Final Fantasy XIV

[jwang]

[patch1.16a] 1.16a Patch Notes
* Following content is planned to be implemented upon the release of patch 1.16a.
* An adjustment could be made on this content depending on the testing result.


Event Updates
[dev1004] Accepted quests can now be abandoned.
Quests can now be abandoned via the question description screen in the journal.
* If you abandon a quest while in an instanced area, you will automatically be transported out of the area.
* You cannot abandon a quest while participating in an event battle.
[dev1036] You will now be able to gain experience points, skill points, and receive loot when you defeat enemies as part of a sidequest.
Because of these changes, respawn rates of sidequest enemies have been lengthened.

Item Updates
[dev1016] Synthesis: Up to 8 items per class can now be stored under synthesis recipe history.

System Updates
[dev1035] Two different targeting modes are now available.
Targeting Mode A (Targeting mode before the patch 1.16)
Target/Menu Navigation Keys and Corresponding Actions
Up/Down
Target party members in order
Left/Right
Cycle through all selectable targets
* Selecting Targeting Mode A set the Targeting Mode to "ALL."
Targeting Mode B (Targeting mode after the patch 1.16)
Target/Menu Navigation Keys and Corresponding Actions
Up/Down
Cycle through targeting modes
Left/Right
Cycle through valid targets, according to the targeting mode currently selected, in order
* Selecting Targeting Mode B will disable Targeting Mode "ALL."
* You can also switch targeting modes using the text command "/targetmode (/tmode)"
/targetmode(/tmode) SubCommand
>>SubCommand
　a 　Switch target mode to A
　b 　Switch target mode to B
　None Toggle A and B
　* Targeting Mode A is selected by default

Overall, a highly underwhelming patch. Then again, rumors say that they're working on a big combat overhaul patch for 1.17, so that's why the patches up till now has been such disappointments.

[ratstsrub]

Prepare for more disappointments.

[jwang]

Holy crap big update this time. Link to the patch notes of 1.17. New NMs, adjustments to local leve guild mark rewards, grouping bonuses, new items, item degradation adjustments, adjustments to gathering, UI adjustments for enemies and maps, this one was a doozie! Granted, they still need to fix the cumbersome LFG system before anyone starts grouping more, but hey! Maybe people would behest outside of Ul'Dah zones now!

[Lavender]

Have they optimised the game at all? I remember it being one of the major problems I had with FFXIV.

It ran terribly in almost every setting unless AA was completely turned off as well as depth of field. Then it ran "okay."

[jwang]

I don't know, the people on BG probably would know better. I just run mine on standard since that's all my machine could handle, but they worked out a lot of the lag issues that came with initial release so it's probably optimized for max settings now.

[KENTA]

Kinda wanna give this a shot now......but not an MMO guy in general, and I don't have the money to buy the actual game.

[jwang]

1.17a is out. Bug fixes and guild task are the two big things. Everything else can just be ignored. Patch notes can be found here.

[jwang]

New letter from the developer, and they still got a huge list of changes to be made. Looks like it's going to be another fiscal year before they're PS3 ready at the rate they're going.

[mewarmo990]

I bought the limited edition of this for PC last summer and have yet to play it since. I feel terrible, since I was keeping up with updates for it for MONTHS before it's release.

Oh no, DREDGING UP FORGOTTEN BUYER'S REMORSE OF MODERN WARFARE 2

[jwang]

Big huge patch today. Lots of changes, only live testing will tell if it's any good though. From what I can see, it all looks very promising so far. Patch notes can be found at http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...17&#post241517, the whole list is a wee bit too big to post here. To summarize though, leves, quests, and behests are changing to award SP upon completion, dungeons are being added, settlement quest hubs are being added, auto-attack is added and stamina system is abolished, enmity is adjusted and an icon is implemented to show how much you have, additional raise and cure spells are added, certain abilities are adjusted, accuracy has been adjusted, fatigue is abolished, death penalty has been adjusted, items added and modified. Can't wait for maintenance to be over to see how the game has changed.

Well, so far this patch has been BLEEEEEERGH disappointment. Auto-attack is cumbersome, abilities still feel slow as shit. Chat log is borked to hell until they fix it, enmity is still fucked up with how they screwed over the taunts. New MP costs makes soloing a chore, though some of the abilities are better. Overall, state of this game is still puketastic.

[mewarmo990]

Squeenix is investigating the possibility of FFXI on the PS Vita. So apprently FFXIV doesn't even exist anymore, hahahah!

[jwang]

That's not all. Apparently SE is developing a new MMO as we speak.

A second look at patch 1.18 shows that it's actually pretty well put together for something that's just step 1 of 3 in combat revamps. While the new MP costs for healing seems ludicrous, it's not that bad, it's just a repeat of what happened when WotLK healers went from full MP nearly all the time to always empty in Cata. Enmity now makes more sense, but imbalance in damage makes it challenging when in grind parties with 2 or more Archers. Soloing mobs 10+ ranks above you is challenging or pretty much impossible now. Dungeons are challenging for the recommended rank, and bosses are sufficiently challenging without requiring ridiculous mechanics to overcome. It's by no way perfect though, with issues with mob placements conflicting with gathering node locations among miscellaneous other issues.

[ratstsrub]

I HATE THE BLACK SHROUD



So there I was, happily going along with my quest, wanting to get to Mor Dhona from West Shroud because I was nearby.

So, after like 10 freakin minutes of running through the long hallway that is the Shroud's piss poor excuse of map design, I run into a Dormite.

Right, in the middle, of the goddamn path. There are no alternate routes for me to take.

So I reasoned, hey maybe I can tank one hit, and the camp is nearby, I'll run past him then.


Long story short I died about 5 steps from the camp.

And quit the game right after.





So for anybody who wants to get into game design, here's some tips:

Make the map and the path a narrow line with no other way pass.
Place top level enemy right at the end to a save point, but before the save point.
???
Profit!!

[jwang]

Haha, yeah some of the mob placements there is absolutely retarded. Reports form other players say the some nodes have mobs camping right on top of them, so as a result as soon as you rez you die, you can't even port out. Thrilling isn't it?

[jwang]

In a brilliant move, Wada decides to start charging at around end of November/early December. Prepare for the exodus until 2.0 hits, these servers are going to be empty as fuck... Oh, and 1.19 has been released for a while; stats are shifted around, combat balance has been altered, chocobos, airships, leve stockpiling, experience chains and links, and recipe changes.

[ratstsrub]

And yet, there is still nothing to do.

[jwang]

An era has ended.

The future will be better.

[ratstsrub]

I'll believe it when I see it.


There is some satisfaction in seeing that world destroyed.

[jwang]

Hey ratstsrub, remember about believing it when you see it? Phase 3 is here, and it really brings the goods. Gameplay is smooth, storyline and questing is top notch FF quality, and graphics as always is beautiful. Anyone who has a beta key, GET IN HERE NOW. Seriously, this shit's amazing. It's everything 1.0 should have been, and we're still at only half the content available. You got to experience it to see how different it has become.

[KENTA]

I wish I wasn't poor and actually enjoyed MMO's.