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[nataku]

Bleh, people who complain about fees for MMORPGs need to take a long, hard look at how they work and what exactly is required to run them. It costs a LOT of money to keep all the servers up and running every month.

Not to mention all the patches. If you haven't noticed, the patches every two months dont just fix problems. They add a LOT of content to the game. Armor, weapons, quests, new crafting recipes, etc. PvP was added through patches, as was Dynamis. Even new skills and abilites. New Weapon Skills. All kinds of crap. You should go read the Update History and see what they've done to this game.

 

[teiresias]

LEVEL 20!!!!! No more Valkurm for me!!!! Woohoo!!!!!!!

 

[teh_pwn]

Patches? How is that different from other PC games? There's online PC games that cost far less and have patches regularly.

Like Warcraft III. There's patches every couple of months. There's no online fees. Sure there isn't as much server load needed but it's still there, for free. You can buy the original and expansion for $30. Sure it's a 2 year old game, but so is FFXI.

Your crazy if you think they need $13 a month to run per person. My friends play a game called Project Visitor online. It's a online sega game from 1996. A guy has a server that runs about 300 people and charges about $12 and he makes loads off of it (he spends a lot of time on it, so that's resonable).

Now you have FFXI with tons more people, so there wouldn't be as much of an online fee needed.

As for development fees, Square Enix reported breaking even shortly after Japanese release a couple years ago. That means they've been making nearly $30-40 profit off every PC game sold and a large figure for PS2 figure sold.

 

[ShadowRed]

Patches? How is that different from other PC games? There's online PC games that cost far less and have patches regularly.

Like Warcraft III. There's patches every couple of months. There's no online fees. Sure there isn't as much server load needed but it's still there, for free. You can buy the original and expansion for $30. Sure it's a 2 year old game, but so is FFXI.

Your crazy if you think they need $13 a month to run per person. My friends play a game called Project Visitor online. It's a online sega game from 1996. A guy has a server that runs about 300 people and charges about $12 and he makes loads off of it (he spends a lot of time on it, so that's resonable).

Now you have FFXI with tons more people, so there wouldn't be as much of an online fee needed.

As for development fees, Square Enix reported breaking even shortly after Japanese release a couple years ago. That means they've been making nearly $30-40 profit off every PC game sold and a large figure for PS2 figure sold.

Dude this game is far mor complex than patching a stand alone game. Plus when they patch FFXI they don't just fix stuff they add a crap load of content, ie. Seasonal quests, like the easter Egg hunt, or Summer Festival, on top of just adding more normal missions/quests, there are game masters and tech support people. Patching this game is more than altering the config file like most game patches do. You also have to take into account the frequency of patches that FFXI gets, there is probably a team if not 2 dedicated to updating the game. They need to be paid. At any rate if you are bitching about 13 bucks a month then you shouldn't be playing the game anyways.

 

[RuGalz]

Patches? How is that different from other PC games? There's online PC games that cost far less and have patches regularly.

Why don't you name a HIGH PROFILE PC MMORPG that does NOT require monthly fee? Warcraft 3 does not have a persistant world; they have very little maintanace to do besides keeping track of player's database, the actual game playing is between peers. You bet you that even World of Warcraft which is by the same company will make you pay monthly fee. Why? There's a large amount of bill they need to pay every month not just for support team, development team, GMs, but also equipment maintance, bandwidth usage, etc.

Are they profitting every month after they paid their bills? Of course but no where as close as you think. Since you are playing this game so much that you are probably neglecting their other games. They got to keep profits coming in some how to keep the company going.

 

[teh_pwn]

"Dude this game is far mor complex than patching a stand alone game. Plus when they patch FFXI they don't just fix stuff they add a crap load of content, ie. Seasonal quests, like the easter Egg hunt, or Summer Festival, on top of just adding more normal missions/quests, there are game masters and tech support people. Patching this game is more than altering the config file like most game patches do. You also have to take into account the frequency of patches that FFXI gets, there is probably a team if not 2 dedicated to updating the game."

So the new maps, units, tech support, campaigns, and testings for the warcraft III patches cost Blizzard nothing, eh?

Sorry, I'm not impressed with FFXI's online server with it's small 50 feet in visibility, tremedous lag and high price tag.

 

[DrForester]

Just got finished with the 4th Zilart Mission (And all the NM monuments, and 1 of the solo monuments for the 5th mission, Ifrits Cauldron = Hell. Was late, so I'll get last two tomorrow).

I find it amazing square was able to put in such a good storyline into a online game, if the expansion gives us another great story, then for me it's morth than worth the price.

 

[Rorschach]

There's a reason why Warcraft III doesn't charge a monthly fee while WoW will. It's not because SE and blizzard are being greedy, evil, devs. As far as I know, Warcraft III does not require Blizzard to maintain multiple persistant servers set to hold 5000+ people at a time, their avatars and stats, gil, items, etc. On top of that, they also update with new abilities, areas, and other such content and keep track of that. Of course, they do make a profit or all of there would be nothing in it for them, but if you think these games could be run for free without a severe loss, then you're wrong. Also, draw distance has NOTHING to do with servers and fees...I don't know how you came upon that conclusion. Seems like you're being thickheaded and ingnoring the valid points in the other posts, so I don't know why I'm even bothering ><

 

[Gattsu25]

Sorry, I'm not impressed with FFXI's online server with it's small 50 feet in visibility, tremedous lag and high price tag.

Then you mean to say FFXI is not impressed with your shitty PC, poor network connection, and lack of money?

I know it isn't impressed with my wallet >_< Got 5 FUCKING DAYS to coin up or all my shit is LOST

 

[teh_pwn]

"Then you mean to say FFXI is not impressed with your shitty PC, poor network connection, and lack of money?"

Er, no. The game runs like shit regardless of your system. If I turn on AA, it chokes. Even the simplistic shadows slows the system down a lot.

My system:

P4 3.0 C OCed to 3.5 GHz
Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB
1 GB PC 3700 RAM in dual channel
Audigy 2 ZS
Klipsch 5.1 Ultras

The network connection isn't shitty. The server is. I've ran on comcast (350 KB down, 30 KB up) and my school network (roughly 1 MB down and 200 KB up) and it runs like shit on both. You can't see more than 50 feet with characters and bushes and whatnot. For $13, I better be getting a draw distance of 2000 Feet. If it's hard on them, that's there problem. I'm not paying them $13 to sit on their asses.

 

[RuGalz]

I'm sure they can survive without your $13. Please move on and stop whining like a baby (or an idiot if you want me to be honest).

 

[teiresias]

Er, no. The game runs like shit regardless of your system. If I turn on AA, it chokes. Even the simplistic shadows slows the system down a lot.

First of all, anyone that's spent five minutes reading about the game knows AA doesn't work with the game in the first place, so you should have it off regardless. Second, the engine is capped at 30fps. Third, again a five minute search will get you to the registry tweaks that increase the internal rendering resolution and increase the mip-mapping level.

I'm playing on an Athlon Mobile overclocked to 2.2Ghz with a 9500 Pro and 512MB PC3200 RAM and Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 and see no slowdown just enabling shadows (and even if I accidently leave AA on in the control panel before playing the game I don't notice any slowdown. The only other MMORPG I've ever played (not counting EQOA) is Asheron's Call, and yes, the draw distance was longer, but they weren't drawing objects that far, just very low-poly LOD-cut landscape.

I like the game, wish I had more time to play it, but the issues you complain about don't exist. Go troll a WoW topic once it's released and your precious Blizzard charges you a monthly fee for that game too.

 

[Kintaro]

"Then you mean to say FFXI is not impressed with your shitty PC, poor network connection, and lack of money?"

Er, no. The game runs like shit regardless of your system. If I turn on AA, it chokes. Even the simplistic shadows slows the system down a lot.

My system:

P4 3.0 C OCed to 3.5 GHz
Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB
1 GB PC 3700 RAM in dual channel
Audigy 2 ZS
Klipsch 5.1 Ultras

The network connection isn't shitty. The server is. I've ran on comcast (350 KB down, 30 KB up) and my school network (roughly 1 MB down and 200 KB up) and it runs like shit on both. You can't see more than 50 feet with characters and bushes and whatnot. For $13, I better be getting a draw distance of 2000 Feet. If it's hard on them, that's there problem. I'm not paying them $13 to sit on their asses.

Wow, talk about tehpwning yourself. 1) AA does not work with FFXI. Therefore, turning it on wouldn't do jack to the game performance (except in your imagination). 2) The engine is capped at 30 FPS. 3) My rig is roughly the exact same as yours, and if I do not get slowdown in the most congested place probably in the game outside of Dynamis (you know, one of those completely new zones, 6 of them, added in a patch to expand the gameplay experience), Lower Jeuno, with settings tweaked HIGHER than the selected resolutions in the config menu, with all effects turned on, something is amiss with your argument.

So, with this post (and several others), you have proved you really don't know much going on with this game. So, move your flawed argument elsewhere please. Thank you.

 

[teh_pwn]

Wow, talk about being an over-protective.

The game lagging from rendering isn't my real issue. It's the terrible service that you get for the money. You're paying top dollar for a laggy server. I'm talking about the draw distance of NPCs, other players, and enemies. Not draw distance in general.

"1) AA does not work with FFXI."

I forced AA on all apps and it slowed down fps considerably in this game.

"2) The engine is capped at 30 FPS. "

I don't see how this is relevant. FPS dips are FPS dips.


"with settings tweaked HIGHER than the selected resolutions in the config menu, with all effects turned on, something is amiss with your argument."

My game lags in Bastok near the fountain and auction house and in valkrum when a bunch of parties are near. I'm running at 1024x768 with max textures, although I don't understand the point of it because they still look terrible at any res. I stopped forcing AA immediately after I tried it. It ran at like 10 fps with the force.


"Third, again a five minute search will get you to the registry tweaks that increase the internal rendering resolution and increase the mip-mapping level."

How about the developers get it right the first time? I never tried searching for tweaks and have no intention to. I just think paying $13/month is too much. Especially when the server is lagging.


"So, with this post (and several others), you have proved you really don't know much going on with this game. So, move your flawed argument elsewhere please. Thank you."

No, I think that this shows that there are a lot of people in this thread that are attached to the game and can't bear the thought of someone else not liking the game too much. I merely stated that I thing the service is terrible for the price and that I've decided to stick with the game for now.


"I'm sure they can survive without your $13. Please move on and stop whining like a baby (or an idiot if you want me to be honest)."

I never was whining "like a baby." If anything it seems your whining that someone doesn't like as much as you do and have to call names.

 

[teh_pwn]

"As far as I know, Warcraft III does not require Blizzard to maintain multiple persistant servers set to hold 5000+ people at a time, their avatars and stats, gil, items, etc. On top of that, they also update with new abilities, areas, and other such content and keep track of that. Of course, they do make a profit or all of there would be nothing in it for them, but if you think these games could be run for free without a severe loss, then you're wrong. Also, draw distance has NOTHING to do with servers and fees...I don't know how you came upon that conclusion."

Yes, I understand it costs more to run servers for people, but I don't understand $13 an hour. I'm not asking it to be free, I just would want something more reasonable like $5/month.

Other people brought up patches, but really that's the developer's duty when the software is purchased just like any other PC game. The monthly fees are for the servers.

Yes, draw distance of characters and enemies does have very much to do with the server. I'm not talking about the terrain. I'm sure you've noticed units disappearing about 50 feet away while you can see terrian for nearly a mile. I'm talking about enemy units. The server does the AI of them and it tells me their position. It seems to me they limited the draw distance to ease the load of the server so it doesn't have to tell more people the location of more units. Or maybe that was due to PS2's rendering limitations, I don't know. But I do know that a server with more load on a PC that can handle the rendering is more than capable of showing units for miles. We pay top dollar for this service and we're getting these limitations. I see this as Square Enix's short comings.

 

[ShadowRed]

"Yes, I understand it costs more to run servers for people, but I don't understand $13 an hour. I'm not asking it to be free, I just would want something more reasonable like $5/month.

Other people brought up patches, but really that's the developer's duty when the software is purchased just like any other PC game. The monthly fees are for the servers."



Wait so you’re bitching over 8 bucks, :rolleyes. Also again the patching that FFXI does is light years beyond what a standalone game does. If you collected all the patching done for FFXI you would probably an expansion pack in itself. If you feel you're getting ripped off by the greedy evil Square Corporation then don't play the game.

 

[RuGalz]

Or instead of FFXI or any quality MMORPG, go play PSO on Xbox.... Now that's the deal of the century. $8.95 a month for a non persistant world game plus initial Xbox Live investment. Hey but at least you are saving $4.05 a month!!!

 

[teh_pwn]

"Wait so you’re bitching over 8 bucks"

Per month. That's $100 per year roughly.

Not that I can't afford it, it's the principle.


But if you don't mind, more power to you. It's great that you enjoy the game.

 

[XMonkey]

And it's obvious you don't, so why not just stop posting about it and start waiting for WoW (or any other MMORPG for that matter) and the mythical $5/month fee?

 

[teiresias]

Yes, draw distance of characters and enemies does have very much to do with the server. I'm not talking about the terrain. I'm sure you've noticed units disappearing about 50 feet away while you can see terrian for nearly a mile. I'm talking about enemy units. The server does the AI of them and it tells me their position. It seems to me they limited the draw distance to ease the load of the server so it doesn't have to tell more people the location of more units. Or maybe that was due to PS2's rendering limitations, I don't know. But I do know that a server with more load on a PC that can handle the rendering is more than capable of showing units for miles. We pay top dollar for this service and we're getting these limitations. I see this as Square Enix's short comings.

And I addressed it, saying I saw the same behavior in Asheron's Call and in EQOA, so I really don't see how one can rag on SE for using a technique even single-player games use in order to increase performance. Considering you complain about the lag in Bastok and in crowded areas of Valkurm (where more stuff is being drawn than in the more open, less populated areas) I can't believe you'd want more items drawn everywhere to further give you something to bitch about.

 

[Zaptruder]

The alternative way of looking at it is... 13 bucks a month to stop you from spending 50$ a month on other throwaway purchases.

 

[Xaerus]

And I addressed it, saying I saw the same behavior in Asheron's Call and in EQOA, so I really don't see how one can rag on SE for using a technique even single-player games use in order to increase performance. Considering you complain about the lag in Bastok and in crowded areas of Valkurm (where more stuff is being drawn than in the more open, less populated areas) I can't believe you'd want more items drawn everywhere to further give you something to bitch about.

I think he wants his computer to burst into flames.

@teh_pwn

Don't like the 13$/month? Quit. They need to pay their tech support agents, GM's, development team, advertisement team, corporate (non-game related) employees. They have to pay for their servers, bandwidth, and operating costs of their facilities (utilities, rent and whatnot). After that's paid, yes, they're making profit, but that's the point, it is a business. Outside of things that make them money regularly (like FFXI), they don't have much to pay for these things other than the games they sell. The money they have pay to stay alive as a company, adds up, so that money they make from selling games doesn't last long.

Now you're complaining about paying $50 for the game? You get FFXI, Tetramaster, Rise of Zilart and the surprisingly useful POL Viewer. Now lets take that 50$ and divide by 3 (not counting POL Viewer), what do you get? $16.67 (rounded up) for each, that's not that much. It's not $50 for one game, its $50 for 2 and an expansion pack. That's a pretty damn good deal.

Also, if the FPS was uncapped, would you be noticing the "FPS dips" as much? I don't think so.

 

[Mister Zimbu]

Then you mean to say FFXI is not impressed with your shitty PC, poor network connection, and lack of money?

I know it isn't impressed with my wallet >_< Got 5 FUCKING DAYS to coin up or all my shit is LOST

I believe this issue was quickly glanced over!

SOMEONE GET XIAS SOME MONEY! DONT LEAVE US XIAS

 

[Xaerus]

Noooo! Not my in-game twin!

 

[Ploid 3.0]

Cool videos rawr

http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1082480698542819375&num=963

I like the THF tearing through things video best

 

[Bizarro Sun Yat-sen]

 

[RuGalz]

Ooo Bahamut...

 

[DrForester]

I think that picture is fake.

It'd be safeto assume if bahamut is int eh gam, h'llbe a summon, would make sense if he wasn't

Look at HP, less than 800. No MP so it's not an avatar battle at LVL 20 or anything, and I doubt a new summon is going to be soloable by anyone like a few of the ones now are.

Also,, could be the angle, but no Summon will be that big, fenrir's already big enough.

Bet if I checked, i'd find that's a screencap form past FF game.

 

[nataku]

http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/promathia/wyrmking/bahamut.html

 

[Azrael]

Not only Bahamut, but there's 3 new NPC pages, a new zone page, and new equipment pages.

Looks sweet, but the info is BADLY translated. I have to wonder with the worldwide simultaneous release of CoP how well the English translation is going to be.

 

[Shouta]

Looks like he'll have a role in Chains of Promathia.

The quote says "Vana-diel! My kin! My name is the Dragon King (or Wyrm King) Bahamut! The time has come! The ones who will bring the end of the world have..."

 

[Kweh]

Damn, that Bisan Jacket looks cool

 

[Kintaro]

=O MUST LVL QUICKER!

Check out Riverne-Site #a01 =O

*cries*

Edit: With the arrival of Bahamut, perhaps there's more in stone for Dragoons in this expansion (and Samurai perhaps, given there's a new, kick ass looking Samural NPC on the page as well)

 

[Mister Zimbu]

My Bard BETTER be able to equip this shit.

 

[Kintaro]

CHeck the POL Viewer page of COP! Better Bahamut pictures! =D

 

[RuGalz]

Meh too many games coming out between now and Xmas...

 

[teiresias]

I was really hoping for SE to go the comedic route and make Bahamut just a recolored rabbit model. Oh well, no such hilarity will occur I suppose.

 

[TheDuce22]

Does anyone here play on asura?

 

[Tabris]

I'm on Asura.

 

[TheDuce22]

Do you have a decent linkshell i can get in? Me and a couple friends started one but most of them quit. I am a 43 bard.

 

[teiresias]

How do you type so that it shows up in the translator? I've never figured that out (maybe it's in the manual and I just missed it). I felt bad, because I was invited into a Japanese group, but dropped out because i had no idea how to use the translator and didn't want to be rude and useless by not being able to communicate at all.

 

[Tabris]

Do you have a decent linkshell i can get in? Me and a couple friends started one but most of them quit. I am a 43 bard.

Nope. Sorry. I'm in two linkshells. One is a 60+ north american linkshell (most are 70+ now) that spend most of their time on end game stuff (HNM, ZM4+ missions, etc). The other linkshell I'm in is japanese that I got a special invite to. I don't understand a lick of the ls chat, but I talk with a good number of them in /tell's through my limited knowledge of romaji, translator and their limited knowledge of english (actually some can type better english than half the NA players out there). Most of the members of my WAR static are in the japanese linkshell (they're all japanese but have a good grasp of english).

 

[Tabris]

How do you type so that it shows up in the translator? I've never figured that out (maybe it's in the manual and I just missed it). I felt bad, because I was invited into a Japanese group, but dropped out because i had no idea how to use the translator and didn't want to be rude and useless by not being able to communicate at all.

Press TAB.

 

[Cimarron]

Does anyone here play on laksmi?

 

[nataku]

Lenneth! What is Bahamut saying in those screens?

 

[DrForester]

I'm on Asura.

Wow, someone else on Asura.

What's your 60+ linkshell name? (Not wanting to join, just curious. I couldn't be paid to leave my LS)

 

[Tabris]

Check your PMs.

I thought we would keep the Asura talk out of this thread since it's all Fairy server people.

 

[Tabris]

Actually, it doesn't matter, PMs are kind of a pain. Those fairy people will just have to suffer through our Asura chat

I'm in HeavensFire, which was just recently formed again because it disbanded a month ago since the leader quit the game (sold his account for like around a $1000 I believe) and broke all the pearls.

So my north american linkshell history goes like this, HeavensFire (before leader left), Nantekotta (ls that old HF merged into), then HeavensFire again (everyone but old leader returned).

How about yourself?

 

[DrForester]

I'm in Machina, trying to get to lvl 65 before CoP release.

 

[Bizarro Sun Yat-sen]

Edit: With the arrival of Bahamut, perhaps there's more in stone for Dragoons in this expansion (and Samurai perhaps, given there's a new, kick ass looking Samural NPC on the page as well)

The developers have already mentioned their plans to add more dragon-type enemies, which is one reason they've been so reluctant to give the DRG class the major boost demanded by many.