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Final Fantasy XIV previews private chambers
You devoted a lot of money to your free company's house in Final Fantasy XIV, and now you have it. It's yours. It's all of yours. Except, of course, for the fact that it's not quite yours. Sure, you get a vote about what's in the building, but not sole control. Wouldn't it be nice if instead you could have a part of that house to call your own? That's what private chambers are for, an apartment just for you set off of the main house. Private chambers cost 300,000 gil and require a player to have reached level 50 as well as the rank of Second Lieutenant in their grand company of choice. They can have 50 items placed therein, and just as with company houses, you can control who's allowed to enter the room. You can't leave your free company while you still have a private chamber, although you can vacate your chamber if you so choose. Read more details on the official preview; this feature will be added to the game with the launch of patch 2.3 next week.
Final Fantasy XIV breaks down Desynthesis
In most MMOs, you want your efforts with crafting to produce more items by the time you're done, not fewer. But the upcoming Desynthesis system in Final Fantasy XIV is meant to destroy items rather than make new ones, although you can end up making new ones after you break them down. It's a chance to take your crafting skills and apply them to break down items that you have no use for, making something better from the resultant materials. Desynthesis will allow the breakdown of items by crafting classes above level 30, who will recovering some of the items used in its construction. Skill level affects the odds of a successful desynth; there is a maximum skill level shared across all crafting classes, which will prevent players from being equally skilled in all crafts. More to the point, breaking down an item can unlock materials that can't be acquired through other means, allowing players to make even more powerful items than would otherwise be available.
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.
FFXIV releases Defenders of Eorzea trailer, screenshots
Square-Enix has just released a brand-new and lengthy trailer for Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming Defenders of Eorzea patch. The video and the new promo site preview new boss battles, new quests, the Syrcus Tower dungeon, several dungeon hard-mode variants, private chamber customization, chocobo raising, desynthesis, and the new crafting recipes Patch 2.3 goes live on July 8th. We've got the trailer and some new screenies below.
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's superfluous damage Ninja
If you don't know whether or not I'm excited about the inclusion of Final Fantasy XIV's newest class, I don't know what to tell you. I've been playing a character who's been an in-character Ninja for the duration of the game's life, so obviously I'm happy to finally have it available to me. I personally would be happiest if it were a tank, since I do so enjoy tanking in the game, but I have plenty of people to run stuff with anyway. I'm not worried about queue times anyhow. At the same time, though... we know there's a shortage of tanks in the game right now. This isn't a mystery or a secret. Healers are more common but still hardly as ubiquitous as Bards and Dragoons. So is the inclusion of another DPS class really a wise decision? With the precedent established, would Final Fantasy XIV have been better off adding a more party-oriented option into the mix?
Final Fantasy XIV offers a preview of 2.3's story
Final Fantasy XIV is rolling out patch 2.3 very shortly, and that means the game's main story will continue onward. The latest preview on the official site hints at what comes next for the Warriors of Light (i.e., the player characters) as well as what's around the bend for Inspector Hildibrand. Dedicated followers of the game know that the next patch will feature Ramuh, but there appears to be more going on than simply the appearance of the next Primal. The story preview hints that the next update will focus on Thanalan and Coerthas as well as the Black Shroud, with implications that Shiva may not be exactly who players are expecting. Hildibrand's next adventure, meanwhile, looks to be taking a decided turn for the nautical, complete with a new look for the Inspector. Take a gander at the preview as well as the Facebook preview gallery for more hints about what will be going live with the patch.
Final Fantasy XIV previews Frontline
Carteneau, the site of the final clash before the Calamity in Final Fantasy XIV, is now a smoldering wasteland devoid of any worthwhile objects... save a number of Allagan ruins. All of the great nations of Eorzea are eager to claim those ruins, but rather than starting a bloody conflict, the nations have agreed to a join contest by the Grand Companies to settle matters in a civilized fashion. It's all the justification you need for Final Fantasy XIV's Frontline, a new PvP mode in which 72 players face off for a three-way conflict. Participating in the battle comes down to moving between control points on the map and acquiring them for your company, earning points for your side as you maintain control. Points can also be earned via slaughtering other players and taking out monsters that appear on the battlefield. Those who take part will earn PvP experience, Wolf Marks, and tomestones, meaning that Frontline offers a reliable one-stop shop for all sorts of bonuses.
Square details Final Fantasy XI June update
Final Fantasy XI's upcoming June update will see a gaggle of new quests for the city of Adoulin. According to official word from Square Enix, players will "find out more about the Order of Janniston's struggles with a young man who suddenly fell ill in 'Sick and Tired,' and they'll witness the struggles of Cid's son Midras as he researches new ways to grow vegetables on the Ulbukan continent in 'Vegetable Vegetable Crisis.' Experience a different side of Adoulin with these and other serial tales!" The June update is scheduled to drop tomorrow, June 17th. You can find out more info on the official forums.
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's E3 revelations
Let me open off with an apology: Last week didn't feature a Mog Log column, and that happened without warning. This was a calculated decision; I figured last Monday it would be silly to talk about a game promised many exciting E3 reveals before those reveals when there was a game that had just launched. So I held off talking about Final Fantasy XIV until this week, but I am sorry if anyone had a fear this column was being unceremoniously dropped. But oh my, was it ever worth it. Here we are in the wake of E3 fit to burst with new information, new revelations, all the fun stuff you could ask for from the convention. It's ever so joyous. So let's talk about what we've learned about the next patch, the patch after that, vague rumblings of the future, and... um... darn. There was one big thing that got unveiled at E3, wasn't there?
Yoshida to Microsoft: FFXIV on Xbox One 'needs to happen'
Final Fantasy XIV producer Naoki Yoshida is lobbying Microsoft to allow the fantasy MMORPG on its Xbox One console. "We really want to do an Xbox One version," Yoshida told Pocket Lint. "The thing is, A Realm Reborn is all about cross-platform compatibility. Anybody from any platform can play together. We don't want to split our community into people who play on this platform or play on that one. So we're currently in talks with Microsoft, trying to convince them that this is what needs to happen." While Yoshida did not reveal how his Microsoft talks are going, he did say that Square's plans for a FFXIV Mac client are underway.
E3 2014: Final Fantasy XIV Live Letter details fan festival dates
Fans have been eagerly awaiting the dates for the Final Fantasy XIV festival in October, and during the most recent live letter from the producer those dates were finally revealed. The gathering will take place on October 18th and 19th at Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, October 25th at the Tobacco Dock in London, and December 20th and 21st at the Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo. Other revelations from the letter? Personal chambers are going to be priced at approximately 300,000 gil for players who want a room of their own off of their Free Company house. Patch 2.3 will be going live on July 8th. There are also more questions asked regarding the new floors of Crystal Tower, the addition of new items, and the Frontline system, but all of those answers can be found in the official translation thread. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 10-12, bringing you all the best news from E3 2014. We're covering everything from WildStar and Landmark to Skyforge and H1Z1, so stay tuned!
E3 2014: FFXIV's Yoshida on 2.4, 3.0, new classes, and more
After the recent E3 2014 announcement that Final Fantasy XIV was getting a new class and a marriage system, fans have been understandably eager to learn more. And the best way to do that is go to the source! We sat down with producer Naoki Yoshida to discuss the content slated for upcoming patches and expansions. Before delving into the new, Yoshida spoke about the old. He noted that since last year's expo, FFXIV has enjoyed a successful relaunch, added a couple of major updates, and given millions of gamers around the world the opportunity to play. He then led into the new by saying, "We want to continue to grow the game from here. We have a lot of exciting content building up to 3.0." Part of said growing includes expanding the availability of the game by getting it into even more regions; this summer, for example, FFXIV will launch in China. Another part of the growth process is expanding the content and introducing new features, which is where patch 2.4 and the 3.0 expansion come in.
E3 2014: Final Fantasy XIV discusses ninjas and same-sex marriage
The first of two official livestreams for Final Fantasy XIV has just wrapped up at E3. While the stream focused on a variety of questions from the fans, two big points were hit during the discussion. The first was the revelation of a new class slated for introduction in patch 2.4: the Rogue class, which will lead into the Ninja job. This will be a damage-dealing class that dual wields knives and daggers, complete with enhanced movement skills and stealth abilities. Producer Naoki Yoshida also announced that the game's marriage system will allow any two characters to be joined together, regardless of race, nation, or gender. The translated answer explained that in the world of Eorzea, it seemed inappropriate to restrict the system. Players will be given the options of having their characters pledge eternal love or simply eternal friendship, with the possibility of special mounts for the happy couple. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 10-12, bringing you all the best news from E3 2014. We're covering everything from WildStar and Landmark to Skyforge and H1Z1, so stay tuned!
Final Fantasy XIV updates with sightseeing, weapons, and poses
Final Fantasy XIV is going to have a big week at E3 next week. That's not speculation; Naoki Yoshida is running two live letters from the show floor, and players have been promised big announcements. But a big patch has just dropped for the game, and patch 2.28 brings plenty for players to enjoy all by itself. The promise of more in the near future is just icing on the cake. Owners of Animus weapons can now continue advancing their weapons to Novus incarnations, with larger Mythology tomestone rewards making the road to Animus a bit less onerous. The patch also includes the new sightseeing log, challenging players to find the scenic vistas across Eorzea. It also improves the existing posing system, with new poses for each race and a memory of what pose you were in when you move. You can read through the full patch notes to get an idea of everything contained therein, and take a gander at the Ramuh preview for an idea of what's coming next in patch 2.3.
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's latest Live Letter
As of this writing, the Letter from the Producer LIVE took place yesterday, and that means we have a whole bunch of Final Fantasy XIV news to discuss! It's a happy time for people like me, because it's at least a couple weeks of very chewable information to discuss. And at just the right time, too, we were in the middle of a serious drought there. Not that all of the information is good, mind you. Every time I think about Atma my hands instinctively ball into fists. Still, there's stuff to chat about, there's good stuff in with the bad, and perhaps most importantly there's enough to fuel some speculation and some off-the-cuff reaction before we dive into the meat of E3 and we learn even more about the future of the game. So let's get right into it, starting with the bit of news that I already foreshadowed in the intro.
Amazon sale discounts Defiance, FFXI, FFXIV, and Warframe
Right now through May 31st, Amazon is throwing a truly massive Digital Game Mayhem sale. For MMO gamers, this means that you can get many titles, upgrades, and point codes for a good discount. Here are a few of the offerings: Defiance 7th Legion [Online Game Code] - $4.99 (50% off) Defiance Arkbreaker [Online Game Code] - $4.99 (50% off) Defiance 4-Pack [Online Game Code] - $14.99 (50% off) Defiance Castithan Charge Pack [Online Game Code] - $4.99 (50% off) Defiance Digital Deluxe Edition [Online Game Code] - $14.99 (50% off) Defiance Digital Deluxe Upgrade [Online Game Code] - $9.99 (50% off) Defiance Gunslinger [Online Game Code] - $4.99 (50% off) Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin [Game Download] - $6.99 (65% off) Final Fantasy XI: Ultimate Collection Seekers Edition [Online Game Code] - $11.99 (60% off) Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn [Game Download] - $14.99 (40% off) Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Collector's Edition [Game Download] - $22.99 (49% off) Warframe Fracture Pack - $29.99 (40% off) Warframe Shatter Pack - $59.99 (40% off) Warframe Splinter Pack - $11.99 (40% off)
The Mog Log: Whispers of what comes next for Final Fantasy XIV
When I find myself in times of trouble, friends of mine will comfort me, speaking words of wisdom: "There are more patches coming to Final Fantasy XIV." And it's true! While I'm not as happy with 2.2 as perhaps I would like to be, as odd as that statement sounds, it's not the end of the world. In fact, there's a lot of stuff around the corner that should make me a lot happier. We've heard rumblings about what we'll see at E3 next month, we're hearing discussion of what's next on the docket for patch 2.3, and there are tantalizing hints about what's going to be arriving beyond even that. Some of these are things that I've discussed elsewhere; some I haven't had the opportunity to chat about yet (we only got the live letter announcement on Friday, after all!). So let's go ahead and dive into what's on the horizon for the game.
Final Fantasy XI's May version update is on its way
You there! Are you ready for Final Fantasy XI's May version update? Are you ready for all of it? Do you know everything that's in it? Because there's a lot of stuff in there, as listed in the patch notes and as revealed in the official trailer just past the break. Sure, you could probably guess at the inclusion of new Seekers of Adoulin missions and more high-level battlefields, but there's a lot more in there. For example, new alter egos are being added to the Trust system, including everyone's favorite limit break questgiver, Maat. Adventuring fellows get a level cap bump to 99, new Abyssea objectives are being introduced, new Job Point categories are being added... heck, there's even new food in place that can affect your pet. That's a lot of good stuff. Maybe you should watch the trailer past the break, read the patch notes, and get ready for the full update to go live on May 15th.
Perfect Ten: Great MMO time travel adventures
Writers and geeks alike can't seem to get enough of time travel, although the ratio of horribly crafted time travel tales to fun and smart ones is pretty lopsided. I've come to realize that MMOs are positively littered with ways that players are invited to jump around the internal timeline of the game, and I wanted to share a few of them in this week's countdown. When you think about it, the proliferation of time travel quests makes a lot of sense from a developer viewpoint. There is a ton of lore that goes into each one of these virtual worlds, but for the most part the players are affixed to a very specific (and unmoving) point in time. Hopping about in time is a great way to experience other eras and actually see history instead of just reading it in a quest box. Plus, if done right, these quests can be quite memorable.
Final Fantasy XIV's next live letter is on its way
Are you ready to take on the Lord of Levin, the primal Ramuh? To brave the depths of Stone Vigil and Tam-Tara Deepcroft in Hard mode? To see what the deal is with Hullbreaker Isle? Well, then, you're going to want to tune in to the next Final Fantasy XIV Letter from the Producer LIVE, currently scheduled for May 24th at 7 a.m. EDT. Because yes, the topic under discussion is the upcoming patch 2.3 and all that it entails. As always, a thread is available for players to ask questions for the live letter, and a translated transcript will be made available on the official forums. Aside from the aforementioned topics, the letter will also cover Item Desynthesis, Daily Hunts, and an interview with lead designer Takeo Suzuki regarding gear, monsters, emotes, and hairstyles. If you've got a burning question on any of these topics, you've got a chance to get it answered live when the next letter comes around.
