FFXIV Windows 8 Surface and other W8 Tablets

I understand that just about all old games, like FFXI, will not work on the new Surface tablet which is running the ARM Windows 8, but the game should be able to easily be ported over to it because it is still windows and programming should still be very similar from what I've seen in the dev kits.

I'm currently a Microsoft Gold partner and we've been playing around with some of the prototype tablets and Windows 8 RTM and I very much like the OS -now-. It took a long time for me to get used to it but now I'm a fan of it.

I know FFXIV will never be on iOS but it would be nice to see a reworked touchscreen UI for Windows 8 for this reason:

I would love to be on a 4G or better Tablet, pull out my bose headset, and play FFXIV on the go. (On the go for me means I'll be at the local humidor having a cigar in AIR CONDITIONING!!!).

The game already works with touchscreen because its de facto mouse support, so we'd be able to tap the menus and open them just fine - but Walking is still near impossible. We can use the on-screen windows keyboard, but thats not practical.

So what I'm asking for, for 2.0, and obviously not at launch but to have this in mind for future development, especially as people move away from laptops and into tablets, is:

• On-Screen D-Pads similar to the kind we use in FF3 iOS
• Swipe camera controls to go with the Dpad for camera
• Potential on-screen build-in keyboard (same UI as ps3?)
• Official Windows 8 App so it works on W8 Tablets
• Windows 8 "Games for Windows" achievements

One or two of those changes could be complicated, namely the achievements, but the others are just a control scheme that could be added directly to the FFXIV Config similar to the Gamepad controls. It shouldn't require a whole new FFXIV version, and should be able to be integrated into the normal 2.0 PC client if performed correctly and would be backwards compatible with all versions of windows.

Not sure if serious. This is SE you know?

under no circumstances should any game be built around an OS, although i will agree id love to see FFXIV on ARM and MIPS. i don't think it will happen just because of the nature of the architecture in general and the shaky future of ARM/MIPS devices.

w8 is garbage just saying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztVMib1T4T4

They should definitely have future tablet support in mind if they want this game to be future proof and highly accessible.

No way it's ever happening on the ARM surface or any ARM tablet for that matter.

Now the pro version we could start talking about...

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Originally Posted by Defmetal

• On-Screen D-Pads similar to the kind we use in FF3 iOS

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http://i45.tinypic.com/34sqxrt.jpg

I am not sure you are fully understanding what you are asking. An ARM processor is what is used to power a smartphone or a low cost tablet (Ipad, Galaxy Note, Surface RT, etc).
None of these systems have the processing, memory or graphics power in order to play this game unless it is scaled WAY back. It would also have to be written to support the ARM chipset calls. Windows RT will not run everything that Windows will run (hence the RT). In addition to that you cannot simply install a program on an RT program as it currently would have to go through the marketplace with its restrictions.

As far as a Surface Pro. Yes it will run FFXIV although I would recommend it be in lower settings to prevent overheating. Since 2.0 uses less resources then 2.0 should run just fine on a Surface Pro.

Here are the specs between the 2 (These are night and day differences)
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/18/m...rt-and-window/

The Surface RT is an ARM tablet (similar to Android, Ipad and others) It is not a gaming machine unless the game is written to run on ARM (not nearly as powerful as a laptop or desktop. This is why it is so cheap).

The Surface pro is basically an Ultra Book type setup with an I5 and an Intel HD 4000 (which is capable of running FFXIV).
Basically a small laptop with the keyboard detached and a full touch screen with a special pen design.

Due to lack of space inside the case I would not put the setting too high due to cooling worries.

I hope this helps.

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Originally Posted by cloverkitty

I am not sure you are fully understanding what you are asking. An ARM processor is what is used to power a smartphone or a low cost tablet (Ipad, Galaxy Note, Surface RT, etc).
None of these systems have the processing, memory or graphics power in order to play this game unless it is scaled WAY back. It would also have to be written to support the ARM chipset calls. Windows RT will not run everything that Windows will run (hence the RT). In addition to that you cannot simply install a program on an RT program as it currently would have to go through the marketplace with its restrictions.

As far as a Surface Pro. Yes it will run FFXIV although I would recommend it be in lower settings to prevent overheating. Since 2.0 uses less resources then 2.0 should run just fine on a Surface Pro.

Here are the specs between the 2 (These are night and day differences)
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/18/m...rt-and-window/

The Surface RT is an ARM tablet (similar to Android, Ipad and others) It is not a gaming machine unless the game is written to run on ARM (not nearly as powerful as a laptop or desktop. This is why it is so cheap).

The Surface pro is basically an Ultra Book type setup with an I5 and an Intel HD 4000 (which is capable of running FFXIV).
Basically a small laptop with the keyboard detached and a full touch screen with a special pen design.

Due to lack of space inside the case I would not put the setting too high due to cooling worries.

I hope this helps.

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ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore, Tegra 3 and TI-OMAP 5 can easily run this game, if coupled with a decent GPU.

Windows 8 is terrible (seems every other version sucks) and it needs to die in a fire. Games are terrible on touch screens unless the game is specifically designed for it. I'm honestly really tired of some of the recent tech "advancements" that really don't improve anything but get forced on us.

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They should definitely have future tablet support in mind if they want this game to be future proof and highly accessible.

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Tablet input is not the wave of the future. It is purpose built for certain functions. It's terrible for most games. a mouse and keyboard offer far more control over a game than a tablet. On-screen buttons do not have any kind of tactile feedback whatsoever and make a terrible form of input.

Desktop and laptop comptuers are not going away anytime soon. When a device is not forced to be ultra portable, it can be equipped with more powerful hardware than smartphones and tablets. The bleeding edge will still be on desktop PCs for a long time to come, since it takes time to make that same technology more portable.

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Originally Posted by Alhanelem

Desktop and laptop comptuers are not going away anytime soon. When a device is not forced to be ultra portable, it can be equipped with more powerful hardware than smartphones and tablets.

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I personally would enjoy a lighter version of the game playable from a tablet where I could craft, sell shit, etc ... when not a home.

Your point is valid from today's perspective with a close-minded point of view, but who knows what's coming and what market SE is after.

It's not meant to be necessarily for the hardcore gamers, although I suppose people could get really good at it.
I meant more along the lines of, having another UI that is acceptable to people playing on one of those windows 8 pro tablets.

Because, while that ones on an intel gpu, in like 2-3 years we'll probably see an ASUS one with the equivilent of an nvidia gtx 650m.

So, if we had a touchscreen-friendly UI, we obviously still have the keyboard and mouse support, but designing an optional UI to facilitate portable gameplay would open up new doors to FFXIV most people here can't imagine.

Being able to be on a train and pulling out your tablet, pushing On (and its on about a second later) and loading up FFXIV and being able to do a few crafts, talk to your LS, maybe do some casual EXPing before you get back home. Or even on Vacations.

It's just another possiblity for gaming, and FFXIV already has a Controller UI mode, in fact these tablets have USB and therefore could easily just plug in a controller - but who carries a controller with them at all times?

This idea came from me being at Club Humidor and wanting to play FFXIV while I had to kill about 2 hours. I have a 4G iPad and while iOS won't get FFXIV, an equivalent windows machine would run it. So is it that far-fetched that the trolls must say "NO" ? It's just another control scheme, and maybe some additional work to specialize it if necessary.

If ARM version is not an optional, so be it. If it was ported to ARM processors it would be able to then be ported to Android devices though ~ And yes, it's very unlikely people would be RAIDING on a touchscreen device, but Android, Tegra, and this Windows 8 Pro tablets DO have joysticks .... and bluetooth support.

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Originally Posted by Defmetal

I understand that just about all old games, like FFXI, will not work on the new Surface tablet which is running the ARM Windows 8, but the game should be able to easily be ported over to it because it is still windows and programming should still be very similar from what I've seen in the dev kits.

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You do know they are releasing regular x86 non-ARM Surface tablets as well, right? No need to port it to ARM (not like that would ever work anyway).

But my point is that the community could develop an interface for Metro, esp since 2.0 is supposed to support addons. No need to make it so complicated.

MS always has a history of having bad and good versions that alternate. We are due for another bad version it looks like.

Windows 95 -bad
Windows 98 -good
Windows ME -bad
Windows XP -good
Windows Vista -bad
Windows 7 -good
Windows 8 ???

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I meant more along the lines of, having another UI that is acceptable to people playing on one of those windows 8 pro tablets.

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Even if you're using one of these windows 8 tablets, anyone with any kind of gamer sense will find a way to plug in a gamepad or mouse and keyboard to play it. On-screen touch UIs suck, you have to cover up part of the screen with your hands and that just ruins it for me.

If anything, this would be awesome for managing retainers/wards, and crafting on the couch or something.

I can't imagine actually playing the game with a tablet.

Windows 8 will support x86 not just ARM.
Windows 8 Surface/Tablet will support both x86 and ARM.
You can buy software for Windows 8 x86 from anywhere in the world, not just the market place (despite what Steam might want you to believe).
You can run Windows 7 software on Windows 8.

If there are any problems with FFXIV on Windows 8, more than likely its an issue with Graphics Drivers so go bug Nvidia/AMD to fix it ^^;

Not sure why they would want to take advantage of the 'Metro'/Tile UI as that is just for loading up stuff, not how the application works internally.

Not sure this game lends itself well to a touch screen, although I can see it useful for inventory management, equipping items, moving around windows. But not for actual combat/crafting/etc.

I do not think adding support for it is worth the effort, as the target audience would be very small and exclude PS3 users.

Touch screen replicates use of a mouse with the left-botton click.

Done.

And I'm talking Windows 8 in General. Tablets... if you like.

it should not be much of a problem. the microsoft surface tablet has usb ports. you might look like a fool pluging in a xbox pad on a tablet but i guess it can work. after seeing the new UI for 2.0 FFXIV will work very well on the surface. im planning on getting the pro tablet when it launches. my gaming rig is perfect with windows 7.

yep I think it's a good idea. even more so with the ability to make our own addons for the game. who knows?