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Posts tagged Fantasy
Final Fantasy XI: Accounts Compromised
Jun 8th
Following what was to be a standard monthly update to Final Fantasy XI's game registration servers were a few days of technical issues afflicting Square Enix's customer support.
The source? A breach of security that may have resulted in the "disclosure of a limited number of PlayOnline IDs, passwords and user account data." A number of players have received e-mails informing them of the breach and also that their password has been reset as a precaution.
via Kotaku.
LOTRO’s VIP benefits
Jun 4th
Take a look over here to see what, exactly, a VIP membership gets you in LOTRO. Or a premium account.
Just so’s ya know: If you’re subscribed right now, you’ll have a premium account. If you’ve got a lifetime sub, you’ve got a VIP account forever. At least we’ve got that.
[Update: Those are VIP benefits for the beta program, mind you, and they may change for release. I’m guessing we aren’t all going to have our levels reverted to 50!]
LOTRO goes Free to Play
Jun 4th
I know I said I was leaving, but this news is too big not to post. Press release below, if you’re interested.
How do you think free-to-play LOTRO will work out? I’m not so sure it’s a good idea. One of the things that makes free-to-play DDO work is that quests all have multiple difficulties, which means you can repeat single quests over and over again. If you don’t repeat quests, you’re more or less forced to pay if you want to reach much above level 4 — once you get to that point, you’ll find that leveling becomes difficult as a free player, as so much of the game is locked behind a pay wall. Without repeatable quests, LOTRO will struggle to emulate the DDO model.
Further, LOTRO’s strength has been its community, and I really question the effect this will have on our current community.
Let me know what you think. Click that comments link and post.
[Update: The e-mail I received from Turbine’s PR agency notes that LOTRO f2p will be playable at E3. While I’m not attending, I’ll try to get information for you from the Vault folks who are.]
WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE TO More >FFXI Soundtrack Now on iTunes
May 26th
To celebrate FINAL FANTASY XI reaching its 8th anniversary, Square Enix has announced that a brand new album, “FINAL FANTASY XI 8th Anniversary ~ Memories of Dusk and Dawn”, is now available for purchase on iTunes.
The album is filled to the brim with some of the most recognizable songs from Vana’diel. From the soothing sounds of “Ronfaure” that accompanied your first steps outside Kingdom walls to the epic “Awakening” that brings back memories of hard-won battles, there is something for everyone.Don’t miss this perfect opportunity to relive the adventures of yesteryear as you prepare to embark on those of tomorrow!
Click here to view the album on iTunes!
Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia Level Restrictions to be Lifted
May 25th
The Chains of Promathia expansion is both beloved and maligned by many a FFXI fan, loved because it offers some of the most interesting content in the game, and maligned due to the fact the content is spread across several different areas and instances that are all capped at differing level tiers (30, 40, 50, and 60) which presents a number of annoyances to players looking to complete the content.
Those days will soon come to an end, however, as Square Enix has announced that the upcoming version update will remove the level caps from Chains of Promathia areas. The Japanese developer is going one step further, as well, announcing that content in some of these areas will be adjusted to present a challenge to players level 75+ in anticipation of the upcoming level cap bump.
View the original announcement here.
Final Fantasy XI frees up Chains of Promathia
May 24th
Final Fantasy XI’s Chains of Promathia was a bit polarizing for the players — you either love it or hate it. No one can argue that it raised the bar considerably on the game’s cutscenes and storytelling, but it was also restrictive in many ways and limited player access to new zones (which were the only non-storyline elements added). It’s a sign of its nature that there are still many players who want to finish the storyline, even though the option has been there for several years. Lucky for players, the June version update is addressing that.
Although the removal of level caps was mentioned in passing at VanaFest 2010, the most recent news gives a specific list of what areas will be affected — all four Promyvion areas, Pso’Xja, Riverne Site #A01 and #B01, the Phomiuna Aqueducts, and the Sacrarium. The announcement goes on to confirm that mission battlefields will also be uncapped, and the monster layout and strength will be adjusted in some of the areas to facilitate characters at 75 and above. It promises to spark new interest in Final Fantasy XI’s most unique expansion and the corresponding zones, which is good news for anyone in the More >
World map and points of interest in latest Final Fantasy XIV update
May 21st
When news starts coming from Famitsu regarding Final Fantasy XIV, it usually heralds information coming direct from Square-Enix shortly thereafter. Only a short time after the leak that gave us a look at the world map and some of the points of interest, the official site updated with more information on the world. While there was some information accessible from the prior scans, the new section on Limsa Lominsa details the city extensively, as well as adding sections for the two other city states, Ul’dah and Gridania.
Although the three states each bear some similarities to Final Fantasy XI’s great nations, they’re quite different in feel and in scope. The biggest similarity seems to be that much like the previous game, they’re filled with distinct personalities and locations. Limsa Lominsa is the only city to get full detailing on its landmarks, but those range from the former pirate dive that’s been turned into the adventurer’s guild (The Drowning Wench) to the city’s center at an ancient swamped battleship (The Mizzenmast). Final Fantasy XIV fans are encouraged to take a look at the official site for its updates, which continue to paint the world of Eorzea in broad strokes.
More >Final Fantasy XIV world map in leaked issue of Famitsu
May 20th
It’s been a little while since we’ve heard anything new about Final Fantasy XIV, although all signs point to the game continuing to do well for itself in testing. But we might be due for another gush of information, considering that the most recent leaked issue of Famitsu contains a few bits that we’ve not seen before… including a nice map of the world of Eorzea. Unfortunately, the translation team over at FFXIVcore hasn’t yet gone wild on the pages, but there’s still plenty to be discovered, from what we can see.
Eorzea’s map vaguely resembles a mirror image of Africa, with a large island off the coast. It doesn’t appear to have an obvious focal point a la Final Fantasy XI’s world with Jeuno at the continental intersection. There’s also a groundswell of information on the guilds and people within the city of Limsa Lominsa, While there’s not a bulk of new information on the game’s mechanics, it’s certainly a fair dose of lore that we haven’t gotten before, and we can only hope it signals the start of another round of big news on Final Fantasy XIV.
Final Fantasy XI: Visions of Abyssea Teaser Site Live
May 19th
Visions of Abyssea, the first of three post level cap bump add-ons scheduled to release this year now has an official home in the form of a basic teaser site similar to ones we've seen for previous add-ons to the game.
The teaser site offers two screenshots, product details, and a bit of backstory. The tentative launch date for Visions of Abyssea is set for mid-June, with the remaining two add-ons (Scars of Abyssea and Heroes of Abyssea) to release later in the second half of 2010.
In order to access the Visions of Abyssea content, players must be level 30 or higher and have the original Final Fantasy XI base game as well as the "Wings of the Goddess" and "Rise of the Zilart" expansions. Visions of Abyssea will be priced at $9.99 and will be available for all three SKUs (PS2, XBOX 360 and PC).
View the Visions of Abyssea teaser site here.
LOTRO Celebrates 3rd Anniversary
Apr 27th
WESTWOOD, MA April 26, 2010 – Turbine, Inc. announced today the start of the celebration of the third anniversary of The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO), the award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The LOTRO Anniversary celebration will run from April 26, 2010 to June 30, 2010.
“It’s been another incredible year of growth for LOTRO and Turbine highlighted by critical and consumer acclaim,” said Jim Crowley, President and CEO of Turbine, Inc. “Since its launch, LOTRO has consistently been named Game of the Year by leading MMORPG sites and the overwhelmingly positive response to the game from millions of players who have adventured in Middle-earth has firmly cemented the game as one of the worlds premier online entertainment experiences. The game’s player base grew over 15% over the past year and our anniversary is a chance for us to celebrate with our past and present players to enjoy everything that is special about Middle-earth and thank them for their wonderful support with some special subscription options.”
The Lord of the Rings Online Third Anniversary Celebration includes:
- Play for $9.99 a month!: The party never has to end! During LOTROs Third Anniversary Celebration (April 26th to June 30th), you can More >