s part of our Japan Extravaganza V 1.0, we talked to Hiroichi Tanaka, senior vice president of software development at Square Enix, about Final Fantasy XI for the Xbox 360. Find out why we should buy the game all over again, what’s new with the Xbox 360 version, and how FFXI is going to accomplish something that’s never been done before in the history of video games.

Game Informer: How’s everything working with adapting Final Fantasy XI to the Xbox 360?  Has it been a tricky process?

Hiroichi Tanaka: It’s quite easy because the Xbox 360 uses Direct X, so it really wasn’t that difficult to do because we have the Windows versions.

GI: So is it basically a standard PC port then?

Tanaka: It uses most of the latest functions on the Xbox 360, not just the PC capabilities. But we wanted to expand the platform of Final Fantasy XI.

GI: So will all the platforms be able to play together?

Tanaka: Yes.

GI: Sony’s going to love that. That’s a first isn’t it then – two different competing platforms playing together.

Tanaka: Final Fantasy XI’s the first cross platform massively multiplayer game.

GI: Right. But now this is cross console?

Tanaka: Yes, it is.

GI: So with the Xbox 360 version you can use the headset?

Tanaka: You’ll be able to use the headset, and it’ll be possible to use the voice chat with other Xbox users.

Hiroichi Tanaka

GI: So Xbox 360 players will be able to communicate with each other with the headset, but there will be no voice chat with PS2 or PC?

Tanaka: Yes.

GI: Are you going to try to add that for PS2 and PC so everybody can talk together?

Tanaka: No.  We’d rather have people use text as a means of communication so we can keep track of harassment and such.

GI: Well then how are you going to keep track of that with the Xbox 360?

Tanaka: That’s not actually a part of FFXI. Using the voice chat with Xbox 360 is a separate function of the 360.

GI:  Say if I am playing on a PS2 and everyone else in my party is playing on a 360 and chatting on the headset.  Will I be able to at least hear what they are saying to know what’s going on?

Tanaka:  There’s no voice chat at all in the game for PS2 players and Xbox 360 players.  The 360 users would have to find the people through Xbox Live.  To answer your question, PS2 players can’t hear the voice chat.  Well a lot of players in Japan don’t want to talk with voice chat.  There are a lot of people playing female characters that don’t want people in the game to know that they are actually males.

GI: Will all the expansions come with the Xbox 360 version?

Tanaka: All of the data in the boxed version of the game up to Promathia is included.  All of the updates will take place at the same time with the 360.

GI:  How are you going to handle future expansions?  When you came out with expansions previously you bought another disk for both the PC and PS2 versions  Will you download it through Xbox Live or will you buy another disk?

Tanaka:  It still hasn’t been decided yet but there will still be the usual expansion packs. We are considering using the Xbox Live for downloading.

GI: I’ve been playing it on PlayStation 2 and PC so when I get my Xbox 360 and Final Fantasy XI, I’m assuming I can use that same character, correct?

Tanaka: You can use that same character on any machine.

GI: You did a “Welcome Back to Vana’diel” campaign. Are you going to continue that so when people get their Xbox 360 they’ll be able to bring that character back if they shut down their account?

Tanaka: The campaign’s finished at the moment, but if there’s enough demand we’ll bring it back again. So you will be able to do that on the 360 as well.

GI:  I’ll need to be welcomed back. (laughs)  Is there going to be any keyboard support with Final Fantasy XI on the 360?

Tanaka:  Microsoft is thinking about a text input device separately.

GI:  But I can just use any USB PC Keyboard?

Tanaka:  Yes

GI:  You’re going to support widescreen mode like the PC version.  What resolution will that be at?  720p, 1080i?

Tanaka:  We will support different settings but the standard we are using now is 480p (progressive scan).  We are experimenting with the 1080i but it’s stressful on the video RAM.

GI:  So if the standard is 480p, then will we see 720p – the next step up?

Tanaka:  We currently have 720p running

GI:  At the Xbox Summit the frame rate seemed a little slower than the PC or PS2 versions.  How early is that version you showed at the Xbox Summit?

Tanaka:  At that time, it was not fully optimized so when the full functions of the Xbox 360 are used, it should be faster.  The machine we were using at the time was just a prototype, not a full 360.

GI:  How far along is the game in development right now?

Tanaka:  The Windows specifics are ready to go but we are still working on the Japanese character input.

GI:  Are the servers going to be PlayOnline servers or will they be Microsoft servers?

Tanaka:  PlayOnline.

Giant birds look best in widescreen

GI:  Same cost as the other versions for the monthly fee?

Tanaka:  Not decided yet.

GI:  Another thing you announced at the event was that you were starting a beta test service at the Xbox 360 launch?

Tanaka:  The beta test will start in Japan at the launch of the 360.

GI:  What about North America?

Tanaka:  Since America will have the 360 first, they will have the beta test before anyone else.

GI:  Will the beta testing be free?

Tanaka:  Yes. When you get the Xbox 360, you will be able to apply for the beta test.

GI:  Besides the upgraded graphics, is there any reason people should spend the extra $50 or $60 on another version of the game?

Tanaka:  The visuals are so amazing you will never want to play it on PS2 or PC again.

GI:  Are you going to offer any rebates for anyone who has already bought it twice?  I know that may sound crazy but the average gamer is between 10 and 25 years old and doesn’t have a lot of disposable income – especially when you go out and buy a new $300 console. 

Tanaka:  Well, right now the current versions aren’t that expensive.  It’s like $29.  So of course, we are hoping to make the 360 version as competitive as the others.  But also, the price has not been determined yet.

GI:  But that’s what you are targeting?

Tanaka:  Yeah.

GI:  One of the things that turned me off about Final Fantasy XI was the leveling up process.  It was a slow and tedious process.  You would have to find a good party, which was tricky in itself, and then if you died, you could wipe out six or seven hours of progress in the game and even end up worse off than when you started.  Anything you’re planning on doing in the game to change that?

Tanaka:  Sometimes it is difficult for a passive player to find a party, so it may be best for you to make a party yourself. Or you have the option of getting a party together and doing one of the quick battlefields and you can get experience for those.

GI:  Looking back on the game, are you pleased on how everything went?  If there was one thing you could do differently, what would you do?

Tanaka:  The team is very pleased at the way the game went and did not expect it to be quite as successful as it was.  Since the game can keep evolving onto different platforms, the life of FFXI has been much longer than other titles.  The team is able to go ahead and change things in the game rather than just looking back and talking about that they would change.