Alpha First Look: Video 4 - The Black Shroud II

[Allesasi]

Hey dude up for some Hamlet when ARR drops? At least I got my seals before xiv ended. Damm what a nightmare. I still want some of the gear though. See ya in June.

[Reinheart]

Hmm... is it just me? I just noticed the Video 4 link not posted on The Lodestone topics and not on the ARR Final Fantasy XIV media > videos...

I did get the Facebook post and forum.
I don't check twitter much so not sure but pretty sure it got posted there.

This 4th Video needs to be easy to find for everyone who don't check the forums or have facebook can see it... ><

[Tupster]

I believe you are both right, and talking cross-purposes. There is no point in fixing things in the alpha. But there is a point to commenting on things in the alpha for modification in the primary branch (be that Beta or release version). Catching things early on is important (though I would argue that at this point in development of an MMO specifically, the structure is probably already so monstrously complex the gains are minimal).

Edit: Oh... This is my first post in this thread isn't it, well, in that case: absolutely spectacular job guys. Besides the animation thing, which has already been addressed, I am extremely happy. Keep up the great work.

I think you are right Hulan. If what I said was interpreted as me saying they should fix things in Alpha then it would not make much sense. What they have basically done is created two versions of the game. One in which they are only interested in making changes to the network code, and another in which they are doing everything else. For alpha they are only fixing the network code, recompiling, and bringing up the game again to test the fixes. If they get feedback on alpha that is non-network related they will fix it in the non-online version. When alpha is complete they will copy all the changes to the network code over which will combine all the work done to support 1000+ players in zones with all the other work.

(Edit: Deleted a lot of guessing. I just don't know enough to speculate.)

[KaMuiSouZou]

Not sure if anyone pointed this out yet, but in the background while he's at Camp Tranquil you can see a whole lot of warped terrain jutting out - probably the result of Dalamud's crash. Is it the Crystal Tower maybe?

I had noted earlier in the thread how it's this concept art:

As to what it actually is though...

[Thebard]

I'm a PhD candidate in computer science (if we are going to compare careers). You know very well if you are a software engineer that finding and fixing problems early in development saves money and time. If I was going to pick one thing from a software engineering class that a student should learn it is that.

They have said that alpha is actually running a months old branch of the code, but obviously anything about alpha that is the same in beta can be "nitpicked". YoshiP has already said they have incorporated feedback from alpha players (or elsewhere, the translation didn't say exactly). If he had his fingers in his ears and was only testing server load then he just needs to go over the server logs and observe lag in the game himself (so I don't think that is what he means by incorporating player feedback.) The only problem would be if what we are nitpicking has already changed, but I see no reason to assume any particular thing has already been fixed until we see it.

You seem to be saying that because they have disabled or missing features that we cannot comment on features that clearly present. Maybe you are implying that they completely made up a fake client that is unrelated to beta at all.

In short, I do not think YoshiP would be having conversations with players in alpha about the game and incorporating user feedback that he gets if he was only looking for alpha to test the server load. That is the official goal of alpha, but obviously not the only one.

Maybe theres another alpha (the real one) and this ones just for keeping people interested. Thats what I'd do.

[Celia]

I think it's more likely the Crystal Tower is that farther off in the distance. Whereas that structure may be the crash site of Dalamud that distorted the terrain.

[Zahak]

I had noted earlier in the thread how it's this concept art:

As to what it actually is though...

I hope SE doesn't tease us with backdrops like they did in XI!


I really want to explore that jungle mountain area...so many waterfalls * _*/ ..want

[MashaLinna]

very nice looks great

[Ralos]

I hope SE doesn't tease us with backdrops like they did in XI!


I really want to explore that jungle mountain area...so many waterfalls * _*/ ..want

I got so angry when I found out I couldn't actually explore this city, seen in the opening CG. x_x
please no more teasing like this

[Hestern_Nestern]

I can't stop...hitting...replay...@_@