| Final
Fantasy XI is on its way to the American market in the coming weeks, so it is
only natural for the fans of the series to be curious. How will the series
change, how will it remain the same and what will make this new online
experience just as good, if not better than the games before
it?
We asked Yasu Kurosawa, a US online producer
for Square-Enix USA, these very questions and here is the result:
What changes do FFXI bring to the Final
Fantasy series that are you most excited about, and why?
The biggest excitement in FINAL FANTASY XI is
being able to share adventures with other people across countries and with
those playing on different platforms (PS2 and PC). We have successfully
incorporated a good story while maintaining the massively multiplayer online
RPG experience.
Has it been difficult to localize the
game for the American market?
We have a talented group of people in our
localization department who have been working on FINAL FANTASY XI from the
early stages of development. For each major nation, we carefully selected our
translator and focused on the tone of the language of that nation. We were
able to show the characteristics of those nations through the dialogue of its
NPCs (how they speak, laugh, etc.).
How will you allow American players to
speak with the Japanese players who have already been in the game for quite
awhile?
We have a translation feature which allows
in-game terms and frequently used canned phrases to be translated into the
other language. Not only are the English-speaking (American) players using
this feature, but many Japanese-speaking players are now using it to
communicate with the English-speaking players.
Do you think that having had Final Fantasy
XI ironed out and broken in, in Japan, will have a positive impact on its
success in America?
Certainly. Even after the U.S. launch, we
continue to maintain its balance and introduce updates to deliver the
continuous excitement that FINAL FANTASY XI has to offer. We also continue to
update the game to resolve any issues so
that all players can enjoy the game to its fullest.
All of the previous Final Fantasy games
have had a clear cut ending that brought some resolution to the storyline.
Will Final Fantasy XI have some sort of resolution?
The main storyline in the original version as
well as the expansion pack has an ending. I think the players who enjoyed the
previous FINAL FANTASY series' storyline will be touched again with FINAL
FANTASY XI.
Final Fantasy XI uses the new PlayStation
2 Hard Disc Drive that will be bundled with the game. What kind of new things
can we expect to be implemented in the game as time goes by?
New items, new quests, new areas, new events
and much more.
What do you feel differentiates Final
Fantasy XI from the numerous other MMORPG's that have been released?
Cross platform, cross language, main
storyline, plenty of cut scenes, superior graphics, etc.
What kind of measures are being taken to
prevent cheaters and hackers from compromising the game? Has it been a problem
in Japan at all?
We have many ways of preventing cheaters.
First of all, the character information data is stored in the server at our
data center and cannot be modified remotely. We have Game Masters 24/7 to
oversee the users' activities. Also, the security features are constantly
upgraded to account for changing technology.
Why is Final Fantasy XI a numbered
addition to the series and not subtitled like Final Fantasy Tactics and
Crystal Chronicles, which both represent different play styles from the
others?
Helping each other out and working towards
goals together is what some of the original FINAL FANTASY creators envisioned.
The technology back then did not allow FINAL FANTASY to play as a massively
multiplayer game, so this is one ways of expressing a true FINAL FANTASY
sequel. Also, the key elements the series is known for can also be seen in
FINAL FANTASY XI, such as having a main storyline and plenty of cut/event
scenes. They have been successfully implemented to allow users to enjoy the
same type of experience as they've had with the previous FINAL FANTASY titles,
but in a completely different online environment.
Could you tell us a little bit about the
options that players have other than combat and quests?
Making friends, various crafting skills such
as fishing, planting, synthesizing, mining, digging with Chocobo and even
having your own Mog house and much more.
The most common question among more
traditional gamers is whether it is possible to solo through an MMORPG. Is
that possible in Final Fantasy XI and if so, to what extent are players able
to do so?
Depending on the job you choose, it is not
impossible for you to play solo until you reach a pretty high level. However,
I would say that it is much easier to level up when you party up with other
people.
We would like to thank Yasu Kurosawa from
Square-Enix USA, for taking the time to answer our questions about their
upcoming title. We look forward to the release of Final Fantasy XI and you can
expect a review of the game not too long after |
