
This news post is to serve as FFXIVCore.com's E3 News coverage. This news will be updated regularly during E3 (June 15-17) and most likely afterwards as well. Below you can view the latest updates! (And our exclusive FFXIVCore interview with Square Enix at E3 - View it under "Day Two")
Square Enix "Virtual Booth" - http://na.square-enix.com/events/e310/
Square Enix E3 page - http://na.square-enix.com/e310/
Live E3 Streaming - http://www.youtube.com/e3/
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Official E3 Live Report Video - #3
Character Creation by Steparu Part 1 & 2
Dengeki E3 2010 Interview
Translation by Savalithos. Source.
*Dengeki’s interview with Mr. Tanaka tells us a fair amount of things we already know, but toward the end it tosses some fresh information out there. For the sake of brevity, I’ve excluded anything rehashed.
I imagine there were many requests regarding the user interface. Have there been any changes made?
Tanaka: Aside from a revamped main menu, we’ve added a chat filter and changed the log system. We are also testing out being able to have multiple chat windows open.
Are there other means of communication aside from chatting?
Tanaka: We have plans to include a macro palette, which you could use to combine skills and messages to make communication a little easier. Beyond that, we are working on a system where party members can tell which enemy their leader is attacking.
Would that be something like highlighting the monster’s name or putting a number above its head, etc.; something that stands out?
Tanaka: You’ll have to wait and see! We are currently testing various methods of communication to prevent party members from splitting up during battle.
Are there any battle system elements that will be upgraded from beta onward?
Tanaka: Some of it has been included in alpha, but there is the Battle Regimen skill chain system. We are preparing a bagful of situations where well-coordinated party play using this along with the aforementioned communication tool will be integral to success.
So will group vs. group battles be more frequent than not?
Tanaka: Many monsters act on their own right now, but there were plans for group situations such as one male beast among a harem of females, for example. The majority of guildleve fights, in particular, will probably have monsters in parties together.
Crafting, Bazaars, and Community Systems
Are there any new systems planned for beta?
Tanaka: Weapons and items will lose durability. You will not lose a weapon because of it, but its battle potential will drop to the point where it will probably be useless. Since repairs will be necessary, we have increased the number of gathering and crafting classes. The next big planned addition would be retainers, hirable NPCs. For example, in FFXI you could not run your bazaar if you logged out. In FFXIV if you hand your items over to your retainer and set them up in the marketplace, you will be able to sell your goods even if you log off. Other than that, we have plans for linkshells but are unsure of when they will be ready for implementation.
The Start of Beta
Will beta bring with it more areas to explore?
Tanaka: If we add even more, we are not sure how large the size of the beta download will become. We will test it, but it might be difficult.
So the main hub will still be Limsa Lominsa?
Tanaka: We might have to test other areas as necessary, but currently we plan to conduct beta only around there.
How large will the finished product be?
Tanaka: We have yet to confirm anything and are still adjusting things.
What will the recommended specifications for the finished Windows version be?
Tanaka: First we will announce specs for beta. Right now graphics boards, as opposed to CPUs, are causing bottlenecking, so we would like to optimize that more.
Then beta will start…?
Tanaka: We would like to start it in July at the latest. We will make separate announcements regarding the PS3 version.
You had said that cross-regional servers would be implemented mid-beta. When, exactly?
Tanaka: Alpha servers are technically already cross-regional but are segregated only by time. If everything is stable, we would like to have them running nearly around the clock from the start of beta.
Are there plans to increase the number of testers in beta on a large-scale?
Tanaka: There are already ten alpha servers, and testers number in the tens of thousands. For beta, first we would like to move all those players over. If all is well after that, we plan to add more testers. The improvements that make beta what it is would not have been possible without the voices of our alpha testers. Therefore, I would like everyone to experience beta and provide feedback in hopes that the game will improve even more. Of course we will continue to make adjustments after the official release, so do not hesitate to tell us what you think.
1Up FFXIV Preview confirms that companies will have shared housing
Check out the full preview here. Highlights are:
Beyond these broad statements, some news was made: Mr. Tanaka mentioned that players would be able to create and join groups called "Companies." Similar to player guilds in other games, Companies can themselves "level up," presumably offering additional benefits to the members therein. When asked if Companies would have shared housing or other group-owned assets, they smiled and said that players
Would have real-estate to call their own, but "weren't ready to announce anything more at this time" - sounds like a "yes" to me!
I have learmed with SE that if they dont say no its usually a yes
Interview with producer Tanaka: Beta Info and More!
Translation by Savalithos. Source.
We had a chance to sit down with FFXIV producer Hiromich Tanaka (T) and North American producer Yasushi Kurosawa (K).
-Is the E3 version basically beta?
T: It's pretty close. We're still in the final stage of debugging and balancing, so it's about one step down from the beta version.
-Why did you decide to show it now?
T: For a long time we were thinking we had to have beta ready around now, but alpha testing took more time than expected.
-Character Creation really received a face lift this time around...
T: And it's almost finished. You still can't choose the color of a Miqo'te's tail or ear shape for Elezens and so on, but we will be adding those by the time the finished product rolls out.
-Tell us some more about the battle Effect Gauge changes.
T: Even before alpha, developers already knew that there was a problem with battle speed, but we decided to let players try it out and give their input. Indeed, many agreed that the tempo needed to be increased. The results so far are things such as starting a battle with a full Action Gauge, which will be depleted as you fight. Changes were finished just in time for E3, and back in Japan debugging and balancing is already underway.
-What else has changed?
T: We increased the number of slots on the action bar from 20 to 30, so players should have a bit more freedom in where they set their skills. We've also made HP/MP scale with level automatically, as well as given resistances their own category, Elemental Bonus, separate of Physical Bonuses.
-About that 3-D version...
T: That's still being tested. This time we tried out the 3-D Surround (three screens) version with help from nVidia.
-Graphics have greatly improved in beta. Will recommened computer specs see a change as well?
T: Things such as blurring of far-off scenery and ambient occlusion (a method of shading backgrounds) can be a bit taxing, so they are optional. Everything else should actually have a lighter load than it did in alpha. Also, we've replaced the projection shadowing used in alpha with depth buffer shadowing.
-So we'll be able to adjust and customize our graphics settings from beta onward?
T: There will be some things you can set via the main menu. If you're on a PC, there are also some you can adjust before booting the game. And now that we have released the official benchmark software, everyone can check and make sure their specs are up to par.
-We had a look at the PC version, but what can you tell us about PS3's?
T: It is currently under development. We have been working with SCE and making progress. Though the PS3 environment is fairly pre-defined, we would like to add a variety of optional setting for players. It's similar to the direction we took with FFXI's PS2 version.
-When can we expect beta to actually start?
T: The beta version we're showing at E3 is nearly complete and should be ready to be made public soon. Currently, we're still debugging. Once alpha tests finish this week and we return to Japan, we will begin preparations for the start of beta testing. It's not set in stone, but I think I'll need to make everyone wait for one more month.
-Mr. Kurosawa, as North American producer, what can you tell us about alpha on that side of things?
K: We collect North American players’ comments on a regular basis, and there are quite a lot to compile. We hand those over to the development team, provide feedback to the players, etc. Things have been gradually improving.
T: We receive weekly reports from not only Japan, but Europe and North America as well, and we are always looking at those comments throughout the development process.
-So you are saying North American players have more to say than Japanese players?
K: Thankfully. It’s really helped us out.
T: Overseas players provide us with about ten times as many comments as Japanese players do.
-What kind of communities do you plan to implement in Japan, Europe, and North America?
K: Just like FFXI, people from all over the world will be playing on the same servers. It will be something that can bridge that gap.
T: We plan to release a community tool for individual players sometime mid-beta. This “player site” will provide each player with a template page specifically for them with a message board and so on.
-What other communication elements do you have planned?
T: There will be an auto-translate feature similar to FFXI’s as well as larger-scale groups resembling linkshells, called Companies. We are still in the preparation stage for those, but we will be making further announcements soon.
-Are there any plans for voice chat?
T: At this time, no. It would be difficult to develop a voice chat system that works on both PS3 and PC. Also, it is unrealistic to hope to have any sort of real-time translation system in place for international voice chatting. There we think a text-based system would be much more manageable.
-Anything else you would like to tell players?
T: Beta will be starting shortly, and we hope you are as excited as we are. Komoto and crew have been hard at work and were unable to join us at E3, so I wanted to pass that on for them.
Final Fantasy XIV Gameplay by Steparu
Massively FFXIV Interview
Massively just now published their interview with Mr Tanaka. You can view their interview below.[/center]
Massively: Will Final Fantasy XIV retain the same difficulty as Final Fantasy XI? Will we be seeing the same sort of complexity as FFXI?
Tanaka: In terms of the amount of content we will have for FFXIV, probably FFXI will have more at launch, just because it's been in service for eight years. We'll make sure that we'll introduce the same amount of content as exists in FFXI, and we'll make sure that we go from there.
As for the difficulty -- your main question -- it's slightly different, because we will be focusing on solo players also. So you can be yourself and be very flexible -- in a short period of time, by yourself, you can level up by experience points, then customize yourself for higher levels. In terms of how difficult this is? We introduce [the game] as a very entry-level experience, so that a lot of people can enjoy it, but at the same time we'll be making sure that all the endgame players have enough content, and it will be as competitive for them [as FFXI].
Massively: Of course, one of the most popular elements of the series are the chocobos. Will there be chocobos at launch? Chocobo racing? Will they be mounts?
Tanaka: Yes, chocobos will be there. It may be further introduced toward a later time, but there will be something. Of course, chocobos are something for you to ride on, but any more than that? Yes, we are planning to introduce that later. Chocobos as mounts will be there.
Massively: The skill system is very unique. How quickly can players switch between the disciplines?
Tanaka: Aside from during a battle, you can switch any time you want. It's instant. There's no timer. However, if you just keep switching back and forth, you're low on everything. So if you want to be good at something to start with, you probably want to stick with one thing.
Massively: The skill bar on the UI only has so many slots -- is that all a player can have at once, or are there multiple bars?
Tanaka: We have points that you will be using to set your abilities. They're slotted so that depending on your abilities, you'll be consuming more points, so they will run out. In terms of number of abilities, it's 30 abilities at most.
Massively: We've had so many wonderful and memorable stories from the Final Fantasy series, including FFXI. Will that be continued in FFXIV? Will the player continued to be involved heavily?
Tanaka: Not only that -- we will be introducing more gradual storylines, more involved, so yes plus more.
Massively: Will story progress be similar to what Star Wars: The Old Republic is promising, with heavy player choice, or will it be more linear like traditional games?
Tanaka: In terms of FFXIV storyline involvement -- it's pretty much the same as other Final Fantasy games or other MMOs. You talk to NPCs to start it and then you continue. As for the uniqueness, we are introducing more grand-scale voice acting and lip synching. In the concept of how we introduce the storyline, it will be pretty similar to a standard MMO.
Massively: Will the guild system be more involved this time around than linkshells were in FFXI? Will there be more features and incentives?
Tanaka: We have a system called "company," a little bit larger than a linkshell. At this moment we can only say that there is a gameplay element to grow a company, but we'll be announcing full details of the company shortly, so stay tuned.
Massively: Can you clarify the guildleve system a bit?
Tanaka: The cards are called guildleves and the quests that you obtain are called levequests. You go to a place to obtain a card, a guildleve. The levequest is in there, and it's reusable. Currently, it's set to a two-day period to reset, but it may change. The point of this is that not only can you use the levequest, but you can also have other party members join your levequest without them having to have the guildleve. It's very flexible and convenient, and if you don't have time to go get the levequest, you can join in with other people.
Massively: We've noticed during character creation that there are places to select a guardian spirit and some sort of horoscope. Can you expand on that?
Tanaka: We still haven't started disclosing the full detail of what happens, but yes, something will change depending on what you choose.
Massively: A lot of players have felt that FFXIV takes more influence from World of Warcraft and similar games. Have these games influenced your design?
Tanaka: Not any other MMO specifically, but we got a lot of feedback from players from FFXI. At the same time, they were playing other MMOs too. They found elements they liked in those games and gave us feedback, and if they felt that something was good, then we'll try to introduce that in FFXIV as well.
One of the things that we adopted is to get more feedback from players, so we created the temporary alpha version purposely, quite different from the beta. It was just to get feedback from players, and a lot of people, especially North American players, are giving a lot of feedback.
Massively: Players have been worried about the future of FFXI in the face of the new game. Is it going away when FFXIV comes out?
We will continue support of FFXI. It will not go away as long as people enjoy it.
Massively: Can we look forward to more boxed expansions for the game?
Tanaka: We will continue to do version updates. As for expansions, we've already started with Abyssea -- we consider that as an expansion pack. We'll introduce more of those as well.
Another short FFXIV Interview
Beta Battle Walkthrough Video
[url="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-2010-final-fantasy/700314"]http://www.gametrail...-fantasy/700314[/url]
Character Creation Walkthrough Video
[url="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-2010-final-fantasy/700312"]http://www.gametrail...-fantasy/700312[/url]

FFXIV Beta to begin in one month
Our lovely translators have translated a recent Famitsu article from E3, where they interview Tanaka. Read the translated quote yourself. Since this interview was done the 16th June, we can expect the beta in early/middle July as long things go well.
Tanaka: The beta version we're showing at E3 is nearly complete and should be ready to be made public soon. Currently, we're still debugging. Once alpha tests finish this week and we return to Japan, we will begin preparations for the start of beta testing. It's not set in stone, but I think I'll need to make everyone wait for one more month.
Source
Comparison in Menus & Character Customizing
We've made a write-up on the old and new menu difference. Also included is information about character customizing.
Translation - Character Creation and Battle Revisions (By Savalithos)
Highlanders and a Look at the New Battle System
Square Enix unleashed the to-be beta version of FFXIV at E3 this week. Because it was shown on an appointment-only basis, we were able to sit down with the staff for a while and get a walkthrough of our very own.
As the beta release fast approaches, we can’t help but wonder how fights and graphics might’ve changed in this new version.
Testing the New Character Creation screen with the Male-only Highland Clan
You’ll still be using a basic pull-down menu system but is much easier to navigate in the now. The whole appearance of the character creation process has been cleaned up and feels like it is getting closer and closer to the finished product.
When making a new character, first you’ll select your race. In the case of a highlander, this would be Hyur. We were made conscious of loading when changing a lot of on-screen elements.
Once you choose your race and clan, four unique character models will be displayed. These preset models are for those players who want to just make a random character and get straight to the action. For those with attention to details, you can customize as much as you like no matter which preset you pick.
Customizable features are body, skin tone, face pattern, eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, chin, hair style, hair color, higlights, and facial decorations. Customizing the body allows you to adjust your character’s size but not musculature. You can select skin, hair and highlight color from a palette of sixteen colors. Your selections will immediately be displayed on your character, so feel free to try out different combinations.
Depending on what you choose, you can come up with a whole variety of characters. Yet, it seems like without a tattoo or a beard, something’s missing. There are still only four hair styles to choose from, but this might change in the future.
A Faster Battle System and Easier Interface
Battles, too, have changed much since alpha, which made use of both the Action Gauge and Effect Gauge.
(caption) Graphics have greatly improved, especially with rocky surfaces.
Brandishing a weapon and targeting an enemy are still the same, but attack speed has seen a pretty big speed boost. In alpha you would wait for your Action Gauge to fill and then time your attack with the Effect Gauge, but the new system starts you off with a full tank. As long as you have some of your gauge filled, you can repeat an action continuously.
Interface changes have also been included, gathering HP, MP and TP meters at the bottom of the screen. The main menu has also been moved to a slender window on the right. These changes seem to be temporary, but perhaps the actual beta version will use something similar. The equipment and status screen has also been changed quite a bit.
Scenery has been dramatically altered, as well. Depth perception and aerial perspective have been introduced to the game, so far-off views will seem to blur. Now the rocky visage of La Noscea blends in perfectly with its surroundings. Sceneries of vibrant colors now appear to blend seamlessly among halftones, making for exponentially more stunning landscapes. Those graphics aficionados out there should have something to look forward to.
We were only able to play for a short amount of time, but we could really notices how much beta has improved from alpha. Afterwards, we had the chance to ask producer Tanaka Hiromichi about things such as the tentative launch, other changes in beta as well as the development of the PS3 version. We’ll be posting that interview soon, so don’t miss it!
Source
Final Fantasy XIV Video Interview - Destructoid
40 New Screenshots
Exclusive Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV, FF14) Information & Interview for FFXIVCore.com
Note that Square Enix were very busy, we're going to try get more questions answered, and if that's the case we'll update you right away.
Character customization is very detailed in FFXIV. There are many different clans you can choose after choosing what race you want to be and after you choose your clan, there are even more options. Once you choose your race and clan, you can customize you character's looks. You can detail hair style and color, skin tone, and eye color. You can choose to have your character's hair to have highlights, give them jewelry, scars, and many other things to make your character stand out from others in the game.
The battle system is similar to that of Final Fantasy XI, but there are several new things about it. For instance, before you can even go into the battle mode, you have to draw your weapon. Once you sheath your weapon, you will begin to regenerate health.
Once you're in battle, there are many different things you can do. For the beta test portion that I was in, I played a class that was much like a tank with a sword and a shield. There was a standard melee attack and a few others like shield bash. An improvement from the alpha test that they made is the stamina bar. It regenerate much faster so you can attack more often. There are also special attacks you can use that cost a certain number of TP. An example of one of these attacks is called Red Lotus, which is a very powerful melee attack with a little bit of fire.
The overall graphics of the game seemed very good. Movement was smooth and animations were very unique. Characters also have a list of emotes they can perform and they animations are different for every race and gender. The creators of the game really want you to have a sense of uniqueness in this game and it shows!
Final Fantasy XIV Interview with Hiromichi Tanaka, Senior Vice President and Software Development Corporate Exec. - Square Enix and Yasu Surosawa, North American Online Producer and Senior Director - Square Enix
Q. Will end game content contain more open area boss fights or will there be more focus on dungeons?
A. We do know the ending of the first story but of course we can't tell you what the ending of the story is. The story that will lead you to a secret area, but we can't reveal anything about that right now.
Q. Will classes have their own special sets of armor?
A. Yes, there will be because in FFXIV the equipment itself is going to be meaning more for the class the player is being. There will be high end equipments for that class.
Q. Is there going to be chocobo breeding and chocobo racing in this game?
A. For this Final Fantasy, chocobo have a unique place but we can't tell you anymore about them at this time. There will be more information closer to release.
Q. About how many classes do you plan on releasing in this game?
A. We will be introducing more classes even after the launch of the game, so it will be continuously increasing. It will depend on how development goes and how the users react to see how far we go. We already have several more and we should be able to impliment them at any time.
Q. Will there be player-owned land?
A. We will be making announcements shortly, so look forward to that. We are trying to impliment that so players can have something that they own.
Q. Do you intend to have things like guilds and guild banks for people to share?
A. For FFXI there was Linkshells and for FFXIV we will have Linkshells as well along with something like a higher level Linkshell system called a Company. In this Company, things you do will affect things you own in the game. Also, larger Companies will be able to have something like a community website that is more personallized that will display stats. There will be more information about this Company later on in development.
Q. Is there anything unique in this game? Anything that makes it stand out?
A. There are a few points about this game: The armory system and the guild link system. In the armory system you will be able to change you class or even create your own class and even learn your own abilities, which is something unique, we believe. The Guild Link system will allow people to play on their own or in a group if they want. We think it's a really good system.
Q. What kind of measures are you taking to prevent the RMT (Real Money Trade)?
A. We will not accept any real currency in exchange for in-game currency, we will forbid it by agreements. We all contiuously work with operations teams to help prevent it.
Q. Will there any type of achievements or trophies to show off defeated bosses or special things done?
A. Yes, we do have a lot of plans. For example, for some quests there will be special rewards. You might be able to get special title depending on what you do, there will be several different things you can get to show off what you've done.
Q. Is there anything else you would like to tell the players and fans about the game?
A. We are pleased to announce the beta verson coming out soon. In this beta version, there is a new system called a Retainer, which means players will be able to leave their character or avatar so they will be able to enjoy the game while their offline and people will be able to see them.
Also from a community standpoint, comments and suggestions we've recieved from the alpha were very helpful and we want the players know that the game has evolved a lot and we will continue to look forward to comments and suggestions in the beta. We also plan to open the beta window much wider so we can have more people try the game and test it.
Official E3 Live Report Video - #2
Five Photos taken from Square Enix Area at E3

Final Fantasy XIV (FF14, FFXIV) Official E3 Trailer 2010 HD
Note: Moogles confirmed.
Official E3 Live Report Video - #1
Official FFXIV Benchmark Website Launched
You can check it out here to satisfy your FFXIV Benchmark information thirst.You can download the FFXIV Official Benchmark from Nvidia.
Quote
Easily capable of running the game on the highest settings.
[5500–7999] Very High Performance
Easily capable of running the game. Should perform exceptionally well, even at higher resolutions.
[4500-5499] High Performance
Easily capable of running the game. Should perform well, even at higher resolutions.
[3000-4499] Fairly High Performance
Capable of running the game on default settings. Consider switching to a higher resolution depending on performance.
[2500-2999] Standard Performance
Capable of running the game on default settings.
[2000-2499] Slightly Low Performance
Capable of running the game, but may experience some slowdown. Adjust settings to improve performance.
[1500-1999] Low Performance
Capable of running the game, but will experience considerable slowdown. Adjusting settings is unlikely to improve performance.
[Under 1500] Insufficient Performance
Does not meet specifications for running the game.
Screenshots from the Official Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV, FF14) Benchmark
Misc Photos taken from E3

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