FFXIV at Gamescom [updated all the time]

Welcome to FFXIVCore.com's Gamescom 2009 coverage news post. This news post will be updated all the time. The updates history/changelog can be seen at the bottom of this news post. Keep checking back.

By the way, since we're having heavy traffic from Japan -- if you're living in Japan and is interested in joining the FFXIVCore.com staff as a translator (translate japanese to english), please send me (Zyuu) a private message. Great benefits!

My experience of playing FFXIV alpha for 15 minutes & My journey to Cologne

Compass information:

Tip: use the compass during your quest to find the squirrels. The squirrels appear at point A. When there's one squirrel left, it's fleeling to point B, so chase the squirrel to point B!

Gladiator information:

1st: Swordslash: Powerfull Attack
2nd: Swordslash: Precise (meaning of Accuracy) Attack
3rd: Shield Block: damage Minimizing
4th (red one): Ranged Attack: Great Distance

Drawing

5th: Provoking: Distraction
6th (red): roundabout slash: AOE damage
7th (red) Red Lotus: huge damage

Few quick facts:

Currently you can't jump, but a developer told me they are considering to add it
I wasn't able to find water just yet, so not sure if you can swim
I will have an interview up tomorrow Thursday
The combat system is interesting, reminds you of FFXI, you select a target with TAB, then take up your weapon with F and X locks on it. Then use the numbers from your hotbars to use abilities. The first two abilities I had generated combat points to use the AOE attacks etc, I'll get back on what class I played later
Game is polished, very smooth combat and performance
It was played on a PC (I think), with mouse and keyboard
I did a kill mob quest, kill 6 peacock-like creatures, they were very easy to kill
Square Enix points out several times that the game is in alpha, so keep this in mind. For being in alpha, the game has come very far and I'm quite impressed. Check back for a write up later.
I tried running off further on the map and met many invisible walls.
You could move around using WSAD

Videos from the Square Enix FFXIV booth and gameplay, etc by FFXIVCore.com:

Video of FFXIV gameplay from 1up:

More FFXIV videos from Gametrailers:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/54449.html

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/54444.html

Photos from Gamescom 2009, at Square Enix booth:

Update 20: Added My experience of playing FFXIV alpha for 15 minutes & My journey to Cologne
Uodate 19: Updated the quick facts and working on a write-up.
Update 18: Added a bit of compass information.
Update 17: Added Gladiator information.
Update 16: Images are starting to come up, check them out!
Update 15: Finally a place to sit at (desk and chair), I can update faster, the floor was killing me. overfull pressroom heh.
Update 14: Added 4 videos exclusive from FFXIVCore.com and two from Gametrailers. Total of 6 new videos. More photos are being prepared.
Update 13: Preparing videos while preparing more images as well.
Update 12: A lot more media is still coming. Added quick facts.
Update 11: More media is being prepared. And write-up.
Update 10: A video is out, I have a couple as well which I'll put up later
Update 9: you cant jump yet, but they are thinking of adding it, graphics are like oblivion basically from what I could tell. Images are being processed
Update 8: I have internet again, stay tuned for updates. (im in the press area) -- the game is very polished btw.
Update 7: They are going through the game before the first 12 play, I'm after the first 12, 17 if I remember, will update more soon.
Update 6: Im playing soon, so ill have a lot of photos later in a bit. It seems really well-tuned already. Cannot take photos or film close up, its forbidden.
Update #5: The internet here is so slow, I'm trying to upload more photos, but it's not letting me atm. So just stay tuned.
Update #4 : While I wait to play the trial version of the game, I'm preparing photos to upload. Keep refreshing

Update #3: I got a ticket to playthe game at 10.30, which is in 25 minutes from now (it's currently10.06 as of this update, photos coming)
Update #2: Taking photos of the dev team right now, stay tuned
Update: There's a alpha version available that some (guessing more tomorrow) can play!