"Oh btw, FFXIV Online in 2010"

[amiable]

Holy crap, non-diku level advancement?  In an MMO?

I had no interest in this game until now.  All of a sudden I am very interested.

[Delmania]

I really do prefer a skill based system to the level based system, and the fact that your ranks are gained through changing your gear rather than at your house intrigues me.  

On that same train, I wonder how long before the players figure out the min/max equation to most efficiently progress in the game. Will that even matter?

That's one flaw of a skill based system, players can just max out all skills and be done with.  Personally, I think Estiah's class system may be one of the best ways to have the benefits of skill based with the control of class based systems.

[Delmania]

Holy crap, non-diku level advancement?  In an MMO?

I had no interest in this game until now.  All of a sudden I am very interested.

Err, Darkfall Online and Ultima Online weren't really DIKU.

Now, if SE can just get over their phobia of PvP and create a place where we can all beat the crap out of each other.. I would be one happy gamer.

[AutomaticZen]

That's one flaw of a skill based system, players can just max out all skills and be done with.  Personally, I think Estiah's class system may be one of the best ways to have the benefits of skill based with the control of class based systems.

True, but depending on how much they allow you to carry, you're limited by what gear you have on you.  Make drops generally worthwhile, and people will only keep another set of gear in their bags.

[ahoythematey]

First two things I thought of after reading about the weapon/skill-based system: Final Fantasy 2, and Dungeon Siege.

I'm interested...

[AutomaticZen]

More screenshots and some more info.

* The difference in ability between races is said to be less severe than that of Final Fantasy XI
* Battles progress in real-time, but are not action-oriented, i.e. There is more to consider during battle that simply targeting the enemy and wailing away on it
* The Armory System allows for job changing anywhere, so inventory space is of great importance. Therefore, ways to change armor quickly and easily are being considered
* Currently investigating whether to allow all skills to be mastered, or have a see-saw style system like crafting in Final Fantasy XI
* "Guild Leave" will be a system of quests that include monster hunting, skilling up and a myriad of other activities. Players will obtain items to allow them to travel instantly to their required destination. There seems to be a lot about this system in the article as well, but we'll save that until it's fully visible.
* There will be weather effects and night/day transitions. One game day is one Earth hour.
* Final Fantasy XIV will be casual enough that even playing one hour a day is sufficient to enjoy the game.
* The game currency will be gil.

That last one is a game changer.

[schild]

The last one makes me giggle with glee.

[LK]

The second one reads like there will be activated abilities a la WoW.

You know what'd be awesome for #3? If you could change armor a la Centurions. "POWER EXTREME!"

[Numtini]

I didn't get skills from that at all. I got classes changeable and perhaps mixable at will.

[Delmania]

I didn't get skills from that at all. I got classes changeable and perhaps mixable at will.

Maybe it's not truly skill based in that you level the skills, but it does sound like you class determines what skills you have, and your class is determined by what gear you have.  So, the infamous war/whm would be valid!

[01101010]

Now, if SE can just get over their phobia of PvP and create a place where we can all beat the crap out of each other.. I would be one happy gamer.

but there was ballista 

[Kageru]

It sounds sort of like an extension of the tactics mechanism where new weapons would allow you to train new skills. Connect it with only being able to use those skills if you have a weapon (or tool) of that type equipped and you have inventory as a limiting factor on flexibility. So your character could have every skill in the game but can't freely combine them or switch between any set.

[Delmania]

but there was ballista 

Yeah, did I mention I was a bard?  Sleep->whack->sleep->whack.  Fun times!  Good thing I never tried it as a summoner.

[01101010]

I am curious enough to drop some money on the box cost and free month. That and some of my friends are still playing FFXI and still in the same linkshell.

Wonder if Square got over their fear of in-game jumping.

[Reg]

There had better be moat carp!

[Murgos]

More screenshots and some more info.

Page is content filtered here for Adult Content.  I don't know if it really is but, if so, you should really NSFW it.

[tmp]

Some more detail from that article

[Reg]

All this talk about inventory space being important makes me a little concerned that they're going to make your backpack so tiny that it'll be a major annoyance that takes the fun out of the game.

[01101010]

All this talk about inventory space being important makes me a little concerned that they're going to make your backpack so tiny that it'll be a major annoyance that takes the fun out of the game.

I get a feeling on that as well. Or they put into the game something like the retarded gobbiebag quests to increase your backpck that has its own set of cockblocks in getting it.

[Brogarn]

All this talk about inventory space being important makes me a little concerned that they're going to make your backpack so tiny that it'll be a major annoyance that takes the fun out of the game.

You know, I can't think of any RPG off the top of my head, MMO or otherwise, that had an inventory system that wasn't annoying in some way. I think its a way for developers to get back at the world for whatever transgressions they have suffered.

But ya, let's not go back to EQ with its tiny amount of precious inventory and the ridiculous amounts of money it took at low levels to increase it.

[AutomaticZen]

More screenshots and some more info.

Page is content filtered here for Adult Content.  I don't know if it really is but, if so, you should really NSFW it.

Not seeing much of anything.  There is the word 'rape' about another article.  Just another retarded content filter. 

[tmp]

All this talk about inventory space being important makes me a little concerned that they're going to make your backpack so tiny that it'll be a major annoyance that takes the fun out of the game.

I think they see it as concern too, given there's this bit in the "summary" part:

"•Due to how the Armory System will work out, you'll be able to carry around on tons of stuff, mules anyone?"

so hopefully the talk about space being important is more along the lines of "we know you'll need lot of space and addressed that".

[Reg]

Oh good. I was a little worried that they wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to torture me in some way.

[schild]

Those magazine scans don't do the game justice. DToid should've gotten the press that went out last night with the full res pictures. Guess not. 720p: http://dl-client.getdropbox.com/u/39720/games/final%20fantasy%20xiv/bg003Aetheryte.png

It's nice looking. The character art is phenomenal, but that was expected. The town drawings are superb, but I'm too lazy to dig around the folder of shit I grabbed.

[amiable]

Anyone know if there will be PvP?

[AcidCat]

The landscape looks wonderful. That was one of my favorite aspects of XI.

[Lantyssa]

You know, I can't think of any RPG off the top of my head, MMO or otherwise, that had an inventory system that wasn't annoying in some way. I think its a way for developers to get back at the world for whatever transgressions they have suffered.

Free Realms.

[LK]

My limited experience with Free Realms inventory was that it was a pain in the fucking ass to keep track of everything. >_>;

[Bzalthek]

I'd rather it be a pain in the ass to keep track of things than having to play musical inventory slots.  Inventory management sucks sweaty balls.  Of course I'm a pack rat, so I'm biased.

[Dtrain]

The character art is phenomenal, but that was expected.

What I wasn't expecting was for it to be so similar to FFXI's character concepts.

Not sure if want?

Humans are just humans.
You can't have an MMO without elves. It's a rule. UO was the first to try and what did people do? Pretend to be elves.
I suppose a japanese MMO can be forgiven for having cat girls.
I always thought that Galkans looked dumb.
And that leaves us with Taru Taru. Fucking. Creepy. 

[schild]

You can't have an MMO without elves. It's a rule.

Die.

Also, the high-res character art is phenomenal. Akihido Yoshida (Vagrant Story) is doing the character/monster design so I am less than worried.

[01101010]

And that leaves us with Taru Taru. Fucking. Creepy. 

lalafell - teletubbies... i am so rolling one with the name Dipsy

[AutomaticZen]

You can't have an MMO without elves. It's a rule.

Die.

Also, the high-res character art is phenomenal. Akihido Yoshida (Vagrant Story) is doing the character/monster design so I am less than worried.

I am saddened only by the fact that they yanked him from the Vangrant Story/Tactics team.  Of course it's not like those guys are doing anything right now.  His art has always been nothing short of amazing.  Everyone tends to love Amano or Nomura, but I find Yoshida sits perfectly between the two:  Wonderfully artistic, but still able to be realized in a gamespace.

[Hindenburg]

Also, his characters have less of a tendency to be fashion victims.

Doubt there's been a Vagrant Story team for the last 5 years.

[Velorath]

The FFXIV website updated yesterday to include a lot of the information that's been released in the last week.  Nothing new, but the Guildleves stuff in particular made a lot more sense to me than the description in tmp's post.