[Gratitude] PS2 Limitations

[CrAZYVIC]

For me, there’s nothing better than variety and having been able to discover other amazing games while enjoying FFXI at the same time.

From Zelda 64 and Final Fantasy on the PS1, to Phantasy Star Online—the game that catapulted online gaming to stardom—and then moving on to Phantasy Star Universe before starting FFXI.

Being able to enjoy WoW-Vanilla with all its wonderful expansions while still doing events with my End-Game LS in FFXI was a beautiful experience. At the same time, I got to try other fantastic games like TERA Online and AION, before diving into Dark Souls, Monster Hunter, and other gems like FFXIV.

To this day, I play FFXI intermittently and still appreciate it, but I’m also happy that I got to experience so many wonderful online games simultaneously and didn’t limit myself to just one.

I believe it was a monumental mistake on Square Enix’s part during the WoTG expansion to not transition the code to Direct-X and let the game stagnate with obsolete PS2 code. If they had done that, we would have double or triple the "DLCs" like "Escha" right now. We’d have Dynamis Divergence Dreamlands, Xarcabard, Beaucedine, even Limbus, Einherjar, Nyzul, Salvage, and other content on the level of Divergence.

For me, it’s unacceptable to applaud and defend the mediocrity of a dev team that had at least 15 years to save FFXI but chose to let it die instead.

[Alhanelem]

For me, there’s nothing better than variety and having been able to discover other amazing games while enjoying FFXI at the same time.

From Zelda 64 and Final Fantasy on the PS1, to Phantasy Star Online—the game that catapulted online gaming to stardom—and then moving on to Phantasy Star Universe before starting FFXI.

Being able to enjoy WoW-Vanilla with all its wonderful expansions while still doing events with my End-Game LS in FFXI was a beautiful experience. At the same time, I got to try other fantastic games like TERA Online and AION, before diving into Dark Souls, Monster Hunter, and other gems like FFXIV.

To this day, I play FFXI intermittently and still appreciate it, but I’m also happy that I got to experience so many wonderful online games simultaneously and didn’t limit myself to just one.

I believe it was a monumental mistake on Square Enix’s part during the WoTG expansion to not transition the code to Direct-X and let the game stagnate with obsolete PS2 code. If they had done that, we would have double or triple the "DLCs" like "Escha" right now. We’d have Dynamis Divergence Dreamlands, Xarcabard, Beaucedine, even Limbus, Einherjar, Nyzul, Salvage, and other content on the level of Divergence.

For me, it’s unacceptable to applaud and defend the mediocrity of a dev team that had at least 15 years to save FFXI but chose to let it die instead.

I respect the spirit it comes from, where you sometimes see games that get too radically transformed and move away from what made you fall in love with it. However, it's pretty apparent today that the game might be in a better state today if various key improvements weren't delayed decades by the ps2 limitations excuse. Eventually dropping PS2 support basically serves as an admission that they should have begun the transition long ago.

[Dihlyte]

and other gems like FFXIV.

For me, it’s unacceptable to applaud and defend the mediocrity of a dev team that had at least 15 years to save FFXI but chose to let it die instead.

You see, I enjoy RPG’s instead of fashion games.

I didn’t applaud the dev team here. I applauded Sony, since it prevented SE from turning FFXI into games like FFXIV, FF16, and FFVII-Remake.

I like creating powerful weapons, discovering secrets, having useful key items, and meaningful progression.

You say FFXI is dead, and FFXIV is a gem.

I say FFXI is protected, and FFXIV is a waste of time fashion game.

But that’s what feedback is.

You enjoy simple, fashion games, and that’s fine.

I enjoy meaningful, challenging, engaging games. To me, that’s FFXI.

It is not FFXIV, and the other games being released by SE in recent years.

[Alhanelem]

I didn’t applaud the dev team here. I applauded Sony, since it prevented SE from turning FFXI into games like FFXIV, FF16, and FFVII-Remake.

That was never going to happen.

And even though looks are part of the game, none of these games are merely "fashion games." Not everyone cares about the look of their character, and they still play these games.

Sony played no role in this, and do not deserve applause.

Aside from this, there was little chance that such a big change in direction would have occured simply becuase of the platform the game was on.

Also, even FFXI has a substantial number of vanity items that have no gameplay function and only serve to change the look of your character. Even with "PS2 limitations," they added options like lockstyle that make it easier to create the look you want independent of gear stats (even though it's fair to argue more people use this by virtue of it preventing character blinking than anything else)

You enjoy simple, fashion games, and that’s fine.

Where's the thumbs down button?

Just because a game has deep character customization doesn't mean it's "simple," or has to be. There is literally no connection between character creation options and gameplay- they are not mutually exclusive. THere are many amazing games out there that have great character customization and also great gameplay. You don't like FFXIV (or any other game for that matter)? That's fine. The only reason I have an issue with your post is the blanket assertions and over-generalizations you keep making. I like challenging games too. The reality is, there is challenge in these games you call "fashion games," if you take the time to look. Your dismissal of games because they have a lot of customization for your character is ridiculous at best. It's going to lead to you ignoring some great challenging games in the future just because they have "fashion."

I say FFXI is protected, and FFXIV is a waste of time fashion game.

You're wrong on both counts. FFXI is in some danger of being lost to time because the game was prevented from adapting. And FFXIV is far more than just a "fashion game." It certainly isn't the reason I play it, anyway. The association you create between depth of character customization and lack depth in gameplay is entirely false and imagined. Now, there are actual games that are entirely about fashion (especially on mobile) that don't have any other gameplay elements at all, and I actually do think those are dumb. But none of the games you mentioned are like that.

Frankly I really hope that this post is really just some silly hot take where you take an unpopular opinion just to create controversy (aka, troll bait.) Limitations (in general) can be a good thing because they can force developers to be creative to solve problems, which leads to better design and programming practices and means future games can be even better as a result. But that's not the case here, and it didn't need to be that way. FFXIV dropped the PS4 pretty quickly, because it was getting in the way of a lot more than just pretty graphics- it was actually getting in the way of game functionality.

Within I want to say 5 years of FFXI"s release, the vast majority of console players had already moved on to the next generation of consoles, and the people who were still playing FFXI on PS2, it was most likely the only thing they were doing with their PS2s by that point. The lack of PS3 compatibility was certainly a factor in why some people left FFXI and never came back.

[Catmato]

FFXIV dropped the PS4 pretty quickly, because it was getting in the way of a lot more than just pretty graphics- it was actually getting in the way of game functionality.

When did this happen?

The lack of PS3 compatibility was certainly a factor in why some people left FFXI and never came back.

FFXI worked on PS3.

[Alhanelem]

When did this happen?

PS4 support was dropped with Stormblood's release. Among the many reasons for doing so was that the console didn't have enough memory to show all UI elements at the same time, so when using certain features, like the Focus Target display, the game would have to hide other UI elements like the xp bar or other things in order to display it due to lack of memory. They couldn't expand or add new features to the UI because they wouldn't be able to do it on the PS4.

FFXI worked on PS3.

News to me, I thought ps3 didn't have backwards compatibility because of that fancypants processor they made for it that nothing else ever used

[Catmato]

PS4 support was dropped with Stormblood's release. Among the many reasons for doing so was that the console didn't have enough memory to show all UI elements at the same time, so when using certain features, like the Focus Target display, the game would have to hide other UI elements like the xp bar or other things in order to display it due to lack of memory. They couldn't expand or add new features to the UI because they wouldn't be able to do it on the PS4.

You can literally buy Dawntrail for ps4 right now. https://store.playstation.com/en-us/...EX05SET0000000

[Alhanelem]

MB it was ps3 not ps4. Getting my generations mixed up.

ARR originally launched with PS3 support, that's what was dropped. PS4 support probably won't be dropped, at least not in the near future. But from DT forward, it won't have the higher res textures.

[Fahzewn]

News to me, I thought ps3 didn't have backwards compatibility because of that fancypants processor they made for it that nothing else ever used

The original launches of the PS3 allowed PS2 disc games to play on it (special chip installed basically) and that included FFXI. When the PS3 was trimmed down, part of that was removing the chip that allowed PS2 discs to play. FFXI couldn't be played on those.

FFXI though, as you said, never truly had PS3 support. It just "happened" to work on it.

[radar]

Money was set aside by Square Enix to literally remake ff11 for ps3, but they used the money to make ff14 instead. ff14 was always supposed to be for ff11 players to move to and they fully intended to close 11, but they messed it up and made something most ff11 players didn't like.

Seeing what they made I'm really glad they didn't remake ff11 for ps3, because they obviously forgot why people liked the game and because of that decision ff11 still exists in a pure form today.

https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/23/f...tation-3-port/