The Mog Log: You've got questions, we've got deflections

It's time to kick off one of the features that we're hoping will become a regular standby on The Mog Log -- community questions and answers. It's a chance for you to all ask the questions about the game that you'd like answered, and a chance for me to shuffle awkwardly and stare at my feet. Kidding aside, if you have a Final Fantasy XI or Final Fantasy XIV question that you'd like answered, send them to me, and I'll happily answer them to the best of my ability. It's all the edification of research without the actual research part.

We'll start with a question from Simon:
"Are we sure about when the beta for FFXIV is going to start?"

Nothing is certain, least of all what Square-Enix decides to do. Right now, they're content with not filling us in on the start date of beta, but they might very well share that tomorrow at VanaFest. On the flip side, they might hold on to that tidbit until after the stateside launch of Final Fantasy XIII, just to keep excitement up for the title. Keep your eyes peeled tomorrow, we should know then.

Dalrint asks:
"Is this any less grindy than it was before?"

As I talked about/complained about in one of my first installments of the column, it's not the grind, it's the humidity... er, the various hoops that players are expected to jump through. It's more feasible now than ever for players to make their way to high levels on their lonesome, but that's not going to get you all of the various adventuring goodies like an airship pass or a ticket to get to Al Zahbi. Those are what will hold you up.

Leveling mechanics have gotten a great deal looser and more permissive, but they're still the same fundamental focus -- kill things and level up, without any need or want for a larger overall framework. It hasn't shifted to a World of Warcraft-style quest-based format, which is probably for the best. And like before, the best way to get yourself leveled is to find a good group and stampede through levels with them -- Fields of Valor, Empress Bands, and abuse of the Corsair experience bonus all help you do that faster, but without changing the nature of the beast.

BSTMark asks:
"Any word on male Mito'qe in FFXIV?"

No official word, but odds are they're going to run it just like Final Fantasy XI -- only female Mito'qe, only male Roedegyan. It's kind of disappointing, I know, but the only hint we've had that we might get both genders for the race was in a half-joking interview response.

I'm disappointed, too. I was hoping that we could put all that "manthra" nonsense behind us forever.

Fisher asks:
"Will we be getting a new expansion? Is that the big announcement they're hinting at?"

We don't know! But if I had to put money on it, I would actually go on the record as saying no, I don't think we're getting a new expansion this year. From a business standpoint, Square is going to want as many players as possible interested in and playing Final Fantasy XIV from launch day. Considering that a sizable portion of the target audience is current and former players of Final Fantasy XI, it'd essentially be putting their new game in direct competition with their old one.

For the record? That would be a net loss no matter which one took the gold.

Next year is certainly a possibility, but that still sounds wrong. Unless I'm massively misremembering dates, Wings of the Goddess was first announced about half a year before it game out -- they're not much for long waits between announcement and release. And announcing a year or so before an expansion that will add more content to the game is almost like driving a nail into the coffin.

But what else could it possibly be? I can't guess at another suitable revelation myself -- everything else sounds either too small (new add-on scenarios), too big (complete engine overhaul), or too unlikely (letting you play as beastmen). I guess we'll just have to watch tomorrow and see what develops.

Blancmanche asks:
"Where are you getting those illustrations at the top of the columns?"

It's not exactly a game question, but I'll take it. Those are the work of the talented Alex Fienemann, who puts together a new one each week from my mumbled and frequently incoherent descriptions of column topics. I'm rather fond of them, and I'd like to think you all are as well.

Guivre_down asks:
"What classes work best for soloing?"

It's a controversial question, but there are a few classes and class combinations that can manage quite well for themselves. Obviously, BST/WHM allows for solo leveling without too much downtime, although how effective a BST actually is these days gets debated (and has been debated ever since the pet changes made years ago). RDM/NIN and BLU/NIN both have a variety of enhancing, damaging, and restorative spells coupled with excellent physical abilities and moderate armor, allowing them to work their way through a lot of different enemies and even take on some avatars by their lonesome. PUP and DNC are also excellent classes for soloing, although the former requires quite a bit of money to handle and the latter I can't speak about all that much from lack of experience.

What? I am one man with limited time. Can't do everything.

Failing advanced jobs, your options get a bit narrower. RDM/WAR or MNK/WHM might be worth considering if you just need to work your way up to 30 or so. Most classes that aren't pure casters can grind their way along a bit, but it's much slower and riskier than grouping up to level.

Next week, we're going to be discussing the still-mysterious news coming out of tomorrow's festival, probably once I've gotten a fair amount of sleep to absorb the strain. Any new questions or community threads, of course, can still be sent along to Eliot at massively dot com. If you'll excuse me, I'll be hoping that the Nomad Mog Bonanza picks 1-2-3-4-5.