Beta phase 3 returns July 10-15; Phase 3 ends July 15; Chars wiped!

We have news about the last few days of beta phase 3 -- including an end date.  After that: open beta, headstart and launch.

from the Beta forums: http://forum.square-enix.com/ARR-Test/threads/77221-Beta-Test-Phase-3-Schedule-%2807-08-2013%29?p=934710#post934710

I've listed some high points below; you can also see some details on Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comments/1hurjo/p3_week_5_schedule_july_10_2013_wednesday_200_am/

Dates and Times (PDT)

• July 10, 2013 (Wednesday), 2:00 a.m. to July 15 (Monday), 2:00 a.m.

Phase 4

• Beta test phase 3 will conclude on Monday, July 15th. The beta test phase 4 schedule will be announced at a later time.

Beta 3 character wipes confirmed

• All character data will be deleted at the end of beta test phase 3. Although character data from Version 1.0 will also be deleted, data from the final save on October 31, 2012 will be transferred again at the beginning of beta test phase 4.

We'll need to download a new client for open beta (and beyond)

• The client for beta test phase 3 cannot be used for beta test phase 4 or official service. Please delete the client at the end of this beta test phase.

Well, I'll get in a few days for Beta test 3.  HA!  Of course, I dread the need to redownload the client that will be supplied for Beta Test 4 because my DL is sloooooowwwww.  LOL!  At least I know I can usually have a game ready in a 24 hour period and the DL for the Beta 3 client didn't hit any glitches while I left it overnight (glitch can include hubby getting on and accidentally closing it hehe))

Will, see those of you on Leviathan for this part of the test.  =)

Since toons don't get wipes supposedly after Beta 4, are we going to be able to get on Excaliber then or still have to work out a transfer or something for when we go live?

Figure if I like the game enough I need to figure out the budget for it and I'd definitely do a 6 month sub to get the cheapest monthly rate.  Still averages less than what I've put into my other games monthly and is on par wth most sub rates.  Thankfully they don't seem to have gone up with inflation over the past 13 years.  ;)

Yay Bri!  Glad you'll get a chance to beta for a few days. :)

Re char wipes -- aren't Beta 4 (aka Open Beta) and the Head Start two different phases?  I thought Open Beta characters were wipes, whereas Headstart characters were not.   I think Head Start is available to legacy 1.0 players, and folks who pre-purchase collectors editions (including the digital collector's edition) only.  I may have that wrong...

There will be no wipe of phase 4 characters unless something bad happens. :)

Thanks for the clarification Izzy. 

oh thank goodness. i want phase 3 to be over already, so i can play for reals!

Oh man, so excited! Can't wait for the start of phase 4.

Reminds me, is anyone besides me and Saren paying on PS3? Trying to find out if anyone knows if PS3 users will be sent a new key to download a new client or if we keep the one we already have... I've had no luck on the fourms =p

My advice is to create a toon on Excalibur right at the start of phase 4, whether you intend to play phase 4 right away or not, just to secure yourself a spot on the server.

I get access to everything, so perhaps someone else may like to confirm that those who have beta keys already get auto entry to phase 4. There is then a short down time, then head start which you get into by having either pre-ordered FFXIV ARR or by being a legacy player. Then comes release.

So if you have a beta key already, or by the start of phase 4, you will be able to roll on Excalibur with no wipe. Please, if you do not have a key by now, make an effort to get one!

If you have not pre-ordered, but roll a toon in phase 4, you will miss the headstart days, but then start with your phase 4 toon intact on release day.

To clarify, the upcoming beta 10 -15 July is the final part of phase 3. Characters will be wiped at the end of this phase. Keep reading the official beta test forums for more info.

In an interview with Yoshi from May 30, Yoshi indicated the Phase 4 could simply be 7 days with the head start being 3 - 5 days.  If that is actually the case, Phase 4 won't start until the first week or so of Aug or maybe the second week at the latest.

Does being a legacy player give you the "head start" besides the phase 4 beta?

I am a bit confused with beta 4 and headstart also. I didn't think I was a legacy player, till I saw some old toons on another legacy server. Do I need to buy the game in order to play headstart?

Thank you for posting this information!

I'm confused about headstart vs. beta phase 4 too. 

• The PDF that shows what is planned for each beta phase states that characters created in phase 4 won't be wiped (unless necessary).  That would make it a head start, in essence.
• The marketing language for the collector's edition states: "Pre-order Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and receive a token for early access to the game"

Is the collector's edition early access the same thing as the public open beta?

Nope, if you don't preorder there will apparently be a downtime gap between open beta(phase4) and actual release.

Phase 4 and Headstart are different things. 

Headstart is for players who either have legacy status or who have preordered. Nobody else.

@Lakshmi: you have access to both phase 4 and headstart :)

@ Durav: not all who bought 1.0 gained legacy status. You will know if you have it because you will see the legacy icon when you log into your SE account. If you bought 1.0 but do not have legacy status, you will only miss out on headstart.  You do not have to buy the game again.

Where would one find the legacy icon? =)

Nevermind...apparently I am not a legacy player.

I purchased the original Collectors edition game pre-release and I have characters from 1.0...how am I not a legacy player?

A requirement of Legacy status was having paid for 90 days of service in 1.x. I did not do this. I played past the first free month...i either paid a month at a time or they gave an additional free month, I cant remember, but either way I did not pay for 90 days.

sigh

Yeaaahhhh can't wait!! 

@Sandolphan:  You can still get in to headstart by preordering the game...but then you will have it twice.  That would also give you the mog cap and cait sith companion, but that is about it.

I guess I don't have legacy status. Oh well. As long as I can get into phase 4 to make my characters, i'm cool. Thanks for all the info.

I prepurchased the PS3 CE to go on top of my PC CE version so it wasn't a complete waste for me ;P I get the new physical items and can play on either the PC or PS3 :D