[FFRK] A picture guide to the characters of Final Fantasy Record Keeper

I have a confession. I'm addicted to FFRK. It's so fun and nostalgic omg..

anyway one day I was thinking if it'd be cool if there was like a picture chart of all the characters in FFRK (kinda like the pictures of the dog breeds you usually see at the vet or pet store?).. just to see what characters were coming up next and where each character kinda stands in relation with one another.

and I came up with this. cos u know.. i like making stuff like that.

I also made a microsite for it.! http://wilddragonchase.com/FFRK 

ENJOY!

Versus XIII is now XV

OMG! E3 announcement!
Final Fantasy Versus XIII is now Final Fantasy XV!

i totally called it lol..
but ok.. I didn't think it'd be on the PS4.

so glad they got rid of the "Versus" naming in the title..
FFXV looks really good. I've waited 7 years for VS13 and now I'll probably have to wait even longer for XV but I think it'll be worth it.

Here's the trailer.

And here's a first look at gameplay..

The Future of Final Fantasy

As a Final Fantasy fanboy, this year's E3 is probably the most exciting event in the console gaming calendar for me since Final Fantasy XIII was announced. (that was at the E3 of 2006).

Why? Because the next generation console Final Fantasy is going to be announced then!
Also, we're going to see developments coming from Lightning Returns: FFXIII, FFXIV, FFX/X-2 HD remakes and the fate of Versus XIII.

Here are a few things I hope will happen:
...that the next-gen FF will not be overly futuristic.
...that Versus XIII will be re-titled as FFXV and release as the final FF title on the PS3.
...that the iOS version of FFV (and in future FFVI) will be ported over to the PSN store for PSP.
...that FFXII will also get a HD remake, though the chances of them announcing it now is kinda low.

As for FFXIV: A Realm Reborn, I've seen how far its progressed and really hope that it will relaunch with great success. The development team has really put in a ton of effort and XIV deserves to be the dominant next-gen MMO in the market today.

It's been over 2 years since the release of legacy XIV which failed pretty badly for numerous reasons. If anything, Square Enix has definitely learnt some very expensive lessons from XIV, hopefully for the better.

...looking back at 1.0 XIV, I think probably the best thing that came out from it was the soundtrack. Even though most of the tracks were not exactly fitting for an MMORPG, they were still crafted in the signature catchy Uematsu style, and his vocal tracks are still as stellar as ever. Who could forget the stunning vocal performance by Susan Calloway in Answers?

Speaking of Susan Calloway, she'll be performing at the Distant Worlds concert in Atlanta on the 7th and 8th of this month, so you might as well catch her live while you can.

Anyway.. E3 2013. Can't wait!

Final Fantasy XIV - The End of an Era

Just a little over an hour ago, the servers for Final Fantasy XIV went down.

I had to be there to see it, of course.
As someone who has been closely watching the game grow since its initial alpha through to the problematic early days of going retail, all the way till its eventual move to a complete reboot.. I must say, this is an exciting milestone in the history of the game.

Whilst I can't claim to have played very much of this game (due both the my fear of it stressing my hardware, and to the fact that the game in its present form isn't that good), I do know enough of about what's been going on with the game to stay relevant, and have occasionally popped in to run around and see what has changed.

But now that is over.

With the servers down, the next big step is having A Realm Reborn, the version 2.0 client come to the forefront. It's currently in its Alpha phase but from all that we've seen about it, it looks set to please both MMO fans and series fans.

It is definitely something to be anticipated.

In the meanwhile, we bid a teary farewell to Eorzea of old, as the moon meteor Dalamud, descends upon it as the people make a final confrontation with the armies of Nael van Darnus.

This is one epic trailer.



And I love the song too. It's "Answers" by Susan Calloway.
It hasn't seen an official release yet...
but if anyone is interested, I have it here.

A little shout out...

Thank you Espritduo for the Mandraguard :)

You are awesome!

Final Fantasy's 25th Anniversary

With this year being the 25th anniversary for the Final Fantasy series.. they've made it a point to celebrate with a bang.. and that they did at their 25th anniversary art gallery event in Shibuya.

Some of the developments there are fairly interesting, for an FF fan like me. And I'm just going to mention them here..

Final Fantasy XIII gets a part 3 in the form of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. This will be the final chapter in the "Lightning Saga", so to speak. It's a totally different game (and I suspect sub-genre of RPGs) as it will evolve solely around 1 playable character, Lightning, as she explores the distant future in the 13 days before the end of the world.

Time will run in the world, so there's day and night, and cities that are alive with people and so on. To put it in the simplest way possible, its going to be a sandbox. To this end, I've been wanting them to try out a sandbox RPG with FF elements for the longest time, but I was fully expecting Versus XIII to be that, instead of "FFXIII-3".

I have much anticipation for the actual gameplay that will come in LR:FF13, but am none too impressed by the way they handled the story. It really feels like they shaped the story to the game instead of the other way round - and XIII-2 left a whole bunch of questions unanswered.

Ultimately I'd say its a good thing they're finally being somewhat more adventurous with their beloved IP, but because this is the 3rd of 3 parts, it does feel very in-congruent in contrast to the more traditional JRPG style in XIII and XIII-2.

I'd  love to see footage of it in action, but since it's coming out in TBA 2013 its not too far away anyway.
---

Something I'm slightly more excited about is Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.
After witnessing the massive failure than FF14 was, I was personally skeptical about how their new producer and director Naoki Yoshida would revive FF14 and restore faith in their brand name.

Suffice it to say, the developments over the 2 year period in which he took over were sweeping changes to the game itself, but all of that had nothing on the great version 2.0 (now marketed as A Realm Reborn) that was to happen with the relaunch of the game, alongside its PS3 release.

Final Fantasy XIV looks phenomenal now, both visually and in terms of the new mechanics that have been introduced. It may seem a little early but I have no doubt in my mind that the relaunched FFXIV will be far more successful than the original.

And one thing in particular that I love about it is that it truly captures the essence of Final Fantasy. FF is really a synergistic sum of familiar parts, and somehow XIV ARR manages to nail this down very well. I am excite!

Alpha testing starts next month. I hope I get in.

Watch the latest "Limit Break" trailer for FF14 here!

[FFXI] Vanafest 2012 Wrap Up

Alright. This will be last in a string of FFXI related posts.

Vanafest 2012 is over, so let's go over some of the highlights from the 2 day event.

Read on.

[FFXI] Seekers of Adoulin, our new expansion?

well well well...
Square Enix filed a trademark for "Seekers of Adoulin" yesterday, as first reported at neogaf in this thread.

The timing of it couldn't be more conspicuous.

Vanafest 2012, celebrating Final Fantasy XI's 10th anniversary is happening tomorrow in Japan, and fans are eagerly awaiting a surprise announcement during the event.

Of course, many of us already had some kind of clue as to what it would be, considering the discovery of the ROM9 folder which more or less confirmed some kind of new expansion in the works.
This trademark report pretty much makes it official.

After all, Adoulin Isle is a location that we already know of in FFXI.

Lets see what else we already know about Adoulin...

[FFXI / BGblog ] The Mystery of ROM9

For those familiar with data mining FFXI, the existence of the folder "ROM9" has sparked speculation as to what its contents mean.

The reason for this is because ROM folders are usually used to house files from different expansions separately.
Chain of Promathia occupies ROM3, Treasure of Aht Urhgan in ROM4, and so on. The previous folder ROM8, was used for the add-on A Shantotto's Ascension. (all Abyssea data is stored in the main ROM folder).

ROM9 remained largely unnoticed when it was created, and a single file added to it in Feb this year. In March, another test server update added several files to ROM9 and this caught my attention, but we didn't really find anything about it.
Fast forward to late May, even more files were added to ROM9 but this slipped right under our noses.

They were actually zone files.

Over at BG, after Septimus pointed this out, Kaisha did some quick sleuthing, finding them to be newly designed areas, even though the texture effects are mostly re-used, likely because new ones haven't been applied yet.

I could not resist but investigate further into this matter to find out more about these zones in ROM9, and so here I present to you... the ROM9 zones.

[ read on ]

note: there is a possibility that what you see here constitutes spoilers, so proceed at your own risk.

FINAL FANTASY XIII x PRADA

Prada for you?

I used to think the Final Fantasy franchise was pretty clever for trying to incorporate the franchise with the real world. First it was through its music, and then it moved on to things like fashion accessories, drinks and even limited edition apparel.

But this is just a stroke of genius.

Square Enix has teamed up with Prada to showcase their 2012 Mens Spring/Summer collection.. using Final Fantasy XIII characters as their models. This will be featured in the latest issue of Arena Homme+. 

Somehow, based on the previews I see so far, it seems to work pretty well... It's a clever way to reach out to a different audience.

I think Sazh and Hope look most natural in these fine Prada threads...

What do you think?

(source)

[FFXI] Test Server Dat Mine 24/02/2012

I bring gifts.

all under the cut.

Final Fantasy XIII-2

Final Fantasy XIII-2 comes out in English for North American audiences today!

And I've actually been playing it for about 3 days now, due to my import of it coming in early.

Seeing as I play pretty fast, and that the main scenario for the game isn't very long (about 22 hours or so), I've actually reached the end of the main game, and have been loving every moment of it.

Honestly, after clocking in about 22 hours of game time, I can say that this is one of the best modern Final Fantasy games yet. Based on what I'd heard about the game, I was expecting it to be on par or slightly better than FFXIII, but this game really blew me away.

Pros

- Expansive gameplay. The story is not just non-linear but allows you to backtrack and explore at your own will. In fact I think one of its strengths is that it gives you a reason to go back to the older areas you've been to, such that you'll find yourself wanting to explore even more. By this I mean gameplay elements like the mog toss, item hunting, unlocking more areas and doing quests for fragments.

- Customizing options. Since the 3rd character in the battle party is a monster, you have a lot of options to choose from. I was under the impression that there wouldn't been that much to customize but I was so wrong. There are many opportunities to build strong party members and devise strategies for battle.

- Replayability. Pretty much the whole game is replayable. Like, even the main story. This allows you to try different strategies on the same bosses and discover new things about the story by choosing different paths (and there are many options!). This is in stark contrast with FFXIII, where the game is basically a linear path to the end, and you'll pretty much never see an area again after clearing that chapter.

Cons

- Lack of polish. I feel that in order for them to have implemented all these drastic gameplay improvements with quests, platform elements and so on, they had to compromise a bit on presentation quality. For example, there aren't as many cutscenes with specifically directed cameras panning or zooming from certain angles and timed pauses. It's more conversation and generic actions. I've had a few "open" cutscenes where random NPCs would walk through my conversation. Nothing major but in terms of visual presentation its one step back.

- Short game. The main scenario is a bit short, even for modern RPG standards, but then again its not like the game forces you down one path all the time. The point is probably that people try out the side quests and do various things along the way, prolonging the experience. With all the side quests and the main story included, it probably builds to a decent length, which I'm fine with.

My qualm is mainly with how fast I reached the end of the story - I was enjoying it so much I didn't want it to reach the conclusion so soon. That said, even after clearing the entire game with a Platinum trophy I believe you can spend hours on it creating specific monsters to suit your playstyle.

Overall verdict.
10/10

not like I reviewed FFXIII before in the same way, but if I did, that would have been a 9/10.
This  is actually on par with my favorite Final Fantasy (VIII). An unbelievable score, if I may say so myself. Too bad it's not a main lineage title.

[FFXI] Sudden Version Update Datamine (12/07/2011)

This new version update came with some interesting surprises. I guess it's also a hidden prep update.

Continue.

[FFXI / BGblog] Who are you and what have to done to my development team?

So the May version update has passed - the first major version update in 5 months, heralding its veritably vast  myriad slew of additions and adjustments, or so the dev team says.

Now, I'm sure we've all heard this somewhere before, and we've seen how its turned out for so many years...
It used to be that our biggest complaints as the playerbase would remain largely ignored by the development team, only to be responded with vague answers such as 'we'll look into it' and 'sorry, PS2 limitations'.

And then when fixes did come our way, it was too little to late - an example of this would be with the most recent fix of changing the way land king NMs are spawned. This came well after the bottleneck of rival HNM groups and botters moved on to other things. They might be welcome changes, but at the same time, hardly benefit anyone anymore.

But wait... Something's different this time round. During this version update, they gave us something that they'd always been stingy about in the past - convenience. These are mostly minor things, but they've added up over the years to make a huge difference for players. Raising the maximum number of active trials from 5 to 10, removing exp loss below level 30, adding new Abyssea NPCs in the cities and changing previously unstackable items to stackable ones.

These are the little things that have annoyed players and marred our gameplay experience. Onlookers will probably be wondering: Why do you put up with this nonsense? My  here doesn't have these kinds of hassles. 
The truth of the matter is probably that these aren't the things that are bad enough to make players want to quit, but enough to bitch. And because this is true, the problems are often sidelined for other things, but not anymore.

Making things even more interesting, wthin a week of the May version update, they announced a second version update for the month, promising major fixes in store. Some of these seemed too good to be true, because they're the exact things that people have been complaining about in the past few months. This was really like the surprise Christmas gift that came on Boxing Day instead.

These changes included multiple spawn points for higher tier NMs in Abyssea, mostly sought after for the drops needed for Empyrean weapons, and new means of obtaining various NM key items.

And this is surprising, because they're actually addressing a major issue that players have now, instead of 3 years later when the problem no longer really exists. In fact, this is what seems the most promising about the new development team in charge - they're proactive with their changes and have shown that they bother to explain why some things are done in certain ways.

A very telling screenshot which I swiped from the BG thread.

Honestly, I think this is for the better. When they give you a proper reason, it gives us less of a chance to complain. And its a clear indicator that they're moving towards more serious open communication with the players - after some 9 years of broken communication lines.

But at the same time one wonder what else on the other side. Maybe they doing this because they know that without a full new add-on like Abyssea in this update, there really isn't a huge bulk of new content to distract players from issues such as this. Or because they actually genuinely care now...

Whichever it is, they've shown early signs that they can't be as flexible as the first impressions have given, but it's still a welcome start. Let's hope they usher in a more enjoyable era of FFXI where communicating with the devs is no longer like talking to a wall and the changes they make show that they actually play their own game.

[FFXI / BGblog] The Hallowed Version Update

(note: since I am writing for BG blogs now, this a a cross-post of my entry there)

Ever felt like a sucker for buying into the hype of a version update for a 9 year old game? I have. And it’s something that has me at the edge of my seat every single time the version update comes by.

If you’re like me, then here’s a question, have you ever asked yourself why this is so?

For me, I think it’s the anticipation of what might happen in the coming update, and it usually starts from as early as a month before the update with the teasers.

Back in the days before FFXI was on twitter and the official forums existed, the version update teasers followed a more structured pattern. Further away from the date, there would be something like 2 teasers a week, and as the date moved closer, it became something like 3 teasers on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

It got to the point where it was like a science for some people, predicting the patterns for which the teaser notes would appear, and others would actually camp the website for update details (admit it, you did it before too, I still do sometimes), in anticipation for the next little morsel of news for them to discuss at length on.

Whether this form of baiting by the developers was intention is anyone’s guess, but it worked extremely well in my opinion. Fast-forward to today and we have a slightly different scenario playing out.

Since everything gets posted on the forums, people have been camping the Dev Tracker panel there instead. And for some reason the version update teasers no longer follow a set pattern of one per day, or 3 per week. When the info comes, it just does.

But just as before, we’re still pouncing on whatever new material they announce and speculating based on their vague wording time and again. The only difference now is that whenever something generates enough debate on the forums, a developer will come forward to clarify it. Oh how times have changed indeed, and for the better, if you ask me.

one of the most recent version update notes posts

Now, we all know the significance of a version update is fairly huge. Each time it comes along, which is typically every 3-4 months, there’s usually a host of tweaks and new things to expect. Unlike with other MMORPGs where it is mainly through expansions that they get a bonanza of content, the Version Update is our motherlode.

As such, Version Update day is like a holiday for the community. With the update’s manifesto details announced and implemented, players stop their regular activities to explore the many changes that take place in the world of Vana’diel.
Even before then, data miners are hard at work, sniffing out as much information on the new content well before it goes live. Such is the frenzy that occurs during every update. It may sound crazy, but I absolutely love it because of how alive the community feels during this time.

Now, I bring this up partly to celebrate the nostalgia of this time-worn tradition amongst FFXI gamers, and also because it might be something that will disappear soon. With developers hoping to release more frequent updates in the later half of this year following a different development cycle, this process of teasing and major updates will likely cease to exist.

Although details are still sketchy, it seems the version updates will move towards being implemented on a compartmentalized basis, depending on what is being rolled out, resulting in far more frequent updates, but possibly a situation where the version update may not bring presents for all the different kinds of players that we have.

I'm sure we're all familiar with this one...

So if you’re a fan of the current Version Update mayhem like I am, I suggest that you treasure this upcoming one as it may be the last of its kind. And if you never liked it, maybe you can rejoice after it’s over.

Understandably, different members of the community should have a different approach to the whole thing, so my question to you would be, do you enjoy the way Version Updates work in FFXI? From the teasers to the update itself and not to forget the emergency updates after the fact.
Also, do you anticipate the changes to the system to be better or worse for you as a player and also as a community?

Think about that for a minute and enjoy the upcoming Version Update.
I know I will, whilst mining for new data added to the game

4 reasons to get Final Fantasy IV

This post comes a few days after the fact, but Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection has finally been released for North American audiences!

Truth be told, you could also play it in English on its Japanese release about 1 month ago, but I personally only buy/collect the North American versions because I'm anal like that.

Anyway, Final Fantasy IV has been re-released quite a number of times, for the PS1, GBA and NDS respectively. So why should you get this version now? Here are 4 good reasons.
 
I.
The Complete Collection isn't just FF4. It also includes its sequel, The After Years, that was released on mobile phones only in Japan and as WiiWare everywhere in 2009. If you don't own a Wii (and there's many reasons why you wouldn't) then this would be your first chance at playing TAY. In addition, theres a special new Interlude episode you can play that links the original story with its sequel.

II.
This version of FF4 comes with gorgeously reworked 2D sprites. As I like to call it, it's HD2D (high definition 2D) and basically the best the game would ever look in 2D. Being in 2D is good too because it stays closer to the original feel of the game which was what made it this good to begin with. This isn't to say 3D isn't good. I simply believe that if you want 3D, you should go 'all-the-way' and hit a certain graphical standard, instead of the hideous subpar 3D graphics available on the Nintendo DS.

Just so you know, you can still play in Japanese for the NA release too.

III.
The Complete Collection acknowledges nostalgia. While it does have a reworked script, it also stays closely to the original with its portrayal of events in the game. In addition, they give you the option of switching the game's music between the classic original, and the version that was mastered for the DS remake.

IV.
It's Final Fantasy IV. Other than being the first in the series to feature the ATB, characters with pre-assigned classes and cutscenes during battle, it is also a game that defined its genre. Without FFIV, RPGs wouldn't be quite as story-driven and melodramatic as they are today, with a stronger focus on character development and storytelling.

So if you haven't gotten it, get it now.
And if you don't have a PSP, buy a PSP and get it now :p

how Final this Fantasy?

Its been a while since I last posted anything about Final Fantasy.
I think it used to be that much of what I would talk about was FF, and maybe it got to the point where it seemed like the gaming franchise was controlling my life (maybe it still is!)

But anyways, I kinda wanted to blog about the direction FF is headed this year, being a fan and all.

Based on the release calendar for the year, there is a fair bit to look forward to.. Lets see here.

Mar

Dissidia Duodecim - can't wait for this. already have the Japanese version, but its a fighting game, and I quite like some of the voice acting in English (Shantotto oh hohoho)

Final Fantasy III on iOS - won't play this but its nice I guess.

Apr

Final Fantasy IV The Complete Collection - finally FFIV and The After Years in a single bundle, on the PSP. I hope everything comes to PSP haha.. I'm such a Sony fanboy.

no release date set


Final Fantasy Type-0 - seems to be coming out really soon. On PSP too. Lotsa nice FF love for the PSP. Not sure how much of this I'll get to play with the time I have.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 - oh I cannot wait for this. Any expansion on the world of FFXIII is welcome. Didn't feel like I got to explore Cocoon/Pulse enough.

the online stuff

Just last week, Square-Enix did the socially responsible thing and shut down servers for both FFXI and XIV to help the Tohoku region in Japan conserve power. Kudos to them.

Strangely, I think this has led me to develop an itch to play FFXI. I'd not had time to play it in the last 3 months, but now that I can't even if I made time for it seems to make me want it more. I'm also kinda looking forward to the updates this year. The eventual Lv99 cap is around the corner, and I hope there are more expansions or add-ons.

FFXIV, well, that will have to wait. I really hope it gets better, so that by the time it release on the PS3 I will at least want to play it for the story. My laptop can barely play it though, so I can't say its an enjoyable experience even if the game were good. It IS visually stunning though, but that is just about it.

related stuff

Lately, I've been spending a bit of time on the Final Fantasy wiki, creating and editing articles relating to FFXI because they're rather lacking and there don't seem to be many good FFXI contributors, if at all. I also put my expertise at FFXI graphic models into use, since they needed a lot of images.

Not surprisingly, with regular life and all this, I don't have time to play other games at all, but I'm satisfied.. haha.

Yuna!

Yay. Yuna is in Dissidia Duodecim!
And while it hasn't been officially mentioned, they gave it away quite cleverly in the Jump Festa 2011 trailer.

Why am I excited? Because Yuna is my favourite Final Fantasy character. I <3 her.

Anyway, this also means that the whole Jump Festa trailer has been released to the public. Check it out :)



Duodecim is looking better and better with each information release.

[FFXI] Abyssea - Uleguerand

Here it is, the 3rd and final map for Heroes of Abyssea.
And with it, I've completed maps for all 9 Abyssea zones, pending updates/error fixes - and I'll need to adjust these Mac made maps with a bunch of templates that have been used for the first 6 maps before they'll be "officially" complete.

Since I've gotten my laptop back, the map is no longer in 'temp' version.

Pop locations for Isgebind / Apademak might be slightly off since I guesstimated those from info, other than that it should be fairly accurate.

Putting these maps together really took a whole lot more out of me than any other chart I've ever done for FFXI, and to think there were 9 of them. Right now I can finally say its all over, and I'm happy to say that the effort put into it shows.

But it wouldn't have happened without everyone's support and encouragement. I'm most thankful to anyone and everyone who helped me out by providing information, pointing out errors, suggesting ideas to incorporate into the maps and sharing my map with others.
Thank you.

Here's hoping I can contribute more to the FFXI community in the years to come.

Hope you find this map useful.

[FFXI] Abyssea - Grauberg

Here's the 2nd map I've done for Heroes of Abyssea.
I'm leaving the headache that is Uleguerand for the last.

Grauberg is a fairly nice zone to do. Progress is pretty good too. Only a handful of NMs left to work out.

I've introduced a few new changes here that will eventually find themselves in all the older maps (once I can get my hands on the originals again, in my faulty laptop) - the one I like most being the unavailable 'lights' from each mob. This is based entirely on what I can get from forums and wiki, so if no one mentions anything I'll probably miss it out.

Since I've gotten my laptop back, the map is no longer in 'temp' version.

Enjoy and point out errors for me please.