Social Capitalism and Labor in Final Fantasy XI



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Social Capitalism and Labor in Final Fantasy XI

Discover Virtual Economies in Gaming

Two Lessons for 12th Grade CA Economics

By

Jay Devin Smithen

Table of Contents

Social Capitalism and Labor in Final Fantasy XI 1

Teaching Guide Overview 3

Final Fantasy XI Description 5

Using Final Fantasy XI in the Classroom 7

The Advantages of Teaching with Games 8

Goals and Objectives 11

Grade Level Standards and Content Area 11

Where the Game fits into the Curriculum 12

What Teachers Need to Know Before Beginning 14

Hardware Requirements 15

Lessons Overview 16

Lesson One – It’s a Material World, after all. 17

Lesson One Goals and Objectives 17

Lesson One Setup 18

Lesson One Activity/Game play 18

Lesson One Follow-up/Debriefing 19

Lesson One Extensions 19

Lesson Two – Made in China, Assembled in Mexico, Consumed by Americans 20

Lesson Two Goals and Objectives 20

Lesson Two Setup 20

Lesson Two Activity/Game play 21

Lesson Two Follow-up/Debriefing 21

Lesson Two Extensions 22

Teacher Resources 23

References 24

About the Author 25

Appendices 26

Appendix A: Grading Rubrics 26

1. Text Based Research Grading Rubric 26

2. Graphical Analysis of Gaming Simulation 27

Appendix B: History–Social Science Framework 28

1. Economics (One Semester) 28

2. Fundamental Economic Concepts 28

3. Comparative Economic Systems 29

4. Microeconomics 29

5. Macroeconomics 29

6. International Economic Concepts 30

Appendix C: Hardware Requirements 31

Appendix D: Basic Controller Functions By System 33

Appendix E: Game Setup and Concepts 35

1) Race 35

2) Nations 35

3) Playing Cooperatively 36

4) Basic Jobs 36

5) Advanced jobs 37

Teaching Guide Overview

Have you ever wanted to set out upon an epic adventure? An adventure we all must go through? Students and teachers alike would agree that navigating high school could be considered one of the most treacherous journeys ever made. The micro-economy of high school bullies and smaller, unfortunate students metaphorically mimics the Bull & Bear Market of New York. Negotiating the social structures of certain cliques can even be detrimental to one’s own health. On both sides of the teacher/student fence, attempting to take up the gauntlet and survive feels a bit like:

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Somehow, the learning must go on! Today, technology affects everything we do; from how and when we wake up, to the way we eat, work, travel, and much, much more. Technology has even changed the way we learn; students no longer spend copious, twilight hours at library desks, pouring over twenty-year-old research gleaned from dusty, yellowing books. Learning is no longer bound to a physical classroom, either. Unfortunately, we are losing the battle for our students’ tiny attention spans. Instead of reading or playing outside, our students surround themselves with digital innovations, and then become immersed in every new chunk of technological advancement they can get their hands on. While learners choose to spend countless hours mastering their game levels, rather than completing their homework papers, we as educators are obligated to consider how these gaming devices engage our students.

Gaming is no longer limited to one-way user interfaces. Participants now have the ability to connect with millions of other like-minded individuals with similar interests, on a myriad of digital devices. During game play, learners utilize: (a) Problem-solving skills, (b) mental dexterity, (c) hand-eye motor control, (d) cognitive memory skills, and (e) creativity to achieve collective goals. This teaching guide provides supplemental lesson plans for the California 12th Grade Economics Content Areas crossed with implications of Mathematical and Social Studies principles.

The designed lessons lead students to participate in a virtual, social economy, which is based upon the collective efforts of student participants. The gaming platform outlined in this guide, Final Fantasy XI, fosters a cooperative, safe environment, where learners are free to experiment without real-world consequences. The provided FFXI lessons engage students on multiple cognitive levels and extended domains, while meeting the appropriate CA State Teaching Standards. Any of the prominent learning theories could be employed to execute lessons for High School Economics; however, the design of these lessons is meant to be Constructivist in nature.

Inherently Constructivist, video games and software tools, like the Final Fantasy franchise, completely depend and focus entirely upon the learner. Teachers will act as facilitators of knowledge/discourse generation, rather than serving in the traditional model of direct instruction, where students receive inert information from authoritative figures. Gaming and programming processes demand active participation from learners; where learners can easily measure success and reflect upon skills/knowledge acquisition through peer comparison and/or ‘level completion’. Initially, gaming and programming require some prior knowledge to ‘build’ or ‘play’. The learner will utilize previous experiences as a comparative learning mechanism to progress through more complex questions, ideas, or problems; thus, the intricacy of problem-solving associated with game play and digital programming mimics the constructivist learning process.

To be delivered mid-curriculum or later, these interactive lessons provide virtual case studies, which supply a comparative context for discourse in such a way that is meaningful to the learner and society as a whole. Students will immerse themselves in the FFXI social labor structure, and then correlate certain real-life phenomena and learning skills replicated and reproduced within the simulative platform. Towards the summation of the lesson, students produce analytical assessments of the overall experience through multiple socio-critical lenses. Learning extensions are also available.

Final Fantasy XI Description

Chapter XI of the Final Fantasy Franchise has tremendous potential for usage as an interactive tool for our Educational system across multiple subject areas. In 2002, Square Enix originally released this mainstream game in Japan on Sony’s PlayStation 2. Since then, gamers on PC’s, Mac’s, PlayStation 2, & 3, and even Xbox 360 participate in this massive, multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Also, four (4) world expansion packages have become available to add upon the incredible complexity of this game. As educators, we should utilize this ready-made software as an educational apparatus, rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board for ages 13+, based upon of its universal distribution and broad application possibilities. In order to engage our audiences, we as educators must utilize the devices our students find relevant in their perspective of this technology driven world.

This MMORPG exists within a fantasy world, named Vana'diel. Learners perform tasks either to improve their custom avatar’s powers or to complete orientated goals. As learners progress through the storyline, thousands of quests allow participants to gain various rewards, as well as grow the number of their cooperative online friends. Avatars create certain profitable items by either combining acquired or purchased items. Each of these items range in complexity and skill set. In order to become more proficient at a certain skill, learners must repeatedly execute a task to gain points for that particular skill. To further complicate things, even your type of avatar creature or job title affects how readily you acquire certain skill sets.

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A great deal of strategy is required from participants for future character developments. In this virtual world, an entirely user based economy based upon these virtual, user-generated, consumable goods begins to evolve. Prices accurately mimic supply and demand for goods in each district area by complexity. This type of strategy requires: (a) higher-level cognition skills and planning, (b) allows for cooperative groups for outlined tasks and goals, as well as (c) engages students in an interactive and supportive environment.

Using Final Fantasy XI in the Classroom

First and foremost, this particular game shows great promise for applications to many subjects, way beyond the contents of this specific teaching guide; secondly, the lessons in this guide should be employed as an initial jumping-off platform for constructive and interactive learning.

The Final Fantasy XI tool demonstrates Mathematic principles and Economic trends through item creation, sale, and trade. The aforementioned user-driven economy in FFXI exercises real-world relevance for learners to gain perspective on current events and trends. Advancement in the story and skill set acquisition is mathematically measurable, comparable, and available for further analysis beyond play.

Additionally, FFXI has several social and political applications. The cooperative nature of this gaming platform fosters companionship and alliance strategies. As with real-life, certain initial origination and alliance decisions affect future endeavors. This type of interaction can be observed from a social lens, or even a political lens. The interactive nature of this game lends itself to both content areas, easily. Educators could apply this software in either subject, as a virtual case study for lessons plans.

One last idea includes Final Fantasy XI as a valuable resource for creative literature, language arts, and fine art courses from sixth grade on up. The fantasy nature of the story and design easily lend itself for story writing, storytelling, and illustration. For example, crossing the desert in FFXI requires you obtain a license in order to ride the virtual, fanciful giant chicken; and this yellow-feathered taxi, amongst a plethora of other examples, demonstrates why Final Fantasy XI provides educators with a wealth of creative inspiration covering multiple subjects.

The Advantages of Teaching with Games

Technology has dramatically changed the way we view, learn, and understand the world around us. Today, job markets base wage rates and stock prices on technology integration and proficiency. With our debit cards and technology driven banking systems at the ready, we buy robot packaged, canned, and cellophane wrapped anything from the grocery store. Societies all across the globe communicate via fiber optic cable and wireless satellite systems. Furthermore, over the last five decades, technology has drastically changed the way in which we vote, as well.

Learning can be a daunting task. Long-term retention requires hours of quality attention and repetition. As professionals and students alike, we must constantly learn new tasks and skill sets to keep up with our technology-based world, or we will be left behind in the dust like contemporary dinosaurs. Investing ourselves and finding the proper motivation rarely comes easy. Yet, there are those individuals who find the time, patience, and attention to master level upon level of their favorite new video game. MMORPG’s have the potential to couple a virtual reality arena with the future of learning (Reigle & Matejka, 2006). Clark Aldrich wrote in his book, Simulations and the Future of Learning, “simulations and gaming reveal a new, incredibly flexible and deep learning environment for policy-makers, futurists, and educators to rethink classroom-as-usual instruction and take steps toward a brighter future of learning” (2004).

Engaging learners more effectively and efficiently, in genres that are relevant to them and society as a whole, drives Educators to further incorporate ‘New’ technologies into the curriculum. We strive to adequately prepare our students because we genuinely want them to succeed in the future. Technology affects every aspect of our lives today, yet our learners utilize multiple digital devices in order to fight boredom and procrastinate from doing homework. This teaching guide demonstrates how educators can incorporate ready-made technology that students are familiar with, so as to gain new critical perspectives on cognition and meta-cognition.

Students no longer spend long hours at library desks, pouring over twenty-year-old research literature. The Internet allows learners to gain perspective from across the globe without ever having to leave their room (except for snacks). Now more than ever, we utilize the Internet as a social platform with our web 2.0 tools and mass user gaming platforms. Why? These new platforms foster multi-way interaction rather than previous, text-based technologies that were mainly one-way streets. The Internet and gaming offer an alternate reality to socialize and participate in groups, without real-world consequences. Society today stereotypically misconceives gamers as those isolated individuals without any friends, glued to their latest video toy; but the reality of the situation is that they are connecting to millions of other individuals with similar interests every time they sign-on.

An interesting argument against mainstream games in education comes from the idea of games as being toys. If implemented properly, video gaming can become an educative tool, while being entertaining, too. When learners are spending hours mastering their game levels, as opposed to doing their homework papers, we as educators are obligated to consider how that device engages our students. During game play, learners utilize: (a) problem-solving skills, (b) mental dexterity, (c) hand-eye motor control, (d) cognitive memory skills, and (e) creativity to achieve collective goals. Different skill sets are added and emphasized according to the particular game genre. Relative to why we make and use simple, object-based games to teach math, science, or any other subject, video games grab and hold the teensy, tiny attention span of each learner. So, what’s the problem? Video games are not readily politician-approved or based on state standards… yet.

As technology advances, the necessity for the traditional classroom and lecture hall almost becomes illogical. Utilizing MMORPGs, such as Final Fantasy XI or Second Life, help educators and institutions access and maintain students from across the globe, rather than be limited to the local learning pool (Linden Research, 2009). More and more successful education projects prove that MMORPGs like FFXI, can be as effective as traditional classrooms; and for many students, it's an even more effective learning environment, since it provides tools for all kinds of learners: (a) Visual, (b) auditory, and (c) kinesthetic (Kapp, 2009). These environments also provide an educational forum for individuals with a variety of disabilities, which prevent them from attending a traditional classroom.

MMORPGs can be designed to support the situated and distributed nature of learning, thinking, and collaboration. Within a MUVE platform, students can: (a) Observe, (b) interact, (c) collect data, (d) form hypotheses, (e) develop controlled experiments to test their hypotheses without real-life repercussions, and (f) report recommendations to their peers, based upon their findings. Also considering the current economic turmoil, an education based that utilizes MMORPGs can cut overhead costs associated with traditional classrooms, such as physical facilities, transportation, and housing; even though MMORPGs too have associated costs, they still are considerably less than the current norm.

The Internet and mainstream video games offer anything from “E+ for everyone” to “M 17+ for mature audiences only.” In addition, the majority of highly popular game series available on the market are violent to say the least. Bothersome hecklers and troublemakers disrupt other online games as well. Yet, these interruptions and distractions are just miniature versions of reality. The resistant traditionalists need to get beyond this and start looking at video games as constructive learning tools. If we go beyond the limited idea of games as toys and begin to associate games as learning manipulatives, then we can engage our students more effectively and efficiently in such a ways that are relevant to learners and society as a whole.

Even though the negative aspects of MMORPGs seem overwhelming, the educational community has high expectations for the future of these virtual learning environments. As learners become more accepting of virtual education, the promise for complex constructive learning, within video gaming and other MMORPG’s, is very exciting.

Goals and Objectives

Upon successful completion of these supplemental lessons, students will be able to:

1. Explain the key ideas in the economic way of thinking.

2. Describe the Circular Flow of Money, Resources, and Products

3. Define money and explain its three functions.

4. Identify goals of the U.S. economic system.

5. Explain the role Prices play in a market economy.

6. Define demand and describe how it illustrates the price effect.

7. Explain why people buy more of something at lower prices and less at higher prices.

8. Describe the relationship between individuals’ demands and market demand.

9. Describe how supply is related to opportunity cost.

10. Define supply and explain the price effect related to supply.

11. Explain why producers want to sell more of something at higher prices and less at lower prices.

12. Describe the relationship between market supply and the supplies of individual sellers.

Grade Level Standards and Content Area

Grade 12

Principles of Economics

“In addition to studying government in grade twelve, students will also master fundamental economic concepts, applying the tools (graphs, statistics, equations) from other subject areas to the understanding of operations and institutions of economic systems. Studied in a historic context are the basic economic principles of micro- and macroeconomics, international economics, comparative economic systems, measurement, and methods” (CA Dept. of Education).

12.1 Students understand common economic terms and concepts and economic reasoning.

1) Examine the causal relationship between scarcity and the need for choices.

4) Evaluate the role of private property as an incentive in conserving and improving scarce resources, including renewable and nonrenewable natural resources.

12.2 Students analyze the elements of America’s market economy in a global setting.

1) Understand the relationship of the concept of incentives to the law of supply and the relationship of the concept of incentives and substitutes to the law of demand.

2) Discuss the effects of changes in supply and/or demand on the relative scarcity, price, and quantity of particular products.

4) Explain how prices reflect the relative scarcity of goods and services and perform the allocative function in a market economy.

7) Analyze how domestic and international competition in a market economy affects goods and services produced and the quality, quantity, and price of those products.

12.4 Students analyze the elements of the U.S. labor market in a global setting.

1. Understand the operations of the labor market, including the circumstances surrounding the establishment of principal American labor unions, procedures that unions use to gain benefits for their members, the effects of unionization, the minimum wage, and unemployment insurance.

2. Describe the current economy and labor market, including the types of goods and services produced, the types of skills workers need, the effects of rapid technological change, and the impact of international competition.

12.6 Students analyze issues of international trade and explain how the U.S. economy affects, and is affected by, economic forces beyond the United State’s borders.

1. Identify the gains in consumption and production efficiency from trade, with emphasis on the main products and changing geographic patterns of twentieth-century trade among countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Also Refer to Appendix B for the History-Social Science Framework from the CA Dept. of Education.

Where the Game fits into the Curriculum

Accomplishing the provided lessons may take three to ten live-class sessions, in addition to multiple at-home sessions if possible, depending upon the level of students enrolled in the class and technology availability. As homework, students may access their user accounts by logging into FFXI’s Official Website from any PC with the proper hardware (outlined in Appendix D). The first lesson should be situated near the middle of the term. California has designed the High School Economics Curriculum to fit within one semester of the 12th grade, so the instructor must begin introducing the initial tutorials during the third section of the CA Dept. of Education’s History-Social Science Framework (Please refer to Section 3 of Appendix B). Prior to the lessons, students should carry out initial, at-home game setup as homework. Optional video tutorials are available in the Teacher Resources section.

When the teacher begins facilitating the first lesson, students should have a firm grasp “of the operations and institutions of economic systems” (section 1.2, Appendix B). In addition, students must have a basic comprehension of: (a) Scarcity, (b) supply and demand, (c) cost-benefit analysis, (d) goods and services production, (e) derived demand, and (f) economic efficiency (Section 2, Appendix B).

Implementation of the first lesson during section 3 of the History-Social Science Framework fits nicely with concepts of a Free Enterprise System, where “decisions of individuals influence market prices that reflect the preferences of all participants and that act as signals to producers and as rationing devices” (Section 3.1, Appendix B). The gaming activities will provide a comparison of traditional versus command economies, and students will learn how certain conclusions in these economies sometimes rely on mechanisms outside the choices of the members of these societies; furthermore, students will also learn that no real world economy is a pure form of any of these economies (Section 3.2, Appendix B).

The second lesson can directly follow the first, or be further situated towards the end of the term. This lesson will take two to three live-class sessions. By postponing the second lesson, students can utilize the outcomes toward a summative analysis in the form of a term paper. This ‘term paper’ can accompany or even replace the final evaluation test. Final Fantasy XI lesson 2 acts as a simulation that falls mainly under Section 6, International Economic Concepts, of the CA Dept. of Education History-Social Science Framework.

Students should associate their gaming experiences with the reasons why nations trade internationally. Applying what was learned about Specialization and Exchange, in unit one of the course, to the gaming experience, will greatly enhance their comprehension of international trade in lesson two. Also, lesson two will focus on mathematical representation of economic trends within game play and real-life current events. Proper graphing skills and techniques must be outlined per the instructor’s preference to avoid future complications.

What Teachers Need to Know Before Beginning

Final Fantasy XI is a highly complex game with an equally challenging set of functions, operations, and capabilities for individual customization. Not to worry, help is on the way! There are many video tutorials available. Refer to the Teacher Resources Section of this guide. The first, and most imperative, step is ensuring that all participating students enroll for the same ‘World’. In Final Fantasy XI, servers are separated by ‘World’ designations. It is essential for the instructor to set up their accounts prior to the lesson. In this way, students will have a destination ‘World’ upon setup, so that all students can participate collaboratively. The setup process will not ask for your preference (Please refer to Section 3 of Appendix D).

The second most important step in any MMORPG is for students to create their own character. A character is defined by his or her race, nation and job. Creators designed Final Fantasy XI so that players do not need a stable of different characters. Students should develop one that they will want to stick with for a while. Unlike most MMORPGs, Final Fantasy XI is built so that players will never want or need a second character, except maybe to hold extra items. Thus, a character's race is just about the only permanent decision a player will ever have to make, so it is advisable to choose wisely. Five races live in Vana'diel. Just as one would expect, each character displays certain strengths and weaknesses.

The virtual Vana'diel environment is controlled by three nations: (a) The Republic of Bastok, (b) The Kingdom of San d'Oria, and (c) The Federation of Windurst. While the nation one picks isn't exactly important, it can enhance enjoyment of the game. Each nation has its own distinctive storyline and missions, with a few pieces of exclusive gear available to them.

In total, Final Fantasy XI sports 18 jobs, each more classic than the last. All jobs are leveled separately, so when the player changes to a new job, they will drop to level one. The good news is that the levels in a player’s other job won't be lost, just in case one decides he/she liked being in one job more than another. When changing jobs, combat skills from the previous jobs will carry over.

Job combinations determine positions in combat party groups. These groups, up to six players per party, venture out of the cities to battle mythological creatures (not each other) in order to gain precious, dropped items. Multiple groups can explore mutually, but rewards are divided amongst group members who actually defeat the monsters. For example: If one group starts a fight with a monster and another group steals him away at the last second for the ‘win’, then the second group reaps the rewards.

Once the students have collected enough materials, they will learn how to combine their items to create more complex goods. Those goods can then be sold at the Market or Auction House found in each city. Each time students combine certain items their skill levels increase. As their skills grow, students can perform more complex permutations for increased profit margins at the Market or Auction House.

Hardware Requirements

Fortunately, the game is offered on several platforms. There are software bundles available for PC, PS2 & PS3, and Xbox 360. Teachers should ask each of their students what type of game consoles they have. Potentially, students can bring their own gaming consoles to class for the duration of the lesson. Certain release forms may be necessary per District Policy. Some students may have the game already. This would be incredibly helpful because those students can become leaders and troubleshooting technicians. Students with any kind of gaming experience, especially in role-playing games, can become mentors in order to create a deeper Constructive Learning environment. Otherwise, teachers must familiarize themselves with the software functions and navigation. The Teacher’s Resources section of this document provides links to excellent tutorials on FFXI.

Idealistically, students should have their own console, but this is extremely rare. Students should form the smallest groups per console possible while still being efficient. Two to four students per account/console will work just fine for the intended lessons. Each type of console requires different controllers, but one is required per station. An Internet connection, keyboard, monitor, microphone, and speakers (or microphone headset) are also required per station. Seating arrangements are negotiable.

Also Refer to Appendix D: Hardware Requirements.

Lessons Overview

The primary goal of these lessons is to teach economic concepts. The secondary goal of these lessons is to engage students in a virtual economic environment.

How do you define economics? What's it all about? How does the economy relate to our lives? Interactive digital technologies are becoming more and more prevalent in American society. How does this affect the economy? What's the difference between actual and virtual capitalism as an economic system? These lessons provide an interactive and entertaining way for students to work together to find the answers to these questions. Students will form groups of three to four members per console for several one-hour, online gaming sessions. Students rotate possession of the controller every ten to fifteen minutes, so each payer has time to participate each session.

Prior to instruction, several things must be prepared. The teacher must have the students view the tutorials provided in the Teacher’s Resources Section. If possible, user accounts should be set up on each console before instruction to avoid wasting time, since the initial setup process can be quite lengthy. As stated before, ‘World Passes’ must also be obtained so all students can participate on the same world server (Refer to Section 3 of Appendix E).

The teacher plays along and leads as an indirect mentor for the live-class sessions. Once they are proficient enough, the students play at their own pace as the teacher gives assistance and frontloads essential questions for the students to consider during game play. Documenting students’ learning outcomes during the game play is essential. To do this: During game play, one group member takes control of the character, while the others record the developments. The primary learning objective of these lessons is to teach economic concepts, and the secondary objective of these lessons engage students in a virtual learning environment.

Lesson One – It’s a Material World, after all.

In this lesson, student groups explore different ‘Craft Trades’ of their Home Nations in FFXI. Over a period of three (3) one-hour, in-class sessions, students must defeat mythological creatures for special, dropped items. Students combine these items to create goods for sale at the Marketplace and Auction House. The virtual cycle of goods, services, and monies mimic real-life Capitalist Market Economies. Students interact and participate in these virtual economies in order to gain critical perspectives on social capitalism and labor.

Lesson One Goals and Objectives

The goal of this lesson is for students to gain first-hand experience in how labor directly affects consumption in Economic terms. Students correlate their actions within Final Fantasy XI to Supply and Demand market functions inside a Social Capitalist economy.

Upon successful completion of these supplemental lessons, students will be able to:

1. Define demand and describe how this illustrates the price effect.

2. Explain why people buy more items at lower prices and less items at higher prices.

3. Describe the relationship between individuals’ demands and market demand.

4. Describe how supply is related to opportunity cost.

5. Define supply and then explain the price effect related to supply.

6. Explain why producers want to sell more items at higher prices and less items at lower prices.

7. Describe the relationship between market supply and the supplies of individual sellers.

Lesson One Setup

Front-load students with key-terms before the start of the lesson: (a) Scarcity, (b) supply and demand, (c) cost-benefit analysis, (d) goods and services production, (e) derived demand, (f) economic efficiency, (g) labor, (h) consumer, (i) producer, (j) free-enterprise system, (k) profit, (l) money, and (m) specialization (Please refer to Sections 1, 2, and 3 of Appendix B).

During Session One, have the class gather around the Teacher’s gaming console, so that the teacher can demonstrate how the game functions operate and where to go within the cities. Previous gaming experience and knowledge from the provided tutorials are crucial for both the students and the Teacher during this session. If the Teacher has no previous “Gaming Experience”, attempting to learn this game ‘on the fly’ can result in disaster. The students’ learning experiences will be vastly richer, if one takes the time to become familiar with as much of the game as possible prior to Session One.

Lesson One Activity/Game play

Lesson One activities are spread over three (3) one-hour, in-class sessions. Each session must occur as follows:

During the second and third sessions, the Teacher plays along and leads as an indirect mentor for the live-class sessions. Once students are proficient enough, they play at their own pace as the teacher gives assistance and frontloads essential questions for the students to consider during game play. Documenting students’ learning outcomes during the game play is essential. To do this: During game play, one group member takes control of the character at a time, while the others record the developments. Students must rotate the controls every fifteen minutes to ensure even participation.

1. Students turn on consoles, monitors and projectors as necessary, and log onto their accounts.

2. Student groups take their character around their nation city to gain a sense of their environment.

3. Students investigate and document points of interest within the city.

4. Students then must travel outside the city walls to defeat mythological creatures for desired items.

5. Student groups must collect at least twenty-five (25) to forty (40) dropped items.

6. Students must then sell those items for profit at their nation’s central market. It is essential that the profit margins be well documented.

Lesson One Follow-up/Debriefing

After the three (3) cooperative activities have come to a close, learners will spend one (1) face-to-face session to discuss their findings:

Key Questions

• What are some economic decisions, which citizens, workers, consumers, business owners and managers, and members of civic groups must make?

• How does Scarcity occur?

• What is the difference between: (a) Final goods, as opposed to services that any economy produces; and (b) the productive resources, including human resources, capital goods, and natural resources, that are used to produce these final goods and services?

• What does economic efficiency require from producers?

• In a free-market enterprise system: Who produces the goods? Who consumes them? How do your experiences in Final Fantasy XI reflect this principle? What would you change about this type of system? Why? How would you go about doing this?

• How do Traditional and Command Economies differ from the Free-Market System? What would have to change in FFXI in order to fit that criterion?

Lesson One Extensions

At this point, students will produce a text-based research assignment, which reflects a solid comprehension of: (a) Supply and Demand principles; (b) the Circular Flow of Money, Resources, and Products; and (c) the definition of money and its three functions. (Please refer to Appendix A’s first section for this assignment’s Grading Rubric.)

Lesson Two – Made in China, Assembled in Mexico, Consumed by Americans

During the second lesson, students further focus on developing their character’s ‘Craft’ skills by producing salable items for the Market and Auction House within FFXI. In this lesson, students examine the mathematical operations of market systems as they relate to labor versus profitability. Our market economy is characterized by different market structures, including monopolies and oligopolies, and various economic principles, such as monopolistic competition and perfect competition. Students learn how prices and the quantity demanded and supplied are determined in the markets for goods. They also learn about current events, which lead to changes in demand and supply and how these changes influence prices differently per market genre.

Lesson Two Goals and Objectives

The goal of this lesson is for students to measure how labor directly affects consumption in Economic terms. Students produce visual representations and present their findings of the free-market, economic principles experienced in Final Fantasy XI.

Upon successful completion of these supplemental lessons, students will be able to:

1. Explain the key ideas in the economic way of thinking.

2. Describe the Circular Flow of Money, Resources, and Products

3. Define money and explain its three functions.

4. Identify goals of the United States Economic System.

5. Explain the role prices play in a market economy.

Lesson Two Setup

If the teacher postpones the second lesson until a later date, rather than joining the two lessons back-to-back, then a review session will be necessary. Having the two lessons back-to-back is preferable, but not necessary.

Front-load students with key-terms before the start of the lesson: (a) Free-market system, (b) market structure, (c) cost-benefit analysis, (d) goods and services production, (e) derived demand, (f) economic efficiency, (g) labor, (h) consumer, (i) producer, (j) monopoly versus oligopolies, (k) profit, (l) money, and (m) perfect-competition (Please refer to Sections 3, 4, and 5 of Appendix B).

Lesson Two Activity/Game play

Lesson Two activities are spread over three (3) one-hour, in-class sessions. Each session must occur as follows:

At this point, the Teacher plays along and leads as an indirect mentor for the live-class sessions. Once students are proficient enough, they play at their own pace as the teacher gives assistance and frontloads essential questions for the students to consider during game play. Documenting students’ learning outcomes during the game play is essential. To do this: During game play, one group member takes control of the character, while the others record the developments.

1. Students turn on consoles, monitors and projectors as necessary, and log onto their accounts.

2. Student groups take their character to their nation’s central market.

3. Students investigate and document salable items and their prices.

4. Students discuss which items they want to create. Make sure students have realistic goals in mind considering their residual craft skill levels from lesson one.

5. Students then search and locate each of the three (3) to (5) National Crafting Guilds located within the city walls.

6. Students learn necessary tasks to create their salable goods; artificial intelligence avatars located at each guild provide this information. Click on the avatar, and a text box guides the student through each tutorial.

7. Students must then travel outside the city walls to defeat mythological creatures for desired items. Certain items may need to be purchased from the guilds and/or Market/Auction House.

8. Student groups must create at least fifteen (15) to twenty (20) salable items.

9. Students must then sell those items for profit. It is essential that the profit margins be well documented.

Lesson Two Follow-up/Debriefing

After the solo and cooperative activities have come to a close, learners will spend one (1) face-to-face session discussing relevant, current events prior to students’ in-class presentations of their findings.

Key Questions

• What are some alternatives to the free market system?

• What setting procures Perfect-Competition?

• What is a labor market and how are these represented in Final Fantasy XI?

• What is the quickest way to make money in Final Fantasy XI?

• What is the most profitable item in Final Fantasy XI?

• What current events reflect your findings?

• What types of goods are produced in each city in Final Fantasy XI? Does this mimic real-life? If so, how?

• Do different real-life nations produce specialized goods? Who? What are they producing, and who is consuming those goods?

• Does international events/policy affect Supply and Demand, or price?

Lesson Two Extensions

After three (3) one-hour, in-class sessions have been attained during the second lesson; each group of students will produce bar graphs reflecting profit margins and overall successes. Then they will make a presentation of their findings, in comparison to real-world current events, to the rest of the class. Students will: (a) Further understand the use of labor markets; (b) describe the current economy and labor market, including the types of goods and services produced, the types of skills workers need, the effects of rapid technological change, and the impact of international competition; (c) analyze issues of international trade and explain how the U.S. economy affects, and is affected by, economic forces beyond the United State’s borders; and (d) identify the gains in consumption and production efficiency from trade, with an emphasis on the main products and changing geographic patterns of twenty-first-century trade between countries. (Please refer to Appendix A’s second section for this assignment’s Grading Rubric.)

Teacher Resources

Final Fantasy XI Official Website: This site provides everything from software uploads to troubleshooting.



Final Fantasy XI New Player Guide Video Tutorials: Excellent guides on getting started in Final Fantasy XI.



Final Fantasy XI Support Center 24-7 tech-support and trouble shooting guides.



Square Enix Official Website: Final Fantasy XI Parent company website.



Windows Installation Instructions:



Rules and Policies of Final Fantasy XI usage:



References

Aldrich, C. (2004). Simulations and the future of learning. Pfeiffer Printing: San Francisco, CA.

Kapp, K. (2009). More advantages of 3D learning environments. Retrieved from:

Linden Research. (2009). Why teach in second life? The benefits speak for themselves. Retrieved from:

Riegle, R.P. & Matejka, W.A. (2006) The learning guild: MMORPG’s as educational environments. 22nd Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning: the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Retrieved from

Vassar, D. (2004). Final fantasy xi beginner’s guide. Gamesradar, US. Retrieved from

About the Author

My Philosophy:

My goal as an educator is to expand the horizons of possibility in a shrinking and uncertain future. I believe it is crucial to be supportive and encourage “out-of-the-box” learning. An education that utilizes a mentality of singular correct answers per question promotes and produces robot-like humans, dictatorships and even holocausts. It is vital for each and every student to develop his or her own self-driven learning experience to stimulate independent thinking. Equally important, I, as a leader and role model, must show my students that they have potential to do anything they set their minds to, and I must provide the intellectual, emotional, and physical tools for them to operate at their maximum potential.

My Community:

I live in Orange, California. My various jobs take me a little bit of everywhere. I travel a lot around the US and Canada for the VANS Warped Tour each summer, where I mostly see huge parking lots and amphitheatres. When I am not traveling for the concert series, I participate in a community of artists and educators. We work with children in community projects to expand upon theoretical ideologies based upon creative learning through the visual arts.

My Environment:

I am constantly surrounded by some of the top creative minds in design, visual art, and education. My colleagues are from all around the world and are well versed in an array of technologies. This vast pool of skills allows me to generate a great learning environment, because I am able to pull these professional resources together for my students to create a greater community of learning. Feeding off of each other, we can collaborate and produce knowledge and understanding.

My Roles and Responsibilities:

I am a Leader, a Friend, a Family member, a Companion, and an Educator. I will hold you accountable so long as you keep me to that standard as well. That keeps the playing field level. This way we can come together and achieve something greater than ourselves, Understanding.

Appendices

Appendix A: Grading Rubrics

1. Text Based Research Grading Rubric

|Content |Mechanics |Grade |

|Assignment goal is exceeded |Notes are legible; demonstrate advanced content standards |Full Credit |

|Sophisticated understanding of the subject. |mastery. |Advanced |

|Imaginative, well-considered, comprehensive answer. |Notes are descriptive and specific to standard. |Proficiency |

|Reference pages cited with paragraph notation. |Clear, logical, well-structured and concise data is |"A" Letter Grade |

|Demonstration of advanced proficiency mastery of content |developed and supports the standard topic. |Equivalent |

|standard. |Sources of information are authoritative and are cited. |90-100% |

|Assignment goal is met |Notes are legible; demonstrate content standards mastery. |Partial Credit |

|Proficient understanding of the subject. |Notes are adequately descriptive and specific to standard.|Proficiency |

|Imaginative, well-considered, ample answer. |Clear, coherent, sound and direct data is developed and |"B" Letter Grade |

|Reference pages cited with paragraph notation. |supports the standard topic. |Equivalent |

|Demonstration of proficient mastery of content standard |Sources of information are solid and cited. |80-89% |

|Answer considers major issues involved | | |

|Assignment goal is Minimally met |Notes are legible; demonstrate minimum content standards |Credit |

|Basic understanding of the subject. |mastery. |Basic Proficiency |

|Concrete, measured, sufficient answer |Notes are descriptive and specific, but general in |"C" Letter Grade |

|Reference pages cited with paragraph notation. |reference to standard. |Equivalent |

|Demonstration of Basic mastery of content standard |Clear, consistent and reliable data is developed and |70-79% |

|Answer considers some major issues involved |supports the standard topic |  |

| |Sources of information are not acknowledged or not | |

| |authoritative | |

|Assignment goal is not entirely met |Notes are illegible; doesn't demonstrate minimum content |Minimum Credit |

|Limited understanding of questions posed. |standards mastery. |Below Proficiency |

|Answer doesn't address major issues involved. |Notes are irrelevant in reference to standard. |"D" Letter Grade |

|Reference pages and/or paragraph notation not cited. |Writing is disorganized and impossible to follow. |Equivalent |

|Poor/absent understanding of questions posed. |No supporting data. |60-69% |

|Answer doesn't address major issues involved. |No citations or references; evidence of plagiarism. | |

| |  | |

|Assignment goal is not met |Notes; doesn't demonstrate any standards mastery |No Credit |

|No understanding of questions posed. |Notes are inappropriate in reference to standard. |No Proficiency |

|Answer doesn't address most if any issues involved. |Writing is jumbled and impractical to follow. |"F" Letter Grade |

|Reference notations not cited. |No supporting data. |Equivalent |

| |No citations or references; evidence of plagiarism. |50-59% |

2. Graphical Analysis of Gaming Simulation

|Category/Points-> |5 points |4 points |3 points |2 points |1 point |

| |Full Credit |Partial Credit |Credit |Minimum Credit |Little/No |

| |Advanced |Proficiency |Basic Proficiency |Below Proficiency |Credit |

| |Proficiency | | | |Little/No Proficiency |

|Data |Answers Accurate |No More Than 1or 2 |Fails To Match |Several inaccuracies |Fails to match most if|

| | |inaccuracies |Some  | |not all  |

|Purchase Calculations |Identified |No More Than 1or 2 |Fails To Calculate |Fails To Calculate Most |Lack of Accurate |

| |Accurately |identified incorrectly|Several Accurately |Accurately |Calculation |

|Sales |Identified |No More Than 1or 2 |Fails To Calculate |Fails To Calculate Most |Lack of Accurate |

|Calculations |Accurately |identified incorrectly|Several Accurately |Accurately |Calculation |

|Investment |Accurate to date |No More Than 1or 2 |Fails To Match some |Several inaccuracies |Fails to match the |

|Capital | |inaccuracies | | |calculations |

|Update | | | | | |

|Reasoning |Age Appropriate |Mixes with Informal |Several instances of |Lacks age appropriate |Style is all informal |

| | |Style |informal Style |style |and lacks creativity |

Appendix B: History–Social Science Framework

For California Public Schools, Grade Twelve

2005 Edition with New Criteria for Instructional Materials

Developed by the History–Social Science Curriculum Framework and Criteria Committee

Adopted by the California State Board of Education October 11, 2000

Published by the California Department of Education

1. Economics (One Semester)

1.1 In a one-semester course in economics, students should deepen their understanding of the economic problems and institutions of the nation and world in which they live. They should learn to make reasoned decisions on economic issues as citizens, workers, consumers, business owners and managers, and members of civic groups. In this capstone course students should add to the economic understandings they acquired in previous grades and apply tools (such as graphs, statistics, and equations) learned in other subject fields to their understanding of our economic system.

1.2 This course primarily is a course in social science, enriching students’ understanding of the operations and institutions of economic systems, rather than a course in household or business management or budgeting. Throughout this course, measurement concepts and methods should be introduced; for example, tables, charts, graphs, ratios, percentages, and index numbers. Behind every graph is an equation or set of equations that specifies a relationship among economic variables. Thus, to master the economic method, students must use graphs and understand, at the appropriate level, the mathematical equations they represent.

2. Fundamental Economic Concepts

2.1 The basic economic problem facing all individuals, groups, and nations is the problem of scarcity. Scarcity results from the limited natural resources, such as water, land, and minerals that are available to produce the variety of goods and services that we need and want. Because of scarcity, choices must be made concerning how to utilize limited resources. At the same time, students should understand how the market economy spurs innovation and growth, tends toward cycles, and distributes income and wealth. In this unit students should learn the difference between the final goods and services that any economy produces and the productive resources, including human resources, capital goods, and natural resources that are used to produce these final goods and services. They should learn and then apply a reasoned approach to making decisions.

2.2 Economic reasoning relies in part on mastering cost-benefit analysis. Through this skill, students will be able to explain actions of individuals in product and labor markets. Using cost-benefit analysis, individuals are able to weigh alternatives, compare costs and benefits, and make decisions using economic reasoning. A consumption decision would compare the benefits and costs of buying one product instead of another, or buying on credit, or not buying at all. A production decision would compare the benefits and costs of producing one product instead of another, or producing more or less of one product, or not producing a product at all. An educational decision would compare the benefits and costs of college, technical school, apprenticeship, or immediate entrance into the workforce. Through cost-benefit analysis, students will be able to understand strengths and weaknesses of decisions made by individuals in the market. Economic reasoning helps students to apply analytical economic skills to the decisions they are making and will be making and to recognize the constraints and opportunities of the U.S. economy in the world economy of the twenty-first century.

2.3 The basic choices that producers in any economic system must make involve determining what goods and services to produce, how to produce these goods and services, and for whom to produce them. Students should be introduced to our largely free market system that uses prices and levels of supply and demand in markets to answer these basic questions. Households, including individuals, demand the goods and services that give them the most satisfaction, given their income and the prices of these goods. Business firms try to maximize profits by supplying at the least cost the goods and services that households demand.

2.4 Businesses allocate factors of production based on the demand for the goods and services they produce. This “derived demand” for factors are a major determinant of distribution of income in a market economy.

2.5 Economic efficiency requires that individuals and business firms specialize in the performance of particular tasks or the manufacture of particular goods and that they exchange their surpluses of goods for the goods they want to consume. Money was developed to facilitate this exchange. Thus, specialization, exchange, and money are the results of our interdependence, which, in turn, results in efficient production of the final goods and services of our economy.

3. Comparative Economic Systems

3.1 A market system is characterized by decentralized decision-making on the part of households and businesses. In this free enterprise system, most of the goods and services are produced by the private sector, by firms owned and operated for profit. The decisions of individuals influence market prices that reflect the preferences of all participants and that act as signals to producers and as rationing devices. Thus, to answer the basic economic questions, decision makers in the market system rely primarily on the preferences and choices of the members of the society.

3.2 Students should learn about alternatives to the market system, such as traditional and command economies, and learn how decisions in these economies rely on mechanisms other than the choices of the members of these societies. Students should learn that no real world economy is a pure form of any of these economies. They should understand that decentralized decision making in a market is most evident in the economies of the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, whereas elements of a command economy are most evident in the former Soviet Union. They should learn that economic systems change to reflect changes in values or technology and in the role of the market and the government. Students should study the strengths and weaknesses of each society and its values regarding the objectives of an economic system.

4. Microeconomics

4.1 In this unit students should examine the operations of markets. They should learn how prices and the quantity demanded and supplied are determined in the markets for goods and factors of production. They should study how prices provide information and incentives and serve to ration limited resources. Students should learn about the interaction of the demand schedule and the curve, which represents it together with the supply schedule and its graphic representation in determining prices and output. They also should learn what events lead to changes in demand and supply and how these changes influence prices.

4.2 Students should learn about alternative forms of business organizations, including single proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations, and their impact on the economy. They should consider in detail the operations of the labor market. Students should analyze the determinants of the levels of employment and wages in different occupations and the impact of unionization, the minimum wage, unemployment insurance, and the effects of international mobility of capital and labor.

4.3 Students should focus specifically on the distribution of income in our economy, the differing costs of living across the United States, and the determination of income and cost distribution. Students should be aware of alter-native measures of this distribution and the methods that federal, state, and local governments use to influence income distribution through transfer payments and taxes.

4.4 Our market economy is characterized by different market structures, including monopolies and oligopolies, and various economic principles, such as monopolistic competition and perfect competition. Students should learn how less than perfectly competitive markets operate and examine their impact on the economy. They should also learn that a pure market economy has disadvantages, including its failure to provide goods and services that are consumed jointly or that benefit people who do not have to pay for them directly. These goods and services include clean air, education, national defense, and roads. Students should consider the role of the government in a largely free market economy. Students should examine other responsibilities of the government, including establishing trade regulations and price controls and influencing the market’s equilibrium. The role of the government in agriculture can be introduced as a case study of government intervention in a market.

5. Macroeconomics

5.1 Macroeconomics is the functioning of our economy as a whole. To facilitate their understanding of macroeconomics and deepen their under-standing of the nature and history of our economy, students should learn about the statistics that have been developed to measure the functioning of our economy, including measures of national income (such as the gross national product) and measures of change in the price level (such as the consumer price index and the gross national product deflator). Students should use these statistics and measures of employment and unemployment to study the business cycle, unemployment, inflation, and economic growth.

Aggregate demand in our economy is determined by decisions of households on consumption, of businesses on investment, of purchasers of our goods abroad, and of the government. Students should learn about the factors that determine each of these components of aggregate demand. Teachers should emphasize that fiscal policy involves government spending and taxing actions to stabilize the economy. Students should understand how this policy is determined and how it operates. They should understand the federal budget process. They should be able to discuss the meaning of the government budget deficit and the government debt and how these factors influence the economy.

5.2 Monetary policy influences aggregate demand. The course covers the creation of money, the role of the Federal Reserve in the creation of money and monetary policy, and the role of financial intermediaries in our economy. Students should understand the purposes and economic effects of these financial institutions.

Aggregate supply is the total amount of goods and services produced in the economy during a given period of time. The upper limit on aggregate supply is the productive capacity of our economy. Increasing this capacity requires giving up consumption today for future benefits; for example, a student postponing working to acquire more education, a business retaining earnings to reinvest rather than distributing these earnings as dividends, and government acting to raise taxes.

6. International Economic Concepts

6.1 In this final unit students should concentrate on the differences between intra-national and international trade. They should learn about foreign exchange and how exchange rates are determined. Students should learn why nations trade internationally, and they should understand comparative and absolute advantage. They should apply what they learned about specialization and exchange in the first unit of the course to the field of international trade.

The balance of payments and the balance of trade are measures of the performance of countries in the international market. Students should learn about the meaning of these measures and what is included in them. Governments influence the pattern of imports and exports by tariffs, quotas, and other trade restrictions. Students should learn the reasons for these policies and how such policies affect the sectors of the economy that are being protected and the nation as a whole.

6.2 Finally, students might review their tenth-grade studies of developing nations and consider what factors, conditions, and policies help them to achieve sustained economic growth. They should apply to other nations what they have learned about supply and growth in our economy.

Appendix C: Hardware Requirements

Fortunately, this gaming software is available on many different platforms already.

PC

Minimum System Requirements

Operating System: Windows® XP/Vista/7

CPU: Intel® Pentium® III 800Mhz or faster processor

Memory: 128 MB RAM

Graphics Card: NVIDIA® Ge Force™ series with 32 MB or ATI® RADEON™ 9000 series

Sound Card: DirectX®8.1 compatible sound card

Hard Drive Space: 9.5 GB free hard disk space

Other: Keyboard, mouse, DirectX8.1 (included with install disc),

CD-ROM drive (used only when installing)

*For Play Online/FINAL FANTASY XI: Vana'diel Collections, Aht Urhgan, and Wings of the Goddess, it is necessary to use a DVD-ROM drive.

Recommended Operating System: Windows® XP Professional

CPU: Intel® Pentium®4 processor

Memory: 256 MB

Graphics Card: NVIDIA® Ge Force FX™ series or Ge Force 6 series

Sound Card: DirectX®8.1 compatible sound card

Hard Drive Space: 9.5 GB free hard disk space

Other: Keyboard, mouse, DirectX8.1 (included with install disc),

CD-ROM drive (used only when installing)

Playstation2

To play FINAL FANTASY XI for PlayStation 2, you will need:

-PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system

-Network Adaptor (Ethernet/modem) (for PlayStation 2)

-FINAL FANTASY XI for PlayStation 2

-Internal Hard Disk Drive (40GB) (for PlayStation 2)

-USB keyboard (highly recommended)

-Internet connection

Playstation3 devices will play this software.

Xbox360

To play FINAL FANTASY XI for Xbox 360, you will need:

1. FINAL FANTASY XI

2. Xbox 360 Console

3. Xbox 360 Hard Drive

4. Broadband Connection

5. Xbox Live Membership (Xbox Live Silver Membership is free)

6. USB keyboard (recommended)

Before you can use Xbox Live, connect your Xbox console to a high-speed internet connection and sign up to become an Xbox Live member. For more information about connecting, and to determine whether Xbox Live is available in your region, go to live.

Appendix D: Basic Controller Functions By System

|Actions summary |Xbox 360 Controller |Analog Controller(DUALSHOCK 2) |Keyboard |

|Move your character |Left stick |Left analog stick |[8], [2], [4], and [6] on the numeric keypad |

|Continuously run (or walk) |LB |L1 button |[7] on the numeric keypad while moving |

|Switch between running and walking |- |- |[/] on the numeric keypad |

|Start healing |Left stick button |L3 button |[*] on the numeric keypad |

|Perform an action |A button |[pic]button |[Enter] key |

|Cancel an action |B button |[pic]button |[ESC] key |

|Move the camera |Right stick |Right analog stick |Directional keys |

|Switch the camera point of view |Right stick button |R3 button |[5] on the numeric keypad |

|between first-person and third-person| | | |

|Return the camera to its original |- |- |[Home] key |

|position | | | |

|Zoom in with the camera |- |- |[Page Up] key or [9] on the numeric keypad |

|Zoom out with the camera |- |- |[Page Down] key or [3] on the numeric keypad |

|Open the main menu |X button |[pic]button |[-] Key |

|Select an item on the menu |Directional pad |Directional buttons |Directional keys |

|Open the action command window |A button |[pic]button |[Enter] key |

|Select the active window |Y button |[pic]button |[＋] key |

|Switch between targets |Directional pad |Directional buttons |[Tab] key or [0] on the numeric keypad |

|Target your character |Directional pad |Directional buttons |[F7] |

|Target an NPC |Directional pad |Directional buttons |[F8] |

|Target a PC |Directional pad |Directional buttons |[F9] |

|Lock your target |Left stick button |L3 button |[*] on the numeric keyboard while targetting |

|Chat using the software keyboard |RB |R1 button |- |

|Start chat entry |- |- |[Space] key |

|Talk using the auto-translator |Select [Tab] key on |- |[Tab] key |

| |software keyboard | | |

|Call up the macro window |Left trigger, right |L2 button, R2 button |[Ctrl] key or [Alt] key |

| |trigger | | |

|Display/hide the window |BACK button |SELECT button |[Scroll Lock] key |

|Take a screenshot |RB (with windows |R1 button (with windows hidden) |[Print Screen] key (with windows hidden) |

| |hidden) | | |

|Log out of the game |START button |START button |Press [Pause] key or Type /logout |

|Wave to another character |Select [/wave] from the [text commands] in the software |Type /wave |

| |keyboard after selecting [complete] | |

|Bow to another character |Select [/bow] from the [text commands] in the software |Type /bow |

| |keyboard after selecting [complete] | |

Appendix E: Game Setup and Concepts

1) Race

Hume: Hume’s are human. Like all fantasy humans, they are well rounded and have average stats, making them good candidates for any job. Their most remarkable trait is how unremarkable they are.

Elvaan

It's a fantasy, so you've got to have elves, right? The Elvaan are physically resilient and strong, but their gangly limbs and long necks hinder their dexterity, and their magical power isn't the best. Elvaan are ideally suited to hands-on fighting jobs and protecting other players, but they're serviceable in any job with the right gear.

Mithra

The pin-ups of Vana'diel, this cat-like race's matriarchal traditions only allow females to adventure. Extremely agile, Mithra have the highest natural dexterity and agility of any of the races. Though other players hit on them often, they can't take many hits from monsters and have average magical ability. While their base stats make them the best Thieves and Rangers, they can strut their stuff in any job.

Galka

These muscular hulks are the least popular race in Vana'diel and are the most inflexible of the five races, but their particular advantages are striking. Their massive bodies give them a huge stockpile of hit points, vitality and other important stats for giving and taking damage. Sadly, their tiny noggins make them poor mages without all but the best gear.

Tarutaru

Vana’diel jokesters, the adorable Tarutaru are both comedy relief and magical powerhouses. Their tiny bodies may be frail, but their swollen brains can dispense some serious hurt, thanks to their massive mana pools and high Intelligence. Tarutaru make better fighters than Galka make mages, but Tarutaru remain best suited to magical jobs.

2) Nations

What is the best way to decide? Pick the one that looks most appealing and enjoy it. For best results, have students originate all in one particular city initially, in order for them to be able to participate together. If a consensus cannot be met, have groups form alliances per nation.

The Republic of Bastok, Native Races: Hume, Galka.

Set in the harsh, mineral-rich Gustaberg wastelands, the Republic of Bastok is a nation of engineering and ingenuity. Home to the Hume and Galka races, Bastok's architecture is stark and functional. The nation is famed for its technology, craftsmanship and science, and is home to the world-famous engineer Cid and the Smithing, Goldsmithing and Alchemy guilds.

Bastok's storyline is primarily about the relationship between the Hume and Galka races in Bastok. The Galka were once forced to work in the mines by the Hume and many remain resentful - but a new hope emerges. A new "Talekeeper," a prophesized Galka born with the memories of the past, may have surfaced, bringing with it the hope of starting a brand new nation for the Galka.

The Kingdom of San d'Oria, Native Races: Elvaan.

The Kingdom of San d'Oria has seen better times. Their Beastman rivals, the Orcish, have established a stronghold in the heart of their lands, and royal squabbles concern the citizens. San d'Oria itself is a medieval fantasy mainstay, with gray stone castles and houses inside high walls, and is home to the chivalrous Elvaan - who hate outsiders. The abundant forests and mountains of the Ronfaure region provide materials for San d'Oria's famous Woodworking, Leatherworking and Smithing guilds.

San d'Oria's story is one of religion and politics. The main cathedral of Vana'diel's dominant religion, which worships the Dawn Goddess Altana, is located in San d'Oria, and the interests of the San d'Orian royalty, the Church and the people often collide.

The Federation of Windurst, Native Races: Tarutaru, Mithra.

Once vicious warlords, the adorable Tarutaru have shed their violent ways and now strive to live in peace and harmony - including futile negotiations with the local Beastmen. Windurst lies in a vast magical savanna, but recently the magic in the area has been on the decline. This creates various problems for the nation and its ruler, the tiny but prophetic Star Sibyl. Windurst is home to the Clothcrafter's, Boneworker's and Culinarian guilds.

The most fantasy-oriented of all the stories, Windurst's story tells the tale of the Summoner hero that saved the land long ago and disappeared, and the quest for his legacy.

3) Playing Cooperatively

Final Fantasy XI features a somewhat confusing server balancing system, centered on codes called "world passes." While the system definitely works, you're going to need some tips to navigate the servers. When you start a new game, you get randomly and permanently assigned to a server. In order to be sure to land on the same server, which is the only way to play together, the instructor needs to get set up first. Once on a server, they can buy a "world pass" to invite more participants to join them on the same server. World passes are inexpensive but aren't free, so the instructor may need to acquire some money before they can invite anyone over.

There are two kinds of world passes: (a) normal, and (b) gold. Normal world passes are usually cheaper, but can be used five times before they expire. There are no benefits to using a normal world pass besides saving your in-game money.

Gold world passes have a low, fixed cost and have a number of benefits that come with them, most notably a slew of free items. Gold world passes can only be used once and cost a little more, but many will find the additional items worthwhile. This is not necessary.

Once you've purchased your world pass, you have one week before it expires. Simply give the code number and your server name to your friends, and have them input those into the game when asked. Soon, you'll be adventuring together.

4) Basic Jobs

Like other chapters of the Final Fantasy franchise, the "classic job system" allow participants to totally change each character's class and abilities. Even better, once players hit level 18, it becomes possible to equip a "Support Job" to make the character more powerful, with a sack full of new abilities.

Warrior (WAR)

Role: Physical Damage, Tank

Best Weapons: Axe, Great Axe

Recommended Support Jobs: Thief, Ninja, Monk

The Warrior is a stout fighter, and a master of many weapons. Warriors will be given a sword at the start of the game. You should ditch it and purchase a One-handed Axe and Great Axe ASAP. The Warrior's "Provoke" ability, which draws the attention of monsters away from mages and other weaker jobs, and makes it a great job for watching your party's backs.

Monk (MNK)

Role: Physical Damage

Best Weapons: Hand-to-hand

Recommended Support Jobs: Warrior, Thief

Skilled martial artists, Monks let their fists do the talking and, later, their feet too. Monk seems to be the simplest job. All you do is boost your attack power, engage enemies and perform devastating Weapon Skills, but they are one of the most powerful damage dealers in the game.

Thief (THF)

Role: Physical Damage, Enmity Control

Best Weapons: Dagger, Sword, Crossbow

Recommended Support Jobs: Ninja, Warrior, Ranger

Thief is a highly technical job. Not everybody gets it. The problem is that Thieves don't come into their own until level 15, when they learn their signature Sneak Attack and Treasure Hunter abilities. Then, they can be powerful in the right hands. At level 30 they can "Trick" monsters into attacking other players while dealing huge damage, making them handy for most battles - that's "Enmity Control."

Black Mage (BLM)

Role: Magic Damage, Weakening, Transportation

Best Weapons: Staff, Club

Recommended Support Jobs: White Mage, Red Mage

The classic Final Fantasy Black Mage returns, perhaps more powerful than ever. Black Mages rain down magical damage from the back ranks, but can die quickly if a monster notices them. For some reason, this doesn't stop many players from going all out - and dying anyway.

White Mage (WHM)

Role: Healing, Transportation

Best Weapons: Staff, Club

Recommended Support Jobs: Black Mage, Summoner

The opposite of the Black Mage, the White Mage is a classical healer. White Mages hang out in the back and cast healing magic on the rest of the party. In fact, they're the only ones with spells for removing deadly status effects, like poison.

Red Mage (RDM)

Role: Weakening, Support, Healing, Solo

Best Weapons: Sword, Dagger

Recommended Support Jobs: Black Mage, White Mage, Dark Knight, Ninja

The Red Mage is actually more gray than anything else, able to use Black Magic, White Magic and even get up close and personal with monsters, blade in hand. While the Red Mage's physical attacks aren't that great - or typically appreciated when partying with other players looking to earn experience points - they help make the Red Mage one of the game's best jobs for playing .

5) Advanced jobs

Paladin (PLD)

Role: Tank

Best Weapons: Sword, Staff

Recommended Support Jobs: Warrior

Paladins are noble knights, skilled with sword and shield, and tasked with protecting other party members with their bodies. The sturdiest of any of the jobs, Paladins can also use healing magic and some weakening magic to hold a monster's attention, protecting greater threats.

Dark Knight (DRK)

Role: Physical Damage, Weakening

Best Weapons: Great Sword, Scythe

Recommended Support Jobs: Warrior, Thief

Often accused of being "emo," Dark Knights are fighters that channel their hatred and sorrow to deal tremendous damage, rather than listen to My Chemical Romance and cry. While capable of dealing massive damage - sometimes at the cost of their own lives - their bulky weapons move slowly. This means you're going to drop time and money into equipment to boost accuracy and food.

Beastmaster (BST)

Role: Solo, Physical Damage, Enmity Control

Best Weapons: Axe, Scythe

Recommended Support Jobs: White Mage, Ninja

While slow to develop, Beastmaster is the game's best solo class. Beastmasters can "Charm" monsters in the environment, to turn them against the other monsters. They can even stop charging monsters in their tracks.

Ninja (NIN)

Role: Tank, Weakening

Best Weapons: Katana

Recommended Support Jobs: Warrior

These assassins from the Far East can be powerful fighters, but are mostly used to protect other players from harm. You can do this by using Warrior as a Support Job. Ninjas can Dual Wield - equip two weapons, that is. This makes it a popular Support Job for many damage-dealing jobs.

Samurai (SAM)

Role: Physical Damage

Best Weapons: Great Katana, Bow

Recommended Support Jobs: Warrior, Thief, Ranger

Samurai are powerful fighters, and the masters of Technique Points and Skillchains, which allow party members to connect abilities in a combo. Using their Meditate ability, they can instantly ready themselves to unleash devastating weapon skills on their enemies, and help the other party member create

Ranger (RNG)

Role: Ranged Damage

Best Weapons: Bow, Crossbow, Gun, Axe, Dagger

Recommended Support Jobs: Ninja, Warrior

Once the belle of the damage ball, Rangers have been toned down recently. They still remain effective attackers in any party, and will most likely only get better. Rangers sit in the back ranks and fire using different kinds of ranged weapons, mix-and-matching with a variety of projectiles, many of which apply deadly status effects to enemies. Rangers are frequently used to lure monsters to the party to kill. This is thanks to the Ranger's tracking abilities, which allow them to see nearby monsters on the map.

Dragoon (DRG)

Role: Physical Damage, Solo

Best Weapons: Polearm

Recommended Support Jobs: Warrior, Thief, White Mage

The job immortalized by Kain in Final Fantasy IV can be very powerful in the right hands, but is currently not favored by most players. Dragoons use spears to quickly perforate their foes, but their weapon skills are generally weak, making them undeservedly unpopular later in the game. The Dragoon's signature Jump moves are here, allowing it to leap into the air, attack and also change a monster's target. In addition, a young pet Wyvern, which attacks with physical and breath attacks, and can heal the player when using mage Support Jobs, always accompanies Dragoons.

Summoner (SMN)

Role: Support, Damage, Healing

Best Weapons: Staff, Club

Recommended Support Jobs: White Mage

This is undeniably one of the coolest jobs in concept. This is a Final Fantasy game, after all - Summoners were born by this series. Unfortunately, Summoner is cumbersome to play at first. The good news is that it becomes useful in the late game, when they learn their most powerful attacks. As a result, Summoners are often asked to leverage their massive pools of magical power to heal the party, making a White Mage Support Job essential. Avatars, as summoned monsters are called, are gained when you defeat them in battle. Summoners channel their magical power, or mana, through these ethereal beings to unleash abilities to support the party, weaken enemies, or use physical or magical attacks. Fans of FF will find plenty of classic summoned monsters hidden throughout Vana'diel.

Bard (BRD)

Role: Support, Weakening

Best Weapons: Instruments, Sword, Dagger

Recommended Support Jobs: White Mage

Currently the ultimate support class and are always in demand, Bards tend to level faster than any other job. Using a variety of instruments, their songs can confer tons of bonuses to friends while making your foes weak and pathetic. As a Bard, you'll almost never get to attack, but will instead run around herding the other players into groups to maximize bonuses. If you ever wanted to be a kindergarten teacher on a field trip, this might be the job for you.

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