Ideas can come from the strangest places. I was at the cafeteria looking at what to order for lunch. Now that it is warmer and we are heading into summer, the cafeteria has started their summer menu of cold noodles: cold soba, cold udon, and cold ramen. However, cold ramen isn’t called ramen. The name changes to chuka (hiyashi chuka). The word chuka in this case refers to chukamen, a type of noodle originally developed in China.

While the usual word for China in Japanese is Chugoku (used in Chugokugo or Chugokujin), this is just a short form for the official title of 中華人民共和国. The first part, Chuka, is still commonly used in words like 中華料理. It can also refer to China or Chinese people but that usage isn’t nearly as common.

So what do noodles and China have to do with FFXI? I bet you can guess the obvious connection.

RMT

What follows are my thoughts on a change that occurred in how Japanese players refer to people involved in RMT. Sociolinguistics is an area I’m very interested in so I thought it would be interesting to see what I could learn about the change. (This article does deal with a sensitive issue as well. The goal is not to talk about which side is right or wrong but just examine the linguistic change. Hopefully nobody gets offended.)

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Welcome to KAIZEN! the Art of Efficient Leveling. One of the most hotly debated topics recently is that of party construction and the role of Jobs. In the spirit of promoting KAIZEN, I am pleased to present to you the last guide you will ever need for creating the ultimate XP-generating machine. These simple and easy-to-use guidelines will help you to maximize your potential, accelerate your characters towards success and send you on your own KAIZEN journey to the top!

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Artwork by: Shade

Every Final Fantasy needs the good guys and the bad guys. Two opposing forces whose struggle for power motivates the player and keeps the story moving forward. If the world of Final Fantasy was born from the Crystals, then its engaging stories were born from this classic conflict: The Light Warriors vs. The Elemental Fiends.

This clash between good and evil was as classic as the gameplay that defined these bosses. Each possessed an elemental attribute that dictated their strengths and weaknesses. A little simplistic by today’s standards, but a mechanic that is conducive to strategy, a key component of any good RPG, and one that is adapted again and again by hordes of big, bad bosses over the years.

Both the Light Warriors and the Elemental Fiends have taken on a variety of forms and received numerous improvements as the Final Fantasy series progressed. Let’s take a look at the history of these icons of the series and in what form we may find them within Vana’diel.

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So, who’s up for more A Crystalline Prophecy discussion?

Actually, this is an article I outlined a few weeks ago, exploring the Crystal as a symbol throughout the Final Fantasy series. Don’t worry, it’s not another in-depth review of the add-on scenario. In fact, the article last week was a tangential brain dump to a series of articles I wanted to start.

So far, the bulk of content posted on JP Button has been basically translated information from external sources. I haven’t ever really try putting up any original articles… to be honest, I never felt it was all that appropriate for some reason. Although, JP Button was literally born from an original project: The JP/EN Discussion section.

I’ve always had a deep interest in Final Fantasy. I guess it should come as no surprise, I basically grew up along with the progression on the series. I also like study Japanese kanji, which I try to inject into the site at times, and aspects of Japanese culture and philosophy. I would hope that visitors coming to view “JP Button” would harbor some interest in these areas as well.

As I intend to explore below (and through future articles), Square Enix’s first MMO has brought the series back to its early years in the way it incorporates many Final Fantasy mainstays into the world of Vana’diel. Using original printed guides and materials released in Japan that I found at a warehouse of used goods, I plan to research and expand upon aspects of Final Fantasy XI through a variety of ways.

If the idea catches on, then I’ll continue making some articles and see where it goes. Like most stuff I slap together on the site, I have no long-term plans, and find half the fun is in seeing what works and what doesn’t. So let’s give it a shot. Please be aware that these articles may contain spoilers of certain Final Fantasy XI plot points, as well as spoilers for previous installments in the series. Unfortunately, this is unavoidable if I want to really get into the history and draw connections.

Providing the decidedly sweet Yagudo Cherry atop this Snoll Gelato sundae, I am pleased to mention that Shade, whose artwork you can find on DeviantArt and who Gilgameshians may know as the creator of El Forto Adventures, has offered to sketch some pictures to pretty up the articles and divide up the text.

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The Final Fantasy XI community’s reaction to the release of A Crystalline Prophecy has quite possibly been the swiftest and most damning in the history of the MMO. Due in part to its short length and the simplicity of its content, a majority of players appear to be unsatisfied with their purchase. A negative reaction to game additions is nothing new however, as Wings of the Goddess was also vilified swiftly after its release. Unfortunately, A Crystalline Prophecy does not have the luxury of future updates to bolster its inadequacies with new quests and missions.

It probably is not necessary to provide more reasons why this new add-on scenario may not have been worth 10 dollars. Browse a few blogs, click on a few forums threads — you are bound to find criticism is in ample supply. It may be more interesting to try and find some justification for the cost of Final Fantasy XI’s “additional content,” and find satisfaction with the purchases we have made.

Just to give you fair warning, this article will explore positive explanations for Square Enix’s decisions regarding purchasable in-game content. This is not to say these are the “correct” explanations, but rather they set up other points that are addressed further below.

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