Final Fantasy XIV Then...

[mikewl]

I've gotten back into this since the xp patch, rank 1-25 are quite generous, it only took me 2-3 evenings to take a new character to R25 Conjurer, after that it slows down but feels just about right from R30 to 40, ranks don't come fast but not too slow.

I think the game is starting to take shape, content is definetely high up on their agenda, a new Companies thing is being added, speculation seems to be that its going to allow party based crafting, things that take more than one person to craft, it would certainly be interesting.

Then there is the Hamlet Defense, not too many details are known but there are some mini towns scattered on the map, pointless right now but will probably be for Hamlet Defense, possibly smaller scale Besieged.

Then as Rep says, regular quests will likely be coming too.

[Tsingtao]

So they're adding synergy and beseiged, I might take another look if they have fixed the game some now.

[Rep]

As a friend pointed out earlier, this is now £5.95 on Amazon

[Daragon]

As a friend pointed out earlier, this is now ?5.95 on Amazon

Postage takes that down to just under 8 quid sadly, I'd probably have bought it at 5.95 just for the goggles.

[Darwock]

Goggles? Did square-enix jump on the limited edition novelty eye-wear bandwagon?

[InvisibleKid]

The 'Goggles' were an extra in-game item that was only available to the first print of the standard edition.

[mikewl]

Massive amounts of changes now. Huge interface overhauls, improved party mechanics, SP gain fixes. It might not sound like much, but it's a different experience now.

Still no word on when the fee is reintroduced, the only thing the game is lacking is content, there are no quests etc. Once these's are added next update, I'd expect it won't be free anymore.

Regarding XP, I did some leve linking last night, if some of you have the same leves you can link them, which is basically like it was when first released, you'd both do them in one go, since they changed the leve system so you don't automatically link, I've been doing them over and over in pt's, but found out last night when you link leves you practically get x2 XP, so you can get through leves quicker and gain the same xp now.

If anything it certainly provides a benefit to partying now.

[Tobal]

no changes to what the games played as regard to the stragtey of the fights then? just mash your icons still?

[mikewl]

The next poll is about the battle system, it will only be up for a week so best to get your answers in now.

Here's the latest letter from the producer.

I like the fact he's been joining in on some behests and I think he's right about the difficulty being too easy with big parties.

http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com...816df108bbfbf4

[Rep]

Changes to class names - Possible introduction of traditional names such as paladin, monk, white mage, etc.

Nice Idea, I miss the classic lore names. Some really odd changes on that list, and the expected DoH nerf incoming. Also the collision detection is being analysed, good move.

[Daragon]

I'd quite like to see them change the race names especially back to their XI equivalents too.

The current ones just don't sound like they'd sit very well with me.

[Rep]

The fan-base is hard to please, Ultimately we're going to end up with a FFXI clone, "Yoshi-P" has already stated different isn't always better, and seems to acknowledge people don't want change from the previous game.

[Daragon]

I just think that XIV needs to recover some of what made XI so endearing - not so much of it so that it becomes a prettier version of it however.

There's a lot to say about photo realistic visuals for example, but in all the shots I've seen, none of them seem to have the same charm to them that XI does. Everything just looks so colourless and empty.

[Rep]

You couldn't be more wrong, some of the vanilla areas so far look amazing, take the bridge in Mor Dohna, Walking through the Canyons in Thanalan, or walk into just about any Guild, it oozes charm.

[Daragon]

Sadly I only have a limited window on which to view this game from. SE have certainly done a very lousy job of promoting it.

JRPGs to me have always been about the 'cute' factor when it comes to their visuals. Unfortunately, it seems they've forgotten that over the past few years with the more recent FF releases.

If I want a game to look like a western rpg then I'll go and take one up.