Alpha First Look: Video 3 - The Black Shroud

[NadienKirisame]

I do wonder why the character turns when you turn the camera because I turn the camera backwards while I'm running around all the time (but I use a controller). Maybe it is just the particular mode they have the controls in (using a mouse?).

It is as you just said it is a different mode for the camera... I think WoW even has these two different modes. One you turn the camera around your character and the others you turn your character with the camera. They may still attach the turning animation to the camera turn later on... this is still Alpha after all and Yoshi has pointed out that they are getting lots and lots of good feedback so far...

I'm not sure if it was you that posted about this or it was in a different thread all together but during the live letter when some of the characters are popping in and out of being seen while still technically in the camera view of Yoshi is because of the large number of characters that are sitting around him... they had around 800+ characters in that zone alone and there is no telling how many are sitting on top of Yoshi and running with him. I will say it was still impressive to see that many characters on the screen and Yoshi not even slowing down at all...

The cat is bemused =-.-=

[Tupster]

I will say it was still impressive to see that many characters on the screen and Yoshi not even slowing down at all...

I completely agree. The number of visible models was simply amazing even if it wasn't absolutely perfect. For years I had a theory that Square Enix only had graphics experts but their Network and User Interface guys were just hacks who wouldn't cut it anywhere and they must have nobody who really understands how to make something for PC.

The work on version 2.0 tells me that they finally got their act together on this because the network, ui, and pc issues all seem to be a thing of the past. If they had done this well when FFXI came out then I honestly believe that WoW and FFXI would be two rival MMORPGs instead of it just being WoW.

Edit: Thinking a little more, they would have also have made FFXI a little less hard core, but I still think technical issues were FFXI's main problem.

[nibelunc]

That really looks great! I can't wait to explore this world.

[Duelle]

Jumping seems to serve almost no purpose except to make me wonder why somebody is jumping. I was going to wait to complain until I saw how nervous players would be, but after seeing the Live Letter and now even this video where the PR rep can't keep from jumping, I must say that I really hate the jumping. It is really distracting. It looks bad (one should jump differently if one is running vs. standing still). It also seems like it will actually be unneeded to actually get anywhere.

The jumping needs to be fixed.

In light of this, next time SE releases a gameplay video they need to add captions every time the character jumps like "Take this, jump haters!", "Gettin' me some AIR!", "Wheee! I'm jumping!" and "Hope someone doesn't get mad at me! ^_~".

Nice tour of the Shroud and Bentbranch.

[Tupster]

In light of this, next time SE releases a gameplay video they need to add captions every time the character jumps like "Take this, jump haters!", "Gettin' me some AIR!", "Wheee! I'm jumping!" and "Hope someone doesn't get mad at me! ^_~".

Nice tour of the Shroud and Bentbranch.

LOL, *you* could make that video and I would probably laugh quite a bit. I'm still going to try and see if I can't convince them to make it less silly.

[Dimitsuri]

New zones look really good, especially the lighting engine. Was good demonstration in the cave. Water looks sweet too. But Devs i got a favor to ask: please Dont JUMP when it is NOT NEEDED. I know you want to demonstrate how it works, but we've seen it too many times by now!

[Cynthis]

Just a "one leg in front of the other" jump you do when you are running.

This. The jumping through pushing off with both feet while running is just way too odd.

[Warlock]

I loved the video every bit of it Black Shroud looks amazing!! nothing seems copy pasted! wherever you look is different! I don't get it how some people want NPCs to act like they are from a circus they live in a damn forest w/o TV and internet what do you want them to talk about? and remember nearly everyone died thanks to Bahamut so you wont see that many people around. all in all i can't wait to explore this game!

[Rane]

Excellent video. Thank you.

I can't put into words how impressed I am with these new areas. They look amazing! One of the best parts about the new environments is the sense of scale they provide. The world seems big and vast, unlike many MMOs whose worlds come across as strangely miniature-sized. The 2.0 environments seem real. I also love the attention to detail and the care that has obviously gone into creating even the "mundane" sections of the forest. This is a complete 180 from version 1.0, and it's starting to remind me of the Final Fantasy worlds I used to know.

Soken has outdone himself again with the music. It's beautiful and it fits the areas perfectly. For me part of the excitement of exploring this world will be getting to hear all of the new background tracks.

You know, I'd be perfectly happy if this video just ran on for an hour or two. This looks to be almost everything I could have wanted out of the reincarnation of the Black Shroud. I certainly never thought that I'd see anything like this back in December of 2010. Dev team, I'd reach through the computer and give you a hug if I could.

...though I guess that would be kind of weird. Never mind.

[Tupster]

Is it just me or does it seem like the shading model has been simplified? In version 1.0 it seems like we have a full modern diffuse/specular/bump/gloss map, but I'm only noticing diffuse/bump in these videos (except for water and aetherites). The result is that everything looks a little plain. I'd have to see a character in shiny armor to be sure, but I haven't gotten a good look.

Maybe I should go check out the old limit break trailer and see if I can make out how things are shaded.

However it seems to me that they have simplified the animation and the shading for the PS3. I don't mind as long as it looks good, but the complex shading was one thing that really made FFXIV version 1.0 stand out.

I really liked how, using a gloss map, you can make cloth look soft, leather look leathery, and armor look metallic. It lent a kind of reality to how your gear looked that was really compelling.