Minimize FFXI without quitting...?Follow

It is possable using another program that was written by another player I know. However this is a grey area on some forums they dont like people talking about this program as they consider it to be against the games terms and conditions. But personally I dont see how this could be as it doesnt affect anything in the game what so ever. Its basically a tool that lets you minimize any full screened directx app. There are many such instances where similar things could be done (running a directx app under linux with winex for example).

Anyways Im rambling on hear, If a mod allows it I will post a link in the mean time if you email me at drefsab_zn@hotmail.com I will hook you up with the app.

Edited, Sun Jan 18 10:21:49 2004 by Drefsab

Yes, I am aware of why the limitation for the full-screen was imposed. I find it rather fragile, since any hacker can easily bypass it using timer-based practices, and, as such, would be neither detered nor hampered by it.

Anyway, hacking isn't really a concern of mine; I have never hacked a multiplayer game ... it's just really not my kind of thing. I am just one of many players (I'm sure) who find that, upon desiring information about an NM, have to logout (30 seconds), exit FFXI, get the info, start the game up, log back in, and re-party is more than a bit of an annoyance.

If Drefsab (Drefsab .... from Battle.net forums? ... it's me, Helmet ^^) could please forward me information about said program through some socially acceptable means, I would be very interested in it, as it would infinitely improve my gaming experience. If such means do not exist, or if such a request is, in itself, not socially acceptable, I apologize, retract the request, and authorize / subject this post to immediate deletion.

Anyway, thanks either way!

The name of the opperating system this program is running on is WINDOWS. Would anyone care to guess why? EQ had to insert the alt+tab function because it also didnt allow you to minimise the screen. They were informed by M.S. that if they wanted to continue using a windows enviroment they needed to conform to one of the principle features of Windows.
S.E. needs to get in line. No, Im not a M.S. or Windows fanboy, but I dont like being told I cant use a function on my computer because of another companies paranoia. Sometimes I forget to enable or disable programs I have running before I log in and its a pain to have to log out and re-log when I could minimise to take care of it.

At least Squenix has fixed some of the full screen issues since the US release. When I first got the game, if a window would pop up on my screen, like an AIM message or a scheduled virus scan, FFXI would shut down w/ a (-1 error) message. Now the game still runs, but occationally some parts of the backround window are shown on the screen, kind of like a flickering effect. It goes away after a few seconds and gameplay isn't affected too much. This might be limitations of my graphics card or whatnot, but hey, one problem down.

...and then some bodyguards hired by SE president destroying your car, killing your pet, breaking into your house and cutting off your left hand.

Be aware! They can and will visit you!

Edited, Sun Jan 18 17:49:19 2004 by Marrnos

i dont tihnk so because it still runs on windows. I think they could request them to remove it from windows and run it on linux! hehehe

Everquest only implimented the alt-tab thing recently, because I'd played for 2 years when you couldn't alt-tab out.

I agree with you, that it would be nice to be able alt-tab out for just a second to talk on AIM, or so on, or so on, but I suppose after playing EQ for two years, without being able tab out. But, if sometime important does happen (like I hear the AIM noise) I'll alt-tab out, lose full-screen, then log back in, it usually only takes me under a minute to log in.

What I really, really want from SE is an in-game MP3 player, like they recently implimented in Everquest. Half of my problems with this game is the looping BMG...*Sigh*

huh??? why is everyone complaining about this???

Pressing the window key has saved my character 6 times already...

I most solo with a 10 level white mage (its hard).. sometimes I will party but most of the time I cannot find peeps my level to join..

Either way when you have 3 orcs chasing you and you are in the middle of the map with no way to zone out and no one to help you..

PRESS THE WINDOW KEY!!!!

Ahhh the magic of Square-Soft will kick you immediately out of the game... don't worry though... your character will be safe and sound when you return..

HEHHEHEHEEHEH

Its not cheating... its called using their SYSTEM to your advantage... ***** em... until they allow alt-tab or whatevers I consider the windows key my SAVIOR AND HOLY PARADISE...

HAHAHAAH!!!

I can't do that anymore...did they discontinue the windows key usage? When I started this game about two months ago, that blasted [windows] key would drive me crazy...I'd accidently hit it instead of [ctrl] because that button is right next to it, and it would make me scream with frustration.

I'm glad I can't [windows] key out of the game anymore :)

Ok hear is a simple fact, preventing alt-tab or minimiszing does NOT prevent hacking I now know of 6 different programs that allow you to script macro bot and basically cheat like hell all while in fullscreen mode. Hell some of them REQUIRE full screen mode. Im afraid people that use that excuse are just blind to the fact that if people want to cheat they will no matter what. Its also clear the these people dont understand the basic guidelines that the makers of the operating system layout for how programs should interact.

The app that is currently WIDELY in use to allow the game to drop back to the desktop is a directx app and in NO way breaks the EULA. It is just allows the user to controll their directx applications much like the nvida control panel or other such utilitys do. This program is about and is here to stay. Just because some people are scared of possable cheats (which as I pointed out already exist without this) isnt going to change that fact. I respect the controversy over this only so much as to not post a link to the app but personally I am all for it. I belive it would be much better to bring this thing out into the open and ensure its used properly.

At the moment this program is being driven underground where people will still find it and use it, but at the same time they will find and use other program that will allow other things like auto stacking macros, then onto fishing macros, hunting/looting bots speedhacks and the such like. I know this wont make things like this go away but I belive it will lessen the amount of people that will find and use them.

Please not I will NOT give any information about hack/macro's/cheats to anyone other than a GM who would have to contact me ingame so I can verify who they are. The only info I will provide is about the windowing app as this in no way affects gameplay.

Yep, my window key does not get me out of game anymore.

A ctrl+Esc will though incase people want to drop from game.

BTW, I found the mob that I was engaged in was always still there when I came back. Was it just coincidence?