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The Mog Log: Each answer is the end of a question
Welcome to this week's edition of The Mog Log, in which we answer reader questions about Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV while staying as far away from the drama of this past week as possible. Seriously, the sky is not falling here, folks. It seemed like such a nice week overall, too, with lots of great news coming out the whole week long. And for the record, there's also a special announcement at the end of the article, so by all means read through to the end in the unlikely event you normally don't. Roughly ten million people asked or said: "What the heck is the deal with the fatigue system?" I'm really hoping that by the time you're reading this, the full translation has mollified people somewhat regarding the system. But I'm going to write on the assumption that it hasn't, and believe me, it's at the top of the list for things to talk about next week. And it certainly does put a strict limit on what players can do in the game, much like guildleves and their infamous two-day turnaround.
Final Fantasy XI expands the job update preview
Our first tease of the coming excellence in Final Fantasy XI's September version update hinted at many exciting job abilities, but unfortunately, the language we were given was very vague. That alone was enough to get players excited, but more details are welcomed, and the development team has happily obliged. While the list of new abilities is likely not comprehensive, it gives several jobs a good idea of what they can look forward to with the next major patch. Several of the new abilities granted boosts to existing abilities in previous unused aspects -- red mages can enhance their debuffing skills for a short time, while blue mages can gain extra TP when using physical magic. In addition, there are two new rolls for corsairs, including a party-wide haste effect, and several job traits that will be welcomed by their recipients (including dual wield for thieves). Considering the fast-approaching target date of Final Fantasy XI's next update, players would do well to familiarize themselves with the full rundown of updates.
More details on the new abilities coming to Final Fantasy XI
September is going to be a big month for Final Fantasy XI, and not just because of its big brother launching toward the end of the month. The September version update will steamroll on to the servers early in the month, and it will bring along with it an increase in the level cap once again. With another large jump in levels, new abilities are coming, and Square-Enix has put together a small preview of what's coming with the next increase. While the details on recast timers and such are still to come, there should be many happy dances from certain jobs. Dragoons are getting a new jump ability, thieves are joining the same team as dancers insofar as they grab dual wield as an innate trait, and dancers themselves grab a new step. Take a look at the full rundown of previewed additions on the official site, and keep your eyes peeled for more news as the September version update draws closer for Final Fantasy XI.
Trial of the Magians expands in Final Fantasy XI
It was a good plan for Final Fantasy XI to allow players to keep their relic and mythic weapons relevant even after the recent level cap increase. Trial of the Magians as a system has allowed players with the intensely rare weapons to continue upgrading them, or players without to acquire new weapons of impressive power levels. With the coming September version update, there will be a concurrent update to the quest system, allowing players to predictably improve weapons even further. But that's not the least of what will be added with the next version update -- armor is next on the block. While there are no armor sets that require the time investment as top-end weapons, there will be new Abyssean armor introduced with the update that can be upgraded via trials. Although it's not explicitly referred to as Artifact Armor 3, it's mentioned as unique to each class, which makes it the most likely incarnation of the marquee sets. And, of course, weapons will also be getting a big boost for players who can brave further trials -- including unlocking new weapon skills. The high-end game of Final Fantasy XI is getting to be a very interesting place, so players should be happy to see they'll get the upgrades they need.
The Mog Log: Community watch
The summer slump is just about over, and those who have enjoyed an entire summer away from school are going to have to get back into the swing of it in the very near future. The rest of us will simply have to acclimate ourselves to the decrease in the temperature, the decrease in big-budget movies, and the increase in game release schedules. But there's one last gasp of summer to be had, and let's spend it watching our favorite ongoing entertainment: community forum discussions. There's no shortage of topics for discussion lately, what with Final Fantasy XIV stampeding ever closer to launch, Final Fantasy XI's September version update stampeding ever closer, and various other stampedes taking place somewhere. (I kind of started that sentence without a conclusion prepared.) September is going to be a busy month in general, and even with a couple weeks to go there's a lot of talk being flung around. So let's get right into the meat of the community, shall we?
The coming conclusion for Final Fantasy XI's Wings of the Goddess
Time travel storylines are one of the most complicated things that can be done in any sort of fiction, even more so in MMOs. But Final Fantasy XI has been working hard at keeping the story of Wings of the Goddess personal and engaging, and players have responded positively to the experience as a whole. Still, all good things come to an end, and the expansion storyline will be coming to a close with the September version update. The small preview of the upcoming conclusion hints at what might be around the corner for the adventurers who have braved the time-ruining antics of the Spitewardens and Atomos. Lilith's appearance marks further wrinkles in the already-convoluted timestream, with the possibility of her future inching ever closer for all of Vana'diel. If you've been following the story from the beginning, it promises to be a very emotional finale, and Final Fantasy XI players will be able to enjoy it starting next month.
Teaser site opens for Final Fantasy XI's Scars of Abyssea
It's safe to say that the Abyssea add-ons got off to an excellent start in Final Fantasy XI. The first installment coupled excellent rewards with an excellent leveling format, with the June version update's level cap increase coinciding nicely. The second installment in the series of mini-expansions, Scars of Abyssea, is scheduled to go live with the upcoming September version update -- and as the first in what promises to be a string of previews, Square-Enix has put together a teaser site for the add-on. While it's hard to be certain from the screenshots, it looks as if the actual regions of Abyssea are going to continue on to other famous locales within Vana'diel on the Abyssean side of the coin. There are also some menacing new adversaries to face from the looks of it, and further expansion to the storyline of the mirror world. The teaser site also confirms that the add-on may be pre-purchased starting on August 23rd -- good news for the many Final Fantasy XI players no doubt all ready to continue their dimension-hopping adventures.
More details on the Final Fantasy XIV collector's edition
We've been treated to a deluge of information about Final Fantasy XIV over the past couple of days, which coincides nicely with the fact that the collector's edition releases in just a little over a month. The obvious bonus to that special edition, of course, is the fact that it releases a week before the standard edition. But there's more inside the box than just an early game disc, and Eorzeapedia has had the chance to take a look closer at some of the contents. The Square-Enix security token included in the box certainly goes a long way to alleviating the price of entry, as it normally costs $10 alone and will work with both Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XI (indeed, having both on the same account can provide distinct advantages). Also worth noting are the special documents mailed to players for characters they create -- a physical commemoration of your character, with designs unique to each home nation. Combine that with the travel journal full of concept art, and there are plenty of bonuses even without the early release. (Not that said release isn't excellent.)
Subscribing to both Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV gets you bonuses
Players have been wondering for some time if there would be any reason to continue subscribing to Final Fantasy XI after the release of Final Fantasy XIV. Not that the two games are wholly interchangeable, but the audience for both is likely to be similar. Square-Enix seems to have considered this and, as a result, players subscribing to both games will get three bonuses for playing both games. The first is the most significant from a material standpoint -- the base cost of a subscription to Final Fantasy XI will be discounted to $7 a month for an account with both games linked. The other two bonuses are for veterans of the game, but equally appealing. Players with a character already created in FFXI will be able to import their character name to Final Fantasy XIV, with the character name being the given name and the server name as the family name. (So "Jejeune" on the Fairy server would be named Jejeune Fairy.) And as a last carrot, FFXIV characters will receive a special item on creation, the Hermes Shoes. So if you're planning on picking up FFXIV and already play FFXI, now would be the time to link the PlayOnline account.
The Mog Log: Experiment Rhio
A long time ago -- like, when I started this column -- I had an idea. Or more accurately, I had a tiny nub of an idea that seemed as if it would be very relevant later. I was still smarting over the VanaFest announcements and the whole idea that nothing would be done to help the lower levels... and an idea came to me. If I was so certain that there was no population to play these areas, why didn't I try soloing them to see how things worked out? Of course, at the time, I mostly wanted to point and enjoy the sour grapes of being proven right. But as xkcd so eloquently put it, you don't use science to prove yourself right, you use it to become right. (Alt text is your friend.) And so I logged in and put a hard theory to the test: what could a Final Fantasy XI character do without anything more involved than a subjob? No advanced jobs, no airship passes, no special access. Was leveling possible? Difficult? Easy? This was -- and is -- the Rhio experiment.
Completing the look in Final Fantasy XIV
It's only been a day since Final Fantasy XIV's newest round of beta started up, but the first day included the announcement that screenshots and experiences from beta could be shared freely. So, as one can imagine, there's plenty of information being shared all over the internet. Today has seen the intrepid staff at FFXIVCore delving into the depths of the character creator, testing the limits of just how powerful it really is. It's not just a significant upgrade from Final Fantasy XI, but quite a potent tool in its own right. Of course, the one thing that can't be shared from the beta is video... but that doesn't mean you have to go without moving pictures. Dovetailing nicely with an article on illustrating your character is the newest installment of Square-Enix's Making of Eorzea videos, this one focusing on equipment variations to keep every character looking distinct. The video is embedded past the cut, and should provide both familiar and new looks for Final Fantasy XIV's eager audience.
The Mog Log: What we know we don't know
All of the information we've been getting about the Final Fantasy XIV beta has us spoiled beyond belief. Really, it'd be best if we just stopped looking for a while, because we're in knee-deep, and we aren't getting a clear picture any longer. Which would be bad enough if not for the fact that we're all pretty sure we know exactly what's going on in the game. I found it interesting from the beginning that Square-Enix told players outright that the beta testing was going to be neutered, for lack of a better term. There are huge chunks of stuff that we know are meant for the game eventually but don't presently exist in the actual test client... stuff that we know nothing about aside from its promised existence. So it's not really fair to judge Final Fantasy XIV just on what we know without considering what we know we don't know. And thus, we're writing this column to let everyone know what we know we don't know. You know?
Final Fantasy XIV unveils the next part in the Making of Eorzea
Any veteran player of Final Fantasy XI will be quick to talk about the marvelously detailed and realistic monsters found across the game. It's been clear from the start that Final Fantasy XIV will continue in the tradition, and the most recent video documentary released by Square-Enix demonstrates that in loving detail. Examining the production of the game's monsters in depth, the video is embedded after the cut and is a visual treat for almost any fan of the series. As the video explains, the process of creating a monster for the game starts with the team essentially sculpting a virtual model at a polygon count far too high for use in the game. That model is used as the basis for the detailed and intricate final models, several of which are allowed to strut their stuff in the video. From the giant sea serpent seen in the benchmark to old standbys like the malboro, it's clear how much work has gone into making each part of Final Fantasy XIV's wildlife seamless and believable. Take a look past the break for the video, and if your interest is piqued, you might wish to try and get into the beta.
The Mog Log: Layers upon layers of questions
There's a lot coming down the pipeline for fans of both Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XI. And there are a lot of questions to be asked, even though not all of them quite mirror those of your beloved author. (Those questions are generally shouted at the sky, insinuating it can hear me and that it needs to give me a beta key.) But while I'm not busy staring at a harsh, uncaring sky, I can certainly offer you a fair number of answers. hatri1181 asks: "I scored really low on the benchmark, but my system beats the living hell out of the min specs. Does that make any sense to anyone else?" Yes. The benchmark isn't totally accurate, as many people were screaming as soon as it was released, and it features several odd points. Points such as being sponsored by one of two major GPU manufacturers, and highlighting the most congested areas of gameplay with no options to turn settings down, only up -- the sort of things that have resulted in people being fully capable of running the benchmark and having scores telling them they could not.
Party like a rock star in Final Fantasy XIV
There are players out there who might be dreading parties in Final Fantasy XIV. Well, not precisely; they might well be dreading that the mechanics will be similar to the parties from Final Fantasy XI, where some classes could seemingly wait for ages without a trace of a group. Mercifully, the fine bilingual team at FFXIVCore has continued its apparent tradition of translating information to coincide with the new beta testing, with the newest translation being a guide to getting a working group in the game. Guildleves are the game's core leveling mechanics, but new ones can only be accepted every so often, and they can be hard to complete on higher settings alone. By grouping up, players gain access to more guildleves from other players and more support in tackling the game's bigger challenges. The full translation has information on everything from the interface to form a party to the game's battle regiments, the equivalent of Final Fantasy XI's skillchains. (We're guessing they meant regimens, but that's the challenge of translation.) Final Fantasy XIV fans are advised to take a look at the article to start gearing up for the game's release in two months.
Fantastical Fraulein Mumor returns for a third event in Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI's upcoming summer event, another installment in that Fantastical Fraulein Mumor stage show and part of the overarching Sunbreeze Festival, probably isn't going to make much sense to people not familiar with the game. Veteran players, of course, are familiar with the magical warrior Mumor and her struggles against the joy-killing efforts of demon king Ullegore. They're also most likely aware of the conflict from the year before, in which she faced off against the Archfiend Uka and befriended her. And while non-players are now scratching their heads, players are either rolling their eyes or looking forward to this year's installment. Whichever camp you belong to, the stage show (in which Mumor and Uka face off against the new dance trio known as "Cream Puff") and the other games of the summer event will be rolling around on August 1st. Lasting through the 17th, the event will most likely be similar to last year's festivities, offering a wide variety of mini-games, cosmetic rewards, and of course the dance battle between Final Fantasy XI's resident magical girl and her opponents. Read the full rundown for more of the backstory, and look forward to the event itself in just under a week.
The Mog Log: The collective jealous community glance
It's a hard time to be playing Final Fantasy XI. On the one hand, it ought to be a great time -- a lot of neat features were included with the June version update (several of which I waxed poetic about in the recent developer tour), and there's quite a roadmap for the months ahead. But that roadmap also has an enormous bump that's shaped like a 14... specifically, Final Fantasy XIV. Or maybe it's just me. All I know is that the next thousand-plus hours can't pass quickly enough. (Although Going Rogue should really take the edge off.) But this column isn't just about me and my hangups -- it's about the community. It's especially about community this week, as we're taking a look at all of the insanity running through various discussions far and wide. Square certainly has given us plenty to talk about over the past month, whether you're avidly playing Final Fantasy XI or just looking forward to Final Fantasy XIV. So let's look at some noteworthy threads while I stare longingly at the promised game.
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: Hours of entertainment from just one boss
Every so often, column topics fall into my lap. Like when someone mentioned in the comments the other day that they were dreading the 18-hour boss fight from Final Fantasy XI would return in Final Fantasy XIV. For those of you who don't know what in the world that was referencing... well, it's time to take a look back at Pandemonium Warden, and the now legendary story of what it took for one linkshell to bring him down. Although by "bring him down," we really mean "fight him for nearly a full day and finally give up." That's the image that Final Fantasy XI's boss fights have in a lot of people's heads. It's a great and evocative image, and it's also riddled with inaccuracies. That having been said, the nigh-on insanity of some boss fights in the game merits discussion as we get closer and closer to Final Fantasy XIV's release. Whether you're wondering about the warden's odds of return or just still believe that the boss fight properly went on for nearly a day, jump on past the break. There's a lot to go over.
Final Fantasy XIV not due for the Xbox 360 according to Hiromichi Tanaka
Final Fantasy XI isn't just one of the only console MMOs in existence, it's also the most successful of the lot, due in part to the wide spread of available platforms. Since the game has long been playable on the Xbox, there were several Final Fantasy XIV fans (or Xbox 360 owners) hoping it would eventually come out on that console as well. But it's not happening, and according to a recently translated interview from 4players.de, the reason rests squarely with Microsoft. When asked in an interview why Final Fantasy XIV wasn't appearing on Microsoft's console, Hiromichi Tanaka explained that Microsoft was unwilling to work with Square-Enix to deal with the Xbox Live setup. As he put it, it seemed the company made a one-time exception with Final Fantasy XI to get the console in people's minds as an online platform, but now that it's established the gates are closed. There are currently no plans to adapt the game for the console, but it will still be coming out for the PC in late September, with a Playstation 3 release due at some point after that. Check the interview here (if you can read German), and the translated highlights can be found here.
