Gamescom Interview - Details on the Open Beta

Interesting new info about the upcoming Open Beta...

Quote :

4Gamer sat with Final Fantasy XIV developers Hiromichi Tanaka, Nobuaki Komoto and Sage Sundi to discuss the big changes coming for the open beta. Check out the details below:

Source: 4Gamer.net

* Many players are still requesting faster battles and quicker action, and the developers are working on fulfilling their wishes.
* So far, players are very happy with the ease of solo play. In FFXI, players complained they couldn't get parties, but in FFXIV, they don't even mind not joining one.
* New types of Guildleve quests will open up for players as they increase in level.
* The open beta phase will last about 2-3 weeks. Tanaka believes they will be able to handle several hundred thousand players.
* The game currently has 10 servers, with more possibly planned for when service begins in September.
* The distance between each city-state is very far, allowing players to really explore the vast landscape of Eorzea for the first time. Getting to and from Limsa-Lominsa will require access to a ship.
* Once the open beta is complete, all data will be deleted. However the developers are hoping to allow players to retain their names for the release version.
* The game has been designed in a way that players cannot monopolize certain monsters in an area.
* A new version of the benchmark software is under development.

My only real concern with the game right now is the ease of solo play and the potential lack of incentive for partying. But I guess we'll see how this all pans out on release.

Avgustin wrote:

My only real concern with the game right now is the ease of solo play and the potential lack of incentive for partying. But I guess we'll see how this all pans out on release.

Most western players prefer solo play and have asked for it repeatedly in previous MMO's. The complaint their is they do not want to feel the constraint of having to party just to level. My understanding was when FF XI first came out a lot of the westerners complained about having to party after level 10 just to level. I think the developers heard those complaints and made some compromise for FF XIV.

Jhereg Taltos wrote:

Avgustin wrote:

My only real concern with the game right now is the ease of solo play and the potential lack of incentive for partying. But I guess we'll see how this all pans out on release.

Most western players prefer solo play and have asked for it repeatedly in previous MMO's. The complaint their is they do not want to feel the constraint of having to party just to level.

It's not the existence of solo play that concerns me, but the possibility that they're building the game around soloing at the expense of partying. As long as both styles of play are equally viable, I'll be happy. But it seems like a very difficult thing to balance.

Anyway, like I said, we'll see how it all works when the game is released.

Avgustin wrote:

Jhereg Taltos wrote:

Avgustin wrote:

My only real concern with the game right now is the ease of solo play and the potential lack of incentive for partying. But I guess we'll see how this all pans out on release.

Most western players prefer solo play and have asked for it repeatedly in previous MMO's. The complaint their is they do not want to feel the constraint of having to party just to level.

It's not the existence of solo play that concerns me, but the possibility that they're building the game around soloing at the expense of partying. As long as both styles of play are equally viable, I'll be happy. But it seems like a very difficult thing to balance.

Anyway, like I said, we'll see how it all works when the game is released.

At the moment it is beneficial to play as a group even when doing guildleves. By grouping up and running other peoples leves you can make quite a bit of gil. At this point I think they just need to give the people helping with leves a little bit more of an incentive like more gil/item rewards/faction points.