Square Enix will return to the MMORPG genre and we will do with its most
emblematic saga, Final Fantasy. His first attempt with Final Fantasy XI
has enjoyed remarkable success, although the distribution in Europe as
there was no PlayStation 2 version, since 2002 has remained at the
bottom of the canyon with constant updates and adjustments, plus the old
console Sony and PC, Xbox 360 in 2006. Although even today remains a
very popular game, it is clear that the company plans to give a new
fresh air with Final Fantasy XIV, who succeeded in many aspects of XI
but also with personality. Change so that nothing changes.
Final Fantasy XIV is currently in closed alpha phase in its PC version,
and later became a test version for the PlayStation 3. The two platforms
will the game in 2010, if there are no delays. The alpha phase refers
to a state of development of a video game in which the code is playable
and already has "form", although it is possible to find many errors,
instability and graphic elements, as interim textures, simple models or
absence of some effects. This phase is where we have been able to play,
and it is true that we have had some problems connecting to servers at
various times by the heavy traffic of the evidence, the game aims high
and is showing some of the more interesting details.
First, we must create our character and appearance. The breeds found in
Final Fantasy XIV are very similar in appearance to those of Final
Fantasy XI, which we believe will greatly facilitate the leap from game
to game to continue with the same virtual avatar. On the one hand we
have the Elvaan Elez-XI-PF, which are to be elves in many mythologies.
Eorzea a breed originating from the game world. They are proud,
noble-looking, and as the other races are divided into two groups,
Wildwood and Duskwight. Discuss in this sense that Final Fantasy XIV
seems to be surprise-unless, like FF XI, subtitled in several languages,
including Castilian is not found.
Another major races are the Hyur, the FF XI Hume, symbolizing humans,
and may belong to the Highlanders or Midlanders. As his physical
appearance is not as strong as other races, usually accompanied by
technology and special weapons. We also found the Lalafell, similar to
FF XI Tarutaru race. Compensate for their size and fragility with the
intelligence and agility, and are divided into Plainsfolk and Dunesfolk.
Another race that returns are Galka, in this case called Roegadyn.
Unlike the aforementioned races, where you can choose the sex of the
character, the Roegadyn are composed exclusively of males, whose
characteristics are its large size and physical strength, and the large
amount of facial hair that make race more imposing. There’s Seewolf and
Hellsguard.
As Fanatsy XI Final with Mithra, in Final Fantasy XIV found the
counterpart to the Roegadyn, the Miqo’te. A race exclusively female with
feline features, reserved personality and with two groups: Seekers of
the Keepers of the Sun and Moon. This race was the only one that was not
available in the alpha version, but that did not stop to see several
characters Miqo’te as not controllable NPC’s famous non-player or
`character’-sequences both as living history of the places we visited.
Technical
Problems:
To make matters worse, as we begin our departure, our hero (who looked
like an elf wizard so we could see) floating above the ground without
even showing the animation of walking, so the team member who was with
us asked us we stopped the game and we look to our next partner, while
we explain what we saw. We know that the game is still in beta, but we
hope to finish polishing those decisions, because every time there is
less for the launch of the game and open beta will begin shortly. So we
focus on seeing the departure of another player and listen to the
comments of the developer, which focused primarily on the missions that
we do during the game.
When we accept a quest to interact with crystals that are in the world.
Doing so will allow us to choose a specific mission and say how many
players participate in it (unless players, more experienced, but also be
more difficult). From that moment an arrow on the minimap will show us
where we should go. In that same map will have a orange area indicates
the area for which we need to fulfill the quest. For example, if as in
the demo we collect a series of objects, the entire area which we will
look orange. When identifying the things that we take has chosen to do
we see a halo of light, so that we automatically know where there is an
object that can be caught.
Once we complete the mission we retraced our steps, but after a few
seconds we will automatically teleported to the point where we accept
the quest. As for the fighting, we could not test them first hand, but
if we look at what you will see on the screen. When wield our weapons
with a menu to choose attacks. But we must be careful, because every
time we take a hit will lower our resistance bar, so crazy attack will
not be a good idea.
One aspect of the team is very proud is that the game will allow
cross-platform games. This means that users can play from a PC to play
with those who do so from a PS3, what makes the community will be much
more integrated. Apart from this feature, you expect the game’s history,
who have promised to be more elaborate than most games in the genre,
they do point out over other options. Is also working on a version of
the game for 3D displays. Of time is not yet very advanced 3D version,
because as we saw, the game has a frame rate per second less than the
normal, but it seems that recently have been with this release.
At the moment, is only compatible with Nvidia graphics cards, but soon
hopes to expand the compatibility and also expected to come out for PS3
also. Regarding our question of whether he thought a game like this,
which is quite long throw items was appropriate for incorporating 3D
technology, Tanaka replied that that was in the hands of the player,
since it was free to leave when using 3D getting tired, and that in any
case they only gave the option to see it.
After assessing each of the races, we decided to choose a Roegadyn
Seewolf Profile and sea-wolf to go to the settings in appearance,
limited options due to its unfinished state, but with enough options to
modify the hair – shape and color, and skin color-which can range from
black to green-, and height, voice, facial features, eye color … In
theory there are so many combinations, some twenty variations for each
aspect to configure-it will be difficult to find another player the
same, more if we choose raucous appearances as fluorescent green or blue
hair, we doubt they have a lot of demand from the players.
After the basic configuration of the avatar have to choose the character
class, a disciple of war-weapons-are masters of magic, earth-familiar
minerals and plants, hand-are skilled with tools, . Deepening the
disciple of war are the gladiator-sword-expert, the Lancer, the boxer,
his fists are enough, goalkeeper … We bow to the magic and begin our
story in the wilderness of Eorzea selecting only one of three places
available in this version: Limsa Lominsa. The other two will Gridania
and Ul’dah.
In addition, game developers have not wanted to reduce our skills to a
few options, defined by a particular job, class or race. They wanted to
give the game a lot of flexibility in this regard. Thus, the system of
career change is much simpler than in other installments of the series.
If you want fish, you just have to equip a fishing rod that will improve
their level as the go use. In this sense, the player can focus on
creating a strong character in some specialties, or more multifaceted
and multidisciplinary. The professions available to us are many, framed
in four broad groups: disciples of war, magic, land and labor. But the
same player who decides to which group they belong in every case, each
time choosing which team wants to acquire for their character and how
you want to use.
Thus, we can also fight characters to fend for themselves, despite being
faced with a massive online game. We can create characters that fight
with weapons and can heal themselves, or magicians who, at any given
time, can wield an ax to cut off opponents and engage the enemy ranks.
The gaming experience, so, wants to focus clearly on the single player
game, although in some cases, as when faced against large bosses, we
partner with other players with skills that complement ours. Only then
can we define our role within the team, but will be a marked role in our
decisions, not our limitations as a character.
Different regions of Final Fantasy XIV are quite belligerent and at this
moment in history, we have a cold war tension in which the warriors and
mercenaries are not active, so most will become known as adventurers,
treasure hunting or fighting Eorzea wild beasts, which according to
Square Enix, recover classical designs in the series.
Our character, aboard a boat in the direction of Limsa Lominsa, is
restless in a stormy night and decides to go to the roof when he
discovers that the tide is getting sunk the boat and the crew are busy
getting both stabilize the candles as to cope with a surge of jellyfish.
Despite that invite us back to our room with the other characters, we
decided to meet one of these jellyfish, a first contact of the system to
combat an enemy extremely easy to beat, with just a couple of magic
spells fire. We explore the menu functions of attack and offensive
position, and after this first battle, the game makes clear that what we
have seen is just a tutorial, boat launching over a huge sea serpent in
this time of play when we to be scratched. This certainly leaves us
eager to play the final and one day face huge monsters like this.
Our arrival in Limsa Lominsa nocturnal. The game features a series of
hours in which a real time equals one day of the game, so soon after we
see how the light of dawn is slowly looming, while several groups of
players ‘chat’ and others are of side to side. After talking to an NPC
left the port and into the strength of Limsa Lominsa, a swarm of players
in which everyone is more interested in seeing the sites of the alpha
version that take seriously the main story. The extension is so great to
go the ends of the city takes minutes, but also has many towers and
different heights to see, so easily lose an hour exploring the place
guilds and armories.
The first impression is that Final Fantasy XIV fully recover the spirit
and atmosphere that many players of FF XIII have been missing. It is not
just to be at a MMORPG with map free, untethered from a fixed way, is
the feeling of being in an epic story set in an interesting fantasy
world of legend. In Limsa Lominsa found several places as an archer
testing room, a room with an aquarium, kitchens, meeting places such as
taverns, and also a point to find hunting missions, at least those
available at this time, did not seem very complicated, some of the
monsters that we were simply addressing bats.
The site gives complete feeling, but due to the characteristics of the
alpha phase, limited time, we decided it would be best to explore this
site later, or in subsequent trial periods. Armed with just a magician’s
staff, we headed east on the map of the city, not without a lot of laps
by the suspension bridges that connect each tower, through the door to
the outside world, where various groups of players were preparing to
kick the green mountain scenery. We decided to go on our own and find
places like a little village with a fire still smoking something, or a
hidden cave lost in the rock, which unfortunately did not find any bat.
He later fought with some creature along with other characters, although
the word "disorder" was the best way to describe the strategy to
follow, we are confident that with the final version and balanced team
of characters can do more with the differences between different roles.
The exploration area is very extensive and detailed, we must admit that
after the many corridors and enclosed areas of Final Fantasy XIII the
feeling of freedom is enormous, not expect less of a spiritual sequel to
Final Fantasy XI. The mapping has many details at this stage of
development, there are trees, fences or roads remains naturally created
to help as a reference not to be missed, but always have maps on hand.
At this point in development is daring to refer to paragraph chart.
There are many things we like, as the style of architecture, in the case
of the fort that we visited, with many slender towers, or natural
environments, much more attractive than in Final Fantasy XIII Paals.
Some elements are irregular and show that there are still textures that
are not in HD, but overall the game points with very good manners. The
present version bears good fluidity in most times, only becomes involved
in large meetings, but they are the type of failures that get better as
the game is in near their launch dates. What is clear is that the
absence of elements of science fiction and futuristic going to be very
well received by a party of followers of the series in favor of such
stories of more traditional role.
A medieval-style setting complete with a soundtrack composed by Nobuo
Uematsu, with some new versions of songs known by all, mixing orchestra,
synths and some guitar playing. We have heard more than the small
sample areas and situations of alpha, but the main theme, a song with
female vocals and choirs, it seemed one of the best works of this
prolific composer in his later years. Final Fantasy XI had a soundtrack
high with Nobuo Uematsu, Naoshi Mizuta, Kumi Tanioka, and especially, so
we hope that FF XIV reach a similar quality.
Conclusion:
Final Fantasy Online XIV going to get, first, like users of XI who want
to start a new story again keeping many recognizable elements of the
previous MMORPG from Square Enix. But we are confident will appeal to
players who for one reason or another, XI enjoyed so far. FF XIV is
promised as more than just a graphical update, and although its intent
is not to become a technical reference, aesthetics and environment we
have seen in this unfinished version of an apology may be more to enter
Eorzea.
It will be interesting to see the evolution of Final Fantasy XIV in the
coming months, both the PC version as planned for PlayStation 3, because
if Square Enix gets its way, take the lead, as it did in 2002 – a
Blizzard game in question massive online console, untapped market and
can become one of the most popular genres in the coming years.
