Tanaka details FFXIV beta phases

what Egobrane said.

Closed Alpha has been up, beta has not started yet. Just the client has been given out.

The beta is COMPLETELY different from alpha, massive sweeping changes.. from controls to graphics to combat.

I wasn't commenting on quality, simply that I won't lay down money for a game I haven't played and which about little is publicly know.

But on the topic of alpha, beta, delta, gamma or whatever - how in the name of Cid is "EVERYTHING" still malleable & mysterious 10 weeks from release!
10!
1-0!
This is an internationally prominent AAA launch - 10 weeks from release the manual should be printed in multiple languages, the boxes rolling off the production line and discs close to/gone gold.
Something ain't right, even if just the release date or the publicity stream.

Sorry that wasnt directed at you, posted that comment at the wrong spot.

However FFXIV will have many secrets.. Infact SE has said in beta you wont see a lot of the classes or zones until release.. only 20% of the game will be available thoughout all of beta.

You wont see the other 80% of the game till release day.

FFXI had tons of secrets.. People still theory craft that the time of day and your position to the elements affect crafting, something SE has never confirmed or denied.

I have followed FFXIV since it was first known as Rapture and played FFXI years before that. And I have to agree that it is very odd that the entire game system changed for beta (alpha was distraction made for the press?). Also that ZERO demos / details have been provided about group play.

SWTOR gets an A+ for messaging by already providing more class and gameplay information and it launches next Spring vs SE's title launching in less than 3 months.

SE's gameply might be enough to trump their poor pre launch messaging. But if it doesn't, I feel sorry for folks shelling out $75 for CE editions with an extra week and hundreds of dollars more upgrading their gaming systems to try to run their broken benchmark.

@ Papinka

The entire system changed did it? No it has not. SE has commented and clarified this E3 that they knew the combat system was quite slow and needed improvement, they gave it to the players to TEST it out and ask for feedback.

They have already applied some of this feedback to tweak and accelerate combat, change a few things. They will be using the rest of the alpha feedback to continue tweaking the beta client. Do note the alpha build players had was not the most current build the devs have.

TOR might still be stale bread compared to FFXIV no matter how many things they tell us. I am by experience more afraid of devs who say too much then those who keep things on the down low.

If people are naive enough to hand their hats on the benchmark, well I don't have much sympathy unfortunately. And honestly is it really going to matter? Hell no, I hope people don't flock to this game and only funnel through more slowly by word of mouth instead of clogging the servers, getting peeved there's not enough room and leave 2 months later in a massive exodus.

Please do be cautious and don't pre order and see what the game is like after launch if your doubts are so great, you'll be doing those of us who can't stand forum rage a great favor.

@ CindyL

I didn't mean to imply SWTOR will end up better than FFXIV. It may or may not. But it is certainly very curious / concerning that SE has released nothing about group gameplay 10 weeks before launch.

Not a single spell cast to benefit others. No ability combinations (skillchains) that combine for an effect. No discussion of crowd control for the monsters that move in herds. Not a single example of any of the specifics that would drive a purchase and subscription.

Just a few flashes of running around Limsa Lominsa and some CGI. CHOCOBO! It's hard to understand how they expect to reach a mass (MMO) audience with that limited PR.

"Just a few flashes of running around Limsa Lominsa and some CGI. CHOCOBO!"

lol! Not quite there's a lot more info then that starting with the official site where there's a list of spells and skills per class, how the tactics and mob interaction works in combat, hints on how the economy will be based on player goods.

Someone said it best on another site, FF Online is about secrets. SE has never held your hand in FFXI, they want the player to discover things on their own. Read a few interviews and note how some questions are dodged with: "Oh you'll see after launch" or "We want players to see and try for themselves".
To this day in FFXI there are still debates on what the moon phases really do and even what the stars in the sky mean, because apparently they make a pattern and some stars have colors ect.. lol

It might not be your thing, but this compels me more then other games. And besides there's a lot of translated articles from Japan on a few fan sites too that divulge more then the official site, (http://www.beyondvanadiel.com/community/forum/22-latest-news/) with some of them being mentioned on Massively too. You have 5 comments so I assume you're fairly new? If that is the case welcome!

^_~

@ CindyL

"Wait and see it once the game is released" as a strategy is exactly the problem that concerns me. I don't need a walk through of how to beat XIV's Absolute Virtue or Pandemonium Warden equivalent, just some clear information on what group play mechanics are to make a purchase decision. Spell interactions? SKillchains? What is it about this game that is special... other than the graphics?

And yes my post count is low, but that's just because I rarely get to this point of considering a game (played FFXI for years) and need help justifying a computer upgrade and / or CE purchase with ZERO group play information available other than... "wait and see" which would be after I spend hundreds of dollars. And that gets me energized enough to post.

ha, troll. Because if you where in beta you would know it hasnt even started yet.

No you are not in beta because the beta has not started yet.

I don't think he is talking about OPEN beta. Closed beta has been in effect.

No it hasn't. The closed alpha was in effect. Massively.com has had this wrong on their "betawatch" segments for months now. The alpha was primarily to stress test the servers (you can see a massive improvement here) and the basic gameplay mechanics. The entire system is being redone for the beta version, and while you can download the beta client, the servers are not actually available for access yet.

Opps i accidentally posted what i was going to say under the wrong reply :p

Anyway:

what Egobrane said.

Closed Alpha has been up, beta has not started yet. Just the client has been given out.

The beta is COMPLETELY different from alpha, massive sweeping changes.. from controls to graphics to combat.

Wow that was some of the quickest nerd rage I've seen here at Massively, you guys are chomping at the bit!!

Well FYI I've been playing a game that calls itself FFXIV on a semi regular basis (as the servers are not always up), alpha, beta whatever, it's just not that amazing. My invite was a "beta invite" that allowed access to the last two or three alpha tests, but I read the writing, it calls me a 'beta tester', stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

What does sound pretty revolutionary is that they are taking one game through alpha and then getting people to test a 'completely' different one for beta, that's at best wishful thinking I'm afraid and inaccurate. There are certainly going to be tweaks and the combat is changing significantly granted, but that's about the size of things, let's not put misinformation out there.

While I understand people can be protective about their favourite games, I can't say it's going to be good when all evidence says that's it's pretty poor.

Compare this to the recent SWTOR beta weekend tests, there is really no comparison

You where in alpha as we said, the official beta version has not started.. As in the version shown at E3.

And if you look and read about FFXIV at E3 you would know the beta version has a huge UI revamp, as well as configurable controls as well as more optimizations and such.

Also as i stated before thoughout all of beta youll only see 20% of the game, 80% of the game will not be available till release day.

My hands on experience > your hopes and dreams, that's the fact of the matter. E3 coverage is not designed to be an expose of the actual game, it's to market the game.

When has a AAA MMO ever been amazing after they had to radically change the design, just 2-3 months before release? And I've pretty surprised you've fallen for the "We are only showing you 20% line", how many more times do players have to fall for this old trick

remember Tortage
remember WAR T1 and T2
remember Aion pre lvl 25?

It's beyond belief that people take what's offered in marketing material, digest that as fact then come on to forums to argue with the people who have actually had a hands on with the game. I'm not saying you are not qualified to talk, but I've had easily 12 hours game time and a lot of what you have explained is conjecture and fanboi posturing.

Down rank all you want, you can't change the fact the game isn't v good, sorry and shows you got a whole lot of time on your hands to try and 'get your point across'. I prefer to do this by explaning my position by writing to using a proxy or clearing my cookies to vote once again.

You want the beta invite, it's yours, the game just isn't fun.

If you're serious about giving up the beta key, I'd love to give it a try. Hook it up :)

Lol, I created a special email account just in case you were really kind enough to let me try out that beta...if the game is as bad as you say it is, you would be saving me $50-75 and the time wasted.
Email me at hookmeupwith14@gmail.com with the details please
Thanks Mr Angry