Alpha Test System Requirements

[Uzor]

CPU :

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.4 GHz)
AMD Athlon X2 (2.4 GHz)

RAM :

Windows XP: 1.5GB
Windows Vista / Windows 7: 2GB

Hard Disk Space :

Installing: 10 GB
Downloading: 10GB on the drive containing the My Documents folder

Graphics :

NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800 or higher　VRAM 512 MB
Radeon™ HD 2900 or higher　VRAM 512 MB

Sound :

DirectSound® compatible (DirectX® 9.0)

These are really quite low. My computer from a couple of years back can run this with no problem. I'm quite surprised they're this low actually, and this is only alpha test, meaning beta and retail will have even lower minimum requirements.

Something that surprises me even more is the 10gb required hard disk space though. This is only alpha, and it requires 10gb(which, by itself is not a lot). However, considering this alpha barely covers 10% of the total game, how much will the game take up come-release? 100gb? I mean, I'm guessing the beta will only contain the starting zones and city and not cover the entire continent, so that's a lot of extra space there. There's also countless of cutscenes probably not included, armor models, character models, NPC's, spell effects, mob models etc. not included in the alpha. Considering the game is 10gb at alpha, we could potentially be looking at a 60gb+ game on release?

 

[Raesvelg]

System Requirements are always on the low side.

I'd be a lot more interested in the recommended system specs.

 

[naue]

I wouldnt be surprised with a 50GB release tbh...sounds like a lot but when you think about how much each GB costs you per HD nowadays, compared to say 5 years ago, the price you spent to have the space for 50GB is low now.

i was more surprised by the low requirements, but like raes said, requirements are always the bare minimum to run it at the lowest setting/res and still not get great performance. I usually feel safe maxing out settings/res when my specs are 2-3x the recommended specs...at least. I think a lot of people are going to eat their words about how low the requirements are when the recommended specs come out at release date.

 

[Uzor]

System Requirements are always on the low side.

I'd be a lot more interested in the recommended system specs.

I'm well-aware these are the requirements. I'm still surprised they're so low, considering the potential graphics of FFXIV. They've stated they designed the game for the average computer a few years from now would handle it, and they still optimized it enough for a 4-5 year old computer to be able to handle it.

 

[Acutie]

Looks just like FFXI from what I've seen, so not realy surprising

 

[Anglis]

From what I've seen, those requirements you just posted should be able to run it ok. The game just looks like an updated FF XI. They don't look groundbreaking, but they do look very good. WoW on max settings with shadows all the way up will probably be tougher to run then this.

I'm guessing the game won't be over 22 gb install when it's all said and done.

 

[Raesvelg]

Looks just like FFXI from what I've seen, so not realy surprising

From what I've seen, it looks just like FFXI in the same way that FFXIII looks just like FFXII.

Which is to say, not much at all.

 

[naue]

From what I've seen, those requirements you just posted should be able to run it ok. The game just looks like an updated FF XI. They don't look groundbreaking, but they do look very good. WoW on max settings with shadows all the way up will probably be tougher to run then this.

I'm guessing the game won't be over 22 gb install when it's all said and done.

lol i can run wow on max settings on my current laptop and it's a pos.

this is going to require much higher specs than wow, that is for sure.

 

[Shirai]

From what I've seen, those requirements you just posted should be able to run it ok. The game just looks like an updated FF XI. They don't look groundbreaking, but they do look very good. WoW on max settings with shadows all the way up will probably be tougher to run then this.

I'm guessing the game won't be over 22 gb install when it's all said and done.

I'm with Naue on this.

Above requirements are pretty much standard for most recent games to run with minimal settings.
which basicaly means you're probably looking at Lego® or are running .x.r.eme.y l.ggy.

To be able to play 14 on normal to high settings the requirements will be a lot higher.
Those are called recommended system requirements, which have not been posted yet.

 

[Anglis]

lol i can run wow on max settings on my current laptop and it's a pos.

this is going to require much higher specs than wow, that is for sure.

People always say this. WoW is extremely optimized and can run well on many computers if the settings are on medium or high with a decent resolution. Play WoW with a 1600+ reso, max settings, max shadows, and go to Northland with the updated graphics, giants zones, and millions of players. I'm sure your POS laptop couldn't do that. Maybe on lower detail, lower shadows, lower resolution..

I know this because my old computer was a Core 2 Duo E6750 oc to over 3 ghz, Geforce 8800gtx, 4 gb DDR2 memory oc, and when I ran 1600+ reso with full shadows and every detail set to high, the FPS could drop to low as 19 fps in Northland sometimes.

 

[Uzor]

You people saying it looks just like FFXI... Seriously, have you seen the HD screenshots and trailers? When they showed the trailers at gamescon, cameras activated facial recognition on the character's faces. you can't seriously tell me WoW's characters accomplish that feat. Look at this weather demonstration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIR0_EbVhp0

If you seriously think WoW's (or even AION's) graphics are better than FFXIV, I highly doubt you've even looked at the screenshots.

If you base your opinion of gameplay graphics from the demonstration at gamescon in German, you should know that that was pre-alpha, and SE themselves said that was the first time they had actually managed to even get the game running, and that the graphics were far from complete. Look at this trailer in 1080p:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1spFbmJ_V4

How is that remotely similar to FFXI and WoW graphic wise? Design-wise, sure, it is similar to FFXI, but that doesn't mean the graphics are similar. And FFXIV is designed to run at max graphics on the average computer 4 years from now, which WoW isn't. My PoS computer (which is slightly better than the minimum requirements posted in the OP to run FFXIV) is enough to run WoW at max graphics, and I bought my computer 1-2 years ago for $300.

 

[Anglis]

Nobody said "WoW" as better..

Guys. This game will look good, but it won't be groundbreaking, probably not even on par with Aion overall. Here is why. It's still being built for the PS3 which has limitations because it's a console. You think a game like WoW or Aion could be done with that? Hell no. Yes the PC will be able to have higher resolutions and shadows, but that is it. The Zones will still be limited, the world will be a little bleak all because the engine is still be used for the PS3 which has a graphics card that isn't even as good as 8800 gt, a processor as weak as Core 2 Duo 6750 (it's actually weaker to be honest), and limited memory.

SO yeah, visually the PC will be crisper, but that is it, just like XI. This game will be great, and I'll be playing it, and it will look great, but those requirement, while a minimum, will still play it well, all because this game will have less textures and models.

All you people saying you can run WoW on max settings with max resolution, with a $300 computer, post a Screenshot with FPS in Dalaran, or the new area. Don't go to some remote area in the old world where nothing is happening while standing still. It's funny how all these POS computers can do it, but my old 8800gtx Core 2 duo Extreme edition running with my max resolution at the time 1600x1050 would have frames drop in Dalaran to 19fps sometimes, or while raiding, or just randomly flying. On average with shadows all the way up, it ran around 23 fps. If I turned shadows off, it ran around 40 fps, and that is with an overclocked system. My roommates have Macs (in before LOL MACS) that aren't even 2 years old, and have pretty stout processors and video cards since macs are used for editing. They would have some settings on high, some on medium and max resolution to keep a constant 25-35 fps. That is with a awesome laptop hardware wise. In Dalaran they would still drop to 10-15fps sometimes.

You guys need to lighten up, no one is bashing your beloved Final Fantasy XIV, or even being that negative about it. I quit WoW months ago, and won't play another MMO till XIV, but I'm not deluding myself or overhyping anything, including the game engine. I remember playing XI on my PC, and as I tried other MMO's, I cursed the PS2 for holding the game back. I'm sure I'll do the same with this one, as I'll play this on the PC. PS3 might be powerful, but it's not even close compared to PC's of even 3 years ago.

 

[Uzor]

The difference being that FFXI was designed for PS2 and ported to PC, while FFXIV is designed for PC and ported to PS3, and as such does not hold the same limitations as they can (once the PS3 can no longer handle the game graphic-wise) downgrade the graphics on PS3 and release "graphic upgrades" for the computer, like AION and WoW have done.

I didn't say its groundbreaking, but sayign the graphics is not on-par to AION is somewhat strange, considering AION's graphics isn't that much better than WoW. Sure, the coming graphic update makes it a bit better, but I still don't think it will be better than FFXIV's graphics at highest settings in highest resolution.

And I'm sorry Anglish, I can't provide you with a screenshot. I deactivated my account once I got 80 as I grew bored of the game (again), and I'm not about to reinstall the game, update it, reactivate my account and take a screenshot just to prove a point.

As for nobody saying WoW is "better", I assumed that's what you meant with:

The game just looks like an updated FF XI. They don't look groundbreaking, but they do look very good. WoW on max settings with shadows all the way up will probably be tougher to run then this.

 

[Anglis]

Also, i think the comment "just looks like FFXI" really means style wise I guess. Of course it looks much better lol. Way more color, textures, and just more detail...but the game still "looks" like FFXI. It's hard to explain I guess!

 

[Uzor]

Like I said earlier, I agree. Design wise it is similar to FFXI. But that's not a bad thing, nor does it mean the graphics are bad. What I like with FFXI (and FFXIV) over AION and WoW, is that SE manages to make the armor at least look possible and practical, unlike the majority of AION's and WoW's armor. It looks like they've taken inspiration from medieval times, and made the armor beautiful, while AION and WoW focus on making the armor look "cool", foregoing all practical use.

 

[Anglis]

The difference being that FFXI was designed for PS2 and ported to PC, while FFXIV is designed for PC and ported to PS3, and as such does not hold the same limitations as they can (once the PS3 can no longer handle the game graphic-wise) downgrade the graphics on PS3 and release "graphic upgrades" for the computer, like AION and WoW have done.

I didn't say its groundbreaking, but sayign the graphics is not on-par to AION is somewhat strange, considering AION's graphics isn't that much better than WoW. Sure, the coming graphic update makes it a bit better, but I still don't think it will be better than FFXIV's graphics at highest settings in highest resolution.

And I'm sorry Anglish, I can't provide you with a screenshot. I deactivated my account once I got 80 as I grew bored of the game (again), and I'm not about to reinstall the game, update it, reactivate my account and take a screenshot just to prove a point.

As I stated, my computer would stutter some, and it was much better then a $300 computer. A POS compute could play it, but not on max settings. I know it's being ported to the PS3 or so we think unless they build their own engine from scratch, but it's still going to be the same game, just won't look as good. It still holds the game back though because they have to keep in mind what will work with the PS3. They won't have a PC version with different landscapes, more models for armor and have a stripped down PS3 version.

 

[Anglis]

Like I said earlier, I agree. Design wise it is similar to FFXI. But that's not a bad thing, nor does it mean the graphics are bad. What I like with FFXI (and FFXIV) over AION and WoW, is that SE manages to make the armor at least look possible and practical, unlike the majority of AION's and WoW's armor. It looks like they've taken inspiration from medieval times, and made the armor beautiful, while AION and WoW focus on making the armor look "cool", foregoing all practical use.

Dude I agree. I hate WoW's armor, and Aion too. I actually loved FF XI's visual graphics, so I'm stoked they are keeping with the same style. I do believe WoW has some of, if not the most beautiful graphics though. You can see forever, and with a very good rig, WoW looks amazing.

 

[Uzor]

Thing is Anglis, no game has been able to actually use the full potential of the PS3. Yes, if you put the PS3 components in to a computer, it wouldn't be better than the best computers today. The difference is that a PS3 is designed to do one thing, while a computer is designed to do multiple. That means a PS3 can more effectively run the one task it is designed to do better than a computer can. Like I said, the game is designed with computer standard 4 years from now in mind.

I didn't say the game will never get outdated . I'm sure it will graphic wise. 4 years from now the standard computer will be able to run FFXIV at full graphics if SE's predictions are right (and they can be wrong, we don't know). At that point, if the game doesn't use the full potential of the PS3, they can choose to upgrade it, or they can choose to leave it as is and only upgrade on the PC (which I think they will do, as, like I said earlier, they designed it for the PC to circumvent the problem the PS2 caused). The only reason they couldn't do what they wanted with FFXI was because of the PS2, and SE stated themselves that they've learned from that and have taken precautions to prevent the same thing to happen with FFXIV.

So yes, the graphics might be "outdated" 4 years from now, but at that point it will (hopefully) still be a great game and going strong, just like FFXI is after all of these years, even though the graphics are outdated.

As for WoW's graphics, to each their own I suppose. Personally, I can't stand WoW's design, and I don't think the graphic (other than ground, water etc. texture) looks good at all >.O But to each their own I suppose, and I suppose the same can be said about you and FFXIV

 

[Raesvelg]

Since someone brought up Aion, I'll just point out that the Aion minimum specs are considerably lower than the FFXIV specs.

Hell, Aion's recommended specs are marginally lower than FFXIV's minimum specs.

 

[Uzor]

Here's the WoW requirements too as a comparison:

PC System Requirements

OS:

Windows XP 32/64-Bit (Service pack 3)
Windows Vista 32/64-Bit (with the latest Service Packs)
Windows 7** 32/64-Bit (with the latest updates)​

Processor:

Minimum: Intel Pentium 4 1.3 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 1500+
Recommended: Dual-core processor, such as the Intel Pentium D or AMD Athlon 64 X2​

Memory:

Minimum: 512 MB RAM (1GB for Vista users)
Recommended: 1 GB RAM (2 GB for Vista users)​

Video:

Minimum: 3D graphics processor with Hardware Transform and Lighting with 32 MB VRAM Such as an ATI Radeon 7200 or NVIDIA GeForce 2 class card or better
Recommended: 3D graphics processor with Vertex and Pixel Shader capability with 128 MB VRAM Such as an ATI Radeon X1600 or NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT class card or better
​

So FFXIV is slightly higher, although its only alpha, so at release it might be the same as WoW's.