Players who have longed for a chance to play Final Fantasy XIV and haven't been selected for the game's beta yet can take heart. The open beta will begin on August 31st, and players are already able to begin downloading the client. (With the latest patch at 1.24 gigabytes, we do mean "begin downloading." It'll be a while.) That means that you can see for yourself whether the outraged reaction to the fatigue system is entirely deserved, along with any other questions you might have about gameplay.
As has been the pattern for the game's testing, the newest build includes several updates to UI functionality and the implementation of further core features, although it's still unclear if this version is the same as the release version due out in a bit less than a month. Chat modes and friend list features have been implemented, as well as a further listing of emotes for various situations. FFXIVCore has put together a decent list of the beta changes, something that should be of interest to the many Final Fantasy XIV hopefuls due to start trying the game soon.
Reader Comments (44)
Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:08PM pcgneurotic said
Downloading OBC now. Any idea how big the install is altogether?
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Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:36PM TheGreatMachine said
The previous build sits at around 6.5 gb so plan for nearly 8 with the latest patch
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Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:18PM mattward1979 said
So... open beta is open? or a "closed" open beta that only people invited can partake in?
The SE site gives NO info at all, and fan sites are patchy at best.
Is there a way for us non selected mortals to test this game?
Reply
The SE site gives NO info at all, and fan sites are patchy at best.
Is there a way for us non selected mortals to test this game?
Posted: Aug 30th 2010 8:01PM Caerus said
"Open" refers solely to the flow of information about the game and has nothing to do with who gets to play. A closed beta is still under some form of NDA, an open beta is not. Please stop acting like this isn't a completely open beta because not everyone can play.
Cataclysm is an open beta right now.
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Cataclysm is an open beta right now.
Posted: Aug 30th 2010 9:30PM (Unverified) said
@Caerus as I asked Joker, do you have an actual from S-E reference that says this? I've been following this very closely, and I've yet to see anything so specific around what the open beta is, or isn't supposed to be.
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Posted: Aug 31st 2010 1:54AM fatpanda said
@Caerus
No. Closed beta = smaller focused group(s). Open beta = larger group(s) (used to be open meant open to all, not so these days)
The correlation between open beta and the NDA being lifted is that once they start open beta, especially if it a true anyone can play (test) open beta, they realize there will be a ton of leaks and NDA breaches therefore they lift the NDA before going to open beta.
Cataclysm NDA is lifted but not sure where they said it was in open beta right now...
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No. Closed beta = smaller focused group(s). Open beta = larger group(s) (used to be open meant open to all, not so these days)
The correlation between open beta and the NDA being lifted is that once they start open beta, especially if it a true anyone can play (test) open beta, they realize there will be a ton of leaks and NDA breaches therefore they lift the NDA before going to open beta.
Cataclysm NDA is lifted but not sure where they said it was in open beta right now...
Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:29PM Egobrane said
Can't wait to see if they opened up the new starting areas, SE said they were going to for the open beta but this patch doesn't quite seem big enough. Guess I'll find out tomorow.
The examine feature is really nice and was one of my only gripes about the game aside from surplus and UI lag. I'm sure the UI will be fixed though and I don't doubt they will change the fatigue system.
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The examine feature is really nice and was one of my only gripes about the game aside from surplus and UI lag. I'm sure the UI will be fixed though and I don't doubt they will change the fatigue system.
Posted: Aug 30th 2010 10:40PM (Unverified) said
Thens is it a open closed beta not open beta I played over 50 open beta mmo´s past 5 years and never seen a open beta that only allow players with invites only play it so I would not call it open beta but yeah Square is stupid first make a shitty game ff13 and then make FF14 open closed beta so will there be a open open beta ??
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Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:36PM Monkey D Luffy said
Square Enix says they are sending out invites to open beta and that people in closed beta will be getting in first then giving random invites to people that registered.
"Open" probably refers to the NDA getting fully lifted.
Sounds like the writer is deliberately trying to make people think they are getting in beta regardless to get people pissed at SE by making it sound like it is truly an open Beta.
Or the writer doesn't know what he's writing about.
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"Open" probably refers to the NDA getting fully lifted.
Sounds like the writer is deliberately trying to make people think they are getting in beta regardless to get people pissed at SE by making it sound like it is truly an open Beta.
Or the writer doesn't know what he's writing about.
Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:48PM pcgneurotic said
Or he's working from the same crappily translated songbook that everything else from SE has come from.
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Posted: Aug 30th 2010 8:04PM Monkey D Luffy said
@Neurotic. Sounds like you are making ignorant excuses.
I'm having no trouble understanding the announcements from SE.
Most people that actually read the announcements made by SE understand too.
Try again.
Reply
I'm having no trouble understanding the announcements from SE.
Most people that actually read the announcements made by SE understand too.
Try again.
Posted: Aug 30th 2010 8:56PM Monkey D Luffy said
@stephen.savage. Of course.
One of the front page posts on FFXIVCore.
I'm busy and don't have the time to read through and find which one had the SE announcement.
http://www.ffxivcore.com/
Reply
One of the front page posts on FFXIVCore.
I'm busy and don't have the time to read through and find which one had the SE announcement.
http://www.ffxivcore.com/
Posted: Aug 30th 2010 9:30PM (Unverified) said
@Joker I read massively, ffxivcore, zam, and FFXIV's twitter feed. I have yet to see anything that specifically indicates whether this beta will require invites or if the application site will be re-opened as indicated here: http://entry.ffxiv.com/na/index.html
Everything thus far has been pretty vague, and oddly worded in relation to "Open Beta" (I'm assuming due to translation).
So if you do have something from S-E that says exactly what you said, please share.
Reply
Everything thus far has been pretty vague, and oddly worded in relation to "Open Beta" (I'm assuming due to translation).
So if you do have something from S-E that says exactly what you said, please share.
Posted: Aug 31st 2010 3:24AM pcgneurotic said
I'd rather not thanks, Mr. Joker. I still object to your unreasoning, knee-jerk speculation to the writer's motives though. Could you be any more cynical and nasty about it, or was that all you had? Try again.
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Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:39PM (Unverified) said
there is absolutely no info about how to get a code or key then make an account for the beta..... this is awful. pre order cancelled
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Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:49PM pcgneurotic said
Anyone can download it. Fileplanet has the patcher, and the ffcoresite has another link.
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