NEWS(NOTE, a lotta of this is outdated, but who cares?)
The first Final Fantasy game in which you will be able to compete against or ally with players from all around the world. That's right, Final Fantasy XI is going to be played online at a cost of just under US$10 per month. Players are able to travel in groups of a maximum of six. It is not known at this point exactly how language difference problems will be overcome but let's hope for a Phantasy Star Online style translator. Also the game is rumoured to be compatible with both PlayStation 2 and PC at the same time.
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Square's Nanaka Hiromichi recently talked with Dengeki, a Japanese video game publication, about developing Final Fantasy XI and addressed the company's expectations for its release next month. Square expects to sell around 100,000 copies at launch. Hiromichi candidly stated that due to FF XI being an online game that requires additional peripherals, Square's projections are down drastically from the 2 million bar set by Final Fantasy X. Square, however, is ready to support 1 million players at launch and hopes to host 500,000 per month by the end of 2002. Hiromichi said that Final Fantasy XI will stress online communication with other players. Alliances and battle strategies can be formed in both private and public chat rooms. He commented jokingly that players "can yell 'charge!' in the public channel, and tell friends to 'hold your ground' in the private channel" in the wake of major battles. Hiromichi also maintained FF XI's inclusion of a main storyline and final boss, though the game's universe will continue to expand as online updates are released, effectively assuring that the story continues long after the original quest is completed. The game also allows for solo play, though many areas will only admit parties. FF XI remains on track for its May 16 launch date in Japan.
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Square has confirmed plans to release a soundtrack for their upcoming PlayStation 2 RPG Final Fantasy XI in Japan. According to company representatives, the music compilation is tentatively scheduled for release June 5. Much like previous chapters in the series, the game will feature the compositions of renowned gaming musician Nobuo Uematsu. Noticeably smaller than previous soundtracks, the Final Fantasy XI compilation will span two discs and include 51 tracks. More intriguing, Square plans to release a limited edition version of the soundtrack which will come bundled with a DVD featuring movie clips from the game. For reference, the soundtracks are expected to retail for 2854 yen (normal version) and 3500 yen (limited edition) respectively.
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February 28, 2002 - Today, Square confirmed the official release date and pricing for Final Fantasy XI in Japan. Gamers will enter the first massively-multiplayer online console RPG on May 16 of this year, and pay 1,280 yen each month (a little less than US$10) to adventure, chat, and otherwise enjoy themselves in the virtual fantasy world of Vana'Diel. In addition, there will be a 100 yen monthly fee if gamers would also like to avail themselves of an opportunity to play online Tetra Master (the card game from Final Fantasy IX, slightly changed for online consumption). Use of the other features of Square's PlayOnline service is, as yet, free of charge. The game itself will be priced at 7,800 yen, and come as a two-disc package. One of those discs is to include the software necessary to connect to PlayOnline, while the other is the game itself.
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Having made an appearance at the TGS 2001 Fall show,Final Fantasy XI has taken its first step towards the frenzied glare of the media scrutiny bound to befall it over the coming months. Now, in the week following the show, the first details on the game have become available. While little is currently known about the gameplay, likely the most pressing concern on the minds of the series' fans, a number of story details have emerged, and they seem eerily familiar. FFXI will take place on the world of Vana Dir. This mystical planet is a place where swords, sorcery and high technology all reign supreme. Hironobu Sakaguchi, acclaimed director of the series, hopes to create a general history set against this backdrop, which will then pave the way for the story, whatever that ends up being. At this point, details are sparse; all that has been revealed is that players will battle against a resurrected evil entity, while searching for crystals. Whether Sakaguchi and the rest of FFXI's staff will be able to bring about the director's vision of a more cohesive storyline than those generally found in online RPGs remains to be seen, given the general lack of a plot inherent to most MMORPGs. Even so, it seems development has begun in earnest, so expect more details to arise before too long.
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Well, you all probably already new that news, so here are some screen shots.
Ok, those are some screen shots.
Now let's get to characters. You will have 5 "species" to choose from. Elf, Galka, Human, Mithra, and Tarutaru. For Elf, Human, and Tarutaru, you can be a female or male. However Galka is all male, and Mithra is all female.
Elf--
Galka--
Human--
Mithra--
Tarutaru--
Ok, here are some more screenshots of the characters while playing.
There are also several towns and castles in FFXI(duh). Three of them are the FEDERATION OF WINDURST, the KINGDOM OF SAN D'ORIA, and the REPUBLIC OF BASTOK.
KINGDOM OF SAN D'ORIA--
FEDERATION OF WINDURST--
REPUBLIC OF BASTOK--
Ok, that's all i have for now. Chances are a lotta this stuff you already knew. But i don't care.If you bitch about it, i'll rip off your balls. And i bet you didn't have this many screenshots anyways. :)
oh, and add stuff.
-- Anonymous, December 07, 2002