FFXI Remaster - Remake

[Dihlyte]

This is a silly topic to begin with, but let's jump into it for the sake of our love for the game. (On the off chance SE does read these forums, and cares about their game.)

First off, no one wants a remake.

FFVII - Remake is a nice idea, but no fan actually wanted it.

Many fans would not mind it, but "not minding" something and "wanting" something are entirely different.

People wanted a remaster, proper updated graphics for FFVII, as it was the worst looking game in the series. We didn't want a completely different game, as with FFXI, no one wants a remake.

We want FFXI as it is, with updated graphics, and some updates to fix issues such as the bouncing camera issue, and the "animation lock until I'm dead" issue.




For Square-Enix:

If SE actually is remastering FFXI, I'm almost entirely confident in saying, people want the game to be exactly as it is now.

In order for a remaster to be successful, more successful than the original launch of FFXI, it needs 5 things.


1.) The game must have content that is extremely difficult, requires proper party coordination and offer rare, ever-lasting rewards, as the original launch did. If a piece of equipment is extremely difficult to obtain, it should always be upgradeable. No content and more specifically, no piece of difficult to obtain equipment should ever go outdated.

2.) The game must be changed in only *one* area, so that the story line can be completed by players solo. Locking the majority of players out of the simple basic main portion of the game, is why this game never really took off. The price also held back many players as well (The PS2 hardware being over 100 dollars, I am not referring to the subscription. A subscription model is very good, the PS2 hardware price was what kept many players from playing this game. Me included.) If 500,000 people played FFXI at its peak, but only 1,000 players ever beat the main story before it was updated, that is a major issue.

3.) The remaster, must be able to replicate the game exactly. If the player cannot 100% recreate the exact experience then its not a remaster. The UI must be capable of looking exactly the same, without any "extra-hand-holding" forced UI elements. The damage text must be pop-up like traditional FFXI and Final Fantasy games. Not that "flying text" stuff in FFXIV, which is a major eye sore. The game also must not have any glowing "go here, click this" stuff. Even FFXI currently has "glowing click here" areas, and this 100% needs to be an option that is capable of being turned off. Veteran gamers such as myself, find this to be a major eye sore. A proper UI should allow the player to turn off every single element that isnt part of the actual background and environment. Also, FFXI has an auto-hide chat log, This 100% needs to be implemented. FFXI's "hotbar" or "macro bar" also disappears when not in use. This also must be an option. The appeal of FFXI over FFXIV is that the UI is clean and neat. Not a eye sore cluttered mess like modern MMO's. (My opinion.)

4.) It must not be FFXI-A Realm Reborn. The reason FFXI and FFXIV both can exist, is because FFXI is not FFXIV. Turning FFXI into a cheap "Themepark" video game, not only hurts the RPG genre, but also will hurt either FFXI now, or FFXIV now.

5.) The game must play, and feel as it does now. All the currencies, all the features, all the elements of gameplay, all the equipment, gearsets, limit breaks quests, conquest maps/points, key items, crystals, signet, all of it all must be still in the remaster. Party play should never be forced (for just the main story experience) and solo should never be forced (ever, including during the story battles) and partying-up should always be rewarded.

Please do not do a remake. Make it a remaster.

Since I’m here, I’ll say it more clearly for Square-Enix, and Naoki Yoshida:

Dear Square-Enix:

Stellar Blade is an action game. 1 million units sold.

Baulders Gate 3 is a turn based RPG: 10+ million units sold.

FF16 is an easy action game: 3 million units sold.

Elden Ring is a harder game: 25 million units sold.


Looks to me, like turn based games, especially if they are difficult, will sell well, as opposed as this idea that easy action games are “popular”

Lastly.

Minecraft has horrible graphics: 300+ million units sold.


No one cares about graphics, easy games, or action games.

People want gameplay. We don’t play video games for cutscenes, graphics, and an “easy time” that is what movies are for.

Video games are supposed to focus on gameplay, challenges, engagement.

The original wasn’t very successful, because to play it, you needed to drop 150$ on a hard drive, game, and subscription. It also didn’t run very well, and 22 years later it still doesn’t run well. You also can’t expect people to be in a party 100% of the time, not in today’s world. Party content should be reserved for endgame, and side quests, etc.




For the community:

I don't actually think Square-Enix would make a proper remaster or remake of FFXI.

If they somehow did do this, I honestly trust them more to completely ruin both FFXI now, and the remaster, so both games end up dying. They would be able to create enough "hype" that just enough players leave this game, to try the new one, and then when the new one turns out not to be a proper RPG, that both games end up dying, and we won't have anything actually engaging, thrilling, interesting, or challenging to play anymore.

So I made this random pointless post, just on the off chance SE is actually doing it. It is my hope, that if they do make the game, that they do it right, and make it exactly how the game is now, with only minor improvements to actual issues.

I know many people want the 2002/2004 experience, but there does need to be an option for players to complete the story solo, as that is the most basic aspect of any video game, and locking players out is silly. You can still create this same experience, by making the world difficult to traverse, leveling challenging and engaging, while also allowing players to experience the story without the need to be forced into a party. A well designed game, including a MMO, offers players the option to complete the simple tasks solo or in a party. They should never be forced to go solo or forced into a party for the basic aspects. That is what side content is for. Farming NM's or leveling more quickly. Party play should be encouraged.

We can discuss why it needs to be exactly like 2002/2004, but based on any logic or success of any other game, it all points to FFXI's story line, should be capable of being cleared solo. You want more people capable of doing more content, not only as a player, but also as a developer. Just as I said, being able to clear the story solo, does not translate into the game being easy. They still can have zones that are difficult to reach, or enemies that will destroy players. The point I'm making is if done right, players can complete the story at a reasonable level of difficulty while solo, so the game can thrive. Then unlike other themepark games, the side content, is actually challenging and rewarding as it rightfully should be. Side content, should never be easy, or quick. Side content should always be more difficult, more engaging, more challenging, more rewarding, that the main story. This is how things are in every traditional Final Fantasy, and rightfully so.

[Dihlyte]

Just in case, people are wondering where this is coming from:


A few events that have happened have placed a very small possibility of this actually happening, in peoples minds:

1.) Matsui was pulled off FFXI.
2.) FFXI's team was pulled off FFXI to "go work on something more modern." (I personally doubt this is FFXIV's alliance raid. FFXIV's alliance raids are pretty straight forward and wouldn't need additional staff.)
3.) FFXI/FFXIV's division is apparently working on two unannounced games. (They should be announced soon, so we won't be discussing this very long.)
4.) FFXI's canceled mobile game has the very assets for this to happen.
5.) FFXIV both now, and 1.x also has assets to help boost productivity if this was being done.
6.) We are Vana'diel site, is a very odd thing to exist. It would make more sense if they are doing a remaster/remake of FFXI.
7.) The time frame of them remaking FFXIV (ARR) and "continuing to update FFXIV 1.x" is very similar to how things have been progressing for FFXI over the past 3 years. (Smaller updates to FFXI, while stirrings of other things going on at SE, see above.)
8.) Other things I'm probably forgetting in this very moment while I'm typing.

[Dihlyte]

... and one more thing Square-Enix.

If you are doing this, please for the love of all things holy and right...

Please plan ahead, and implement a damage cap.

"Stat-Squish" and "reworks" of jobs and classes, are such bad form. It really does make a development team look very disorganized when they are having to do a stat-squish and rework entire jobs. Especially if they do it more than once. Jobs should never have to be reworked. Please plan ahead.

Also, a damage cap is much more logical. It also looks very nice as a player. Seeing that rare 999,999 (I know FFXI is 99,999, but 999,999 is even nicer looking) is oh so satisfying.


Edit:

For Square-Enix and the community.

One very simple way to recreate 2002/2004, and also allow solo play of story battles.

Create 2 versions of story battles.

1.) Solo version.
2.) Party version.

Solo version would just unlock the proceeding cutscenes/quests.
Party version would offer the rewards that the game currently offers.

Both FFXI now, and FFXIV now, have two versions of story battles. "Hard" and Extreme" in XIV's case, and XI has VE, E, N, D, VD versions of many fights.

This is the simple answer obviously.

[Kalimairo]

A ffxi remaster in the form of Zodaic age when it comes to Graphics will be fucking Perfect THAT WILL enable the game for 15 more years lol

also the solo and party version is a thing in DQX they should add it to XI if u do story 2.0 u get extra Rewards

[Dihlyte]

I didn’t try the Zodiac Age personally.

I don’t know if they will even actually do a remake/remaster.

I just figure it would be good for them to have some input from fans.

Honestly I believe they should do more player polls.

I recently learned that RuneScape won’t even make any changes that aren’t approved by their player base. Seems like a very good approach in my opinion.

[Alhanelem]

It is highly unlikely. FFXIV is getting an FFXI themed raid in a few months. I doubt there is anything going on relating to FFXI other than its own development and that.

[Dihlyte]

I don’t disagree.

I just felt feedback wouldn’t hurt.

[svengalis]

tbh im not sure how you fix the issues with this game without an actual remake to make it more modern.

[Alhanelem]

tbh im not sure how you fix the issues with this game without an actual remake to make it more modern.

Well that's what we want, ideally. Give us modern visuals, the same core combat system just with some of the clunkiness removed (i.e. remove most of the painfully long animation lock pervasive throughout the game), on a modern engine designed with modern internet connections in mind, which will remove many of the technical limitations like inventory capacity, caps on the number of spells and abilities, and the autotranslate dictionary, etc. etc. etc. There is so much that could be improved while retaining the essence of what makes the game fun.

[radar]

I trust modern Square Enix to remake XI as much as I trust Blizzard to remake World of Warcraft.