Project | Overworld

Here’s what you’re going to get from the Collector’s Edition of Final Fantasy XIV. Oh, wait. You didn’t know Square Enix was coming out with one? Well they are. But so far, it’s for the PC only.

IN-GAME ITEM – Collector’s Edition preorders will include a reward code to receive an exclusive in-game item, the Onion Helm (an exclusive in-game item which accelerates character recovery after falling in battle).
EARLY ACCESS – Play 8 days prior to the release of the Windows PC Standard Edition (timing of access subject to initial server capacity).
BEHIND-THE-SCENES DVD – Get an insider look at the making of FINAL FANTASY XIV, with exclusive video content, interviews and more in this special documentary DVD.
SECURITY TOKEN – A FINAL FANTASY XIV–branded Security Token for use with your regular password.
TRAVEL JOURNAL – Record your travels in this beautifully bound journal filled with pages of never-before-seen concept art.
RIGHT OF PASSAGE – Redeem a voucher to receive your fully-personalized Right of Passage Certificate, each stamped with a unique serial number.
AMANO COVER – Special PC Collector’s Edition illustration by renowned artist Yoshitaka Amano.

The Final Fantasy XIV Collector’s Edition will be available on September 22, 2010, practically a full week ahead of the standard edition’s release, which is slated for September 30. Purchase of the SE will also give you 30 days of game-time, although you can subscribe monthly to it for US$ 12.99. Meanwhile, the CE will cost you US$ 74.99.

No word yet if this Collector’s Edition is crossing over to the PS3, so we suggest you keep those fingers crossed. Oh, and keep it that way too for the new release date of Final Fantasy XIV’s PS3 version.

Here is what it looks like :

Square Enix has announced that the PC version of the upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game Final Fantasy XIV will be released on September 30, the bad news, the PS3 version will not be available until March of 2011. According to the games executive producer Hiromichi Tanaka:

“This September, players around the world will join together to explore the fascinating and exciting realm of Eorzea. We’re presenting players with a new style of online gameplay, that we know will please avid fans of online games, but welcome more casual gamers as well with the variety of gameplay and story-driven content.”

The game will be available in two versions, a standard edition that will cost US$ 49.99 and a collectors edition that will retail for US$ 74.99. It will be out on September 22 and will include “a behind-the-scenes DVD, a special branded security token, a FFXIV branded tumbler, map, a travel journal including concept art, the Onion Helm in-game item, a 30-day free trial period for the game and a pass that allows a guest to play for free for a limited time.” While the monthly subscription fee will be US$ 12.99.

A beta version of the game will go live in early July. For those wondering about the games requirements, you need to have a Windows XP/Vista/7, Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz or AMD Athlon X2 2GHz, 2GB of RAM, 15GB HDD space, NVIDIA GeForce 9600 512MB or ATI Radeon HD 2900 512MB and DirectX 9.

Level Cap Increase

History is about to be made with the increase of the level cap in the March version update and beyond! The increase will take place in stages until the new maximum, level 99, has been reached.

Up until now, character strength has been limited to level 75, and additions to the game such as monsters, strategic content, and equipment had been designed to correspond to this.

However, with the game having reached a certain level of maturity and the bulk of existing notorious monsters having already fallen prey to tenacious bands of adventurers, the development team has deemed that the time is now ripe for the bar to be raised.
Level Cap Considerations
We are aware that players will inevitably feel concern over how in-game elements such as support jobs, experience camps, and merit points will be affected by this change. We would like to take a moment to explain the measures that are in the pipes to preserve game balance.

Support job abilities that are not expected to steal the limelight from main jobs as a result of the level cap increase will be allowed to come into play. Furthermore, there are plans to tweak certain job abilities, job traits, and magic spells on an ongoing basis in order to further accentuate the uniqueness of each job when used in a main role, as well as its versatility when playing a supporting role.

New camping grounds are scheduled to be added to cater to the anticipated rise in demand for experience parties. Furthermore, the redistribution of monsters in existing areas is also under consideration.

An increase in maximum upgrades is being considered for existing merit point skills and attributes. Preparations are also under way for the introduction of a new type of merit point for players who have reached the new level 99 summit.

An announcement was made today at VanaFest 2010 for “Abyssea,” an all-new three-part series of battle-oriented add-ons.

A parallel world existing beside Vana’diel, Abyssea is a land fraught with perils and home to savage hordes of heretofore unseen creatures. Ferocious, towering NMs, new-look HNMs―even the garden varieties will confound would-be challengers with their unfamiliar and formidable powers. These and a whole host more await hapless adventurers with open arms and voracious maws.

In Abyssea, concerns such as the over-population of battle areas and the need for large time investments will be a thing of the past. The development team is hard at work creating a world where parties can engage in rewarding battles with powerful foes and collect prized equipment with the least of fuss.

More details are available via the following links:
The Official Abyssea Website
The Official VanaFest 2010 Website

It has just been announced at the FFXI Vanafest 2010 that the Final Fantasy XIV Beta Test Site will officially be open on March 11th!

If you haven’t signed up yet, you may do so by clicking this link:

FFXIV Beta Sign Up

With the eagerly anticipated FINAL FANTASY XIV drawing ever nearer its beta test phase, we are excited to announce that we will be conducting a closed alpha test—exclusive to our loyal FINAL FANTASY XI users!
Those who have been selected as beta testers can expect to receive further information starting from Monday, March 1.
* The tester website is scheduled to go live on Thursday, March 11.

Those who were not selected in this drawing, fear not, for there will be other opportunities to come. Be sure to stay tuned!

New Version Update Announced! (02/23/2010)

We’re pleased to announce that the development team is hard at work on the next FINAL FANTASY XI version update, which is currently on track for a mid-March release!

As always, a host of new additions and enhancements are in store for you, the details of which will first be unveiled to the public at VanaFest 2010 on Sunday, February 28.

Those unable to attend the event need not despair, as extensive coverage will be provided via the VanaFest official site and Topics, including a streaming video feed and multilingual commentary from the international community teams as previously mentioned in this space. Don’t miss out on the festivities!

Visit the official VanaFest 2010 site today!

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