Will we see FFXI for Wii?

[LyonheartLakshmi]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

I'm guessing that anyone who owns a Wii, but doesn't have a PS3, XBox or gaming-worthy PC, is a casual gamer who's not going to be interested in FFXI, or any MMORPG for that matter.

[Feba]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

I'm guessing that anyone who owns a Wii, but doesn't have a PS3, XBox or gaming-worthy PC, is a casual gamer who's not going to be interested in FFXI, or any MMORPG for that matter.

That's a pretty big assumption.

Not to mention, beyond that, what makes you think there aren't people with gaming PCs that would rather play it on their wii for whatever reason?

[Amele]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

or that they don't have to share the gaming pc with the wife / kids because they can't afford (wife won't let them buy) a second pc?

[Kailea]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

That's a pretty big assumption.
Not to mention, beyond that, what makes you think there aren't people with gaming PCs that would rather play it on their wii for whatever reason?

Thats why I want it on Wii, The PS2 version to me, well I cant stand it ;p and I dont have a 360, and dont want a PS3, so it being on Wii would rock for me.

[Saaya]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

unfortunately I have heard no but have to realize the expense Nintendo would have to take in order to even make it possible
Nintendo has in the past made various crazy add-ons and most of them have really been a lead ball to an iron chain cast to the deepest part of the ocean. It would be really nice no doubt but seems way too problematic for Nintendo and SE included. Those of you who use the 360 version of XI are lucky SE made that step forward at all. Even if it is only a slight improvement

[Dymlos]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

I doubt it would come to the Wii. I don't think the system's specs isn't enough to handle XI nor does it have enough hard drive space to store it.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

I doubt it would come to the Wii. I don't think the system's specs isn't enough to handle XI nor does it have enough hard drive space to store it.

1. If PS2 is powerful enough to run FFXI, surely Wii has the CPU/GPU strength, too.
2. FFXI for PS2 came with the hard drive; if S-E wants to ship FFXI for Wii, the company can bundle one easily enough.
3. The real obstacle is porting--rewrite the game code (and maybe repackage some of the art assets in Wii specific format), the optimization, and the QA process.
4a. Relatively speaking, not many bought the xBox360 version of FFXI, at least not in North America (xBox360's biggest market).
4b. Therefore, despite the enthusiastic reception on this forum, S-E probably would think FFXI for Wii would probably be a slow seller as well.
4c. That means FFXI for Wii would entail big investment for very little return. Bad business move, if there ever is one.

[Kailea]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

I doubt it would come to the Wii. I don't think the system's specs isn't enough to handle XI nor does it have enough hard drive space to store it.

Why in all hell do people think the Wii is THAT weak... I mean yeah its not as strong relative to the 360 and PS3... but its hardware is at par with the Xbox 1.


FFXI could run on Wii, but like others have said, the old thing keeping it from happening is business, its just not a smart business move to make.

[PhiberOpticks]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

No, it won't come to the Wii. Square Enix is already in the midst of gradually dropping the PS2 from their stock because of development limits (also, the slim PS2 doesn't support HDD). Developing for a console that is hardly that much better would be a bad decision.

[Kailea]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

No, it won't come to the Wii. Square Enix is already in the midst of gradually dropping the PS2 from their stock because of development limits (also, the slim PS2 doesn't support HDD). Developing for a console that is hardly that much better would be a bad decision.

Not that much better? really where do you people get your info from.. PS fanboy central?
*Info from Wiki*
PS2
CPU 294 MHz
GPU 147 MHz 16pp
RAM 32 MiB RDRAM
Wii
CPU 729 MHz
GPU 243 MHz 8pp (not confirmed)
RAM 64 MiB GDDR3 SDRAM
* pp = pixel pipeline

Now I know that I could have gone in to way more detail about specs.... but honestly I wanted to keep it simple

I love my PS2 as much as my Wii.... but I am getting sick of this corrupted mindset that is spreading, about how "weak" the Wii is.

Give the Wii a USB HDD, keyboard (just needs drivers) and FFXI compiled and recoded for the Wii's system, and it would run better then on the PS2.

[Icemage]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

"Not that much better" = outputs at 480p on component instead of 480i on composite cables.

The difference in appearance between the PS2 versus Xbox 360 versions, let alone the PC version, is night and day.

Computationally, the Wii can certainly handle anything FFXI can dish out, but storage would be an issue, and control scheme would be a nightmare. Not to mention there's still no keyboard solution for the Wii.


Icemage

[Kafeen]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

the Wii-mote being a great substitue for a mouse

But FFXI's mouse controls are aweful. Always avoid touching the mouse at any cost.

XBox couldn't support it but XBox 360 can because it's specs.

Actually the XBox could support it but Microsoft wouldn't let SE use POL, they were only allowed to use XBox Live. On the 360 Microsoft back down and allowed POL to be used.

Wii onboard RAM is 88MB (64 of which is available for System memory) this is double the ps2 so no memory issues carry over here for storage space/variety of textures. (Xbox360 of course has significantly more RAM than this, although it is shared between video and system)

Wii video memory is slightly lacking (although again, approximately equivalent to the ps2) this would be the real hurdle for FFXI since it would mean being tied to the same level of graphics they're at right now for the game (not that they've announced any plans to drop the ps2 hardware support so far anyway). It would also not be necessary to update this part of the code for all platforms, although SE has in the past attempted to avoid any forking of the code base and application resources between platforms.

Not really an issue. The PS2 has 32MB of system memory, and 2MB of video memory. The Wii has 24MB of MEM1, fast ram and 64MB of MEM2, memory slower than MEM1. Although this is low compaired to the 360 and the PS3, the 360 having 512MB ram shared (the same as the Wii's "hard drive" lol), the PS3 has 256 system memory, 256 video ram. The Wii shouldn't be limited at all for its graphics running FFXI. Either of the memory blocks can be used for textures although the Wii is rather limited to how many of those textures can be used at the same time. The fill rate (the speed it draws pixel) of the Wii is rather slow, actually slower than the PS2 but shouldn't be a problem with FFXI, it really only causes problems if you doing lots of fancy techniques such as realistic shadows, reflections, refraction, motion blur, bloom. The Wii can do them, just not too many at the same time.

The only real limiting factor of the Wii is its internal storage. It only has 512MB, some of which is already used by the OS. FFXI currently stands at around 11GB.

[Kailea]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

Computationally, the Wii can certainly handle anything FFXI can dish out, but storage would be an issue, and control scheme would be a nightmare. Not to mention there's still no keyboard solution for the Wii.
Icemage

easy.....
Storage = USB HDD
keyboard = update Wii with USB keyboard drivers
controls = Classic controller, using Wiimote as mouse if needed

[Icemage]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

easy.....
Storage = USB HDD

...which leaves you with the PS2 option of forcing users to buy a HDD bundled with the game because the average buyer doesn't know squat.

keyboard = update Wii with USB keyboard drivers

If this was so easy, why hasn't it already been done? Seriously, there are gazillions of USB keyboards out there. The PS3 and 360 work with them, as well as the wireless/USB combo peripherals; why can't the Wii?

controls = Classic controller, using Wiimote as mouse if needed

I'm sorry, but if I had to use my Classic Controller to play FFXI, I'd kill myself. It's more flimsy than a PS2/PS3 controller, with the extra bonus of a lead weight (the Wiimote) dangling off of it a few inches away.


Icemage

[Vyuru]

Re: Will we see FFXI for Wii?

...which leaves you with the PS2 option of forcing users to buy a HDD bundled with the game because the average buyer doesn't know squat.

Is that really a valid arguement? I would expect the average game buyer to look into the system requirements and all that stuff before, or shortly after buying the game. Largely dependant on the, OMGWTF gotta have it nowz!!111!!11! factor of the game of course.

keyboard = update Wii with USB keyboard drivers

It doesn't have keyboard support? Isn't this supposed to be an online gaming machine? Why no keyboard? That is surprising.

controls = Classic controller, using Wiimote as mouse if needed

I haven't used the Wii remotes much, but from what little I have seen, I could see maybe using it as a mouse, I don't imagine it'd be that much different from using it as an aiming device like in the Zelda game for your bow.

So yeah, I can maybe see it if they do it so the controls are a little similar to Zelda, joystick moves your guy, use the Wii remote to point and click on menu options and stuff. I don't see how this'd be much different from playing with a PS2 controller.

EDIT:

Also, for an online game that I intend to play for the next 5 or so years or until they stop the game, I don't think it's much to ask someone to go buy an external HDD for their gaming machine. Provided that they are reasonably priced, and I'd expect a HDD that is large enough for FFXI and future expansions to maybe run the $60-$80 price range, maybe a little more or less, it's been a bit since I last looked at external HDD prices.