Still don't know whether or not I have to buy to activate my beta service character.

[johnequickiii]

I just figured I would be able to start the Phase 4 client and purchase an account on my beta character and play, but I can't

So, why would SE tell us we can use the Phase 4 client to play upon release if we'd still have to buy the game anyway, instead of just activate our service accounts.

Am I missing something, or did they tell us that for literally no reason? /confused

[Elodie]

:/ Well, beta is beta. Release is release. The game costs money. Yes, you were invited to play the betas. Now, if you want to play the game in release, you must purchase it. Doing so does not mean you have to make a new account, though. It can be applied to the account you played beta on. They won't activate a beta account if the game has not been purchased.. So what they said.. it just means you don't have to download a new client, rather just update what you have from phase 4, if you decide to purchase the game.

Edit: I'm post limited It's not really the client via game disc (or digital) that you're paying for, but access to it. So I guess that's why. :x

[johnequickiii]

But isn't it just the client that's on the disc or the digital download?

I figured that since they said we can just use the Phase 4 client that we could just purchase a service account and be on our way.

I was in the FFXI beta for PS2 and they sent us all free hard drives and copies of the games. I understand that it was still a copy of the game, the same we'd have had to purchase if not in the beta, but the fact is there were codes in that free disc set that let us purchase our service accounts so we could just play.

Wouldn't you think that we should've at least gotten codes for beta participation that would've done the same?

I mean, my client updated and everything, and lets me log in, but just tells me there aren't any active service accounts, which is true.

I just think it's strange that they'd even bother letting us use the Phase 4 client if we have to purchase the client anyway on disc or digitally.

[Syrellaris]

You are not buying the client, that is just there so you can actually install the game when you require to do so. You are purchasing a license key that allows you to activate your account and has 30 days game time as well. That is what you truly are paying for.

[johnequickiii]

Shouldn't that be just have to be $12.99 though? Not sure why we'd have to pay full price just for a service account.

Just shouldn't have to be so confusing. I figured we'd be able to just go onto the Mog Station and purchase our service accounts in whatever flavor.

[Shori]

Imagine it like a how microsoft has Office or Windows or Autodesk has their 3D packages.... the software itself you can get hold of free but you have to pay a license to use it. The monthly costs is to cover continous server and staff costs.

[Syrellaris]

Shouldn't that be just have to be $12.99 though? Not sure why we'd have to pay full price just for a service account.

Just shouldn't have to be so confusing. I figured we'd be able to just go onto the Mog Station and purchase our service accounts in whatever flavor.

It is not confusing... Your first purchase can be made out of the following

Initial License payment, to obtain the actual license to play
First initial payment at a reduced price for the first 30 days.

After you pay 12.99 as a monthly subscription.

[Zdine]

before you go buy the game wait about a week. subscriptions are not active yet, they are giving us free days. you may be able to just pay subscription once they are active without buying the game though I do not know.

[Shori]

before you go buy the game wait about a week. subscriptions are not active yet, they are giving us free days. you may be able to just pay subscription once they are active without buying the game though I do not know.

very unlikely but you might see local resllers dropping the price from $40 to $5 as they did with other MMOs including 1.0 a month after release