HolyDragoon
One born of a Canadian...
With the bulk of the NDA on the verge of lifting. Now is likely a good time for an exclusive multi-part write up for the readers on FFF. My name is Holy Dragoon. I am a Legacy player, and as such have been in the Beta from the first day. I come hardened by the growing pains of Final Fantasy XIV 1.0. These pains have given me a renewed hope for the future of not only Final Fantasy XIV, but the entire Final Fantasy series. I thought I'd share my experiences with the re-imagining of Final Fantasy X|V : A Realm Reborn (commonly referred to as ARR or 2.0). I will make sure any known changes are present in this write up, as some things have undergone large changes between Phase 2, and Phase 3.
Please ask any questions you might think of. I will answer everything that I can, as I've put a lot of effort into following the transformation of this game. I saw signs of a great things in SquareEnix for the first time in years, and I'm writing this in order to show people the work that Naoki Yoshida's team has done. If you are afraid to look at this game because it is an MMO, please don't be. I'm not a big MMO player, but I am a long time Final Fantasy player and avid gamer.
Part One : Character Creation
The first stop on my tour, is the process of getting back into Eorzea. I won't dwell on the original too much here, but there are a couple general statements to be made. XIV 1.0's character creation tried to steer players to make characters that were not displeasing to the eye (or "ugly" if you prefer). Colours, hair and facial features were streamlined to match the race, sex, and clan choices you made as a player. While there was variety, it was not in excess.
In A Realm Reborn, a lot of this has changed, from the moment you start the creator. Right off the get go you are allowed to swap backgrounds during creation to see what your character looks like under different lighting, or you can enable gestures to see how you animate. The default background will instantly make Final Fantasy fans feel at home, a Crystal themed atmosphere paired with Crystal themed music. After choosing your basics of Race, Gender, and Clan you are brought to the meat of the creator where a plethora of hair styles are available to choose from. A large (and nearly full RGB scale) list of colour is available and hair styles now cross over from other races in addition to many all new styles. Compare that to 1.0's 8 hairstyles and 5 colours with shading variations. These options are vastly improved, yet they still manage to keep the positives of the original game, such as dual the coloured hair and pleasing aesthetics.
The usual fare of MMO options are available in this creator, allowing you to hone in on your Character that will be accompanying you into Eorzea. Body shapes, eye shapes, height, skin tones, all make an appearance. They differ though in that SquareEnix has decided against using sliders. Instead of sliders, you are given a list of options. Short of creating some really unrealistic looking characters, you have a lot of free reign considering you are not using sliders. A good example would be eye colours. In version 1.0, you had about a dozen options (including heterochromia choices). Beginning in Phase 3, you will be able to pick specific eye colours for each eye if you want using the same RGB scale I mentioned before. This type of customization carries on into all aspects of creation, including body modifications.
You'll be able to adjust various settings for your character to again help stand out. These vary based on race, and a nice touch that makes each one unique. Most races have both Bust and Tone options, allowing for more athletic or average looking characters. The Miqo'te (feline race) have tail length, thickness and even two toned colour options. Elezen (elf race) offer options for their iconic ears. Tattoos can be added as well, and the list of tattoos entering Phase 3 is extensive. Ranging from menacing tribal looking tattoos all the way to cute chocobo chicks, you can once again add your splashes of colour.
Lastly, it is time to model your character off by picking your Class, do note that starting Class ties you to a city-state. (There is a difference between Class and Job, which I will get into when I discuss why you only need one Character, using the improved Armoury System.) You will be also be given a visual treat upon making your choice and clicking Job Attire: Job Artifact Armour paired with the Job's Relic Weapon. This is meant to instantly give you a look at something to aspire to, iconic Final Fantasy visuals, and a taste of how A Realm Reborn feels once again like a true Final Fantasy.
While the Final Fantasy feel is different for everyone, A Realm Reborn is trying hard to prove that it is a Final Fantasy for a new generation, while maintaining the greatness of its past. The late-game designs of 1.0 implemented by Yoshi-P began what could in fact be the biggest turnaround for Final Fantasy in a decade.
Keep an eye out for Part 2 for my full breakdown on the re-designed Black Shroud, along with the city-state of Gridania. I will follow it up right here in this thread to make it easier to find.
Please ask any questions you might think of. I will answer everything that I can, as I've put a lot of effort into following the transformation of this game. I saw signs of a great things in SquareEnix for the first time in years, and I'm writing this in order to show people the work that Naoki Yoshida's team has done. If you are afraid to look at this game because it is an MMO, please don't be. I'm not a big MMO player, but I am a long time Final Fantasy player and avid gamer.
Part One : Character Creation
The first stop on my tour, is the process of getting back into Eorzea. I won't dwell on the original too much here, but there are a couple general statements to be made. XIV 1.0's character creation tried to steer players to make characters that were not displeasing to the eye (or "ugly" if you prefer). Colours, hair and facial features were streamlined to match the race, sex, and clan choices you made as a player. While there was variety, it was not in excess.
In A Realm Reborn, a lot of this has changed, from the moment you start the creator. Right off the get go you are allowed to swap backgrounds during creation to see what your character looks like under different lighting, or you can enable gestures to see how you animate. The default background will instantly make Final Fantasy fans feel at home, a Crystal themed atmosphere paired with Crystal themed music. After choosing your basics of Race, Gender, and Clan you are brought to the meat of the creator where a plethora of hair styles are available to choose from. A large (and nearly full RGB scale) list of colour is available and hair styles now cross over from other races in addition to many all new styles. Compare that to 1.0's 8 hairstyles and 5 colours with shading variations. These options are vastly improved, yet they still manage to keep the positives of the original game, such as dual the coloured hair and pleasing aesthetics.
The usual fare of MMO options are available in this creator, allowing you to hone in on your Character that will be accompanying you into Eorzea. Body shapes, eye shapes, height, skin tones, all make an appearance. They differ though in that SquareEnix has decided against using sliders. Instead of sliders, you are given a list of options. Short of creating some really unrealistic looking characters, you have a lot of free reign considering you are not using sliders. A good example would be eye colours. In version 1.0, you had about a dozen options (including heterochromia choices). Beginning in Phase 3, you will be able to pick specific eye colours for each eye if you want using the same RGB scale I mentioned before. This type of customization carries on into all aspects of creation, including body modifications.
You'll be able to adjust various settings for your character to again help stand out. These vary based on race, and a nice touch that makes each one unique. Most races have both Bust and Tone options, allowing for more athletic or average looking characters. The Miqo'te (feline race) have tail length, thickness and even two toned colour options. Elezen (elf race) offer options for their iconic ears. Tattoos can be added as well, and the list of tattoos entering Phase 3 is extensive. Ranging from menacing tribal looking tattoos all the way to cute chocobo chicks, you can once again add your splashes of colour.
Lastly, it is time to model your character off by picking your Class, do note that starting Class ties you to a city-state. (There is a difference between Class and Job, which I will get into when I discuss why you only need one Character, using the improved Armoury System.) You will be also be given a visual treat upon making your choice and clicking Job Attire: Job Artifact Armour paired with the Job's Relic Weapon. This is meant to instantly give you a look at something to aspire to, iconic Final Fantasy visuals, and a taste of how A Realm Reborn feels once again like a true Final Fantasy.
While the Final Fantasy feel is different for everyone, A Realm Reborn is trying hard to prove that it is a Final Fantasy for a new generation, while maintaining the greatness of its past. The late-game designs of 1.0 implemented by Yoshi-P began what could in fact be the biggest turnaround for Final Fantasy in a decade.
Keep an eye out for Part 2 for my full breakdown on the re-designed Black Shroud, along with the city-state of Gridania. I will follow it up right here in this thread to make it easier to find.
