This 20 minute developer walkthrough outlines the basics

If you're remotely interested in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, this new developer video from Square Enix is an excellent way to get prepared for this August, when the PC and PS3 versions of the game launch (with a PlayStation 4 launch to follow in 2014). It details pretty much everything from character creation to the basics of gameplay, and takes you on a 20 minute journey through your first few moments in the game's world.

As an MMO player, I was incredibly disappointed in vanilla XIV from the start -- especially after playing so much Final Fantasy XI. But A Realm Reborn is a great effort to attempt to do right by the franchise, which I highly respect. I'll be giving it another shot later this year, and I'll let you know how it is.