Black Screen on CS's

[Strify]

I play on PS2 and several cutscene's I've been after lately don't work. They start to play, and then my screen just goes black and nothing happens. My ps2 however remains on. (I don't have any alternative systems to view these CS's on so please don't suggest that.)
I've searched similar situations on the web. and others who have reported black screens have had them fixed by SE by splitting the CS's into smaller parts. I'd really like this done as these are crucial cutscenes to the game's storyline and this problem shouldn't be over looked imo. The following CS's black out for me:

Windurst Mission 7-1 The Sixth Ministry, NPC Tosuka-Porika at the Optistery in Northern Windurst Waters (G-8)
A Crystalline Prophecy Mission 2, ??? at (G-6) in Qufim Island

Btw, does anyone else have this problem with these certain CS's? Please fix this SE.

[Baccanale]

Greetings, Strify!
Thank you for posting your concerns about receiving black screens for certain cutscenes. In order to conduct a thorough investigation, it would be very helpful if you provided as much information as you can in the following form:

Thread Title:
Short outline explaining what sort of issue you are experiencing.

Platform:
PS2

ISP:
Name of ISP you use to connect to the Internet.

Type of Internet Connection:
Specify the type of connection. (dial-up, DSL, CATV, Optic Fiber, Other)

Internet Connection Speed:
Specify the speed of internet connection. (Example: 768Kbit/s, 5Mbit/s)

Date & Time:
Date and time of when the issue occurred. Please be sure to state the time zone of your region. (Example: Pacific Time = PST/PDT)

Frequency:
State how frequently the issue occurs. Please select from the following.
1. Always
2. Sometimes
3. Once (did not reproduce)
4. Unknown

Character Name:
Which character did the issue occur with?

Race:
Race of your character when the issue occurred.
(Hume M, Hume F, ElvaanM, ElvaanF, TarutaruM, TarutaruF, Galka, Mithra)

World:
World where the issue occurred.

Main Job:
Main job and level of your character when the issue occurred.

Support Job:
Support job of your character when the issue occurred.

Area and Coordinates:
Area and map coordinates where the issue occurred.

Party or Solo:
If you were solo when the issue occurred, please write “Solo”. If you were in a party, please write “Party”. With alliance, please write “Alliance.”
*If you wrote “Party” or “Alliance”, please also include the number of members.

NPC Name:
Name of NPC that your character was interacting with when the issue occurred.
*If you were not interacting with any NPC, then please write “None”.

Monster Name:
Name of monster that your character was battling against when the issue occurred.
*If you were not battling against any monster, then please write “None”.

Steps:
Detailed steps on how the issue occurred.
*Please try to include the following details.
•What you were doing when the issue occurred. (Example: Battle, mission, quest, crafting, synthesis, etc.)
•Please do your best to write using official terms for item names and skill/ability names. Please avoid any abbreviations or improper terms.
•If you were using macro commands when the issue occurred, please include the details of the command.
•In case the error message appeared when the issue occurred, please include what the message said.

*In case you cannot post all of the information in a single post due to character limitations, please make multiple posts.


Thanks again for your report!

[Strify]

Thread Title:
Black Screens on CS's - Basically I cannot view a couple mission related cutscenes in the game on my PS2, as they always stop playing at certain points as if the game stops working and my screen blacks out, causing me to have to shut down incorrectly and restart the game.

Platform:
PS2

ISP:
Oxford Networks

Type of Internet Connection:
DSL

Internet Connection Speed:
Idk

Date & Time:
February 2011, Eastern Time

Frequency:
Always

Character Name:
Strify

Race:
Mithra

World:
Ifrit

Main Job:
THF

Support Job:
NIN

Area and Coordinates:
Windurst Waters North, Optistery (G-8) and Qufim Island (G-6)

Party or Solo:
Solo

NPC Name:
Tosuka-Porika (Windurst) ??? (Qufim Island)

Monster Name:
None

Steps:
For the Windurst NPC I was getting a cutscene to begin Windurst Mission 7-1 The Sixth Ministry. I spoke to Tosuka-Porika located at (G-8) Northern Windurst Waters in the Optistery. The cutscene played shortly, and by the time it got to the Star Sibyl about to transition to the next scene, the screen cuts out to a black screen. I cannot send tells, hear noise, or do anything. It is as if the game has stopped working and I just see blackness. My PS2 remains on, however.

This is the exact scenario for my other cutscene in Qufim at the ??? at (G-6). This was also a mission, Mission 2 of A Crystalline Prophecy. The cutscene shortly plays, but then it stops and a black screen occurs, with no sound or any ability to /tell or see ANY type of icons on the screen. Just blackness.

When I shut off my PS2 and sign back on Final Fantasy XI, I can speak to Tosuka-Porika and click on the ??? again to resume my cutscene from the beginning as if I'd never gotten it. However, the game ALWAYS blacks out at the same spots, making me unable to further my progress in these two missions. I have tried to watch this cutscene multiple times after restarting, cleaning my ps2, etc. But it simply doesn't play and always cuts off at the same spots.

There was NO error message in either situation. The game simply cuts out.

[Baccanale]

Greetings again, Strify!
Thank you for filling out the report for your concern about the cutscenes. I understand how disruptive this is for your missions, so I will make sure to report this matter to the development team for further investigation. I recommend consulting this thread for any further news about the investigation. I also recommend consulting www.PlayOnline.com for any further developments, just in case. Thanks again for your report!

[Baccanale]

Greetings once more, Strify!
Thanks for your patience with waiting for a response. After a thorough investigation, the development team determined this matter to be a technical issue, so I have made sure to move this thread from "In-Game Bugs" to "Technical Support," just to make sure that your report is properly addressed. Thanks again for your patience!

[Nadeu]

Strify,

We can offer a few suggestions if you are experiencing any of the following:
• Have difficulty connecting to or staying connected to the PlayOnline Viewer or FINAL FANTASY XI
• Crash, receive a black screen error, or get stuck at the downloading data screen upon clicking your character handle or character select button
• See your the lag meter turn red
• Encounter increased lag or connection problems near crowed areas
• Have trouble accessing specific zone(s)
• Have trouble logging in with specific character(s)
• Receive any of these errors: 3113, 3100, 4001, 1160

Suggestions:
22. Check to make sure you have properly configured or turned off any of the following: Routers, Proxy Servers, NAT Servers, Internet Connection Sharing services.
23. If you are using any kind of software/hardware Internet Sharing service/device the following ports need INCOMING access to your PC: TCP 1024 - 65535, UDP 53, and 50000 - 65535. Also, check to make sure that the ports mentioned are not blocked by your ISP for INCOMING access. Proper configuration of any of the above items mentioned should be done by following the instructions in the software/hardware manual or calling the manufacturer's technical support.
24. If you are using a router, and have configured that router for port forwarding, temporarily bypass that router and connect directly to the modem.

Please take note of the following:
• Proxy servers, and satellite connections are not supported and do not work correctly with FINAL FANTASY XI.
• Your router may require that you use a PC to configure your network settings. For more information about how to configure your network settings, please refer to the instruction manual that came with your router or contact the manufacturer directly.
• If your Internet Service Provider (ISP) specifies a DNS server, you need to make sure to configure your settings to allow packets to pass through UDP Port 53 as well. For more information, please refer to the instruction manual for your router or the information provided by your ISP.

[Legomike]

just froze for me on 2 accounts during echo awakens please fix this SE

[Enagemy]

Legomike,

We apologize that you are experiencing a similar issue. We would recommend taking the same steps that were suggested above, and this should resolve those problems for you.

[Tenal]

I also am on a PS2 with At&t as my ISP (6mbit/s)

Shiva server
Character name Tenal
Job Samurai/Dancer
Wings of the goddess mission (any involving me zone into Windurst Waters S)
Happens in party and solo
Race: Hume F

Anytime a mission involves zoning into Windurst Waters S to advance the storyline I either get the black screen as mentioned before where I can do nothing. Or it will simply stop mid CS and will not load further.
I've done all of the trouble shooting steps mentioned. I've had this problem before in San d'oria S but it somehow skipped me past the CS after I tried doing it for a week.

This one is a bit harder since I am automatically starting in Windurst Waters S and the CS plays from the start.

I cannot access FFXI on any other console or PC.

Please help I don't want 3 years worth of character building to go down the drain before I finish all the storyline ; ;

[Aboutsixmidgets]

yeah, i play on PS3 and have the same probs.. I get a black screen after my cs from the quest " The Echo Awakens " and a few others too. Its been going on for years so i guess it will never get fixed for ps3/ps2. Just cant get Mirke/anwig gear now. Not everyone knows how to do all the things you just listed above either. Shouldn't have to go through all that. I been through it one too many times.

[Bamboozal]

*Reposted from previous thread with similar issues, although About sixmidgets issue using PS3 seems to be new*
This is an on-going, reoccurring issue that PS2 users have been experiencing for a long while now, and something SE seems to be unable to even acknowledge. Reinstalling won't help, nor is it your cables/modems/router/ports that tech help loves to blame in cookie-cutter replies. It seems to be some type of program conflict FFXI is having with the PS2. After numerous repeated complaints from PS2 users have posted here, one would thing techs would see a growing pattern and address it. The only solution that has been found is to play XI on a friend's PC to complete the CS, or download XI onto your own computer and finish it that way. Failing that, PS2 users will have to wait for techs to acknowledge the issue and fix it, but that has been a very long time coming, and you'll likely be unable to continue your WotG missions until that happy day. Hopefully you'll be able to use a friend's PC to get past this perpetual tech issue. Good luck!

[Yeastman]

I am playing on PS2 on WOTG Mission 27 The Scent of Battle. I went to Sauromugue Champaign (S) and examine the Bulwark Gate (F-6) for a cutscene. The CS was not successfully executed and I had to force reboot over 20 times now. The furthest I got to was "Ragelise : As the final item in the agenda, allow me to introduce the two volunteers who will serve as messengers for the operation." Sometimes I could not even be able to get the CS to start. Please help.

[Feynman]

Legomike,

We apologize that you are experiencing a similar issue. We would recommend taking the same steps that were suggested above, and this should resolve those problems for you.

For the sake of the OP and others who have posted here can you please explain this situation for me.

I also experienced these problems on my PS2 and PS3. I spent over 6 months talking with SE about this being told the same thing. I had service techs from my ISP over to check and still no resolution. I eventually gave up on my PS2 and purchased a PC. With no changes to my connection at all, none of these problems occur on my PC. They all continue on my PS2. The only connection change made? I unplugged the ethernet cable from the PS2, and stuck it in the back on my PC. There wasn't even a change of Ethernet cable. Same cable, same ISP, same router.

If this problem is indeed not related to the software or the PS2, how is the situation I have described above possible? Please respond to this Enagemy! I am sure SE is able to provide a reasonable explanation because the other option is that SE is ignoring the player's concerns. Effectively SE will have scammed me out of at least 6 months of subscription fees for a product that does not function properly and continues to do it to current PS2 users. I am sure this is not the case so please explain to why my PS2 does not play the game properly but the PC does, in terms of internet connection issues only.

[Aboutsixmidgets]

*Reposted from previous thread with similar issues, although About sixmidgets issue using PS3 seems to be new*
This is an on-going, reoccurring issue that PS2 users have been experiencing for a long while now, and something SE seems to be unable to even acknowledge. Reinstalling won't help, nor is it your cables/modems/router/ports that tech help loves to blame in cookie-cutter replies. It seems to be some type of program conflict FFXI is having with the PS2. After numerous repeated complaints from PS2 users have posted here, one would thing techs would see a growing pattern and address it. The only solution that has been found is to play XI on a friend's PC to complete the CS, or download XI onto your own computer and finish it that way. Failing that, PS2 users will have to wait for techs to acknowledge the issue and fix it, but that has been a very long time coming, and you'll likely be unable to continue your WotG missions until that happy day. Hopefully you'll be able to use a friend's PC to get past this perpetual tech issue. Good luck!

Bamboozal thanks for the helpful post. Thats exactly what i have to do. I let someone login me and get the cs for me. This is what ps2/ps3 users will have to do so dont bother calling a GM or tech support cause i tried that many times.