The February issue of Official Xbox Magazine will include a copy of the exclusive FINAL FANTASY XI Xbox 360 beta! This free beta includes enhanced visuals, audio, and other unique Xbox 360 features. Don't miss your chance to enjoy your first look at Vana'diel on the Xbox 360! The beta contains both the Rise of the Zilart and Chains of Promathia expansions fully realized on the next-generation console. Pick up your copy of the February issue of Official Xbox Magazine (on sale January 17th) and try out the beta for yourself!

http://www.square-enix.com/na/news/2005/12192005/

they're coming to get you barbara

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Meh, the beta is on a closed server, so it'll weed some ppl out that just got it b/c of the free copy. I'm not worried lol, more ppl for me to crush with my iron fist! j/k ;p

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well.. i came along with the ps2 release, and I've heard a lot of ppl who played from beta were like, "goddamn all these console noobs are ruining my gameplay". guess it's about time I had some payback.

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I want an Xbox 360

The game was definitly different before PS2 launch, But I don't know about the 360... I think it'll be more people that already play and are just changing to 360 then totally new players. I don't think FFXI can take another hit of newbs, not that all PS2ers are bad players (attitude wise) and there were definitly alot before the PS2 launch, but alot of the PS2ers were.

Oh yeah and...

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Another wave of noobs

lmfao, the game gives u 50 gill to start with and in case you haven't seen the ah lately, RMTs demand gonna skyrocket or ya gonna see a lot of naked newbs lvling in dunes lol

Have you seen crystal prices lately?

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Saladhead
75BRD/37WHM

i loved the game back before ps2 launch lol. the game really did change drastically. For months after the ps2 launch..you could search in valkurm dunes at any time, and there were 150-200 people there lol. Search there now...it's rarely above 50 people anymore because all the noobs have finally gotten past that stage. The xbox launch is just going to start all that over again lol, with massive overcrowding of all the noob exp areas...and with the new jobs coming with the new expansion...that's even more people trying to get exp at low levels.

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Havok~San'd Rank 10~ZM DONE~CoP DONE
DRG75 WAR75 NIN37 THF37 SAM37 WHM36

If SE thinks this through properly, they'll open new servers (atleast 2 more). and either make them xbox only, or spread them out and make volunteery server changes alot more attractive, like offer some special item just to people who change.
But then again, they've probably thought of that and come up with some reason why they cant, or they're just keeping the news of new servers hush-hush.

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honestly, i dont see people playing the beta now rerolling when the full version comes out.

and yeah the game has changed in attitude and other things drastically. its going to be very hard for any new player to do anything and unless all the 360 players are concetrated on one or two servers, they probably wont be able to play the game as it was meant to from the start. IE; they'll have to beg high level people as there wont be enough newer plays to do things like early rank missions or level caps.

Although, there are about 4 new servers on the server string (one named wyvern and dragon *teehee*) so maybe xbox players will be starting on a fresh server as well.

I miss the way the game used to be, its not really a community thing anymore. Its more or less just men trying to one up one another all day, gets tiring.

don't forget that they did say they wanted to focus a lot on single player improvements for the new expansion, that might help new players pick up the game and get into it.

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You make a good point that I hadn't concidered. Maybe the new expansion wont be geared towards people in end game. it may be more for the new players, and the players starting the new jobs... if its not, then the dunes is gonna be so overcrowded.

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I really think that's kinda what it's going to be like, especially if they're trying to tie it into ffxi being released for 360, i've been busy at work today so I haven't had time to look around for the article where the developers mentioned that ToA will be focused a lot on single player, would lvoe to be able to have the complete quote because I think they even mentioned something about it being more towards lower levels as well lol.

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