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The Repopulation drops its first patch for the new build
It's more possible to play The Repopulation now than it has ever been, and that means the design team is shaking up how it handles updates. Instead of the monthly recaps of the past, the team is putting forth notes for each individual patch, such as the first major one to hit the current testing build. It's focused on improving several areas of the game, starting with a polishing of textures and performance in Plymouth City and a few other smaller points. Several combat improvements have also been rolled out, although the next patch will hit most of the major combat issues players have brought up. Skill gain rates have also been adjusted, as have the Auction and Work Order systems in hopes of keeping the economy lively. If a few lingering issues had kept you from fully enjoying The Repopulation or you just want a picture of all the changes that have come down the pipe, check out the full walkthrough of the latest patch.
New ArcheAge producer promises communication, game improvements
There's someone new at the head of ArcheAge, producer Marv Lee Kwai. Kwai posted a lengthy letter to the players on the forums recently outlining the major standing issues that the team still sees in the game along with several of the changes and additions set for the game over the next year. He stresses that the developers are well aware of unusual market fluctuations, sieges being too costly and difficult, and the balance of top-end rewards; moving forward, the team means to see them all tweaked and improved. The letter goes on to mention that the team is planning to add a global trade channel to reduce faction chat spam. Also en route is The Diamond Shores, a new area in southern Auroria that accompanies a bump in the level cap to level 55. It's a little past the start of the new year, but Kwai's tone is hopeful that the game can rise above its somewhat buggy and controversial launch.
Destiny launches a day one patch
If you've played MMOs for any length of time, you've probably acquired a fear of the phrase "day one patch," as it's rarely an indication that everything will be smooth sailing. Destiny has just launched (as the most pre-ordered new IP ever, according to Activision), and it's already gotten its first patch out now, with sweeping changes to several key areas of the game's systems. Subclass locking is gone from builds and the unlocking order for subclasses has been adjusted; in addition, several classes and subclasses have seen their abilities and mechanics adjusted. The patch also ushers in balance changes for most styles of weapon: assault rifles, pulse rifles, shotguns, scout rifles, hand cannons, HMGs, the list goes on. Some PvP mechanics and several maps have also been adjusted, which might lead to some rude awakenings for players jumping into the game expecting to know everything from beta. Check out the full patch notes for a breakdown of all the changes.
Sega slashes profit forecasts by 36 percent
Sega announced an adjustment to its earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, cutting its expected net income by 36.2 percent. The company adjusted its projected net income to be 30 billion yen ($293.5 million), down from its previously-reported amount, 47 billion yen ($459.8 million). Additionally, it expects its net sales to be 377 billion yen ($3.69 billion), a 22.3 percent decrease from its original projection of 485 billion yen ($4.75 billion). Sega cited a decline in its pachislot and pachinko machine business for the change in projections. The company cut its pachislot machine sales projection by 171,000 units and its pachinko machine sales projection by 304,700 units for the fiscal year. The biggest cut comes to Sega's projected operating income: a 49.3 percent slide from 73 billion yen ($714.2 million) to 37 billion yen ($362 million). Should Sega meet its new projections, it would amount to a year-on-year increase in net sales and operating income by 17.3 percent and 94 percent, respectively, but would also represent a 10.3 percent decrease in net income. [Image: Sega]
New producer's letter highlights upcoming changes for Final Fantasy XIV
As we move into late November, the question on the minds of many Final Fantasy XIV players is when patch 1.20 will finally be released. Of course, subscription fees also likely figure into that question. According to the latest producer's letter from Naoki Yoshida, the patch is being developed, but it's going to take a bit longer than originally planned just to ensure that the quality is up to snuff. Considering that the update is being expanded to accommodate the release of the in-game achievement and title system, that's understandable. Yoshida also reassures players that the billing will not be started until the patch has been out for some time, with a more specific timeline being released in early December. If that alone isn't enough reading material for the holiday, Yoshida also wrote a lengthy post detailing future adjustments and improvements to Disciples of the Land and the Hand, explaining the current team's philosophy regarding ongoing storylines and content. Both that and the letter provide a look at the game's future, both in the immediate and the more distant sense.
Sprint reportedly capping its mobile hotspot plans October 2nd
If Sprint's myriad policy changes are part of the company's strategy update, perhaps we're not looking forward to October 7th's event after all. The latest bout in a series of gut-punching cost-cutting moves is the elimination of "unlimited" in the Now Network's $30 mobile hotspot add-on; according to a leaked employee memo uncovered by SprintFeed, October 2nd is the dreadful date in which all users who have the add-on (sorry Sprintsters, there's no grandfathering) will be given a limit of 5GB, and any overage will be charged five cents per MB. It appears that only phones will be affected, leaving tableteurs safe for now. So if you're currently using the hotspot feature, enjoy the last few solid days of sweet downloading while you can. Update: To clarify, this change will only be affecting users who have the mobile hotspot add-on; as the screenshot confirms, on-phone data use (as well as dedicated mobile broadband packages) will remain unlimited.
Sprint changing return policy tomorrow, nixing Premier program at year's end
Sprint's been making mondo policy changes over the last two weeks in the form of increased fees, so what's a few more cuts? We've received tips over the last day or so that suggest the Now Network up to its shenanigans again, making immediate changes to its return policy and soon putting the kibosh on its Premier program. Effective tomorrow, Sprint's trimming its return period from 30 days to 14 and the risk-free trial offer -- which ultimately allows you to walk away from your service within a month without being charged a penny -- is vanishing into thin air. Reaching out for confirmation from a carrier spokesperson, we were told: "Beginning Sept. 16, Sprint is updating its return policy for new lines of service, upgrades, accessories and devices. We will share more details of the new Sprint Satisfaction Guarantee at a later date." This doesn't fully answer our query, of course, but it at least confirms that the return policy will fall victim to a few adjustments on Friday. We also began receiving tips today foretelling the upcoming demise of the Sprint Premier program -- the company's two-tiered VIP program that offers annual upgrades and other perks. Premier members will apparently be notified as early as tomorrow (or as late as October) that they have until year's end to cash in on their remaining benefits. The only reasoning given: "to help us focus on the areas that customers value the most, such as unlimited data plans." Interpret that how you will, but ginormous things are going down in Overland Park, and we haven't even heard the wondrous news about the carrier's "Strategy Update" yet. Unless, of course, it's all tied together somehow... [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Final Fantasy XIV launches patch 1.18
Final Fantasy XIV players have been waiting for patch 1.18 to drop for quite some time, but the wait is finally over. Players can finally access the variety of updates and improvements that the newest patch has promised, including a large overhaul to the combat system that ushers in auto-attack functionality and the addition of the new Grand Companies. While the former is just the first step toward making a more thorough overhaul of the game's combat engine, the latter will give players rank 22 and up new missions to participate in while attempting to safeguard Eorzea. Other improvements include a streamlining of the enmity system complete with in-game warnings, improvements to repair functionality, and a general streamlining and adjustment of the guildleve system. All told, it's quite a large change to the existing elements of the game, something that Final Fantasy XIV players will no doubt want to devote a fair chunk of time to exploring.
Final Fantasy XI developers answer more player questions
Let's face it, sometimes Final Fantasy XI players can be all "???" about the game. And that's not apropos of nothing, since the most recent developer dispatch talks about the multi-function "???" used for both Notorious Monster spawns and event triggers. While players had asked to see a change to distinct symbols such as a "!!!" for events, the technical effort required to make the switch wouldn't be worth the relatively minor functional update. The same rule goes for the /names command, which players would like to see toggle for NPCs or PCs selectively. The latest answers aren't all bad news, however, with one of the more interesting factoids being the roundabout announcement of official forums for the game. There's also news about updates to General Rughadjeen in response to his strange behavior following Protect V or Shell V, a problem originating from the fact that the spells didn't exist when Besieged was created. Final Fantasy XI players are encouraged to read the full list of answers.
Dervishes get a major turnaround in Guild Wars
Introduced with the third campaign of Guild Wars, Dervishes have always been a unique class, swinging scythes in wide arcs and using a combination of enchantments and melee strikes to take out opponents. Of course, being a unique class also leads to a lot of unique issues, which the development team is hoping to address with the coming update. The preview promises that over 90% of the Dervish skills have been changed, with the overall goal of improving the class in a broad spectrum rather than just tweaking the numbers on a handful of skills. Among the more far-reaching changes are several Dervish skills using Adrenaline, the addition of new "flash enchantments" to allow Dervishes to enchant themselves while on the move, and a restructuring of the many "teardown" combos in place that capitalize on Dervish enchantments. Several of the new skills are previewed, as are examples of how players can use the changed mechanics to still retain the essential playstyle of a Dervish with much more flexibility than before. If you're a Dervish in Guild Wars, the changes should keep you spinning up in the best possible way. [Thanks for the tip, Teina!]
Final Fantasy XIV sends the November update live
Everyone in the US got to spend the day gorging on turkey and pie, but Final Fantasy XIV players got to gorge themselves on something else -- a large patch. The far-reaching November version update has gone live as of yesterday evening, bringing with it a host of updates and improvements to help bring the game up to speed in both content and accessibility. While the patch notes focus on enhancing the play experience, the improvements should be well-received by many players. Among the more significant gameplay changes are the movement of skill points to an end-of-combat reward in the same manner as experience points and the reduction of points needed for ranks 11 through 31. The UI response time has been improved, and the widgets of the interface have been changed around to make the game more accessible and responsive. Synthesis materials have been altered, inventory space has increased, and the high-quality drops that once clogged inventories are being streamlined. All of the details can be found in the patch notes, a veritable feast of good news for Final Fantasy XIV players from a very appropriate day.
The Mog Log: The road ahead
I was originally going to take this week to start looking at building a character in Final Fantasy XIV, but then I got smacked in the face by something else. Namely, there was a gigantic explosion of news about the coming version updates for the game, the sort of thing that really takes precedent over my natterings about freeform character development. (If you were really looking forward to that, don't worry, it'll still find its way into the column at some point.) A lot went through my head as I was reading the updates listed. There were a couple of things that struck me as a bit worrisome, several things that I am psyched about beyond all reasonable points, and one strange little theory that occurred to me as being just paranoid enough to have some truth to it. And yes, were we promised customizable ships in there at some point? I can get behind that.
Our tour through Final Fantasy XI's June update and Visions of Abyssea
One of the weaknesses that players have always associated with Final Fantasy XI is the nature of combat within the game. Not that any fan will avoid telling you how fun it is -- but even the most ardent defender can't avoid pointing out that it does tend to be a bit slow. The actual battles run slower, abilities take longer to recharge, and the process of getting into the combat takes a great deal longer than it does in other games. You can't just jump into the game and expect to be off and fighting within a few minutes. At least, that was the case before the June Version Update. Three of the biggest additions to the game were designed to take that notion and throw it out the window, not only encouraging players to jump into violence but outright pushing you toward faster and more active combat. We had a chance to take a walk through the game's additions, and they were everything that was promised and more, enough to make any Final Fantasy XI player very happy indeed with the changing face of the endgame. %Gallery-97942%
The Mog Log: Assembling the gestalt of Final Fantasy XIV
We've been treated to a veritable onslaught of new information about Final Fantasy XIV of late, and when I say "treated" I mean precisely that. After all, Square-Enix's information comes at a glacial pace, to the point where they're still releasing information about Final Fantasy VII to this day. (Or squeezing blood out of that stone for all it's worth, reader's choice. I think my way is funnier.) Of course, the problem is that the information is released without a great deal of context. My hat goes off to the brave folks in the testing, scurrying about and trying to reveal as much as possible, but I know from experience what happens when your goal is "find things out" rather than "assemble a coherent picture." We know a lot of facts about Final Fantasy XIV, but we don't have a real idea of the scope of the game. For some people, that's second nature. For others, it's a challenge. And for some people, they haven't seen the piece or two that would make everything fall into place. So today, The Mog Log is taking a tour back through what we've learned and trying to put it all into some sort of overarching framework.
The Daily Grind: What do you do when your character goes south?
It doesn't always happen, but it always can happen. One day you're running a happy catch-and-release playstyle with your Beastmaster in Final Fantasy XI, and then a patch comes that completely destroys the concept behind releasing your pet before a kill. You're tanking as a Frost Death Knight in World of Warcraft, and then you catch wind of the changes in 4.0. Your Invulnerable Tanker in City of Heroes is as untouchable as Superman, and then along comes a patch that coats everything in a light Kryptonite glaze. You haven't just had your balance adjusted -- the entire way you play your character has been gutted and left lying on the ground as a warning to others. If you're lucky, you've never been on the receiving end, but the question remains: what do you do next? Do you start over with a different class? Leave the game gracefully (or less than gracefully, depending on temperment)? Or do you go with the approach that this is the class you came in with and you are sticking with it, by gum? As a bonus, have you experienced this firsthand, or are you lucky enough to have been spared?
