Final Fantasy XI first impressions...*Some Spoilers*

[Living-In-Clip]

Well, now that FFXI has been out on beta testing awhile in Japan, TheGIA went and done some first impressions with the public. I\'ll just qoute some of the more interesting reactions.


*Spoiler*

 This feature reveals the intriguing fact that the character classes available from the beginning of the game are none other than the character classes from the original NES Final Fantasy. Yes, that means the player may choose to be a Fighter, Monk, Thief, White Mage, or Red Mage.

However, as the pictures show, this transition does include a Baldurs Gate II-like text window describing the amount of damage done by whom to whom. The text in this window is conveniently color-coded, and, according to a few Tokyo high school kids enjoying a Sunday off school in their favorite hangout -- the Fujimidai Seven Eleven -- "a little ugly, and too PC-game-like." However, rumors from beta testers suggest that this window may be resizable.

Note the " too PC-game-like".

  Final Fantasy XI is currently in its beta-testing phase, which began on December 7th. It is the first Final Fantasy game to require a beta test, and if Famitsu\'s reader surveys are any indication, probably the last one to beta-test in Japan only.

Here is the real "impressions".

 "What do you think of Final Fantasy XI?" Famitsu asked Tokyo\'s thousands of videogame dealers last week. 35% said it would be a hit, 4% said there is no way to tell, and 65% said it will not be a hit, citing such examples as the failure of the Saturn Netlink, the overwhelming price of the PS2 HDD peripheral and modem, and the Dreamcast\'s inability to sell its networking despite the modem\'s inclusion with the system.

Ouch...

  When asked "What do YOU think of Final Fantasy XI?" readers replied in generally the same way. Only 18% said they would play the game, 30% said they were "waiting," and an overwhelming 52% said they would not play the game.

 As for the schoolboys in the Fujimidai Seven Eleven, they fall into the "waiting" category.

   "I don\'t want to spend that much money," one said.

   "It looks too American," said another.

   "It\'ll probably sell in America, like Metal Gear Solid 2," they all concurred.

Well, it isn\'t looking good for Square judging by first impressions with the Japanese public, but even they predict the US will be more forgiving .

Only time will tell..

OH and here is the  URL to the article.
http://www.thegia.com/news/0201/n01a.html

[GmanJoe]

I figured. "Too PC like"?

Well....then that doesn\'t sound so bad at all. I loved Baulder\'s Gate.

After playing FFX I wish they left it turned based.  I don\'t know if I\'m going to like it as much if its real time rpg. Uh.....no its pc-like?!?!!?!

Originally posted by GmanJoe
I figured. "Too PC like"?

Well....then that doesn\'t sound so bad at all. I loved Baulder\'s Gate.

But this if Final Fantasy.They shouldnt destroy the recipe that always made the series so  succesfull and also kept it all these years so favourable.

I also dislike the fact "It looks too American,".THIS IS FINAL FANTASY!!!

Each FF had charracters,story and world changed but the game\'s stracture remained the same.It wasnt just the name final fantasy and a latin number next to it that helped us distinguish it as a final fantasy game(unlike FFXI).

Heh, which is why they should have called it FFOnline instead of FFXI. I don\'t think the same set of gameplay rules that applied to the regular series will work online. Sorry, but real-time combat is much more involving and fast paced.. and more like real combat. Turn based works with the other FF games because those are singleplayer... you\'re always the one calling the shots. If it\'s turn based.. then you end up sitting there chatting while you wait to take your next swing. Then you also have to deal with the idiots who take forever and a day to choose their action/target or go conviently AFK in the middle of a battle. Dosen\'t sound like much fun to me.

And thats why this Final Fantasy might fail or be rejected by many Final Fantasy funs.Its also too "American" as well?

Well maybe. But the thing is, you\'re moving it online so your going to have to change the game into something FF isn\'t anyhow. You can\'t really look at it as a sequel, look at it more as a good game that\'s FF themed. Play it for what it is.. not for what the title represents.

Besides, it\'s not going to feel very FF like anyhow when you get into an alliance with people named: "Ho Banga" "S.S. Studly Dudly" "FUKK U ALL" and about 4 Vegetas and 2 Sephiroths. Everyone of whom is very loud, very annoying, and wandering around looking for "CHiX" to pick up instead of monsters to slay.

Too American like is a good thing in my book. Teh PC thing doesn\'t bother me none either as long as the game is fun

but the money issues and all are on par with what most of us feel

Originally posted by ddaryl
but the money issues and all are on par with what most of us feel

what nothin a month?

hehe, i\'d say that would be more like an eagle:D

Well, if you consider 100+ for the hdd and the ethernet adapter to be nothing. :shy:

Originally posted by Ryu
Well, if you consider 100+ for the hdd and the ethernet adapter to be nothing. :shy:

well thats hardware.... it can be used for other things, not just FFXI.

Originally posted by SonyFan

Besides, it\'s not going to feel very FF like anyhow when you get into an alliance with people named: "Ho Banga" "S.S. Studly Dudly" "FUKK U ALL" and about 4 Vegetas and 2 Sephiroths. Everyone of whom is very loud, very annoying, and wandering around looking for "CHiX" to pick up instead of monsters to slay.

Fear not my friend because thats what all online games are like these days.
I mean the last time i played Counter strike on my PC, the game was interupted by to "players" having full blown Cyber Sex, not a prity sight when you are trying to snipe someone.

well the only reason i think its seems PC like is because online rpgs like this have been mainly on PCs so the transition to console is gonna almost look a lot alike

and if you ask me it looks a lot like EverQuesst and imo thats fine by me i cant wait for the game as i want and need it - plus hey no monthly fee - im all over that

sorry but i cant wait to play this game online i mean who wouldn\'t want to ?

you get the chance to go online talk to people some of them geeks , make firends with them and eran their trust... only to VAPOURISE them with InFrit.

"too american", trust the Japanasse to come out with a comment like that. I mean don\'t get me wrong I respect them and all but we (the rest of the world) have been playing games released by Jap game firms for ages. Some of which are very Jap influnced and we don\'t complain. It doesn\'t matter what the game is like as long as its fun.

Im not an American, im English but that comment is still fairly insulting (since English people are more like American people than Japanse people).