"Oh btw, FFXIV Online in 2010"

[Lantyssa]

We need an emoticon for COCKBLOCK.   In the meantime here is a sad panda

Sad red panda is perhaps a bit more apropos.

[Fabricated]

Best part of that review video:
"God damn this is boring"

from page 1 of this thread:

Hopefully it isn't as terrible as FF11.

Oh... how naive we were...

Square always goes beyond your expectations.

[Samprimary]

I guess tracking active subscribers is in order, to see how much the active subscribers drop from box sales between now and Cataclysm.

[Shatter]

I guess tracking active subscribers is in order, to see how much the active subscribers drop from box sales between now and Cataclysm.

Does canceling my preorder before it launched count?

[01101010]

I guess tracking active subscribers is in order, to see how much the active subscribers drop from box sales between now and Cataclysm.

Honestly, at this point I believe the point is moot. Bad game is bad. Everyone hangs their hat on subs being a golden marker of success while the success part is where the interpretation falls - or should. Sure it funs to watch a game's playerbase march out in a mass exodus and pat ourselves on the back for playing Nostradamus - but at this junction, it's like predicting the sun will come up in the morning.

[Shatter]

I guess tracking active subscribers is in order, to see how much the active subscribers drop from box sales between now and Cataclysm.

Honestly, at this point I believe the point is moot. Bad game is bad. Everyone hangs their hat on subs being a golden marker of success while the success part is where the interpretation falls - or should. Sure it funs to watch a game's playerbase march out in a mass exodus and pat ourselves on the back for playing Nostradamus - but at this junction, it's like predicting the sun will come up in the morning.

Stop crapping on my feel good moment

[Hawkbit]

I guess tracking active subscribers is in order, to see how much the active subscribers drop from box sales between now and Cataclysm.

That would require someone to admit they actually bought this crap.  Seeing how we'd never relent in mocking them publicly, I'm guessing we'd have to get our tracking information from less reliable sources.  Unless someone was comped a copy/sub... then it might be okay, maybe.

[Samprimary]

Honestly, at this point I believe the point is moot. Bad game is bad. Everyone hangs their hat on subs being a golden marker of success while the success part is where the interpretation falls - or should. Sure it funs to watch a game's playerbase march out in a mass exodus and pat ourselves on the back for playing Nostradamus - but at this junction, it's like predicting the sun will come up in the morning.

I still feel compelled to document an (expected) decline, because FFXIV is an amazingly neat case.

Here's what interests me: Square Enix botching this like it has allows us to cut out many comorbid factors that help tank MMO's: we can be sure they weren't limited in funding, or backing, or name recognition for the franchise, or availability of expertise, or inexperience in the genre. That leaves the state of the product in its current form entirely attributable to shitty design and development processes. I want to do a long-form article on why the MMO market is a morass of carcasses, and FFXIV becoming a carcass makes for a stunning opener. It's got large, grotesque failings barely concealed by annoying limitations (It's entirely plausible that they stalled the release of an auctionhouse system because they want to delay/conceal the inevitable fucked crafter economy; it's most likely they instituted the leveling limitations to buy them a short, desperate timeframe for filling in an obvious lack of high-end content), and other large, grotesque failings that you're forced to deal with minute by minute and whose presence in an MMO made after 2005 could be used as an official sign of clinical retardation on the part of the game's designers (inventory management/UI, copypasted terrain).

[Mrbloodworth]

Yeah, but the marketing and merchandising is impressive. 

[Samprimary]

I could also probably add to that their complete failure to adequately support mouse control was likely for the purpose of encouraging the sale of peripherals and/or leveling the playing field for the ps3.

[01101010]

I could also probably add to that their complete failure to adequately support mouse control was likely for the purpose of encouraging the sale of peripherals and/or leveling the playing field for the ps3.

Well considering that SE have failed to have a PvP system (fuck you ballista-whatever-the-fuck) in that or this MMO, there is no playing field to level. The mouse control is indeed clownshoes though. Seriously... had a problem with it in Alpha and Beta and they said they were looking to fix it since I dl'd the client way way back. Never did happen...

[Samprimary]

Square Enix uses HARDWARE MOUSE "SUPPORT"

...it's not very effective...

[LK]

Squaresoft making a PC game would be like Blizzard making a console game. They're plain just not good at it from never having put that much effort into developing them.

[Rasix]

I'd wager they'd do a bit better than Squaresoft considering they have a rule about not releasing complete crap (we'll see how that pans out in Cat  ).

[Samprimary]

Yeah, blizzard seems to have a functioning, competent system of professional developmental review and they're willing to can shit that isn't going to make it as a quality product. That combined with the fact that it looks like the processes that made XIV bad translate to development on any system ..

[LK]

Right. Blizzard is so successful that it can waste millions of dollars on something they are going to shitcan eventually but seemed like a good idea at the time. Though I don't know if keeping their employees paid, part of the institution, and developing themselves is that much of a waste. More a waste for the consumer.

[waffel]

Anyway, this is just like Warhammer online without Paul Barnett.

Overhyped MMO released in fall. Game is pretty shitty. WoW x-pac to be released a month or two later. Game will probably have high box sales based on hype/name value. WoW x-pac will stab an already bleeding game, causing it to spill more blood.

The only thing this has going for it is a PS3 release to sucker even more people.

[Velorath]

Honestly, at this point I believe the point is moot. Bad game is bad. Everyone hangs their hat on subs being a golden marker of success while the success part is where the interpretation falls - or should. Sure it funs to watch a game's playerbase march out in a mass exodus and pat ourselves on the back for playing Nostradamus - but at this junction, it's like predicting the sun will come up in the morning.

I still feel compelled to document an (expected) decline, because FFXIV is an amazingly neat case.

Here's what interests me: Square Enix botching this like it has allows us to cut out many comorbid factors that help tank MMO's: we can be sure they weren't limited in funding, or backing, or name recognition for the franchise, or availability of expertise, or inexperience in the genre. That leaves the state of the product in its current form entirely attributable to shitty design and development processes. I want to do a long-form article on why the MMO market is a morass of carcasses, and FFXIV becoming a carcass makes for a stunning opener. It's got large, grotesque failings barely concealed by annoying limitations (It's entirely plausible that they stalled the release of an auctionhouse system because they want to delay/conceal the inevitable fucked crafter economy; it's most likely they instituted the leveling limitations to buy them a short, desperate timeframe for filling in an obvious lack of high-end content), and other large, grotesque failings that you're forced to deal with minute by minute and whose presence in an MMO made after 2005 could be used as an official sign of clinical retardation on the part of the game's designers (inventory management/UI, copypasted terrain).

All of this is only noteworthy if you ignore the fact that Square has been in decline for around a decade, has most of their fanbase on consoles, has previously shipped a beautiful but shitty MMO (which took two years to make it to the U.S.), has been having some serious issues developing their recent Final Fantasy games (FFXIII and FFXIII Vs.), etc...

[Draegan]

Anyway, this is just like Warhammer online without Paul Barnett.

Overhyped MMO released in fall. Game is pretty shitty. WoW x-pac to be released a month or two later. Game will probably have high box sales based on hype/name value. WoW x-pac will stab an already bleeding game, causing it to spill more blood.

The only thing this has going for it is a PS3 release to sucker even more people.

Was FFXIV really overhyped?  I never saw any hype really other than from FFXI fanboys and there aren't many of those.

[Murgos]

You have to buy Crysta at 10 USD per 1000 to pay for your account?  If you are in England it cost 10 GBP for 1000 Crysta?

So, let me guess, there are a thousand auctions on ebay selling pre-paid $10 dollar cards for 9 pounds ea?

[Hawkbit]

I think there's half a chance that this game is going to tank so badly that we'll never see the PS3 version.  Stopped into local Gamestop today, the guy said they had 20 total preorders and only 8 actually came in to get the game. 

[Reg]

I shudder to think of the extra restrictions they'll implement for you to pay your way past if they go free to play.

[UnSub]

Ignoring the reportedly crappy game quality: the PC market isn't necessarily where FFXIV expects to succeed. They are looking at the PS3 as a platform that they already dominate.

However... I can't imagine that console players want to get their ass kicked by a ladybug either.

[Count Nerfedalot]

You have to buy Crysta at 10 USD per 1000 to pay for your account?  If you are in England it cost 10 GBP for 1000 Crysta?

So, let me guess, there are a thousand auctions on ebay selling pre-paid $10 dollar cards for 9 pounds ea?

Sounds like it might be priced about right when it hits Japan, if they charge 10 yen for it.   

[Velorath]

And now for your daily dose of insanity:

FFXIV received it's first full review from a major U.S. game site with Gamespot giving it a score of 4 out of 10.  Reactions from people on most forums seems to be that this is about what they expected.

Over on the MMORPG forums though (I'm sure you can all see where this is going), one man decided to go batshit insane.

[raydeen]

And now for your daily dose of insanity:

FFXIV received it's first full review from a major U.S. game site with Gamespot giving it a score of 4 out of 10.  Reactions from people on most forums seems to be that this is about what they expected.

Over on the MMORPG forums though (I'm sure you can all see where this is going), one man decided to go batshit insane.

Hell, it gave one dude hiccups he was laughing so hard.

[Rendakor]

Ignoring the reportedly crappy game quality: the PC market isn't necessarily where FFXIV expects to succeed. They are looking at the PS3 as a platform that they already dominate.

However... I can't imagine that console players want to get their ass kicked by a ladybug either.

I think a lot of people will buy it simply because it's a number FF title and they don't realize it's an MMO. I imagine they'll quit after their first battle, if they even make it out of the starting city. Maybe they're going for Cryptic's "sell box, lolretention?" strategy.

[Simond]

And now for your daily dose of insanity:

FFXIV received it's first full review from a major U.S. game site with Gamespot giving it a score of 4 out of 10.  Reactions from people on most forums seems to be that this is about what they expected.

Over on the MMORPG forums though (I'm sure you can all see where this is going), one man decided to go batshit insane.

Read post before following link, thought "Geldon?"
Clicked link, nodded sagely to self. "Geldon"
 

[Mrbloodworth]

And now for your daily dose of insanity:

FFXIV received it's first full review from a major U.S. game site with Gamespot giving it a score of 4 out of 10.  Reactions from people on most forums seems to be that this is about what they expected.

Over on the MMORPG forums though (I'm sure you can all see where this is going), one man decided to go batshit insane.

Wow, I knew you guys were pretty desparate to slam the game, but hacking the web page of a major game site so a user review masquarades as an official one?  Pretty impressive.

 


Wow, website hack accusations.

[Bzalthek]

Wow, website hack accusations.

[Samprimary]

... what the fuck.

[Murgos]

Hai guys!  Let's not be that web site that stalks, and thus validates, Geldon.   

[Shatter]

 

[Hutch]

Hai guys!  Let's not be that web site that stalks, and thus validates, Geldon.   

Oh, I can see that you're new here. Welcome to F13. We not only kick people off the island, we then proceed to follow them around in our speedboats.

[Murgos]

Oh, I can see that you're new here. Welcome to F13. We not only kick people off the island, we then proceed to follow them around in our speedboats.

Typically, we're far to self-centered to actually *effort*.