Client should be downloadable from square-enix.com website

Hello,

I got a new computer recently. I wanted to get FFXI re-installed onto it. With other MMOS like World of Warcraft, Aion, and Age of Conan this can be done by copying the game folder from the source drive to the destination drive, with a minor edit to one or two text files within the game folder. No registry changes are needed.

Many MMOs offer download of the client to active subscribers. I don't understand why this isn't offered by Square-Enix.

In order to get FFXI onto my new machine however, I had to go through the following process:

1) Install Playonline and Tetramaster CD
2) Install Disc 1 of FFXI
3) Install Disc 2 of FFXI
4) Install Disc 3 of FFXI
5) Re-insert Disc 1 of FFXI
6) Install Disc 1 of Chains of Promathia
7) Install Disc 2 of Chains of Promathia
8) Re-insert Disc 1 of Chains of Promathia
9) Install Treasures of Aht Urghan Disc.
10) Install Wings of the Goddess Disc.
11) Try to launch POL Viewer, get instant crash.
a) Go to Playonline.com -> Service & Support, manually search for "Windows 7".
b) Choose the second answer that appears, "Windows 7 Compatibility".
c) Download Windows Vista/7 compatible version of POL Viewer.
12) Read instructions for the Windows Vista/7 compatible version of POL Viewer, specifically:

Quote:

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If the PlayOnline Viewer and FINAL FANTASY XI are already installed, they will need to be uninstalled. Select Programs from the Control Panel, and then select PlayOnline Viewer and FINAL FANTASY XI from the Uninstall or change a program list. Finally, click Uninstall.

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13) Uninstall POL Viewer, Uninstall Final Fantasy XI
14) Install Windows Vista/7 version of Playonline Viewer
15) Install Disc 1 of FFXI
16) Install Disc 2 of FFXI
17) Install Disc 3 of FFXI
18) Re-insert Disc 1 of FFXI
19) Install Disc 1 of Chains of Promathia
20) Install Disc 2 of Chains of Promathia
21) Re-insert Disc 1 of Chains of Promathia
22) Install Treasures of Aht Urghan Disc.
23) Install Wings of the Goddess Disc.
24) Launch POL Viewer, wait 2-3 hours for ~650 file update to commence.
25) Re-launch POL Viewer, navigate to FFXI, wait over 7 hours for 18,513 file update to commence.

I'm still on step 25, its about 89% done now.

You can keep the files from your previous installation, then just install the POL viewer + the original game. Then you can copy over all the files from your previous install and perform a "file check" in POL. After that, the game will function the way it should.

That being said, it would be nice if we could download the client from SE's web site.