Newcomer’s Guide to Final Fantasy XI

Final Fantasy XI is a massively multi-player online role-playing game. It functions as an online world. Players can access this world by buying the game and paying a subscription of $12.95 a month. The game is a cross-platform title, which means that players on both PCs and consoles can interact with each other in the same game environment. This makes it a truly unique experience.

The PC version of Final Fantasy XI comes on five disks that you must install to set up the game. The first disk installs the PlayOnline client, a piece of software required for access to the game, while the other disks install the game itself. The PlayStation 2 version requires a special Hard Disk Drive and network adapter, the first of which is usually sold with the title. Once the game and the PlayOnline software have been set up, you will need to download any updates, and then it will be ready to play.

The first thing that you will do in Final Fantasy XI is create your character. There are five races to choose from, all of which possess their own abilities and skills. There are the Hume, who are human and are useful in most areas of the game; the Elvaan, who are Elves and are strong in combat; the Galka, who are enormous beast creatures; the Mithra, who resemble cats; and the Taru Taru, who are small individuals and are talented at magic. They are all great characters and they excel in different ways.

Final Fantasy XI allows you great range in customizing your character. You are able to choose your character’s body size, face and appearance, and select a particular look and style that will suit them. You will also choose a career for your character, and this will affect your progress in the game. The various careers include positions like mages, monks, thieves and warriors. The characters suit certain careers better than others and you must choose one that will fit your character perfectly.

Final Fantasy XI is set in the world of Vana’diel. Vana’diel is a fantastic world that is home to a number of civilizations. The game takes place in the aftermath of the Crystal War, a battle where the five main races fought with the Beastmen, a collection of hostile creatures who wanted to destroy them. The story of the game sees the Beastmen return and stir up further conflict. It is up to your character to face them and defeat them.

Vana’diel consists of two main continents, Mindartia and Quon. It is further divided into a number of regions, all with their own climate and features. There are cities, towns, forests, ports and wasteland areas. Final Fantasy XI allows you to choose from one of three places as your starting point. You can be a citizen of the nations Bastok, San d’Oria or Windurst. Each nation is unique and has its own history and population. In the course of the game you are able to visit other nations and explore them.

Final Fantasy XI contains a great deal to do and is a very engaging game. The world of Vana’diel is immense and there is much to explore and see. There are missions and quests to go on and there are a number of storylines running through the game. There is also an element of teamwork. It is often necessary to join a group of players and work together to defeat enemies and opponents. In general the gameplay is multi-layered and enthralling.

Final Fantasy XI has a well-designed control system that works as a perfect complement to the game. It is best experienced with a keyboard, which allows you to chat with other players. The game controls are logical and it does not take long to grasp the various functions and commands. The game camera works nicely and is easy to handle, allowing you to view the world of Vana’diel as you please. The entire system is great and really strengthens the whole experience.

Final Fantasy XI is a joy to play. A newcomer to the game will be pleased with it and will have no difficulty getting set up and started. It is ideal for anyone who is looking for an interesting and rewarding game.

Read more about Final Fantasty XI at FFXI Gil Price List Guide.

Add comment July 8, 2007

History of Final Fantasy XI

The Final Fantasy series is a superb set of games that have become an important part of video game history. Final Fantasy XI is an especially strong title. It is a terrific modern update on the series, advancing it and taking it into exciting new territory.

Final Fantasy XI is an outstanding entry in a series that is nearly twenty years old. The Final Fantasy series was created by the Japanese company Square Co. in 1987. At the time Square were in a difficult position, as they had focused on making games for the Nintendo Famicom Disk System and this format had become unpopular. The company were eager for success and saw great potential in the role-playing genre. Final Fantasy was their attempt to make a new kind of role-playing title.

Final Fantasy came out in Japan at the end of 1987. It was excellent, offering a fresh and original role-playing experience. Final Fantasy’s strength was that it had a strong narrative that ran throughout the game. This made it very compelling and helped it to capture people’s interest. It was an enormous success and launched what would become a hugely popular franchise. It would lead to Final Fantasy XI and beyond.

When Square made Final Fantasy, they looked at the role-playing genre and explored the possibilities of what it could do. Final Fantasy was innovative, and this sense of invention would become a major element of the series, continuing all the way through to Final Fantasy XI. The first sequel, Final Fantasy II, was equally creative, surprising people by coming up with a completely new plot and characters.

The Final Fantasy series flourished and a number of dazzling games followed. Final Fantasy IV was a gripping, brilliant game and became the second title in the series to be released in North America. Final Fantasy VI had an enthralling story that gave it serious emotion and depth. Final Fantasy X used voice acting and beautiful three-dimensional visuals to create its own game world. These were all strong titles and laid the way beautifully for Final Fantasy XI.

Final Fantasy XI has continued the sense of innovation that is expected of this series. A highly ambitious game, it saw the franchise move into the world of online gaming. Final Fantasy XI is a massively multi-player online role-playing game. It is also unique as it is playable on both consoles and PCs, all of which connect to the same game servers. This has made it the first cross-platform title of its kind.

There was great curiosity about Final Fantasy XI before its release in 2002. Images and previews of the game captured people’s attention. A special bonus disk was included with the release of Final Fantasy X, containing a trailer for the game. Its creator Square Enix also held beta tests for the game to gather players’ feedback and improve it. This allowed them to handle any concerns that people had and fine-tune it.

Final Fantasy XI was launched in Japan on May 16 2002 for the Sony PlayStation 2. The PC release came on November 5th. It had its PC release in North America on October 28 2003, with the European release following in September 2004. The initial Japanese launch was a complicated affair, as the game required a hard drive for the PlayStation 2 console and stocks of these were limited at first. Square Enix responded well to any issues that developed, and also released a game patch to enhance it.

Square Enix adopted an interesting approach to the game, developing it and reworking it even after it had been released. The company has revised it since its launch and made it even better, adding in new areas and new content. This has enriched the Final Fantasy XI experience. There have been two expansions, Rise of the Zilart and Chains of Promathia, to complement the game. A third expansion, Treasures of Aht Urhgan, is planned for spring 2006.

Final Fantasy XI has established itself as a major presence in online gaming. It sold well, building up more than 500,000 subscribers by January 7 2004. There were almost a million game characters active within this time period. It was well received, enjoying many positive reviews from the game press. It was crucial in building up Square Enix’s PlayOnline service and more than fulfilled their hopes for the title.

Final Fantasy XI is a truly great game. It has combined the creativity and innovation that is the hallmark of Final Fantasy with a state of the art online gaming format. It is an amazing experience and has taken the series in a new direction. It will continue entertaining people for a long time to come.