Concerns?

Is anyone else concerned about the recently released Q&A excerpts that have shown up on a few of the more official FFXI sites out there (I've found this on Stratics, Warcry, and IGN so far). These two Q&A's bothered me the most.

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From the PlayOnline.com's Q&A database
Q. Will there be any new Worlds [servers] created in FFXI for subscribers to the North American version?

A. Currently, we have no plans to do so. When service begins, it will be possible to create characters in the already existing worlds [servers]. FINAL FANTASY XI is a cross continent game where players are able to communicate and play with/against other players from around the World. We will be creating new Worlds [servers] however as needed to accommodate our customers and provide an appropriate player to World balance.

For more information on the Worlds currently in service, please refer to the Server Status pages on the Official Website of FINAL FANTASY XI ONLINE (http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/server/index.html).


Q. Can we create characters on both the new servers and the already existing servers?

A. At this moment, we are not planning to open any new Worlds [servers]. New characters will be allocated randomly in the existing Worlds. If you received a ¡ÈWorld Pass¡É from a friend in another World [server], you will be able to create a character in that world.

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I don't know about everyone else but I was under the impression that there were going to be new servers (supposedly located in the U.S.) for the U.S. release, I know a few others believed this as well.

Without the new servers I see more than a few problems arising. The first and foremost is communication. Square has created a system that will allow simple and common preprogrammed phrases to be auto-selected while typing. For example, when typing "Hello" or "Hi" or "Greetings" or something else similar, the game will bring up an auto-complete entry that if selected will be automatically translated to the appropriate system. This will help with simple tasks such as party forming and basic communication. The problem arises when you try to coordinate complex actions such as weapon or spell chains (which become pretty much necessary at higher levels), you simply won't be able to communicate things this complex or detailed. This will limit (at least at higher levels) people to grouping only with people who speak their language. I would also think that it would make the first few U.S. players feel somewhat isolated even when surrounded by other PC's because of the language barrier. I see this as being the largest issue.

The next two issues are almost one in the same. Since the price of a World Pass is mathematically calculated based on the server population, this means that new players will find it difficult to purchase a World Pass in the beginning. This will then result in real life friends being unable to join the same server initially until one can retrieve a World Pass for the other (and thus making that player create a new character and lose anything he had accomplished so far.

There are other smaller issues such as connectivity and out of game community issues related to this but I feel these are the biggest issues/problems to be anticipated. I'm curious what other people think about all this.

Leighton

ah jeese really? that stinks. i wanted to create a character that would only stay in one server :(

Yeah that REALLY stinks :mad2: . I don't want to play on a server that already got high lvl caracters and not be able to understand a word of what half the server is saying.(but I guess what I want doesn't matter:cry: )

dont talk to them. its not hard to tell a Japanese person from a NA person in game. just look at the name,its almost always a dead give away. and if you get the right server(like ragnorak), there are already a bunch of importers that know english and are more then willing to help new players. i for one will be more then happy to get a Ragnorak WP for anyone that needs it. its not that hard to find WPs for other servers either. go to www.ffxionline.com, there is a whole forum dedicated to WP requests.

AHem last time i checked Ragnarok is closed off due to the fact that its full.

Japanese people will be the nicest around and will help you i think more so than an American player. I for one will be willing to work with a JP player, and party with them, i am sure things will work out sooner or later. Course i know where you are comming from, but i think you should give the Japanese more credit.

Heres the big question: What are we looking at as far as cost to purchase just one world pass when a player gets in game?

And to add to what Lionx said, from what I know, almost all (if not all of them) Japanese children learn English in school. It certainly isnt fluent and all, but it should be enough to get done what needs to get done.

For me and what I think for everyone else will be is time and cost? How much will these passes cost? So we can make a decision on whether even to play. Some players might not want to put forth 1 to 2 weeks to get gil to buy a world pass. I would not want one of my members to expect a pass in one day when it may take weeks to get. I don't think language is what people are worried about.

I understand that, but as I'm not playing the game, it doesnt much matter to me. I was simply adding to what lionx said about the language barriers. Personally I think it's crappy that more servers arent being created, if only to cut down on the amount of people crammed onto the existing ones, but it doesnt much matter to me.

Sorry TheAbominatrix, hope you didn't take me wrong way I was talking more in general. Didn't mean to give you wrong impression.

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Course i know where you are comming from, but i think you should give the Japanese more credit.

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Don't get me wrong, I never wanted to discredit the Japanese. All I said is that it must be hard to group with someone when you don't talk the same language.

I think this really sucks! I don't care so much about the language barrier as I do about two things. One There are already so many players on the Japanese network... Their best servers are full, and don't say, "then make another one good", because like Vlarum said it's going to be hella hard to get a world pass on a server with a large pre existing population. I was really hoping to play this with my friends, and it looks like that's going to be next to impossible now. Plus I tried playing EQ and the only thing that held me back was that every time I turned a corner some 65th level character was killing me, stealing my monster kill, or demanding I surrender a treasure to him... I really am not excited about putting up with that in FF XI. What's with Square?

-YeahNinja.
(Ticked about this in every way possible)

Doesnt the game 'randomly' insert you into the lowest population server when you first create your char? So it should means that there will be more NA players on the server than Japs, because we will most likely be put on one of those servers :)

http://www.playonline.com/comnewsus/200310210583.html

There prob solved...the translater should be good.

i personally didn't mind the japanese language barrier...I just wanted to start on a new server :) but o well if the games fun it doesn't matter

Err... you know that big list with all the servers both Japanese and the ones American... and how when you visit playonline's web page they're all listed as "UP"? Even consider that they're reffering to that list as "existing servers", the one they're been pushing and promoting for a long time...? Or that when they say "No new worlds at this time.", they're saying that they won't be adding to that list anytime soon? There are several servers on that list that were dedicated as being saved for US launch to handle traffic better, it would be complete suicide to their systems not to open them, and to their PR as well, after everyone knows about them and has made their plans for WPs and Linkshells. They'll be open, they mean new worlds over and above that list. I believe you are freaking out for nothing.

:eek: Oh my gosh, I feel like a retard....What you say makes sense....I hope you are right. You're my hero, Ichy! :D But only if you're right....

Sweet news. Wether there is new worlds or not I bet the game still rocks! But this stuff about NA servers already being up is really encouraging news. Sounds like all is well, and as you said... We're freaking out for nothing. But that's what Ninja's do best.... flippingout and killing people.

-> check out www.realultimatepower.net <-

It's where real ninjas get their info.

Man, that's upsetting to me. I was looking forward to playing in a fresh world without people who already have max level uber characters, etc. I can only hope that there will be enough US players to push the servers enough that they open a new world, and then hope I can find someone who has a worldpass to that server. Blegh, what a crock. I don't mind at all playing with the Japanese, but I want to play on equal terms.

What lvl you are doesnt determine the equality, its the way you behave, so stop moaning about the lvls, there are plenty of US players around the same lvl as you, plus if they laugh they are just stupid.

Think about this, what about the PS2 players? They get it later and by then what lvls will we be in? Do they complain about that? not that i know of, remember lvl is very minor, its the people you meet and play with that matters.

Couldn't have said it better, Lionx :)

BTW, I wouldn't run off and call what I said earlier "news". It just makes the most sense and I believe it's the safest assumption.