Smart Phone App

[surrel]

I think it would be a LOT better to solve these issues of people being unable to make a character on a server to play with their friends, rather than putting resources into an app that isn't necessary to the success of this game. Players PLAYING the game, that is necessary. An iPhone/Android app? You're not going to be bringing in the revenue y'all need with that.

As with most companies, I'm sure there are multiple departments that handle different things. Not everyone at SE works on the actual game part nor would they have the knowledge to do so. That's like you working as a waitress in a restaurant but the food isn't being made quickly enough or properly and your customers are yelling at you to go in there and make the food instead of waitressing.

On a side note, do people really have to jab android vs apple every chance they get? It's a preference thing..move on.

[Mijin]

Put it out on Windows phone too! It's vastly superior to all other smart phone OS's :P

[Naraku_Diabolos]

This app will run best on an iPad. A lot of the Square-Enix apps are optimized for the iOS devices. They just run faster.

[Laraul]

The problem with Android is though the OS is solid, things such a system updates are done thru the service provider, meaning Android users often find themselves at the mercy of their phone's provider when it comes too maintaining their phone. Worse yet phone providers often include a lot of their own poorly written software with the phone. I never hear in popular media iOS vs. Android I hear Apple vs. Samsung. These are the giants of the mobile world. Ironically Samsung is not the developer of Android. Which is kind of the point.

The people around here who say iOS sucks probably hate everything Apple, because they for reasons beyond mortal understanding, they must hate anything Apple.

Win8 mobile doesn't have quite a large enough install base for a release in the near the future. It's about as like as a Blackberry version right now. Microsoft did just acquire Nokia which is a win for everyone IMO. Hopefully they can push more Win8 mobile devices now. The problem is they had the mobile market to themselves for years and they didn't bother to create a usable product until Apple shook the world with first the iPhone and then the iPad.

[Delsus]

Hello!

While I don't have a specific date to share with you all, I can say that we are currently preparing the Libra Eorzea app and plan on releasing it in the very near future for iOS to start off. Hang in there just short while longer!

Can I just ask, is there any time frame for the Android version? or is the majority of the market going to be waiting 6 months+ as we were for guardian cross? (I know not Final Fantasy or made by this team but it's a prime example.)

The problem with Android is though the OS is solid, things such a system updates are done thru the service provider, meaning Android users often find themselves at the mercy of their phone's provider when it comes too maintaining their phone. Worse yet phone providers often include a lot of their own poorly written software with the phone. I never hear in popular media iOS vs. Android I hear Apple vs. Samsung. These are the giants of the mobile world. Ironically Samsung is not the developer of Android. Which is kind of the point.

In the media you hear about Apple Vs Samsung because a lot of it is patent wars, not just software but hardware as well which is why you don't see much Android Vs iOS.

Also on updates and fragmentation, yes it is a problem, ultimately it's up to the vendor as to whether you get an update or not (unless you are willing to void warranty) they then publish the update to unbranded devices, and send the software update to carriers who then update in their own time.

This however is no reason not to update, most of the additional features of the latest versions will not be needed for Libra Eorzea (as far as I can tell.) The majority of people are currently on Gingerbread, with Jelly Bean in a close second and then Ice Cream Sandwich, these three platforms as of June 2013 make up 96% of the Android market. For this reason make it compatible with these three platforms and there will be no problems, and unless there is some feature I don't know of in the app there is no need for the additional features of ICS and JB.

[Somi]

Can't wait for this. Hope it'll be awesome and the most comprehensive database ever ^^

[HEC]

What would be actually pretty sweet (but hardly ever gonna happen) if the app would be able to connect with your world / server and be used for accessing the game chat - even if that would be a dedicated "Libra" chat or maybe some filter option in game to enable / dissable diplaying of the posts from Libra app - how fanstastic would be that, eh? Imagine being able to help some people in game while you're commuting to / from school or work, waiting in a queue or being extremelly bored on you 5th company meeting of the day ...

[ArkhamNative]

Can I just ask, is there any time frame for the Android version?

From a fan (Reinheart) live-translation of Producer's Letter LIVE #8 (08/08/2013):

Yoshi-P: We should have this [iOS version] up a week after launch for download, and in 3 weeks to a month, the Android version should be up. So in a month both versions should be up (ios version first).

The live-translation also included details:

Foxclon: In Yoshida-san's hand is an iPad.
Yoshida: Libra Eorzea. This version can’t be logged into yet, but once you can it will display your character, and you can compare what gear you have. Say your accessories are low level, you can see what is available.
Yoshida: Like this, it shows all the weapon data, like the Lv21 Pugilist one is nice.
Yoshida: All information from the game will be there. It’s exactly the same.
Yoshida: It shows if you can attach a crest, how many materia slots, what materials are needed, which NPC sells them. Also shows which quest gives the reward.
Yoshida: It also shows the quest and where to get the quest.
Yoshida: And this shows the quest details. It will also show what pre-quests are needed to be completed to get that quest, etc.
Yoshida: This can be used when you’re on your way to school/work to decide what to do for that day. So you can say I want this item today, so let me go to this dungeon.
Yoshida: It cost a lot of develop this.
Foxclon: It must have.
Yoshida: The dungeon strategy and details won’t be released, but it’s linked to The Lodestone so you can check players' strategies. We’ll have moderators checking.
Yoshida: We’ll have this app for free for all FFXIV players.
Foxclon: It’s free?
Yoshida: Just think of it that the subscription fee covers the app fee.
Yoshida: There is a lot of data in there, we don’t have anything masked. Having something showing ??? doesn’t help so it’s all in there.

Again, all credit to Reinheart for the translations, done on-the-fly during the broadcast.
• Reinheart's latest Japanese to English translation thread
• Please hold discussions about translations in the separate Translations Discussion Thread

[Ilitsa]

He's just answering a question that's asked. Seriously you can't walk 2 feet without stepping on a troll around here.

Yes, me giving an honest opinion makes me a troll, gg.

That's like you working as a waitress in a restaurant but the food isn't being made quickly enough or properly and your customers are yelling at you to go in there and make the food instead of waitressing.

On a side note, do people really have to jab android vs apple every chance they get? It's a preference thing..move on.

9 times out of 10, the customer DOES blame the waiter/waitress for the food being made wrong/taking to long. You never see a customer walk into the kitchen and yell at them, do you? No, you tell the server what is wrong and expect them to relay said information to where it matters.

[surrel]

9 times out of 10, the customer DOES blame the waiter/waitress for the food being made wrong/taking to long. You never see a customer walk into the kitchen and yell at them, do you? No, you tell the server what is wrong and expect them to relay said information to where it matters.

That still doesn't make any sense on why you would say to someone "why waste time working on a smartphone app when the game needs to be fixed". You're right, the waitress does get the crap because he/she is the person you engage but would you say to the waiter "why are you wasting time serving me drinks and taking my orders when the food needs to be fixed?". No you wouldn't. You expect them to relay the information while still providing you with the service they are intended to do. Thus, making a smartphone app because that's what certain people were hired to do does not hinder the progress of the actual game.