Letter from the Producer XLII

[Meatdawg]

25th is probably a good date, maybe the Friday before, regardless this gives me plenty of time to finish up ni no kuni and fire emblem awakening.

[Biggs]

Also i was expecting more info and stuff but.. that 'Uldah area' screen is awesome. :0

I am actually completely unsure why that picture isn't the main topic of like 40 different posts right now. Why does it look 1000 times better then anything we have seen so far? Is it part of a movie or is it just in-game running on a high end rig?! People speculating on dates is a waste of time, how is this not being talked about lol?!

[Guevara]

What Yoshi-P said in the forty-second Letter from the Producer-

"We have been working to meet our deadlines for the upcoming beta test... doing our best to stay on track" (Which means the mid-Feb date for release.)

"Starting February 10, I'll be away from the office on a media tour that will pave the way for the beta test. I'll be traveling around the world, stopping in..." Estimated dates based on other press conference tours:
11th Los Angeles
12th San Francisco
14th London

"All regions will be receiving information at the same time, so be sure to keep an eye out!"

15th Return to Japan
16th "Oh, before I forget, Letter from the Producer LIVE Part V is planned for the day after I return from the tour. After aerial adventures, strenuous schedules, and jarring jetlag, what will become of the broadcast? You'll find out when details are posted on the Lodestone."

Clearly these details on Lodestone are going to be posted before the Live Letter, so expect "in my next letter you can expect an announcement for the starting date." to be posted just before, or at the same time as the Live Letter. So probably on Saturday the 16th?

If they meet their deadline of mid-Feb, then, by Monday the 18th we should have the actual Beta Test.

BTW I agree with others that mid-Feb SE-time means 10th-20th. So Wednesday the 20th could still be "meet our deadlines".

Let's hope! well.... no, not the 20th actually.... that'll have to be PS4 day. No else!!! XD

[Hulan]

I am actually completely unsure why that picture isn't the main topic of like 40 different posts right now. Why does it look 1000 times better then anything we have seen so far? Is it part of a movie or is it just in-game running on a high end rig?! People speculating on dates is a waste of time, how is this not being talked about lol?!

It's neither. Benchmarks are designed to take the graphics engine and stretch it to the absolute extremes it's capable of reaching. Then measure the framerate at those extremes. Only by stretching the computer beyond it's capacities can you measure those capacities. So basically, those are "in game graphics" but at extremes that the graphics engine was never technically designed to utilize in actual game play.

My favorite Benchmark may be the FFXI, in which it just slowly fills your screen with Tarutaru until the graphics engine is trying to draw like 500 tarutaru. It's hilarious.

[Velhart]

I am going to guess either the 18th or the 25th, the beta will be open. It is a safe area to guess.

Also, sneak preview of Yoshi-P in the Live Letter V.

[Biggs]

It's neither. Benchmarks are designed to take the graphics engine and stretch it to the absolute extremes it's capable of reaching. Then measure the framerate at those extremes. Only by stretching the computer beyond it's capacities can you measure those capacities. So basically, those are "in game graphics" but at extremes that the graphics engine was never technically designed to utilize in actual game play.

My favorite Benchmark may be the FFXI, in which it just slowly fills your screen with Tarutaru until the graphics engine is trying to draw like 500 tarutaru. It's hilarious.

Well I am in love to say the least. If its even close to possible to run it looking anything like that, I have some serious upgrades to add to my desktop in the next few weeks. Makes me sad to think thats an extreme visual, but what your saying makes sense. I have little experience with benchmarks as I ended up playing XI on the ps2, then the xbox360 (both of which do not do that game justice)

Based on what your saying though, is it possible thats what the game will look like when its at the far end of its life cycle? What I mean is, as the game begins contending with better and better software over the course of its life, won't it (for a time) keep getting better and better looking before it maxes out?

[Molly_Millions]

I was hoping for the Beta email today, but I guess a new letter will have to do for a b-day present from SE.

[Hulan]

Based on what your saying though, is it possible thats what the game will look like when its at the far end of its life cycle? What I mean is, as the game begins contending with better and better software over the course of its life, won't it (for a time) keep getting better and better looking before it maxes out?

Yes, probably.

[HiirNoivl]

If it opens up on the 25th I'll miss it entirely. Here's hoping for the 18th

[TonyUK]

Well, my birthday is on the 25th so it looks like it might be a nice one this year

mines the 27th