New info: FFXIV Offline[fake]Follow

Well it appears to be Japanese only so far.

I'm curious if they'll eventually have allow NA and EU players into either the closed or open beta. I have a suspicion that the beta will be JA only though, all the way up until the release.

The first beta may not actually be connected to the internet. I haven't ever heard of an MMO company doing it before, but I could totally see them having the very first beta testers not actually be on a server together.

Might be best for now to remain skeptical, but we should get a confirmation pretty soon in any case.

I'm guessing if its real then "offline" is just a name for the beta to signify that it will only be available to select people.

I'll ask Elmer to take a look once he gets up, but could the OP tell us where he found the image?

Starts 09/09/09? Really? lol...
Anyway how did you come across this because this is on a file sharing site making its credibility incredibly small.

Well if that is so, why doesn't the application the picture references as being on the FFXI official website on the official website?

...

That was one very mauled sentence. Oh well, I think it still gets the point across.

It seems to be a JP only beta for now, which would explain that we haven't received it but the JP did.

Idk Karelyn (if I understood your point, Lol), maybe they're slow on updating the official site?

The only plausible thing I can see of this being real is if it was distributed through the email list system so only those who registered for it would see it, but I would think we would have more confirmation by now. Im inclined to say not real till there is more confirmation from other people out there.

A lot of MMOs do local tests first. If it's an offline beta, they're running through the low level content to make sure the client is stable and able to connect to a unique instance of the server (I think). Then, once they see that's stable, they'll start putting 200-500 people together at a time, and it grows from there. Local phase-ins aren't uncommon. Then, once it's stable on a local level, I guess they'll branch out. Who knows.

Also, as far as we know, this could be a 'very closed alpha test'.

I imagine they'll want NA and EU players in the open beta, if for no other reason than to find localization issues.

For closed beta and alpha testing, I don't see any reason they'd want non JP testers.

Edited, Jul 8th 2009 4:20pm by KarlHungis

Yeah I am with everyone else for waiting for more proof. I would hope they send the e-mails out to more people. Speaking of which did anyone get a confirmation e-mail back when you signed up on the site? I never received one.

They did say that, and said that particular beta would last longer than the FFXI beta which lasted several months in Japan. It was also open in the sense that there was no NDA. Kind a weird actually when you think about it, most open betas usually only last a couple months because they have extensive NDA based closed betas to do all the behind scenes stuff but FFXI they didn't do that and from the interviews so far it sounds like they plan to do it again this time too.

However a localized closed beta makes sense, it would be a horrible idea to have the only beta open up internationally from the start because than bugs and issues would come in from multiple language barriers and overwelm the localization staff. Even though I want to play this game as soon as possible, I would actually prefer the Japanese get the beta first for several months just so it goes smoother and thus comes out quicker. The localization staff can work behind the scenes while that beta is going and have a sizable open beta maybe 5 months before the release or something.

Edited, Jul 8th 2009 5:01pm by croythegreat

Indeed, but they didn't specify _which_ beta the EU and NA would have access to. It could be the final open beta only.

Do they mean the "main page" as in the FFXIV online main page, or Square Enix main page?
Curious, because I want to be the first person to look at FFXIV :-P.

Betas are usually done in phases to test out very specific aspects of the game one at a time. The first one is usually just to see how the gameplay is for the first 10-20 levels or so.

Edited, Jul 8th 2009 4:02pm by Yogtheterrible

It is a fake.

i bet its fake as well.

but the offline thing is most likly what real companies do... i mean think about it..

if u bring people from all over the place to sit and test your game in the confines of your own set studio or w/e ppl can't take screenshots and upload them on the net. the devs could also get direct 1on1 feedback on aspects about the game. much easier to find out if a person likes something face to face.

no one will believe them either since 1 persons word doesn't mean anything in the sea of text.