They should scrap the PS3 version.

[Zenaku]

Then the thread is wrong. This is absolutely a concern. All models and textures have to be loaded for a zone so this means the current environment and every possible character related texture, animation and model needs to be loaded in memory so it can be displayed.

They are already expressed concerns with the limited memory on the PS3 just getting the first ARR version up and running. It does not bode well for the future of the game already as now they are forced into a parity with the PS3 in this area. I fully expect simple re-textures and recolors of current gear when adding future gear now because of this, just like with FF11.

This is the main reason long running MMOs typically don't hit consoles because their limited memory greatly restricts what can be added to the game since adding anything character related is going to up the memory requirements.

Yoshi-p said that he going to keep updating the look of FFXIV for the PC version. Which mean a high end PC today can play max setting maybe in 2-4years it can only play med setting.

it's not a concern what so every Yoshi-p said many time that ffxiv was build for PC version. which mean they can keep updating all they want ffxiv is even getting a dx11 update in a few month from ffxiv release it could take longer tho for all we know but it's comming.

I really don't know what you talking about how would the PS3 hold back the PC from getting a update for let's say DX11 and make it look better lol. What does the PS3 limits on memory have to do with PC version? if they update the PC version they wont update the PS3 version when it come to graphics and such.

I guess the only thing i see the ps3 limit the PC would be how they make raids they can't make it where it have way to many players/mobs that the PS3 players can do good enough. But once ps4 hits the market and a lot more people have it. They can easy port FFXIV over to that then make better raids and dungeon that the ps3 was stoping the pc from doing.. They can simple stop supporting few things for the PS3 users they did that for PS2 for NA so i dont' see a issue 2-4years down the road.

[Ladon]

Yoshi-p said that he going to keep updating the look of FFXIV for the PC version. Which mean a high end PC today can play max setting maybe in 2-4years it can only play med setting.

Understood but he likely just means improved assets for the PC version, higher quality shaders, more detailed, larger textures.

This doesn't mean they are going to be able to add assets though. They can add zones no problem (big reason why the seamless design was scrapped so that they can get this running on the PS3) but they are not going to be able to add very many more common assets (eg player weapons and armor) because they would need to be added to both version and there simply isn't enough memory on the PS3 to do so. They -might- be able to do some creative texture swapping with some LOD tricks like UE3 does but more model variation is going to be out of the question.

Now they might be budgeting memory on the current version for another expansion maybe two so they can add a handful of new item looks, but it is without question already impacting design decisions in ARR. No variation of animations across races for example and the relatively small zones are already an example.

[Zenaku]

Understood but he likely just means improved assets for the PC version, higher quality shaders, more detailed, larger textures.

This doesn't mean they are going to be able to add assets though. They can add zones no problem (big reason why the seamless design was scrapped so that they can get this running on the PS3) but they are going to be able to add very many more common assets (eg player weapons and armor) because they would need to be added to both version and there simply isn't enough memory on the PS3 to do so. They -might- be able to do some creative texture swapping with some LOD tricks like UE3 does but more model variation is going to be out of the question.

Now they might be budgeting memory on the current version for another expansion maybe two so they can add a handful of new item looks, but it is without question already impacting design decisions in ARR. No variation of animations across races for example and the relatively small zones are already an example.

When you talking about memory are you talking about the RAM on the ps3 or the HDD?

[Ladon]

When you talking about memory are you talking about the RAM on the ps3 or the HDD?

RAM. The M is for memory.

For those not aware how this works I'll try a simple explanation. When a zone 'loads' it is moving all needed graphic assets (models, textures, lighting info etc) to RAM. Basically there are two types of assets, local assets and common assets. Local assets are pretty much the environment and NPCs that are present in the current zone. These can change as you zone as Limsa is going to have a different local asset set as Gridania. Adding a bunch of zones isn't a problem since you just have to make sure the current zone fits into memory and you don't need the assets from another zone loaded.

The second type of assets are common assets. These are the assets that are going to cause problems with the PS3 version. Common assets are assets that must always be loaded along with the local assets. These assets are things such as player models, armor textures, weapon textures, animations, etc. You have to load ALL of these along with every zone into memory because there is a possibility of any combination of them being needed to display since players can have any number of gear configurations on the various races. Common assets are only going to be able to get so big before they no longer can fit in the PS3 memory along with the local assets. So they are going to have to limit these as it is expected all items in the PC version are present in the PS3 version.

EDIT : By the way, everybody remembers the "Sorry, no new animation on FFXI because of PS2 limitations"
Guess what...we've been treated new weapon skills with totally different animations...and the PS2 can display it, what a shock !
Without even considering all the new designs for armors and monster that we had throughout the years and still have with the next expansion.

FFXI used a simple animation system in comparison to what ARR is using. ARR animation data is magnitudes larger than FFXI animation data so adding one in ARR requires a LOT more resources than in did in FFXI. Added FFXI armor design was also mostly just texture recolors and again the assets were MUCH smaller. The problem here is that assist RAM requirements for ARR have grown MUCH larger in comparison to the increase in available RAM on the PS3 compared to asset sizes on the PS2 and its available RAM.