Final Fantasy XI-Bundled PS2 Hard Disc Explored

Thanks to IGN PS2 for its article discussing a hands-on look at the U.S. PlayStation 2 hard drive, bundled with Final Fantasy XI, which launches on March 23rd for $99. The article notes: "What's the big deal? ...well, let's just say that the Network Adaptor was the first step for players to get online, and the HDD is the next step... But in the short run, the HDD really only has one main purpose, which is to get players online playing Square Enix's potentially enormous MMORPG." The drive also comes with other advantages, as it's explained: "Players... can copy data from the (SCPH-10020u) memory card to a folder on the HDD", and it's speculated (although this is unconfirmed), that "SCEA might give gamers the choice to save data with games that require HDD use to either [memory card or HDD].

Double check FFXI...

[Anonymous Coward]

A little bird at Sony said that, since the PS2 HD is coming out on the 23rd/24th, and since you get a free month of FFXI, your free period will expire around April 24th. Your next month will run from the 24th until...the 30th?!

Is Square-Enix serious in charging by "months" as opposed to 30 or 31 day periods? Can anyone shed some light on to rumors that your FFXI subscription is NOT prorated, and therefore subject to a monthly fee for a full....6 days (for that first month, assuming you activate your account at the launch)?

It's a minor nit-pick...

[Anonymous Coward]

...but it releases on the 23rd, not the 30th.

Re:It's a minor nit-pick...

[simoniker]

Hm, you're right, according to EB, GameTab, and many other sites. I've corrected the summary, since the IGN article (incorrectly) says the 30th - not spectacularly good fact-checking from them, unless the date has been moved very recently.

Re:Double check FFXI...

[Anonymous Coward]

When the free month ends (30 days), you are charged only the portion of the current month remaining, not for the entire month.

Any services activated after the free month is up will be charged for the full month plus an activation charge. So if you want to activate additional characters or Tetra Master, do it early in the month.

Re:Double check FFXI...

[OnyxRaven]

At the end of your free 30 days, you will recieve a bill from S-E prorated from the time of the end of your free period to the next billing cycle. Then its business as usual for that.

I payed something like $3.21 for my first bill on FFXI.

Re:Linux Hard Drive;

[Lorien6]

I forget where I saw it, but I do remember reading it somewhere that newer games won't work with the linux harddrive...google it and you're sure to find it, I did it earlier in the week. So I think you're stuck on that point :)

Re:Double check FFXI...

[Anonymous Coward]

They only bill for time the account is active. You cancel in the middle of the month your'e gonna get a bill for day 1-15, not day 1-30

Re:Hmm...

[DarthWufei]

There are tons of people playing, but it really depends on the server. There isn't really a barren server, just don't have many people. I believe Ifrit is one of the servers, but really, there's plenty of people there so you won't slow down any. Though are those huge servers, like the one I'm on, Ragnarok 3k-5k are usually online at a time, just about as many Japanese as English players, so hehe. Oh, and don't forget, if you don't like that server you're on, you can always get a World Pass to join another server, but make sure you do this early on as it will only you CREATE a character on another server, not move an existing character.

Re:Hmm...

[djdanlib]

At off-peak times early in the morning here on the U.S. east coast, there are always at least 3,000 players on my server. Since the U.S. is pretty much 99% asleep then, most of those can only speak Japanese. So your best bet if you want community is to arrange your schedule so you can play well after the U.S. is awake and online - I've heard that evenings are best, but I have not been able to observe this due to my current work schedule.