From the Lodestone: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/15779
'
Hello everyone! Yoshi-P here with
another post for all you FFXIV-ers.
I apologize in advance for the
brevity of this letter, but wanted to inform you all right away that we are
planning to release patch 1.18 on July 21 (PST).
All that’s left is the
balancing and debugging of the two instanced raids. (There’s no guarantee all
future instances will fit the definition of “dungeon,” and it’d just be
ridiculous and flat out wrong to call something that isn’t a dungeon a dungeon,
right? But even a small party of people can raid a given location, dungeon or
otherwise. Just sayin’.) But things are preeetty tight, so there may be a 1- or
2-day delay.
Sorry to all of you who are waiting, but
we want to make sure the debugging is done right before releasing this content,
so bear with us just a bit longer. That’s it for now. Time to get back to
work!
See you soon! '
It seems we have another 2 weeks ahead of us. Hopefully 1.18 will be ready for us by then.
Showing posts with label FFXIV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FFXIV. Show all posts
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
[patch1.17c] Patch 1.17c Notes
From http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/13617 by NOC_EU 6/15/2011
' [patch1.17c] Patch 1.17c Notes
Fixed Bugs
- Measures have been implemented to address the recurring server failure issue
occurring in market areas.- Measures have been implemented to address the issue wherein viewing the
linkshell member list may cause the client to crash.- The following bugs have been addressed:
A bug wherein the enemies "Prince of Pestilence" and "Unknown Soldier" may
neither be seen nor targeted despite appearing on the minimap.
A bug wherein the location of one's retainer may change following server
failure.
A bug wherein the journal entry may not be updated for the quest "A Piece of
History." '
Letter from the Producer, XI (6/14/2011)
Here is a sample video of auto-attack to be implemented in Patch 1.18.
The original post from the Lodestone can be found at: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/13462
Looks like they're burning the midnight oil over there!
The original post from the Lodestone can be found at: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/13462
Looks like they're burning the midnight oil over there!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
[patch1.17b] Patch 1.17b Notes (from the lodestone)
posted by NOC_EU at 05-23-2011 06:43 PM http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/11466
'System
Fixed Bugs
'System
- [dev1035] Target filter cycling has been removed from targeting mode A, and targeting mode C adde.
/targetmode (/tmode) [subcommand]
>>Subcommands
a Activate targeting mode A
b Activate targeting mode B
c Activate targeting mode C
* Activating targeting mode C will set the target filter to ALL.
* The default targeting mode is A.- [dev1083] A new text command has been added which allows players to specify targeting behavior when pressing confirm without a target selected.
/directtarget (/dtar) [subcommand]
>>Subcommands
on Toggle direct targeting on.
(Overrides active targeting mode to render all characters selectable.)
off Toggle direct targeting off.
(Determines selectable targets based on current targeting mode.)
Toggle between on and off when no subcommand is specified.
* The default setting is off.
Fixed Bugs
- The following bugs have been addressed:
- A bug wherein a party currently engaging a notorious monster could receive the benefits of items from other parties.
- A bug wherein gnats did not link under certain circumstances.
- A bug wherein players could not undertake certain duties in the sidequest "Seashells by the Seashore."
- A bug wherein pressing Ctrl + T to scroll through the /tell history would skip the most recent recipient. '
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Battle reform blueprint
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/10879-Battle-Reform-Blueprint?p=138995 by Akihiko_Matsui on 5/19/2011:
Battle Reform Blueprint
Dear fans,
It is with pleasure that I announce the release of the battle reform blueprint.
My apologies to have kept you waiting for so long, but due to my primary patch commitments,
this document has been longer in the making than intended.
But without further ado, please allow me to take you through the blueprint and explain in
detail the planned changes and the driving force behind each of them.
Akihiko
Matsui
Lead Battle Planner
Reform Concept
•Fostering Skillful Play
Creating a battle system that fosters skillful play.
The above is, in a sentence, the rationale behind the coming battle changes. Not
exactly the punchiest catchphrase around, but perhaps there’s kindly a soul out
there who could word it better. */poke Yoshi-P*
To elaborate, we are
aiming to address issues such as the following:
◦Victories coming with little reliance on skillful play.
◦Lack of information needed for skillful play.
◦No sense of accomplishment even with skillful play.
In light of the above, our objective is to implement a battle system that rewards
player effort and innovation in such areas as equipment, hunting grounds, and party
structure. Lastly, in conceiving these changes, we have kept one fact close to heart:
simply making enemies stronger does not equate to an environment that fosters and rewards
skillful play.
Battle
Content
•Dungeons
Dungeons, the proving grounds for parties, will be released in 1.18.
We will be implementing two types to begin with, with future updates to usher in
additional maps and battle concepts.
This content takes the form of raid
missions in which players slash and burn their way through a labyrinthine area
before finally squaring off against a formidable final foe. Dungeons are
intended to push teamwork to the limit, and players can expect a level of
satisfaction (and spoils!) befitting the challenge.
To coincide with the
addition of dungeons, a number of actions and skills will receive tweaks ahead
of time, the details of which will be released at a later
date.
•Notorious Monsters
We will continue to introduce new NMs on a regular basis, although
numbers may be modest for patches boasting large-scale features such as
dungeons. Players can look forward to engaging in more epic struggles and
acquiring spectacular
spoils.
Partying
•Skillful Partying
Alongside our ongoing endeavors to make solo adventuring ever more
rewarding, we are also injecting effort into making full-fledged partying more
enjoyable. At the heart of this undertaking is a series of plans to draw out the
uniqueness of each class (details in the Armoury System section below).
It goes without saying to those familiar with MMORPGs, but the masterful
manipulation of the following facets of battle is the cornerstone of effective
partying.
◦Enmity (hate) control, which governs the enemy’s attack target.
◦Crowd control (CC), the act of rendering enemy groups incapable of
attacking.
•Enmity (Hate) Control
Following review, we have deemed the current algorithm unnecessarily
complicated, and as such have decided to simplify the system as follows:
◦Damage will convert to enmity at a one-to-one ratio (in most cases)
◦Players will have the means to examine their own current hate
value.
A hate conversion formula will be applied to
actions that target friendlies or do not inflict damage.
Furthermore, a player’s enmity will be made constantly visible as a percentage
of that of the party member being attacked. A feature whereby players may examine
hate values for all party members is also under consideration for a future
update.
•Crowd Control (CC)
As crowd control tactics are expected to gain in prominence with theintroduction of
dungeons, a host of adjustments is being planned centered around the following:
◦The reforming of crowd control methods
◦Tweaks to crowd control actions and their distribution among
classes.
•Solo Play
Solo play is the preferred choice of those short on time, and we
intend to preserve the balance wherein adventurers can take on foes of the same
rank unaided. Even as we work to further accentuate the uniqueness of each
class, we will make it so that all classes are capable of ranking up via solo
play.
Auto-attack and
Other Systems
•Auto-attack
We will be implementing auto-attack. As the workload for this is
expected to be considerable, however, the feature will be introduced in stages
alongside revisions for other systems.
For the first stage, we will implement the core mechanics of auto-attack and perform provisional
adjustments to the accompanying damage algorithm. The next stage, planned to take place
after the aforementioned crowd control and action/skill revisions, will involve a fine-tuning of
the auto-attack algorithm. Other algorithms will also undergo revisions, which will be explained
further below. In so doing, we hope to further draw out the unique flavor of each weapon.
At this same time, we will also carry out motion and other graphical revisions to accommodate
auto-attack.
•Action Bar
We realize that having to reequip gear and reset actions every time
you change class is a source of chagrin. Although we are unable to indicate a
timeframe, discussions are underway with the UI team on ways for players to
retain equipment and action data for each class.
As battle revisions encompass not only tweaks to areas such as classes, items, and monsters, but
also entail improvements to user interface, we wanted to share with you this aspect of our plans
as well.
•Battle Regimens
We are afraid to inform you that work on the Battle Regimen system has been postponed, as
adjustments and additions alone will not suffice to address problems. There is a need to rework
the system from the ground up, and we will lay the foundation stones after other changes have
been seen to completion.
Character
Development
•Battle Attribute Allotment
When it comes to battle, class rank should, by logic, be more important than physical level. The
reality of the situation, however, is that attribute point allotment is dependent upon physical
level, something that is causing complications in our endeavor to improve the battle system.
In the recent battle poll (thanks to all who participated), we learned that a considerable number
of players would be willing to forgo physical levels, but wanted to retain the ability to
customize characters through attribute allotment. Armed with this knowledge, we proceeded to
formulate the optimal solution. The decision: attribute point allotment will no longer
accompany gains in physical level, and will instead occur when characters rise in class rank.
Although the amount in frequency of points awarded will be lower than previously, players will find
that each point will have a more profound effect.
•Algorithms
In light of changes planned for the Armoury System, the need to revise algorithms has arisen. At the
same time, we will also carry out the changes below in order to streamline areas made overly complicated.
◦Abolishing the rounding formula based on standard rank values *1
◦Optimizing the value ranges for the influence of attributes *2
Many in-game elements are known to influence algorithms, and we are working on identifying them all
regardless of the extent of their impact. We believe that the above changes will allow players to more
keenly feel and appreciate the myriad benefits offered by magic and equipment, which will lead to a new
depth of enjoyment in attributes.
*1 The algorithm whereby values associated
with rank are rounded up or down to be as close to the standard as
possible.
*2 The system whereby enhancing statuses
(whether obtained through attribute allotment, equipment, or magic) are
influenced by incremental sets of
values.
Armoury
System
•Classes
Actions will undergo major revisions, along with both the underlying mechanics and conditions.
By major revisions, not only do we mean the tweaking of effects and potency of existing actions - we will
work from the ground up to redesign and reassign actions based on clearly identified class roles. We will
also make a number of changes as part of our reexamination of how actions are equipped and the character
requirements for doing so. First, actions learned by each class will be set to the action bar by default
when playing as that class. Also, we will be making some actions settable on any class, while other
"class-defining" actions obtained at higher ranks will be usable only by that class.
•Jobs
The job system - that series-defining trademark - will be implemented in FINAL FANTASY XIV (details such
as specific jobs TBA). Quests to unlock each job will become available once you have reached a certain rank
in the corresponding class. Rather than being advanced versions of classes, we would like players to think
of jobs as specialized playing styles optimized for partying. While playing as a particular job will render
you unable to equip certain actions of other classes, you will be compensated with access to exclusive
actions, which can be acquired through quests. In practice, players will find the existing classes
effective when playing solo or in certain party setups. Jobs, however, will shine in party situations where
specific skill sets are demanded. Now, you didn’t hear this from me, but there are also rumors
circulating that quests for obtaining job-exclusive equipment are also in the pipes. We at the development
team are currently hard at work on the job system, and expect to have details to share with you soon.
In
Closing
•Fighting the Good Fight
Thank you for taking the time to pore over these words. Having read the blueprint, there is bound to be more
than a few players who feel that we’ve only recited a handful of things common to all MMORPGs. There may be
others still who are saddened - perhaps even piqued - that elements they felt made FINAL FANTASY XIV unique
will be going to the cutting block. I would like to clarify here that the battle team’s overarching
objective is to lay a solid foundation upon which to build new elements - elements that will bring out the
best in FINAL FANTASY XIV. The marriage of classes and jobs is representative of this endeavor. Whereas the
ease of play classes offer will find favor with solo and casual party players, jobs will add a new depth of
enjoyment for those wishing to take on high-level, strategy-rich content. A period of great change is
underway, and we ask you to bear with us. FINAL FANTASY XIV is dear to us as it is to our fans, and there is
simply nothing we would love more than to see it flourish into everything it can be. And to see this wish
become reality, we promise to spare no effort in delivering the ultimate battle experience to players
On behalf of the team, thank you always for your encouragement and support.
Battle Reform Blueprint
Dear fans,
It is with pleasure that I announce the release of the battle reform blueprint.
My apologies to have kept you waiting for so long, but due to my primary patch commitments,
this document has been longer in the making than intended.
But without further ado, please allow me to take you through the blueprint and explain in
detail the planned changes and the driving force behind each of them.
Akihiko
Matsui
Lead Battle Planner
Reform Concept
•Fostering Skillful Play
Creating a battle system that fosters skillful play.
The above is, in a sentence, the rationale behind the coming battle changes. Not
exactly the punchiest catchphrase around, but perhaps there’s kindly a soul out
there who could word it better. */poke Yoshi-P*
To elaborate, we are
aiming to address issues such as the following:
◦Victories coming with little reliance on skillful play.
◦Lack of information needed for skillful play.
◦No sense of accomplishment even with skillful play.
In light of the above, our objective is to implement a battle system that rewards
player effort and innovation in such areas as equipment, hunting grounds, and party
structure. Lastly, in conceiving these changes, we have kept one fact close to heart:
simply making enemies stronger does not equate to an environment that fosters and rewards
skillful play.
Battle
Content
•Dungeons
Dungeons, the proving grounds for parties, will be released in 1.18.
We will be implementing two types to begin with, with future updates to usher in
additional maps and battle concepts.
This content takes the form of raid
missions in which players slash and burn their way through a labyrinthine area
before finally squaring off against a formidable final foe. Dungeons are
intended to push teamwork to the limit, and players can expect a level of
satisfaction (and spoils!) befitting the challenge.
To coincide with the
addition of dungeons, a number of actions and skills will receive tweaks ahead
of time, the details of which will be released at a later
date.
•Notorious Monsters
We will continue to introduce new NMs on a regular basis, although
numbers may be modest for patches boasting large-scale features such as
dungeons. Players can look forward to engaging in more epic struggles and
acquiring spectacular
spoils.
Partying
•Skillful Partying
Alongside our ongoing endeavors to make solo adventuring ever more
rewarding, we are also injecting effort into making full-fledged partying more
enjoyable. At the heart of this undertaking is a series of plans to draw out the
uniqueness of each class (details in the Armoury System section below).
It goes without saying to those familiar with MMORPGs, but the masterful
manipulation of the following facets of battle is the cornerstone of effective
partying.
◦Enmity (hate) control, which governs the enemy’s attack target.
◦Crowd control (CC), the act of rendering enemy groups incapable of
attacking.
•Enmity (Hate) Control
Following review, we have deemed the current algorithm unnecessarily
complicated, and as such have decided to simplify the system as follows:
◦Damage will convert to enmity at a one-to-one ratio (in most cases)
◦Players will have the means to examine their own current hate
value.
A hate conversion formula will be applied to
actions that target friendlies or do not inflict damage.
Furthermore, a player’s enmity will be made constantly visible as a percentage
of that of the party member being attacked. A feature whereby players may examine
hate values for all party members is also under consideration for a future
update.
•Crowd Control (CC)
As crowd control tactics are expected to gain in prominence with theintroduction of
dungeons, a host of adjustments is being planned centered around the following:
◦The reforming of crowd control methods
◦Tweaks to crowd control actions and their distribution among
classes.
•Solo Play
Solo play is the preferred choice of those short on time, and we
intend to preserve the balance wherein adventurers can take on foes of the same
rank unaided. Even as we work to further accentuate the uniqueness of each
class, we will make it so that all classes are capable of ranking up via solo
play.
Auto-attack and
Other Systems
•Auto-attack
We will be implementing auto-attack. As the workload for this is
expected to be considerable, however, the feature will be introduced in stages
alongside revisions for other systems.
For the first stage, we will implement the core mechanics of auto-attack and perform provisional
adjustments to the accompanying damage algorithm. The next stage, planned to take place
after the aforementioned crowd control and action/skill revisions, will involve a fine-tuning of
the auto-attack algorithm. Other algorithms will also undergo revisions, which will be explained
further below. In so doing, we hope to further draw out the unique flavor of each weapon.
At this same time, we will also carry out motion and other graphical revisions to accommodate
auto-attack.
•Action Bar
We realize that having to reequip gear and reset actions every time
you change class is a source of chagrin. Although we are unable to indicate a
timeframe, discussions are underway with the UI team on ways for players to
retain equipment and action data for each class.
As battle revisions encompass not only tweaks to areas such as classes, items, and monsters, but
also entail improvements to user interface, we wanted to share with you this aspect of our plans
as well.
•Battle Regimens
We are afraid to inform you that work on the Battle Regimen system has been postponed, as
adjustments and additions alone will not suffice to address problems. There is a need to rework
the system from the ground up, and we will lay the foundation stones after other changes have
been seen to completion.
Character
Development
•Battle Attribute Allotment
When it comes to battle, class rank should, by logic, be more important than physical level. The
reality of the situation, however, is that attribute point allotment is dependent upon physical
level, something that is causing complications in our endeavor to improve the battle system.
In the recent battle poll (thanks to all who participated), we learned that a considerable number
of players would be willing to forgo physical levels, but wanted to retain the ability to
customize characters through attribute allotment. Armed with this knowledge, we proceeded to
formulate the optimal solution. The decision: attribute point allotment will no longer
accompany gains in physical level, and will instead occur when characters rise in class rank.
Although the amount in frequency of points awarded will be lower than previously, players will find
that each point will have a more profound effect.
•Algorithms
In light of changes planned for the Armoury System, the need to revise algorithms has arisen. At the
same time, we will also carry out the changes below in order to streamline areas made overly complicated.
◦Abolishing the rounding formula based on standard rank values *1
◦Optimizing the value ranges for the influence of attributes *2
Many in-game elements are known to influence algorithms, and we are working on identifying them all
regardless of the extent of their impact. We believe that the above changes will allow players to more
keenly feel and appreciate the myriad benefits offered by magic and equipment, which will lead to a new
depth of enjoyment in attributes.
*1 The algorithm whereby values associated
with rank are rounded up or down to be as close to the standard as
possible.
*2 The system whereby enhancing statuses
(whether obtained through attribute allotment, equipment, or magic) are
influenced by incremental sets of
values.
Armoury
System
•Classes
Actions will undergo major revisions, along with both the underlying mechanics and conditions.
By major revisions, not only do we mean the tweaking of effects and potency of existing actions - we will
work from the ground up to redesign and reassign actions based on clearly identified class roles. We will
also make a number of changes as part of our reexamination of how actions are equipped and the character
requirements for doing so. First, actions learned by each class will be set to the action bar by default
when playing as that class. Also, we will be making some actions settable on any class, while other
"class-defining" actions obtained at higher ranks will be usable only by that class.
•Jobs
The job system - that series-defining trademark - will be implemented in FINAL FANTASY XIV (details such
as specific jobs TBA). Quests to unlock each job will become available once you have reached a certain rank
in the corresponding class. Rather than being advanced versions of classes, we would like players to think
of jobs as specialized playing styles optimized for partying. While playing as a particular job will render
you unable to equip certain actions of other classes, you will be compensated with access to exclusive
actions, which can be acquired through quests. In practice, players will find the existing classes
effective when playing solo or in certain party setups. Jobs, however, will shine in party situations where
specific skill sets are demanded. Now, you didn’t hear this from me, but there are also rumors
circulating that quests for obtaining job-exclusive equipment are also in the pipes. We at the development
team are currently hard at work on the job system, and expect to have details to share with you soon.
In
Closing
•Fighting the Good Fight
Thank you for taking the time to pore over these words. Having read the blueprint, there is bound to be more
than a few players who feel that we’ve only recited a handful of things common to all MMORPGs. There may be
others still who are saddened - perhaps even piqued - that elements they felt made FINAL FANTASY XIV unique
will be going to the cutting block. I would like to clarify here that the battle team’s overarching
objective is to lay a solid foundation upon which to build new elements - elements that will bring out the
best in FINAL FANTASY XIV. The marriage of classes and jobs is representative of this endeavor. Whereas the
ease of play classes offer will find favor with solo and casual party players, jobs will add a new depth of
enjoyment for those wishing to take on high-level, strategy-rich content. A period of great change is
underway, and we ask you to bear with us. FINAL FANTASY XIV is dear to us as it is to our fans, and there is
simply nothing we would love more than to see it flourish into everything it can be. And to see this wish
become reality, we promise to spare no effort in delivering the ultimate battle experience to players
On behalf of the team, thank you always for your encouragement and support.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Square Enix's Holdings (SE is reporting losses) Will FFXIV be affected?
It seems that SE may be chopping off wayard projects and possibly some future game content for certain titles.
Could FFXIV be on the chopping block? Is it possible that SE would cut FFXIV after already using so many resources (and a lot of time) to revamped the game?
Most people don't think so and I'm one of them. As much as SE seems to do odd things at times, I'm sure SE wouldn't do something that drastic.
The report from SE can be found at: http://www.square-enix.com/eng/news/pdf/110512.pdf
Could FFXIV be on the chopping block? Is it possible that SE would cut FFXIV after already using so many resources (and a lot of time) to revamped the game?
Most people don't think so and I'm one of them. As much as SE seems to do odd things at times, I'm sure SE wouldn't do something that drastic.
The report from SE can be found at: http://www.square-enix.com/eng/news/pdf/110512.pdf
Monday, May 2, 2011
Letter from the Producer, IX (05/02/2011)
From the Lodestone at http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/9220 by Naoki Yoshida on 5/2/2011
"Well, we are creeping up on Golden Week here in Japan—a weeklong vacation packed with some of Japan’s finest holiday offerings. But for now it’s still business as usual in the office for Yoshida and crew.
Patches 1.17 and 1.17a are good and done, and we’ve started work on the next patch—appropriately named 1.18.
1.18 is going to be relatively bigger than previous patches. This means that balancing is going to take more time than usual, and so we’re anticipating a somewhat longer period between patches. Even if we break off some of the content and release it ahead of time in a 1.17b patch (which me might!), 1.18 will still go live sometime in mid-June at the earliest. Sorry for that.
But good things come to those who wait! Dungeons designed for ranks 30 and 50 are on their way, and 1.18 will see the start of our reworking of the battle system, as we bring in some changes to that area.
Also, we’re planning to introduce various new encampments that will serve as quest hubs. We’re in the process of testing these now on our development servers, and I strong-armed one of the designers in charge into handing over some screenshots for me to post here.
From top to bottom, those are encampments in the Ul’dah, Limsa Lominsa, and Gridania regions. In this way, we’re going to gradually increase the number of public areas with quest hubs. We also have some beast tribe versions in the works, but it’s looking like those will have to wait until 1.19.
By the by, this is still under development, but here’s what the beast tribe equivalent is looking like.
I’ll continue to drop more details on future patch content on the Lodestone forums, and in these letters as well. Akihiko Matsui, our lead battle planner, will also be posting on the forums in the near future regarding some of the new battle concepts we have planned.
Come mid-May, the vanguards of the Grand Companies will be the first to brave Eorzea’s newly discovered dungeons. Their preliminary reports will be made available on the Grand Companies page on the Lodestone, so be sure to check it out!
Instanced dungeons will provide a means to further solidify the bonds of the Maelstrom, the Immortal Flames, and the Order of the Twin Adder. The Grand Companies are large-scale organizations that will play an active role in the events going on in Eorzea as they happen, so be on the lookout!
In my next letter, I’ll be sure to update the list of game changes. (Sorry it’s been so long...)
Until then! And for players in Japan, I hope you enjoy Eorzea over your Golden Week!
Oh, and one more thing, I’ve seen some auto-translations of some of my posts going up on the forums. A recent one concerning synthesis actually starting spreading some misinformation before our official translation came out. I know I post at crazy hours sometimes, and that there are time lags, but ask that you please refrain from posting these translations in the forums. Thanks, and talk to you again soon!"
"Well, we are creeping up on Golden Week here in Japan—a weeklong vacation packed with some of Japan’s finest holiday offerings. But for now it’s still business as usual in the office for Yoshida and crew.
Patches 1.17 and 1.17a are good and done, and we’ve started work on the next patch—appropriately named 1.18.
1.18 is going to be relatively bigger than previous patches. This means that balancing is going to take more time than usual, and so we’re anticipating a somewhat longer period between patches. Even if we break off some of the content and release it ahead of time in a 1.17b patch (which me might!), 1.18 will still go live sometime in mid-June at the earliest. Sorry for that.
But good things come to those who wait! Dungeons designed for ranks 30 and 50 are on their way, and 1.18 will see the start of our reworking of the battle system, as we bring in some changes to that area.
Also, we’re planning to introduce various new encampments that will serve as quest hubs. We’re in the process of testing these now on our development servers, and I strong-armed one of the designers in charge into handing over some screenshots for me to post here.
From top to bottom, those are encampments in the Ul’dah, Limsa Lominsa, and Gridania regions. In this way, we’re going to gradually increase the number of public areas with quest hubs. We also have some beast tribe versions in the works, but it’s looking like those will have to wait until 1.19.
By the by, this is still under development, but here’s what the beast tribe equivalent is looking like.
I’ll continue to drop more details on future patch content on the Lodestone forums, and in these letters as well. Akihiko Matsui, our lead battle planner, will also be posting on the forums in the near future regarding some of the new battle concepts we have planned.
Come mid-May, the vanguards of the Grand Companies will be the first to brave Eorzea’s newly discovered dungeons. Their preliminary reports will be made available on the Grand Companies page on the Lodestone, so be sure to check it out!
Instanced dungeons will provide a means to further solidify the bonds of the Maelstrom, the Immortal Flames, and the Order of the Twin Adder. The Grand Companies are large-scale organizations that will play an active role in the events going on in Eorzea as they happen, so be on the lookout!
In my next letter, I’ll be sure to update the list of game changes. (Sorry it’s been so long...)
Until then! And for players in Japan, I hope you enjoy Eorzea over your Golden Week!
Oh, and one more thing, I’ve seen some auto-translations of some of my posts going up on the forums. A recent one concerning synthesis actually starting spreading some misinformation before our official translation came out. I know I post at crazy hours sometimes, and that there are time lags, but ask that you please refrain from posting these translations in the forums. Thanks, and talk to you again soon!"
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Patch 1.17 Notes from the Lodestone
From the Lodestone:
' [patch1.17] Patch 1.17 Notes
Event
•[dev1004] Upon meeting the objectives of a main scenario or class quest, an exclamation point (!) icon will appear over the NPC offering the quest. An exclamation point icon will also appear over the heads of NPCs with whom a player must speak to advance a quest.
•[dev1004] Objectives for several quests have been adjusted.
Party members who are KO'd now receive credit for defeated enemies.
Party members KO'd in battle while on a quest are now automatically revived after the battle is won.
•[dev1004] Distinguishing icons are now displayed next to the names of quest-related NPCs. Target enemies of quests are now represented on the minimap by red dots.
•[dev1002][dev1003] New sidequests have been added.
•[dev1051] Class requirements for undertaking the following sidequests have been adjusted:
Sidequest Before After
Proceed with Caution Disciplines of War and Magic → All classes
Playing with Fire Disciplines of War and Magic → All classes
•[dev1011] The rate and amount of guild tokens that can be obtained on local levequests have been adjusted.
•[dev1021] The following changes have been made to behests.
•The maximum number of participants has been reduced from 15 to 8.
•The behest reset timer has been reduced from 1 hour to 30 minutes.
•The period during which behests may be undertaken has been reduced from 5 minutes to 3 minutes.
•The period during which behests must be completed has been reduced from 30 minutes to 20 minutes.
•The period during which rewards can be claimed upon completion of a behest has been reduced from 10 minutes to 5 minutes.
•The number of behest enemies has been adjusted.
Battle
•[dev1031] New notorious monsters have been added.
•[dev1030] Enemy distribuion has been adjusted in the following areas:
•Lower La Noscea
•Western La Noscea
•Eastern La Noscea
•Central Thanalan
•Eastern Thanalan
•Western Thanalan
•Central Shroud
•North Shroud
•South Shroud
•[dev1049] Several of the actions and motions of the following enemies have been adjusted:
Magicked Bones, Skeleton Soldier, Skeleton Swordbearer, Wandering Wight, Wendigo, Wight, Wight Warrior
•[dev1050] The Misdirection ability of the following enemies now deals no damage to players:
Kokoroon Quickfingers, Longnose Gnognoroon, Qiqirn Beater, Qiqirn Egg Hunter, Qiqirn Eggnapper, Qiqirn Goon, Qiqirn Mercenary, Qiqirn Poacher, Qiqirn Scrambler
•[dev1020] The maximum number of party members has been reduced from 15 to 8.
The strength of several notorious monsters has been adjusted to coincide with this.
•[dev1020] Players now receive enhancing status effects when in a light party (4–7 members) or full party (8 members).
•Comradery (light party)
Maximum HP and MP increased by 5%
Physical and magic accuracy increased by 5%
•Strength in Numbers (full party)
Maximum HP and MP increased by 10%
Physical and magic accuracy increased by 10%
•[dev1037] Graphic effects of actions and spells have been enlarged by a factor of between 1.5 to 2 times their original size.
Item
•[dev1038] New items have been added.
Several new pieces of class-specific gear have been added.
* Classes capable of equipping these items are listed after a Requires: prefix in the item text.
•[dev1041] The rate at which the condition of accessories degrades has been reduced depending on the amount of other gear equipped.
•[dev1042] Messages informing players of items obtained through gathering now display the item's icon next to its name.
•[dev1039] When the three below conditions are met in regards to the grade and difficulty of a gathering attempt, the "sweet spot" of the approach phase will be in a fixed location.
1. Class rank
2. Values of VIT for miners, STR for botanists, and DEX for fishers
3. Bait and lures (for fishing only)
ex.) At a certain grade and difficulty, having the appropriate rank, DEX value, and bait/lure will ensure that jigging the rod precisely in the middle will result in a black eel hit.
System
•[dev1043] The following UI features have been enlarged:
•Player HP/MP/TP gauges
•Target HP gauges
•Party member HP/MP gauges
•[dev1052] The text designations through can now be used to select targets.
•[dev1044] The text command /hpbar has been added, and can be used to toggle the display of HP bars on and off for all targets capable of engaging in combat.
USAGE: /hpbar [subcommand]
>>Subcommands:
all Display HP bars for all enemies and players.
off Hide HP bars for enemies and players.
* This option is set to off by default.
•[dev1045] The text command /enemyrank (/erank) has been added, and can be used to toggle display names on and off for enemies.
As part of this new feature, the icons previously used to display an enemy's strength have been removed from the game.
USAGE: /enemyrank [subcommand]
>>Subcommands:
on Display enemy ranks.
off Hide enemy ranks.
Toggle between on and off when no subcommand is specified.
* This option is set to off by default.
•[dev1040] The text command /enemyicon (/eicon) has been added, and can be used to toggle the display of active and non-active icons for enemies.
USAGE: /enemyicon [subcommand]
>>Subcommands:
on Display active (red) and non-active (green) icons.
off Hide active (red) and non-active (green) icons.
Toggle between on and off when no subcommand is specified.
* This option is set to off by default.
•[dev1020] Party Member 5–7 options have been added to the Keyboard section under main menu » Configuration.
•[dev1020] The following features have been removed to coincide with the new maximum party size:
•Party recruitment settings for 9 or more members
•Text macros through
•[dev1053] The following items now display on both the world map and minimap.
•Shop
•Repair
•Guildleve Counter
•Linkshell Manager
•Retainer Counter
•Summoning Bell
•Guild Mark Exchange
•[dev1046] Retainer locations are now saved even following server maintenance.
•[dev1029] Character collision with relatively low-lying outdoor elements has been removed.
•[dev1054] Rocks in front of the Adventurers' Guild in Gridania and next to the NPC Maisenta have been removed from the game.
•[dev1047] Battle music now cuts in and out, rather than fading in and out.
•[dev1048] Current patch version information is now displayed on the title screen.
Fixed Bugs
•The following bugs have been addressed.
•A bug wherein the target popoto-opotos on the sidequest "A Well-Balanced Diet" were appearing in an incorrect location.
•A bug wherein the enmity generated when using healing, enhancing, or enfeebling actions against an enemy of a rank different than your own was incorrect.
•A bug wherein characters were sometimes too easily resisting the status ailments caused by enemy spells.
•A bug wherein the condition of Pugilist Arms was degrading at an incorrect rate under certain circumstances.
•A bug wherein characters were getting stuck among the thick trees and dense vegetation of certain areas, making further adventuring impossible.
•A bug wherein the icons next to player names were displaying incorrectly.
•A bug wherein the teleport offer prompt that appears when other party members teleport would not disappear, even after accepting or refusing.
•A bug wherein discarding a stack of items numbering between 201 and 230 caused the game client to crash.
•A bug wherein a player's current gil was not displayed when leasing a market stand.
•A bug wherein blacklists were sometimes displaying incorrectly.
•A bug wherein negative stats of gear were not functioning correctly.
•A bug wherein mashing the Accept/Confirm button on a gamepad while crafting for a local levequest would forgo the synthesis details interface, and prevent all game commands other than chat.
Known Bugs
•A bug wherein party member markers on the world map and minimap sometimes shift abruptly to the lower right portion of said map. '
A plethora of much needed updates and fixes! If the FFXIV teams keep this up while constantly adding content then I might actually stop playing Ogre Tactics on PSP and start playing this longer than doing the daily levequest grind and logging off!
' [patch1.17] Patch 1.17 Notes
Event
•[dev1004] Upon meeting the objectives of a main scenario or class quest, an exclamation point (!) icon will appear over the NPC offering the quest. An exclamation point icon will also appear over the heads of NPCs with whom a player must speak to advance a quest.
•[dev1004] Objectives for several quests have been adjusted.
Party members who are KO'd now receive credit for defeated enemies.
Party members KO'd in battle while on a quest are now automatically revived after the battle is won.
•[dev1004] Distinguishing icons are now displayed next to the names of quest-related NPCs. Target enemies of quests are now represented on the minimap by red dots.
•[dev1002][dev1003] New sidequests have been added.
•[dev1051] Class requirements for undertaking the following sidequests have been adjusted:
Sidequest Before After
Proceed with Caution Disciplines of War and Magic → All classes
Playing with Fire Disciplines of War and Magic → All classes
•[dev1011] The rate and amount of guild tokens that can be obtained on local levequests have been adjusted.
•[dev1021] The following changes have been made to behests.
•The maximum number of participants has been reduced from 15 to 8.
•The behest reset timer has been reduced from 1 hour to 30 minutes.
•The period during which behests may be undertaken has been reduced from 5 minutes to 3 minutes.
•The period during which behests must be completed has been reduced from 30 minutes to 20 minutes.
•The period during which rewards can be claimed upon completion of a behest has been reduced from 10 minutes to 5 minutes.
•The number of behest enemies has been adjusted.
Battle
•[dev1031] New notorious monsters have been added.
•[dev1030] Enemy distribuion has been adjusted in the following areas:
•Lower La Noscea
•Western La Noscea
•Eastern La Noscea
•Central Thanalan
•Eastern Thanalan
•Western Thanalan
•Central Shroud
•North Shroud
•South Shroud
•[dev1049] Several of the actions and motions of the following enemies have been adjusted:
Magicked Bones, Skeleton Soldier, Skeleton Swordbearer, Wandering Wight, Wendigo, Wight, Wight Warrior
•[dev1050] The Misdirection ability of the following enemies now deals no damage to players:
Kokoroon Quickfingers, Longnose Gnognoroon, Qiqirn Beater, Qiqirn Egg Hunter, Qiqirn Eggnapper, Qiqirn Goon, Qiqirn Mercenary, Qiqirn Poacher, Qiqirn Scrambler
•[dev1020] The maximum number of party members has been reduced from 15 to 8.
The strength of several notorious monsters has been adjusted to coincide with this.
•[dev1020] Players now receive enhancing status effects when in a light party (4–7 members) or full party (8 members).
•Comradery (light party)
Maximum HP and MP increased by 5%
Physical and magic accuracy increased by 5%
•Strength in Numbers (full party)
Maximum HP and MP increased by 10%
Physical and magic accuracy increased by 10%
•[dev1037] Graphic effects of actions and spells have been enlarged by a factor of between 1.5 to 2 times their original size.
Item
•[dev1038] New items have been added.
Several new pieces of class-specific gear have been added.
* Classes capable of equipping these items are listed after a Requires: prefix in the item text.
•[dev1041] The rate at which the condition of accessories degrades has been reduced depending on the amount of other gear equipped.
•[dev1042] Messages informing players of items obtained through gathering now display the item's icon next to its name.
•[dev1039] When the three below conditions are met in regards to the grade and difficulty of a gathering attempt, the "sweet spot" of the approach phase will be in a fixed location.
1. Class rank
2. Values of VIT for miners, STR for botanists, and DEX for fishers
3. Bait and lures (for fishing only)
ex.) At a certain grade and difficulty, having the appropriate rank, DEX value, and bait/lure will ensure that jigging the rod precisely in the middle will result in a black eel hit.
System
•[dev1043] The following UI features have been enlarged:
•Player HP/MP/TP gauges
•Target HP gauges
•Party member HP/MP gauges
•[dev1052] The text designations
•[dev1044] The text command /hpbar has been added, and can be used to toggle the display of HP bars on and off for all targets capable of engaging in combat.
USAGE: /hpbar [subcommand]
>>Subcommands:
all Display HP bars for all enemies and players.
off Hide HP bars for enemies and players.
* This option is set to off by default.
•[dev1045] The text command /enemyrank (/erank) has been added, and can be used to toggle display names on and off for enemies.
As part of this new feature, the icons previously used to display an enemy's strength have been removed from the game.
USAGE: /enemyrank [subcommand]
>>Subcommands:
on Display enemy ranks.
off Hide enemy ranks.
Toggle between on and off when no subcommand is specified.
* This option is set to off by default.
•[dev1040] The text command /enemyicon (/eicon) has been added, and can be used to toggle the display of active and non-active icons for enemies.
USAGE: /enemyicon [subcommand]
>>Subcommands:
on Display active (red) and non-active (green) icons.
off Hide active (red) and non-active (green) icons.
Toggle between on and off when no subcommand is specified.
* This option is set to off by default.
•[dev1020] Party Member 5–7 options have been added to the Keyboard section under main menu » Configuration.
•[dev1020] The following features have been removed to coincide with the new maximum party size:
•Party recruitment settings for 9 or more members
•Text macros
•[dev1053] The following items now display on both the world map and minimap.
•Shop
•Repair
•Guildleve Counter
•Linkshell Manager
•Retainer Counter
•Summoning Bell
•Guild Mark Exchange
•[dev1046] Retainer locations are now saved even following server maintenance.
•[dev1029] Character collision with relatively low-lying outdoor elements has been removed.
•[dev1054] Rocks in front of the Adventurers' Guild in Gridania and next to the NPC Maisenta have been removed from the game.
•[dev1047] Battle music now cuts in and out, rather than fading in and out.
•[dev1048] Current patch version information is now displayed on the title screen.
Fixed Bugs
•The following bugs have been addressed.
•A bug wherein the target popoto-opotos on the sidequest "A Well-Balanced Diet" were appearing in an incorrect location.
•A bug wherein the enmity generated when using healing, enhancing, or enfeebling actions against an enemy of a rank different than your own was incorrect.
•A bug wherein characters were sometimes too easily resisting the status ailments caused by enemy spells.
•A bug wherein the condition of Pugilist Arms was degrading at an incorrect rate under certain circumstances.
•A bug wherein characters were getting stuck among the thick trees and dense vegetation of certain areas, making further adventuring impossible.
•A bug wherein the icons next to player names were displaying incorrectly.
•A bug wherein the teleport offer prompt that appears when other party members teleport would not disappear, even after accepting or refusing.
•A bug wherein discarding a stack of items numbering between 201 and 230 caused the game client to crash.
•A bug wherein a player's current gil was not displayed when leasing a market stand.
•A bug wherein blacklists were sometimes displaying incorrectly.
•A bug wherein negative stats of gear were not functioning correctly.
•A bug wherein mashing the Accept/Confirm button on a gamepad while crafting for a local levequest would forgo the synthesis details interface, and prevent all game commands other than chat.
Known Bugs
•A bug wherein party member markers on the world map and minimap sometimes shift abruptly to the lower right portion of said map. '
A plethora of much needed updates and fixes! If the FFXIV teams keep this up while constantly adding content then I might actually stop playing Ogre Tactics on PSP and start playing this longer than doing the daily levequest grind and logging off!
The introduction to the Grand Companies of Eorzea
From the lodestone:
In all honesty I'm not a fan of any introduction of 'companies' into Eorzea. I feel that it takes away from the lore since one of the main elements that draw fans to FFXIV is being able to play as you want, how you want without worry of structured hierarchies such as a private 'business.' It only reminds people like me of FFVII's Shinra Inc. and how they leeched resources from the peoples of the world and ended up nearly destroying it with mindless research headed by a mad scientist (which is very close to what is happening in reality but that's another topic).
I'd prefer, for the sake of lore, that these type of fantasy games stick to 'guilds' or something of that sort but I won't make too much of a fuss over this. For now. If this element of FFXIV becomes too much like the real world (and inevitably boring) then away I will wander from this title.
In all honesty I'm not a fan of any introduction of 'companies' into Eorzea. I feel that it takes away from the lore since one of the main elements that draw fans to FFXIV is being able to play as you want, how you want without worry of structured hierarchies such as a private 'business.' It only reminds people like me of FFVII's Shinra Inc. and how they leeched resources from the peoples of the world and ended up nearly destroying it with mindless research headed by a mad scientist (which is very close to what is happening in reality but that's another topic).
I'd prefer, for the sake of lore, that these type of fantasy games stick to 'guilds' or something of that sort but I won't make too much of a fuss over this. For now. If this element of FFXIV becomes too much like the real world (and inevitably boring) then away I will wander from this title.
Notorious Monsters (04/13/2011)
From the lodestone:
' Though these creatures can appear hauntingly similar to existing monsters, their ferocious nature sets them apart from their weaker cousins. Many an adventurer has met an untimely demise by failing to recognize risks that come with engaging these deadly adversaries. To ensure you fare better, this post not only includes in-depth views of three select notorious monsters, but provides screenshots for all twenty being introduced. It will also take a first-time look at three pieces of epic gear obtainable by slaying the beasts.
Notorious Monsters
Only when a creature grows more cunning, more aggressive, more deadly than its brethren is it worthy of a name.
—Frandelont Raimdelle
Bomb Baron
Feared around the realm for reducing all it touches to ash, the Bomb Baron pursues its prey with a passion hotter than the whitest forge. Legend says this abomination was once an adventurer who made his name culling thousands upon thousands of bombs across Eorzea, until one day a stray bomb caught him unawares and he died of burns rendered by the voidsent's timely explosion. Upon hearing of the soul's arrival in the fiery depths of the sixth hell, the Bomb King snatched it up and used ash from his own body to resurrect the adventurer as a bomb. He dubbed the creation the "Bomb Baron" and sent him back to Eorzea, telling him that his soul would suffer eternal torment until he had taken the lives of as many adventurers as he had bombs.
Phaia
Until recently, the sylphs celebrated a traditional springtime festival known as the Dance of the Tusks, in which tribe elders would enter a ring armed only with a spear and a cape, and test their mettle against ferocious wild boars. When a tragic accident led to one of the elders being gored and eaten, however, the tribe was left with little choice but to abandon their heritage. Fearing the wrath of the elementals, the sylphs canceled all future Dances and set the remaining boars free, including the fattened male champion, Phaia, who still roams the Black Shroud, his bloodlust as intense as the day he gained his freedom.
Kokoroon Quickfingers
A multi-talented qiqirn thief, it is said that Kokoroon Quickfingers is so nimble that he can empty a man's purse and have the pouch back on his belt quicker than the blink of an eye. Originally from La Noscea, Kokoroon earned fame in the Sailors Ward of Limsa Lominsa where he would use his deft digits to strum jolly tunes on his lute, luring audiences into absent-minded revelry. Then, during intermissions, he would mingle with crowds, laughing and sharing tales, all the while snatching coins from the pockets of his unsuspecting victims. Needless to say, it was not long before Kokoroon had a bounty placed on his head by the Knights of the Barracuda, and was forced to flee across the Strait of Merlthor to the parched deserts of Thanalan where it is said he still wanders today, lute in hand, ever in search of his next victim.
Lost Treasures
Kple Kple
• Two-handed Conjurer's Arm
• Requires: Conjurer
• Optimal Rank: 30
•
• Magic Potency: 112
• Magic Accuracy: 126
• Critical Hit Rate: 136
• Earth: 50%
• Wind: 50%
• Dexterity: +2
• Intelligence: +2
• Piety: +2
• Number of Attacks: +1
This staff is said to have been created by a powerful conjurer who took the taproot of an ancient rosewood tree burned to the ground by a levinbolt, and fixed to it a ceremonial sun mask used by the primitive tribes on the distant southern continent of Meracydia. The magicked weapon is said to grant its wielder the ability to hear the whispers of the elementals.
Shield of the Savage
• Shield
• Requires: Gladiator, Conjurer, Thaumaturge
• Optimal Rank: 30
•
• Defense: 11
• Attack: 21
• Blocking: 85
• Wield Rate: 13
• HP: +12
• Strength: +1
• Vitality: +1
This massive shield carved from maple and draped in thick sheep leather is presented by Ixali tribal elders to warriors who have shown exceptional bravery in battle. Once received, its owner will use the shield until it literally falls to pieces; the damage it bears proof of the battles the shield has seen. The twin spikes protruding from the lower section of the frame can be used as hooks to rip an opponent's shield from his hands or destroy it altogether.
Loyalist's Bliaud
• Attire
• Requires: Conjurer, Thaumaturge
• Optimal Rank: 30
•
• Defense: 58
• Magic Defense: 72
• Evasion: 33
• Resilience: 42
• Wind: 3%
• Intelligence: +3
• Mind: +3
• Piety: +3
• Magic Accuracy: +2
• Elemental Resistences: +35
The Loyalist's Bilaud is a thick coat of indigo velveteen that was once awarded by the Pontifex to musketeers who performed exemplary deeds in service of the Holy See of Ishgard. The grossly oversized shoulder pads and billowing drapery about the hem make for a stunning silhouette, and the look was considered à la mode for many decades. The garment was far from practical for use on the battlefield, however, as the gaudy design proved an easy target for enemy archers.
* Patch 1.17 will also see the introduction of class-specific equipment. If an item's help text states that it "requires" a certain class, only adventurers of that class will be able to equip the item. '
Not much to say about this besides the obvious; The more content I see being implemented, the more I like FFXIV.
' Though these creatures can appear hauntingly similar to existing monsters, their ferocious nature sets them apart from their weaker cousins. Many an adventurer has met an untimely demise by failing to recognize risks that come with engaging these deadly adversaries. To ensure you fare better, this post not only includes in-depth views of three select notorious monsters, but provides screenshots for all twenty being introduced. It will also take a first-time look at three pieces of epic gear obtainable by slaying the beasts.
Notorious Monsters
Only when a creature grows more cunning, more aggressive, more deadly than its brethren is it worthy of a name.
—Frandelont Raimdelle
Bomb Baron
Feared around the realm for reducing all it touches to ash, the Bomb Baron pursues its prey with a passion hotter than the whitest forge. Legend says this abomination was once an adventurer who made his name culling thousands upon thousands of bombs across Eorzea, until one day a stray bomb caught him unawares and he died of burns rendered by the voidsent's timely explosion. Upon hearing of the soul's arrival in the fiery depths of the sixth hell, the Bomb King snatched it up and used ash from his own body to resurrect the adventurer as a bomb. He dubbed the creation the "Bomb Baron" and sent him back to Eorzea, telling him that his soul would suffer eternal torment until he had taken the lives of as many adventurers as he had bombs.
Phaia
Until recently, the sylphs celebrated a traditional springtime festival known as the Dance of the Tusks, in which tribe elders would enter a ring armed only with a spear and a cape, and test their mettle against ferocious wild boars. When a tragic accident led to one of the elders being gored and eaten, however, the tribe was left with little choice but to abandon their heritage. Fearing the wrath of the elementals, the sylphs canceled all future Dances and set the remaining boars free, including the fattened male champion, Phaia, who still roams the Black Shroud, his bloodlust as intense as the day he gained his freedom.
Kokoroon Quickfingers
A multi-talented qiqirn thief, it is said that Kokoroon Quickfingers is so nimble that he can empty a man's purse and have the pouch back on his belt quicker than the blink of an eye. Originally from La Noscea, Kokoroon earned fame in the Sailors Ward of Limsa Lominsa where he would use his deft digits to strum jolly tunes on his lute, luring audiences into absent-minded revelry. Then, during intermissions, he would mingle with crowds, laughing and sharing tales, all the while snatching coins from the pockets of his unsuspecting victims. Needless to say, it was not long before Kokoroon had a bounty placed on his head by the Knights of the Barracuda, and was forced to flee across the Strait of Merlthor to the parched deserts of Thanalan where it is said he still wanders today, lute in hand, ever in search of his next victim.
Lost Treasures
Kple Kple
• Two-handed Conjurer's Arm
• Requires: Conjurer
• Optimal Rank: 30
•
• Magic Potency: 112
• Magic Accuracy: 126
• Critical Hit Rate: 136
• Earth: 50%
• Wind: 50%
• Dexterity: +2
• Intelligence: +2
• Piety: +2
• Number of Attacks: +1
This staff is said to have been created by a powerful conjurer who took the taproot of an ancient rosewood tree burned to the ground by a levinbolt, and fixed to it a ceremonial sun mask used by the primitive tribes on the distant southern continent of Meracydia. The magicked weapon is said to grant its wielder the ability to hear the whispers of the elementals.
Shield of the Savage
• Shield
• Requires: Gladiator, Conjurer, Thaumaturge
• Optimal Rank: 30
•
• Defense: 11
• Attack: 21
• Blocking: 85
• Wield Rate: 13
• HP: +12
• Strength: +1
• Vitality: +1
This massive shield carved from maple and draped in thick sheep leather is presented by Ixali tribal elders to warriors who have shown exceptional bravery in battle. Once received, its owner will use the shield until it literally falls to pieces; the damage it bears proof of the battles the shield has seen. The twin spikes protruding from the lower section of the frame can be used as hooks to rip an opponent's shield from his hands or destroy it altogether.
Loyalist's Bliaud
• Attire
• Requires: Conjurer, Thaumaturge
• Optimal Rank: 30
•
• Defense: 58
• Magic Defense: 72
• Evasion: 33
• Resilience: 42
• Wind: 3%
• Intelligence: +3
• Mind: +3
• Piety: +3
• Magic Accuracy: +2
• Elemental Resistences: +35
The Loyalist's Bilaud is a thick coat of indigo velveteen that was once awarded by the Pontifex to musketeers who performed exemplary deeds in service of the Holy See of Ishgard. The grossly oversized shoulder pads and billowing drapery about the hem make for a stunning silhouette, and the look was considered à la mode for many decades. The garment was far from practical for use on the battlefield, however, as the gaudy design proved an easy target for enemy archers.
* Patch 1.17 will also see the introduction of class-specific equipment. If an item's help text states that it "requires" a certain class, only adventurers of that class will be able to equip the item. '
Not much to say about this besides the obvious; The more content I see being implemented, the more I like FFXIV.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Patch 1.17 Outline (04/12/2011)
As promised in the seventh Letter from the Producer, we are happy to announce that patch 1.17 is on schedule for release in a matter of days.
◆ Patch 1.17 Release Date Thursday, April 14, 2011 (following server maintenance)
◆ Patch 1.17 Maintenance Time 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (PDT)
The following is a brief outline of the planned changes:
◆ Patch Outline
•[dev1002] [dev1003] The implementation of new sidequests
•[dev1011] The balancing of guildleve rewards
•[dev1020] Adjustments and additions to the party system Maximum party size has been reduced to 8 members. Parties with 4 to 7 members are now called "light parties." Parties with 8 members are called "full parties." Special status enhancements will be granted to light and full parties. (Changes to party member display UI still under consideration.)
•[dev1021] Adjustments to battle content in conjunction with the new party system Adjustments to behest difficulty and bonuses to accommodate new full party size of 8 members. Adjustments to the behest schedule.
•[dev1029] Adjustments to environment collision detection
•[dev1030] Adjustments to enemy distribution
•[dev1031] The addition of new notorious monsters
•[dev1038] The implementation of new equipment and items
•[dev1039] The reduction of randomness affecting the approach phase in gathering
•[dev1040] Adjustments and additions to active icons
A more detailed report can be found in the 1.17 patch notes, scheduled for release on April 14.
◆ Patch 1.17 Release Date Thursday, April 14, 2011 (following server maintenance)
◆ Patch 1.17 Maintenance Time 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (PDT)
The following is a brief outline of the planned changes:
◆ Patch Outline
•[dev1002] [dev1003] The implementation of new sidequests
•[dev1011] The balancing of guildleve rewards
•[dev1020] Adjustments and additions to the party system Maximum party size has been reduced to 8 members. Parties with 4 to 7 members are now called "light parties." Parties with 8 members are called "full parties." Special status enhancements will be granted to light and full parties. (Changes to party member display UI still under consideration.)
•[dev1021] Adjustments to battle content in conjunction with the new party system Adjustments to behest difficulty and bonuses to accommodate new full party size of 8 members. Adjustments to the behest schedule.
•[dev1029] Adjustments to environment collision detection
•[dev1030] Adjustments to enemy distribution
•[dev1031] The addition of new notorious monsters
•[dev1038] The implementation of new equipment and items
•[dev1039] The reduction of randomness affecting the approach phase in gathering
•[dev1040] Adjustments and additions to active icons
A more detailed report can be found in the 1.17 patch notes, scheduled for release on April 14.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Can There Only Be One? (from Zam forums)
Nobody thought FFXIV would be in FFXI's shadow. Is there room for both MMOs?
Remember last summer when a certain ZAM staff member wrote an editorial questioning whether Final Fantasy XI would crumble next to the magnificence of Final Fantasy XIV?
Yeah, so about that…
When I wrote my editorial last summer about the coming of Final Fantasy XIV, I figured many players would leave Vana’diel to check out Eorzea. I thought Square Enix was done adding significantly new content to Final Fantasy XI, and that the powers that be would rather have adventurers traipsing around Eorzea. After all, what kind of self-respecting gaming company would want its biggest cash cow chained to obsolete Playstation 2 technology?
Unfortunately, the launch of Final Fantasy XIV failed. The game is stunningly beautiful but still extremely low on content. Although the game still has a chance to rebound with a strong Playstation 3 release and continued tenacity from Naoki Yoshida, the game’s new producer, we may always wonder “what might have been” when pondering the game’s catastrophically premature release.
But today I'm wrestling with bigger questions -- could Final Fantasy XI be regarded as Final Fantasy XIV's biggest competitor? If so, would the folks at Square Enix be willing to cannibalize one game to save the other? And if the choice had to be made today, which game would be more worth saving?
While Eorzea was floundering, Vana’diel was thriving, thanks in large part to the Abyssea battlefield expansions. The first Abyssea expansion, titled Vision of Abyssea, was released three months prior to the launch of Final Fantasy XIV. Expectations were low for the quality of the Abyssea series, mainly because of the low regard among players for the previously released trio of add-on scenario expansions. By the time Final Fantasy XIV was released, residents of Vana’diel were realizing the vast potential of the Abyssea areas.
Fast forward to today, and Abyssea has clearly redefined endgame in Final Fantasy XI. Rather than spend countless hours grinding for experience points, players can now spend more of their days hunting notorious monsters and seeking rare treasures. There are numerous carrots to be chased in the Abyssea areas, and the sticks are both long and short. Thanks to Abyssea, Vana’diel is suddenly an endgame adventurer’s dream come true.
The facelift of Final Fantasy XI doesn’t stop in Abyssea. Fields of Valor was expanded, allowing players to participate in unlimited battle regimens. The development team also increased the amount of experience points awarded for killing mobs in non-Abyssea areas, and skilling up weapons and magic was made easier. Not only was the endgame of FFXI reworked, but low-level soloers and parties were given a sizable boost. Next in line to be reinvented are the core zones of Dynamis. If the success of Abyssea is any indication, I have a feeling one of Vana’diel’s oldest activities is about to become lively again.
Even more amazing is the fact that my home server of Lakshmi seems as populated as it was last September. There must have been some attrition in Final Fantasy XI, otherwise Square Enix wouldn’t be on the verge of merging more servers. That said, there’s no way the playerbase of FFXIV holds a candle to the population of FFXI.
I still don’t doubt that Square Enix wants Final Fantasy XIV to be the company’s new flagship MMO, and why wouldn’t they? The game was (shockingly) under development for years. It’s built upon the in-house Crystal Tools graphics engine. The game is built with the latest technology in mind and is arguably the best-looking MMO on the market. Most of all, a revamped version of FFXIV would be very appealing to a large demographic of gamers who have grown up on the Final Fantasy series.
There was a time when Final Fantasy XIV was more attractive to a wider range of gamers. A poll conducted by developers earlier this year showed that people playing FFXIV had more experience in FFXI than any other MMO. Not far behind was World of Warcraft. Beyond that, FFXIV gamers had come from games ranging from Guild Wars to Aion to The Lord of the Rings Online. However, the bad press surrounding FFXIV’s failed launch as taken a toll on the game’s playerbase. I can’t imagine too many WoW refugees will pass up games like RIFT so they can stand around in Eorzea.
This highlights the ultimate truth. Not only does Square Enix need to completely revamp its flagging MMO, but the company must find a way to recapture that fan base that has carried the Final Fantasy franchise for so many years.
And therein lays the ultimate dilemma – because thousands of those players are currently having the times of their lives in Abyssea.
So, I ask, what will become of Final Fantasy XI?
There’s no longer any question about whether Final Fantasy XI is dying. It’s not. But does saving Final Fantasy XIV mean stunting the growth of Final Fantasy XI? The world of Vana’diel is as lively as it has been in a long time, and the announcement of more new content – especially something as big as a full-scale expansion – could guarantee years of additional shelf life for the 9-year-old game. However, good luck convincing those players to move to Eorzea if any such expansions were to happen.
In a recent interview, Naoki Yoshida reaffirmed his commitment to salvage FFXIV. Unlike other gaming companies, Square Enix is not at the mercy of investors, he said, and can take whatever time is needed to heal its ailing title. On our forums and elsewhere, people have openly debated whether the Playstation 3 version will ever come to fruition. I have no doubt the game will be released on the PS3 – otherwise, Square Enix would have already pulled the plug.
That’s why I wouldn’t expect any massive content updates to Final Fantasy XI in the near future. Why would Square Enix want to release earth-shattering content for Final Fantasy XI at the risk of suffocating Final Fantasy XIV? On the flipside, how long can FFXI thrive on recycled content before players require something more? How long can Square Enix hold off on genuinely new content for Final Fantasy XI before the tried-and-true cash cow stops yielding milk?
Forget what you wanted six months ago and ask this question now: would you rather play a revamped version of Final Fantasy XIV – a game that still lacks plot, personality and purpose, and even with a massive overhaul might never get off the ground -- or today’s version of Final Fantasy XI, an incredibly deep and revitalized game that could conceivably be unchained from its PS2 anchor? I really love the drive that Naoki Yoshida brings to the FFXIV development team, and so I'm not ready to write off Eorzea.
Honestly, though, Vana’diel has never looked so good -- and for the folks at Square Enix, that’s got to be a serious problem.
Remember last summer when a certain ZAM staff member wrote an editorial questioning whether Final Fantasy XI would crumble next to the magnificence of Final Fantasy XIV?
Yeah, so about that…
When I wrote my editorial last summer about the coming of Final Fantasy XIV, I figured many players would leave Vana’diel to check out Eorzea. I thought Square Enix was done adding significantly new content to Final Fantasy XI, and that the powers that be would rather have adventurers traipsing around Eorzea. After all, what kind of self-respecting gaming company would want its biggest cash cow chained to obsolete Playstation 2 technology?
Unfortunately, the launch of Final Fantasy XIV failed. The game is stunningly beautiful but still extremely low on content. Although the game still has a chance to rebound with a strong Playstation 3 release and continued tenacity from Naoki Yoshida, the game’s new producer, we may always wonder “what might have been” when pondering the game’s catastrophically premature release.
But today I'm wrestling with bigger questions -- could Final Fantasy XI be regarded as Final Fantasy XIV's biggest competitor? If so, would the folks at Square Enix be willing to cannibalize one game to save the other? And if the choice had to be made today, which game would be more worth saving?
While Eorzea was floundering, Vana’diel was thriving, thanks in large part to the Abyssea battlefield expansions. The first Abyssea expansion, titled Vision of Abyssea, was released three months prior to the launch of Final Fantasy XIV. Expectations were low for the quality of the Abyssea series, mainly because of the low regard among players for the previously released trio of add-on scenario expansions. By the time Final Fantasy XIV was released, residents of Vana’diel were realizing the vast potential of the Abyssea areas.
Fast forward to today, and Abyssea has clearly redefined endgame in Final Fantasy XI. Rather than spend countless hours grinding for experience points, players can now spend more of their days hunting notorious monsters and seeking rare treasures. There are numerous carrots to be chased in the Abyssea areas, and the sticks are both long and short. Thanks to Abyssea, Vana’diel is suddenly an endgame adventurer’s dream come true.
The facelift of Final Fantasy XI doesn’t stop in Abyssea. Fields of Valor was expanded, allowing players to participate in unlimited battle regimens. The development team also increased the amount of experience points awarded for killing mobs in non-Abyssea areas, and skilling up weapons and magic was made easier. Not only was the endgame of FFXI reworked, but low-level soloers and parties were given a sizable boost. Next in line to be reinvented are the core zones of Dynamis. If the success of Abyssea is any indication, I have a feeling one of Vana’diel’s oldest activities is about to become lively again.
Even more amazing is the fact that my home server of Lakshmi seems as populated as it was last September. There must have been some attrition in Final Fantasy XI, otherwise Square Enix wouldn’t be on the verge of merging more servers. That said, there’s no way the playerbase of FFXIV holds a candle to the population of FFXI.
I still don’t doubt that Square Enix wants Final Fantasy XIV to be the company’s new flagship MMO, and why wouldn’t they? The game was (shockingly) under development for years. It’s built upon the in-house Crystal Tools graphics engine. The game is built with the latest technology in mind and is arguably the best-looking MMO on the market. Most of all, a revamped version of FFXIV would be very appealing to a large demographic of gamers who have grown up on the Final Fantasy series.
There was a time when Final Fantasy XIV was more attractive to a wider range of gamers. A poll conducted by developers earlier this year showed that people playing FFXIV had more experience in FFXI than any other MMO. Not far behind was World of Warcraft. Beyond that, FFXIV gamers had come from games ranging from Guild Wars to Aion to The Lord of the Rings Online. However, the bad press surrounding FFXIV’s failed launch as taken a toll on the game’s playerbase. I can’t imagine too many WoW refugees will pass up games like RIFT so they can stand around in Eorzea.
This highlights the ultimate truth. Not only does Square Enix need to completely revamp its flagging MMO, but the company must find a way to recapture that fan base that has carried the Final Fantasy franchise for so many years.
And therein lays the ultimate dilemma – because thousands of those players are currently having the times of their lives in Abyssea.
So, I ask, what will become of Final Fantasy XI?
There’s no longer any question about whether Final Fantasy XI is dying. It’s not. But does saving Final Fantasy XIV mean stunting the growth of Final Fantasy XI? The world of Vana’diel is as lively as it has been in a long time, and the announcement of more new content – especially something as big as a full-scale expansion – could guarantee years of additional shelf life for the 9-year-old game. However, good luck convincing those players to move to Eorzea if any such expansions were to happen.
In a recent interview, Naoki Yoshida reaffirmed his commitment to salvage FFXIV. Unlike other gaming companies, Square Enix is not at the mercy of investors, he said, and can take whatever time is needed to heal its ailing title. On our forums and elsewhere, people have openly debated whether the Playstation 3 version will ever come to fruition. I have no doubt the game will be released on the PS3 – otherwise, Square Enix would have already pulled the plug.
That’s why I wouldn’t expect any massive content updates to Final Fantasy XI in the near future. Why would Square Enix want to release earth-shattering content for Final Fantasy XI at the risk of suffocating Final Fantasy XIV? On the flipside, how long can FFXI thrive on recycled content before players require something more? How long can Square Enix hold off on genuinely new content for Final Fantasy XI before the tried-and-true cash cow stops yielding milk?
Forget what you wanted six months ago and ask this question now: would you rather play a revamped version of Final Fantasy XIV – a game that still lacks plot, personality and purpose, and even with a massive overhaul might never get off the ground -- or today’s version of Final Fantasy XI, an incredibly deep and revitalized game that could conceivably be unchained from its PS2 anchor? I really love the drive that Naoki Yoshida brings to the FFXIV development team, and so I'm not ready to write off Eorzea.
Honestly, though, Vana’diel has never looked so good -- and for the folks at Square Enix, that’s got to be a serious problem.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
[dev1037] Enhancement of Battle Effects (from the Lodestone)
•The size of battle effects for actions and magic will be enhanced by 1.5 to 2 times the current.
(Click the image to enlarge)
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To hold a discussion and/or submit feedbacks on this topic, please use "dev1037" as a tag.
(Click the image to enlarge)
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To hold a discussion and/or submit feedbacks on this topic, please use "dev1037" as a tag.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Letter from the Producer, VII (04/01/2011)
From the Lodestone:
'Well, the game servers are now back online, and the development is almost returned to full strength, but the effects of the recent Tohoku earthquake and tsunami are far-reaching and profound. Much as those in the areas directly affected by the tragedy, we here in Tokyo must also remain vigilant. We’re continuing with our energy conservation efforts here at the office, and the while hoping that FFXIV might serve to bring smiles to some faces out there.
That being said, I’d like report on recent dev team activity. We were just about to begin testing on the now released patch 1.16a when the earthquake struck, and for that reason delayed its release. In addition, patch 1.17 was initially pushed back to mid-April, but after reexamination we’ve decided instead to divide the content and release it across two patches—1.17 and 1.17a.
Patch 1.17 contains an upcoming seasonal event slated for April. If we keep all of the other initially planned content, however, we wouldn’t be able to have the patch ready in time to coincide with Eas—errr, said seasonal event in the real world. So we’ve reduced the volume of patch 1.17 down to about 70% of its original size, and pushed the remaining 30% over to 1.17a. This way, all of the content can be released with minimal delay in between, and it will also allow us to get this holiday event released in time (don’t worry, there are no bells in this one).
Even so, this still won’t make up for all of the time lost from our original schedule. As a result, unfortunately, we’re going to have to forgo the event planned for a national Japanese holiday in early May. Since the April seasonal event kicks off later than intended, it will continue even after April 24th in the real world—whatever that day may be. I realize this is all less than ideal, but hope you understand and bear with us.
One last thing. A portion of the changes in patches 1.17 and 1.17a are preparations for the mid- and high-rank PvE content planned for later release. As soon as we hammer out the basics of the new dungeon and raid environments, we’ll be throwing out some screenshots and introducing them to you.
Best keep it short to give the translators more time on the quests, so that’s all for this letter. Talk to you again soon!'
More awesomeness!!
'Well, the game servers are now back online, and the development is almost returned to full strength, but the effects of the recent Tohoku earthquake and tsunami are far-reaching and profound. Much as those in the areas directly affected by the tragedy, we here in Tokyo must also remain vigilant. We’re continuing with our energy conservation efforts here at the office, and the while hoping that FFXIV might serve to bring smiles to some faces out there.
That being said, I’d like report on recent dev team activity. We were just about to begin testing on the now released patch 1.16a when the earthquake struck, and for that reason delayed its release. In addition, patch 1.17 was initially pushed back to mid-April, but after reexamination we’ve decided instead to divide the content and release it across two patches—1.17 and 1.17a.
Patch 1.17 contains an upcoming seasonal event slated for April. If we keep all of the other initially planned content, however, we wouldn’t be able to have the patch ready in time to coincide with Eas—errr, said seasonal event in the real world. So we’ve reduced the volume of patch 1.17 down to about 70% of its original size, and pushed the remaining 30% over to 1.17a. This way, all of the content can be released with minimal delay in between, and it will also allow us to get this holiday event released in time (don’t worry, there are no bells in this one).
Even so, this still won’t make up for all of the time lost from our original schedule. As a result, unfortunately, we’re going to have to forgo the event planned for a national Japanese holiday in early May. Since the April seasonal event kicks off later than intended, it will continue even after April 24th in the real world—whatever that day may be. I realize this is all less than ideal, but hope you understand and bear with us.
One last thing. A portion of the changes in patches 1.17 and 1.17a are preparations for the mid- and high-rank PvE content planned for later release. As soon as we hammer out the basics of the new dungeon and raid environments, we’ll be throwing out some screenshots and introducing them to you.
Best keep it short to give the translators more time on the quests, so that’s all for this letter. Talk to you again soon!'
More awesomeness!!
Friday, March 25, 2011
All Worlds Maintenance (Mar. 28) [includes patch 1.16a]
From the Lodestone:
'At the following time, we will be performing maintenance on FINAL FANTASY XIV corresponding to the upcoming release of patch 1.16a. During this period, FINAL FANTASY XIV will be unavailable.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.
* Clients will update automatically upon launch after release of the patch.
* Patch download rates may vary depending on server congestion.
* Comprehensive patch notes will be posted separately on the FINAL FANTASY XIV FORUM on the day of the patch release.
[Date & Time]
Mar. 28, 2011 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (PDT)
* The completion time may be subject to change.
[Affected Service]
- FINAL FANTASY XIV'
More patches = more content = more gaming awesomeness!
'At the following time, we will be performing maintenance on FINAL FANTASY XIV corresponding to the upcoming release of patch 1.16a. During this period, FINAL FANTASY XIV will be unavailable.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.
* Clients will update automatically upon launch after release of the patch.
* Patch download rates may vary depending on server congestion.
* Comprehensive patch notes will be posted separately on the FINAL FANTASY XIV FORUM on the day of the patch release.
[Date & Time]
Mar. 28, 2011 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (PDT)
* The completion time may be subject to change.
[Affected Service]
- FINAL FANTASY XIV'
More patches = more content = more gaming awesomeness!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
FFXIV Restoration of Game Services (Mar. 22)
This was posted a few days ago about the restoration of the FFXI & FFXIV game servers.
'From the Lodestone:
As part of power conservation measures enacted following the Tohoku earthquake, our game servers were shut down on Mar. 13, 2011 3:00 (PDT) and services for FINAL FANTASY XIV, FINAL FANTASY XI, and PlayOnline (hereafter referred to as "these services") were temporarily suspended. We have determined a date for the restoration of these services, and would like to share this information with you.
Operating the servers for these services makes up 11.6% of the total power consumed by our Tokyo office (based on February 2011 records). We have shut down our air conditioning system (8.8%) and enacted other power conservation measures, such as reducing lighting in our offices, to achieve over 10% in energy usage reductions. With these energy saving measures in place, we will be able to bring our servers back online and restore service to FINAL FANTASY XIV, FINAL FANTASY XI, and PlayOnline on Mar. 25, 2011 4:00 (PDT). All other services, such as those offered on the PlayOnline website, that were temporarily suspended will also be restored at the same time. Please be aware, however, that we may once again be required to suspend services in the event that the power situation worsens.
We offer our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused by the temporary suspension of these services, and thank you for your understanding. As noted in our original notice regarding the suspension of these services, customers will not be charged any monthly fees for FINAL FANTASY XI throughout the April billing cycle.
We at the Square Enix group are trying to act in a proactive manner in order to provide support towards the relief and restoration efforts in the face of this unprecedented disaster while providing reliable service to our customers, and we thank you for your understanding and support.'
I guess tomorrow I can take a break from Ogre Tactics and get back on FFXIV!!
'From the Lodestone:
As part of power conservation measures enacted following the Tohoku earthquake, our game servers were shut down on Mar. 13, 2011 3:00 (PDT) and services for FINAL FANTASY XIV, FINAL FANTASY XI, and PlayOnline (hereafter referred to as "these services") were temporarily suspended. We have determined a date for the restoration of these services, and would like to share this information with you.
Operating the servers for these services makes up 11.6% of the total power consumed by our Tokyo office (based on February 2011 records). We have shut down our air conditioning system (8.8%) and enacted other power conservation measures, such as reducing lighting in our offices, to achieve over 10% in energy usage reductions. With these energy saving measures in place, we will be able to bring our servers back online and restore service to FINAL FANTASY XIV, FINAL FANTASY XI, and PlayOnline on Mar. 25, 2011 4:00 (PDT). All other services, such as those offered on the PlayOnline website, that were temporarily suspended will also be restored at the same time. Please be aware, however, that we may once again be required to suspend services in the event that the power situation worsens.
We offer our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused by the temporary suspension of these services, and thank you for your understanding. As noted in our original notice regarding the suspension of these services, customers will not be charged any monthly fees for FINAL FANTASY XI throughout the April billing cycle.
We at the Square Enix group are trying to act in a proactive manner in order to provide support towards the relief and restoration efforts in the face of this unprecedented disaster while providing reliable service to our customers, and we thank you for your understanding and support.'
I guess tomorrow I can take a break from Ogre Tactics and get back on FFXIV!!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Letter from the Producer, VI (03/16/2011)
' As you may have heard, northeastern Japan was recently struck by a devastating earthquake and tsunami. I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to all affected by this great tragedy.
To do our part in the electricity conservation effort, we have temporarily taken our game servers offline. I apologize deeply for the inconvenience this causes all of you, and ask for your patience and understanding.
I would also like to thank all of the players who have offered words of support and sympathy on the FFXIV forums. I made a brief post myself, but would like to take this opportunity to do so formally and report on the current state of the development team.
Tokyo, where our development and operation teams are based, has suffered minimal damage from the earthquake and its after effects. We have confirmed the safety of all our team members, but there are those with family in the affected regions. Due to this, the concerns of the nuclear plants, and the ongoing aftershocks, we are not at our best.
The planned blackouts in the Kanto region have disrupted public transportation, preventing many from even making it to work. In addition, our French and German localization staff have left Tokyo at the urging of their respective embassies. For these reasons, and to allow our staff to focus on their safety and that of their families, I have decided to make adjustments to the development schedule.
We were working to release patches 1.16a and 1.17 by the end of March, but now anticipate a delay of one to two weeks. During this time, we will not only be making minor improvements, but also directing our efforts on laying the groundwork for future content.
I had intended to announce this in a future letter, but we will release information regarding the Grand Companies of Eorzea (what were referred to as “public companies” in previous posts) just before patch 1.17 goes live. We are currently readying a page dedicated to this exciting new feature, and hope to have it up on the Lodestone shortly.
Despite current conditions, we are doing all we can to release the patches and get you adventuring again as quickly as possible.
Talk to you again soon!
FINAL FANTASY XIV Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida '
I'm glad everyone is okay and I hope their families as well as everyone affected will get through this incident. yamatodamashii~! The tough, proud and resilient Japanese spirit will overcome!
To do our part in the electricity conservation effort, we have temporarily taken our game servers offline. I apologize deeply for the inconvenience this causes all of you, and ask for your patience and understanding.
I would also like to thank all of the players who have offered words of support and sympathy on the FFXIV forums. I made a brief post myself, but would like to take this opportunity to do so formally and report on the current state of the development team.
Tokyo, where our development and operation teams are based, has suffered minimal damage from the earthquake and its after effects. We have confirmed the safety of all our team members, but there are those with family in the affected regions. Due to this, the concerns of the nuclear plants, and the ongoing aftershocks, we are not at our best.
The planned blackouts in the Kanto region have disrupted public transportation, preventing many from even making it to work. In addition, our French and German localization staff have left Tokyo at the urging of their respective embassies. For these reasons, and to allow our staff to focus on their safety and that of their families, I have decided to make adjustments to the development schedule.
We were working to release patches 1.16a and 1.17 by the end of March, but now anticipate a delay of one to two weeks. During this time, we will not only be making minor improvements, but also directing our efforts on laying the groundwork for future content.
I had intended to announce this in a future letter, but we will release information regarding the Grand Companies of Eorzea (what were referred to as “public companies” in previous posts) just before patch 1.17 goes live. We are currently readying a page dedicated to this exciting new feature, and hope to have it up on the Lodestone shortly.
Despite current conditions, we are doing all we can to release the patches and get you adventuring again as quickly as possible.
Talk to you again soon!
FINAL FANTASY XIV Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida '
I'm glad everyone is okay and I hope their families as well as everyone affected will get through this incident. yamatodamashii~! The tough, proud and resilient Japanese spirit will overcome!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
FFXIV Service Suspended Due to Tohoku Earthquake (oh noes!)
This just in from the ZAM forums:
As many forum-goers are aware, the Tohoku region of Japan was struck by a magnitude 9 earthquake casuing massive damage. Thankfully, Sage Sundi tweeted to let everyone know that the development team is safe and unharmed. However, news from the official FFXIV Twitter account now indicates that the servers will be shut down temporarily. From the feed:
As a result of the earthquake, we temporarily may have to shut down the servers hosting FFXI and FFXIV. (1/3)
We will give you as much advance notice as possible under the rapidly changing circumstances. (2/3)
If the servers are shut down, we will provide updates in the Information section of our official websites http://bit.ly/dH3G4u (3/3)
Due to the earthquakes that have occurred in Japan, we have decided to temporarily suspend the game servers.(1/5)
To accommodate the suspension of services, players will not be billed for the FFXI service throughout the April billing cycle.(2/5)
Please see the official announcement for more details. http://bit.ly/etk5lr (3/5)
We will continue to operate the official websites and the forums to provide updates on the current situation.(4/5)
Additional information regarding this matter will also be posted on the Information section as it becomes available.(5/5)
According to the official announcement referenced in the feed (which you can view here) Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is asking customers to reduce electricity usage so as to avoid power shortages. So, by the great sacrifice of adventurers all across Eorzea, TEPCO may be able to restore electricity to the real world :)
...and I'm spent.
As many forum-goers are aware, the Tohoku region of Japan was struck by a magnitude 9 earthquake casuing massive damage. Thankfully, Sage Sundi tweeted to let everyone know that the development team is safe and unharmed. However, news from the official FFXIV Twitter account now indicates that the servers will be shut down temporarily. From the feed:
As a result of the earthquake, we temporarily may have to shut down the servers hosting FFXI and FFXIV. (1/3)
We will give you as much advance notice as possible under the rapidly changing circumstances. (2/3)
If the servers are shut down, we will provide updates in the Information section of our official websites http://bit.ly/dH3G4u (3/3)
Due to the earthquakes that have occurred in Japan, we have decided to temporarily suspend the game servers.(1/5)
To accommodate the suspension of services, players will not be billed for the FFXI service throughout the April billing cycle.(2/5)
Please see the official announcement for more details. http://bit.ly/etk5lr (3/5)
We will continue to operate the official websites and the forums to provide updates on the current situation.(4/5)
Additional information regarding this matter will also be posted on the Information section as it becomes available.(5/5)
According to the official announcement referenced in the feed (which you can view here) Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is asking customers to reduce electricity usage so as to avoid power shortages. So, by the great sacrifice of adventurers all across Eorzea, TEPCO may be able to restore electricity to the real world :)
...and I'm spent.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
FFXIV- My Roegadyn graphics test
In this video I made a comparison of both my old ATI Radeon HD 4350 from a fraps video previously created on Feb 26th 2011 to my new ATI Radeon HD 6970 from a fraps video made March 4th 2011 after the 1.16 patch. Enjoy!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
FFXIV Patch notes 1.16
Event
- More than several sidequests have been added.
When all of the prerequisite conditions for undertaking a sidequest have been met, an exclamation point (!) icon will appear over the head of the NPC offering it. While on a sidequest, this icon will also appear above NPCs to whom you must speak to in order to progress. The icon will also appear at NPC locations on the map and minimap.
* Enemies defeated as part of a sidequest do not yield skill points, experience points, or loot.
* The term "sidequests" is the new official designation for what was previously referred to as "miniquests" in several Letter from the Producer posts.
- After completing synthesis of an item requested by a local levequest, it is now possible to immediately begin synthesis of another of the same item without having to access the "Requested Item" interface.
- Local levequests have undergone the following changes.
Players can now choose from among the suggested rank categories of 1–, 20–, and 40– from the local levequest accept/refuse interface.
* Suitably ranked local levequests are now more readily available.
* When levequests of the same name are available at the same time for different ranks, only one may be selected.
The amount of skill and experience points attainable via local levequests has been reduced.
The names and objectives of several levequests have been changed. (see table below)
- The recommended ranks of a number of levequests have been changed to address disparities between the synthesis rank of their requested items and the approximate rank needed to reach the associated aetheryte.
* Requested items have also been adjusted to reflect the new levequest ranks.
View a complete list of levequest rank changes.
The recipes for items synthesized on local levequests will no longer be displayed under the Recipes tab.
* Recipes displayed under the Recipes tab prior to the release of patch 1.16 will remain.
Battle
- The size of certain enemies has been adjusted.
* Changes in size have no effect on an enemy's attributes or toughness.
- An icon has been added to hostile enemies to distinguish them from non-hostile enemies.
* Hostile enemies are those that will attack PCs unprovoked.
- Non-hostile enemies that previously followed or fled from a PC when approached no longer do so.
- The names of the following enemies have been changed:
Peridot Doblyn → Heliodor Doblyn
Guivre (in certain areas) → Branded Drake
- The HP values of the following enemies have been increased.
Cavernulous Coblyn / Copper Coblyn / Corroded Coblyn / Chitinous Coblyn / Diaphanous Doblyn / Heliodor Doblyn / Iron Coblyn / Lead Coblyn / Quartz Doblyn / Sphene Doblyn
- The following enemies no longer suffer damage when using the Cluster Geyser ability.
Diaphanous Doblyn / Heliodor Doblyn / Quartz Doblyn / Sphene Doblyn
- MP now automatically regenerates while in passive mode.
- The recast timers for the following abilities have been reduced from 60 seconds to 30 seconds.
Dowse / Dowse II / Dowse III / Dowse IV / Dowse V / Prospect / Prospect II / Prospect III / Prospect IV / Prospect V / Triangulate / Triangulate II / Triangulate III / Triangulate IV / Triangulate V
- The Steadfast status no longer wears off as a result of slight movements.
Items
- When the optimal class or optimal rank for a piece of equipped gear is met, that item's condition will deteriorate at a reduced rate. If both values are met, the deterioration rate will be slowed even further.
- The condition (%) at which a piece of gear inflicts a player with the Gear Damage status has been reduced from 50% to 35%.
- Repair materials for the following items have been changed:
Frayed Cotton Doublet Vest (Velveteen Fent) → Cotton Fent
- Graphics have been changed for the following items when equipped:
Bronze Needle / Iron Needle / Steel Needle / Hedgemole Needle / Thousand Needle
- Certain items have undergone the following changes:
The degree of difficulty for the following synthesis recipes has been adjusted:
Canvas Half Apron (Black) Rank 11–20 → Rank 21–30
Steel Plate Rank 21–30 → Rank 31–40
Siltstone Wheel Rank 11–20 → Rank 21–30
- Cursor functionality for the synthesis interface has been adjusted.
- Navigation from the Requested Items interface when beginning synthesis has been adjusted.
System
- The clock text command now displays the following information:
Countdown timer for Guardian's Favor
- 3-D effects displayed when a new rank or level is obtained have undergone the following changes:
Effects will no longer overlap with other on-screen elements
Display size has been increased.
Display time has been lengthened.
- The status icon interface is now outlined in blue when moused over for ease of viewing.
- Targeting can now also be done in the following ways:
← and → keys
Clicking on a target's display name
- Camera distance settings can now be adjusted while locked onto a target.
- Targeting modes that cycle through only specific target types can now be enabled when using a gamepad.
Targeting modes can be selected by using the ↑ and ↓ keys, or the up and down directional buttons mapped to Target/Menu Navigation on a gamepad.
- The Journal has undergone the following changes:
Current quests, sidequests, regional levequests, and local levequests are now all displayed on a single list.
Numbers representing the currently underway and maximum possible number of quests and guildleves are now displayed.
A Sidequests category has been added to the list of completed quests.
- The log auto-hide feature now becomes temporarily inactive while the Configuration » Chat Log » Font Color settings are open.
- Retainers can now be summoned even when placed in other locations.
* Summoned retainers cannot be sent back to their previous location.
* Retainers operating stands will have their stand closed upon being summoned.
- The following new entries have been added to the in-game multilingual dictionary:
- Item search results now display a "new icon" next to the names of retainers selling the item being searched for by the stack.
- Certain enemy mark icons have been changed.
- Icons of certain items and actions, which can be obtained by exchanging with guild token, have been changed.
- The emote list now displays the text command for each emote.
- The following changes have been made to increase the pace of gathering:
Opening and ending actions sped up
Off hand action animations sped up
- Gamepads now support the following functionality:
Log/Journal scrolling
Use the gamepad Target/Menu Navigation buttons while holding the Main Menu button.
Camera Distance Settings
Use the gamepad Camera contorls while holding the Auto-run button. Press up to zoom the camera in, and down to zoom out.
- Multi-character collision has been removed entirely.
- Lalafell hair style #4 has been modified.
Fixed Bugs
- The following bugs have been addressed:
A bug wherein pressing the End key caused the camera to revert to default settings.
A bug wherein the name of a PC to whom a /tell was sent was appearing in the multi-lingual dictionary's Audience entry.
A bug wherein guildleve details displayed before and after accepting a levequest were not consistent.
A bug wherein target enemies would spawn repeatedly on the levequest Necrologos: Levinshower.
A bug wherein players are able to participate in Behest with more than 16 players and there could be time where they are unable to make an advancement.
A bug wherein the wind attack attribute for the throwing weapons Bronze Azagai and Iron Azagai was displayed as 0%.
A bug wherein the head slot items Weathered Spectacles (Black), and Weathered Spectacles (Green) were mislabeled as being Unique.
A bug wherein execution of the gladiator action Rage of Halone could be canceled once selected.
A bug wherein the bomb of an enemy's Titan's Anger ability would appear immediately in front of the targeted PC.
A bug wherein enemy graphics were not displaying properly after using the Explosion ability.
A bug wherein enemy graphics were not displaying properly after defeating a PC using the Surge ability.
- PC display names shook significantly during movement.
* During downhill movement, display names moved up and down in a blinking manner, but interpolating measures have addressed this issue.
Known Bugs
- The main scenario quest “Never the Twain Shall Meet” cannot be advanced when the skip option is selected during a cutscene.
* The quest advances normally when the skip option is not selected.
- When the party leader leaves the instanced battle area during the main scenario quest “Toll of the Warden,” party members remaining in the instance and engaging in combat are unable to advance.
* Should a party leader exit, remaining party members are asked to also leave the instance to prevent this.
- When accepting the local guildleve "World-weary Soles," it sometimes appears in a different recommended rank category than the actual one.
- On the sidequest “Have You Seen My Son,” the item White Ash cannot be obtained from bomb embers that die as a result of their own Explosion ability.
So far I like what I've seen but there is still much to do for the devs.
- More than several sidequests have been added.
When all of the prerequisite conditions for undertaking a sidequest have been met, an exclamation point (!) icon will appear over the head of the NPC offering it. While on a sidequest, this icon will also appear above NPCs to whom you must speak to in order to progress. The icon will also appear at NPC locations on the map and minimap.
* Enemies defeated as part of a sidequest do not yield skill points, experience points, or loot.
* The term "sidequests" is the new official designation for what was previously referred to as "miniquests" in several Letter from the Producer posts.
- After completing synthesis of an item requested by a local levequest, it is now possible to immediately begin synthesis of another of the same item without having to access the "Requested Item" interface.
- Local levequests have undergone the following changes.
Players can now choose from among the suggested rank categories of 1–, 20–, and 40– from the local levequest accept/refuse interface.
* Suitably ranked local levequests are now more readily available.
* When levequests of the same name are available at the same time for different ranks, only one may be selected.
The amount of skill and experience points attainable via local levequests has been reduced.
The names and objectives of several levequests have been changed. (see table below)
- The recommended ranks of a number of levequests have been changed to address disparities between the synthesis rank of their requested items and the approximate rank needed to reach the associated aetheryte.
* Requested items have also been adjusted to reflect the new levequest ranks.
View a complete list of levequest rank changes.
The recipes for items synthesized on local levequests will no longer be displayed under the Recipes tab.
* Recipes displayed under the Recipes tab prior to the release of patch 1.16 will remain.
Battle
- The size of certain enemies has been adjusted.
* Changes in size have no effect on an enemy's attributes or toughness.
- An icon has been added to hostile enemies to distinguish them from non-hostile enemies.
* Hostile enemies are those that will attack PCs unprovoked.
- Non-hostile enemies that previously followed or fled from a PC when approached no longer do so.
- The names of the following enemies have been changed:
Peridot Doblyn → Heliodor Doblyn
Guivre (in certain areas) → Branded Drake
- The HP values of the following enemies have been increased.
Cavernulous Coblyn / Copper Coblyn / Corroded Coblyn / Chitinous Coblyn / Diaphanous Doblyn / Heliodor Doblyn / Iron Coblyn / Lead Coblyn / Quartz Doblyn / Sphene Doblyn
- The following enemies no longer suffer damage when using the Cluster Geyser ability.
Diaphanous Doblyn / Heliodor Doblyn / Quartz Doblyn / Sphene Doblyn
- MP now automatically regenerates while in passive mode.
- The recast timers for the following abilities have been reduced from 60 seconds to 30 seconds.
Dowse / Dowse II / Dowse III / Dowse IV / Dowse V / Prospect / Prospect II / Prospect III / Prospect IV / Prospect V / Triangulate / Triangulate II / Triangulate III / Triangulate IV / Triangulate V
- The Steadfast status no longer wears off as a result of slight movements.
Items
- When the optimal class or optimal rank for a piece of equipped gear is met, that item's condition will deteriorate at a reduced rate. If both values are met, the deterioration rate will be slowed even further.
- The condition (%) at which a piece of gear inflicts a player with the Gear Damage status has been reduced from 50% to 35%.
- Repair materials for the following items have been changed:
Frayed Cotton Doublet Vest (Velveteen Fent) → Cotton Fent
- Graphics have been changed for the following items when equipped:
Bronze Needle / Iron Needle / Steel Needle / Hedgemole Needle / Thousand Needle
- Certain items have undergone the following changes:
The degree of difficulty for the following synthesis recipes has been adjusted:
Canvas Half Apron (Black) Rank 11–20 → Rank 21–30
Steel Plate Rank 21–30 → Rank 31–40
Siltstone Wheel Rank 11–20 → Rank 21–30
- Cursor functionality for the synthesis interface has been adjusted.
- Navigation from the Requested Items interface when beginning synthesis has been adjusted.
System
- The clock text command now displays the following information:
Countdown timer for Guardian's Favor
- 3-D effects displayed when a new rank or level is obtained have undergone the following changes:
Effects will no longer overlap with other on-screen elements
Display size has been increased.
Display time has been lengthened.
- The status icon interface is now outlined in blue when moused over for ease of viewing.
- Targeting can now also be done in the following ways:
← and → keys
Clicking on a target's display name
- Camera distance settings can now be adjusted while locked onto a target.
- Targeting modes that cycle through only specific target types can now be enabled when using a gamepad.
Targeting modes can be selected by using the ↑ and ↓ keys, or the up and down directional buttons mapped to Target/Menu Navigation on a gamepad.
- The Journal has undergone the following changes:
Current quests, sidequests, regional levequests, and local levequests are now all displayed on a single list.
Numbers representing the currently underway and maximum possible number of quests and guildleves are now displayed.
A Sidequests category has been added to the list of completed quests.
- The log auto-hide feature now becomes temporarily inactive while the Configuration » Chat Log » Font Color settings are open.
- Retainers can now be summoned even when placed in other locations.
* Summoned retainers cannot be sent back to their previous location.
* Retainers operating stands will have their stand closed upon being summoned.
- The following new entries have been added to the in-game multilingual dictionary:
Category Entry Game Terms Leve Sharing Game Terms Leve Link Game Terms Markets Game Terms Regional Levequest Game Terms Local Levequest Game Terms Item Game Terms Support Desk Game Terms Physical Bonus Game Terms Recipes Game Terms Item Search Game Terms Notorious Monster Game Terms Emote Game Terms Behest Game Terms Anima
- Item search results now display a "new icon" next to the names of retainers selling the item being searched for by the stack.
- Certain enemy mark icons have been changed.
- Icons of certain items and actions, which can be obtained by exchanging with guild token, have been changed.
- The emote list now displays the text command for each emote.
- The following changes have been made to increase the pace of gathering:
Opening and ending actions sped up
Off hand action animations sped up
- Gamepads now support the following functionality:
Log/Journal scrolling
Use the gamepad Target/Menu Navigation buttons while holding the Main Menu button.
Camera Distance Settings
Use the gamepad Camera contorls while holding the Auto-run button. Press up to zoom the camera in, and down to zoom out.
- Multi-character collision has been removed entirely.
- Lalafell hair style #4 has been modified.
Fixed Bugs
- The following bugs have been addressed:
A bug wherein pressing the End key caused the camera to revert to default settings.
A bug wherein the name of a PC to whom a /tell was sent was appearing in the multi-lingual dictionary's Audience entry.
A bug wherein guildleve details displayed before and after accepting a levequest were not consistent.
A bug wherein target enemies would spawn repeatedly on the levequest Necrologos: Levinshower.
A bug wherein players are able to participate in Behest with more than 16 players and there could be time where they are unable to make an advancement.
A bug wherein the wind attack attribute for the throwing weapons Bronze Azagai and Iron Azagai was displayed as 0%.
A bug wherein the head slot items Weathered Spectacles (Black), and Weathered Spectacles (Green) were mislabeled as being Unique.
A bug wherein execution of the gladiator action Rage of Halone could be canceled once selected.
A bug wherein the bomb of an enemy's Titan's Anger ability would appear immediately in front of the targeted PC.
A bug wherein enemy graphics were not displaying properly after using the Explosion ability.
A bug wherein enemy graphics were not displaying properly after defeating a PC using the Surge ability.
- PC display names shook significantly during movement.
* During downhill movement, display names moved up and down in a blinking manner, but interpolating measures have addressed this issue.
Known Bugs
- The main scenario quest “Never the Twain Shall Meet” cannot be advanced when the skip option is selected during a cutscene.
* The quest advances normally when the skip option is not selected.
- When the party leader leaves the instanced battle area during the main scenario quest “Toll of the Warden,” party members remaining in the instance and engaging in combat are unable to advance.
* Should a party leader exit, remaining party members are asked to also leave the instance to prevent this.
- When accepting the local guildleve "World-weary Soles," it sometimes appears in a different recommended rank category than the actual one.
- On the sidequest “Have You Seen My Son,” the item White Ash cannot be obtained from bomb embers that die as a result of their own Explosion ability.
So far I like what I've seen but there is still much to do for the devs.
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