FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

[Kailea]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

No one is complaining about crystals, or chocobos, or avatars/espers, or dual-wielding ninjas.

But you have to be a pretty battle-hardened fanboy to dismiss the "coincidence" that the five races in FFXIV are practically identical to the five races in the only other online FF... yet these races are nowhere to be found in any of the other 12 (13?) games.

Copying races is one thing. If XIV had chosen to copy the races from FFTA, I strongly doubt that people would be making the same complaints. But of all the FF games to "borrow" from, XI is just about the worst possible choice, unless you are intentionally trying to make a game that will immediately be perceived as a sequel.

In an MMORPG, the appearances of the avatars is arguably the single most distinctive aspect of the game. Yet for this ostensibly all-new game, Squenix has chosen the appearance of the avatars from the only other online FF. That, more than any other factor, will immediately cause people to infer that XIV is more of the same. Squenix is handicapping itself out of the gate.

If Capcom wanted to make an all-new fighting game that was a complete break from Street Fighter, they probably shouldn't make the main characters in the new game an asian guy with a white gi and a red headband, a white guy with fatigues and a flat-top, and a one-eyed Muay Thai kickboxer. If Nintendo wanted to make an all-new completely original adventure game, it probably shouldn't star a blonde elf with a green outfit and a magic sword.

Perception matters.

I am waiting for you to start complaining about EverQuest II and Elder scrolls IV, along with many other games that have kept their races, and sometimes added to them.

The races in FFXIV and in FFXI, have different names, back stories, and no they do no look the same. They look similar, but not the same.

Who the hell cares if they "used the same races" its all new story, backgrounds and a new world, with new battle system, new crafting system, and new damn well everything else...... What I am getting at is, STOP BITCHING.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

FFXIII becomes FFXI-II

Huh, so the next online FF is going to have that Cloud girl and Shiva bikes in it? Go figure.

---------- Post added at 08:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:16 PM ----------

If XIV had chosen to copy the races from FFTA, I strongly doubt that people would be making the same complaints. But of all the FF games to "borrow" from, XI is just about the worst possible choice, unless you are intentionally trying to make a game that will immediately be perceived as a sequel.

This is contradictory. If they had copied the races from any of the Ivalice games, what's stopping people from perceiving it as a sequel to the Ivalice storyline(s)? Likewise, the complaint that five of the races from FFXIV are similar to the races from FFXI is equally baseless; what point do you have in complaining about it?

[Spider-Dan]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

As for these races, they look like FFXI and that's where the similarity begins and ends so far as we know. Keeping the Galkan and Mithran counterparts is just as quirky as Dwarven women with beards. The Miqu'te and Roegadyn are just gender locked - either accept it or get over it. They didn't budge in FFXI on adding a second gender to these races, they likely won't this time, either.

No one is complaining about crystals, or chocobos, or avatars/espers, or dual-wielding ninjas.

But you have to be a pretty battle-hardened fanboy to dismiss the "coincidence" that the five races in FFXIV are practically identical to the five races in the only other online FF... yet these races are nowhere to be found in any of the other 12 (13?) games.

Copying races is one thing. If XIV had chosen to copy the races from FFTA, I strongly doubt that people would be making the same complaints. But of all the FF games to "borrow" from, XI is just about the worst possible choice, unless you are intentionally trying to make a game that will immediately be perceived as a sequel.

In an MMORPG, the appearances of the avatars is arguably the single most distinctive aspect of the game. Yet for this ostensibly all-new game, Squenix has chosen the appearance of the avatars from the only other online FF. That, more than any other factor, will immediately cause people to infer that XIV is more of the same. Squenix is handicapping itself out of the gate.

If Capcom wanted to make an all-new fighting game that was a complete break from Street Fighter, they probably shouldn't make the main characters in the new game an asian guy with a white gi and a red headband, a white guy with fatigues and a flat-top, and a one-eyed Muay Thai kickboxer. If Nintendo wanted to make an all-new completely original adventure game, it probably shouldn't star a blonde elf with a green outfit and a magic sword.

Perception matters.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

There's a difference between "it looks like FF" and "we have the exact same five races as the previous online FF we made, only one of them doesn't have an ugly tail anymore".

I mean, seriously, the same races have the same gender restrictions! It's like they're not even trying.

Yes, because Final Fantasy has never re-used things before.

Chocobos, Airships, Moogles, Cid, Shiva, Ifrit, Bahamut, Ramuh... stop me if you've heard any of this before. It shouldn't surprise you they'd reuse something.

Even in Final Fantasy spin-offs, races are revisited. All the Crystal Chronicles games do it. The Veira, Nou Mou and Hume races didn't first appear in FFXII, nor was that game the last we saw of them

Plus there are factions within the races this time, we only know of minor stat differences and differing character creations at this point, not what else might result from that.

Finally, SE tends to give some of these old elements fresh new spins. The nature of summons has been different in relation to the person summoning with almost every game in the series. The skill growth is usually different.

As for these races, they look like FFXI and that's where the similarity begins and ends so far as we know. Keeping the Galkan and Mithran counterparts is just as quirky as Dwarven women with beards. The Miqu'te and Roegadyn are just gender locked - either accept it or get over it. They didn't budge in FFXI on adding a second gender to these races, they likely won't this time, either.

People just get batshit over Final Fantasy. If they're not feigning surprise that SE reinvented Final Fantasy again and somehow expected a "return to form" (whatever that means), then they're complaining about the things that didn't change that probably didn't have to. Final Fantasy has its quirky little tropes, just like Star Trek will have a red ensign in most episodes, Spock will deem something illogical and Scotty will swear up and down he's pushed the Enterprise to its limits.

[Spider-Dan]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

My post wasn't art direction nor has anything else in this thread. The point is all of FFXI character designs are somewhat familiar and conform to a certain style directed by SE regardless of who or how it is directed. Sort of the way I hear people complaining that all the Disney characters look alike in some ways regardless who was the art director of each film. It looks like Disney because its Disney. FF looks like FF because its FF.

There's a difference between "it looks like FF" and "we have the exact same five races as the previous online FF we made, only one of them doesn't have an ugly tail anymore".

I mean, seriously, the same races have the same gender restrictions! It's like they're not even trying.

I really wish that they had made this game as the next FF installment... that would have set up one of the best, most accurate memes ever just by adding a hyphen:

FFXIII becomes FFXI-II

[Pwnagraphic]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

The application is for both. One of the questions was which machine you would use to play the beta on, and I was able to click both. I can play on either, so why not let them know?

I filled it out so it's all good. I just put down anything for my PC specs cause I don't know squat about it, and it's broken anyway.

[Balfree]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

If they make Male Mithra and Moogle playable... EVERYONE will be those. lol

I'd be a Moogle in a heartbeat.

[Malacite]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

Honestly, I wouldn't mind having both . . .

Depending on how they do it, female Galka could actually be cool. They'd just be very muscular/amazonian. And since they don't have those weird lizard tails this time around might even look attractive O.O;


AND QUIT HATING ON MALE MITHRA! I don't care if I'm the only one here who wants it, you won't ever convince me otherwise. Ok yes, we all like to stare at some fine kitty booty, that's a given. But I'm one of those people who likes to project themselves with their avatar. In other words, I don't care for playing a female character no matter how pretty. But I also have an affinity for cats, and have seen some damn cool lion peoples before (like in MTG, holy crap the Leonin were cool, especially Raksha)

What harm does it do? Are you really that annoyed at the prospect of cat man that you won't play the game/boycott it?


As for my other comment, why not use the races from Ivalice, or at least a variant? If nothing else, let us play as a MOOGLE! It was cool that they were NPCs in XI, but why can't XIV have playable moogles? I think they did a really good job recreating them for Ivalice, so they can do it again. Using Vierra and Bangaa might not be terribly original but it'd still be cool and likely attract more people. I can't see the Seeqs or Nu Mou (how the hell do you spell that?) being all that popular though.

And yes, Bunnies & Kitties ftw. Do want Vierra on Mithra action RAWR! O. O (lulz)

[pixiehawk]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

The application is for both. One of the questions was which machine you would use to play the beta on, and I was able to click both. I can play on either, so why not let them know?

[Pwnagraphic]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

WTF?!?!!?!?!? I read on something it was for PC version!!! Mother...

[Kailea]

Re: BETA Test Application has begun

Pretty sure this is for both the PC and PS3 versions, since I was given the option to choose which I would prefer to test for.

The application is for both, you sign up now whether you want PS3 or PC, but PC beta starts first, and the PS3 comes later

[Tsikuro]

Re: BETA Test Application has begun

Can't say the same for him..


I want to know when the PS3 app will start!

Pretty sure this is for both the PC and PS3 versions, since I was given the option to choose which I would prefer to test for.

[Pwnagraphic]

Re: BETA Test Application has begun

And yet I still find myself not caring in the slightest.

Can't say the same for him..

*runs around in a panic* oh !$@# oh !$@# oh %#@$

I want to know when the PS3 app will start!

[Lmnop]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

It's a fair enough point that FF artwork is FF-y and it's the demands of an online system (namely, character looks customization that comes from visible gear) that make them seem so similar.

And yeah, gameplay is ultimately what I care about. But I know I would've got a lot more into FFXI if the world hadn't seemed so close to standard fantasy fare (though I do still feel they did a great job of making their fantasy world feel different).

[Rostum]

Re: FFXIV BETA Test Application has begun

My post wasn't art direction nor has anything else in this thread

It plays a huge part on the style and consistency of the art, therefor it was. In fact, I would question what you think 'art direction' is based purely on your statement alone.

The point is all of FFXI character designs are somewhat familiar and conform to a certain style directed by SE regardless of who or how it is directed. Sort of the way I hear people complaining that all the Disney characters look alike in some ways regardless who was the art director of each film. It looks like Disney because its Disney. FF looks like FF because its FF.

The point I am making is that the characters from FFXI look nothing like Tidus or Yuna; you might be able to twist the opinion that they have similar hair styles, but ultimately they are different in style (considering the art director did not work on FFX, this makes sense); though perhaps as far as the general public are concerned they don't want to notice the differences. Yes, you can generally sum up the series into its own unique style just like with Disney, but that does not mean everything is rehashed between different teams of artists.

In either case, I don't really think that the similarities between FFXI and FFXIV are that much of a big deal for me that I wouldn't want to play. Still looks interesting.