Dev Tracker: Discussion

[NynJa]

Don't wanna support the game but still wanna charge monthly? Wat

I get servers cost money n shit to maintain, but if theyre getting rid of the dev crew and just keeping a janitor on staff for bugs and balance issues (what balance issues if theres no new content), why does our monthly fee not change?

[Karbuncle]

Makes very little sense, It won't be long before games dead if the fee stays the same and they cut content production. I know a lot of doomsayers spoke of XI's death throughout the years but I don't know how it will continue past this year with a 12.95 fee and no new content for the forseeable future.

Wonder how that Mobile game will work... wish they would put it on the 3DS or something...

[dasva]

Google Translated Summary:
http://www.ffxiah.com/forum/topic/46...y-in-japanese/

- FFXI Mobile is a different game, apparently. Have to start with new characters, etc.
- No server merges until November.
- You need the five main expansions to play Rhapsodies of Vana'diel, can't tell about story
- No plans to get rid of the monthly fee

Google-translated Japanese barely helps.

Hmmm that's odd because I could swear the press conference said there would be a different mobile game AND mobile ffxi

[fantasticdan]

They did, but that still doesn't mean mobile FFXI would be connected to the current one. My impression was that they were recycling FFXI content into a far simpler game with f2p elements for a new demographic, not just making an extra client.

[dasva]

They did, but that still doesn't mean mobile FFXI would be connected to the current one. My impression was that they were recycling FFXI content into a far simpler game with f2p elements for a new demographic, not just making an extra client.

So 2 unconnected ffxi like games?

[fantasticdan]

Well the other game (final fantasy grandmasters) clearly plays nothing like FFXI, just looks like it's supposed to take place in the same universe and borrows some monster models. It is weird to announce two vana'diel based mobile games at the same time I guess, but SE has been farming out cash grab mobile games to outside developers left and right.

[Trigun]

I'm interested if Rhapsodies of Vana'diel is free or not.

[Ophannus]

It will be free I'm sure as they said the content is to be added in regular version updates. Odd part is they said some new zones but no way new zones can be added through VU's unless they're small and crappy I would think, talkin like bullshit zones like Southern Sandoria[S].

[Hitou]

Just because a zone is reskinned doesn't mean it takes less data. There's 0 reason they can't upload zone data in a version update. All of abyssea was added in version updates unless you've already forgotten that.

[Sechs]

I wouldn't really hold my breath to expect new zones other than stuff like Leafallia, Abyssea Paradox and things like that.
Glad to be proven wrong of course.

[Isiolia]

They did, but that still doesn't mean mobile FFXI would be connected to the current one. My impression was that they were recycling FFXI content into a far simpler game with f2p elements for a new demographic, not just making an extra client.

Also my impression from the original announcement. FFXI, as it is, plain would not work for mobile. One little thing here or there, maybe, but as a whole? Not a chance. It needs to be simpler, like you said, and made bite-sized. A player needs to be able to jump on and do something fun more or less immediately, with a short time investment. Right now, we have conveniences bolted onto a game originally designed around players logging in for hours at a time. It needs to be broken into activities that range from a few minutes to maybe 30 minutes or so at a time, that are immediately accessible. Nobody is going to play it if they just spend their morning commute LFG.

[Spira]

bigger question is who in their right mind would start playing from scratch.

[dasva]

If it has the same sort of time investment just to get around just to get where you can really travel probably not many. If they had ways to get thru that stuff fast would depend on how similar it is. If it's basically the same thing but unconnected doubt anyone who has played much would but people who haven't play much or at all might

[Isiolia]

bigger question is who in their right mind would start playing from scratch.

Probably plenty XD

The big thing they have isn't the aging spaghetti code mess, but the art, characters, story, all that. For hundreds of millions of potential players, that stuff will be all-new, and probably stand out next to nearly all the competition. For the relative few who played original FFXI, it'll be nostalgic as hell.

[Edelweiss]

The big thing they have isn't the aging spaghetti code mess, but the art, characters, story, all that. For hundreds of millions of potential players, that stuff will be all-new, and probably stand out next to nearly all the competition.

I don't generally care to observe what goes on with shitty mobile iOS/Android games, but, based on the various shitty mobile Puzzle Bobble/side-scrolling fighter clones spammed out by King, I can't imagine there's a whole lot of "mature" or "realistic"-looking mobile games out there.

One interesting thing to think about, at least as far as those potential players, is that the overwhelming majority of the people who buy and play on mobile devices are women. Does XI/XI Mobile appeal to them, etc.? If it does in sufficent amounts that might be some nice revenue for their repurposed aging MMORPG.

[ColenzoRidesAgain]

They're adding fate like things to do on the mobile version of 11 from what the presentation was showing.(not the stupid mobile game) I don't think the game is going to be an entirely new game at all, from the sounds of it they were just wanting to give people the option of logging in and doing simple shit.

[Isiolia]

They're adding fate like things to do on the mobile version of 11 from what the presentation was showing.(not the stupid mobile game) I don't think the game is going to be an entirely new game at all, from the sounds of it they were just wanting to give people the option of logging in and doing simple shit.

Eh, other than the dynamic events, this is what the original new things said:

Going forward, FINAL FANTASY XI will aim to transform into a completely new format on the mobile environment so that players can easily experience Vana'diel whenever and wherever they want.
Battles optimized for touch-screen interfaces will feature further improvements to basic FINAL FANTASY XI systems such as jobs and skill chains, providing a speedier and more user-friendly experience, and features such as improved partying systems and solo activities enable players to find a playstyle that suits them.

That doesn't read, to me, like the same game. Changing jobs, basic combat stuff, partying mechanisms... Granted, it's fairly minimal, early info, but that seems a lot more like making a new game based on FFXI, not a new client.

[Edelweiss]

They're adding fate like things to do on the mobile version of 11 from what the presentation was showing.(not the stupid mobile game) I don't think the game is going to be an entirely new game at all, from the sounds of it they were just wanting to give people the option of logging in and doing simple shit.

When did you get out of your lab?

[dasva]

To me it sounds more like optimizating the ui and such in a way that makes it actually playable on your phone. Because as is there is no way you could reasonably play ffxi on a phone. Just being on a console gimps you quite a bit. And that they are making some changes to make it for friendly with mobile play style because as mentioned the game isn't really made for logging in for a couple of minutes here and there to do stuff

[Trigun]

My XI folder is about 13GB. The latest game I tried on Galaxy Phone was WWE Immortals and that is 1.7GB.
Done right (by another experienced company) it can definitely be ported.
I could see them releasing some kind of stylus for some money. XI is mostly point and click anyway.
Do micro sd cards actually come in 64GB?

edit: There is probly some poor guy repainting these right now.