> At E3 2000, Square set up a nice little booth to show off game footage, said footage being in the form of a commercial. Heh. The commercial showed a group of teenagers talking over the phone and getting together to kill a dragon. The characters in the "game" footage shown were in the "Squall and Rinoa" look..

One of the teenagers was using a PS2, another was using a Personal Computer, and a third went into an arcade, where he stuck a few coins into a machine, sat down, and played the game. The idea of synergy between Arcade Machines, Personal Computers, and your PS2 is very interesting. And may clear up any arguments on how people on the PS2 wont be able to interact with people on the Personal Computer, and vise versa.

The fact that Final Fantasy XI Online is an MMPOG pretty much assures that it will NOT be turn based. Just like Ultima Online and Everquest. There will most likely be quests and a storyline, and there appears to be different types of players, so character creation is a safe bet. The number of Character Classes/Races is unknown.

Online tests of the game will start in Japan this December, and we should see more details on FFXI Online in the upcoming months. If all goes as planned, it will probably see a Japan release by March, and in the USA by August. Final Fantasy XI looks like it has a lot of potential!

> The story takes place in a world that mixes swords, magic, and technology on the beautiful planet known as Vana Dir. In the past this world was blessed by the source of all things in the world, the Crystals. Together with their power, those that believed in the light fought against the monsters that followed darkness. The monsters destroyed the beautiful villages and cities, turning the lands into a vaste wasteland, and the water into deadly pollution. Eventually, mankind was able to fight back the monsters and regain peace for their land. However, 20 year after the fighting, when people begin to forget the memories of the horrible war with the monsters, the scent of evil once again blows over the land of Vana Dir. All is resting on the powers of the crystals.

The first thing a player needs to do when he/she starts a new game is "create" his or her own charactes. Because everything from the race, looks, body type, and so on can be set to the player's wish, it is possible to create a unique original character. This is one of the biggest points of FFXI, the ability to create your own Final Fantasy character. The Job System (from Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy Tactics) allows a remarkable degree of breadth to the skills and abilities you can give your alter ego.