View Full Version : make POL Viewer useful again
wildsprite
06-12-2012, 07:35 PM
right now POL viewer just feels like a tedious wrapper just to start FFXI, since you cannot get rid of it due to various reasons, why not make it useful again, make portals within it to the Playonline Website, Forums, LS Community Portal and the SE account system, while I think this should be done across the board I really think it should be done most for the XBox360 and PS2* since many of the players I know do not have regular access to a PC this would be very helpful to them
*yes I know many of you want to be rid of the PS2 but lets face it, most of the players who still use it are not going to switch over unless either their PS2 dies or support for it is killed by SE, and I don't see that happening any time soon
I realized after making this post it should probably be in General Discussion, if that is the case can a mod please move it? thanks
Arcon
06-12-2012, 07:39 PM
They should completely extract all of the POL Viewer's remaining features to the Account Management System and let it be just a FFXI log on manager, manage FFXI/POL accounts and necessary log in security with (possibly) certain messages on a successful connect (like server maintenance and updates).
Speeding up the ridiculously convoluted log on process is in absolutely everyone's best interest. Entering a successful SE/POL password should bring you directly to the character selection screen, everything else is just noise.
wildsprite
06-12-2012, 11:40 PM
I think you missed the point, for one thing, many of those on the XB360 and the PS2 don't have regular access to a PC, therefore should have a way to access these features and POL viewer is the best solution
Llana_Virren
06-13-2012, 11:54 AM
Kill the PS2. Problems solved.
Twille
06-13-2012, 11:30 PM
I think they should strip POL completely bare with nothing more than a button to launch FFXI. Anything else is just a waste.
Daniel_Hatcher
06-14-2012, 12:27 AM
They are basically getting rid on the PS2, hence only PC UI updates etc... The only reason they haven't dumped it is they're legally obliged to keep it working so long as the servers are online.
I agree with the others: Strip it away completely, use it to login then directly take you to FFXI, nothing more.
Spiritreaver
06-14-2012, 12:36 AM
I think you missed the point, for one thing, many of those on the XB360 and the PS2 don't have regular access to a PC, therefore should have a way to access these features and POL viewer is the best solution
I think that's prolly not fully correct. As i type this post on my PC, i have FFXI currently loaded up and running on my PS3 across the room. I actually have three different instances of FFXI in my home atm-my PC, my PS2(which still runs fine btw), and my PS3.
Also let's not forget that, if i'm not mistaken, everyone playing FFXI atm has a SE account. And that can only be accessed through a PC.
Just pointing that stuff out tho. I'm all for POL being given some useful purpose again. It is only an annoyance atm.
Kill the PS2. Problems solved.
Awesome idea.
Too bad it won't happen until SE reworks the game's code from the floor up, purging all the PS2 bits. Essentially making a new game. The possibility of that happening though are...not very good sadly.
Sarick
06-14-2012, 06:44 AM
They are basically getting rid on the PS2, hence only PC UI updates etc... The only reason they haven't dumped it is they're legally obliged to keep it working so long as the servers are online.
Reference please?
I wouldn't call the PS2 version working anymore. It crashs talking to NPCs for no reason and a lot of CS can put you in limbo state on log on.
Glamdring
06-14-2012, 09:54 AM
I'm sorry, maybe I missed something. the title says to make the POL viewer useful again. This would imply that at one time it was useful. I've played since NA release but I don't recall there ever being such a time. Could someone please elaborate?
bungiefanNA
06-14-2012, 03:54 PM
POL Viewer used to be like Steam or PSN. It was used to launch the 7 online games SquareEnix released that used it (FFXI, Tetra Master, JongHowLo, Front Mission Online, Fantasy Earth: The Ring of Dominion, and Dirge of Cerberus. It let you send chat messages to other friends playing other games, and you could see what they were playing. It just didn't get that support outside of Japan. Originally, it was supposed to be a hub for Namco, Enix, and SquareSoft online games. PSBBN then came out a year or two later and did a similar job.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/bungiefan/FFVIIDoCPOLMenu.jpg
Daniel_Hatcher
06-14-2012, 04:09 PM
Reference please?
I wouldn't call the PS2 version working anymore. It crashs talking to NPCs for no reason and a lot of CS can put you in limbo state on log on.
The only basis I can vouch for is GB in which it's law and if they don't they could get sued.
It doesn't have to work perfectly, just capably.
wildsprite
06-18-2012, 05:37 PM
somehow I think my point was missed by many of you here,
some players had to go out of there way to set up an SE account using a friend's PC, or a library PC and such, I personally know at least a dozen people that play XI that do not have their own PC and must use someone Else's PC to access their SE account,
when they got XI they could do everything they needed through POL Viewer,
what is POL viewer now? an over glorified launcher that can give you news and the ability to chat with friends,
no harm would come from at least giving XB360 and PS2/3 users access to the SE account system at the very least bit through the viewer
Cabalabob
06-19-2012, 12:58 AM
So these people have Internet access just to play ffxi? A pc capable of running the Internet isn't hard to get a hold of. Most phones can access the Website these days. I don't see SE putting any work into giving consoles a Compatible web page when they pretty much regret putting ffxi on consoles in the first place.
The only basis I can vouch for is GB in which it's law and if they don't they could get sued.
It doesn't have to work perfectly, just capably.
'kay I'm confused about only one thing here:
What does GB stand for?
Arcon
06-19-2012, 10:30 AM
'kay I'm confused about only one thing here:
What does GB stand for?
I'd guess Great Britain?
Arukia
06-20-2012, 12:10 AM
I'm sorry, maybe I missed something. the title says to make the POL viewer useful again. This would imply that at one time it was useful. I've played since NA release but I don't recall there ever being such a time. Could someone please elaborate?
I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that it's useless before. Before SE accounts all of xi billing was done through PoL. Most of PoL uses would be for the console player, managing SS, etc. The Vana'diel Tribune was on it and I read it on there (ps2 player). I know there's a news-ish feed scroll banner on top, but some update on the side bar items would be nice.
Ziyyigo-Tipyigo
06-20-2012, 12:59 AM
A pc capable of running the Internet isn't hard to get a hold of.
Whether that is true or not, PS2 and Xbox 360 packaging only say that an internet connection is required, making no mention of a requirement for web-browsing. It may or may not be a realistic situation, but it is a situation permitted by the printed terms of sale regardless.
Hell, that right there is probably why they don't publish console versions any more. Console players from before the S-E Account System were grandfathered in by virtue of having their User Agreement amended out from under them, but putting new copies on store shelves means dealing with people who have not yet signed away anything.
Behemothx
06-20-2012, 07:41 AM
They are basically getting rid on the PS2, hence only PC UI updates etc... The only reason they haven't dumped it is they're legally obliged to keep it working so long as the servers are online.
I agree with the others: Strip it away completely, use it to login then directly take you to FFXI, nothing more.
They're not obligated to give any services, no company is.
Part of ToS:
SQUARE ENIX reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to restrict, suspend, or terminate your access to all or any part of the Website or Services at any time, or to terminate your registration for any or no reason, with or without prior notice. SQUARE ENIX will not be responsible for any losses, damages, claims and/or actions of any kind, either directly or indirectly related to or arising from the restriction, suspension, or termination of access to the Website or Services.
Nakts
06-20-2012, 08:10 AM
somehow I think my point was missed by many of you here,
some players had to go out of there way to set up an SE account using a friend's PC, or a library PC and such, I personally know at least a dozen people that play XI that do not have their own PC and must use someone Else's PC to access their SE account,
when they got XI they could do everything they needed through POL Viewer,
what is POL viewer now? an over glorified launcher that can give you news and the ability to chat with friends,
no harm would come from at least giving XB360 and PS2/3 users access to the SE account system at the very least bit through the viewer
Even playing on PC I think that would be kind of a neat feature.