Final Fantasy XIV alpha ‘Instanced Dungeons’ footage
A run through the Tam-Tara Deepcroft dungeon.
December 27, 2012 / 12:17 AM EDT / (@salromano)

This week’s Final Fantasy XIV alpha footage walks us through the shadowy confines of the Tam-Tara Deepcroft instanced dungeon. Watch the video below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

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  • paperclichepixel

    This looks really good.

  • http://twitter.com/wgilliland08 Tyler Gilliland

    I’m loving the improvements to the battle UI and spell effects. The dungeon layouts and enemies are much improved as well. Looking good, keep it up Square Enix!

  • rockman29

    This is the only Final Fantasy that actually looks like Final Fantasy.

    Oh shit more than one person in your party what?

    Towns what?

    Yea.

  • http://twitter.com/Renzouri Lee

    That scene where the player was overlooking the huge chasm (1:04 onwards) was actually very chilling…

    I hope to play this soon, SE looks like they’re focusing all their development manpower on this.

  • ShinAsura

    Looks good, i still have my CE for PC

  • PrinceHeir

    nice improvements :D

    can’t wait for the full game :D

  • http://Flickr.com/mdemolish Demolish

    Grrr…please just Release in ps3,i See Enough from Final Fantasy XIV :/

  • http://gematsu.com/ Zero

    They released the Beta roadmap for FF 14 ARR.

    I took pictures of the PDF files for convenience.

    http://i.imgur.com/SwG1W.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/33rOk.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/diNtF.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/kzuUJ.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/0hwWt.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/imVee.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/mxjcp.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/i9bEK.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/XaCLc.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/NETDW.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/KJnWW.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/ENyPY.jpg

    Important Details from roadmap =

    - Beta test application site opens early Jan 2013.

    - A Square-Enix account is required to participate in the beta test.

    - Players can apply to participate in both the PC or PS3 beta tests.

    - Players in possession of the SE members code that came bundled with FF 13 will be given priority for the PS3 beta test. They are using the code!

    - Four beta test phases. (Test 3 and 4 include the PS3.)

    - Phase 1 scheduled to commence mid Feb 2013.

    • http://gematsu.com/ Zero

      If you want to view the roadmap in order via Disqus. The real reborn logo picture is where you start.

      My thoughts on the instanced dungeon video -

      They are building on one of the good things the original XIV had. Well, okay, once Yoshi P took over, he added some fun instanced dungeons.

      You never got to fight monsters that looked that cool though. It also looked like the Lancer was kinda tanking in that video. I used to tank on my lancer as well. My only worry with this is hate control. The real tank jobs had a hard time with hate control in the original XIV, but this was mostly the games fault.

      They didn’t give you enough hate control skills, and the battles were set up in parties to be over quickly. It was not very enjoyable for me to tank as a Gladiator in the original for example. I hope they have looked over and tweaked the hate algorithms, or possibly included new provoke or hate building skills, active or passive.

  • EspadaKiller

    Looking gooooood

  • MrKappa

    I’ve got the worst luck in the world so I’d never get into a closed beta but this game is looking nice for a MMO. I usually never have time for them but I’ll try this one out for sure.

  • Budgiecat

    gameplay looks confusing

    • rockman29

      Play FF XII and you’ll be less confused. It’s almost exactly looking like this, except you control 3 party members.

      • http://gematsu.com/ Zero

        Sorta. This specific instanced dungeon might be capped to a small party. Most likely because its a level 20 instanced dungeon.

        Version 1.0 did have a few lower level instanced dungeons as well. They eventually allowed a full 8 man party for most of them.

        Here is a picture of me completing one with a full party. (I’m the silly elf with the orange pumpkin hat equipped. Big Pic.)

        http://i.picpar.com/74ee13d8e839f92c4f4a46e1161c4a420cf96f30.png

        • rockman29

          I meant in FF XII you control 3 party members.

          I’ve actually never played FF XI or XIV or any MMO for that matter.

          • http://gematsu.com/ Zero

            Thanks. Sorry about the mix up, I read your comment as XI instead of XII. Sorry!

        • rockman29

          Nice job with the details btw, keep it up.

    • http://gematsu.com/ Zero

      It’s not so bad. The way the video sorta jumps from player to player is confusing.

      Most of the combat is currently built on combo systems. I’ll use a silly picture I have to outline a bit of the combo system.

      As you level you learn new attacks to add to the shortcut bar you use in combat. The new version has switched some of this stuff up, but I can still explain the combo system with my older pictures here.

      First one is me fighting solo as Conjurer.

      http://i.picpar.com/dbe3651203fe2abb72575ac0c6fb49c17b8eda0b.png

      The bars at the bottom list my HP (Health) MP (Mana) TP (Technical Points needed to use special attacks.) It also shows my level and job. Above that you see a bunch of icons on the shortcut bar.

      The first thing on the left is a sword with an up arrow the number 1 and a down arrow. You can click up or down to switch to a new shortcut bar. This is used once you get a higher level, and you need to shortcut more skills.

      On to what I have equipped on my shortcut bar. (I can either click to use these, or press the number on my keyboard. All of this stuff you can customize.)

      1. This is an ability called sentinel. It’s used to increase defense for a short time period.

      2-4. All healing spells.

      5 & 6. Both skills are used to help recover MP.

      7. – 0. These are all offensive magic spells. Stone & Stonera – Aero & Aerora. If you use these in order they give you a combo bonus. As you can see, Aerora increases my Accuracy, but it also does a bit more damage when used in a combo.

      Since Conjurers are basically the main healers, they are sorta light on offensive magic.

      This next (funny) picture is me as an Archer using some TP attacks.

      How do you gain TP? You just let your character attack normally, each hit gives you TP. You can also learn skills that increase your TP gain, etc.

      (This picture is kinda funny because of the floating Tarutaru.)

      http://i.picpar.com/db1641b7256f890bb64e2088c068c6da2ae61801.png

      I’m attacking the monster on the far left.

      1. This is the same ability as before. Sentinel helps increase defense. (I have this on specifically for the Ifrit fight they added in the game. I basically chose to leave it on regardless of what I was doing.)

      2. This is a normal arrow shot that has a chance to bind enemies. It can come in handy if you are trying to fight something solo.

      3.-0. These are all TP skills that can combo. It’s up to the player to decide what skills to combo together. I might decide to go with #3 and #4 and then finish with #9 for example. So long as they combo together. As you can see, the game explains what combos with what in the log.

      I hope this comment helps explain how some of the combat works in XIV. It’s all still undergoing changes and such because of the change to 2.0. I’ve played a bit of the Alpha for 2.0, and the combo system is still currently very similar to how it was before.

      Even if they change attack names and the way the visuals look on screen, I don’t think they will be taking away the shortcut bar, and the combo system is likely staying.

      If you have other questions feel free to ask. =)

  • KurisuMakise

    Hope I can put that code to good use then.