Since Final Fantasy XIV is going to be re-released in about a year, with version 2.0, and there is talk about giving something back to the players who took a chance and stuck with the game after its initial release in September 2010, I thought I'd offer up the following idea:
As of the 2.0 release of the game, we have been told that players will be unable to experience the current story arc, including the Seventh Umbral Era story arc. I think it would be nice if SQUARE ENIX and the FINAL FANTASY XIV team offered current and active subscribers a means of experiencing the original story even after 2.0's release. This could take the form of:
- A compiled video of all of the relevant cut-scenes and dialogue including your character model in a choice set of gear, available for download to players whose accounts were active prior to the 2.0 launch. The video would be divided between chapters with each chapter identifying the mission. This video could even then be added as an option to the game launch screen if the functionality is similar to what we have now, e.g. Start, Credits, Opening Movie, etc.
- A special utility to generate the video with character models of your choosing and special sets of gear.
- A special printed disc/downloaded content that contains a fraction of the current FFXIV engine and content to allow players to play through the missions (though with difficulties reduced or possibly eliminated) that will no longer be available in the 2.0 version of the game.
- A special item released in game that allows players in 2.0 to use the power of the Echo to revisit a time before the Seventh Umbral Era (e.g. FFXIV 1.x) to replay old cut-scenes.
- A special [3D] animated OVA or "mini-series" starring your character (with voice acting?) that depicts the events leading up to and culminating in the Seventh Umbral Era.
In addition to main story missions, Grand Company missions, and the Seventh Umbral Era missions, certain other quest content could be included (e.g. all of the class quests, Darkhold cut-scenes, Ifrit and other primal battle cut-scenes, etc.). There could also be alternate collections of video showing the main story arc from Limsa, Gridania, Ul'dah, and then for each of the three Grand Companies. These are all just suggestions as to the type of content that could be included.
Obviously some of these are more plausible than others, but I thought I would throw out different ideas. For instance the idea about a special item that allows old cut-scenes to be viewed in the new game (FFXIV 2.0) may not be feasible as it would require a number of assets be carried over that may or may not be available in the 2.0 release such as textures, models, and environments. The OVA also may be difficult and less attractive as it might require more work than a simple compilation of the already available cut-scene and animation data that is in the current 1.x client.
I'm making the suggestion because personally I have spent a lot of time making videos of the game, the cut-scenes and the missions and stories, but others may not have. Besides, there are unnecessary UI elements that clutter the screen of an otherwise good cut-scene. I think that this could be a "nice to have" for people who have generally enjoyed the story to date and want to have some way of remembering it, especially if they didn't record any of the game footage on their own.
tl;dr -- give players who have been around since before FFXIV 2.0's launch some way, either a video or special item in FFXIV 2.0, that allows them to enjoy the main story and Seventh Umbral Era story arcs of FFXIV 1.x even after those stories have been discontinued.
Early Adopter Appreciation Idea for 2.0 Launch...
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11-06-2011, 07:47 AMZhangoSquEarly Adopter Appreciation Idea for 2.0 Launch...
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11-06-2011, 07:55 AMRau
Goblin Footprints + YouTube
Also, this whole idea, while sounds fun, is mostly a waste of time.
I'd rather have them on making the game playable, then reminding us of when it wasn't. -
11-06-2011, 08:01 AMZhangoSquThanks for the suggestion of Goblin Footprints on YouTube.com.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rau
I don't know of how much time it would really take--especially depending on which option was chosen (if any were). Since all of the metadata to govern the quest and storyline cutscenes is already programmed and in the current client, it should only amount to a small side project.
You're absolutely right though, first priority is making 1.20 and beyond [more] playable than the game is (and was) before. -
11-06-2011, 08:04 AMJynx
I've enjoyed my time in XIV up to now, I don't need a reward for purchasing a game that I found fun.
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11-06-2011, 08:07 AMZhangoSquI've enjoyed the game too, but thought that something like this might be a nice way to allow players who did just as you and I have (bought the game and played it prior to the release of 2.0) a chance to relive what it was that they played through 3, 6, or 12+ months after the release of 2.0. Though, I suppose Goblin Footprints on YouTube works just as well for that...Quote:
Originally Posted by Jynx