SE wrote:
The next FINAL FANTASY XI Version Update has been scheduled to take place in early September.
The development team is currently hard at work to bring you the following, just to name a few items:
- The continuing episodes of nation quests for the Wings of the Goddess expansion.
[spoiler]The storyline for the episodic quests introduced in the Wings of the Goddess expansion pack is set to continue in the upcoming September version update. Adventurers will find themselves thrown into the midst of furious struggles for the continued survival of each nation.
San d'Oria
Having borne witness to the real horrors of the battlefield, Tavnazia-bound Excenmille makes the executive decision to disband the Young Griffons in the interest of his friends' safety. Bitterly disappointed at their captain's sudden change of heart and eager to prove him wrong, the ever-zealous remaining members embark on an ambitious mission that will see them come face to face with a fiendish Orcish plot...
Bastok
Trouble is brewing in the republic as Galkan discontent towards the Hume government and the imperious military police threatens to boil over into all-out civil war. To make matters worse, fueling the fire of rebellion is an unlikely culprit—a sworn brother of the proud Mythril Musketeers. With the unity and morale of the citizens crumbling and the security of the nation compromised from within, will Bastok's defenses be able to hold out should the unthinkable occur...?
Windurst
Although victorious over the Yagudo Theomilitary at Fort Karugo-Narugo, the Windurstian Forces have been left nursing grievous wounds to their ranks. The Mithran Mercenaries, however, could not have chosen a more inopportune time to engage in internal feuding. Old rivalries are reignited as Cobra Command transforms from the city's last bastion of defense into a savage battlefield...
The dark underbelly of the Crystal War will be revealed to adventurers brave enough to answer the call. The future of Vana'diel rests in your hands![/spoiler]
- Major battle-related tweaks and additions.
- Adjustments to fellows and Campaign.
SE wrote:
The Myriad Arms of Balrahn, cont. (07/29/2008)
[spoiler]The next version update brings with it a number of additions and adjustments to the highly anticipated "Myriad Arms of Balrahn," those mysterious weapons of myth and legend.
Arms of Balrahn Quest Adjustments
One of the uncountable legacies left by that most famous of Aht Urhgan emperors, Balrahn, was his unparalleled collection of what have since come to be known as "Mythic weapons." Much like their Dynamis counterparts, the relic weapons, these weapons were designed with the intention of being markedly difficult to obtain, as befits their value as prestige items. There are several points of departure between the two weapon groups, however, including both the series of questlines required to procure them, as well as the weapons' attributes themselves. Whereas the successful upgrading of a relic weapon demands that a player repeatedly participate in Dynamis runs, and subsequently requires a potentially large sum of gil, the mythic weapons are tempered by players fulfilling a series of conditions over a prolonged period of time. Though the means of acquiring relic and mythic weapons may differ greatly in many respects, a number of factors were taken into account before the introduction of the latter to ensure that the eventual time required for obtaining them would be roughly equivalent.
That being said, it has since come to our attention that one of the prerequisites, namely that concerning the amassing of alexandrite, has greatly surpassed the original intentions of the development team. At present, the number of pieces of alexandrite required is recognized to be in excess of a reasonable amount.
A general survey was conducted to ascertain several important facts regarding Salvage and the alexandrite drops within. These included, but were not limited to, considerations such as how many instances of Salvage were being run by players, which routes were being taken and which enemies fought most frequently in each area, and an overall gauge of player progression through Salvage. From this data, an estimation was extrapolated of how much alexandrite would drop server-wide on any given day. Following the introduction of the mythic weapon quests, we were able to confirm that the alexandrite drops were occurring on a par with what was assumed would be the case. The overall amount available for distribution, however, was judged to be overwhelmingly lacking.
In response to these findings, the version update will usher in a reduction to the total amount of alexandrite necessary for the completion of the mythic weapons. Also, new means of obtaining alexandrite will be introduced in an attempt to ease the gathering process.
Arms of Balrahn Quest Additions
Supplementing the amendments listed above, the coming version update will also introduce a new battlefield to round out the Arms of Balrahn questline. Victory in this battlefield, along with successful completion of the relevant quests, will cause the mythic weapons first obtained in the ruins of Nyzul Isle to transform, recalling their original powers and rendering them capable of devastating new job-specific weapon skills.
These weapon skills will also be obtainable by players not in possession of finished mythic weapons via completion of weapon skill quests, also new to the upcoming version update. Once unlocked, they will be available for use whenever a player equips a weapon of the same type on the appropriate job. Though the destructive power of the attacks themselves will remain unchanged regardless of the quest completed to obtain them, only execution with a mythic weapon will grant the powerful Aftermath effects. The new weapon skill acquisition quests were developed with the aim of affording all players the ability to enjoy some the exciting new content we have planned, while at the same time not diminishing the value and prestige of the completed mythic weapons. Whichever path you may choose to embark upon, we wish you the very best of luck on your adventures![/spoiler]
SE wrote:
Dynamis and Limbus Get a Makeover! (08/04/2008)
[spoiler]The September version update just keeps getting bigger and better! We would like to take this opportunity to announce our intentions to implement some all-new features to both Dynamis and Limbus, as well as a few adjustments brought in by popular demand!
Blue mage / Corsair / Puppetmaster Artifacts and Relics
The wait is finally over!
At long last, the highly anticipated relic gear sets of the blue mage, corsair, and puppetmaster jobs are here! Rounding out the standard 5-piece sets, the more recently added back and waist items will also be added to September's version update. Players with these jobs can now look forward to obtaining the ingredient items required to temper their artifact and relic gear with even greater enhancements!
When considering how to best introduce this equipment, the development team weighed many options, including the possibility of entirely original methods. In the end, however, the decision was made that such means would be largely unfair by rendering only players with these jobs capable of accessing new game content. Therefore, all of the above items will be procured in the same way as their predecessors, namely via exploits in the Dynamis and Limbus areas.
Drop Rates
Great care has been put into assuring that current drop rates will see no negative impact from the introduction of the new blue mage, corsair, and puppetmaster gear sets. Players can rest easy knowing that any and all necessary adjustments to the drop rate ratios have been considered and implemented to maintain a fair and balanced game experience.
Furthermore, the overall drop rates of select Dynamis areas, covering the relic gear of all jobs old and new, are set to be raised as well.
Entry Fees
In light of the additions and adjustments detailed above, the entry fees for both Dynamis and Limbus were also brought under careful reconsideration.
Thanks in part to the ground being made by the Special Task Force in combating RMT-related activities, and subsequent normalization of the game economy, the following reduction in price to entry items will be implemented in the upcoming September version update.
Timeless Hourglass: 1,000,000 gil -> 500,000 gil
Cosmo-Cleanse: 30,000 gil -> 15,000 gil
[/spoiler]
SE wrote:
Merit Points Group 1 for Dancer and Scholar! (08/13/2008)
[spoiler]Dancers and scholars, rejoice! The job-specific merit point category, Group 1, will finally be coming to you in the upcoming version update!
With this addition, dancers and scholars alike will be able to reach new heights by spending acquired merits points on upgrades such as reducing ability delay and enhancing the overall effect of their job-exclusive abilities. The group maximum ability increase and the individual maximum ability increase will be 10 and 5 respectively, in line with the other jobs.[/spoiler]
SE wrote:
The Campaign Continues! (08/15/2008)[spoiler]In the ever-present attempt to render Campaign more agreeable to the player palate, the September version update will play host to a veritable smorgasbord of additions and tweaks, adjustments and tunings!
And now is as good a time as any to let the players in on some of what we've got in store.
Beastman Confederate Stronghold Notorious Monsters
In a turn of events that bodes only ill, a new class of beastman elite will be garrisoned at each of the strongholds located in La Vaule [S], Beadeaux [S], and Castle Oztroja [S]. Each group is comprised of a total of eight notorious monsters, their very presence mocking the Allied Forces' efforts from behind well-defended walls.
Defeating these new NMs will result in a marked decrease in the defensive capabilities(*1) of the strongholds under beastman control. In addition, they may drop treasure items which can be used by players to increase the defenses of the Allied Forces' own strongholds. Thus, their significance in the outcome of the war can hardly be overlooked.
Further, amassing a collection of eight Key Items by felling all of a stronghold's NMs will grant players the opportunity to enter a battlefield (*2) where even more dangerous foes await...
*1: Defensive capabilities refers specifically to a total of eight Campaign-related factors, such as funds, tactics, reconnaissance, etc. These statistics can be checked by either talking to the proper Campaign NPCs in any of the three nations, or from the Region Info option under the Main Menu.
*2: Only one of the members entering the battlefield is required to be in possession of the eight Key Items.
Influence Over Areas
It has been noted that the trend on many servers since the implementation of Campaign has been for the Allied Forces to fall well behind the Beastman Confederate in terms of influence over areas, with the disparity being quite difficult to overcome once in place.
Therefore, the coming version update will usher in several changes that will make it easier to win influence, with the goal of increasing the likelihood of areas changing hands as the war rages on.
Another area of the Campaign system which will see further enhancement in September is that of freelances. To take just one example, players can look forward to a new wandering scholar NPC who, once recruited, will take up residence in your nation's capital and aid the war effort by readily dispensing invaluable information.
Campaign Battle Performance Assessments
The judging of player performances in Campaign battles at the hands of Campaign Arbiters will see several adjustments. These changes will focus primarily on the use of enhancing magic and songs, though there will also be adjustments to the methods of calculation, as well as limits placed upon single assessments.
Simplification of Campaign Evaluation Standards
The requirements needed for each medal become more and more stringent as a player progresses in rank. However, recent trends indicate that as the conditions necessary in the upper ranks become more demanding, considerably more time is demanded of players to either maintain their current rank, or to advance via further promotion. The end result is an inability for players to enjoy the ease of participation and simple battle system as originally intended.
In response to this, players can expect the standards of Campaign evaluations to be simplified in order to make the entire process more agreeable and accessible.
New Campaign Ops
New Campaign Ops focusing on the wartime training of physicians are also in development. Successful completion of these Ops will ultimately serve to ease the strategic defense of the Allied Forces' areas, and hold the Beastman Confederate at bay.
[/spoiler]
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