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.

[Sidewayz]

My guess is the mobile version of ffxi because everybody has phones now and Yoshi-P thinks highly of Blizzard. He even said in a recent interview he'd like to be a part of Diablo 4 development lol.

[Seriha]

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.
Consider the cost of an FFXI sub is more than what little competition is left in the sub market before considering things like mules or extra storage space, I'd argue that XI players are and have been getting fleeced for a long time now. Further weigh that against the shrinking size and quality of updates and the value you're getting now certainly wasn't what it was prior to WotG or earlier. I think you also underestimate how many would be willing to play if the game were only $5 a month, or better yet, free (and not have to deal with the failings of the private server scene).


So bluntly, I'll just stick to them needing to reduce the cost of the sub significantly (while removing other charges) or go outright B2P. I wouldn't say server merges are mandatory so much as improving the world transfer process and also making it free. Let XIV pay for XI now, just as XI paid for years of XIV's production and revamp to suffer for it. Though, from the looks of it, I'm getting more of the vibe that XIV is on the way out and XVI or XVII will probably be another MMO.

[Sirmarki]

So bluntly, I'll just stick to them needing to reduce the cost of the sub significantly (while removing other charges) or go outright B2P.

I disagree, it's such a small amount of money for a month of entertainment. A lot of people play with numerous characters too, which equates to up to around $100 a month.
Reducing the costs would not be viable, and would have an even more detrimental effect on the game. SE are a business after all.

In my days of pubs, bars/clubs I could spend $200 in a night just on drinks, which ended up in the toilet 4 hours later.

[Seriha]

Your irresponsibility with cash does not greenlight SE giving players third-rate service.

[Alhanelem]

Your irresponsibility with cash does not greenlight SE giving players third-rate service.
Everything is relative. Just because you think they're irresponsible or that you don't think it's worth the money doesn't mean other people feel the same way. Most people don't intentionally throw their money down garbage chutes, so if they paid or keep paying SE sub money, then that means they feel they're getting some amount of value for their money. When they stop gaining said value, they will unsubscribe. Obviously, you already passed that threshold, but there are plenty of people such as him and me that feel they're getting enough out of what they're paying to continue supporting them.

Ultimately though, I think SE would rather pull the plug than go free (or buy) to play. Having continuous sub money obligates their continued support of the game, so in a way it's really the best way to keep the game online. If it was b2p, once ppl stopped buying new copies the game would be done, whereas even if only a small number of people are subscribing, the game can be kept online.

[Sirmarki]

Your irresponsibility with cash does not greenlight SE giving players third-rate service.

Oh. I have no regrets. I've had a great life and many memories.

[Seriha]

Everything is relative. Just because you think they're irresponsible or that you don't think it's worth the money doesn't mean other people feel the same way. Most people don't intentionally throw their money down garbage chutes, so if they paid or keep paying SE sub money, then that means they feel they're getting some amount of value for their money. When they stop gaining said value, they will unsubscribe. Obviously, you already passed that threshold, but there are plenty of people such as him and me that feel they're getting enough out of what they're paying to continue supporting them.

Ultimately though, I think SE would rather pull the plug than go free (or buy) to play. Having continuous sub money obligates their continued support of the game, so in a way it's really the best way to keep the game online. If it was b2p, once ppl stopped buying new copies the game would be done, whereas even if only a small number of people are subscribing, the game can be kept online.


The main problem is many don't want to acknowledge that things should be better here and that such a realization would cheapen prior investment. "It's just a few cups of coffee!" we're told, as if everyone should be happy sacrificing that or whatever betters their day-to-day life. This shouldn't be confused with me saying SE shouldn't be getting money for the game, but that they should be more realistic about its expectations from players if their own reinvestment is going to be so comically bare bones. Customer appreciation is a commodity, too.



More relative to the OP, the mere suggestion that anything is 3 years out reeks of desperation to milk yet more subs from people. That's an eternity in gaming years. Can you say, with genuine sincerity, that current XI endgame would satisfy the majority of current players for that span? I can't, as not everyone wants to build multiple RMEAs or grind umpteen jobs to Master. No, the game needs new stories, new zones (not a 4th Dynamis iteration), new mobs to fell, dare I even say a new job or two along with further revamps/additions.


The mobile version is pretty much phantom status, with the last bit of info I've heard is that the relationship between SE and Nexon has been difficult. I never really expected that to be another system we could play our same characters on, anyway, so whatever on that. A 3 year timeline may infer a sort of Remaster, as it's obvious the game needs some overhauling to shed it's absent PS2 master, but this just goes back to calling into question if that's soon enough, let alone worth it for SE if we're really going to play the business sense card. Nonetheless, the concern the game may one day "die" is a valid one, and I see that death more as a result of poor player behaviors than SE finally pulling the plug on the servers. Which is to say you can't expect everyone to be running multiple accounts or have those earlier mentioned multiple masteries/weapons and other perfect gear. The future of the game isn't in pandering to the dwindling number of addicts. It's in winning back those who felt they had nothing to do, couldn't do things (because they weren't the right jobs, on the right server, whatever), possibly never played before "because it's an MMO", and further incentivizing that against the cost of competition (which happens to be cheaper, free, prettier, and kinder in progression in a lot of cases).

[BurnNotice]

Consider the cost of an FFXI sub is more than what little competition is left in the sub market before considering things like mules or extra storage space, I'd argue that XI players are and have been getting fleeced for a long time now. Further weigh that against the shrinking size and quality of updates and the value you're getting now certainly wasn't what it was prior to WotG or earlier. I think you also underestimate how many would be willing to play if the game were only $5 a month, or better yet, free (and not have to deal with the failings of the private server scene).


So bluntly, I'll just stick to them needing to reduce the cost of the sub significantly (while removing other charges) or go outright B2P. I wouldn't say server merges are mandatory so much as improving the world transfer process and also making it free. Let XIV pay for XI now, just as XI paid for years of XIV's production and revamp to suffer for it. Though, from the looks of it, I'm getting more of the vibe that XIV is on the way out and XVI or XVII will probably be another MMO.

Can't remember where I read the idea on B2P, (maybe Reddit) but someone pointed out that F2P is more feasible than B2P only because they can follow the business plan of Final Fantasy Brave Exivus, Dissida Final Fantasy NT and Omni Opera, and a few highly popular ones. However, someone else suggested that if SE did monthly, highly rewarding campaigns without changes to the sub and job adjustments, it should result in higher retention (priority) and increase in subs and resubs. So far, it's been working out (although we need more CP campaigns), but anything can change. Nonetheless, XIV can keep XI afloat like XI paid to revamp XIV. Thus, the opportunity to adjust subs is there, but SE probably really need to a good reason to do it.

[BurnNotice]

Oh. I have no regrets. I've had a great life and many memories.

Part of living is to have no regrets about living my friend. :)

[BurnNotice]

The main problem is many don't want to acknowledge that things should be better here and that such a realization would cheapen prior investment. "It's just a few cups of coffee!" we're told, as if everyone should be happy sacrificing that or whatever betters their day-to-day life. This shouldn't be confused with me saying SE shouldn't be getting money for the game, but that they should be more realistic about its expectations from players if their own reinvestment is going to be so comically bare bones. Customer appreciation is a commodity, too.



More relative to the OP, the mere suggestion that anything is 3 years out reeks of desperation to milk yet more subs from people. That's an eternity in gaming years. Can you say, with genuine sincerity, that current XI endgame would satisfy the majority of current players for that span? I can't, as not everyone wants to build multiple RMEAs or grind umpteen jobs to Master. No, the game needs new stories, new zones (not a 4th Dynamis iteration), new mobs to fell, dare I even say a new job or two along with further revamps/additions.


The mobile version is pretty much phantom status, with the last bit of info I've heard is that the relationship between SE and Nexon has been difficult. I never really expected that to be another system we could play our same characters on, anyway, so whatever on that. A 3 year timeline may infer a sort of Remaster, as it's obvious the game needs some overhauling to shed it's absent PS2 master, but this just goes back to calling into question if that's soon enough, let alone worth it for SE if we're really going to play the business sense card. Nonetheless, the concern the game may one day "die" is a valid one, and I see that death more as a result of poor player behaviors than SE finally pulling the plug on the servers. Which is to say you can't expect everyone to be running multiple accounts or have those earlier mentioned multiple masteries/weapons and other perfect gear. The future of the game isn't in pandering to the dwindling number of addicts. It's in winning back those who felt they had nothing to do, couldn't do things (because they weren't the right jobs, on the right server, whatever), possibly never played before "because it's an MMO", and further incentivizing that against the cost of competition (which happens to be cheaper, free, prettier, and kinder in progression in a lot of cases).

This ties into a method of retention. All that you mention are great possibilities (except new zones since they made it clear they weren't doing that anymore). I would like to see a direction with adding new stories and mobs to fight. As for a new job, I think this would complicate things at the moment...besides, a lot of jobs and weapon skills currently need adjustments (like badly).

[Seriha]

Yeah, I wouldn't call jobs a priority, but something on the "Nice to have..." list once a bunch of other points get checked off and we get some better identity going for existing options.


As for monetization model, I personally wouldn't look to gacha games as an inspiration, as they're far worse when it comes to P2W elements. However, I will say that mobile games are slowly creeping toward the same level and/or complexity of XI, with the only real shortcoming they face in not having a decade+ of content to back them at their launches. We're still a bit off when it comes to real game world exploration, but the tech is erring closer with things like Stadia on the horizon and derivatives that will follow.


I imagine many would be content with a $5/mo sub in an otherwise F2P field if it meant guaranteed Double CP and the like, but there could be other venues to help churn out investment, too. The ancient argument that a sub fee weeds out RMT or immature people has otherwise proven exceptionally false over the years across multiple MMOs.

[Sidewayz]

I imagine many would be content with a $5/mo sub in an otherwise F2P field if it meant guaranteed Double CP and the like, but there could be other venues to help churn out investment, too. The ancient argument that a sub fee weeds out RMT or immature people has otherwise proven exceptionally false over the years across multiple MMOs.

Personally I don't like F2P, I would prefer a higher sub without pay to win crap like "double cp". That ruins games to me and I wouldn't play at all if that were the case.

As far as RMT goes I don't think there is much any company can do. Games with sub tokens eliminate 3rd party RMT but are pretty much just replacing it with more expensive 1st party RMT. Either way you slice it RMT will always play a part in MMORPG economy because it's too expensive to combat efficiently.

That said though, Free to Play games have been some of the worst I've seen when it comes to botting. People just use VPNs and multiple computers to create essentially an unlimited amount of accounts at no charge. Companies try to use checks like Xigncode but those don't work unless you're using multiple accounts from the same computer or VMs. Account gets banned, they just make a new one and turn the bot back on. Lineage 2 Classic tried a model similar to what you're talking about, F2P with 30 day exp runes in the shop, probably the most bots I've seen in a game for a long time.

[Stompa]

I think the FFXI Subscription Price is VERY good value for money.

For only the price of a large pizza, I am getting a whole month of adventures with my friends in Vana'diel.

For just this tiny sum of money in monthly subs, I can play dozens of different jobs, use countless weapons and spells, against an encyclopaedic array of monsters, all in a gigantic atmospheric world, which is emotionally engaging and beautiful.

If I weigh the amount of happiness I experience in Vana'diel every month, against the subscription fee I pay every month, there is no comparison. The happiness is massive, and the fee is tiny.

:)

[Alhanelem]

The main problem is many don't want to acknowledge that things should be better here and that such a realization would cheapen prior investment. "It's just a few cups of coffee!" we're told, as if everyone should be happy sacrificing that or whatever betters their day-to-day life. This shouldn't be confused with me saying SE shouldn't be getting money for the game, but that they should be more realistic about its expectations from players if their own reinvestment is going to be so comically bare bones. Customer appreciation is a commodity, too.



More relative to the OP, the mere suggestion that anything is 3 years out reeks of desperation to milk yet more subs from people. That's an eternity in gaming years. Can you say, with genuine sincerity, that current XI endgame would satisfy the majority of current players for that span? I can't, as not everyone wants to build multiple RMEAs or grind umpteen jobs to Master. No, the game needs new stories, new zones (not a 4th Dynamis iteration), new mobs to fell, dare I even say a new job or two along with further revamps/additions.


The mobile version is pretty much phantom status, with the last bit of info I've heard is that the relationship between SE and Nexon has been difficult. I never really expected that to be another system we could play our same characters on, anyway, so whatever on that. A 3 year timeline may infer a sort of Remaster, as it's obvious the game needs some overhauling to shed it's absent PS2 master, but this just goes back to calling into question if that's soon enough, let alone worth it for SE if we're really going to play the business sense card. Nonetheless, the concern the game may one day "die" is a valid one, and I see that death more as a result of poor player behaviors than SE finally pulling the plug on the servers. Which is to say you can't expect everyone to be running multiple accounts or have those earlier mentioned multiple masteries/weapons and other perfect gear. The future of the game isn't in pandering to the dwindling number of addicts. It's in winning back those who felt they had nothing to do, couldn't do things (because they weren't the right jobs, on the right server, whatever), possibly never played before "because it's an MMO", and further incentivizing that against the cost of competition (which happens to be cheaper, free, prettier, and kinder in progression in a lot of cases).

I don't think that subbing to the game is a statement that you don't think things could be better. That's what feedback is for. Just because we're happy enough to keep playing doesn't mean we're 100% happy.

[Gwydion]

I just hope they increase the packet size beyond the current 200 byte limit. This would make loading times much faster but alienate dial-up users.

[Sirmarki]

I just hope they increase the packet size beyond the current 200 byte limit. This would make loading times much faster but alienate dial-up users.

Does anyone even use dial-up anymore?

[BurnNotice]

I just hope they increase the packet size beyond the current 200 byte limit. This would make loading times much faster but alienate dial-up users.

I thought dial-up was ancient tech by now. I don't think anyone uses or can afford to use dial nowadays.

[BurnNotice]

Back to the OP, I got a feeling its something that involves a storyline. Nothing drawn out but something for everyone to enjoy and for everyone to go back to that classic adventuring style (Like running from Bastok to Valkrum Dunes at level 10. :p )

[Vold]

The 20th anni with "long term 3 year goal" and "surprise everyone" must relate to FFXI exclusively since it's about FFXI, so it can mean only two things: Another expansion - doesn't matter what they stated in the recent past, they still got machines, they can still develop new content as we've seen in the past recent years, or at least burn those machines up trying. OR Graphical improvements. What else is going to surprise us? Like really. New race? A new race needs three years to shoehorn it into FFXI? Maybe several more new jobs all at once? That needs three years? I'm running out of ideas here.

My money is on graphical face lift. They probably started feeling embarrassed that this wonderful game has gone nearly two decades without the standard facelift and that fans are resorting to doing it themselves(that one person who has completed like Sandy zone or whatevs) If it's not an expansion or facelift with a three year wait then I'll be greatly disappointed that blank took three years to do and nobody cares about it.

I guess it could be the mother of all updates that takes three years to complete. Think of all the things we've ever asked for but was told "NO! TOO MUCH TROUBLE!" like more AH slots, for example. Maybe adding new zones that they never got around to in the past. We've all seen those areas where these zones were meant to be entered from. Maybe new zones altogether, spread through out the game expansions. Perhaps for experience/JP purposes only, or attach new quests to them, whatever reasons we need to go to them. I guess that would be something I'd be surprised about and would most welcome it. Sure seems more likely that we'd get a major update to the game, than a facelift. Maybe I'll put my money on a MOAU instead HMMM.

[Dragoy]

Porting over to something like Unreal Engine or Unity would be quite neat, with a native Linux build as a cherry on top. Something like that would make the most sense, as it would allow for actually developing things further... but in three years? Not sure that would be enough time for a small team, but it certainly might.

They did mention improvements to the installation and configuration experience, so it seems unlikely they're doing anything like that though (would make no sense if it was all being re-done anyblue, although depending on the scope, it would be easy and quick enough to re-do the config utility and such). Well, it could be connected, of course, but I will doubt it. :]

I hope they don't get rid of the PlayOnline viewer (I might be the only one at that).

It will be interesting to see, but I certainly don't have my hopes high. Still, it is fun to think about.

Edit:

After actually watching the (44) digest video, there seemed to be quite a few interesting bits after the 25 minute point, that were not translated. Lots of words that I still don't know. Will need to re-listen it a bunch to maybe catch more of it.

Oh, maybe they'll finish up the new user interface heh.

[Alhanelem]

The 20th anni with "long term 3 year goal" and "surprise everyone" must relate to FFXI exclusively since it's about FFXI, so it can mean only two things: Another expansion - doesn't matter what they stated in the recent past, they still got machines, they can still develop new content as we've seen in the past recent years, or at least burn those machines up trying. OR Graphical improvements. What else is going to surprise us? Like really. New race? A new race needs three years to shoehorn it into FFXI? Maybe several more new jobs all at once? That needs three years? I'm running out of ideas here.

My money is on graphical face lift. They probably started feeling embarrassed that this wonderful game has gone nearly two decades without the standard facelift and that fans are resorting to doing it themselves(that one person who has completed like Sandy zone or whatevs) If it's not an expansion or facelift with a three year wait then I'll be greatly disappointed that blank took three years to do and nobody cares about it.

I guess it could be the mother of all updates that takes three years to complete. Think of all the things we've ever asked for but was told "NO! TOO MUCH TROUBLE!" like more AH slots, for example. Maybe adding new zones that they never got around to in the past. We've all seen those areas where these zones were meant to be entered from. Maybe new zones altogether, spread through out the game expansions. Perhaps for experience/JP purposes only, or attach new quests to them, whatever reasons we need to go to them. I guess that would be something I'd be surprised about and would most welcome it. Sure seems more likely that we'd get a major update to the game, than a facelift. Maybe I'll put my money on a MOAU instead HMMM.

I would personally kill for 60 FPS and customizable UI without third party tools. The existing game engine has no problem with 60FPS, as the animations are done at that speed (but any hjijgher and the animations play faster which looks bad); Far as I can tell the game is only at 30 FPS because that's what the PS2 could handle, so they based literally everything on that. (Also, if you do raise the fps to 60, the mouse becomes much more useable since its easier not to miss the small UI buttons and it feels more responsive)

[BurnNotice]

My gut is going with graphic upgrades and some parts of me thinks it could be added zones and quest. Shall see.