SE wants to surprise us

[Alhanelem]

Speculation anyone?

Since even directX 9 is being deprecated, and even the most modern machine today STILL sees slowdown in this game for no apparent reason (uncapping the framerate improves it, but it still makes no sense), I'm hoping this means a real refresh of the engine, with marketing behind it, so modern machines can actually play the game properly. etc, improve the visual fidelity, bla bla bla miracles happen bla.

I'm basically fantasizing here, but since they're describing a "long term goal" out to a period that's three years away, it's a slight possibility that they are planning a real refresh/remake that can ensure that FFXI doesn't ever become the first numbered FF title that becomes unplayable.

[BurnNotice]

I can speculate a few things:

1) Possible visual improvements. There are bunch of people out there that have posted YouTube videos of there work on modifying the texture in some zones. Thus, proving that this is very doable with minimum resource.

2) Would be cool to get a new add-on scenario! This game has plenty of room to add new quest to do. So I see that as a big thing happening.

3) Probably the announcement of FFXI mobile in the US. lol.

4) Price reduction. Not likely, but if it happens, then....

5) F2P. That probably could kill this game...or just RMTs.

6) Server mergers. People been begging for years to have one.

7) Increase rank in nations (more or less related to quest)

8) Dissidia FF NT collabo. That would be interesting.


I could go on but I will let other chime in.

[Dzspdref]

I can speculate a few things:

1) Possible visual improvements. There are bunch of people out there that have posted YouTube videos of there work on modifying the texture in some zones. Thus, proving that this is very doable with minimum resource.

2) Would be cool to get a new add-on scenario! This game has plenty of room to add new quest to do. So I see that as a big thing happening.

3) Probably the announcement of FFXI mobile in the US. lol.

4) Price reduction. Not likely, but if it happens, then....

5) F2P. That probably could kill this game...or just RMTs.

6) Server mergers. People been begging for years to have one.

7) Increase rank in nations (more or less related to quest)

8) Dissidia FF NT collabo. That would be interesting.


I could go on but I will let other chime in.

#1 - possible option, but would require a good chunk of development time, unless they allow enthusiastic non-SE people "help" them with the changes, for free subscription? Hmmm.
#2 - Also possible, since their original restrictions WERE with the space capacity of the HDD on PS2 and Xbox. Now with PC's having so much more open available space, it can happen.
#3 - Already happened; it's called FF Exvius (short for Electronic XVI (16) in United States.)
#4 - Not counting on it either, with cost to pay developers for these adjustments incoming...
#5 - See #4.
#6 - Again light possibility, but unsure on what they'd use leftover servers for except for emergency back-ups.
#7 - This would be nice, except what would rewards be... hmmm....
#8 - Would rather they collaborate with their previous games like FFVII and add in "memorable" items from it for players to acquire. (Cloud's great sword comes to mind). This would alleviate any copyright or contractual obligations they would have to come up with for other companies.

[Alhanelem]

#1 - possible option, but would require a good chunk of development time

Well, they're slowing down version update development to "surprise us" within the next three years. That's a pretty good chunk of time to spend on doing anything. So the optimist in me isn't taking anything off the table.

[Sirmarki]

There is no reason to reduce the subscription on this game. It doesn't make business sense. Like most things in life, overtime, the price could have gone up even more.

Think of it this way, the cost equates to about three cups of coffee per month from any major brand of coffee shop.

[Alhanelem]

I don't think a server merge would excite people. Most of the people who really care about it have transferred to asura anyway. I like my sleepy little Shiva personally. If SE made a list of things it thought would surprise people, I don't think they'd put server merges on that list. That's just the sound of impending death. We want to be surprised! And it doesn't take 3 years to do server merges.

[Sirmarki]

I don't think a server merge would excite people. Most of the people who really care about it have transferred to asura anyway. I like my sleepy little Shiva personally. If SE made a list of things it thought would surprise people, I don't think they'd put server merges on that list. That's just the sound of impending death. We want to be surprised! And it doesn't take 3 years to do server merges.

Pretty much. I think we are at the stage now where people who want to be on a busy server ARE now on a that desired busy server, and people who like to play more or less solo or in a well established group, stay on the 'quiet servers'.

[Stompa]

They're going to fix raptor pathing!

[Teraniku]

Heck an update to the Wrapper that runs the game to DX 11 would allow shiny water and hopefully improved visual effects like smoothing out the overly pixelated Avatar Auras and it would be a win in my book.

[DarkValefor]

Heck an update to the Wrapper that runs the game to DX 11 would allow shiny water and hopefully improved visual effects like smoothing out the overly pixelated Avatar Auras and it would be a win in my book.

Even if the graphics didn't get an upgrade, running on DX9 or DX11 would make it use the NVidia card on most laptops. I hate how my laptop runs FFXIV smoother than FFXI, so that would be a great improvement.