for a zone? If they added a new event, we'd have to get the new list. FFXI's engine isn't that dynamic last I checked.

[Byrthnoth]

Yeah, but it could just be a normal server with the GM commands opened.

[shaddix]

Oh I wasn't thinking about events and crap like that. Maybe I am ignorant about what the test server is going to do. If they did add new mobs and zones and stuff they could just update the game for everyone but only the test server would give you the ability to do them. For example a new npc they add for the new event simply wouldn't function on the normal servers or maybe its possible even for them to make them invisible.

[Kaisha]

GM commands would just be begging for griefing. Most I'm expecting is no character-copy service (that's asking too much of SE), but instead some debug NPCs to adjust your lvl/gear/etc.

[Absolutely Virtue]

Where is the census? Wasn't that supposed to come out already?

[Fereydoon]

Where is the census? Wasn't that supposed to come out already?

I was thinking this earlier, there's been none yet. No word of it either, they might have just silently canceled it.

[SephYuyX]

I'm assuming that the test server is going to be an actual server that we log into, basically opening up Atomos. Because our client software basically just displays the things that SE sends us, the real changes are going to be on their end. And even that isn't really a change, because Atomos has existed since the dawn of FFXI so they obviously already have the software written.

This.

When you go to select your character, you will now be able to select which server you want to go to. You can go to your actual server, or Atomos. Everything will be the same as if you were on a real server (whether or not gear will come over, meh), but SE will have their changes implemented. Raised/lowered states, new ja, ma, etc, anything that doesnt require a dat change. There will probably be a NPC available to change lvl, job, range of stats etc, and you will have available a limited amount of GM commands; IE self warp even if youre on WAR, auto-reraise, no xp loss, etc, nothing that can be twisted in to griefing.

Worst comes to worse, there is a seperate POL instance you need to log in to (they may do this for security sake, as they may leave Atomos access completly out of the normal POLs reach, however I think Taj proved that to be wrong), and you create a new character, with access to the above stated NPC and powers.

I really doubt there will be a whole new XI install with seperate dats and such. If they do wantto implement new dat changes though, they will probably be minimal. So really I dount think we will see any new equip/areas/dats unless they do go down the route of a whole new install, or using a seperate dat folder for Atomos only, leaving this to be a PC only server.

[Gergall]

Seph - Almost everything, including JAs and spells, require dat changes.

Shaddix - I think you've got it figured out. SE will update the DATs for everyone but server-side settings will still control what is available for actual use.

For example, SE pushes out dat updates with new items and spells for everybody. But the items and spells have a 0 drop rate on the live server and can only be found on the test server. SE pushes out dat updates with new job abilities for everybody. But on the live server, the JAs are "inactive" (or set to level 150 or something so no one can get them).

[Spira]

wondering if it'll be a limited test server or an open one..

the latter makes more sense for the purpose of greater testing..

I'd think an option to log on to your character on an alternate server would make the most sense in testing things out.. or what they could do is create dummy characters with maxed out jobs/etc for the player to use, and then on the test server there'll be some kind of outfitting for you - maybe the first gear outfitting will be based on a main character you already have..

Assuming theres also gear testing, im sure we will be handed various gear out like candy for us to try.. which will be pretty interesting..

as for filespace allocation.. im thinking it either gets accessed in a separate folder or is incorporated into the existing location under a different subdirectory.. ROM9 or something (for differentiation purposes)..
dats are tweaked enough to make to main game, so probably during actual game patch those are added into the other rom directories, and subsequently cleared from the test folder.

visual dats are unlikely to require testing, so if they choose to add those in, or reveal those to us, they might be incorporated into the actual game already..

either way as far as dats are concerned,theyve always been handled client side in the past so we'll likely have a lot to datamine with

[Gwynplaine]

Here's the thing that worries me about the test server idea:

Does this mean all/most/many players will get access to it and be able to try out the upcoming content before it's release? I hope that Square will have some sense and not be TOO overly pampering when they take into account the players feedback. I hope they will test and focus only on getting the content working properly. Instead I'm worried mouth-breathing official forum type players will unleash a deluge of moronic opinions and suggestions and Square will give in to some of their stupid demands. Surely there may be *some* proper times when player demanded changes would be best to implement (for example, remember the starting chest cells addition to Salvage). But the threat of exposing new content adjustments before they're released to the dregs of FFXI makes me nervous.

[Eanae]

I'm sad for a test server. I think the best part about FFXI was jumping into every update without knowing shit about the content. It's never been overly buggy either. Not sure what they're going for here.

[Yeyoking]

I'm sad for a test server. I think the best part about FFXI was jumping into every update without knowing shit about the content. It's never been overly buggy either. Not sure what they're going for here.

Making the user beta test their content so they can cut back on internal testers or another way SE is trying to reach out to the players instead of sundi giving out "IDKs."

[Ocara]

I'm sad for a test server. I think the best part about FFXI was jumping into every update without knowing shit about the content. It's never been overly buggy either. Not sure what they're going for here.

I think the nostalgia goggles have become one with your head. Do you not remember the emergency 4+ hour updates after 90% of updates for years and years? And the subsequent ones later in the week when more bugs came to light? And a majority complaining SE never tells us enough?

[SephYuyX]

One day down time and a week of random maints once a quarter really didnt bug me at all. If anything I loved maints because that meant I could focus on something else.

Like Eanae, I have no idea what SE is shooting for here having a test server either. I dont think cutting down on people is the answer because they probably only had a party full of people to test stuff, and then went back to do their actual job later that day. The majority of bugs found are the ones that people just happen upn. Will a test server cut back on random emergency maints to fix stuff like 100%PDT, super mazu, etc? Yes, but it doesnt make sense to me for that being the only reason.

They probably have something up their sleave as usual, maybe something big in the future. I did like the mystique of having all of this new information flood out of the gates on release day, though im sure SE wont reveal everything in the test server and hold some stuff back till release day. Atomos will probably only be open during certain periods anyway, and not be 24/7.

Oh well, we'll see.