answer please

[Wilder]

I dont have the game , and I´ve never see it in action, so, I don´t know how it works, but for what I´ve read you have to pay something to play it online and get into a party. let´s suposse that I have no posibility to use a credit card to pay something on the internet (that´s a fact), there´s no other options in the game ?, I cant play it alone ?, I have the internet connection and I suposse that there should be some kind of options for people that buy it, I have to pay something on a website obligate ?, no way , it can´t be so selfish.

[Ouch!]

First of all, it's not selfish. Any and every well maintained MMORPG requires a monthly fee mainly for upkeep of the servers and obviously profit. I think I've said this in two other threads now, but whatever. $12.95 a month, first month free, for one content ID. You get one character per content ID. You pay an extra $1.00 for Tetra Master and $1.00 for each additional content ID (additional characters.) A hefty sum of these fees are put towards the maintanence of the servers. This keeps the game functioning well and running smoothly. Such fees also ward off most hackers, and also, through mainanence, is used to prevent other hackers and other things like that.

You cannot play the game on your own, and it wouldn't really be possible to do so anyways. Even if you could play the game offline, you wouldn't have a chance against almost any monster beyond the first ten levels.

Flat monthly fee, unlimited gaming.

As I'm sure many will say, the game is well worth the price. It's one of best MMORPGs out there and I'm sure many will agree. I've only met a handful of people who disliked it, and that was mainly because it takes a great deal of time to do certain things. If you don't have time to play for a couple hours to do certain missions or quests, this game is not for you. But if you've got the time, it's awesome. Very easy to get hooked though.

[Lionx]

here's your explaination: Why did Square-Enix make FFXI? To impress us? To let us have fun? To waste their own money? THEY MADE IT SO THEY CAN MAKE MONEY. It is so evil to make money True for every other single game, because these servers cost a whole freaking lot more than RO servers and has a reputation, given enough time i can make an RO server too, i did it before, and it costs nothing to mantain, hence why Gravity got Hacked :P

You also be surprised how overpacked some areas are, especially the central Jeuno area, major lag around the Auction House, and for every person that bought the game, alot leave, its not a constant customer base. There are over crowed areas because people refuse to level somewhere else and the place where you gather to do things is full of people. You never played so you dont know, but i am pretty sure ANYONE that went to Lower Jeuno or parts of some zones, there are alot of people packed there *cough Crawler's Nest cough*

They had to get over 200,000 people before they get any profit if i remember right. In fact they spent millions of dollars forming this game before it was introduced, so its a BIG investment, and then when they did release it after money invested in it, they still had to suffer losts because of course, it didnt become 200,000 people automatically so they had to bite losts before they reached their MINIMUM target players where they can even begin paying off their initial costs. All the while they have to pay for wages, GM team, tech support, electricity to run servers(like 20 expensive ones[prolly a few thousand to maintain], not troutty ones) that go on 24 hours a day, the bandwidth that people use and the capability that people log on and off everytime and everything has to respond accordingly as well as a development crew to keep expansions and events going on for us, else more people will leave due to lack of content. I would say, high calibur MMORPGs are always this way, why isnt anyone complaning about Worlds of Warcraft(i think there are lol)? EverquestII? How about Lineage II? Those all need pay to play structures to mantain everything, else its just another Blizzard Battle.net full of dumbasses, hacks/bots and etc. That does not reach point B, that reaches point C where alot of the good players leave the game, and the game is characterized and hated for a bad community, and therefore they LOSE more money too. Its not that simple.If you cant pay for it, you dont have to necessarily play, dont just bitch about it...theres plenty of other games like FFX-2, the new Zelda game to look forward to, and FFXII which i am already looking at, even Tales of Symphonia.

Sorry if i sounded rude, but alot of people just bitch and moan and all and dont know the MMO buisness and costs. This thread isnt the first thread i read throughout 2 years since we heard FFXI and their fees.

EDIT: They dont have 2 million players, all they got is half a million, that is the MOST players on any MMORPG.

I posted this awhile ago, please read it and consider the costs of running this game on 20ish servers.

As for the game Zaphier said it all. :P Debit cards also work for the game if credit is not availible.

[Wilder]

I´m sorry, I didn´t mean selfish. But it´s so sad that square have reduced his target of players with this game so aggressively , like I said before, It´s just so exclusive , I know the main idea was to create an ONLINE game but, they cross the line so far, I can even play it alone !, I don´t have any other choices like an "Story Mode" . This is a shame , cause I want to play it and I just can´t for any other reasons than the credit card , especially because in some other countries they don´t even bother to sell it because online games are not so popullar there, well, this it´s gonna be a final fantasy that I´m not going to play, shame on Square.

[Ouch!]

Eh, if you wanted to play a game that's offline you shouldn't even be going near FFXI: Online, as that is its title.

I know the main idea was to create an ONLINE game but, they cross the line so far, I can even play it alone !

I don't mean offense, but that has to be the stupidest comment I've ever heard. It's an online game. It is not meant to be played alone. MMORPGs are strictly that, online role playing games. I can't believe that you even expected it to have offline capabilities. Like I said perviously, the game simply wouldn't work offline. If you want an offline game, go play any of the other Final Fantasy titles, or wait for FFXII. There's not use complaining about it.

Mind you this game is being released everywhere that normal FF games get released. The PAL version is coming to Europe in September. It's getting out where all the others have.

You make it sound like this game was a bad move, and that really bothers me. FFXI has been very successful for Square Enix, and as far as I'm concerned, it's their best business move ever. They're going to make more money on this game than any other Final Fantasy out there. And that's what Square Enix is: a business. They don't produce games that are going to make everyone happy, they produce games that are going to make them money.

[Wilder]

I know what is your point Zaphier, don´t missundertand me , I know that this should be an incredible game, and I got your position because you are playing it right now, But some people like me for example don´t even have a credit card or got fear to be hacked, and it´s very painfull to read "This Game is the most amazing thin I´ve ever played ", and realized that I can´t even play it. I don´t know If I Should buy it , with the risk of borrowing a credit card , I Think FF online is a better name for this game, better than FF XI. I´m not saying that the game is not worthy or a bad square move, I´m saying that square get me out of the party.

[aeris2001x2]

lol i,m so nerdy i,d buy this game when it eventually gets a PAL release even if i could not afford monthly fees, just so i can own all the numbered FF games(except ffIII).

thats why they named it ffXI, not ff:ONLINE. they knew it would sell more. nice manipulation Square i,ll be happy 2 fall for this plan in due course.

however it should have had SOME form of offline mode. eventually when the game dies and its not in Squares financial interest to keep up the servers, your just be left with an worthless disc.

[Lionx]

Every single MMORPG is like that, AO, UO, all of em, even EQ, SE making FFXI like this is no exception to anything. But for so long EQ servers are still running, the point is, SE will continue to run these servers as long as enough people are willing to play and they continue to make a decent profit.

There is a story in the game, do missions, it sucks at first but gets better later. FFXI is one of the few online RPGs that offer a remotely deep story.

If you dont have a credit card get a debit one, the good thing about this is that no just anyone can play this game, i dont want some 12 year old buying a damn game card and then comming in making the low lvl with jerks harder than it is soemtimes.

And besides this game is not for everyone, not everyone is into the MMO genre. The problem with most of your arguments is that this is an FF game, while it is an FF game, it is a MMORPG first and FF second. Compare this to Everquest, Ultima Online, or even Ragnarok Online before comparing it to the other FFs, because its THAT kind of game, not FFVII.

If you fear being hacked, then dont play it, simple. The only way you can get hacked if you got bad anti-virus prog, given out your IP, or opened stupid emails and the sort. Read up on how many ppl got hacked playing this particular game first. It makes little point on how SE is trying to screw you over since they are just making a game and its their rules and still ppl play.

Really if its bothering you that much you dont have to play, theres plenty of other masterpieces out there, seriously. I mean it in no offense, but if its really nagging you too much, just forget it O.o

[Rostum]

But some people like me for example don´t even have a credit card or got fear to be hacked

You don't know much about hacking, so I'll put it simple. You are at as much risk of getting hacked right now surfing the net, as you would be playing this game, maybe even more if you are using Internet Explorer.

Just get a few firewalls and some anti-virus programs.

[Del Murder]

Don't worry if you can't afford it. Square is making FFXII, which is not online and will only cost as much as a regular PS2 game. So just ignore this one like I'm doing and XII will be out in no time. In the meantime try X-2 or Xenosaga or something like that.

[Ouch!]

Del is right though, there are plenty of other offline games that won't drain your money. As much as I hate to say it, staying away from online games is a good thing. Even if you love them to death they suck up a lot of your time, not to mention your money. You're probably better off doing as Del suggested.

[aeris2001x2]

yeah but the problem for me and other ppl is i have a retarded urge to earn and master all numbered FF games, regardless of price or avalibility. skipping ffXI is just out of the question.

[Rostum]

yeah but the problem for me and other ppl is i have a retarded urge to earn and master all numbered FF games, regardless of price or avalibility. skipping ffXI is just out of the question.

Haha you won't be mastering anything in this game.

[Lionx]

What omecle means is that its going to be one HELL of a time mastering this game...meaning that going to take years...x-x

[UltimateSpamGrover]

and many many years to come!, especially with all the expansion packs