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Final Fantasy XIV launches birds and hunt balances in patch 2.35
Another wave of beast tribe daily quests has flown in to Final Fantasy XIV, and this time around players will need to get crafty. Patch 2.35 ushers in Ixali daily quests, but these quests are focused on crafting items and turning in crafted pieces for benefits rather than simply hacking through enemy legions. The new quests also make use of special crafting facilities and help level your crafting classes faster, an excellent boost to adventurers who haven't picked up a craft beforehand. The patch also introduces major revisions to the game's hunt mechanics. All hunt bills have had their rewards increased significantly, while B-rank marks have been given a dramatically shortened respawn timer and no inherent rewards for killing them. This is balanced by the addition of extra rewards to unique weekly bills, which are now assigned to players individually rather than server-wide. Check the patch notes for the full details; the patch also makes minor Frontline adjustments and Chocobo Stable improvements.
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's Hunts are broken
It's been nearly two weeks since Final Fantasy XIV's patch went live, and I'm at once surprised and not surprised that we haven't seen anything really addressing the problem with Hunts. I'm not surprised because Square has a bad history of reacting to broken elements about as quickly as a narcoleptic sloth with poor motivation, and I'm surprised because players have been screaming about it for... about two weeks now? Yes, that sounds right. And not just screaming in the usual disorganized fashion. This is pretty targeted and logical screaming, helped substantially by the fact that Hunts are currently very, very broken and need fixing. So let's explain the mess that the game has made for itself and the numerous simple solutions that can be implemented really any time now. Not that I'm saying they're all easy, just simple. Straightforward. And no, increasing mark HP is not one of those solutions.
Final Fantasy XIV offers more details on the Hunt system
Are you looking forward to stalking and destroying the rarest beasts across the land of Eorzea? Then you'll want to read the latest Final Fantasy XIV letter from Producer Naoki Yoshida, who takes the time to talk in a little more depth about the Hunt system. The basics have already been established, but how will Elite Marks avoid horror stories of players camping spawns and only one person getting any reward for all of the effort? Yoshida explains that the Elite Marks are meant to offer rewards to everyone who takes part in killing them, meaning that multiple players or parties taking down the monster will just result in more people getting the rewards. Some of the Marks are even meant to provide a challenge for multiple parties, anot several do not respawn in the same places, providing more incentive to wander, search, and help out. Check out the full letter for more details, and get ready to experience the system yourself when patch 2.3 goes live tomorrow.
Final Fantasy XIV offers a hunting preview
Are you ready to go hunting? Final Fantasy XIV is ready to let you. No, you won't get a standard-issue bright orange vest and deer blind, but you will be able to take on a variety of different marks, earn special currency, and possibly eventually pick up a nice orange vest. It could be one of the rewards; you don't know. Players will be tasked with killing a certain number of monsters at varying levels of challenge at both regular and elite difficulties. Regular marks will differ from player to player, but elite marks will be the same for all players and are refreshed once per week. Slaying elite marks provides allied seals and tomestones, with allied seals used to purchase armor, weapons, minions, alexandrite, and sands/oils of time. The preview also contains a hint of a new moogle delivery quest, which should give players of a more pacifist bent something to do even without hunting down creatures across Eorzea.
Crytek's Hunt is a monster-hunting order from another mother
When THQ dissolved in the summer of last year, Vigil Games - the studio behind Darksiders - was facing the chopping block. The THQ-owned company was eventually swept up by Crytek, and the 35 employees from Vigil reformed as Crytek USA. Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age will be the studio's first game, and though it stands apart from Vigil's games, it's also standing on its own two feet. Hunt is an online, team-based third-person game set in the 1800s. You are a hunter - a person who tracks down and eliminates the things that go bump in the night. Witches, zombies, lizardmen and more are lurking in the shadows of history, and your job is to make sure these walking nightmares get put to rest.
Garmin's Astro 320 GPS handheld offers nine-mile coverage, keeps your hunting dogs in line
Before you and your pooches head out to hunt innocent ducks this year, you might wanna check out Garmin's new Astro 320 dog tracker -- a handheld GPS device designed to help hunters keep even closer tabs on their four-legged sentries. The latest addition to the Astro family can simultaneously track up to ten hunting dogs per receiver, with a revamped antenna and three-axis electronic compass covering up to nine miles of flat terrain. Boasting a 20-hour battery life, the 1.7GB handheld can also tell hunters whether their canines are running or pointing, while its mapping capabilities provide their precise coordinates relative to powerlines, buildings, and individual trees. All this information is displayed on a 2.6-inch display, where users will be able to access 100k or 24k topographic and satellite maps. A keypad lock function, meanwhile, will make sure you don't accidentally press any buttons while you're in the thick of a hound-led hunt. The handheld will be available in July for $500, with the full system (including a DC 40 tracking collar) priced at $650. You can flip through the gallery below for images of some antenna-toting doggies, or head past the break for a more testosterone-laced pic and the full PR. %Gallery-125121%
Apple Stores (probably not) opening early tomorrow
There's a report flying around that Apple is opening a few retail stores early tomorrow, with brand new shipments of iPad 2s ready to go out the door, but before you grab your wallet and set your alarm, not so fast. TUAW did a quick survey of retail stores near our various houses, and none of the stores we called had any plans to open early tomorrow or have any iPad 2s in stock. You're, of course, welcome to call your own Apple Store and see what they tell you, but it seems unlikely that this is an official retail move. Update: Some readers found that their local stores did offer morning sales to iPad 2 buyers, but we have reports from other readers who were told to show up early to purchase -- and then got bupkis as the store staffers informed them there were no iPads to be had. Ouch. At this point, the quickest and easiest way to get an iPad 2 is probably to go ahead and order it from the website and sit out the 3-4 week wait. We've got other tips for you if you really want to try and chase one down (my personal recommendation is checking big box retailers, as I've often seen hard-to-find Apple products hiding at Best Buy and WalMart), but unless you just happen to get lucky, it's probably not worth the gas money and frustration you'll get from running around. If you are still on the hunt, good luck out there.
Microsoft's 'Menlo' working towards a mobile future without Windows CE?
Since Courier's now a mystery unearthed -- and subsequently sent six feet under -- it looks like we need new secret Microsoft projects to pique our curiosity. Enter the ever-connected Mary Jo Foley with some investigative notes into "Menlo," which seems to be a future replacement of Windows CE "with Windows NT inside of mobile devices." The associated graphics platform would be "Experiment 19" (not quite as interesting a codename, we agree). Presumably heading up Menlo is Galen Hunt, a researcher from the Singular project, joined by other Microsoft brains Ruben Olinsky and (at least at some point) Kerry Hammil. It's always surprising how much info we can glean from LinkedIn, but we digress: Hunt's associated profile says Menlo "[combines] OS, UX, and applications research to explore the future of computing when mobiles becomes users primary PCs." Some bigger picture conjecture seems to center around Menlo having a Silverlight-based UI and boasting improved compatibility between itself and Windows desktop apps. Lots of food for thought, and if you're interested in what might come out of Redmond many, many years down the line, head on past the read link for all the juicy tech gossip.
The Digital Continuum: Traversing the fantasy fantastic
This week I present you with something different. Over the weekend, I participated in an interesting New Year's gaming resolution thought up by the illustrious Phil Kollar. His reasons behind playing over the weekend were to finally finish Final Fantasy XII, but mine were wholly different. For me, it was an experiment to see if I could glean any useful information for what was to come in Final Fantasy XIV. Did I fail or succeed? Well, I'd like to say the latter was achieved, but I'll let you be the judge of that.
The Colosseum: Erratic of Thunderlord
The Colosseum takes us inside the world of the Gladiator (Brutal, Vengeful, Merciless, and otherwise), to interview some of the top Arena fighters in the battlegroups. Our goal is to bring a better understanding of the strategy, makeup, and work that goes into dueling it out for fame, fortune, and Netherdrakes.By popular request, the Colosseum tracked down one of the top Hunters in today's Arena. Erratic, a member of the guild LiveToPug on the Thunderlord server, was happy to share his thoughts about the Arena today.Erratic is a team member of Mostly Duelists. At the time of this writing, Mostly Duelists is the #1 ranked 5v5 team on the Vindication battlegroup. Erratic is also a member of the 3v3 Tardaphant, who has a 2000 rating.Check out behind the cut to see what Erratic had to say.
Internet-enabled TrailGuard metal detectors snitch on poachers
The latest anti-poaching tool may not be as completely bizarre as the Robodeer, but the TrailGuard technology coming out of Steve Gulick's laboratory is entirely more sophisticated (and stealthy, too). The system consists of a network of metal detectors buried next to forest trails which will detect the presence of a contraband machete or rifle and swing into action. Upon recognizing a potential weapon, the sensor will "send a radio signal to a nearby internet gateway and then to the internet via satellite," which will subsequently alert a ranger to the unwanted guest practically in real-time. The developing team insinuates that this product could make the rounds that rangers make a lot more efficient, and considering that most national parks are somewhat understaffed, this could help them cover the ground that they need to. So if you just so happen to wander out in the woods and pitch a tent with metal stakes, only to be approached by an armed wildlife officer, don't be too alarmed.
How Ultimate is Ultimate Duck Hunting?
We aren't sure if Ultimate Duck Hunting is truly the last duck hunting game we'll need. Our requirements for duck hunting games are stringent, you see, and it would take a truly robust and deep duck hunting game to fill the spot of the decisive duck hunting game in our collection. We wonder if the game will really be the authoritative work the title claims it will be.We're actually kidding about the stringent requirements, and like most people, we consider the duck hunting genre well and truly filled since 1985. Have a look at some screens and decide for yourself if you should update your library of duck hunting video games.
Legally blind Texans may use lasers to pick out prey
Completely bypassing the stunning fact that (legally) blind Texans are actually allowed to wield a weapon and fire at will during regular hunting seasons, a new piece of legislation could allow these folks to see what they're aiming at a wee bit better, which is thrilling news if you're being mistaken for game. Rep. Edmund Kuempel has initiated a bill that would enable legally blind hunters that have a valid Texas hunting license to strap a sweet laser scope on their weaponry in order to pinpoint exactly where the bullet is headed before pulling the trigger. The bill would require the hunter to be accompanied by a (not legally blind) licensed hunter of 13 years or older, and is being pushed as a "reasonable accommodation" for those with disabilities. Hey, we know Texas is good for helping out the less fortunate, but we'd seriously think twice before wandering out into the wilderness for a weekend retreat in the Lonestar state.[Via Fark]
New Virtual Console games on the horizon [update 1]
Yes, the U.S. Virtual Console launch line-up is a bit ... anemic. We know, it hurts. However, one has to consider why it doesn't really matter: 1) We'll all be too busy playing Twilight Princess to bother with the Virtual Console immediately, and 2) Nintendo has promised ten new Virtual Console releases per month. That's quite a bit, especially looking at how often Xbox Live Arcade is updated, but the question then becomes: what's on the horizon?Well, thanks to the ESRB, we've got a clue. The ESRB requires that games be rated before release, which obviously means that companies need to send in their product quite a bit in advance. Since they publish their ratings, we've managed to score a list of eight potentials, and quite an eight they are (all rated E for Everyone): Duck Hunt Hogan's Alley Kid Icarus Kirby's Adventure PilotWings Pro Wrestling Punch-Out Wild Gunman Kid Icarus, Duck Hunt, and Punch-Out? Holy hell. The Virtual Console is awesome.[via Joystiq][Thanks, Zeke!][Update 1: Legal issues?]
