[Dev] PS2 and the new expansion

[Gingerhurricane]

There aren't enough ps2 players anymore, I being one of them from 2004-2008 when macbooks came with intel processors and able to load windows, and the rest is history. If 1/10 or even 1/20 players left on our servers on the NA side were just ps2 players, it is not cost effective to release a game into a market where it is limited supply of users.

Not everyone buys the expansion right away, as seen by people hunting online for xbox 360 wotg, which cost them more money than it was back then or some crap. Technically you borrow or buy a used version to install, then buy the pc version. Regardless, the expansion is not coming out until 2013. Even if it was released January 1st, you'd still have 6 months to save and buy up something that can run this game, whether its a 360 or a pc.

If my laptop breaks within the next year by chance, i will just buy a mac mini for 579 cause i need the mac side for my business and use the windows side for my gaming. For something like that, you could even possibly play 14 with all the crazy requirements that has for that pricepoint. Just saying you're best bet is to save for a laptop and do not get your hopes up. I have an intel duo core 2.0 ghz. i guarantee those sell for like $300-400 these days. and it runs the game at full settings.

So goodluck, most of you already know the "answer" to this question, some people just don't wanna believe it.

[wish12oz]

I'll try to be nice as I can even though I really don't care for you. Your optimism is understandable, but remember that we know nothing about the new producer. Matsui has no real history to base an opinion of the future of the game off of. On top of knowing very little about Matsui, the extent of the producer's control over the game isn't something that is actually known to community. Unless we know how FFXI's hierarchy works, that possibility of nothing changing despite Tanaka being gone remains.

If you keep being a negitive nancy everyone is going to start calling you negitive nancy, negitive nancy.

[oliveira]

actually the downloadable dictionaries are to add ffxi/pol words to the dictionary of the pc itself so you can easily use the kanji related to ffxi like redmage black mage etc... without it the pc when typing say warrior (senshi) it will try to use the kanji for KIA instead lol

til i found that out i always thought calling war KIA was some sorta joke>.>

Dude I am talking about the PS2, not the PC. On the PC you go to PLAYONLINE website download the files and install them on the Microsoft IME (Input Method Editor) dictionaries database. And for PC there never been a 256 blocks limit, either... Windows does not even measure the dictionary size in blocks ...


Edit:

Oh and there's no such thing as EU PS2 FFXI players. The HDD was never released on PAL regions due to SCEE being strongly against it.

[ellehym]

i initially started playing ffxi on the ps2 back when it was released in NA, since then i have a copy of the game on ps2, 360, and pc. you can build a crappy computer for 100 dollars or less, although i'm pretty sure everyone who plays ffxi these days has a computer capable of running the game so i don't know why we have people here trying to suggest if SE drops ps2 support they wouldn't be capable of playing the game.

[Tsuneo]

I'm a PC player, and I can say it how it is. There's just nothing to be gained from dropping PS2. Whether people can move to another platform is irrelevant.

[Spiritreaver]

FinalFantasy.de: There is no version of Final Fantasy XI for the PS3. Are there any plans to develop one? In Europe, there are no HDDs available for the PS2.

A: At the moment, there are no plans to develop a PS3 version. They already have the PS2 game, and they plan to continue supporting the PS2. They don't feel it would be the best use of resources to work on the PS3. Unfortunately, Square Enix is not a hardware manufacturer. They would love to release a HDD, but there is nothing they can do.

Link to whole interview with SE and several community sites compiled by Elmer the Pointy


Taking into account the whole partition upgrade and FFXI folder-size increase, even if no disc is released for PS2s outside of Japan, i think its safe to say that there will be a digital download available at the very least when SoA arrives. And who's to say that a NA PS2 version won't be present on the PC game package?

This whole conversation reminds me eerily of the whole "Dancer will be a female only job" debate that rose up before WotG went live. Ppl then were saying that since there was no male depiction of the job present, SE didn't plan on letting male characters lvl the job. Ridiculous as it seems now, there were ppl that truly seemed to believe it.

Could development for FFXI be easier if the game was windows compatible only, of course. Only a complete idiot would say otherwise. But it is equally idiotic to assume that dropping PS2 support(which it has been said to death, yet ppl refuse to grasp, can't be done w/o some real work that isn't gonna happen) will suddenly make all software developing issues with XI magically disappear.

I write all of this from one of many PCs in my home that i have FFXI loaded on. Not forgetting my PS3 and my orginal brick PS2 that is STILL running like a workhorse. I like being able to play from w/e i happen to have setup shop in my house at the time.

Personally i am just flabbergasted at some of you ppl(not just on this forum either, on others and ingame) dictating how a person should access this game. Every single one of us knew this was a multiplatform game when we signed up. All of us. And as such, the game as a whole is going to have to at some points bow to the 'bottom end' in terms of what it can do.

Now that the devs are making graphical updates and other changes under the hood for the systems capable of enjoying them, really who gives a damn what system the next guy is on? Its childish and petty. By all means, continue going on about how the "PS2 is at fault for <insert gripe>" 'til you are blue in the face, however. That's your right-this has just been my 2 cents.

[RAIST]

Think you're missing a bit of the bigger picture on the PS2 support issue. Eventually, the console WILL die out. Sony is only commited to continued production through FY2015, after that it's future is uncertain. The point is, at SOME POINT the PS2's market share for this game may naturally just drop off--whether from consumer demand, or lack of availability of the console due to stopped production. PC's and MAC's will be around for a considerably longer time--and even though the Windows environment is continually evolving, it is still Windows and Microsoft still cranks out the tools for porting software to it's newer API's, so there will ALWAYS be a path for migration in that environment (unless Microsoft topples over...highly unlikely).

Knowing of this pending obsolescence for the PS2, the sooner they can start preparing a migration path off the dated platform and into a Windows centered environment, the better. Remember, PS2 is 12 years old...hard to find a high percentage of home users still running ME/W2K, and the XB360 is a Microsoft product and does incorporate some Windows components into it's development and such. It would greatly benefit them for future survival of the franchise to take steps as soon as possible to encourage users to migrate away from the PS2 so that when it does finally slope off the radar, they can have a smooth transition.

New content and feature adjustments that are limited release only to the non-PS2 platforms is just the start of this process. As time goes on, we may very well see more such changes taking place. And let's face it...it's not like it's expensive to get a copy of the game for the PC. They've routinely released collections as far back as 2005 with the Vana'Diel Collection (I nabbed one of those ROTZ/CoP Gold box editions back then for like $30). They've consistently released new all-inclusive versions of the game each year for the past 4 years, the last few of which were sold as DLC packages for $20USD, $10USD periodically on sale....wouldn't surprise me at all if they released another collection in 2014 that had everything for it.

Their desire to maintain PS2 support has a stranglehold on progressing beyond certain limitations in development. So long as that support must be maintained in the core code, certain much needed/wanted changes will be restricted. We have no choice....SE has no choice....they HAVE to keep those limits in place BECAUSE of the existance of the PS2 on the support list. It likely just isn't deemed cost effective at this point to run a seperate develpment cycle that is purely PC/XB360 compliant....yet. But...what happens when there is no longer a NEED for that legacy PS2 support to be maintained? Then SE will have the freedom to move past those limites IF (and that may very well be a BIG IF) they are willing to make the core changes at that point in time. Until that PS2 is removed from the equation, their can be no progress in those matters unless SE is willing to break off and start a seperate development schema for the non-PS2 platforms. At this point, it likely is not seen as financially sound to do so.

So in summation, SE needs to start planning for the eventual loss of the PS2's marketshare for the game. Whether they will plan to take steps to dramatically capitalize on the benefits of running it strictly on non-PS2 platforms is a great unknown---but one thing we can be fairly certain of (unless Sony changes it's mind) is that eventually, the PS2 WILL fall out of the picture IF this game is still in further development past 2015. IF it is still going strong at that point, people may very well push doubly as hard for SE to move past the PS2 restrictions at that point, as it will obviously no longer be a viable excuse to maintain legacy support for a platform no longer in production and no longer supported by it's manufacturer. SE would be wise to prepare in advance for that eventuality.

[Camiie]

Knowing of this pending obsolescence for the PS2, the sooner they can start preparing a migration path off the dated platform and into a Windows centered environment, the better.

In their mind, that migration is FFXIV. They've already said, granted in relation to a possible FFVII remake, that it's better to just make a new game than try to rebuild an old one. Yeah they royally screwed XIV up, but for those wanting a modern FF MMO that's the only answer you're going to get out of them.

[oliveira]

In their mind, that migration is FFXIV.

Was, I suppose. Now that they had a change of mind, instead of trashing FFXI they decided to resume working in it...

+1 to you Cams

[Gilraen]

No, XIV is still their idea of the next great MMO given how much work they're still pointing into it. XI's still around because if it's raw staying power and loyal fanbase in Japan. Playing XIV myself I have to say that it stands to gain just as much staying power with it's still unrivaled writing and decent game mechanics (now that they're no longer kowtowing to the old director).