I also vote this be sticky. I really hope we get tons of new gameplay footage soon, it needs to be clear there is lots of varied content, and not just leaves to grind on all day. Yoshida still has a lot to prove, I don't doubt is intentions, just his and SE's ability, given how just 2 yrs ago they where obliviously a decade behind everyone else.

No need to argue, Yoshi and co state in their video dairies that they wish to honor the promise of a AAA FF sub based mmo that was made before FFXIV first launched, even though subs are out of fashion right now, they are more focused on un-doing everything the bad launch of 1.0 did to SE's reputation, and are being systematic. The legacy sub discount also clearly shows they intend subs to remain for years. Those are the facts, lets not argue about Japanese culture and honor.

edit

oh, darkness beat me to it.

Got you all beat, first I couldnt get the client to load at all, then it wouldnt update, then it caused my dedicated very slick gaming rig that i love and call "the beast" to have it's first ever crash since I sold my soul for it 4 yrs ago.

I guess no PS2 for me.

They just comfirmed that they are keeping the sub as a "matter of honor" so b2p is out of the question. They see it as a part of the attempt to salvage FF and SE's reputation.

The game at its first launch was an impenetrable pain, be glad you missed it, worst UI and world/npc/mob layout in video game history. The team responsible didn’t know a damn thing about mmo design or features, but this new one is at least trying to catch up with the decade of global development the company has slept through. It’s a pity you didn’t use the key to get into the 1.0 game, though horrible, it’s a fascinating education, providing an absolute context to how bad an mmo can get.

As most of 1.0 info is obsolete and we don’t know all the details of ARR, and much which change by launch don’t bother getting more than the basics, As to launch times,  the dev team have been working on 2 games simultaneously until recently, now they are free to focus on ARR, so hopefully things will happen faster, but there as already been a 2 month delay on the “road map”, which is kinda good news, it shows they don’t intend to rush it again.

Alpha for the Japs is already on, with plans to open it to us foreigners in a few days, (you can apply on their site) beta may start between Jan and March, hopefully not later. Best just wait and not get too invested yet, you don’t want end up wishing they’d rush it.

As to other info, they encourage only one character, (if they keep the old payment model of charging more on the sub for extra ones) that can be every class, including all the crafting classes. You can combine skills of different classes for combos, combat may not be your style, there may still be targeting and pacing issues left over from 1.0, best to really try it out before committing. You can theoretically gather and craft to endgame, but there wont be that much  non combat at end yet. Though ARR will launch with far more variety and amount of content than 1.0 there are many things the devs have listed that they won’t have in till after launch, including some really nice features, so be aware of that. There is a question as to whether pvp will be in at launch, but FFXIV is pve focused either way.

There aren’t many videos beyond some basic alpha footage and character creator yet, I subscribe to Ken’s Crazy Gaming on YouTube, he always has vids on FFXIV.

As a total newbie you won’t have that much trouble with the game this time round, they should be making everything a lot clearer than not at all, with labelled NPCs, quest, item and crafting tips, and the map should actually be useful.

 Is there anything specific about the game you have any questions about? If you’re really interested you can watch Yoshida, Wada and the gang on the video dairies, they are hilarious, (if you share the Japanese sense of humour).

Originally posted by DarknessReign
nice post official translation should be up next week. From FinalFantasy YouTube channel

Be hilarious if they where saying something completely different.

Originally posted by UNH0LYEV1L
Has the combat system and movement of characters changed? Because that was the biggest turn off for me.  And if its the same clunkly controlled autoattack and movement system along with skills tanking so long to fire that there is no way I'm playing this game if it didnt change.

I agree, worst combat mechanics I've ever seen, ARR does indeed change the pace by allowing all the skills at the start of each fight, the targeting seems improved too. If you where using keyboard+mouse it should be better. 

Whether it will actually be fun, and not now the usual dull WoW style remains to be seen. There should at least be some interesting combos and multi class mixes that you can still do, group combat even in 1.0 was better than solo, and the boss fights seems to be where they concentrate their efforts. I would try the beta, we won't know till we play if it really feels right.

I am desperately looking for a game to replace Glitch fast, (long story), social, cartoony and no combat would be ideal, and house building as well. Any ideas?

Originally posted by Shodanas
4,154,162 $  as i type this. Predictions estimate that it will reach a number between 4,500,000 and 4,700,00. If i am not mistaken SC right now is the most successful crowd funding project ever. Mr. Roberts investors will be pleased to see these numbers.

I was convinced he wouldn't reach 4mil, and am so very relieved.

Every space sim I've tried in the last decade made me yearn for Wing6, Freelander2, Privateer3, or anything by Roberts to be made, and now we get all in one, and more. I never have to try and convince myself I enjoy EVE again.

Originally posted by Magiknight

The same person, Komoto, directed FFXI and FFXIV. He played Everquest.

I don't care what he played, the entire team was out of touch, (as they admit) that's all that mattered.

How did the game lack basic features of MMORPGs from the last 10-20 years?

Did you play it? Do I seriously need to list all the things it lacked? I've done so many times here, and so have others. How did Chrono Trigger and SoM from 20 yrs ago manage to provide a smooth UI without such pain for e.g. ? 

FFXIV was badly designed. I don't think anyone will dispute that. What are you speaking of when you say "stiff penalisations and limitations?"

The leave limitations, fatigue system and anima limits at launch for starters. This goes back to WoW vanilla, and possibly even before when they found that positive re-enforment of bonus rest exp from being offline enough was better than penalization, very few mmos failed to learn that. There where many other negative re-enforment methods Tanaka used, many where removed within months, I can't remember them all, but accounts claim many where dev convenience, not player.

The point of the thread was how much FFXIV ARR will be like WoW.

An issue I am addressed.

Yoshida also wrote off the opinions of everyone who played FFXI and FFXIV 1.0. I cna only guess where he is getting his criticisms from.

Quite frankly, from what I've seen of some fans of FFXIV's launch state, I wouldnt take any advice from them, there seems to be a lot of denial among them. Even on these threads the excuses, from FFXI fans somehow brainwashing everyone into hating the game, to the negative reviews being down to FFXIV just being different, make me concerned for their mental health. Besides even of those whose opinions are valid, the numbers that staying after the exodus would never be enough, at the same time the gratitude towards them seems sincere. Besides, quite a lot more than I would recommend is being preserved.

As to FFXI fans, a large amount of elements from that mmo are being added to ARR, some are complaining that its too much, other FFXI fans have said they are not asking for a XI clone. You can't please everyone, they have to aim for a larger number of potential players, given the budget of this reboot. The FF franchise isnt supposed to be that niche.

Originally posted by Magiknight     I just don't want to run around killing everything in site while I'm spamming buttons. I don't want to run from map marker to map marker. I don't want to solo to max level so that "the game can start" and I can participate in raids. I have no desire to be max level within a few months of playing. I have no desire to do instanced dungeons. If I wanted to play a game with 6 other people I would play Starcraft or Diablo. If it isn't challenging I don't want to play it. FFXIV 1.0 was most of what I just mentioned.  WoW was also this. Sorry about my babbling

Fare enough, if you could get through the bad design in 1.0 (which was a challenge in itself) I guess there was un-inspired game play, but not due to looking at WoW, just a lack of imagination, (and content). There were more group and crafting focused elements (although very badly done), and open world NMs than WoW had, not to mention story, if the lack of audio didn’t bug you. I can see why instances would be an easier solution. But that was for 1.0, Yoshi was only able to add things on a system he intended to scrap. Only with ARR will we see if he can pull-off good open world, besides given the single player origins, FF does kind of lend itself to instanced dungeons. I also object to any comparison of the guild leaves to WoW style quest hubs, those leaves struck me as a massive step back from even WoW's design.

It sounds like you have a very specialized set of requirements, what mmos out now would you say fill them?