What's square going to do now?

[bungiefanNA]

I agree with that you are saying, I just picked 2009~ for the reason that after six years they knew that this game wasn't a "flash in the pan" and that a lot of people were still logging in, even just to do campaign battles and pixie weapons etc. lol.

In 2005 the game was still quite new and they couldn't be sure if so many people were just playing it because it was new. By 08~10 they must have seen that this was a popular long-term game which many players from all ages and walks of life were happy to spend most of their gaming time on. And therefor that it was a good business decision to revamp it into a deluxe modern PC game, for the existing players and the wider gaming community.

Remember, FFXI launched in 2002. If was 4 years old a month or so after Aht Urhgan released. After Aht Urhgan, they started churning development members out, because Promathia was the original end of the storyline they had written. At least moving the development tools to Windows then would have been feasible, because they still would have had enough people with knowledge to do it.

[Dragoy]

I would not want to lose the basic looks of FFXI. That is to say, I actually like the character looks better in XI than what they are in X|V (not to mention them emotes... ~shrugs~). As many others say, a remake would very likely be something very different, something like X|V.

The engine could of course be more efficient-like for the PC, and jumping would make things different, but really, it does look like it's hopeless at this point to throw money at a “new XI”. SqEX seems to have decided that it wont be worth it, and I'm actually a bit surprised, but very glad, that they are planning on keeping the Windows version up and running for a time. Many thanks for that!

Since SqEX is determined to cut the costs, perhaps if they were to sell the game, someone could write it anew, but that's probably not very likely to happen either. :\

Open source is an interesting idea, though possibly the least likely thing to ever happen considering the title and company in question. Even so, there is the gargantuan amount of work required to re-write things, which would need quite a few people really loving it to put their time into it.

Using a modern, already written game engine would work in that “only” thing required would be to create the world, quests, and everything else on top of it.

A clone of the game could be done, but because of licensing issues and crud, it would no doubt end up just not the same.


It's great to see people willing to fight for XI, but it may be in vain, since the target is not listening...

Blubb!

[Seillan]

*snip*I would not want to lose the basic looks of FFXI. That is to say, I actually like the character looks better in XI than what they are in X|V (not to mention them emotes... ~shrugs~).*snip*

I agree with this, especially about the models on XI versus XIV. I could never get into the "taru" they have in that game, and as someone who almost exclusively plays small races, that's a pretty big deal to me.

[Ritsuka]

This isn't some 25 year old making some crappy documentary on a shoestring budget. It's a major corporation designing a hugely complex game. If it's gonna crowdfund, it's going to need it from wealthy investors donating hundreds of thousands at a time, not a bunch of avearge Joes sending in Paypal donations for 25 to 100 bucks apiece.

Yes and there was a guy who was a major devoloper who started a kick starter game. If its what people want than there is no shame in doing it.

[Ritsuka]

I would not want to lose the basic looks of FFXI. That is to say, I actually like the character looks better in XI than what they are in X|V (not to mention them emotes... ~shrugs~). As many others say, a remake would very likely be something very different, something like X|V.

The engine could of course be more efficient-like for the PC, and jumping would make things different, but really, it does look like it's hopeless at this point to throw money at a “new XI”. SqEX seems to have decided that it wont be worth it, and I'm actually a bit surprised, but very glad, that they are planning on keeping the Windows version up and running for a time. Many thanks for that!

Since SqEX is determined to cut the costs, perhaps if they were to sell the game, someone could write it anew, but that's probably not very likely to happen either. :\

Open source is an interesting idea, though possibly the least likely thing to ever happen considering the title and company in question. Even so, there is the gargantuan amount of work required to re-write things, which would need quite a few people really loving it to put their time into it.

Using a modern, already written game engine would work in that “only” thing required would be to create the world, quests, and everything else on top of it.

A clone of the game could be done, but because of licensing issues and crud, it would no doubt end up just not the same.


It's great to see people willing to fight for XI, but it may be in vain, since the target is not listening...

Blubb!

They already have an engine made they could use the 14 one. And most of the mobs are already made sense they used a bunch in 14 those would be already compeleted. They wouldn't use a lalafall for taru. Its not that hard to add more polygon's to the details to make them look better basement bob already did it. Have you not see that somebody made things for the mithria you can add to this game even in 14 already? And other races.

[bungiefanNA]

Yes and there was a guy who was a major devoloper who started a kick starter game. If its what people want than there is no shame in doing it.

Mighty No. 9 would like a word, as would the Double Fine kickstarter. I'm sure there's more that are from wellknown developers.

[Bluestar2kx]

They already have an engine made they could use the 14 one. And most of the mobs are already made sense they used a bunch in 14 those would be already compeleted. They wouldn't use a lalafall for taru. Its not that hard to add more polygon's to the details to make them look better basement bob already did it. Have you not see that somebody made things for the mithria you can add to this game even in 14 already? And other races.

Using XIV's engine would make the most sense, as it was already designed to do everything XI can, and then some. Plus, as you said, it's already using a lot of similar assets, including monsters. I mean, god, there's a giant crab a few zones from limsa that's basically a FFXI crab on crack, even called bubbly bernie I think lol.

So about 1/3rd of the work is already done. XIV's texture palette would also work nicely for Vana'diel, and the races, with some exceptions, would also work fine (galka needing tails and taru needing a few tweaks being the main issue.) bigger problem would be adjusting the skeletons, and porting FFXI animations such as idling and such, esp mithra tails which don't really move much in XIV, they just kind of.... float there.

Some mobs are already in XIV, it would take some work however to add airship zones, and boats plus their textures and models though since those are just quick cutscenes in XIV and lack any substance. But the engine is already set to work on the PS4, and the sony network already allows SE's MMO's through, so there you go, a whole new crowd of console users, with a much better engine for a classic world, esp since graphics are the number 1 complaint by gamers outside FFXI.

But even with all that, it would still take millions, and a few years of work, to port the quests, zones, interface and combat and everything else that makes FFXI, FFXI. But I think it would greatly help boost XI, it's not as user unfriendly as it used to be, and expanding it like that could greatly boost revenue for XI, crowd source funding could cut off a fair % of costs and show interest to SE to help fund the process.

The only downside is, XIV's server package is likely a lot more processor/ram intensive then XI's is, hell, you can run XI's server package on a basic PC and still run FFXI on that system, probably a few times over. XIV likely requires real server power though as it tracks and manages a lot more stuff then XI does, so maintenance costs would go up, not sure how to balance that in a way that gamers would accept. I'd take a small price bump to cover that, but I can't say if anyone else would, even for that kind of upgrade to the system.

But we'd gain so much...
We just have to fight together, the target may not be listening yet, but that doesn't mean they won't, they know. They do have a lot on their plate atm running XIV, and setting up FFXV, Kingdom hearts, Deus Ex, god knows what else. But they can be gotten through too. The uproar the week of announcement was a good example, and I think we got their attention, the question is, can we keep it?

[Ritsuka]

Using XIV's engine would make the most sense, as it was already designed to do everything XI can, and then some. Plus, as you said, it's already using a lot of similar assets, including monsters. I mean, god, there's a giant crab a few zones from limsa that's basically a FFXI crab on crack, even called bubbly bernie I think lol.

So about 1/3rd of the work is already done. XIV's texture palette would also work nicely for Vana'diel, and the races, with some exceptions, would also work fine (galka needing tails and taru needing a few tweaks being the main issue.) bigger problem would be adjusting the skeletons, and porting FFXI animations such as idling and such, esp mithra tails which don't really move much in XIV, they just kind of.... float there.

Some mobs are already in XIV, it would take some work however to add airship zones, and boats plus their textures and models though since those are just quick cutscenes in XIV and lack any substance. But the engine is already set to work on the PS4, and the sony network already allows SE's MMO's through, so there you go, a whole new crowd of console users, with a much better engine for a classic world, esp since graphics are the number 1 complaint by gamers outside FFXI.

But even with all that, it would still take millions, and a few years of work, to port the quests, zones, interface and combat and everything else that makes FFXI, FFXI. But I think it would greatly help boost XI, it's not as user unfriendly as it used to be, and expanding it like that could greatly boost revenue for XI, crowd source funding could cut off a fair % of costs and show interest to SE to help fund the process.

The only downside is, XIV's server package is likely a lot more processor/ram intensive then XI's is, hell, you can run XI's server package on a basic PC and still run FFXI on that system, probably a few times over. XIV likely requires real server power though as it tracks and manages a lot more stuff then XI does, so maintenance costs would go up, not sure how to balance that in a way that gamers would accept. I'd take a small price bump to cover that, but I can't say if anyone else would, even for that kind of upgrade to the system.

But we'd gain so much...
We just have to fight together, the target may not be listening yet, but that doesn't mean they won't, they know. They do have a lot on their plate atm running XIV, and setting up FFXV, Kingdom hearts, Deus Ex, god knows what else. But they can be gotten through too. The uproar the week of announcement was a good example, and I think we got their attention, the question is, can we keep it?

Ya all SE has to do let me know if they want to do something and I could setup a donation's web page youtube page something and maybe even make a video about the program. If we need to set a mark and well shoot to make it possable if they want to meet us half way or we can try to maybe pay for most of it. I don't see why the price would have to change. Its the same price as 14 pretty much expect you get unlimited char to make if you pick the higher tag or something. Can keep the same server price to pay its not to expensive I don't think. We would have a year to collect donation's I think that would give us plenty of time.

[Numquam]

I used to play a lot. I mean A LOT. Now, I log on thenask people what they are doing then chat a bit about RL then ask if they need in-game help (most say no) then mill around the town then tweak some gear then look at forums then lust over a possible mythic then get on my BLU to solo reives for 15 minutes then ask again in the LS if anyone wants to do something (again no) then log-off. Then I won't log on for a few days. Then I lurk on the forums for possible updates that would get excited to log on, but this isn't happening anymore. This has been going on for about 3 months. I have jumped to another server. People are nice, but nothing exciting goes on. I mean, yea, non-stop vagary or delve can be magical, but doing it over and over and over and over again just plain sucks when that is all anyone wants to do. I want the old MMORPG back...not this quasi-solo play with trusts. I buckled down and bought The Sims 3. I am doing more volunteer work. I work and looking to go back to school. I made it a point to make time for this game and my in-game friends, now most are gone. So, what is SE doing? I don't know.

[Dragoy]

They already have an engine made they could use the 14 one.

At the point you're referring to, I was mostly pondering upon the crazy situation where SqEX had sold XI, or even open-sourced it, in which case the tools you are thinking of would very most definite likely not be available.

Yes, it would seem like a simple thing to do for SqEX; rebuild XI on the tools they already have, and work forward from there. We get back to that it would still cost them money, and it seems they decided XI is worth more on a mobile platform (which is such a sad place to shove it into >.<).


I do hope somewhere there, deep within the company, a spark will ignite, and take over to steer things to a different kind of future. Or maybe that someone incredibly wealthy will buy the game, including the rights to use everything it uses. They might need to buy the whole company though... ^^;