Think that the only thing newsworthy thing in Square Enix's Fan Festival 2007 is the Final Fantasy 11: Wings of the Goddess expansion? Think again. The producer of Final Fantasy 11 (PC, Xbox 360) talks about a new Square Enix MMORPG in the works, and it's not even necessarily a Final Fantasy title. Read more in the full article!

Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess has been out on all platforms since November 22 but only for North America. A recent announcement has been made, saying that European gamers, as well as gamers from other PAL territories, can join in on the struggle that is the Crystal War. Square Enix says that copies of Wings of the Goddess (Microsoft Xbox 360, Windows PC) is now available in PAL regions.

A couple more days left under February and everyone in Final Fantasy XI is getting ready to get themselves some sweet, sweet lovin' during the FFXI Valentine's Day event. Called Valentione's (that's not a typo) Day, this event is a chance for young lovers to express their true feelings by giving that "special someone" a chunk of chocolate sweeter than the words "I love you."

The Mog House Management Union (MHMU) has planned a bittersweet event to bring lonely Vana'dielian couples together, but it looks like most of the adventurers that signed up aren't as comfortable talking with those of the opposite sex, so it's up to you to act in Cupid's stead. Catch the Velentione moogles who hold the keys to the festivities in these locations:

• Southern San d'Oria (J-9)
• Northern San d'Oria (D-8)
• Bastok Mines (I-9)
• Bastok Markets (G-8)
• Windurst Waters (F-5)
• Windurst Woods (K-10)

The Valentione excitement begins at 16:00 (PST) on Thursday, February 1 and continues until 0:00 (PST) on Thursday, February 15 (Earth time).

The support team for Microsoft Windows Vista reported that upgrading to Vista may cause bugs that will prevent you from playing Final Fantasy XI.

That's because a couple of PlayOnline Viewer bugs are affecting Final Fantasy XI:

• Install menu doesn't activate even when the install disk is in the drive. "Install Menu" for selecting program to install does not start. Instead, PlayOnline Viewer installation begins.
• PlayOnline Viewer doesn't start. After installing the PlayOnline Viewer, the application sometimes fails to launch and displays the message "PlayOnline Viewer cannot run under current operating system."

Because PlayOnline Viewer does not launch, Final Fantasy XI becomes unplayable. Even if the PlayOnline Viewer does launch, the support team said further operation is not guaranteed. Similar problems happen when previously confirmed PCs upgrade to Windows Vista.

The team is still working with Microsoft to fix the bugs but it will take time. "We anticipate our support of Microsoft Windows Vista to start after the official version goes on sale."

As mentioned in an earlier article, Square Enix will be coming out with a compilation of Final Fantasy XI goodies called the "Vana’diel Collection 2007".

And now, Square Enix has announced that the "Vana'diel Collection" has shipped to retail stores across North America and is now up for grabs! What exactly will this collection include?

• Final Fantasy XI stand-alone product
• Rise of the Zilart, Chains of Promathia, and Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion packs
• a new foldout Quick Manual including a world map and a starter’s guide
  

With the Final Fantasy XI expansion packs included in the collection, you'll get to traverse the vast expanses of Vana'diel with new jobs, areas, monsters, items and quests that further adds to the richness of the FFXI storyline. The world map included in the collection will also make it easier for you to spot the locations in the Vana'diel universe that you might want to explore.

You can now get the Windows-exclusive Final Fantasy XI Vana’diel Collection 2007 at your local NA retailers for US $29.99.

If you've just set foot in the world of Vana'diel, chances are you explore the lands aimlessly, overwhelmed by the grandiosity of Final Fantasy XI Online. Then you realize that you need help. The manuals and FAQs may be of little help at the start, so you try to interact with other players only to be more confused than when you first started off. That's where community sites come into the picture.

The official Final Fantasy XI website has listed six community sites that will help you get started with your adventure, whether you're a clueless newb or a veteran.

Beginners might find 1UP's Final Fantasy XI Traveler's Guide to be a good start off point to get acquainted with races and jobs. If you're out to destroy your enemies, you'd find the Vana'diel Bestiary site useful as it provides comprehensive info about monsters and foes.

Other sites that made the list are FFXIclopedia, Allakhazam Final Fantasy XI, and Dreams in Vana'diel. It doesn't matter whether  you've played the game countless times, there are still loads of info to be had when you visit the sites. And of course, if you want the latest info about Final Fantasy XI, keep it here at QJ. You'd be glad you did.