SoA release trailer...

[Elphy]

Just watched the new trailer for SoA

After seeing the trialers and promos for ffxiv, mists of pandaria, gw2, etc you would think SE would put a little more into it. It was quite a let down imo. Didnt cause any thrills or chills or induce any excitement whatsoever for SoA. With the ARR beta running at the same time as the SoA release you would think they would make you want to play ffxi again but frankly they have been more inviting to ARR and with as little as they have done with that so far, that is saying something.

You would think SE marketing dept would put a little more omph into the promo for a brand new expansion. Gimme something that looks like I would want to play and no just oh look a new map...yawn. This really is a back-burner sort of thing for me at this point and this site and trailer keeps it there.

Come on SE, some smart marketing would be nice. Maybe a cs or cinematic. At least soemthing more than seeing a couple trees and gates.

[ForeverZero]

I thought it was a nice trailer and I'm looking forward to it. New maps to explore is what I'm looking forward to the most in Adoulin.

[Carth]

It's a 10 year old game in a world that's fairly static at all time. I was not looking forward to anything dynamic.

That in mind, I liked the trailer. Helluva lot better than the Vanafest trailer where there was literally nothing.

[Ryce]

They do tend to show off a bit too much in the "empty street, open plain" department. It's almost as if their selling point is lots of open space for bazaaring in!

I'm still pretty stoked for the expansion.

[Elphy]

still I couldda done that on my laptop.

Its a large company coming out with an entire new, supposedly massive expansion. They could have put a little more effort into it and maybe drum up some excitement.

In this day and age, a lil trailer like that, which btw would garner me an F in any of my media classes, just does not cut it

[Krashport]

Seeing how outdated Final Fantasy 11 really is, We feel they did pretty well on the Trailer (http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/adoulin/index.html). On a pricing PoV though, We feel that Final Fantasy 11 is not in anyway on par with the newer games and should have been priced around $9.99~$19.99.

We picked up another copy of Skyrim $29.99 and both add-ons for $16.49 which came out last year. We'll be waiting for the FINAL FANTASY® XI Ultimate Ultimate Ultimate OMG!! Collection Edition for $9.99 three months after the release of SoA, we remember what happened last time. ;)

[Damane]

I dont know what all people have, the trailer was nice and fine. I am still very excited for seekers of Adoulin

[Jackstin]

It was a very old school trailer for a very old school game.

The main concern I suppose would be that it wouldn't attract new players, as it wasn't very flash.

[Elphy]

Well I'm sure it will come to a great relief to the SE marketing, and expansion depts, that everyones expectations are set at this lvl

All I want is a little enthusiasm from SE if they really want me to spend $30-$40 on it, not a slapped together little video that maybe took an intern 10 minutes.

Come on SE, show us you at least give a good golly gosh darn

[Sotek]

You know what this trailer is lacking? Final Fantasy tropes. None of the new mobs are particularly memorable from past titles (unlike ToAU which was built off such mobs). There's no sign of any avatars anywhere (and at this point there shouldn't really be any new avatars anyway). No particularly interesting landmarks. Even the new jobs aren't particularly well displayed in the trailer (though I don't care to see them in trailers since SCH looked good in trailers but was utter trash, release them on the test server instead). "XI is getting actual new zones" is pretty much the peak of excitement for this trailer.

Seriously, from a design aspect it's no different from any of the trailers, go back and watch them. The only thing this trailer is really lacking is any connection to the rest of the franchise. RotZ had all the basic avatars, the Crystal Warriors and even drop Gilgamesh in there (though that didn't end well). CoP had a strong connection to RotZ, Diabolos and Brohamut. ToAU had no real connection to anything, but plenty of classic Final Fantasy monster and Odin right at the end. WotG had a strong connection to XIs lore, plenty of classic mobs (Sandworm anyone?) and Atomos and Cait Sith. In comparison SoA has... Nothing...

Not saying that's bad, just makes it hard to get excited over.

[JouriStarz]

I can't believe no one said anything about the awesome music. It reminded me of something you'd hear at Disneyland. I'm gona assume it will be the music in the actual city. Can't wait to hear more.

[Teraniku]

In the trailer we also got to see what look like the main 3 npc's in the story. (The Tarutaru Scholar, The reserved Hume* girl, and the Flamboyant red Headed Elvaan guy) If it follows ToAU or WotG at least one of them will have one of the new jobs as their job. (reference Aphmau as Puppetmaster in ToAU and Lillisette as Dancer in WotG)


*Just rechecked the trailer the girl is a Hume.

[Chanch]

Just looking at the screenshots of the new city is enough to get me excited for the game.

[Phogg]

still I couldda done that on my laptop.

Its a large company coming out with an entire new, supposedly massive expansion. They could have put a little more effort into it and maybe drum up some excitement.

In this day and age, a lil trailer like that, which btw would garner me an F in any of my media classes, just does not cut it

Let's see what you can do then, make us a new expansion and promote it with a trailer using your laptop. I'll be waiting to be overwhelmed.

Someone else keep a wahmbulance on call because I think the OP will need it.

[Elphy]

Seriously, from a design aspect it's no different from any of the trailers, go back and watch them.

And there in lies the problem. They dont need to call back old ffxi, they killed that off a couple years ago. And these types of trialers may have been fine in the early 2k market but its nearly 2013 and this kind of stuff does not cut it anymore. Im not saying we should get something as grand as "And of an Era", that was epic. But we should get at least something to make us and new players excited. It really shows either a lack of caring of the dev teams part or a complete lack of skill on the marketing teams part.

They keep telling us they care about this game and they want it to live but when I see something like this I am inclined to believe the new expansion will be slapped together as well. I'm sensing a "Shut up and take my money" moment coming up.

Personally I do not think I will buy it until the price drops or they give me something that makes me want to and by that time some of us will be in Eorzea, beta testing ESO or elsewhere. We always wanted new/good content. But this really isnt going to catch anyones eye or make anyone think OOOO I need to reopen my account right now!


I can't believe no one said anything about the awesome music. It reminded me of something you'd hear at Disneyland. I'm gona assume it will be the music in the actual city. Can't wait to hear more.

That right there is a problem in and of itself. No FF title should remind you of Disneyland. Hence why I boycot that silly little keyblade game. Mickey Mouse should never mix with any of our heroes, storylines or worlds. It takes that which is epic and makes it cheesy.

[Elphy]

Let's see what you can do then, make us a new expansion and promote it with a trailer using your laptop. I'll be waiting to be overwhelmed.

Someone else keep a wahmbulance on call because I think the OP will need it.

LoL if you had ever taken any classes that deal with anything like this, you would be shocked at how poorly this is done. I could do something better on my laptop and if SE wants to supply us with any good imagery or once I bother to spend the money on the expansion, I will

There are plenty of examples on youtube of ppl who have taken in-game video they have recorded and make better vids from them.

[Fusionx]

Just watched the new trailer for SoA

After seeing the trialers and promos for ffxiv, mists of pandaria, gw2, etc you would think SE would put a little more into it. It was quite a let down imo. Didnt cause any thrills or chills or induce any excitement whatsoever for SoA. With the ARR beta running at the same time as the SoA release you would think they would make you want to play ffxi again but frankly they have been more inviting to ARR and with as little as they have done with that so far, that is saying something.

You would think SE marketing dept would put a little more omph into the promo for a brand new expansion. Gimme something that looks like I would want to play and no just oh look a new map...yawn. This really is a back-burner sort of thing for me at this point and this site and trailer keeps it there.

Come on SE, some smart marketing would be nice. Maybe a cs or cinematic. At least soemthing more than seeing a couple trees and gates.

Firstly, I sincerely doubt that SE is trying to market at brand new players with this trailer. While yes, I'm sure there are new players coming in here and there, the majority of the people playing this game now are people that have been playing this time for some time. It doesn't have to make your jaw drop. It introduces you to the story so you get an idea of what the idea is behind the expansion and that's it. If you plan on continuing to play the game, you're going to buy the expansion, if you don't, then you're no longer running around with the cool kids.

Secondly, a cinematic? This isn't WOW where they come out with a new one for each expansion. This is FFXI, they've only ever done the intro as a cinematic and that's how it's going to remain.

[Camiie]

I can't believe no one said anything about the awesome music. It reminded me of something you'd hear at Disneyland. I'm gona assume it will be the music in the actual city. Can't wait to hear more.

Sounds like login screen music to me.

As for the video, it is pretty underwhelming IMO. They're either holding their cards close to their vests, or they really don't have much to show at this point.

[Demon6324236]

That right there is a problem in and of itself. No FF title should remind you of Disneyland. Hence why I boycot that silly little keyblade game. Mickey Mouse should never mix with any of our heroes, storylines or worlds. It takes that which is epic and makes it cheesy.Sorry, but Kingdom Hearts is an epic kickass game which had very little to do with Disney at all other than your characters occasionally meet up with a Disney character, or visit one of their worlds. The overall story of that game was very similar to something you see in Final Fantasy games, as well as many Final Fantasy characters themselves. Writing it off because it has Disney characters is a fools choice.

In either case, now that I have said that, I will agree that I do not think the music should remind me of Disney, one of the best things I love about Final Fantasy is the music, which is why I have the sound track for every one I have played, except XII. When I hear the music, I want to think Final Fantasy, not Mickey Mouse.

[Calysto]

true that the trailer is kinda empty.
still :
-new maps (with all kind of annoying doors it seems >.>) are nice
-new mobs(also, normal mantis) makes my blu happy
-new missions/quests characters(but still no mithra heroine, come on SE, why always hume/elvaan girls ?)
-3 "yet to be announced" options on the site(random event/stuff/endgame event ?) not in trailer but on new site

so while the trailler was not really "exciting" it gave us small infos on what's to come.
nothing on new jobs would be the only really disapointing thing.

[Sotek]

-3 "yet to be announced" options on the site(random event/stuff/endgame event ?) not in trailer but on new site

The site is far better than the trailer, quite impressive actually (certainly compared to ARRs). I'd imagine the three other options will be something like;

-The new guilds.
-The personal islands thing they mentioned at the Vanafest.
-This expansions Campaign aspect (clearing the land, building camps and generally exploring).

I imagine almost everything currently on there will get updated at some point too, and they could also have another page hidden on the home page, like the not-so-varied personages page.

[Krashport]

I'm guessing they're not showing us the new mounts! >.> ??????? ??????? ???????

[Teraniku]

-new missions/quests characters(but still no mithra heroine, come on SE, why always hume/elvaan girls ?)
.

Definitely this. Only the WotG Windurst Nation Quests provided us with a Mithra-centric story, and it wasn't the main story arc. Zilart had none, CoP had a few secondary mithra (Sin Hunters) and ToAU only had Naja in a supporting role.

[Teraniku]

Hmm looking at the website, I'm wondering if I can join one of the 11 knightly orders...

[Xerius]

If the story/CSs are as good as the one's in WotG then I really couldn't care less about the trailer. At least the trailer was in the game and not just some extra long, extra cut CS like most of FFXIV: ARR's trailers. They're playing the mystique card where the less we know the more anxious we're going to get because once they tell us, very little is left to the imagination.

[Camiie]

If the story/CSs are as good as the one's in WotG then I really couldn't care less about the trailer. At least the trailer was in the game and not just some extra long, extra cut CS like most of FFXIV: ARR's trailers. They're playing the mystique card where the less we know the more anxious we're going to get because once they tell us, very little is left to the imagination.


I think you're giving them too much credit. If they had something awe-inspiring to show us I have no doubt that they would. While mystery can certainly be a selling point, flash and substance do a much better job. They're showing us a waypoint, spinning, a tree falling in the water, common mobs walking around, a handful of NPCs in an otherwise barren looking city, a gate opening in a dungeon, flaming rocks falling from the sky, and cutscene NPCs posing.

Where are shots of the new jobs in action? Where are PCs decked out in weapons and armor we've never seen before? Where are the shots of sinister villains and screen-filling, god-like monsters blowing shit up? We need some wow factor and we need it now. Otherwise, I'm going to keep on assuming they don't have anything to show and this expansion is going to be extraordinarily incomplete at launch (even more than past ones), because they really don't have much time left. It's the end of December, the pack comes out in March, and they have a skeleton crew working on this game. Something don't add up.

[Xerius]

Where are shots of the new jobs in action? Where are PCs decked out in weapons and armor we've never seen before? Where are the shots of sinister villains and screen-filling, god-like monsters blowing shit up?

You should go look at ToAU or WotG's trailers because they follow a format that is pretty much identical to this trailer and those expansion packs added a ton to the game.

[Sotek]

You should go look at ToAU or WotG's trailers because they follow a format that is pretty much identical to this trailer and those expansion packs added a ton to the game.

It didn't exactly follow the format. Every expansion trailer to my knowledge has show new jobs/gear meleeing/JA/SCing new mobs (which again, may show off new moves), which certainly would have livened up this trailer. Most of them actually have better camera work too, 50% of this trailer was green/nothing with the majority of what was in-game shots effectively being not-so-static screenshots which they pan up/down/whatever on. Granted all the trailers pretty much did that but they at least did it on large variety of zones. SoA has a limestone cave and volcanic cave according to the site, that would have been nice to break up the monotony of "Jungle, Jungle, Jungle Beech, Jungle, San d'Oria, Jungle Swamp, etc". No Sky/Sea/Nyzul/WoE level zones in this trailer.

Still, the really reason this trailer was boring was because we knew everything in it, and more, since the Vanafest. Anything new in the trailer is explained on the site. Pink haired elvaan is pretty much the only mystery in that trailer and he'll be added to the site in time anyway, not that "Oh look, one of the main NPCs" is much to care about. There's no "Was that Odin?!" or "Cait Sith and Atomos!?" in this trailer, even the stupid gold thing they showed at the end is on the damn site, there is no mystery here other than "Why didn't they show X?".

Honestly, the more I look at this expansion the more it just feels like a downgrade from RotZ. It's Kazham the expansion, but with elves instead of cats (so a major downgrade). Even the core mechanic of this expansion is taken directly from RotZ - replace trading an Ice Cluster to flame spouts with whatever the hell you're doing to roots in this. Really hope they have some more zones lined up for this (more than what we dat mined that is), as excited as I was for these zones originally, they all just seem so... Generic now? Nothing really stands out in any of them, even a giant tree is somehow unimpressive and that's pretty much the most interesting landmark in it (other than that awful boat which they should feel bad about and remove). Hope that palace-like zone is an actual zone and not a repeat of ToAU, also massively confused as to why Rala Waterways is a thing when apparently the city has a massive library, if they don't also add a library dungeon they've really dropped the ball on this expansion.

[Camiie]

You should go look at ToAU or WotG's trailers because they follow a format that is pretty much identical to this trailer and those expansion packs added a ton to the game.

Yeah, I just started playing yesterday so I never saw any of SE's trailers before now... On a more serious note, let's say you're right and this is exactly what they've done in the past. Don't you think they should be a little more aggressive now considering the state the game is in compared to when prior expansions were released? They desperately need to draw old players back in and lure new ones to the table. That video is not good advertising at this stage. Maybe back when SoA was still a year off it would have made a nice teaser vid. It's too late for teasers. We need flash and substance.

[Elexia]

true that the trailer is kinda empty.
still :
-new maps (with all kind of annoying doors it seems >.>) are nice
-new mobs(also, normal mantis) makes my blu happy
-new missions/quests characters(but still no mithra heroine, come on SE, why always hume/elvaan girls ?)
-3 "yet to be announced" options on the site(random event/stuff/endgame event ?) not in trailer but on new site

so while the trailler was not really "exciting" it gave us small infos on what's to come.
nothing on new jobs would be the only really disapointing thing.

I like that there's no Mithra Heroines, can take the storyline much more seriously lol.

[Kincard]

I personally liked the slow pace of the trailer since it let you take in the environments and feel the draw of exploration, which is something new areas should always have. An action-packed trailer does have its place, but I don't think a trailer like this one is really a bad thing.

[Alerith]

Read the thread. And I have one acronym for the OP.

"lol"

[Vivik]

The fact is the trailer does not need to be spectacular. They are not targeting a new audience. They are showing a bunch of hopeless FFXI addicts where they will be playing in March. Take it as an insult if you like but I am in the same boat as everyone else...

[Yrusama]

Wow, the first couple of pages of this thread are full of negativity....and yet I agree. The trailer was pathetic! After WotG I'm expecting a lot from the animation team, so more clips of cutscenes and characters would have been nice. I didn't even notice the jobs, if they were in it, and the clips of areas reminded me just now non-cinema-friendly XI is outside of cutscenes.

I did notice that it looks like there will be some dynamic features to the areas. Gates, a falling tree, etc. These clips looked like they were taken from outside of cutscenes, so I'm curious as to how they'll work out.

I'd also like to know why the areas all looked so dreary! The concept art for the city and palace were radiant and beautiful! I actually had a dream very similar to one of them, and it was the most beautiful dream I'd ever had! Why did it look like Adoulin was full of pollution? I'd better bring a gas mask if I ever go there, and that's coming from someone who enjoys Bastok's environment.

As for making a trailer to compete with newer MMOs, including XIV's spectacular trailers, I think it's safe to say they don't want to confuse everyone into thinking that XI looks better than it does in-game. The problem is that they chose clips of it at its worst. I could have put together a better trailer, and with only moderate experience with Windows Media Player at that.

[Yrusama]

The only thing this trailer is really lacking is any connection to the rest of the franchise.

Just looked at the website. There's mention of a "Big Bridge", a nod to FFV, but Gilgamesh is already in the game. I wonder if he'll go to Adoulin and "have a moment", if that makes sense.

SE isn't really running out of things it can pull from previous games to XI. Technically Rune Fencer is a nod to Rune Knight (Celes Chere from VI, Dycedarg from Tactics) and GEO is... well... old school :p. Besides those, only the Matamata reminds me of some of the older versions of Adamantoise.

As a player of both XI and XIV I can tell you this: Yoshida is certainly making a much bigger effort to draw from previous games. On one hand it gets my fanboy heart pounding, while on the other hand I'm worried that the things that make XIV unique will be buried under the fan service.

It's a bit better than what XI has done for a long time, though. Either they recycled old content/characters (ACP/MKD/ASA), or slap a Moogle/Chocobo/Goblin on a filler mini-game (Maze Mongers, Magian trials) and pretend we're satisfied. I hope this new expansion will bring back that sense of wonder I'd lost with Abyssea and Voidwatch. And I definitely hope we see something to connect it to the mainlands story. It's a bit geocentric to believe that ALL of the main stuff happens in the middlelands.