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[brain_stew]

What kind of video card should I get to play the game? I'd like to get something fairly affordable (less than $150) because I'll have to upgrade my power supply too and a 650 watt power supply is almost $100 by itself.

For $250 you can get this great 600w modular PSU (way more than you need) and the best 1GB GTX 460 available, which is barely more than you were planning to pay anyway. You will be glad you have a GPU like that for FF14, a 5750 probably isn't going to cut it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.470415

You're not getting a better PSU/GPU combo for under $250, not even close.

 

[Zomba13]

So with the collectors edition preorder, how do we start the game before everyone else? If the store is sending out a key and a link to the client, couldn't anyone just preorder the collectors edition and then cancel it before it comes out just to try the game and early at that?

Pretty sure the CE is released earlier. The release date for the CE is 1 week earlier than the SE so it'll be shipped out to people and available in stores before the SE.

 

[Nakazato]

Pretty sure the CE is released earlier. The release date for the CE is 1 week earlier than the SE so it'll be shipped out to people and available in stores before the SE.

yea 8 days early

 

[Trojita]

Okay cool guys, thanks for the answer. I hope we can figure out a server for GAF members to party with each other. I'm guessing no server lists have come out yet?

 

[B.K.]

For $250 you can get this great 600w modular PSU (way more than you need) and the best 1GB GTX 460 available, which is barely more than you were planning to pay anyway. You will be glad you have a GPU like that for FF14, a 5750 probably isn't going to cut it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.470415

You're not getting a better PSU/GPU combo for under $250, not even close.

Does the 460 have dual monitor support? I went to buy another monitor for a dual monitor setup eventually.

 

[Velion]

Does the 460 have dual monitor support? I went to buy another monitor for a dual monitor setup eventually.

Yes, just about any video card nowadays come with dual outputs.

 

[Teknoman]

EDIT: Yoshida inspired by Amano monster designs from classic FF games confirmed?

 

[IonicSnake]

Fallen Pikemen, one-shot me for 1818 damage.

 

[Teknoman]

Would be nice if it dropped that lance.

EDIT: Seems like nothing aggros unless it actually makes eye contact with you. I've stood behind enemies only to be aggroed when it turns or if I walked right in front of it.

 

[LowParry]

You still in game Tek? I need a LS invite.

 

[jiggle]

found a beach when exploring with tekno
wanted to get a shot where the sun glistens off the water
too bad weather changed to cloudy before that could happen
had to get a close up of that ugly toad before i leave

edit: yes i misspelled schwetty ; ;

 

[Teknoman]

You still in game Tek? I need a LS invite.

No but I can log in to give you one.

 

[LowParry]

No but I can log in to give you one.

That would be move kind. Under the name Dark Elf.

 

[Big Chungus]

Anyone have a spare key that I can have?

I tried applying for both the PC and PS2 beta back in the day, no luck and I was kinda mad that the PS2 testers got to keep their hard drives...grrr.

 

[lsslave]

So what are opinions so far? The fact there aren't "Final Fantasy" jobs bums me out

I want Red Mage / Blue Mage / Black Mage / Paladin / Dark Knight / etc. (Alright, I want Blue Mage. I really REALLY want a Blue Mage or a Bard Bard maybe a little bit more)

 

[jiggle]

i'm liking it a lot, despite the numerous things need fix'n


the jobs are only different in names only
can easily call/describe most of them by their XI iteration's name...

 

[lsslave]

i'm liking it a lot, despite the numerous things need fix'n


the jobs are only different in names only
can easily call/describe most of them by their XI iteration's name...

Good How they had them listed I thought it'd be something dumb, but if they are basically "FF classes by any other name" my hype is up

 

[Teknoman]

Good How they had them listed I thought it'd be something dumb, but if they are basically "FF classes by any other name" my hype is up

Some of them have different skills that are new to the FF series of course, but you could probably put lots of the class abilities together to make custom classes, or things similar to XI. Say lvling Gladiator, Marauder, Conjurer, and Thaumaturge...you'd probably be able to put together a Paladin. So it depends on what you want to do.

 

[lsslave]

Some of them have different skills that are new to the FF series of course, but you could probably put lots of the class abilities together to make custom classes, or things similar to XI. Say lvling Gladiator, Marauder, Conjurer, and Thaumaturge...you'd probably be able to put together a Paladin. So it depends on what you want to do.

You can combine skills between classes?

 

[Khrno]

You can combine skills between classes?

That's what 14's system is all about.

 

[zlatko]

I really need into this damn beta. Pissing me off that I'm like one of the few longtime FFXI players on this board that hasn't gotten to run through the game yet. Goddamn SE.

Anyway manage to get a second beta key they could toss me?

Don't sweat it. I played FFXI for 6 years on and off with tons of LV75 jobs and no beta experience under my belt either. I am hopefully ordering my PC to run it by the end of this coming week so that I could get it in early september and still have time to put in some hours into SC2.

I'm jealous of all who have had time to play it already. Is it going to consume another 6+ years like XI from people who played a lot of XI?

 

[lsslave]

That's what 14's system is all about.

Thanks man All this info I'm being given (and how you can mix/match skills and how its still very Final Fantasy even without the classes being given proper names) has me excited for the game

 

[Londa]

Some of my beta 3 screenshots.

 

[Raoh]

Is there a thread anywhere for people starting a guild? a lot of my ffxi friends haven't logged on in a while, matter of fact i havent either..

i've already pre ordered and am hoping to start up with a group of people that plan to play often...

 

[Teknoman]

Is there a thread anywhere for people starting a guild? a lot of my ffxi friends haven't logged on in a while, matter of fact i havent either..

i've already pre ordered and am hoping to start up with a group of people that plan to play often...

Well not yet, but the official FFXIV topic (whenever that happens) will probably contain most of the ingame company (Stars of Destiny, just to carry own FFXI tradition) stuff.

 

[tribal24]

can someone send me a invite the ls, send to tribal blaze

 

[Teknoman]

Btw, those in the beta, go to the online side to let people know about LS invites.

 

[Munba]

Some shots by me,

And this is what npg says about the AH building behind him.. :lol

 

[Ricker]

I have read more negative comments on podcasts and forums so far then good ones....most say it`s an absolute mess,with no instructions,tutorials and very hard and unbalanced...but I guess that`s what a beta is for...screenshots look good though,I just hope I get in the PS3 beta,if there is one,because my PC can`t run this...I applied for beta anyway,so if I ever get a key,i`ll give it out here.

 

[Khrno]

it`s an absolute mess,with no instructions,tutorials and very hard

:lol

 

[gillty]

I have read more negative comments on podcasts and forums so far then good ones....most say it`s an absolute mess,with no instructions,tutorials and very hard and unbalanced...but I guess that`s what a beta is for...screenshots look good though,I just hope I get in the PS3 beta,if there is one,because my PC can`t run this...I applied for beta anyway,so if I ever get a key,i`ll give it out here.

no tutorial? the intro cutscene is broken up to give players the basic combat tutorial

no instructions? semi-valid complaint however as soon as you get into town an npc contacts you to you your first levequest and later you return him for story quests

very hard and unbalanced? if mob has yellow dot next to its name you can probably kill it, its not rocket science.

 

[Raoh]

Well not yet, but the official FFXIV topic (whenever that happens) will probably contain most of the ingame company (Stars of Destiny, just to carry own FFXI tradition) stuff.

thanks, i'll keep an eye out for that thread when it happens..

 

[Ether_Snake]

Some of those landscapes look horrible, and there seems to be no shadows on the grounds other than from the characters.

 

[LowParry]

Some of those landscapes look horrible, and there seems to be no shadows on the grounds other than from the characters.

Because people are playing with a low shadow setting? And the fact that full shadow settings is still borked?

 

[NeoForte]

WOOOOO I got into the Beta Finally thank you fileplanet

 

[Mandoric]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I'M IN

 

[Alex]

It's an wildly unpolished, nowhere near finished game but tutorials aren't any real sort of problem. There's vagueness, but I'd say it's almost sort of a positive with their design choices, IMO. People who can't cope with that are probably just being a little too whiny. There's really not a load of MMOs with good tutorials, even WoW didnt have any form of one until recently.

Part of the initial launch fun is having a bit of vagueness, for an MMO. Sounds odd but it's a world meant to be tinkered in, Xi was the same way... of course that'll set in some fatigue on more than the first pass but maybe by then you can actually tab. =/

 

[Ricker]

It's an unpolished, busted, nowhere near finished game but tutorials aren't any real sort of problem. There's vagueness, but I'd say it's almost sort of a positive. People who can't cope with that are probably just being a little too whiny. There's really not a load of MMOs with good tutorials, even WoW didnt have one until recently.

That`s what I meant more then the lack of tutorial per say,from what I heard from podcasts...it`s the lack or confusing method of telling/showing you what to do,who to talk to etc etc...but it`s a beta,i`m sure they will fix a lot of those problems come release or with early patches

 

[notworksafe]

That's not really true anymore. There are plenty of games with good tutorial systems. WoW, LotRO, and WAR have good ones. Even EVE has a pretty good system set up. If this is supposed to be an MMO for more types of people they are going to have to open up and explain more, especially for players that haven't done any sort of MMO. You may call these players "whiny" but Square is going to see them as "cancelled subscriptions".

 

[Alex]

My advice for the future is not to count on anything for Square patches and updates, because day late and a dollar short has been a running theme since the start.

Take it for the experience it is and roll with it. It really resonates for some people, to me FFXI was brilliance wrapped in a crust of inaccessible, life sucking bullshit but even here it's going to a cult kind of setup where you just won't be able to demand much of the live team.

This is how I'm going in looking at it, just play it for the new world, wait until it pisses me off too much to play, maybe come back a few years after some fixes and an expansion. I've gone through too much with this thing and it's rollercoaster to avoid it's launch though :lol There's good potential for the future, but it will come slowly I think.

That's not really true anymore. There are plenty of games with good tutorial systems. WoW, LotRO, and WAR have good ones. Even EVE has a pretty good system set up. If this is supposed to be an MMO for more types of people they are going to have to open up and explain more, especially for players that haven't done any sort of MMO. You may call these players "whiny" but Square is going to see them as "cancelled subscriptions".

Yeah.. but like I said, recently! Recently! Eve is too daunting for me though, mostly since I have no interest in space. But I never really felt WAR and LotRO had good tutorials and WoW just got it's one recently. So I think it's fair to be lax. Part of the fun is discovery afterall.

As for canceled subs, I'm looking more at it from a cult perspective though, this game will never, ever have larger appeal/funding after the reality of the beta. That dream is dead. I think like other recent contenders, it'll open big, but fall back to Earth very quickly, it just won't leave a crater like WAR or AoC.

 

[notworksafe]

Yes they were added recently. But not so recent that Square couldn't have added them to their MMO that isn't even out yet. When FFXIV launches people are going to compare it to the most recent content of the bigger MMOs, not what they were like at launch 5-10 years ago.

As for the long term health of the game I don't think there's any way to judge that at this point. It's all going to depend on a combination of how painful it is to level and what there is to do once you hit max.

 

[Teknoman]

It's an wildly unpolished, nowhere near finished game but tutorials aren't any real sort of problem. There's vagueness, but I'd say it's almost sort of a positive with their design choices, IMO. People who can't cope with that are probably just being a little too whiny. There's really not a load of MMOs with good tutorials, even WoW didnt have any form of one until recently.

Part of the initial launch fun is having a bit of vagueness, for an MMO. Sounds odd but it's a world meant to be tinkered in, Xi was the same way... of course that'll set in some fatigue on more than the first pass but maybe by then you can actually tab. =/

Its not really even all that vague, at least quest wise. Most of the things a pretty obvious and they even put markers on the map where certain events are.

As far as enemy difficulty, the only reason that people may have trouble with monsters that are ranked easy enough for them, is that S-E seems to have removed all purchasable equipment from npc stores, forcing people to test crafting and guildmark rewarded synthing recipes.

Right now, everyone testing is pretty much gimped equipment wise for their levels.

XIV isnt and will not be anywhere as vague or as "hard" as FFXI was.

Of course, there are quite a few interface and control improvements (keyboard config for one) that could stand to be added.

 

[Dreamwriter]

My advice for the future is not to count on anything for Square patches and updates, because day late and a dollar short has been a running theme since the start.

Take it for the experience it is and roll with it.

What experience is that from? FFXI Square had VERY VERY regular patches and updates. "A day late and a dollar short" has never once applied to FFXI in my experience, from the first US beta to 4 years after that. It's possible it may have gone downhill since then, I dunno, but I was there at the start, and there definitely was no such theme then.

 

[Londa]

What experience is that from? FFXI Square had VERY VERY regular patches and updates. "A day late and a dollar short" has never once applied to FFXI in my experience, from the first US beta to 4 years after that. It's possible it may have gone downhill since then, I dunno, but I was there at the start, and there definitely was no such theme then.

Its called blindly hating on something they know nothing about.

 

[Shouta]

What experience is that from? FFXI Square had VERY VERY regular patches and updates. "A day late and a dollar short" has never once applied to FFXI in my experience, from the first US beta to 4 years after that. It's possible it may have gone downhill since then, I dunno, but I was there at the start, and there definitely was no such theme then.

FFXI had maybe 3 or 4 updates a year from the start, that's pretty infrequent when compared to a lot of MMOs. Then there's the fact that most of those updates, especially at the start had very little content in them. May have gotten the occasional update that had a decent amount of content but that was pretty rare. Worse off, they'd take forever to fix gameplay balances and the like. Only time they'd do an update that wasn't 3-4 months apart was when they totally screwed stuff up and had to fix it.

Shame they ignored their playerbase far too much. There's bending too much to your players but FFXI took that to the opposite extreme.

 

[Londa]

FFXI had maybe 3 or 4 updates a year from the start, that's pretty infrequent when compared to a lot of MMOs. Then there's the fact that most of those updates, especially at the start had very little content in them. May have gotten the occasional update that had a decent amount of content but that was pretty rare. Worse off, they'd take forever to fix gameplay balances and the like. Only time they'd do an update that wasn't 3-4 months apart was when they totally screwed stuff up and had to fix it.

Shame they ignored their playerbase far too much. There's bending too much to your players but FFXI took that to the opposite extreme.

The 3 to 4 updates are version updates. When expansions come out there is also an update before then. Then there are updates to fix issues or problems with the game. For balancing and other stuff they do it during a version update. I rather not have a ton of updates all the time. I like how SE would try to pack a lot into all the version updates, these updates did not have only very little in them. They would add additional areas, gear, ect.

 

[Salaadin]

FFXI version updates were like Christmas even if I didnt get anything for my job. It was fun being on alla at work as the .dat miners started ripping it apart.

 

[Kintaro]

What experience is that from? FFXI Square had VERY VERY regular patches and updates. "A day late and a dollar short" has never once applied to FFXI in my experience, from the first US beta to 4 years after that. It's possible it may have gone downhill since then, I dunno, but I was there at the start, and there definitely was no such theme then.

How about this? Wings of the Goddess is not done yet and it launched THREE YEARS AGO.

You truly, truly have to be a FFXI nutjob to say their content updates were timely and content packed. Complete bullshit of the highest order.

 

[Shouta]

The 3 to 4 updates are version updates. When expansions come out there is also an update before then. Then there are updates to fix issues or problems with the game. For balancing and other stuff they do it during a version update. I rather not have a ton of updates all the time. I like how SE would try to pack a lot into all the version updates, these updates did not have very little in them.

They barely tried to pack content into the updates. You'd get one maybe two a year that had significant content in it but the rest were small updates with a few quests and one or two other things. Compared to other MMOs? That's fricking peanuts. It was like a year inbetween significant updates in the early days and the stuff they added inbetween was all half-baked like Ballista.

Then they have the damn habit of stretching their X-pack's content over a long time. Look at Wings of the Goddess, they aren't done with it even the the thing was released 3 years ago. And it's not just x-pack content, it's job fixes as well. It took them several years to finally make PUP the full and robust job that it should be but by then the reputation of the job was damaged permanently. Then you have BST who's gotten the short stick since launch as well.

 

[gillty]

Its called blindly hating on something they know nothing about.

By the same token you blindly defend SE.

Honestly the game explains about as much as vanilla WoW however Cataclysm and earlier updates have elevated WoW's tutorial, and there are some serious hangups in the early game experience like:

1) After being sent to the intial camp and doing my first guildleve there is no indication for players that they should head back to the Adventurers Guild in Limsa for more guildleves
or that they should talk to Balderon in Drowning Wrench to continue the story quest

2)Crafting (Disciples of the Hand) plain sucks and has almost pretty much zero explanation for how it works.

3)New guildleves are randomly limited to a 48 hour timer and that timer is not displayed.

4)Anyone attempting to use the mouse will be limited by the slow speed of a Software implementation and the inability to scroll through the map. Which is only one of such interface hangups like the fact that the ability menu has that semi obscure drop down box for displaying class abilites.

--

Story quests are fantastic, Gathering (D of the Land) professions are fun, Combat is quite fun and significantly faster in pace of XI, Guildleves sans timer are fun for leveling, art and music are topnotch, and world exploration is unrivaled for the genre.