FF XIV Beta Hits in July, More Testers could be Invited

Square shows its hottest MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV at E3 2010 and I believe you've watch the trailer. According to Hiromich Tanaka, the producer of FF XIV, the E3 version is very close to the beta, he also points out that "the PS3 version will be running in 720p in order to ensure performance" while "PC version can go up to 1080p". But for all FF fans the best news given by Hiromich Tanaka is that the beta will start in July at the latest! So, just one month to go. Hiromich Tanaka revealed the time for beta at the interview with Dengeki, together with some useful information about beta, check them below.

FF XIV gameplay video by Steparu

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Are there other means of communication aside from chatting?
Tanaka: We have plans to include a macro palette, which you could use to combine skills and messages to make communication a little easier. Beyond that, we are working on a system where party members can tell which enemy their leader is attacking.

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Are there any new systems planned for beta?
Tanaka: Weapons and items will lose durability. You will not lose a weapon because of it, but its battle potential will drop to the point where it will probably be useless. Since repairs will be necessary, we have increased the number of gathering and crafting classes. The next big planned addition would be retainers, hirable NPCs. For example, in FFXI you could not run your bazaar if you logged out. In FFXIV if you hand your items over to your retainer and set them up in the marketplace, you will be able to sell your goods even if you log off. Other than that, we have plans for linkshells but are unsure of when they will be ready for implementation.

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Will beta bring with it more areas to explore?
Tanaka: If we add even more, we are not sure how large the size of the beta download will become. We will test it, but it might be difficult.

Then beta will start…?
Tanaka: We would like to start it in July at the latest. We will make separate announcements regarding the PS3 version.

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You had said that cross-regional servers would be implemented mid-beta. When, exactly?
Tanaka: Alpha servers are technically already cross-regional but are segregated only by time. If everything is stable, we would like to have them running nearly around the clock from the start of beta.

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Are there plans to increase the number of testers in beta on a large-scale?
Tanaka: There are already ten alpha servers, and testers number in the tens of thousands. For beta, first we would like to move all those players over. If all is well after that, we plan to add more testers. The improvements that make beta what it is would not have been possible without the voices of our alpha testers. Therefore, I would like everyone to experience beta and provide feedback in hopes that the game will improve even more. Of course we will continue to make adjustments after the official release, so do not hesitate to tell us what you think.

Via FFXIVCore.com

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