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Two official videos are available on the
Talk Page.
Introduction
This guide is designed to help people install the game. My images and processes are based on a Windows 10 install.
Installation
PlayOnline & FFXI Download and Install
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First, download the game's install file's from HERE.
- Note that this is for the US install.
- For the EU install go HERE
There are 5 files and are a total of roughly 7.2GB so it may take a while to download them.
- FFXIFullSetup_US.part1.exe
- FFXIFullSetup_US.part2.rar
- FFXIFullSetup_US.part3.rar
- FFXIFullSetup_US.part4.rar
- FFXIFullSetup_US.part5.rar
Once you have them downloaded make sure you have all 5 in the same location and then run FFXIFullSetup_US.part1.exe.
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 Download page from PlayOnline |
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An extracter will appear. Select "Extract". This will extract all the files to the specified location, which you will have to manually open, so take note of the location it defaults to.
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Navigate to the location you extracted to and run the "FFXISetup.exe" file.
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Check all 3 boxes and then click "Install".
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The first install is for DirectX. Click the radio button for "I Accept" and click "Next".
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After it is done installing, click "Finish".
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The POL installer is next, click "Next".
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License agreement, we know you won't read it so click "Next".
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A note about background applications during the install, just hit "Next".
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Install location, verify where you want it and hit "Next".
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Decide if you want a shortcut(you don't) and click "Install".
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Once it is done, click "Finish".
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It will now install the actual game, once it loads, just click "Next".
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Check that you Agree and "Next" once again.
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Another note about background applications. Click "Next".
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Again, if you want to change the location here's where you do it for the XI install itself. It'll default to where you installed POL but make sure you install it where you'd like it. Hit "Next" when you are done.
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A note about DirectPlay, Click "Next".
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Decide if you want a shortcut to XI and click "Install".
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Once the game is done installing, click "Finish".
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PlayOnline and account setup
PlayOnline First time setup
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Now that the game is installed, open up the start menu and navigate to the "PlayOnline" folder. **Note that in this section you have the "PlayOnline Viewer Config" and "Final Fantasy XI Config" which will allow you to set various settings which you may need.
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 A wild start menu appears |
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Once POL opens it will ask you to update. Just hit "Next".
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This one is the short one. Just click "Update".
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It'll run through an initial file check and then start downloading necessary files and install them. This is a pretty short update
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Once it completes, hit "OK".
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After the update POL wants to restart. Click "Next".
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Once restarted it asks you if you're a member or not. If you click "For PlayOnline Members!" then it goes to the next screen to fill out details. If you select "Start PlayOnline Registration" I think it takes you to POL's site to let you set up an SE account and get your PlayOnline account as well.
- If you do not already have your accounts set up, continue on with the guide.
- If you already have your accounts, then skip ahead to the "Add POL Member" section.
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Free Trial Account Setup
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If you have not played before or just want to start over, you can start a free trial account by going to SE's store:
SE's Store
On this page click "ADD TO CART".
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A drop-down menu will appear. Click "Check Out" to continue.
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It will ask you to sign in. If you have an SE store account already you can use it here but if you don't, you'll have to set up a new one. Click "New Customer" at the top.
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On the "New Customer" tab it has you fill out several fields:
- A working email address to receive you
- A unique username
- Create a new password (write it down just in case)
- Pick your country
- Enter Birthday (probably have to be 13+ to play the game but not sure)
- If you had an old store account you can pick yes here, if not, just pick "No, create a new one".
- Uncheck if you don't want the SE newsletter
- The next three boxes you have to check or it won't let you continue.
After everything is filled, hit "JOIN NOW".
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 SE Store account registration |
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Now that you have an account it will have you confirm that this item is what you want. Hit "CONTINUE".
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Since SE wants all your data they force you to fill out shipping information despite not shipping you anything.
- You'll have to enter all of this but keep in mind that only the email and possibly the country actually matter. You could fill in basically anything you want for the rest.
- Check the box for "Shipping address is the same as Billing address" or you'll have to enter a separate address.
- Uncheck the box for "email product updates" unless you just like spam.
- Click "CONTINUE" once done.
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This is the order review screen. Not much to do here, just click "PLACE ORDER".
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At this point your order is done and you should receive an email. I'd recommend you save your order number just in case you have issues.
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The email will come from noreply@xmail.square-enix.com. Click the completion link to finish.
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 Trial Account activation email |
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The link in your email will bring you to a page with your activation key which is a 20 character code. Take note of this somewhere as you'll need it for the next section.
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Create an SquareEnix ID
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Navigate to SquareEnix's management site:
SE's Management site NA version
SE's Management site EU version
This guide's images and instructions will be based on the NA version but hopefully they are similar enough to help.
Once there, click on the large red button labeled "Register new account".
The blue one will be your go to for any account changes so I'd recommend bookmarking that one.
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The next screen will have you fill out all the information needed to set up your SEID. You'll need:
- A unique username for your SEID (this will be what you log in to the SE site as well as your primary for PlayOnline for playing XI.
- A password
- Your email address. And yeah, this one has to work too as you can't continue without the email it sends.
- Birthday
- A security question and answer for it.
- Hit the Captcha checkbox to prove skynet isn't learning to play MMOs and click "Next".
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On the next page it will point you to your email as you should have gotten an account registration email. In that email is a Confirmation Code. Grab it.
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Here's where you'll enter the confirmation code sent to your email. Once entered, hit "Confirm".
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And that part is done. Hitting next here brings you to your account. (I don't recall if it makes you log in a second time)
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 SEID registration complete |
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SE sends you another email with your SEID. I'd recommend getting this and your password saved somewhere.
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 SE email with account details |
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Once logged you can do several things here but we'll focus on getting your XI set up. Click the blue icon that says "Service Accounts" and has the FFXI logo on it.
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SE again wants information. Whatever you enter here, be sure to make note of it as much of it you may need later if you need to recover your account. Once you're done entering your information, hit "Next".
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SE finds it necessary to tell you that you've registered, click "Next".
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You first need to get a PlayOnline account. Click "Add new PlayOnline servcies account".
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 FFXI Service accounts page |
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It's possible there is some important information in here... I didn't read it. Hit "Next" to continue.
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On this page you must enter your registration codes for PlayOnline. If you started a trial, you'll enter that code from your email I referenced previously in the guide. If you bought your game, you should have gotten your codes in another way.
- If purchased with physical copies, your codes would be within the game disc case.
- In steam, you'll have gotten them within the steam system under "View Codes".
- If you bought it from SE's site, you'll get them in an email similar to the trial.
- DO NOT LOSE THESE! You may need them.
- In any case, get your codes and enter them. Click "Next" once done.
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 PlayOnline Registration Codes |
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This goes over a few things about the free trial. Click "Next".
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More agreements... Click "Next".
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Finally, you have your POL ID and now you can go set up POL.
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Add POL Member
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Open up PlayOnline and click "Add Member".
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You'll need to fill out most of these:
- Member Name is whatever you want this entry to be shown as, can be whatever you want.
- PlayOnline ID is the 8 character code that starts with 4 letters and ends in 4 numbers that you have to get from SE's site.
- Set Password allows you to save your PlayOnline password so you don't have to type it in every time you log in. It is optional.
- PlayOnline Password is where you enter that if you want it saved and you have the previous option set.
- Member Password is just an additional password if you want to use it but it really doesn't add much security as it is only local.
- Square Enix ID or SEID is the username you need to log in to SE's website to manage your account.
- One-Time Password is what you turn on if you have a security token. If you do, then set to "Use".
- After filling all necessary fields, click "Register".
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Once registered it will bring you back to the login screen where you can click your newly added entry. A screen will pop up and just click "Log In". On the next screen enter your SE password and if you use the one-time password enter that generated code and hit "Connect".
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If this is the first time you've logged in, you'll have to create a "Handle". Which is basically your POL name. Make one and hit "Register".
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It then asks if you would like to edit any of the details of your handle, click "Yes" if you do.
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If you decided to edit, it'll bring you to a screen where you can pick a handle image or give details about yourself which your friends will be able to see. Just hit "Back" when done.
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How many agreements does SE make you agree to? On this one you literally have to scroll to the bottom before you hit "Accept" or it will yell at you.
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On this screen just hit "FINAL FANTASY XI".
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And on this screen, click "Play".
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SE attempts to warn you not to play too much. Click "Play".
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Now the game has to update. Click "Update".
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First thing you should know is that SE's update system is terrible. Each file downloads one at a time and because of how it is structured, it takes forever regardless of how good your internet is. Luckily, SE recently created a fresh installer so it is much faster than it used to be.
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 How long it used to take... |
