[Mezlo]

Man am I bummed... So, i got a brand new laptop, top of the line totally kick ass. I've been playing ffxi, for a long time, on PS2. I decided that since i got my new laptop, why not buy ffxi and play it on the PC sometimes, I do like the nice graphics. So i ordered a used ffxi for windows online from amazon. I got the package today, went home at lunch and installed playonline viewer, one disk, then installed ffxi on disk 1-3. It then asked for disk one again and then after that disk for for Rise of the Zilart. Everything was installed, i went and click on the playonline icon, and i get an immediate message that "Playonline Viewer stopped working." It gave me the option to go online and help trouble shoot but nothing. It also gave me the option to view details of why it stopped working, and one of the details said something like "appcrashed." I went into the playonline folder and tried bringing up plyonline config, but got the same message, "playonline viewer stopped working."

Now, i'm not sure if it's because of some anit-virus software my system runs or if i need to make some sort of change in windows vista to get it running, but i was hoping to play on it tonight on my LS Sky run tonight... Anyone got any advice?

[Ellipses]

Uninstall everything and install the Vista version of POL instead of the one from the CD. Follow the directions here: FINAL FANTASY XI Official Web Site

[Mezlo]

I will do that tonight when i get home thanks! I had a couple other questions. I have bought and installed expansions etc for ps2, will I need to buy the expansions for the PC as well, or can i just be updated through playonline viewer? (I'm guessing I'll need to buy the PC expansions and install, just hoping otherwise.) And secondly, will I be able to play on PS2 on one character and on PC on another character? I have like 5 content id's with 5 characters, but only one playonline ID that was purchased with my initial ffxi purchase for PS2. Come to think of it, the guy that sold me his game for the PC also had his content ID with the game.

[Ameroth]

Originally Posted by Mezlo

will I need to buy the expansions for the PC as well, or can i just be updated through playonline viewer?

You will need all of the expansion discs to install the expansions onto your PC. Updates will not do this for you.

Originally Posted by Mezlo

And secondly, will I be able to play on PS2 on one character and on PC on another character? I have like 5 content id's with 5 characters, but only one playonline ID that was purchased with my initial ffxi purchase for PS2. Come to think of it, the guy that sold me his game for the PC also had his content ID with the game.

No matter how many content IDs you have, if they are all tied to the same POL ID, you can only have one of them signed in at a time. However, if your PS2 had a POL ID, and you created a new POL ID on your PC with new content IDs, you may "dual-box." That requires the purchase of a new game, if not for anything but the reg. codes.

In recap:

Expansions installations are required
POL account can only be signed on at one terminal
Buy another game and use the reg. codes if you need to dual-box.

[TheGrandMom]

Thank you Ellipses and Ameroth! I wish mods could give out points to people for being helpful! (And negative points for the grouches! )

[ShepardG]

What about no points for the weirdo's? wait....we already get that.

[Jarre]

Ahh the joys of having an old PC version like mine where its 1 disk playonline, 3 disks FFXI, 1 disks ROZ, 2 Disks COP 1 disk for TOA, 1 disk WOG. then their the joy of file checking....

Now I actually found out its not based on your net connection of Playonline servers the check, its based on teh speed of your comp. When i installed it on my new PC last year it took a third of teh time to check it with a quad core than my old AMD 64 chip.

The downside of the old versions is the amount of downloaded updates required which last time was 5 hours worth with a broadband connection.. I may purchase the 2008 version just to minimise this and the old disks I'll keep nice and store s a little bit of gaming history

One thing about virus scanners is they can sometimes detect playonline.exe as a keylogger. Kasperksy labs does this but it only warns me and due to me setting it to allow it it just beeps at me twice while loading. Did a full spyware scan, virus scan with both kasperksy labs and avast and it came up with nothing so safely set it to ignore.

Now to decide if the security key and mog sachel is really worth it.....

[Mezlo]

So I downloaded the POL for vista from the website and things look to be going well. When I left this morning it was updating, probably going to take a bit since it's the first time it's been installed on a PC. I also got my new PS2 controller usb adapter for the PC. I tried using the adapter on another game I bought, World on War, but the adapter didnt make my PS2 adapter register as a gaming device, it was unresponsive. I'm hoping it's only because the game does not recognize controllers for the PS2 and not that the adapter is bad.

[Aksannyi]

You have to actually go into the FFXI Configuration tool and enable the gamepad, and also change the gamepad settings to your liking. So the other game may have had something similar. Luckily, your settings are saved so you don't have to do it every time you log in.

Also, if you are running Vista, you may have to disable the UAC (User Account Control) in order for the game to play. That might just be a Windower issue, though.

[Ellipses]

Also, once you're all set, go here: Graphics - FFXIclopedia - a Wikia Gaming wiki for teh purty.

[Mezlo]

Soooo close... ok, i got the pretty graphics, i got all the expansions installed. Only 2 problems left:

1. i cant get the pad on the PS2 controller to control the menu scrolling up and down. I've gone into ffxi - setup and clicked on the menu button on the right hand side, then it asks me to hit the up button and then button 1, and then button one to confirm. I did this, but to no avail.

2. my menu's and chat boxes that pop up are real small. I can read it but only if i lean in real close. is there a way to make the popup menus larger without making the graphics suffer?

thanks! soooo close....