The 7th Vana'diel Census (06/27/2007)

The 7th Vana'diel Census (06/27/2007)

Introduction
On May 16, 2006, FINAL FANTASY XI celebrates the 4-year mark since its launch in Japan, and prepares to enter a fifth year of service! Vana'diel is now larger than ever due to the commencement of service for the new Xbox 360 and the release of the third expansion disc, "Treasures of Aht Urhgan." The FINAL FANTASY XI community has grown and evolved a great deal, and continues to reshape itself even now. The FINAL FANTASY XI development team has compiled this report in order to give players an overview of this change. And now, after much analysis, we are proud to present the sixth Vana'diel Census.

Login Distribution
First, let's analyze the login distribution. There are over 500,000 players logging in to FINAL FANTASY XI from all over the world, with the main player base located in Japan, North America, and Europe. The graph below provides a clearer picture of login patterns. Large numbers of players from diverse locations continue to login to FINAL FANTASY XI, resulting in a graph similar to last year. Europe's peak time begins as soon as Japan's peak time ends, and is followed by North America. With such a wide range of peak times, the worlds of FINAL FANTASY XI are constantly populated by tens of thousands of players.
 * ≪Simultaneous Logins≫* Angaben in JST

Next, let's take a look at the amount of time players spend on a character each day. Most players login to FINAL FANTASY XI for a period of up to three hours a day. The average login time for each character is about 164 minutes, or 2 hours and 40 minutes. However, this data takes into account all characters from all worlds, including storage characters that do not stay online for long periods of time (Players use "storage characters" mainly for functions such as item storage, synthesis, and gardening). Therefore, actual login time per day is probably a bit longer than the chart indicates.



Job Levels
Now for a topic that holds the interest of many players: How popular is each job? Job analysis data was acquired from over 1,700,000 characters until the end of May 2006. Due to the prevalence of storage characters, all level one characters were excluded from this survey.

The greatest change since last year is the increase in level 10-20 characters. This is most likely due to the influx of new players from the Xbox 360 version and the new jobs introduced with the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion disc.

There are a distinctly high number of players at levels 75 and 37. The prevalence of level 75 characters has remained consistent since last year, but this year the percentage of characters at level 37 has significantly increased. It seems that players enjoy raising several jobs to provide more support job options, a feature unique to FINAL FANTASY XI.


 * ≪Main Job Level Distribution (Level 2-75)≫


 * Main Job Distribution (Level 1)


 * Main Job Level Distribution (Level 2-75)

Jobs
Let's move on to the distribution of main job levels.

Last year's census indicated a decrease in the number of players playing one of the "standard jobs," or the six jobs that you can select when you begin playing the game (warrior, monk, white mage, black mage, red mage, and thief). This year sees a continuation of that trend, as the number of players using a standard job has decreased from 83% to roughly 65%. The extra jobs, including the three recently added jobs, seem to be on the rise.

Paladins and ninjas take the top spot for the most popular extra jobs, while the other jobs have a nearly equal number of players. However, the new job "blue mage" is worth particular notice, as it has garnered a large enough player base since its release to compete with the previously existing extra jobs.

For the third year in a row, the most popular main job/support job combination is white mage/black mage, followed by black mage/white mage. Also worth mention are the combinations ninja/warrior, which rose three spots since last year, and warrior/ninja and black mage/red mage, which were not even on the chart in the previous census.

The ninja and warrior combinations are highly popular because they allow players to use the abilities of both jobs together to maximize their performance in battle. For example, the ninjutsu "Utsusemi" can be used with the warrior job ability "Provoke" to attract an enemy's attention and then avoid its attacks. Also, players can increase the number of hits and the amount of damage they can inflict by combining the warrior job trait "Double Attack" and the ninja job trait "Dual Wield."

In addition to adding a number of powerful spells to players' repertoires, the black mage/red mage combination allows players to use the red mage job trait "Fast Cast" and offers an alternative style of play to the more common black mage/white mage combination.

Judging by the variety of job combinations seen in Vana'diel, players seem to be trying out a wide range of play styles.


 * ≪Main Job Distribution≫


 * [ Main/Support Job Ranking ]

The following chart details new job acquisition from the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion disc. Out of all the players who have acquired a new job, more than half now have access to all three new jobs, indicating a high level of interest in the recent additions.


 * ≪New Job Acquisition≫



Racial Distribution
Tarutaru males have been snatched out of the number one spot once again by Hume males. Perhaps the Hume males' persistent popularity is due in part to the familiarity of their looks and gestures. The other races have remained the same in ranking, but Vana'diel is seeing a change in the gender of its population. The males of all races but Tarutaru have relatively increased since the last census, but females of all races are on the decline.

Like last year, the general image of each race appears to influence character size selections, i.e. Tarutaru are more often of the smallest size, while Galka players usually choose the largest model. The only real change seen this year is in the size of most Elvaan males, which has shifted from large to medium.


 * ≪Racial Distribution≫




 * [ Race Size Distribution ]

Face Type Distribution
Next, let's take a look at which face types are the most popular in Vana'diel. Which face types do you see most often, and are they in fact the most widely selected?

Face type popularity has not changed a great deal since last year other than the most selected Elvaan female face. Last year the number one face for Elvaan females was the sixth option, followed closely by type one. However, this year the gap has widened further in favor of type six.

The first four options occupy three quarters of the chart. Players seem to be drawn to the characters that appear most youthful.

The first three options take up around seventy percent of the chart. Players seem to be drawn to the characters that appear most feminine.

The second and seventh options are popular as always.

Option six is the most popular, indicating that players are choosing face type based on the image of Elvaan ladies being valiant and noble.

The sixth option is popular as always, followed by type eight.

Option four takes the lead. This face type is the same as that of a certain famous NPC...

The sixth option seems to appeal to the most people with its fierce feline beauty.

Galkan face types are fairly evenly distributed, but the sixth option takes the top spot, the very image of the menacing Galka.

Linkshells
Linkshells are a vital element of play in FINAL FANTASY XI. It is possible to be a member of more than one linkshell so that players do not need to be dependent on any one group. Many adventurers carry multiple linkshells and switch freely between them depending on their adventuring goals. We compiled statistics on the number of active linkshells on every server during a 24-hour period and examined the results.

During those 24 hours, there were 49,731 active linkshells, for an average of 1,604 per world. Compared to last year's results, the number of active linkshells per world has increased by an average of 117. This increase can be attributed to the influx of new players on the Xbox 360, and the rising popularity of linkshells used for specific purposes, such as Dynamis and Limbus runs or notorious monster hunts.

Similar to the previous census, during a 24-hour period, 71% of linkshells were populated by up to 10 members, while over 88% of linkshells were populated by up to 20 members.


 * ≪Linkshell Usage≫*1 day



We will soon be commencing service of the FINAL FANTASY XI Linkshell Community Beta Version, a tool that can be used to better facilitate communication between players. With this new service, even players who do not often meet due to different login times or do not often have the chance to adventure together will be able to meet and communicate. Players can use the new Linkshell Community in a wide variety of ways, and the service has the potential to greatly expand players' networks. The development team will be working on new features while the Beta Version is in service. Discussions regarding the new features will be held on the premium sites for all regions, and opinions or requests can be submitted from the "Support" menu on the FINAL FANTASY XI Linkshell Community top page.

Items
In our analysis of items, we looked at the popularity of auction house goods and the total numbers for relic-level equipment.

Let's begin with the auction house rankings. The data clearly shows the very different trends to be found in the nations of San d'Oria, Bastok, Windurst, and Jeuno.

The frequent transactions of hides and skins in the San d'Orian auction house can be attributed to the existence of the Tanner's Guild in Southern San d'Oria, as well as the high population of sheep that inhabit the nearby areas of East and West Ronfaure and the La Theine Plateau. Also, Windurstian Tea leaves are difficult to obtain in San d'Oria due to their origin in far off Sarutabaruta, however the necessity for this ingredient in the creation of leather sees a large amount being imported to the San d'Orian auction house by those seeking to make a profit. The popularity of the top-ranking moat carp, and the high-ranking ball of insect paste can be explained by the quest requirements for obtaining the Lu Shang's fishing rod. Moat carp make their way to San d'Oria from across Vana'diel, as more and more adventurers choose this profitable fish as a stepping-stone when raising fishing skill.

The Republic of Bastok is most notable for its trade in ores. The proximity of the Zeruhn Mines, as well as the accessibility of the Palborough Mines and Gusgen Mines plays a large part in the auction house trends of this industrial nation. Zinc ore owes its top place in the ranking to a quest used to raise Tenshodo fame. Other high-ranking items such as the rusty subligar and leggings are Norg quest requirements, showing how players have taken advantage of the connection between the auction houses of Bastok and Norg. Lastly, items used as synthesis materials in Bastokan guilds are often traded in large quantities, explaining the popularity of Quadav backplates and beehive chips.

The Federation of Windurst also sees a high percentage of synthesis materials on the auction house. In particular, bonecrafting items gathered from the Horutoto Ruins and the Maze of Shakhrami enjoy a lively trade. Giant femurs found on the dhalmels of Tahrongi Canyon and Buburimu Peninsula are also in high demand. Another characteristic of the Windurst auction house would have to be the large number of Yagudo bead necklaces won from the feathered beastmen wandering around the neighboring areas.

Jeuno is famous for the overwhelming amount of spider webs that pass though its auction house, a synthesis material that maintains a long history of being in high demand. Spider webs currently occupy the top rank, which can be attributed to the spiders living in the new areas adjacent to Al Zahbi. We would also like to draw attention to the Imperial coins and wamoura cocoons unique to the Aht Urhgan region. A single Imperial gold piece can be obtained by exchanging 1000 Imperial credits. The total number of gold pieces placed on auction would have required 42,930,000 Imperial credits to purchase. These figures clearly show how popular the new Aht Urhgan areas have become.

Overall, the item most often placed on auction is Yagudo drink. While relatively cheap to make, this beverage is prized for its Refresh effect and used by many on missions, in special battles, and even in normal experience parties. Other popular items are also consumable goods that adventurers use on a daily basis.

[ Goods Most Placed On Auction ] Next, we would like to discuss the highly sought after relic equipment that can be found in the Dynamis areas. These figures represent the total number of fourth, and final stage relics possessed by adventurers across every World.

There is a fair amount of disparity in numbers between the different types of weapons. The total number of fourth stage relics comes to 176, while the total for final stage relics comes to 218. [ Relic Acquisition (4th stage and final stage) ]*All Worlds

Home Points
With the addition of the Aht Urhgan expansion disc and several new areas, adventurers now have a wider range of activity than ever before. To find out where players return to after a long day of adventuring, we took a look at where they were setting their home points.

Since we can assume that many characters are simply "storage" characters, it is not surprising to find the three main nations high on the list. However, it is interesting to note the high ranking of the new area, Aht Urhgan Whitegate. The desire to participate in new content such as Besieged and Assault missions, as well as having a convenient base for experience and merit point parties has led many players to the shores of the Near East. Also, the ready availability of guilds, the auction house, and NPCs that provide instant transport to Jeuno has contributed to the large number of adventurers setting their home point in Aht Urhgan Whitegate.

[ Home Point Area Ranking ]

Treasures of Aht Urghan
Following the release of the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion disc, we have compiled three tables of data concentrating on some of the newly introduced features of the game: Aht Urhgan Mission Progression, Mercenary Rank Distribution, and Assault Mission Ranking.

≪Aht Urhgan Mission Progression≫

Out of the many players who have begun the Aht Urhgan missions, almost half have completed "A Mercenary Life," the last step currently available. We attribute this level of progression to the absence of difficult battles, and the desire to follow the antics of the unique characters encountered as the story unfolds. The ability to participate in Assault missions must also play a big part in the large number of players that has reached the mission stage "President Salaheem."

[ Aht Urhgan Mission Progression ]

≪Mercenary Rank Distribution≫

The number of players that has reached the rank of Private Second Class occupies around 75% of the mercenary population. As you can see, this is followed by the rank of Private First Class at 17.34%, and Superior Private at 7.08% Considering the fact that this data was compiled only a month after the commencement of service for Treasures of Aht Urhgan, these numbers suggest a high level of interest and communication among adventurers.

≪Assault Mission Ranking≫

The most popular Assault mission to date is "Lamia No.13," followed by "Excavation Duty." Assuming familiarity with the mission strategy, the secret behind this popularity would have to be the relatively high chance for success, and the 4000 Assault Points received upon completion. This mission's top place in the chart can also be attributed to the extremely popular items available in exchange for Ilrusi Atoll Assault Points: the velocity earring, the garrulous ring, and the pahluwan khazagand.

In contrast, "Imperial Agent Rescue" has secured a high position in the ranking thanks to the element of luck that prevents its successful completion despite thorough preparation and planning. Many players attempt this mission over and over in an effort to raise their mercenary rank.

[ Assault Mission Ranking ]

In Closing
How did you enjoy our 6th Vana'diel census? Over the past four years, I have watched the bustling Final Fantasy XI community as it continues to thrive, and am proud to say that the dedicated development and management teams here at Square Enix believe that it is our responsibility to work day and night to bring you, our over 500,000 loyal users, one of the most rewarding experiences you will find online.

As you all know, on April 24th, we released our newest expansion disc, Treasures of Aht Urghan. However, the content in that update was just the tip of the iceberg. In the coming months we will be introducing several new exciting facets of the Final Fantasy XI world, such as new quests, new systems, and the highly-anticipated chocobo raising, to guarantee you keep coming back to Vana'diel for more. But we are not only working hard to bring you exceptional content within the game, but are also constantly striving to strengthen the community outside Vana'diel with continued support of linkshell communities, community sites, and premier sites around the world. We promise that we will not stop in our efforts to ensure you always feel that you are an important member of our ever-growing family.

I'm looking forward to seeing you in Vana'diel!

June 23, 2006 Sage Sundi Global Online Producer