Does everyone really dislike Playonline Viewer?

[Draylo]

Why did it fail so hard though, I guess they got lazy?

[bungiefan]

I think I still have the installer for the IM client, and it still works. There's also a web-based one. https://secure.playonline.com/polplu...ist/login.html

PlayOnline was supposed to be like Xbox Live, with games from SquareSoft, Enix, and Namco. It had 6 games at once point: Final Fantasy XI, JongHoLow, Tetra Master, Fromt Mission Online, Dirge of Cerberus, and Fantasy Earth. It was a central billing interface and communication interface for them. It's just that the games didn't get released in North America to use the service other than FFXI. JongHoLow also shut down when Tetra Master did, but it was JP PS2-only, and Fantasy Earth was JP PC-only until GamePot took it over and rereleased it as Fantasy Earth Zero without need for POL to log in.

The interface may have been used more if SCEA and SCEE had released the HDD when Japan got it. PSBBN also did a lot of things that were interesting and later fleshed out in PSP and PS3's interface.

http://bungiefan.tripod.com/psbbn_01.html

[Tekki]

@ video

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/v...r-troopers.jpg

[Ghostsix.Midgard]

POL music.. so many memories.

"YEEEEEEaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhaaaaaaaaaaaa"

[Crab_Cake]

POL could've been an excellent tool for accessing S-E's expansive library of online games, except then they only made the one.

It's kind of a bit disappointing they stopped working on it (they stopped updating it a long time ago + they ditched it when they said FFXIV won't be using it).

Remember when FFXI had Vanadiel Tribune? You could read it on POL Viewer.

(To be fair you could read it on playonline.com instead of POL Viewer but did you know POL Viewer had its own Vanadiel Tribune Music >.>? [Technically it wasn't exclusive to Vanadiel Tribune but that was some good music])

POL also has/had:

*Chatrooms

*Friend Finder (if you set your profile to public you can be found using the system)

*Messages (though messages are stored locally and not on the account which is kind of shame but I'd imagine they'd change that if there was enough demand)

*Manuals (Tetra Master had good music in POL Viewer and a nice manual when it was still up)

*Customizable background music (well that is you select other background music POL has to offer. I like the default music)

Imagine if POL Viewer had better load times + more games -It might have been popular enough to attract third parties and compete with Steam.

[Spira]

man that video is hilarious..

I don't remember a time when POL ever looked like that tho. That was most definitely pre-release days I think..

I mean, when XI was a modded FFVIII with FMV from FFIX, u can kinda guess too..

lotsa wasted potential. A lot of players don't bother using the viewer except to access FFXI tho. And the only time the chat rooms ever get used is when theres maintenance, afaik. I did use the mail thing occasionally and I still use the messaging pretty frequently to keep in touch with friends on other servers.. but other than that most of their functions aren't used..

Also, I totally don't remember there ever being a knock, but.. it sounds very familiar

[Siatdiat]

I like how the promo implies 2 incorrect things about FFXI. It shows them doing other shit while they wait, shit that in reality you had to use an illegal windower app to do. And it shows the guy in LA telling them he'll be there in 3 minutes tops. In early days of FFXI, I don't remember getting anywhere in 3 minutes, it probably took more than 3 minutes to get out of town to noob areas and kill shit even.

[TacoTaru]

Guess I'm one of the few who liked/customized my POL window. I also really liked reading the Vana'diel Tribune back in the day; it's a shame they got rid of it.

[bungiefan]

How many of the tribunes from before NA release have been translated? There were a bunch with storyline continuity in them.

[Nilheim]

(To be fair you could read it on playonline.com instead of POL Viewer but did you know POL Viewer had its own Vanadiel Tribune Music >.>? [Technically it wasn't exclusive to Vanadiel Tribune but that was some good music])

I've been looking for that track for months cause I'm a nostalgic guy hehe, does anyone have an idea where I might download it? I can't find it anywhere

[Omniyoji]

I think the Final Fantasy music thread should have in there somewhere.

EDIT

here

from

Music and More

EDIT again

Yeah it's in there. The Final Fantasy XI menu folder

[Nilheim]

Great, thanks a lot! It seems I should've taken a look at that PlayOnline track list after all, aha

[Insanecyclone]

Hope I'm not the only one that used



And



As their background music.

[Pikarya]

Jungle always reminded me of PSO.

[Omniyoji]

Definitely those and others. I liked the random background/music load everytime I logged into PoL.

[Rocl]

Isn't Dolphin the default POL music? Oh god, I thought I changed it years ago by accident but I thought I imagined it.

[Insanecyclone]

I think this is the default music.

[Correction]

I remember Funky Monkey being the default but I never used anything but Dolphin 100% of the time. Mostly because it was the most soothing during patches.

Or was it 'Space' as the default? Dang I can't remember at all now.

[Souj]

Dolphin is definitely the default music.