- Website: https://horizonxi.com/
- Discord: https://discord.gg/horizonxi
A new FFXI adventure is just on the horizon! Launching December 17th, 2022 at 10:00AM EST, HorizonXI is a single box progression server starting at the Chains of Promathia expansion utilizing our unique "Era+" approach. Through Era+, HorizonXI will sequentially implement all existing FFXI content at level 75 while embracing the game's original horizontal progression system - preserving the social networking and group oriented play FFXI is known for. Below is our launch trailer which provides an overview of what the server offers while also giving a sneak peek at some of our Era+ content.
Many of our staff are old BG posters and we wanted to post here for anyone who might be interested in our project. Thank you again to the admins for giving us permission to do so. We already have almost 4500 people on our discord and we are growing fast!
What is Era+?
Adventurers on HorizonXI will have the opportunity to engage in an experience that allows them to relive the magic and mystery of FFXI, like when it was first released over two decades ago. We have designed our server to include new and exciting things that keep the spirit of discovery alive, including new experience point camps, slight modifications to previously underutilized equipment, and more to be uncovered in-game. Adventurers are also free to pursue the in-game path that best fits their interests and play styles rather than feeling forced into playing jobs and strategies most aligned to the "META" (most effective tactics available) that existed in the past and continues to exist on most current FFXI private servers. Through a light touch to jobs and content that we refer to as our Era+ approach, we have designed a server that will excite and support a variety of players.
A New Sense of Discovery through Era+ Enhancements
Our dedicated balance team has ensured that none of our balancing has drastically altered the identity of the level 75 cap era experience we all know and love. More specifically, we have accomplished the goal of re-imagining discovery and job viability through slight job tweaks to provide better overall class balance, minor adjustments to key encounters and content, and minor gameplay tweaks.
Previews of our job balancing can be seen here.
The core pillar of job balancing for HorizonXI has been that all jobs must retain their level 75 cap identity. The era balance experience has been preserved by only making minimal adjustments to some jobs. Any adjustments directly solve an existing balance problem in era, and all solutions carry the mandates of: (a) feeling appropriate for the level 75 cap era; and (b) pushing a job closer to its core identity in the 75 cap era. Any balancing will be monitored by the developers and actively adjusted as needed once the server has launched.
Custom Launcher for Easy Installation
HorizonXI will also have its own custom launcher to help players easily install the client and connect to the server. We are actively working on this launcher now and our goal is to have it available at launch, if not soon after launch. Many players want to explore private servers but often find the installation process burdensome and complicated, but the custom launcher makes it simple.
Through the HorizonXI launcher, Adventurers can easily install and update the game, all while having the option to add custom music and dats - adding a new twist to the FFXI experience. You can check out some of the custom dats and music we are adding in our Developer Blog #6. Rest assured that any custom additions are optional, and you can easily choose to preserve the original game aesthetics if desired.
Who Are We?
The HorizonXI team is composed of over 100 volunteers who are extremely passionate about Final Fantasy XI. The team is split between developers, balancers, testers, community managers, translators, artists, musicians, game masters (GMs), and community creators. All of the team members are extremely experienced FFXI players, with a combined total of over 1400 years of player, linkshell leader, private server developer, and GM experience. Furthermore, it is especially notable that many of our developers have previously worked on other major FFXI private servers, providing quality content to hundreds of active players. It is our goal to leverage our prior experiences into a polished and balanced stream of 75-era FFXI content for HorizonXI adventurers to enjoy.
While we are currently fully staffed, we are always looking to expand the team if the right talent becomes available. If you are interested in joining our team, please check out our discord!
Want to Know More?
Have further questions not answered in this post? We have additional information on our website and discord, including text summaries of our Developer Blogs where we answer community questions and show off content. We are also happy to talk about the server and answer any questions in this thread. We hope to see you in Vana’diel on December 17th!