FFXI Sequel in the works

[Lionx]

Final Fantasy XI in Development
Square Enix plans release for PS3, Xbox 360 and Vista
by Anoop Gantayat
July 17, 2006 - Japan's Nikkei Net news service reports today that Square Enix is currently at work on a sequel to Final Fantasy XI. The next generation massively multiplayer online RPG is being developed for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows Vista formats. Further details are not provided.



Square Enix has previously shown trailers for a next generation MMORPG engine, without actually announcing a final product based around the engine. It's unclear if the FFXI sequel is going to be the game to use the new engine, or if Square Enix has another title in development.

Source: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/719/719204p1.html

Here is a fast loading quicktime version of the possible engine they were talking about:
http://media.xbox360.gamespy.com/me...1605_qthigh.mov

[Ouch!]

I can't decide if I want characters to be transferable or see if we all have to start over again. I really wouldn't mind it either way. By the time this comes out, I'll have at least one job at 75, so I'll be caught up with everyone I like to play with. At the same time, if we all have to start over, I'll be able to keep on pace with everyone again. That, of course, is assuming that most everyone moves on to the new game. I get the feeling that once this is out, FFXI is gonna be dying. This'll be like nails in the coffin.

I wonder what's gonna make it different enough to warrant playing it. I can't imagine that it's just gonna be the same thing with updated graphics. Certainly there will be a new storyline of sorts. I'm interested to see if all the same jobs will make a comeback. Will they be the same? Will they all be updated? Will there be more? SE is certainly capable of it. They've come up with quite a few different jobs in the past.

I talked to GL about this, and we're betting on a summer 2008 release.

[Markus. D]

ooooh, is it expanding on the original main quest?

I wouldnt mind playing this *begins trying to complete the main quest as quickly as possible*


I do however hope they make us start again, then everyone begins with that small epitaph of epicness.

[Germ Hamee]

Personally, I think it will really blow if we can't transfer our old charactors. That's a lot of work that will be essentially thrown in the garbage. It's not like anyone will be able to keep playing the original with this monster out.

[Rostum]

ooooh, is it expanding on the original main quest?

I wouldnt mind playing this *begins trying to complete the main quest as quickly as possible*

The main quest is already expanded in the current FFXI, through nation and Zilart missions. Then it moves onto Cop and Aht missions.

[Roogle]

Maybe the new sequel will allow us to see Vana'diel in a future time. I guess that'd give them the excuse that our characters would have been gone.

[Yeargdribble]

I hope they don't allow character transfers and honestly I don't think character transfers would make much sense anyway. It would put you into a new world with a different system in a different engine at a higher level without you actually learning how to play. It just wouldn't make much sense. I've worked very hard on my character but I think just allowing a lot of people the upper hand with transfers would be unfair.

Also I hope they don't make the mistake of releasing it in Japan 1-2 years ahead of NA and the rest of the world. If they plan on doing so they need to at least make JP, NA and JP/NA servers for you to pick from. The JPs getting a huge headstart gave them a chance to be elitist assholes and probably caused a large amount of the bad blood between NAs and JPs. I'd love to play with JP players again but not if they are superior to us when we finally get to start. Once again, this is highly unfair.



I also hope SE learns from it's other mistakes. Square really needs to change something about its policy on RMTs. They have let RMT completely take over this game. I was in the dunes the last few days and say at least 18 new RMTs leveling up (RSE gear... all WARs as the same Galka and all BLMs as the same taru PTing exclusively together.) Also RMT have completely monopolized sky now. There are at least 3 RMT groups at Ullikummi 24/7 and they've taken over most of the other popped triggers as well. They take Kirin with ease. Also on some servers the RMT have taken Jailer of Love. Seriously, WTF!?

Sure I'd love to play another FF MMORPG but I truly hope SE learns from their mistakes and also learns not to alienate their fanbase by ignoring them.

[Krystic]

I actually believe that it wont be a sequel to FFXI, but just another MMO with the Final Fantasy title, such as Final Fantasy Online. Also i believe that it wont be related to FFXI at all, since they already establisehd their fanbase and storyline and goals for the game.

From the trailer we saw about a year ago i think, if it stays true to what we saw from that, it does look a bit futuristic which is pretty damn cool. As long as they feature a similar job system and they fix the MANY mistakes they had with FFXI, i believe it will be appealing. Plus its coming out for 360, PS3 and Vista, which means the graphical upgrade will definatly be visible.

[Angelroo]

Darn. According to Ign.com, it won't be an FFXI sequel and that the footage was from a "completely different and original title." CAn't say for sure, though. From the picture it certainly looks like an FF, so who knows. I hope it's another online FF, even if it might not be FFXI.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/719/719368p1.html

[Krystic]

that picture IS from FFXI...

and this from S-E:
Update: Square Enix has just issued a statement denying that they are making the reported sequel. In the statement: "The Company did not make such an announcement and has not made any decisions resembling those detailed in the media report. As the Company announced in May 2005, it is currently developing an online title for next-generation platforms including game consoles and PCs; however, this title is being developed as a completely new MMORPG. We will disclose further details of this title, including platform compatibility, immediately after any relevant decisions are made."

[Yeargdribble]

Plus its coming out for 360, PS3 and Vista, which means the graphical upgrade will definatly be visible.

But hopefully in 5 years we aren't gonna get screwed by the processing limitations of the 360 and PS3. Sure it will be an imporvement to what there is now. PS2 was nice looking when it was released. But if they refuse to upgrade things like Storage and only do recolors for the umpteenth time of current ingame models after this next gen game has been out for 3-4 years they will be making the same mistakes as they've made with FFXI by letting the hardware limitations of one of their platforms hold the game back for everyone that plays.







Another thing SE could learn from is the misakes of other MMO sequels. It's probably a better idea for them to simply expand the current game and move it to new platforms as they slowly phase out the older platforms. They could graphically expand the game and add a lot of new play options if they would put forth the effort. Look at stuff like EQ2. Several people quit EQ to go to EQ2 just to realize it sucked and quit. EQ1 still has more subscribers at 60% of its peak than EQ2 has ever had.

While I think character transfers are a bad idea for a completely new game SE needs to realize that there are a lot of people that want character transfers. As a company they know that this probably wouldn't actually work (would destroy the balance of any new game). They could just continue and expand and upgrade their current game and keep those that want better graphics and more storage happy while allowing people that want character transfers as well happy. Also, continuing to add jobs and areas and making the game truly vast would satisfy a lot of people's needs for something new.

MMO sequels have sucked and considering FFXI isn't a heavy hitter in the MMO world as it is their sequel will probably tank horribly unless they do something drastic, new and innovative. The one thing that SE might have going for it that will overcome this is that it is FF and that matters a lot. You could serve crap on a platter, put an FF logo on it, and plenty of people (especially in Japan where it has more of a cult following) would buy it, eat it, and pretend to enjoy it. I admit that I'm a fanboy as well and would probably by the FF labeled crap too which is just my point.


EDIT: From their recent announcement it at least sounds like they were smart about the sequel thing and probably learned from games like EQ/EQ2, L1/L2 etc.

[Markus. D]

ooooh, is it expanding on the original main quest?

I wouldnt mind playing this *begins trying to complete the main quest as quickly as possible*

The main quest is already expanded in the current FFXI, through nation and Zilart missions. Then it moves onto Cop and Aht missions.

so THATS why the CoP story is confusing ._.

[Yeargdribble]

Yes... even though they don't directly tie together (as per the design of not having to buy one expansion to buy all of those following) the events going on at the very beginning of CoP are actually the events going on at the end of the last Zilart Mission.

Big spoiler about the end of Zilart and the beginning of CoP.
(SPOILER)Lion jumps into the beam that Eald'narche is trying to use to blow stuff up. The cacophony going on in Delkfutt's at the beginning of CoP is happening at that exact moment.

[Markus. D]

v_v

darn... wish I started with Rise of the Zilart... or the Shadowlord one first >->...

[Yeargdribble]

You can't really help it the way they designed it. You would have to be 75 to realistically finish Zilart. Meanwhile, you can get started on CoP missions at around 30.

The lapse of the two stories is tiny an inconsequencial. CoPs story line is just confusing early on period whether or not you've finished Zilart. The fact that most go months between missions makes it harder to get a flow of events clear in your head.