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Will FFXIV use PlayOnline?

SE will not use PlayOnline, but the company told ZAM that owners of the Square Enix Security Token could use the device to protect their FFXIV accounts.

What races are in FFXIV?

SE has mentioned that the E3 video, viewable on the official FFXIV website, shows races very similar to five players met in FFXI: Hume, Galka, Elvaan, Mithra, and Tarutaru. Additionally, the scrolling mural on the official website may hint at a new race. The far left of the picture shows a group of four people talking. The left-most is a Mithra. The third is Elvaan, and the fourth is either Hume or Elvaan. The person in the second position has horns protruding from her head, which is reminiscent of the Gria race shown in Final Fantasy games based in the world of Ivalice (see Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII).

While this image is not confirmed as revealing a Gria, it opens speculation that other races from Ivalice might be playable too. Those races would include the fan favorite Moogles, the hearty Bangaa, the powerful Seeq, the agile Viera, and the clever Nu Mou.

What classes are in FFXIV?

The short answer is that no one knows yet. SE has indicated that FFXIV will use a job system like the one so popular in FFXI, but the company also said that it would feel different from the one in its previous MMO. Most of the speculation in this area stems from the SE response to IGN’s question about the importance of weapons. SE told IGN that weapons greatly influence character development and that fans should inspect the FFXIV logo for clues. SE further explained that the concept is a “wheel” of warriors trying to cover the backs of their comrades.

Popular theories for the meaning of these clues is that weapons will grant stat bonuses as people use them or that they will define the job of the character equipping them and have abilities that can be learned from them.

The FFXIV logo displays what appears to be a group of casters and support jobs surrounded by allies with short- and long-range melee weapons, prompting speculation that combat may involve a front and rear guard with casters in the middle.

Will the same character be able to learn any job?

The answer to this question is unknown at this time. SE admitted that character development is the main focus of FFXIV and that it will not involve a traditional experience points system. This has led to conjecture that the game will employ a skill up system like the one used in Darkfall or an Ability Points (AP) system like the one used in Final Fantasy Tactics.

A skill up system would result in a character getting better at wielding long swords the longer he fights with them. Meanwhile, the AP system has players earn points to unlock abilities. AP earned while a white mage could only buy white mage abilities.

Does the E3 video have any real gameplay in it?

SE has divulged that a small section of the E3 trailer contained footage generated from the game engine. This portion of the video shows a battle on board a ship. The most popular still from the battle features a Galka with a pole arm squaring off against tentacled sea creatures in the pouring rain. The game engine footage also includes enemies boarding the ship and a group of adventurers encased in a magical sphere.