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Final Fantasy XIV gets a version update and another developer dispatch
The bad news about the most recent version update for Final Fantasy XIV is that, despite player hopes, it does not yet contain the heavily awaited first revision to the market wards. That's planned for next week, according to the patch notes themselves. The good news is that it does contain a number of bugfixes and helps clean up several chat oddities. Accompanying the notes on the main page is another dispatch from the developers about how the game works, this one on the topic of character creation and disciplines, and while the developers give some vague answers, they also offer some useful, concrete information. For example, while there are no game differences at the moment based upon a character's birthday or guardian deity, both are in the works -- and if the benefits that are ultimately awarded for your chosen deity disappoint you, Square-Enix will be giving players the chance to change their guardians. The new dispatch also provides a full listing of where to get tools and weapons for every discipline at the start, allowing players from any nation to change class right from the beginning. Final Fantasy XIV players are encouraged to check both the patch notes and the latest update and to keep their eyes peeled for what promises to be a large update next week.
Embark on the age of adventure: Win a copy of Final Fantasy XIV!
Final Fantasy XIV. OK, now that the first sentence has stoked the inevitable flame war, let's get to the meat of this post. The nice people over at Square-Enix have sent us a copy of Final Fantasy XIV, and we're excited to give it away to you lovely readers! We know that the game might not be everybody's cup of tea, but this is a contest you should jump into if you have been considering the title. Our winnable copy is a standard editon of the game, and it comes with the standard 30 days of play before charging you a subscription fee. (I feel like I'm detailing the features on a new car, or something.) And, as an added bonus, the game comes wrapped in cellophane! Oooooh! Shiny! Interested in how you can win this game? Hit the continue reading button, and you'll soon find out!
Final Fantasy XIV expands details on the battle system
While Final Fantasy XIV doesn't go out of its way to be massively accessible, Square-Enix is clearly making a conscious effort to avoid confusion wherever possible. The official player site has been steadily receiving updates about how game systems work and what's going on behind the scenes, with the newest update discussing Battle Regimens and incapacitating body parts in combat. The systems had never been discussed in-depth before, but they now offer players a chance to understand exactly what each system entails. Battle Regimens are distantly similar in theory to the skillchains that ruled Final Fantasy XI's combat, but they have many differences in practice. Rather than being a chained deployment of specific skills, chains of general ability types will both buff the party and debuff the enemy party. Body parts, meanwhile, are targeted and damaged by certain weaponskills, with a helpful chart explaining what skills target what and which types of monsters can be affected. While it doesn't reveal the full details of Final Fantasy XIV's combat, it should provide players with an excellent place to start understanding the system.
The Mog Log: Gil rules everything around me
My original plan for this week was to step back into the experiment with soloing that I started in Final Fantasy XI what feels like an eternity ago, but the recent updates about Final Fantasy XIV's market system prompted a comment that interested me. A reader noted that the auction block in Final Fantasy XI was partly responsible for the enormous gilselling issue that's plagued the game more or less since its release stateside, with the theory going that the market wards and so forth in Final Fantasy XIV were a specific response to this. It seems fitting, in light of all of the gilselling issues that we've gone through in Vana'diel, to take a look at the sordid history of the currency in the game and at how likely it is to translate to the new kid on the block. I don't think the problem lies so much with the sellers as with the environment that Square-Enix unintentionally created, as well as with the perfect storm of circumstances that devalued the currency of the game to near-worthlessness with no alternatives. That's right -- it's time to look back six years or so to the launch of the game in the U.S.
Final Fantasy XIV discusses companions and crafting
One of the more frequent complaints about the nature of Final Fantasy XIV is that the game doesn't go out of its way to be accessible. If anything, it revels in a solid veil of mystery and encouragement for players to experiment. That doesn't sit well with everyone, however, which is no doubt why Square-Enix is making a conscious effort to expand the resources on the official player site as a basic reference. The most recent update has seen some common questions about crafting answered, as well as a brief guide to choosing a path companion. Path companions are an element of the game introduced at the start of the fifth main story quest, giving you an NPC who accompanies you on the missions. There are a multitude of different personalities, determined by race and gender, with the short guide provided explaining how each choice affects the outcome. The brief rundown on crafting is also illuminating, as it highlights certain heretofore unknown elements of the system -- such as a character's elemental affinity helping to determine what sort of crystals and shards come from gathering. Final Fantasy XIV players are encouraged to check both pieces.
Ask Massively: Transformative edition
Welcome back to another edition of Ask Massively, the column that certainly hasn't been on any sort of hiatus for a little while. No sir. Well, all right, maybe a small one after all. You might notice some small changes with the column, such as the fact that the dashingly handsome Shawn Schuster has handed the reins of questions-and-answers off to the much-less-dashing and notably less-handsome Eliot Lefebvre. But it's still the same high-quality information as ever. This week has been just a little bit lean, due to the fact that our unannounced hiatus left many readers scratching their heads. But go ahead and jump on past the cut for some pearls of wisdom regarding Global Agenda and Final Fantasy XIV. Next week we're hoping to have a few more questions, so feel free to mail yours along to ask@massively.com or leave them in the comments field!
Changes incoming for the markets of Final Fantasy XIV
Even if you're a fan of Final Fantasy XIV, you're probably not enamored of the way that selling items among players is currently handled. It's not that the market wards aren't useful, they're just a really slow way of finding items in a game where nearly every single item is crafted by players rather than found or purchased. So it's good news for the game that the development team is aware of the issue, and adjustments are incoming within the relatively near future. The first slated update will sort the market districts by items sold, thereby allowing players to zero in on exactly what they're looking for rather than the current ambling search. There are also plans for further refinement and specialization to the wards, along with plans to better facilitate hiring and employing multiple retainers at once. Whether or not the system will ever be replaced or supplemented with the often-requested auction house has not been stated, although there are no hints that such a system is incoming for Final Fantasy XIV. Even so, the promised updates should make finding items a good sight easier.
Hiromichi Tanaka interview discusses the Final Fantasy online installments
There's a lot of material coming up for Final Fantasy XIV. So much, in fact, that according to Hiromichi Tanaka, the game has plans that stretch out for as far off as next winter. When we last took a look at the interview, it had only been translated up through the first section, but the two additional sections include further information on the future of the new game as well as Final Fantasy XI. Final Fantasy XI is slated for more high-level content with the climbing level cap, as much of the existing endgame content was balanced around players at the previous cap of 75. Final Fantasy XIV, on the other hand, was designed in many ways to break away from some of the conventions that its predecessor had in place, while at the same time retaining some of the elements that Tanaka believed were particular strengths. Take a look at the full interview for a rundown of what's in store for both games in the near future.
Final Fantasy XIV moves forward with exploit patches and companies
The general release of Final Fantasy XIV is three days away, but the collector's edition has been out for nearly a week. As a result, early players have had the chance to start taking part in that most celebrated of ceremonies -- finding whatever exploits the programmers didn't catch and using them. The most recent exploits are at least team-oriented, as they seem to involve casting beneficial spells during a guildleve; regardless, the issues are being fixed as fast as they arrive. FFXIVCore has also translated a recent interview with Hiromichi Tanaka in which the game's producer discusses both his role in the history of the series as well as what prior lessons impacted the armoury system in Final Fantasy XIV. As he put it, one of the reasons for the flexibility was to allow players to choose their ability loadouts based on the situation, unlike the fairly fixed roles within Final Fantasy XI. The full interview also drops some hints about the as-yet-unseen company system, something which will be implemented in a patch after the full retail launch on Thursday.
The Mog Log: Answering unasked questions
Sometimes, you wind up with what amounts to a perfect case of convergence. After a busy and stressful week, there's nothing I'd like more than to have an opportunity to relax with an enjoyable game -- and gee, Final Fantasy XIV came out on Wednesday. Seeing the release means a lot to me for a variety of reasons, but the most immediate reason is it means I have something to do from the moment I wake up Saturday to the moment I go to sleep Sunday. I couldn't be happier about that. Of course, a certain amount of confusion is going to go hand-in-hand with that, so I'm slightly cheating on our regular format, helped by the fact that this month has been a little light on normal questions. The last Saturday of the month always covers questions and answers... but this month, I'm going to be covering the questions that come up most frequently while playing Final Fantasy XIV that don't fall under any of our prior articles on the game. So yes, it's another week without much Final Fantasy XI love. I beg your forgiveness, but I will stay the course.
Control Final Fantasy XIV officially with this PC controller
Sure, you could play Final Fantasy XIV on PS3, if you like waiting. Or you could play it on PC with a (third-party PC controller based on a) PlayStation controller as soon as September 30. Sunflex, a third-party peripherals company, is releasing an officially licensed Final Fantasy XIV controller on that date, in Europe and the US, under its Snakebyte brand. It bears a striking resemblance to the company's PS3 accessories, but in white -- and, more importantly, with the Final Fantasy XIV logo on it, so you know you're officially playing Final Fantasy XIV. Whether or not that officialness is an attractive enough quality to justify one of these is your call.
One Shots: Into the light
With Final Fantasy XIV finally released, scores of MMO players are romping around Eorzea, enjoying the new scenery. If you need a respite from the bright sunlight, there are little nooks to be found where an adventurer can take a moment and gather his supplies before adventuring on, as seen in today's One Shots. This image, sent in to us by Jarrod M., offers a look at one such quiet corner: "This is a shot of the morning sun shining into the merchant section of Ul'dah." From big to small, we love MMOs! We know you love them too, or you wouldn't be here. Why not send in a screenshot of your favorite MMO to us here at oneshots@massively.com? Include your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. You never know -- your image could wind up being the next one we feature! %Gallery-85937%
Launch Day Livestream: Final Fantasy XIV [Updated]
So today has been quite the angry day. I would be a fool not to acknowledge that, between the comments on our Daily Grind and our First Impressions of Final Fantasy XIV. Many think the game is a pile of nothing, while a few step forward with positive feedback on the title. In any case, we're finishing up today's launch day coverage with a livestream of the game in-action, complete with my thoughts and opinions on the title, both good and bad. We're going to be live in just 30 minutes (8:30 p.m. EDT, 5:30 p.m. PDT), so either click on the picture above or hit the continue reading button right below to access our Livestream! Come, see the game in motion, chat with your fellow Massively readers, and talk with me, Seraphina! It will be exciting, even if you think the game needs to die in a fire. Update: The stream is over, but the video lives on! Check out our recorded footage of the livestream, available just after the break!
First Impressions: Final Fantasy XIV
There are times when my job is kind of a mixed blessing. Case in point: It falls to me to talk about my first impressions of Final Fantasy XIV, which is about as not for everyone as a game can possibly be. It features some things that seem custom-built to annoy certain players into apoplectic fits, starting with the controls and the hardware mouse that has been absent for the whole of beta. (I don't know whether it'll be in the launch today. But probably!) I would be remiss not to mention any of these elements. On the other hand, I adore this game. The game isn't what I would have made; it's better, and it hits so many notes in just the right way that I don't particularly care about the discordant elements. So that means that my job is to give a good idea of how Final Fantasy XIV plays without letting my deep, unrestrained affection run rampant. Still, enough about the balancing act I have to go through -- how does the game actually play?
The Daily Grind: Are you buying Final Fantasy XIV?
In the relative drought of new releases for 2010, Final Fantasy XIV may look to some like a shining beacon. Beyond even that, it might look like a beacon even if the year was filled to bursting. Crafting classes, active combat, and the unique flavor that Square-Enix puts into a game all wrapped up in one system-intensive package. Of course, there are several people who look at the indisputably uncommon control scheme, early-game bugs, or even just the flavor of the game and see it as the exact opposite of a beacon. Today isn't the full release of the game, but anyone who purchased the collector's edition will get to log in starting today with an eight-day head start. Whether or not you decided to spring for the pricier edition, we have to ask -- are you planning on buying Final Fantasy XIV? Are you going to buy at launch, or do you plan to wait until more of the kinks have been ironed out? Or are you holding out for the PS3 release early next year?
Post-beta for Final Fantasy XIV and the coming launch
With the hours slowly ticking by until the launch of Final Fantasy XIV, hopeful players will be happy to know that the Lodestone site for players is already open. (Technically, the servers even open this evening, but that doesn't give you the actual client to log in.) It's the time for reflection as well as preparation, and a recent translated interview from GAME Watch sheds some light on the overall process of testing as well as the vision of the game in the near future. Among the several pieces of interesting information from the interview is the analogy used for guildleves, addressing the question of whether or not they're the main content of the game. Guildleves are compared to a staple food such as rice or bread -- useful and filling, but not the complete meal by itself. Other topics of discussion are regular quests, with the main story quests described as being only the tip of the iceberg. It sounds as if the amount of content available to players of Final Fantasy XIV will be greater than anyone would expect, so players should keep their eyes open to enjoy the post-beta environment.
What scares me about Final Fantasy XIV
I am not the biggest Final Fantasy fan. But that's more because I lack for time, not because I lack interest. I played FFXI, but only until level 18 or so, and even then I would only return once in a while. The game was punishing to a solo player even with the recent changes that gave more opportunity to level. There was something ever-alluring about the world, however -- something complex and deep, and I knew that, if I could just become more powerful, it would show itself to me. Skip to the present and to the FFXIV beta. For the record, I try everything. I am not just a "free-to-play" guy -- quite the opposite. For most of my time in blogging and podcasting, I have maintained subscription games like FFXI. So, when the opportunity finally came to try the "new" version, I jumped at it. I'll be honest, it feels a lot like FFXI but with a nice twist. It's friendlier, more accessible, yet it still retains that uniqueness that attracted me to FFXI. There is one thing I'm a bit scared of, though.
A crafting and harvesting primer for Final Fantasy XIV
Crafting and harvesting in Final Fantasy XIV is a bit more involved than players have come to expect from the genre. Of course, that's kind of a given for a game in which crafting and gathering classes make up more than half of the options for players. Like with any other game, crafting and harvesting are optional rather than mandatory -- but in this case, fighting monsters with spells and weapons is also optional, with the non-combat classes also being fully capable of reaching the level cap without ever attacking anything. While the systems for gathering materials and for crafting an item aren't as in-depth and ability-specific as the combat system, they're still far more involved than the now-standard practice of clicking a glowing resource node and waiting for a moment. Both involve minigames which require some attention and thought during play. Click on past the cut for a quick primer on working with Final Fantasy XIV's less violent classes.
Square-Enix outlines pre-launch steps for Final Fantasy XIV
The beta test for Final Fantasy XIV has come to a conclusion as of Sunday, leaving fans of the game with two days to fill until the collector's edition goes live. Fortunately, Square-Enix has filled that gap by giving players plenty of homework before the launch. Well, not precisely, but there are preparations to be made before the game goes live, as outlined in an official dispatch from the company. Those planning on picking the game up on Wednesday are advised to create their Square-Enix Account prior to the service launch, as well as taking care of linking any Final Fantasy XI accounts and registering for bonuses. Beta testers are also advised to remove the beta client from their computer prior to installation, and check the official player site for any further updates. The player site is currently only accessible to participants in the beta test, but will be unlocked in full on Tuesday for all Final Fantasy XIV players to get ready for launch.
Join us for our Final Fantasy XIV launch day Livestream
You've heard the debates. You've seen the screenshots. You've read the beta previews. Now, this Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. EDT, we're bringing the game to you live, thanks to the power of internet streaming. Come join me, Seraphina Brennan, on Massively TV as I unbox the Final Fantasy XIV collector's edition and jump into the fray of collector's edition launch day! We'll cover the trials and tribulations of creating a character, push into the starting cities amongst a gigantic wave of people, and pray every waking minute that the server doesn't explode in a ball of fire. (Exciting stuff!) I'll also be taking questions, shout-outs, and comments from our Livestream and IRC chats (irc.quakenet.org, #massively), so please drop by and talk at me while I combat the villainous "Lag" and his partner, "Disconnect." I'll try to answer as much as I can about the game, in addition to offering my opinion on the game's various systems, controls, graphics, and overall gameplay. Need an emailed event reminder? Drop by our Livestream page and be sure to hit the big "remind me" button next to the event listing at the top of the page, above the video! %Gallery-69600%
