The Critically Acclaimed MMORPG turns 12 Years outdated as we speak. Be part of us on a visit down reminiscence lane as our very personal Last Fantasy XIV addict recaps the journey to this point.
**Warning This Consists of Minor Spoilers For Last Fantasy XIV**
This one. We’ll begin with this one.
Last Fantasy XIV initially launched on September 30, 2010, for the PC and was finally alleged to launch on the PlayStation 3. And after some public testing, the MMORPG finally opened its gates to little fanfare and was doomed from the beginning. After the success of Last Fantasy XI and the rise of the MMORPG within the mid-2000s an eventual second, a extra fashionable try on the style appeared like a no-brainier for Sq. Enix.
There are lots of, many the explanation why Last Fantasy XIV launched within the state it did. And if you would like a deep dive into the sport’s troubled historical past and eventual rise to the very high, I extremely counsel you try Noclip’s wonderful documentary. However since yours actually occurs to be a type of meteor survivors you will get a brief abridged model of all of this. To make a protracted story brief, Last Fantasy XIV was caught in what many would describe as an ideal storm. Through the nice despair of Japanese video video games of the late 2000s, Sq. Enix wrestle to outline its id in an business that had exploded proper beneath its eyes.
And as a lot as I wish to keep away from namedropping it so early, World of Warcraft additionally performed an enormous function on this story. To at the present time, the MMORPG style suffers from tribalism. The largest MMORPG tends to draw essentially the most gamers, one thing no different style has to cope with. Last Fantasy XI launched within the west in 2004 proper earlier than the arrival of what would transform the best MMORPG of all time.
Later as World of Warcraft ran its course and continued to develop into infinity and past, Sq. Enix most likely figured: in the event that they create a brand new next-gen MMORPG that may be loved on the console, they may get a few of that motion. There was only one situation, World of Warcraft was by no means fashionable in Japan, in truth, it was by no means even formally localized over there. And so the builders of Last Fantasy XIV had by no means had any publicity to what a contemporary western MMORPG was like.
They figured they’d simply do what they did with Last Fantasy XI once more, simply with prettier graphics and a deep fight system — that they had struck gold! In spite of everything Last Fantasy XI was for a very long time the most well-liked MMORPG on the Japanese market and that will certainly work within the west proper?
One other key issue was most likely the sheer confidence everybody had of their work. And do not get me improper Last Fantasy XIV 1.0 on paper ought to’ve been an ideal if considerably dated MMORPG. However when all of it got here collectively and there was no time until launch… you will launch a buggy mess with servers which might be barely working. Now on-line video games breaking on day one is kind of frequent, however Last Fantasy XIV’s points on launch went far deeper than overworked servers and efficiency points.
Most of the recreation mechanics simply did not work collectively. As an alternative, it felt like many components had been designed in their very own little vacuum. Stuff just like the timing-based gathering system not working in any respect with the gradual server ticks. Or how the restrict on every day Guildleves and EXP acquire penalties made leveling gradual and painful. And there was additionally only a basic lack of polish, the sport wanted a minimum of one other half a 12 months and even longer. However hey, Last Fantasy XI was a damaged mess at launch, you’ll be able to simply patch it proper? The problem was solely that gaming tradition in 2010 had moved on far faster from a catastrophe than again in 2002.
By way of all of this, there was a small however very devoted base of gamers that appeared previous the myriad of points. And for me, Last Fantasy XIV 1.0 wasn’t precisely MMORPG, I might wrestle to name it even a mediocre one. However beneath the unhealthy gameplay techniques and poor efficiency, there was simply one thing that gripped us. Possibly it was the world or the insane quantity of effort put into the few cutscenes. Eorzea rapidly grew to become a house to a couple warriors of sunshine who selected to remain and actually struggle for his or her new residence alongside the builders.
The Warrior of Gentle
At this level, it turns into laborious to speak about Last Fantasy XIV with out the person that will finally turn into its beating coronary heart and soul. Naoki Yoshida the Director and Producer of Last Fantasy XIV. After the launch of 1.0 Sq. Enix struggled to determine what to do with their fledgling MMORPG. It was in some ways a failure and it got here on the tail-end of one of many firm’s worst years ever. They’d both need to patch the sport right into a playable state and go Free to Play to make their a refund… or try to repair the sport. In spite of everything, this was a numbered Last Fantasy title and it might endlessly be a stain on the repute of the franchise.
In case you take an prolonged look into Yoshida’s profession he gave the impression to be the proper match. Simply earlier than he joined the Last Fantasy XIV staff he was principally the director of Dragon Quest X, one other MMORPG that sadly by no means launched exterior of Japan. Being an avid fan of the style Yoshida knew precisely easy methods to carry Last Fantasy XIV again on monitor, in an effort that will arguably spiral into one of many biggest glow-up tales on this business.
Not solely did Yoshida and his staff plan to repair the sport for its gamers, however they might additionally rebuild it from the bottom up to make sure that Eorzea would have a future. Take into consideration that for a second, nobody else had ever botched a recreation launch so spectacularly that they felt like their solely method ahead was to run one MMORPG for 2 years whereas additionally growing one other MMORPG to exchange it with. In fact, Yoshida wasn’t alone on this endeavor. Your complete Last Fantasy XIV staff deserves reward for it. And this may additionally lay the groundwork for why gamers have a lot goodwill in direction of the sport’s devs and producers.
On the time, nobody knew what was to come back and the modifications additionally began to be mirrored within the story content material added to Last Fantasy XIV. Issues took a darkish flip within the realm of Eorzea, the Garlean Empire slowly made their presence referred to as issues began to spiral uncontrolled. Gamers began to have nightmares and there was an ominous purple mild within the night time sky that grew bigger with each patch.
Over these two years, 1.0 began to form extra right into a playable expertise. Gameplay overhauls and simply extra stuff to do gave gamers hope that Last Fantasy XIV is on monitor. However then we additionally obtained an announcement that 2.0 could be a separate title and Last Fantasy XIV would shut down its operations. By that time, Eorzea slowly spiraled into chaos. Monsters terrorized the cities and the story had turn into unhinged.
The Finish of an Period
A particular shout-out right here goes to the hunt ‘To Kill a Raven’ and the battle at Rivenroad. By that time, it was apparent that the mechanical moon Dalamund was going to crash into Eorzea on the command of the Garlean, Legatus Nael van Darnus. Gamers might now make a last-ditch effort to save lots of their residence from sure doom and the encounter did ship on the promise of being a correct closing boss. It was so good that we might even see a religious successor to it nearly two years later.
However killing the White Raven in the end solely delayed the inevitable. Dalamud was going to fall and there was nothing we might do to cease it. Every single day now the purple moon would come nearer and nearer as monsters ran rampant and gamers united to place up secure zones.
To at the present time, some of the distinctive reminiscences I’ve in gaming is standing there with pals I had made the previous 12 months. I am going to always remember that slightly chilly November morning and the dread that hung over all our heads. We had by no means bothered to trade contact information exterior the sport, most of our communications and antics occurred in a linkshell. It was the final time I met and spoke to a few of them and as Dalamud descended we cracked jokes and mentioned our goodbyes. Only a bunch of adventurers having a jolly good time earlier than the tip.
None of us anticipated to be kicked out of the sport solely to be greeted with a 5 minute cinematic sending off 1.0 with a bang as a substitute of a whimper. Each finish marks a brand new starting. A daring promise for one thing we must wait one more 12 months.
A Realm Reborn
In comparison with the launch of 1.0, the air across the re-release of Last Fantasy XIV, now dubbed A Realm Reborn, was very completely different. There was simply this air of confidence round it, even with the buggy beta exams and the rocky launch. So let me be clear right here, this MMORPG most individuals had given up on, not solely rose from the sure demise — A Realm Reborn was so fashionable on launch that they needed to cease promoting copies so as to get a grip on server congestion.
And laborious work paid off. A Realm Reborn felt and performed like what you’d count on from a contemporary MMORPG, whereas nonetheless upholding the clear affect from Last Fantasy XI. Sure, the cross-class system that required you to stage an Archer to love 40 to unlock the Black Mage job was form of silly, but it surely was additionally one of many very distinctive quirks of XIV. I might say again in A Realm Reborn the sport was much more mechanical in comparison with how it’s performed as we speak.
Gamers must meet sure stat necessities to dwell by encounters, however they may additionally customise their characters in lots of ways in which felt significant. Even when that finally led to metas evolving and gamers optimizing all the things to perfection.
One in all Last Fantasy XIVs greatest promoting factors was its story; an epic saga that will proceed the strands left over from 1.0, whereas additionally introducing new gamers to Eorzea and its many individuals. Right now all of this appears slightly tame, particularly compared to newer content material. However it might additionally lay the inspiration for the way Last Fantasy XIV would construction its content material. Each function and kind of content material got here with its personal quest and story that will floor it on the planet. Need to learn to improve your gear with these funny-colored stones? Go to that goblin and let him and his crew educate you ways.
The presentation was an enormous promoting level of the entire expertise and Last Fantasy XIV was nothing like its up to date MMOs. As an alternative, you bought 30-40 hours of JRPG that carried you from the beginning all the way in which to the extent 50 cap. Your journey was interwoven with content material that had you courageous dungeons and boss fights along with different gamers so as to succeed. Some MMO veterans didn’t like how XIV funneled them into content material, however this may later flip into the sport’s greatest power. As a result of in the event you can direct your participant’s expertise you’ll be able to level them in any course you need.
A Realm Reawakens
Now everybody who’s performed it’ll inform you that A Realm Reborn is a gradual burn. And whereas the bottom recreation is usually centered on getting gamers settled on the planet and its present state of affairs. It’s the post-base recreation content material, the two.x patches when Last Fantasy XIV actually begins to put the inspiration for the following 10 years price of story. Those that braved the Binding Coils of Bahamut lastly acquired closure on these story threads leftover from 1.0 ending in a dramatic struggle with the dread wyrm himself.
Each patch launched hours’ price of latest quests and tales, alongside extra boss trials and revamped variations of older dungeons. And again then Last Fantasy XIVs content material principally comprised of leveling different jobs and gearing them up. A typical MMORPG affair, it is nearly laughable how small patches have been as compared in comparison with the dimensions they’re as we speak.
However I do not assume anybody would’ve anticipated the form of story we acquired within the post-A Realm Reborn patches. You’d assume after beating the massive bads, Gaius van Baelsar and the Ascians, we might now work in direction of the following massive enemy to beat. However most of these patches will even have us cope with the aftermath of our struggle with the Ultima Weapon. You see, Eorzea is a small place in a big world, and earlier than we solely heard of different locations like Ala Mhigo and Sharlayan within the taste textual content.
Now our actions affected individuals half the globe away, and we get launched to some refugees from Doma. So chunk of time is spent not solely cleansing up leftover messes from 2.0 but additionally coping with the results of our actions. The Garlean Empire isn’t just a token villain, neither are the Ascians. Even when we soundly defeat them, they are not simply gone. We solely managed to place down one their many brokers. And coming to understand it’s going to take much more than simply the Warrior of Gentle to cope with these issues is an enormous a part of what makes XIV’s story so nice.
Sure, you play the hero of this story. However you are not a one suits all resolution both. Whilst you can slay primals, and beat the massive unhealthy empire again, who’s gonna handle the refugees and victims of these conflicts? And who’s gonna be there when you’re off to some far-flung place? All of it slowly builds in direction of the finale in 2.5. Whereas additionally sowing the seeds that will lead us into the following enlargement. And whereas the twist within the quest ‘The Parting Glass’ was properly telegraphed for 2 patches by then, I do not assume anybody anticipated them to go all the way in which with it.
Within the span of simply 30 or so minutes of cutscenes all the things you’ve got labored in direction of, nearly everybody you realize, is simply scattered to the winds. And if it wasn’t for the unbridled enthusiasm of 1 good-looking Elezen, that feeling of hopelessness would’ve gotten to a few of us gamers as properly. However what are you able to do once you’re knocked down and there’s no method however ahead? You are inclined to look Heavensward.
Be part of us subsequent time once we relive the Award-winning Heavensward enlargement and enterprise by Stormblood as Last Fantasy XIV continues to evolve into the MMORPG big it’s as we speak. For extra gaming information, give us a go to right here on ESTNN.
