So... I am moving to Japan from America soon and there's a world transfer program...

[Elindiir]

I am traveling to Japan soon for a long period of time to learn Japanese, and I am concerned about a couple of things when it comes to that.

First of all, is there an English setting available to players in Japanese servers? I may be going to Japan, but my kanji skills are really bad, and at the very least, I want to be able to read my quests without having to flip between google translate and the game, and my concern for being able to chat with others around me isn't that big a concern.

Second of all, what is the lag like between Japan and the US? If it is not so bad, I might be willing to not change to a JP server... or, transfer servers well before my trip.

Third of all, is there a way to copy chat that is in-game onto your clipboard and paste it somewhere else? I know you can highlight it...

[Risvertasashi]

The only thing regional servers affect in this game is who you play with. There's no artificial restrictions, you can still use the English client setting. Tonberry is considered to be the unofficial English server for SEA, be they aussies, expats, or anyone else that might be in the region but isn't Japanese.

It's about 220ms if you're west coast. Unplayable for shooters, decently playable for a slower RPG like this as long as you can anticipate mechanics a bit.

Ctrl C + Ctrl V works on ingame text.

[Furiea]

I shall answer all your questions.

First of all, is there an English setting available to players in Japanese servers? I may be going to Japan, but my kanji skills are really bad, and at the very least, I want to be able to read my quests without having to flip between google translate and the game, and my concern for being able to chat with others around me isn't that big a concern.

if you registered English copy of the game.. when you re-download/re-install.. it will be in English just like how it is in NA. the keyboard setting is tied to your PC's keyboard setting. one thing you need to do is to highlight/enable other language in your Duty Finder setting otherwise the DF will search pure English party for you.. which means you will wait in quene FOREVER.

Second of all, what is the lag like between Japan and the US? If it is not so bad, I might be willing to not change to a JP server... or, transfer servers well before my trip

I am located in NJ,USA, which is very close to the original NA server before it moved to CA. BUT I have been playing on Tonberry, a JP server for 2 years now.. the connection is fine at 180~220 ping. You don't get instant feedback from server but the delay is not nearly as bad as what people sad. I haven't get knocked over by anything for a long time now. (I was knocked out by titan the first 3 times I fought him becasue I was not used to the initial ping change.)

Third of all, is there a way to copy chat that is in-game onto your clipboard and paste it somewhere else? I know you can highlight it...

use boarderless setting. bookmark google translate on the google search page (instead of the webpage of the google translate) you can copy & paste Party Finder comment. (SE put this in 2 patches go and I was super excited because now I can translate them) you can also highlight chat, Ctrl+C to copy them.

I use the google translate on the search page because you can hit the left/right arrow and start typing English and have it translated into Japanese for you. (this can not be done in the google translate webpage.) but be warned... the google translate is not almighty... use simple word like "bathroom" instead of "oh man.. I am not really well.. i need to take a big one on the toilet" my friend laugh at the translate that came out from google translate all the time... lol

[Elindiir]

Interesting, and thank you. I may go with that (unless I make friends with people in Japan that play in a particular server).

[Elindiir]

I shall answer all your questions.

(I am sooo not used to these forums) What is Tonberry like? Is the community nice? Are there any nice FCs? OH and I would kill to eventually be in an FC with a place Shirogane with an RP habit (though only if its English speaking or whatnot lol)

[Dalmacus]

If your going to or planning to even start on the JP servers i recommend first learning the language, second learn the culture of the JP community. Lastly be courteous to people here as they are very polite and helpful if your patient.

[Risvertasashi]

(I am sooo not used to these forums) What is Tonberry like? Is the community nice? Are there any nice FCs? OH and I would kill to eventually be in an FC with a place Shirogane with an RP habit (though only if its English speaking or whatnot lol)

I don't play on Tonberry myself, but I have friends that do. There are definitely English speaking FCs there and, well, every server has to have friendly ones. From what I've heard, RP is not really a thing for Japanese players. As far as English players on Tonberry goes... that I have no idea.

One suggestion: without any transfer fees or anything... you can go make a character on Tonberry or other Asia-region servers. Explore a bit, feel out the community.

[Elindiir]

Replying to Furiea...

And judging from the fact that you are a tank main, your responses feel quite meaningful when it comes to lag.

[Furiea]

What is Tonberry like? Is the community nice? Are there any nice FCs? OH and I would kill to eventually be in an FC with a place Shirogane with an RP habit (though only if its English speaking or whatnot lol)

first thing first... Tonberry is prob the only JP server that's over populated? they added Tonberry to the overpopulated list. so I am not sure if Tonberry should be your first choice. Maybe another world that's in the same Data center as Tonberry? so you get the cheap price items and housing (tonberry housing is 100% full) while benefit from the skilled player base of tonberry.

I think Tonberry has decent amount of English speaking players and large Englihs FCs ... multiple of them.. are they nice? I don't know. but they do recruit often in Chat. (you can take a look at the English World section on the forum and see what FC are recruiting) http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/forums/666-Community

I think most JP players are used to seeing English player even known you will still see "JP only" in Party Finder. but don't let it get to you. being unable to communicate for difficult raid is a problem. the rest really is the same. I was on Sagaratas before I moved to tonberry... the first thing I noticed besides the ping is how much more skilled the player base is than Sagaratas.

[Furiea]

Replying to Furiea...

And judging from the fact that you are a tank main, your responses feel quite meaningful when it comes to lag.

yea. PLD since launch until my friend forced me to play DPS with them.. since they are tank and healer.. otherwise I enjoy my time as a PLD tank. helping people in need on PF and getting that instant quene. lol

also WHM healer main. (I leveled all jobs but picked PLD, WHM, SMN to play in each catagory)