News.

[Rostum]

FINAL FANTASY XI クリエイターズボイス

Some points to think about and discuss:

- Three new story arch expansions, directed by Masato Kato who created the original and Rise of the Zilart expansion story archs.

- Fields of Valor.

- Treasure Caskets.

- Scholar and Dancer merits and relic armor.

- Tuxedo for male characters.

- Moblin Maze Mongers.

- Eye patches!

And much much more, check the link out. Some has not been translated though. Any thoughts? I wonder what other big things they will announce a the fan festival!

[Del Murder]

Looks pretty sweet. Do we have to fight a moogle?

[Rostum]

It would be ideal!

[Ouch!]

They better not smurf up these mazes. I want my own personal skill-up dungeon. ; ;

[Misfit]

That is so awesome. I just totally reactivated my ffxi AGAIN and I'm so excited about that~ *_*

[Beyond]

Those are all gimicky updates that no one will care about in a month's time after they're released, expansions excepted (Pankration, anyone?).

The biggest news here is that the Rolanberry markets will be able to move back into Jueno since they're abolishing the taxes there. Additionally, the Salaheem's Sentinel's Wildcat representative in Jueno will provide a teleport service to whitegate similar to their three nation counterparts, well and truly after it should have been implemented.

[Rostum]

Those are all gimicky updates that no one will care about in a month's time after they're released.

Wrong, sir.

[Ouch!]

Those are all gimicky updates that no one will care about in a month's time after they're released.

Wrong, sir.

I'm gonna have to agree. Since Square-Enix confirmed that the custom dungeons will offer exp. and skill-ups, I can see a variety of potentially game-changing applications. Actually, since SE has confirmed exp. and skill-ups (as well as facilitation for crafting 0-60), I have to wonder how else they could limit the usefulness of these dungeons.

As far as Fields of Valor goes, I'm very pleased with the opportunity for solo exp. even if it's in small amounts. If nothing else, it beats sitting around doing nothing while you're looking for a party in a given zone.

I think SE proved with the two-hand-weapon modifications and level sync addition that they're capable of making beneficial updates. You say it'll just be forgotten in a short period of time, but what update as large as custom dungeons hasn't proven to have a lasting effect on the community (I've still yet to see a non-level sync party since the update).

[Beyond]

Obviously, "everyone" is hyperbole; I'm pretty sure people still play Pankration (even though I haven't been to the pit since the week it was released)!

The real test for custom dungeons will be accessibility. From what I've seen, the customisation aspect is very limited unless you've invested time into unlocking new pieces. Additionally, if those pieces are consumable (It seems to me that they are, though I don't doubt that I'm probably wrong), it really cuts into the usefulness aspect of these dungeons that everyone seems to be going mad about. (EDIT: Will monsters even respawn? Have they confirmed this yet?)

I'm not too familiar with the Fields of Valour plans, but unless they're designed with lower-levels in mind (under 40s), it's not anything you're not getting already from campaign, sans skillups.

Weren't people shouting those same virtues about ENMs when they were announced? I seem to recall so, anyway. Look how that turned out.

Comparing these to the two-handed weapon modifications and Level Sync is like comparing apples and oranges. They effect a whole lot more than anything these current updates do.

I jumped the gun a little bit, I'll admit. Treasure caskets, along with the reduced respawn time for chests and coffers, as well as DNC/SCH relics are pretty impressive updates too, though I stand by my comment that the Jueno > Whitegate teleport NPC is probably the only non-gimicky addition in this whole update (missions excepted).

[Ultimage]

You can't say no one does Pankration, b/c SE made you need Soultrappers for ZNMs, so people need the points in The Pit to buy them. Granted, that means make your mob lose a few fights and your good for a little while, but they forced you to do it if you want to do the ZNMs (unless you want to throw IS at it).

Also, if you are saying people don't do ENMs, you would be mistaken there. I have an ENM static in Boneyard Gully and I see at least 1-2 other groups there in the 45 minutes to an hour that I'm there. Plus, I know of 2 other groups that go at other times just to that one ENM.

Now, I agree with you that the dungeons may not be what everyone is expecting or hoping to be. However, that doesn't mean that they can't change the way it works later after everyone complains for a month or so. That, and the fact that they said that you would get a type of points when doing things in the dungeons means that if any decent gear can be bought with the points, people will do them constantly.

As for the Fields of Valor, the screenshots did show characters in level 30 or so gear (Eisen for example).

[Beyond]

I admitted I was exaggerating by saying no one plays Pankration anymore and I never said it in the first place about ENM.

You're completely right about the gear thing. If anything offers +haste I'll eat my hat, honest!

[Del Murder]

It depends on the rewards. The main goal for most people in this game is to pimp out their character. If these new things don't help them do that then they will be popular for a month and then fade away.

If Valor is relatively simple to pick up and do and gives decent exp or some other good reward I can see people doing it regularly, like Campaign. Otherwise it will just be done occasionally by the player who is looking for a change of pace.

[Roogle]

We are simply worried that events like Fields of Valor will become obsolete or unnecessary like Expeditionary Force.

[Bahamut2000X]

Or have stupid restrictions on them making them a 10 minute filler followed by 5 hours of seeking.

[Roogle]

Is there any information on what the Relic Armor for Scholar and Dancer does?