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156-480: In Endwalker , players as the Warrior of Light travel to the secluded nation of Sharlayan to seek help in handling the approaching Final Days, an apocalyptic event that threatens to destroy the entire world. Meanwhile, Zenos, the mad son of the former emperor of Garlemald, has murdered his father and now seeks a final confrontation with the Warrior of Light. Zenos is assisted by the nihilistic Ascian Fandaniel, who wants

312-472: A farming simulation mode where players can tend a garden on a deserted island, raise livestock, and interact with pets. Island Sanctuary's philosophy is " slow life " and is intended as a relaxing solo pursuit for players without the pressure of competition. Further changes here made to Main Story quests, including removing the trial "The Steps of Faith" and replacing it with a single-player instance, and changing

468-417: A first-person perspective . The class changing systems and multiple types of magic available were also influential on the genre, as were the use of a variety of vehicles. By contrast, IGN has commented that the menu system used by the games is a major detractor for many and is a "significant reason why they haven't touched the series". Destructoid ' s Chris Hovermale cited the battle systems of

624-699: A koala with a bat . Other recurring races include common monsters such as the cactus-like Cactuar , the Tonberry, the Malboro, the Behemoth, and the Iron Giant. A human character that has frequently appeared is Cid ( シド , Shido ) . Making his debut in Final Fantasy II , he has appeared in multiple forms as everything from a player character to an antagonist. His most frequent occupation

780-413: A persistent world that responds to their actions. Due to ongoing issues with numerical values, such as enemy health pools, growing large enough to threaten overflow errors , Endwalker includes a numeric down-scaling, sometimes colloquially referred to by MMO players as a "stat squish". Two new jobs were introduced as well. The first is Sage, a healer that uses magical objects inspired by Funnels from

936-423: A Bell Atlantic line is cut, we can transfer them to ... to minimize the time of outage." The term cloud data centers (CDCs) has been used. Data centers typically cost a lot to build and maintain. Increasingly, the division of these terms has almost disappeared and they are being integrated into the term data center . The global data center market saw steady growth in the 2010s, with a notable acceleration in

1092-417: A central role in several games, though later games such as Final Fantasy XV focus on simple narratives and understandable knowledge for its lore. The central conflict in many Final Fantasy games focuses on a group of characters battling an evil, and sometimes ancient, antagonist that dominates the game's world. Stories frequently involve a sovereign state in rebellion, with the protagonists taking part in

1248-643: A chosen games' core narrative. The concept of crystals was introduced into the original game by game designer Koichi Ishii . Based on positive fan feedback, Terada suggested carrying them into future entries. Since then, crystals have taken prominent roles in Final Fantasy III , IV , V , VI , VII , and IX . They took minimal roles in II , VIII , X , and XII . Crystals also took a central role in Final Fantasy XIII and XV , which both used

1404-506: A common mythos surrounding crystals and their associated deities. Fabula Nova Crystallis was originally planned as a platform for the development of multiple games planned out in advance, compared to Final Fantasy producer Shinji Hashimoto to the Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings film franchises. Eventually mixed reactions to the subseries prompted Square Enix to move away from

1560-444: A darker theme. Nojima also created the original scenario of Final Fantasy XV (2016), then called Final Fantasy Versus XIII . His original scenario was reworked for XV by Saori Itamuro. Another recurring writer is Daisuke Watanabe . His first job on the series was with Final Fantasy X . He worked on Final Fantasy XII (2005) as a scenario writer after original writer Yasumi Matsuno left due to illness. The initial script

1716-520: A data center may reach as high as 92-96 dB(A). Residents living near data centers have described the sound as "a high-pitched whirring noise 24/7", saying “It’s like being on a tarmac with an airplane engine running constantly ... Except that the airplane keeps idling and never leaves.” External sources of noise include HVAC equipment and energy generators. The field of data center design has been growing for decades in various directions, including new construction big and small along with

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1872-454: A data center to grow and change over time. Data center modules are pre-engineered, standardized building blocks that can be easily configured and moved as needed. A modular data center may consist of data center equipment contained within shipping containers or similar portable containers. Components of the data center can be prefabricated and standardized which facilitates moving if needed. Temperature and humidity are controlled via: It

2028-493: A data center. In 2020, data centers (excluding cryptocurrency mining) and data transmission each used about 1% of world electricity. Although some of this electricity was low carbon, the IEA called for more "government and industry efforts on energy efficiency, renewables procurement and RD&D", as some data centers still use electricity generated by fossil fuels. They also said that lifecycle emissions should be considered, that

2184-569: A digital "Fan Festival Around the World" in May. The latter encompassed livestreams of concerts and panel interviews with developers as well as in-game events. Yoshida chose the timing of the digital Fan Festival to fall in between the two story-based updates in Patch 5.5 of Shadowbringers to encourage speculation about the plot of Endwalker . Yoshida described the story for Endwalker as the conclusion to

2340-641: A figurehead satrap. While testing a ward made from Vrtra's scales, the alchemist Nidhana is captured, where Fandaniel reveals his former identity: the Allagan technologist Amon who placed a clone of himself inside the Crystal Tower after his recruitment by Emet-Selch. Protected by the warding scales, the Scions rescue Nidhana and destroy the Tower; they find a severed arm as its core. Protected from tempering,

2496-495: A main artist for the Crystal Chronicles spin-off series, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII , and the mobile game Mobius Final Fantasy . A key designer for much of the series' life was Kazuko Shibuya, who did sprite designs from Final Fantasy to VI . She also did work on Final Fantasy Dimensions . A notable outside collaborator was Hiromu Takahara, lead designer for Japanese fashion house Roen, who created

2652-479: A more action-based, single-character version that incorporated design elements cut from XIII . Final Fantasy XV used an action-based system that was described as a "realistic" version of those used in the Kingdom Hearts series and spin-off game Final Fantasy Type-0 . Unlike mainline Final Fantasy games up to this point, the players could only control one character out of the four-strong party. While

2808-416: A new story arc. The development team has a preliminary road map for at least five years of content beyond Endwalker . Shadowbringers introduced Viera and Hrothgar as playable races to the game, but due to time and resource constraints, only one gender of each was made available at the time. Endwalker debuted with male Viera, while female Hrothgar will become available at a later date. The development team

2964-546: A party of characters, commanding anywhere between three and eight during battles. Players must face a variety of enemies who continually try to damage the player; in battle, the characters can select a variety of commands from a menu, such as "Fight", "Magic", "Item", as well as other special skills such as "Steal", "Throw", or "Summon". The battle is won when all enemies are defeated. Up until Final Fantasy XI , battles were triggered through random encounters: starting with XI and continuing in following games, enemies were visible in

3120-485: A piece of full artwork rather than a simple logo. Since Final Fantasy IV , the current font style was adopted, along with a specially-designed logo by Amano. The emblem relates to a game's respective plot and typically portrays a character or object in the story. Subsequent remakes of the first three games have replaced the previous logos with ones similar to the rest of the series. His work on Final Fantasy brought him international fame. From Final Fantasy VII onward,

3276-459: A range of underfloor panels can create efficient cold air pathways directed to the raised-floor vented tiles. Either the cold aisle or the hot aisle can be contained. Another option is fitting cabinets with vertical exhaust duct chimneys . Hot exhaust pipes/vents/ducts can direct the air into a Plenum space above a Dropped ceiling and back to the cooling units or to outside vents. With this configuration, traditional hot/cold aisle configuration

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3432-418: A similar fashion to other contemporary MMORPGs. Final Fantasy XII used a similar real-time command-based system to XI : dubbed the "Active Dimension Battle" system, characters fought enemies in environments without random encounters, with players acting on commands set by the player. The battle system for Final Fantasy XIII was designed to retain the strategic elements of earlier games while emulating

3588-445: A standard for RPGs. The series also produced spin-off entries including SaGa and Mana , and in turn influenced later game developers and studios. The Final Fantasy media franchise began with the development of the titular first game in the series. It was developed at Square , later dubbed Square Enix after its 2003 merger with Enix . Final Fantasy was creator Hironobu Sakaguchi 's last-ditch attempt at success within

3744-531: A substantial input into the character stories. While Final Fantasy VII would become Nomura's favorite project, its graphical limitations meant that his art style was limited in turn. For Final Fantasy VIII , he worked with other artists to make the characters more realistic. Nomura returned for Final Fantasy X , designing the main cast and creating a setting influenced by the South Pacific , Thailand , and Japan . For Final Fantasy XV , Nomura created

3900-407: A traditional method of data center upgrades that takes a serial and siloed approach. The typical projects within a data center transformation initiative include standardization/consolidation, virtualization , automation and security. A raised floor standards guide named GR-2930 was developed by Telcordia Technologies , a subsidiary of Ericsson . Although the first raised floor computer room

4056-594: Is "Summoning", a mechanic where characters can evoke summoned monsters (summoned beasts ( 召喚獣 , Shoukanjuu ) in Japanese) to aid the party through cinematic actions. The concept of summoning was proposed for the first Final Fantasy but was not implemented until Final Fantasy III . Summons can be either optional acquisitions or tied to story events and particular characters. The names of summons derive from multiple cultures, including Egyptian , Middle-Eastern, Asian, and Classical mythology. As groups within

4212-432: Is Banri Oda. The scenario of Final Fantasy XVI is written by Maehiro. The first game to receive a direct sequel was Final Fantasy X ; X-2 is set in the same fictional world of Spira while using a lighter tone than its predecessor. No sequel to Final Fantasy X was planned initially. Final Fantasy XIII was also intended to be a standalone game, and was later expanded into the series' first official trilogy with

4368-497: Is Gilgamesh; first appearing in Final Fantasy V , he has made cameo appearances in multiple Final Fantasy games since then. Gilgamesh, named after the mythological figure , was created by Sakaguchi, and designed by Tetsuya Nomura and Yoshitaka Amano . Since the series' inception, gameplay in the majority of mainline Final Fantasy games has followed certain conventions of the role-playing genre. Players take control of

4524-500: Is a building , a dedicated space within a building, or a group of buildings used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems . Since IT operations are crucial for business continuity , it generally includes redundant or backup components and infrastructure for power supply , data communication connections, environmental controls (e.g., air conditioning , fire suppression), and various security devices. A large data center

4680-610: Is almost in full remission and his doctor cleared him to perform at Fan Festival. The main theme of the game, "Footfalls", incorporates elements from grunge and shoegaze . It also quotes musical phrases and lyrics from each of the previous expansions' main themes to highlight Endwalker 's status as the conclusion of a long-running story arc. Sam Carter of Architects provided the main vocals with Amanda Achen, who had performed on Shadowbringers , on background vocals. The same year in December, musician Sia covered " Fly Me to

4836-531: Is also a concern, and for this reason, a data center has to offer a secure environment that minimizes the chances of a security breach. A data center must, therefore, keep high standards for assuring the integrity and functionality of its hosted computer environment. Industry research company International Data Corporation (IDC) puts the average age of a data center at nine years old. Gartner , another research company, says data centers older than seven years are obsolete. The growth in data (163 zettabytes by 2025 )

Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker - Misplaced Pages Continue

4992-687: Is an engineer, and he is commonly associated with the party's airship. Cid was originally created as a character that would appear in multiple forms: his one common attribute was that he was an intelligent and wise figure "like Yoda from the Star Wars series". Two other recurring human characters are Biggs and Wedge, a duo named after characters from the Star Wars franchise who are often used for comic relief. Making their debut in Final Fantasy VI as footsoldiers, they have since appeared in multiple Final Fantasy games. A different character

5148-946: Is an industrial-scale operation using as much electricity as a medium town. Estimated global data center electricity consumption in 2022 was 240–340  TWh , or roughly 1–1.3% of global electricity demand. This excludes energy used for cryptocurrency mining, which was estimated to be around 110 TWh in 2022, or another 0.4% of global electricity demand. The IEA projects that data center electric use could double between 2022 and 2026. High demand for electricity from data centers, including by cryptomining and artificial intelligence , has also increased strain on local electric grids and increased electricity prices in some markets. Data centers can vary widely in terms of size, power requirements, redundancy, and overall structure. Four common categories used to segment types of data centers are onsite data centers, colocation facilities, hyperscale data centers, and edge data centers. Data centers have their roots in

5304-504: Is devoted to standard features common to every expansion, such as new dungeons and classes, and 30% is devoted to creating unique features and modes of gameplay. Development for the PlayStation 5 version of the game was part of the latter 30%. This version takes advantage of the console's larger internal memory to improve load times and includes higher quality graphics, DualSense controller rumble support, and improved audio. With

5460-419: Is generally divided into classes organized by color: "White magic", which focuses on spells that assist teammates; "Black magic", which focuses on harming enemies; "Red magic", which is a combination of white and black magic, "Blue magic", which mimics enemy attacks; and "Green magic" which focuses on applying status effects to either allies or enemies. Different means of transportation have appeared through

5616-559: Is important that computers do not get humid or overheat, as high humidity can lead to dust clogging the fans, which leads to overheat, or can cause components to malfunction, ruining the board and running a fire hazard. Overheat can cause components, usually the silicon or copper of the wires or circuits to melt, causing connections to loosen, causing fire hazards. Backup power consists of one or more uninterruptible power supplies , battery banks, and/or diesel / gas turbine generators. To prevent single points of failure , all elements of

5772-451: Is including embodied emissions, such as in buildings. Data centers are estimated to have been responsible for 0.5% of US greenhouse gas emissions in 2018. Some Chinese companies, such as Tencent , have pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030, while others such as Alibaba have been criticized by Greenpeace for not committing to become carbon neutral. Google and Microsoft now each consume more power than some fairly big countries, surpassing

5928-458: Is not a requirement. Data centers feature fire protection systems, including passive and Active Design elements, as well as implementation of fire prevention programs in operations. Smoke detectors are usually installed to provide early warning of a fire at its incipient stage. Although the main room usually does not allow Wet Pipe-based Systems due to the fragile nature of Circuit-boards , there still exist systems that can be used in

6084-495: Is one factor driving the need for data centers to modernize. Focus on modernization is not new: concern about obsolete equipment was decried in 2007, and in 2011 Uptime Institute was concerned about the age of the equipment therein. By 2018 concern had shifted once again, this time to the age of the staff: "data center staff are aging faster than the equipment." The Telecommunications Industry Association 's Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data Centers specifies

6240-418: Is similar to how large-scale food companies refrigerate and store their products. Computer cabinets/ Server farms are often organized for containment of hot/cold aisles. Proper air duct placement prevents the cold and hot air from mixing. Rows of cabinets are paired to face each other so that the cool and hot air intakes and exhausts don't mix air, which would severely reduce cooling efficiency. Alternatively,

6396-706: Is the Chocobo , a galliform bird that regularly acts as a means of transport for characters. The Chocobo was created by Ishii for Final Fantasy II , and have appeared in every mainline Final Fantasy game since then. A second recurring race are the Moogles , whose Japanese name is Mōguri , a portmanteau of the words mogura (mole) and kōmori (bat); while frequently seen running shops or assuming some other background role, they have also appeared as party allies or playable characters. The Moogles were also created by Ishii, originally designed in his school days by combining

Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker - Misplaced Pages Continue

6552-439: Is the " Active Time Battle " (ATB) system: while utilizing a turn-based combat system, action meters are assigned to all characters that empty when they act in battle. Each player character being issued a command when their action meter is filled: enemies could attack at any time despite player actions being in progress, adding an element of urgency to battles. The ATB system was designed by Hiroyuki Ito . According to Kawazu, Ito

6708-567: Is unable to crystallize Zeromus, forcing all to flee with Vrtra. With Zero, the Warrior goes to the First and enlists Ryne's aid in using the First's light to counter Zeromus' darkness. After Zero absorbs enough light, the Scions and Vrtra return to Golbez's domain. Golbez reveals his past: born Durante, he took up Golbez's name after being forced to kill his corrupted friend. In his despair, the Ascian Igeyorhm manipulated Golbez into killing

6864-488: Is what gives his life meaning, and insinuating that the Warrior feels the same. The two fight, and The Warrior barely defeats Zenos, who breathes his last. The Warrior nearly dies, but is miraculously teleported away and narrowly revived while returning home. Having averted the Final Days and brought peace to the star, the Scions formally disband, but secretly remain connected should the need arise. Inspired by Emet-Selch,

7020-891: The Gundam franchise called Nouliths to direct aetheric energy to create barriers and amplify the character's own offense abilities. The second new job, Reaper, is a scythe-wielding armored melee fighter that calls on the aid of an avatar from the void for greater power. Many other jobs have been given changes as well, including a complete rework of the Summoner job, a major update to the Monk job, and various new abilities for other jobs. A player versus player (PvP) overhaul also debuted in Endwalker , with PvP abilities for all jobs being completely reworked to be more streamlined. A new "small-scale" PvP gamemode called Crystalline Conflict launched in

7176-515: The Chocobo and Moogle which have appeared in multiple roles. Numerous writers have worked on the series, including Sakaguchi himself, early writer Kenji Terada , Kazushige Nojima , and Yasumi Matsuno . Some settings and specific themes have been used in multiple installments and subseries, including the fictional world of Ivalice , Compilation of Final Fantasy VII , and the Fabula Nova Crystallis mythos. The art design for

7332-420: The Final Fantasy series as an example of video games have evolved their combat systems over time. Edge cited the visuals of the series as a reason for its long-standing critical praise. In 1996, Next Generation included the series on a ranking of the best games and series of all time, with one of its points of praise being the narratives. That magazine later cited the "melodramatic storylines" used in

7488-422: The Final Fantasy series over its existence, the most prominent having worked on the mainline games. The first Final Fantasy writer was Kenji Terada , who was asked on board the project by staff who were fans of his work in anime. He was asked to create a scenario that would make players cry. Terada would provide the scenarios for Final Fantasy II (1988) and III (1990). He later had mixed feelings about

7644-628: The Final Fantasy XIII games: he had a major role in the design of Lightning's new appearance in XIII-2 . He was also involved in the world design of Final Fantasy XV . Naora had a presence within the series since Final Fantasy VII , for which he designed the kanji logo for the antagonistic Shinra Corporation. His involvement in the series has primarily been as an art director for games such as Final Fantasy X and XV , in addition to creating character designs for Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Final Fantasy Type-0 . Other artists have also contributed to

7800-541: The Ragnarok . With the help of un-tempered Tribes and the Loporrits who cooperate to summon uncorrupted Primals to fuel the Ragnarok , the Scions reach the edge of the universe: Ultima Thule. Meteion intercepts them, nearly killing all aboard, before Thancred sacrifices himself, in the process making Ultima Thule survivable. There they find spectres of dead worlds visited by Meteion. One by one they sacrifice themselves so

7956-457: The dot-com bubble of 1997–2000. Companies needed fast Internet connectivity and non-stop operation to deploy systems and to establish a presence on the Internet. Installing such equipment was not viable for many smaller companies. Many companies started building very large facilities, called internet data centers (IDCs), which provide enhanced capabilities, such as crossover backup: "If

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8112-422: The "Hydaelyn–Zodiark arc" that began with A Realm Reborn in 2013. The decision to conclude the long-running arc came about after the success of 2017's Stormblood expansion secured greater funding for the title as a whole. Unlike previous expansions where the main story continues in content added in patches, the primary conflict of Endwalker was resolved within the expansion itself and the patch content debuted

8268-471: The 2022 Japan Game Awards . Recurring elements in the Final Fantasy series#Classes Final Fantasy is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi , and developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Square ). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science fantasy role-playing video games (RPGs). The eponymous first game in the series , published in 1987,

8424-673: The 6.1 update. This also comes with the cessation of the former "Feast" gamemode, with rewards from the Feast now being available to be obtained from playing Crystalline Conflict. Estinien, a character who formally joined the player's allies in the lead-up to Endwalker , was added as an option for the Trust system that debuted in Shadowbringers , and later updates added the ability to use the trust system in A Realm Reborn , Heavensward , and Stormblood dungeons as well, to allow all of

8580-614: The Ascians' machinations and the other shards, and seeks to invade the Source so that the voidsent may return to the aetherial sea. As Rubicante dies, he directs the Warrior to the Thirteenth's moon. The Scions realize that Golbez's plans to shatter the barrier between the Source and the Thirteenth would produce chaos comparable to a calamity, and look for another way to travel there. The Scions plan to harness Zodiark's lingering aether on

8736-767: The Bangaa race that would later appear in Final Fantasy XII . For XII , he designed the main characters. As inspiration for their physical appearances, Yoshida used a variety of influences from multiple cultures. He returned to work on Final Fantasy XIV , where he needed to adjust from working on a static project to designing for the more fluid environment of an MMORPG. He would also contribute designs to A Realm Reborn , and its first expansion Heavensward . Kamikokuryo first did work on Final Fantasy VIII and X , then became art director for XII . He would return to this role for Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings , and

8892-542: The Contramemoria War. The chaos triggered a Flood of Darkness, erasing the land and corrupting all life into voidsent. To Zero's surprise, the Scions pledge to restore her world. While the Scions prepare to return, Vrtra feels Azdaja's presence on the Source, in Garlemald. They reunite with Alphinaud and Alisaie, learning a voidsent horde amasses at an abandoned mountainous Reaper village, which they reach with

9048-476: The Final Days to occur so everyone, himself included, is wiped out. The story has been marketed as the "finale" of the Hydaelyn–Zodiark arc, drawing the current ongoing story since A Realm Reborn to a close, with an entirely new story beginning in the major patches following release, in contrast to past expansions' stories continuing into midway through the post-release patches. In addition to adding new areas,

9204-572: The Final Days, but the Scions must prove they can defeat Her. The Scions emerge victorious, and Hydaelyn gifts the Warrior some of Her power and a crystal pointing to the Meteia's nest. Further, She reveals that the Mothercrystal is not Her, but a separate, vast repository of aether. Her purpose finally fulfilled, Hydaelyn fades from existence. The Scions board the Forum's evacuation vessel, dubbed

9360-507: The Forum officially announces the evacuation of the star and encourages mankind to prepare. The Warrior goes to the First to consult the lingering essence of Elidibus about the Final Days. He names "Elpis" a place , where new life concepts were safety tested. He recalls seeing the Warrior in Elpis before the sundering, and thus consumes the last of his soul-energy to send the Warrior back in time to seek Hermes, Fandaniel's identity before he took

9516-692: The Job System in favour of a character class-driven system where equipment determined skills and growth. For the later stages of XIV and later A Realm Reborn , the Job System was reintroduced as a second level to the class system. Many Jobs, such as the Dragoon, the Summoner, the White Mage, the Black Mage, and the Red Mage have become closely identified with the series. A different system

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9672-593: The Main Story Quest to be almost fully a single player experience. Further new content after launch includes Myths of the Realm, a 24-player raid series that explores myths and legends surrounding the twelve deities worshiped by the people of Eorzea, and Pandæmonium, an eight-player raid series focusing on a mysterious location connected to a past villain, Lahabrea. Similar to the changes in Shadowbringers , some Main Story quests have been changed, including removing

9828-482: The Meteia find every such world dead or dying upon arrival, and conclude that life is suffering and should end. Meteion departs to join her sisters at the universe's edge, where they will trigger the Final Days. Bitter over his colleagues' casual anthropocentrism and wanting to test mankind's worthiness, Hermes enables Meteion's escape. He tries to erase everyone's memories, but the Warrior and Venat escape. Hermes, Emet-Selch, and Hythlodaeus forget all recent events, while

9984-526: The Moon " as a tie-in promotion because of the game's focus on the moon. This cover features elements of "Prelude", a theme included in many entries of the Final Fantasy series. Endwalker received "universal acclaim" for the PC and PlayStation 5 version according to review aggregator Metacritic . Chris Carter of Destructoid praised the title for being a "joy to progress through from start to finish", lauding

10140-523: The Scions march on the ruins of Garlemald alongside a detachment of the Grand Companies. Belligerent Garlean holdouts rebuff their aid, but eventually accept. The Scions then assault the Tower of Babil and defeat Anima, a primal created from the corpse of Emperor Varis, which had tempered Garlemald. Despite Anima's destruction, it serves its purpose, gathering enough aether to destroy most of Zodiark's prison but forcing Fandaniel and Zenos to travel to

10296-416: The Source, the Scions bring Zero so she can recuperate. Zero recovers on the Source, and offers a legend about the Thirteenth as payment. The world was at peace until the Ascians taught them the summoning of primals, called "Eidolons". Memoriates, like Zero and her mother, defeated them, temporarily restoring peace. Unfortunately, Darkness leaked from the memoria, corrupting them, so they turned on each other:

10452-495: The Thief, and variations on magical classes such as White and Black Mages. More original classes have appeared throughout the series, such as Bards, Scholars, and Summoners. Due to the series' popularity, they have become staples of RPGs since their debut. The complexity and scope of the job system, as well as whether or not characters are capable of changing jobs, varies from game to game. The original Final Fantasy XIV did away with

10608-497: The Thirteenth to restore balance. Sometime later, Wuk Lamat, the daughter of Tural's leader, arrives in Sharlayan to petition the Warrior of Light's aid in a rite of succession for Tuliyollal's throne along with Krile, Erenville, Alphinaud and Alisaie. Meanwhile, Thancred and Urianger were hired by another claimant to the throne, while Estinien journeys to Tural alone. Planning for expansions like Endwalker began shortly prior to

10764-453: The Thirteenth's Watcher and unleashing the Flood of Darkness. Zero convinces Golbez to stand down and save their world without sacrificing another. With Golbez's aid, the Warrior defeats Zeromus and saves Azdaja; Vrtra sacrifices one of his eyes to grant her a new vessel. In the aftermath, Zeromus' darkness is given to Ryne in the hopes it can fully restore the First, while Zero and Golbez stay on

10920-570: The U.S. accounts for roughly 40 percent of the global market. A study published by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) in May 2024 estimates U.S. data center power consumption could range from 4.6% to 9.1% of the country’s generation by 2030. As of 2023, about 80% of U.S. data center load was concentrated in 15 states, led by Virginia and Texas. Modernization and data center transformation enhances performance and energy efficiency . Information security

11076-471: The Warrior helps Estinien hunt for a legendary undersea vault near Thavnair, joined by Y'shtola, G'raha, and Urianger. They find it, discovering it is Vrtra's emergency fund. Estinien prompts him to use it for reconstruction and an orphanage. It also houses a fissure to the Void, the thirteenth shard. Vrtra once sought to expand it, to seek his beloved sister, Azdaja. She had flown through an Allagan voidgate to end

11232-419: The Warrior of Light and Scions sail to Old Sharlayan. En route, the Warrior speaks with a woman, revealed to be Hydaelyn, who tries to assure them of her sincerity despite having concealed her primal nature. The Scions split up. One group examines Sharlayan's history and environs. During their investigation, Hydaelyn possesses Krile, gifting the Warrior a flower that glows near strong emotion. The Scions learn from

11388-484: The Warrior returns home, and Venat prepares, eventually sundering the world as Hydaelyn. Returning to Sharlayan, Alphinaud secures the Forum's cooperation, and Fourchenault reconciles with his children. He leads the Scions to the Aitiascope, where they can physically enter the aetherial sea. After facing a shade of Amon and defeating him, the group reaches Hydaelyn. She greets them, revealing Her ages-long plan to stop

11544-491: The Warrior that many further adventures await them. The Scions pursue Meteion through apocalyptic memories. The Meteia merge into the Endsinger, overpowering them. The Warrior teleports their comrades to safety and defeats her, with Zenos' unexpected aid as Shinryu. Meteion views the Warrior's memories, realizing Hermes' question has no single answer, and departs peacefully. Zenos confronts the Warrior, claiming their conflict

11700-488: The Warrior, and a Hydaelyn-made servant called the Watcher explains the moon doubles as an evacuation vessel if the Final Days return. He calls the Warrior's flower an "elpis", bidding them to remember this. They learn Hydaelyn created the rabbit-like Loporrits to prepare the moon for evacuating "Etheirys", the star's Ancient name, but the Loporrits are woefully ignorant of modern Etheirys, derailing their preparations. They say

11856-418: The aetherial sea. The Scions permanently defeat Scarmiglione using Zero's crystallizing power, called "memoria". The Echo reveals Azdaja was caught by Golbez, the armored figure, and may yet live. Meanwhile, Golbez learns of Scarmiglione's defeat, and dispatches Barbariccia, the archfiend of wind. The Warrior defeats Barbariccia, and Zero crystallizes her, but collapses from over-exertion. Forced to fall back to

12012-500: The aid of Garlean engineers. They slay Cagnazzo, archfiend of water, and discover Cagnazzo drew them over by using Azdaja's eye to open a voidgate. The Scions retrieve the depleted eye, hoping it will help them find her. Returning to Thavnair, the group discovers that Cagnazzo was a distraction to allow Rubicante, the archfiend of fire, to enter the Source and destroy the voidgate at Alzadaal's Legacy. The Warrior defeats Rubicante, who reveals to them in an Echo vision that Golbez learned of

12168-439: The battle system was a traditional turn-based system with characters appearing on the left-hand side of the screen, a feature later adopted by multiple other role-playing games (RPGs). For Final Fantasy II , Kawazu designed the battle system based around a more focused approach to story, along with accommodating for character classes being locked to specific characters. In Final Fantasy II , character abilities improved based on

12324-402: The best Final Fantasy games ever made". Leif Johnson of IGN praised the title's ability to deliver enriching content despite its aging resources, writing: "Packed with hours of meaningful cutscenes and unforgettable new zones, Endwalker marks a satisfying conclusion to Final Fantasy XIV ' s story as it has existed to date". PC Gamer called the two new added jobs "terrific fun" and

12480-467: The boss mechanics of several early dungeons such as "The Aery". As of patch 6.1, the existing player housing grew to include a new housing area in the city-state of Ishgard, called the Empyreum. A new lottery-based method of acquiring a house was implemented, alongside assigning a larger number of wards for player guilds called Free Companies, to ameliorate player concerns about the availability issues with

12636-401: The character artwork for the mobile games Final Fantasy IV: The After Years and Final Fantasy Dimensions . Toshitaka Matsuda's first major work was on Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings , and he would later serve as a costume and character designer for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII . Toshiyuki Itahana first worked on character designs for Final Fantasy IX , then later served as

12792-605: The cinematic action of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children . While retaining the ATB system, elements such as magic points were removed, and a strategic role-change system dubbed the Paradigm System was implemented, with the roles being based on Final Fantasy jobs. Final Fantasy XIII-2 continued using the Paradigm system with added gameplay functions based on criticism of the first game, while Lightning Returns changed to

12948-460: The clothing for the main cast of Final Fantasy XV . The Final Fantasy series and several specific games within it have been credited for introducing and popularizing many concepts that are today widely used in console RPGs. The side view perspective with groups of monsters against a group of characters used by the early Final Fantasy games has been frequently imitated, supplanting the prior RPG standard of one-on-one battles against monsters from

13104-684: The completion of the PlayStation 5 version, an Xbox version entered active development. Development of Endwalker was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic . Square Enix moved to remote work in April 2020 due to the state of emergency declared in Tokyo. One major obstacle was the inability to connect to internal servers remotely for bug testing . The quality assurance team reconfigured the office to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Development

13260-518: The creative re-use of existing facilities, like abandoned retail space, old salt mines and war-era bunkers. Local building codes may govern the minimum ceiling heights and other parameters. Some of the considerations in the design of data centers are: Various metrics exist for measuring the data-availability that results from data-center availability beyond 95% uptime, with the top of the scale counting how many nines can be placed after 99% . Modularity and flexibility are key elements in allowing for

13416-402: The crystal-based Fabula Nova Crystallis lore. In contrast, overt references such as terminology and branding were removed from XV to help with marketing. Crystals were included in A Realm Reborn as a central plot due to being given "short shrift in recent games". For Final Fantasy XVI , crystals were included as the equivalent to limited fuel sources, with their fading power triggering

13572-547: The current system. As of patch 6.18, the World Visit system was expanded to allow players to travel to other data centers in their region, greatly increasing the number of players one may connect with. Data centers were also added for the Oceania region, allowing better connections for players in locations such as New Zealand and Australia , rather than having to use Data Centers intended for Japan. Endwalker opens as

13728-489: The data center is large or contains sensitive information. Fingerprint recognition mantraps are starting to be commonplace. Logging access is required by some data protection regulations; some organizations tightly link this to access control systems. Multiple log entries can occur at the main entrance, entrances to internal rooms, and at equipment cabinets. Access control at cabinets can be integrated with intelligent power distribution units , so that locks are networked through

13884-480: The designs he recalled was for the summon Bahamut: while the original Bahamut was an aquatic monster, he did not know this at the time, so he designed Bahamut as a "mecha dragon". As of Final Fantasy XV , Amano's artwork has been created fairly early in a game's development based on the basic themes. Amano's most enduring contribution to the series is his logo designs: receiving design documents as primarily text-based requests and descriptions, he treats each logo as

14040-485: The development of XIII-2 (2011) and Lightning Returns (2013). Final Fantasy XV was expanded into a multimedia series to avoid creating a video game series; named the Final Fantasy XV Universe, it is split between pre-release media including a feature film and original net animation , and post-release content including other spin-off games and downloadable content . Final Fantasy VII

14196-494: The electrical systems, including backup systems, are typically given redundant copies , and critical servers are connected to both the A-side and B-side power feeds. This arrangement is often made to achieve N+1 redundancy in the systems. Static transfer switches are sometimes used to ensure instantaneous switchover from one supply to the other in the event of a power failure. Options include: Air flow management addresses

14352-593: The elevated floor). A single mainframe required a great deal of power and had to be cooled to avoid overheating. Security became important – computers were expensive, and were often used for military purposes. Basic design guidelines for controlling access to the computer room were therefore devised. During the microcomputer industry boom of the 1980s, users started to deploy computers everywhere, in many cases with little or no care about operating requirements. However, as information technology (IT) operations started to grow in complexity, organizations grew aware of

14508-403: The equipment intended for installation in those spaces. These criteria were developed jointly by Telcordia and industry representatives. They may be applied to data center spaces housing data processing or Information Technology (IT) equipment. The equipment may be used to: Data center transformation takes a step-by-step approach through integrated projects carried out over time. This differs from

14664-589: The esoteric and complex storylines it incorporated. A world later incorporated into the Final Fantasy series is Ivalice , the setting for games within the game collection known as the Ivalice Alliance . Taking place within a single world across a large time period, Ivalice is the setting for Final Fantasy Tactics (1997), Final Fantasy XII , and Vagrant Story (2000). Vagrant Story did not originally take place in Ivalice, being incorporated into

14820-426: The expansion pack increases the level cap to 90 and debuts two new jobs , Sage and Reaper, among other changes. As with its predecessor, Shadowbringers , Endwalker received acclaim, particularly for its satisfying conclusion to the storyline begun in A Realm Reborn . The gameplay and quest structure of Endwalker largely matches that of the base game. As with many MMORPGs , players interact with each other in

14976-399: The field and could be avoided. Like other role-playing games, Final Fantasy most commonly uses an experience point-based leveling system, where each battle awards experience points and gaining levels increases character statistics such as health and magic. Magic is another common role-playing element in the series. The method by which characters gain magic varies between installments, but

15132-408: The first Final Fantasy to IV , Amano created his artwork based on specific descriptions from game staff, while for Final Fantasy V and VI it was the game staff that took and adjusted his artwork to suit the games. He returned as a character designer for Final Fantasy IX , working from specifications provided by the game's staff. For Final Fantasy XI , Amano created the game's world map. One of

15288-497: The game's designer. For Final Fantasy V (1992), the scenario was a collaboration between Sakaguchi and Yoshinori Kitase . Final Fantasy VI (1994) was worked on by a group of four or five different writers, including Kitase. Sakaguchi was responsible for providing the basic story from the original game until Final Fantasy VI . Sakaguchi would also write the scenario draft for Final Fantasy IX (2000), with further contributions Kazuhiko Aoki and Nobuaki Komoto. One of

15444-584: The game. The battle system of the original Final Fantasy was designed by Akitoshi Kawazu . When creating it, he closely followed the mechanics created in the Western tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons , particularly the incorporation of enemy-specific weaknesses that were otherwise missing from Japanese games at the time. He also added elements such as weapon and item abilities based on their successful implementation in Wizardry . This first version of

15600-518: The games, they have been referred to by several names (Espers, Guardian Forces, Aeons, Eidolons, Astrals, Primals, Eikons), and have taken either core roles in the story or less prominent roles as tools for the player characters. The artwork and character designs of the first Final Fantasy were created by Yoshitaka Amano, a noted artist who had worked with Tatsunoko Production on multiple anime series including Science Ninja Team Gatchaman , and also did illustrations for Vampire Hunter D . Amano

15756-434: The gleaner Erenville that the Forum, Sharlayan's government, has made special effort to study the aetherial sea and accelerated their efforts to gather specimens and knowledge. The Forum arrests the Scions, and orders them to stop or be banished. The other group travels to Thavnair, seeking its alchemists, who are developing an anti-tempering ward. They learn that the dragon Vrtra has ruled Thavnair for millennia, hiding behind

15912-424: The highest-selling Final Fantasy game to date. Final Fantasy has become one of Square Enix's major gaming franchises; as of 2016, the series has sold 110 million copies worldwide across 48 video game releases. Final Fantasy series consists of multiple games that, while generally having separate settings and narratives, share common themes and motifs in their worlds and plots. Multiple writers have worked on

16068-442: The huge computer rooms of the 1940s, typified by ENIAC , one of the earliest examples of a data center. Early computer systems, complex to operate and maintain, required a special environment in which to operate. Many cables were necessary to connect all the components, and methods to accommodate and organize these were devised such as standard racks to mount equipment, raised floors , and cable trays (installed overhead or under

16224-443: The impact of Final Fantasy on his career, as many only knew him from his video game writing. When Final Fantasy IV (1991) was pushed forward onto the next generation of game hardware, Terada's planned scenario was scrapped by the management and he parted with Square on poor terms. After Terada's departure, scenario work was delegated to Takashi Tokita . Tokita wrote the scenario for Final Fantasy IV (1991), along with being

16380-450: The internal struggles, passions, and tragedies of the characters, and the main plot often recedes into the background as the focus shifts to their personal lives. Other aspects explored are the relationships between characters, which range from love to rivalry. Other recurring situations that drive the plot include amnesia , a hero corrupted by an evil force, mistaken identity, and self-sacrifice. Esoteric and mystical elements also take

16536-404: The lack of boring fetch quests and the quality of life improvements. GameSpot noted the game's excellent dungeon and trial designs and its earnest storytelling while criticizing the plot's pacing issues for feeling too rushed and bloated at the same time. GamesRadar+ called the expansion a "landmark achievement in narrative development" and cited it as cementing Final Fantasy XIV as "one of

16692-479: The latter half of the decade. According to Gartner , worldwide data center infrastructure spending reached $ 200 billion in 2021, representing a 6% increase from 2020 despite the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic . The latter part of the 2010s and early 2020s saw a significant shift towards AI and machine learning applications, generating a global boom for more powerful and efficient data center infrastructure. As of March 2021, global data creation

16848-497: The light of Hydaelyn's final crystal to be a half-voidsent woman. In exchange for payment in aether, she shares her story: she was exposed to Darkness in the womb, during a war called the Contramemoria. Y'shtola names her "Zero", as a new beginning, not nothingness. A revived Scarmiglione surprises them, revealing that death is impossible on the Thirteenth. Y'shtola realizes overabundant Darkness prevents souls from travelling to

17004-487: The main character designer for the series was Tetsuya Nomura, whose first major contribution had been character and monster designs for Final Fantasy VI . He was chosen by Sakaguchi as the character designer for VII after being amused by his storyboards for VI . His greater involvement was also due to scheduling conflicts with Amano's overseas trips to open exhibitions in Europe and North America. Nomura would end up having

17160-779: The main characters alongside being one of the main creative forces behind its development. A trend with Nomura's characters is their names being related to the weather or the sky ( Cloud , Squall , Tidus , Lightning ). He wanted to break this tradition when designing Noctis Lucis Caelum , but after Final Fantasy XIII ' s Lightning was given a weather-based name, Nomura gave Noctis his current name: Noctis' name translates from Latin to "Night of Light Sky". Other notable artists include Akihiko Yoshida , Isamu Kamikokuryo , and Yusuke Naora . Yoshida's first major games were Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story , which he worked on together with Hiroshi Minagawa . He also did design work for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance , creating

17316-500: The minimum requirements for telecommunications infrastructure of data centers and computer rooms including single tenant enterprise data centers and multi-tenant Internet hosting data centers. The topology proposed in this document is intended to be applicable to any size data center. Telcordia GR-3160, NEBS Requirements for Telecommunications Data Center Equipment and Spaces , provides guidelines for data center spaces within telecommunications networks, and environmental requirements for

17472-410: The moon to create a voidgate to the Thirteenth's moon. Once there, they reunite Vrtra with his sister. This rekindles Azdaja's hopes, but also allows Golbez to transform her into a voidsent. The Warrior battles Golbez and Azdaja, defeating them, but fails to stop Golbez from fusing Azdaja with Zodiark's lingering aether on the Thirteenth's moon, creating an extremely powerful voidsent named "Zeromus". Zero

17628-409: The moon to finish the job. Hydaelyn-Krile arrives, telling the Warrior to pursue, but they are too late: Zodiark is freed. Fandaniel betrays Zenos, merging with Zodiark to fight the Warrior. Although he is defeated, Fandaniel kills himself and Zodiark as planned, restarting the Final Days. Zenos departs, unwilling to duel the Warrior while they are distracted by the oncoming apocalypse. Some Scions join

17784-538: The narrative both "ambitious" and "messy", saying that the expansion "represent[ed] FF14 ' s development team at their peak". In 2022, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awarded Endwalker with Role-Playing Game of the Year at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards ; at the following year's awards ceremony , it won Online Game of the Year . The expansion was also the recipient of an "Award for Excellence" at

17940-399: The need for direct access by personnel, except under extraordinary circumstances. Because of the lack of need for staff to enter the data center, it can be operated without lighting. All of the devices are accessed and managed by remote systems, with automation programs used to perform unattended operations. In addition to the energy savings, reduction in staffing costs and the ability to locate

18096-436: The need to control IT resources. The availability of inexpensive networking equipment, coupled with new standards for the network structured cabling , made it possible to use a hierarchical design that put the servers in a specific room inside the company. The use of the term data center , as applied to specially designed computer rooms, started to gain popular recognition about this time. A boom of data centers came during

18252-436: The need to improve data center computer cooling efficiency by preventing the recirculation of hot air exhausted from IT equipment and reducing bypass airflow. There are several methods of separating hot and cold airstreams, such as hot/cold aisle containment and in-row cooling units. Cold aisle containment is done by exposing the rear of equipment racks, while the fronts of the servers are enclosed with doors and covers. This

18408-474: The notable recurring writers is Kazushige Nojima : he first joined the development team for Final Fantasy VII , and would later write the scenario for Final Fantasy VIII (1999). He was also a major contributor to Final Fantasy X (2001) alongside other writers. He returned to write the scenario for Final Fantasy X-2 (2003), despite initial reluctance due to its upbeat feel when compared to its predecessor. His later supplementary material would return to

18564-470: The number of times they were used and the number of hit points accumulated during battles: if a character used magic, they would become strong in magic while other attributes would suffer. For Final Fantasy III , the system changed back to a traditional class-based model: Kawazu said that the reason for this was because no-one could fully understand the system he had created for Final Fantasy II . The battle system most closely associated with Final Fantasy

18720-437: The other shards' residents cannot be saved, and will die when the Source is destroyed. The heroes eventually persuade the Loporrits to consider other options. Monsters resembling the first Final Days' horrors assault Thavnair, and the Scions fight back. They learn these "Blasphemies" manifest from someone consumed by despair, which erases their souls. The satrap dies protecting Thavnair, forcing Vrtra to reveal himself. Meanwhile,

18876-448: The others can proceed, until only the Warrior remains. Confronting Meteion, the Warrior uses Azem's crystal, empowered by Hydaelyn's Light, to revive Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus, who create a field of elpis, radiating hope. This anchors Ultima Thule and allows the Scions to be resurrected, restoring Meteion's original personality in the process. She begs them to stop her sisters. Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus then willingly die; Emet-Selch assures

19032-471: The player. The Job Change system was initially proposed by Sakaguchi as he wanted to give players freedom to customize the party members. The Job System has continued to have a strong role in the series, being most prominent in Final Fantasy V with 22 available jobs. Jobs have recurring functions throughout the series. Some of the more traditional classes include the Warrior/Fighter, the Dragoon,

19188-535: The plot's events. In games with universes containing more advanced technology, it is often depicted as predominantly powered by magic. This is specifically called magitek in Final Fantasy VI , XIV , and XV , while other games have similar elements under a different name, such as mako technology in VII and magicite technology in XII . Such magical technology is often used as a metaphor for overreaching, evil ambition, breaking

19344-661: The rebellion. The heroes are often destined to defeat the evil, and occasionally gather as a direct result of the antagonist's malicious actions. Twin antagonists, with the second main antagonist being hidden for the majority of the game, is also a recurring element. Other common plot and setting themes include the Gaia hypothesis , an apocalypse, and conflicts between advanced technology and nature . Most games feature names inspired from various cultures' history, languages, and mythology, including Asian , European , and Middle-Eastern . In-game items such as weapons follow this tradition:

19500-659: The release of the preceding expansion with a "scriptwriting retreat" involving producer and director Naoki Yoshida and the main scenario writers , Natsuko Ishikawa and Banri Oda. The story was largely finalized by October 2019. The process for developing an expansion involves laying out the progression from main game to expansion in detail and categorizing these elements so that developers would not get confused between patch content and expansion content which were being created simultaneously. Expansions for Final Fantasy XIV are designed to compete with offline RPGs in length and content. In terms of content, roughly 70% of development time

19656-615: The rest of the facility or in cold/hot aisle air circulation systems that are closed systems , such as: However, there also exist other means to put out fires, especially in Sensitive areas , usually using Gaseous fire suppression , of which Halon gas was the most popular, until the negative effects of producing and using it were discovered. [1] Physical access is usually restricted. Layered security often starts with fencing, bollards and mantraps . Video camera surveillance and permanent security guards are almost always present if

19812-509: The rules of the world, and stealing its energy no matter the cost. Extremely powerful magitek armor is recurring in various games in the series, such as in VI , XIV , and XV in the form of mecha , and in XV as powered armor . Characters and monsters have made appearances in multiple Final Fantasy games, although they remain unconnected in a narrative sense. A recurring animal in Final Fantasy

19968-430: The same appliance. Energy use is a central issue for data centers. Power draw ranges from a few kW for a rack of servers in a closet to several tens of MW for large facilities. Some facilities have power densities more than 100 times that of a typical office building. For higher power density facilities, electricity costs are a dominant operating expense and account for over 10% of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of

20124-518: The seat. There, the Warrior meets Emet-Selch, Hythlodaeus, and Venat, the previous Azem. Though mistaken for a familiar at first, they are eventually forced to explain their mission; the Ancients, disturbed by the Warrior's tale, agree to help. They seek out Hermes and his empathic creation, Meteion, linked to a collective of identical Meteia sent to distant stars via dynamis, an energy linked to emotions, to ask other beings what gives life meaning. But

20280-480: The series as a factor in its longevity. In a review of Final Fantasy VI from 2005, GameSpot cited that game as a genre-defining game with its storyline and emphasis on character development, while Final Fantasy VII has frequently been classed as a game that helped solidify the structure and style of RPGs for many years to follow. Digital Spy said in 2012 that Final Fantasy had "shaped and defined role-playing games across generations of consoles", though felt

20436-457: The series had lost some of its appeal as its more recent installments differed too much from their predecessors, with some fans referring to Final Fantasy X as "the last traditional game in the series". Kawazu would develop the concepts he created for Final Fantasy II into its own series, titled SaGa , and other franchises including The Elder Scrolls would adopt its usage-based skill systems. Ishii's experience working on Final Fantasy

20592-452: The series has been associated with multiple artists, the three most prominent being Yoshitaka Amano , Tetsuya Nomura , and Akihiko Yoshida . Amano designed characters up to Final Fantasy VI and continues to design each game's logo, Nomura has designed characters for multiple games since Final Fantasy VII , and Yoshida has been involved in XII , XIV , and games associated with Ivalice. The original gameplay created by Akitoshi Kawazu

20748-403: The series since the first game, where players chose each character's job from the outset. Kawazu created this system to give players freedom to customize the party. For Final Fantasy IV , jobs were attached to specific characters. Each job in a Final Fantasy game has unique abilities which develop as the player's level increases. In some games, the player can assign a character a specific job at

20904-519: The series. Hideo Minaba contributed character designs to Final Fantasy IX , worked as an art director for XII , and would later design characters for XIII-2 . Italian-born artist Roberto Ferrari worked as a secondary character designer for Final Fantasy Type-0 , Final Fantasy XV , and Final Fantasy VII Remake . Yusaku Nakaaki worked with Naora and Nomura to create characters for Final Fantasy Type-0 , and along with Ferrari created secondary characters for Final Fantasy XV . Akira Oguro created

21060-481: The series. The most common is the airship for long range travel, accompanied by chocobos for traveling short distances, but others include sea and land vessels. Following Final Fantasy VII , more modern and futuristic vehicle designs have been included. For Final Fantasy XV , a car dubbed "Regalia" was introduced as both a ground-based transport and later as a vehicle that could be converted to function as an airship. Airships are often unlocked for players fairly late in

21216-470: The site further from population centers, implementing a lights-out data center reduces the threat of malicious attacks upon the infrastructure. Generally speaking, local authorities prefer noise levels at data centers to be "10 dB below the existing night-time background noise level at the nearest residence." OSHA regulations require monitoring of noise levels inside data centers if noise exceeds 85 decibels. The average noise level in server areas of

21372-420: The soundtrack. At Fan Festival 2021, Soken revealed that he had been in treatment for cancer since March 2020 and had hidden his diagnosis from most of the development team. With Yoshida's support, he arranged for materials to be brought to his hospital so he could compose while in treatment. He credited his recovery to composing as if "nothing had changed", which gave him something to live for. As of May 2021, he

21528-491: The start of the game, while other games allow characters to combine and learn abilities from a number of jobs. In addition to other abilities, a character's job usually determines the types of weapons and armor that they can use. Final Fantasy III saw the introduction of the Job Change System: through special crystals, the four player characters were granted a variety of jobs that could be switched at any point by

21684-474: The subseries by Square Enix long after its release. The game's references to other Final Fantasy games were originally intended as fan service. Ivalice itself was the creation of Yasumi Matsuno, the main creative force behind Tactics and Vagrant Story . It first appeared in Tactics . Matsuno's work with Ivalice later inspired the scenarios for A Realm Reborn . Stories in the series frequently emphasize

21840-706: The system further as he felt the version in IV was incomplete. A mechanic introduced in Final Fantasy VII was Limit Breaks, special cinematic moves that have become a staple of the series. The ATB system was in use until Final Fantasy X , which switched to a system called the "Conditional Turn-based Battle" system: while reverting to a purely turn-based model, it included additional elements such as in-battle party member switching. Final Fantasy XI , XIV , and its sequel A Realm Reborn used real-time command-based combat systems and removed random encounters, playing in

21996-562: The team experimented with multiple character control, it was decided that it presented too many development difficulties. The battle system of Final Fantasy XVI , designed by Capcom veteran Ryota Suzuki, again focused on action with a single protagonist with a focus on switching elemental abilities gained from the world's summons. Battles were also split between standard combat with smaller enemies, and large cinematic battles with their own mechanics. Character classes in Final Fantasy are often referred to as "jobs"; they have been present in

22152-465: The trial "Cape Westwind" and replacing it with a single-player instance, while shortening and streamlining the dungeons of "Castrum Meridianum" and "The Praetorium"; the latter has had its last sections—a chain of boss fights against the Ultima Weapon and Lahabrea—split into a different Trial and single player instance respectively. Patch 6.2 of Endwalker debuted a new system, Island Sanctuary,

22308-518: The two most notable are Excalibur and Masamune, derived respectively from the Arthurian sword and legendary Japanese swordsmith . A recurring concept within Final Fantasy settings is the use of important magical crystals; in early games, they represented the Japanese classical elements and were instrumental in keeping the world in balance. Due to this, control over the crystals forms part of

22464-406: The video game market; Sakaguchi had long wished to create a role-playing game, but the company had denied him the opportunity until then. The first Final Fantasy was released in 1987, and was a commercial and critical success that fueled the development of further games. The series garnered international popularity with the release of Final Fantasy VII (1997) for the PlayStation , which became

22620-409: The voidsent invasion of Meracydia. Vrtra long ago gave up searching, but the Scions rekindle his hopes. Meanwhile, an armored figure plots to invade the Source. The alchemists build a new, adult-sized avatar for Vrtra to explore the Void. Seeking Azdaja's whereabouts, the party explores a castle in the Void and defeat Scarmiglione, archfiend of earth. They meet Zenos' former Reaper avatar, revealed by

22776-436: Was able to implement these additions using 30% time to address the tremendous desire for them. The team has also included more hairstyle options for both Viera and Hrothgar, as well as more to come in the future. Masayoshi Soken composed the majority of the expansion's score in addition to his duties as sound director. Due to his health issues, Nobuo Uematsu was asked to prioritize his other projects and did not contribute to

22932-647: Was back at 90% efficiency by June. Endwalker was originally planned for a Q3 2021 release but was ultimately delayed to Q4 2021. Expansions for Final Fantasy XIV are traditionally announced at Fan Festival, a biennial convention that takes place in Japan, North America, and Europe, but these events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In their place, Square Enix announced the expansion at an online showcase in February 2021 and released additional information at

23088-489: Was based around Dungeons & Dragons and Wizardry . Starting with Final Fantasy IV , the Hiroyuki Ito -designed ATB system took prevalence; variations of the ATB system have been used in multiple entries since then. These various elements have been positively received by critics over the series' lifetime, contributing to its overall worldwide success, with the gameplay and narratives frequently cited as setting

23244-425: Was brought on board the first Final Fantasy as general artwork designer, filling that role for II and III . For Final Fantasy IV , Amano was given more freedom to create elaborate character designs. Amano returned as character designer and general artwork for Final Fantasy V . Final Fantasy VI , in addition to featuring work by Amano, also had contributions from other designers including Kaori Tanaka . From

23400-433: Was conceived by Sakaguchi as his last-ditch effort in the game industry; the game was a success and spawned sequels. While most entries in the series are separate from each other, they have recurring elements carrying over between entries, including plot themes and motifs, gameplay mechanics, and visual elements. The Final Fantasy series features recurring thematic elements, including magical crystals and creatures such as

23556-509: Was inspired while watching a Formula One race and seeing racers pass each other at different speeds. This gave him the idea of different speed values for the individual characters. Ito himself described the inspiration as his wish to balance pure turn-based mechanics with real-time battle mechanics, which played into a movement in Formula One where cars were shifting towards using semi-automatic gearboxes. For Final Fantasy V , Ito evolved

23712-509: Was later expanded into a multimedia series gamed Compilation of Final Fantasy VII , which included video games ( Before Crisis , Dirge of Cerberus , Crisis Core ) and film projects ( Advent Children , Last Order ). A different subseries linked by common elements, and indirectly inspired by the Compilation , is Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy ; while the subseries' games have unique settings and stories, they all share

23868-402: Was made by IBM in 1956, and they've "been around since the 1960s", it was the 1970s that made it more common for computer centers to thereby allow cool air to circulate more efficiently. The first purpose of the raised floor was to allow access for wiring. The lights-out data center, also known as a darkened or a dark data center, is a data center that, ideally, has all but eliminated

24024-427: Was projected to grow to more than 180 zettabytes by 2025, up from 64.2 zettabytes in 2020. The United States is currently the foremost leader in data center infrastructure, hosting 5,381 data centers as of March 2024, the highest number of any country worldwide. According to global consultancy McKinsey & Co., U.S. market demand is expected to double to 35 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, up from 17 GW in 2022. As of 2023,

24180-618: Was reflected in his design philosophies for the Mana series, which began life as a Final Fantasy spin-off. Numerous industry developers and studios (including Ubisoft 's Maxime Beland, multiple BioWare staff, Peter Molyneux ) have cited Final Fantasy as an influence on either their general game design or specific games. Several independent developers have drawn on both classic and contemporary Final Fantasy games when developing games, citing examples within their narratives, game design, and visuals. Data center A data center

24336-669: Was written by Miwa Shoda, whose work was fleshed out by Watanabe. Watanabe would later work on the scenarios of Final Fantasy XIII (2009) and its sequels, which would become one of his major projects. The scenario for Final Fantasy XI (2002) was created by Masato Kato , who returned for the expansion Rise of the Zilart . For Final Fantasy XIV (2010), the writer was Yaeko Sato, who also worked on XI and XII ; Sato stayed on as lead writer for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (2013), alongside new writer Kazutoyo Maehiro. The lead writer for expansions beginning with Heavensward

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