FFXI End Date?

[Rain_Blade]

Someone in my linkshell said that SE was thinking about a FFXI end date. I doubted it, obviously, and some others did as well Although, a part of me was still thinking about it. If they DID have an end date, it couldn't possibly be next year, because I think they have a lot of upcoming surprises on the way. Would do you all think about this? I think the guy read some false information or whatever...but that's just my opinion.

[Mhurron]

Next thursday.

[Shadowneko]

a fun joke...I don't see FFFXI ending for quite ahwile. Perhaps a server merger or two sooner or later. Look at Everquest...what is that thing like 15 years old and still going?

I know several MMOS have folded as of late but I could see FFXI running for another 4 years easily....

[Maju]

You don't just cancel a game with 500k subscribers. When it drops to below 30k they might start thinking about it.

[Xeion]

Why would them wanna close down FFXI anyway?

[eticket109]

last I checked, FFXI is 4th in active subscribers behind WoW, L1, L2 and Runescape. In the Japanese market alone it's probably in the top 2 or top 3. I don't see FFXI going away any time soon.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if they started to phase out PS2 support in the next few years, but even that seems unlikely.

[Jei]

what's japanese's top 1?

[Inferknite]

I thinnk a golf mmorpg or something lol

[Jei]

pangya? I thought that was free. (but you pay real money for custume)

[Cometgreen]

They wouldn't be introducing all these job balance adjustments if they knew they were going to shut the servers down anytime soon.

The game will be around for quite a while to come. I'm sure some servers will be combined (I'm betting sometime in the next year), but as long as it's profitable, it'll keep running.

[Giacomo]

The only reall thing that might hurt FFXi in the future is the PS2 capabilities. SO if they would want to update graphics, they might have a tuff time. UNless they do phase out PS2 players and have the Xbox360 and PC people.

[the_ultimate_shadow]

i hope they do phase out PS2, the xbox 360 can definetly handle better graphics then the PS2, i hope that time comes soon, only problem i see is the room on the 360 harddrive, in truth you only get 12 GB of storage on it, and FFXI takes up what, 5 or 6 GB, and then with like demos, and videos, and some saved games, that adds up

[Anaki]

i think the next reallly big earthquake in japan that causes all the servers to be destroyed would be an end date :P but i assume they got special security thingies to prevent the servers from going boom like that

[Susurrus]

"Lets throw away a game that makes us an assload of money." Ya I don' think so.

[Feenicks]

Japanese number one at the moment is Lineage II. Nearly every single net cafe there has Lineage installed on it.

[dirtyclown]

Japanese number one at the moment is Lineage II. Nearly every single net cafe there has Lineage installed on it.

Do they all play private servers or something? That game blows some hardcore ass. I tried to enjoy it. Really, I did. I even played it for two months in a desperate attempt to find JUST ONE endearing quality that game had. I found nothing.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

The only reall thing that might hurt FFXi in the future is the PS2 capabilities. SO if they would want to update graphics, they might have a tuff time. UNless they do phase out PS2 players and have the Xbox360 and PC people.

Oh dear god, your kind is still around?

Look at WoW... just look at it. A MMORPG made for all kinds of PC settings. The same could be done for the PS2 version of FFXI, keeping the older graphics while the PC, Xbox and PS3 versions got updates. All these "limitations" of the PS2 hardware people talk about are mostly rubbish. The only real limitation is the one we all share - bandwidth.

SE not upgrading our inventory wasn't because of PS2, that was just their cop-out, yet they can give us a Mog Locker with ToA.

Was it PS2 limitations? :worry: Or was it to push sales of ToA?

And, yeah, that PS3 thing, it has a HDD, both version of it. I think we could put FFXI on one of those. Probably the $600 model at this rate, as you can't play FFXI w/o the premium version of 360 either and the tard pack PS3 only has a 20 gig HDD, which FFXI would swallow by next expansion.

[Dark Raz]

Honestly, I don't see why people are saying or expecting an end date, if its that much a curiosity, make the end date for FFXI now, and make it only for you by quitting >_>

Why not just enjoy the game while it's still around..I'll never understand people lol.

And the PS2 limits A LOT of things for FFXI, inventory/locker/safe space is a small part of FFXI. Want to see PS2 limitations in action? Check out Leather Gear and studded gear for instance. Or better yet, any gear you can buy. You'll see how they look exactly the same. Even quested gear (Like JSE) tend to look like something you can buy.

[Giacomo]

Oh dear god, your kind is still around?

Look at WoW... just look at it. A MMORPG made for all kinds of PC settings. The same could be done for the PS2 version of FFXI, keeping the older graphics while the PC, Xbox and PS3 versions got updates. All these "limitations" of the PS2 hardware people talk about are mostly rubbish. The only real limitation is the one we all share - bandwidth.

SE not upgrading our inventory wasn't because of PS2, that was just their cop-out, yet they can give us a Mog Locker with ToA.

Was it PS2 limitations? :worry: Or was it to push sales of ToA?

And, yeah, that PS3 thing, it has a HDD, both version of it. I think we could put FFXI on one of those. Probably the $600 model at this rate, as you can't play FFXI w/o the premium version of 360 either and the tard pack PS3 only has a 20 gig HDD, which FFXI would swallow by next expansion.

I was talking about the graphics. There already outdated, hell the engine it's on is over 6 years old. The PS2 probably couldn't take a major engine or graphic over haul, while PC and XBox360, and the PS3 would have no problem with.

[Murasame]

They should at least change some of the models and animations. Is the PS2 not capable of that?

[Lilani]

Why would them wanna close down FFXI anyway?
lolgrammar

*cough*

But really, they were messing with you. As someone else said, you don't just shut down a game when it's at its highest number of subscribers--especially when it released on a whole other console less than a year ago (give or take). Really now, where was your head during all of this ;)

And you PS2 haters obviously haven't seen the previews of FFXII. Just shut the freak up (yes, I censor myself). And no, I don't play on PS2, I play on a 27 gig, 192 MB of RAM laptop that's C drive is 76% full. If there is anyone playing on a sucky system, it is me. Get over yourselves. SE is far too smart of a company to invest something that brings in so much money on a system they didn't trust in the long run. And by long run, I mean the entire life expectancy of the game, whatever that may turn out to be.

Most of the JP players play on PS2, because that was the first system it came out on there. SE would never ever ever cut out or limit (or be limited by) such a large portion of their playing community. They'll never dump the PS2 and force their players to either quit or buy another version of the game. Likewise, I believe they have proved with FFX/X2, ToAU, and soon FFXII that the PS2 is not limiting them in any way. At all.

[Maju]

And no, I don't play on PS2, I play on a 27 gig, 192 MB of RAM laptop that's C drive is 76% full.
I'm sorry, but this made me giggle. ^^;;

[Kaickul]

Was it PS2 limitations? :worry:




The ones SE keeps telling us hold them back from implementing better features into FFXI. Like a better menu system, better graphics for status icons, better display options... the list goes on. Every interview involving an SE developer where people ask about this stuff the response is always 'We cant due to PS2 limitations.'


I doubt they could phase out PS2 support for this game before FFXI starts to die off, and by then such improvements wouldnt matter.

[Celeal]

IMHO, graphics is not an major issue. I believe the game content itself is the first priority.

There are games with top-notch graphics, but very poor game design.

For PS2, as long as it does not hinder the growth of the content, there is no reason for stopping PS2 support.

*Off Topic*
I heard that English version of FF XII is going to be released soon, does anyone going to try it? ... sigh, I don't have PS2 =(

[Ameroth]

Though I know this game has a lot of time left in its life.... The thought of ffxi dying makes me pretty sad. That's not something I'd like to think about.

[Caspian]

I heard that English version of FF XII is going to be released soon, does anyone going to try it? ... sigh, I don't have PS2 =(
Already reserved and payed for. Just waiting for the release now. Also heard people are complaining that using the scripts for the game is cheating. My argument to that is:
A. how else are you going to accurately and quickly control however many characters at the exact same time (its essentially the FFXI battle system, only one actual player controlling everything at once, from what I understand)
B. You're the one who wrote the protocols, so its not like the game is truly playing itself. It just makes it so you don't have to bounce from character to character making decisions and hitting buttons at light speed.

As far as FFXI's life goes. I've hardly seen any drop in server population on Fairy since I started playing in February of '04. Maybe 1 or 2 hundred decrease in people at any given time. This game still has a LOT of life left in it.
That being said, its possible SE has thrown around a possible date to kill the servers or make it open source for private servers. Like, I don't know, 2012?
Its not going to happen anytime soon, short of SE going bankrupt.

[Raydeus]

I also think this game will be around for at least another 3 years, and it better be, I still have way too many jobs to take to 75. :biggrin:


About the graphics all I really ask for is for a better emulation engine that would take more advantage of more recent videocards, 32-bit color high res textures and longer drawing distance (in that order of importance).

Other than that I think the game has aged really well and looks better then many "modern" MMOGs that only use a crap load of particle effects to cover up the crappyness of their art department.

Now, even though a higher poly count and more detailed animations would be nice too I'd rather see that effort going to XI-2 or some game like that, specifically designed for next gen consoles.

Remember that tech demo they released last year? That's what I'm talking about. :thumbsup:

[Ziero]

Ya know, this kinda topic seems to spring up at least once a month every month for the past 2-3 years now. Besides unfounded rumors, what is there to make someone think this game is even remotely close to closing down? Subscriptions have remained near consistent, new content is being added and updated regularly as usual with no signs of stopping, there is still a LARGE amount of the world that has gone unreleased and unexplored, a ton of different potential new jobs that could be added, and on top of all that, the most sure fire way to know if the game is dieing or not, is that not one server has been closed down due to low population yet.

Maybe there should be a sticky topic or something exclaiming to all that the game is no where near dead. Maybe in 4-5 years from now things might start happening, but we still got a long road ahead.

[Kitalrez]

I dunno, it's entirely possible to do a graphical update without seriously screwing with the harddrive footprint for PS2. Look at what Everquest did with the Shadows of Luclin expansion. During that, they completely redid the model system for every character type. To the tune of where you could remake your character's face and appearance completely. But, in order to play with any of the new models, you had to go into the setup program and actually turn each of them on or off. So, if you had hardware limitations, you could easily just use the old models. I see something like this being feasible for the PS2 if they ever update graphics for PS3, Xbox360 and PC. Everyone with the PS2 version would just not get the graphical update and could continue playing with things like they are now.

[Loial]

EQ1 has been online for 7.5 years now (I think it started in april '99). At some point a year and a half ago, they started with some server mergers to keep the population on the surviving servers high enough to keep an active community.

I'm not sure how successful FFXI is vs. EQ1, but as long as the game remains profitable, they probably won't be going anywhere. Some of it depends on how other MMOs develop. I know WoW took a lot of FFXI players and still is.

The day you see server mergers is the day you "might" want to consider the survivability of the game.

[Maju]

About the graphics all I really ask for is for a better emulation engine that would take more advantage of more recent videocards, 32-bit color high res textures and longer drawing distance (in that order of importance).

Actually, the longer drawing distance (up to 25x) can be arranged with a 3rd party tool that I don't have of course. /whistlesinnocently

I agree with the rest, though. FFXI barely uses your GPU at all and we would see huge (and I'm talking massive) frame rate improvements if the engine was modernized.


Other than that I think the game has aged really well and looks better then many "modern" MMOGs that only use a crap load of particle effects to cover up the crappyness of their art department.

So true!

[Herrisa]

As long as the game is making money, they'll keep it running. Look at EQ and AC; they've been playing far longer than FFXI and they're still going.

As for the graphical updates, maybe in a couple of years we'll see one. Then again, if they are going to do that why not just create a new game, call it FFXI-2, make it so all FFXI characters are transferrable, give all the players a free 30 days, and turn a naked population out into the new world to whack mobs at will.

Even then I'm betting people would still play FFXI. Just look at the fiasco that happened to SWG and people are still playing it.

[Rai-Jin]

Its def gonna go a few years seeing that they released it for xbox 360 too

[eticket109]

As long as the game is making money, they'll keep it running. Look at EQ and AC; they've been playing far longer than FFXI and they're still going.
As for the graphical updates, maybe in a couple of years we'll see one. Then again, if they are going to do that why not just create a new game, call it FFXI-2, make it so all FFXI characters are transferrable, give all the players a free 30 days, and turn a naked population out into the new world to whack mobs at will.
Even then I'm betting people would still play FFXI. Just look at the fiasco that happened to SWG and people are still playing it.

Not only that but with the Progression servers, EQ has kept members and even seen a few people return. If they aren't going anywhere, then I doubt we are too.

[Dragonsword]

Doesnt seem likely at this moment. ToA is gaining momentum and with new zone with new combat rules (e.g. besieged) and contents, SE can create new settings for adventures to participate into. Just build up on what has been established and further develop it.

I can foresee some new jobs breaking lvl 75 in some new continents one day ^^ , just my wild guess XD