Saturday, June 29, 2013

2 Guides Incoming! Gladiator Group Leveling Guide and Paladin Endgame Guide

As the title says,

I realize there is a pretty big demand out there for some of this info, so I am going to create 2 guides.

The first introducing skills as they become available and your rotation/priority/etc.

The second will be focused on optimally rotating you cooldowns while stunning a boss and maintaining aggro in a raid environment.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Yoshi-P, Possibly the Most In-Touch MMO Developer in History!

The below posting was translated by Camate on the Beta forums.  It is a shining example of how Yoshi-P actually does understand the needs and desires of our diverse MMO community and gives astounding insights from both sides of the coin.

Design Concepts for FFXIV ARR

Description: Quote Originally Posted by Naoki_Yoshida Description: View Post
Producer and director Naoki Yoshida here.

You've been providing us great feedback on all aspects of FFXIV: ARR, and I can't thank you all enough. With phase 3 well underway, we have testers coming from a wide range of backgrounds, whether they're unfamiliar with Version 1.0, coming in from another game, dropping in to test the FFXIV out, or simply new to MMOs as a whole.

With such a diverse group of testers here, I thought it would be best to speak with you all about the design of FFXIV and the direction the game will be heading. MMOs are fairly large games, and as you'd expect of a large game, this post will be fairly long, and perhaps a little complicated. Some of you may be thinking "Well as long as the game is fun, your plans are fine with me." If you not overly concerned with the way game is progressing, you're free to skim through this post if you'd like. If you have questions or concerns about core game designs, and are considering leaving feedback, pull up a comfy chair and perhaps grab a snack. Hopefully by the end of this post, your questions will be answered.

I know I said this just a moment ago, but this post is fairly long, and I could probably give a lecture based on its contents. For those of you planning to read this, prepare yourselves for the flood of text that's coming.

I'll begin by talking about the early stages of MMOs, followed by a look at them from a business standpoint, and finish with a few words on content design in FFXV: ARR.
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·        Yoshida: The Hardcore Gamer vs. Producer and Director
As an avid gamer myself, I'd like to start with a comparison of two viewpoints with respect to the start of MMOs—Yoshida the hardcore gamer, and Yoshida the producer and director.
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·        Yoshida the Hardcore Gamer
I've played online games for nearly 20 years now, and whenever there's a new release, you can be sure I'm going to try it. When I do, however, there's always that longing for a magic button that will instantly take me to the level cap.

No matter the MMO, there's a certain standard expected of every game. This includes the chat system, party system, and features such as guilds to foster the community. There are also standard UI elements making it easy to move from one game to another. Since there's little you need to remember changing over from one game to the next, one may think these games are designed to quickly get to the level cap and start playing through endgame content.

It goes without saying that the leveling system, skill system, and many other aspects of the game are important, but all of these things can be figured out at the level cap. As a result, players can feel frustrated with only one or two skills at the beginning of the game, wanting to quickly rush through everything and get to the cap.

For example, let's say until yesterday, there's a particular game I've devoted all of my time to. I'm max level, I have all the best gear—I'm a top ranked player on my server. When I log into the game people take notice, and there are few who haven't heard of me. If it's time for a large-scale raid, I take the lead gathering my guild mates, and we press on to victory. Nothing beats the thrill of life and death battles with raid bosses, lasting well through the night until my eyes are bloodshot the next day. With every relevant gaming site bookmarked, I'm always up to speed on and any and everything so that no one could ever doubt my skill.

But today I started a new game, and I have no experience or assets to speak of. The epic encounters I'm accustomed to are gone, and my only choices in combat are A > B or B > A. I don't see any demanding gameplay, and all there is to do is explore the large maps. Thankfully I have a lot of general gaming experience, so I can make use of my time fairly efficiently. As I begin pouring my time into the game, I can only help but think "Why couldn't there be some faster way to reach level 50. If they won't let me speed to level 50, the least they could do is make the beginning of the game a little harder. Maybe then I could have a little more fun until cap. This game needs to pick up soon, or I'm out of here."

The important thing to remember here is that the people getting bored at the beginning are gamers who play and think like I do. These gamers have realized that combat is the the primary focus of the MMO experience.

Although this is a fairly extreme example, to all of you skilled players with long gaming histories, let me ask one question. When playing a new game for the first time, have you ever thought it was a bit dull or underwhelming in the beginning? With MMOs in particular, as players continue to move from game to game, they tend to get burned out easily. My hardcore MMO gamer friends are like this as well, saying they'll never waste so much time trying to get into a game ever again. The beginning of the game seems dull and uninteresting, but there's still that longing for something to ignite a passion for the game.

Another common phenomenon among MMO players is something I like to call "first love syndrome." A new game comes out and you play from beta through to the free trial, and although there are a lot of things you like, you always go back to your first MMO. You feel the updates were always so much better in your first MMO, focusing on the things you can no longer do in the other games you try. This is just how people are after playing a particular game for a long time, getting stuck in their old ways.

I'm sure anyone who's had to change schools because of their parents or change jobs because of company troubles can relate. Suddenly finding yourself in a new environment can be stressful, and there's always that desire to go back to the way things used to be. Even small details reminiscent of "the good old days" can be reassuring.
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·        Yoshida the Producer and Director
Looking at the game objectively as a developer for an MMO, the game looks completely different compared to my hardcore gaming alter ego. The first thing I often think of is the stress felt by first time MMO players and the high barrier of entry.

Looking at an MMO from the viewpoint of those who tend to avoid them, the following qualities define your typical MMO:
·        A game for hardcore players. (A game they can't relate to)
·        A game that requires a constant internet connection. (Stressful)
·        A game where you have to chat with people. (Stressful)
·        A game that requires partying to progress, forcing interaction with others. (Stressful)
·        A game that lacks a good story. (Low expectations)
·        A game with too many windows and interfaces. (Confusing)
·        A game with too many things to remember, making it unplayable. (Intimidating)
·        A game with too much terminology. (Difficult)
·        A game where you may be abruptly killed by another player. (Misconception)
·        A game that looks like too much trouble. (A vague sense of uneasiness)
The truth of the matter is, all of these points are often applicable to MMOs.

When speaking from a hardcore gamer's point of view, I mentioned there are many things that are simply to be expected in an MMO. For a person who's never played an MMO, however, these can sometimes be seen as insurmountable obstacles. 
·        An online playing environment (more affordable in recent years)
·        Chat system
·        Battle system
·        Party gameplay
·        Real-time battle system
·        A basic interface allowing prolonged gameplay
·        A guild system such as linkshells and free companies
·        Crafting and gathering
·        Trading
·        Markets
·        Character development that doesn't require resetting
Although they may be seen as drawbacks, these are all necessary in an MMO. These are also what make MMOs so interesting.

Just as FFXI was there for gamers 11 years ago, we want FFXIV to introduce a new generation of gamers to MMOs. Considering the shortcomings of Version 1.0, we want the beginning of the game to be stress-free, giving players an incentive to give it a try. Although gaming veterans tend to focus on the battle system, one should also consider the following:
·        Exploring the expansive areas in the game
·        Potential new friends always running about as you explore
·        An environment that's constantly changing in real time
·        Conversation with NPCs revealing the world's lore
·        The thrill of a good fight
·        Trying on a newly obtained piece of gear
·        Leveling up and learning a new skill
·        Acquiring return and teleport to travel between areas
·        Progressing to an area you've never seen before

I believe playing an MMO should be about enjoying the world as a whole. My first MMO was Ultima Online, and I have to admit I wasn't the fastest learner starting out. The world was huge, everyone I met was from another country, and I didn't understand English. After carefully checking all the menus, I managed to get out into the field to fight a chicken...but I was barehanded. To make matters worse, I was PK’ed shortly after (lol). Despite all these frustrations, however, it was an incredible gaming experience. I never realized games like that existed before. The beginning of FFXIV: ARR has been designed to offer newcomers that same sense of wonderment. 
·        Create a quality character to represent you, be it manly, cute, rugged, or sexy.
·        Enjoy a beautiful, expansive world that's constantly changing.
·        Connect with other players from around the world.
·        Speak with NPCs and reveal the game's story.
·        Take your time as you use the map and explore.
·        Take on fearsome looking monsters and revel in your victories.
·        Enjoy the freedom of progressing through the story alone or with friends.
·        Discover something new each time you visit your favorite places.
·        Follow the story of a crystal, befitting a FINAL FANTASY title.
·        Start off as a fledgling adventurer and grow to be something greater.
·        Board an airship and set out on a great adventure.

As a FINAL FANTASY game, I feel these elements make for a solid beginning in an MMO. What's important is whether or not players feel comfortable in the world of Eorzea. Players should find the game easy to get into, but also fun and exciting.

If players don't find the game intuitive, they're not likely to make use of the UI, chat system, or the party system, let alone play through the main scenario quests. Even now we're conflicted over the best way to explain the game's systems and features. Videos may prove more helpful than text, but would prove to be costly when updating. Too much text and the game will push players around everywhere, so it has to be simple. The problems go on and on.

For a player new to MMOs, the individual systems that make up the game are small pieces of a beautiful all-encompassing world. Eventually, they may realize these small systems make up a much greater part of the game than they first thought. Nevertheless, players aren't thinking that far ahead at the beginning of the game. Above all else, players should feel the game offers a world they can enjoy.

For the first 15 levels, when players are still adjusting to online gameplay, there are no elements in the game that force you into playing in a party. This way, as players are still learning the ropes, there's no worry of strangers in a party yelling at them or trying to order them around while trying to play. However, this may not necessarily be the case for endgame.
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·        The Business Challenge of an MMO
With each passing year, it becomes increasingly difficult to release a large-scale MMO. The rush following Ultima Online and EverQuest reached its peak with Blizzard's World of Warcraft. That's not to say WoW started off without criticism. When it first released, there were many complaints about the simplicity of quests, that there was a lack of adventure. There two factions were poorly balanced in PvP, and general impressions would lead one to believe the game was no fun. Looking at WoW now, it's almost unimaginable.

However, instead of giving up, Blizzard switched their plans to be more user/community-centric from their second year of operation on, and became dominant by increasing the new MMORPG users through supplementation of thick scenarios, quest lines, and end-game content. WoW didn’t become what it is today by acquiring all of the existing MMORPG players at the time, they became what they are today as the result of breaking into new territory and as a result of that secured all of the existing MMORPG players.

Instead of choosing sides, they persisted and made it attractive to both groups, and began expanding with a focus on Blizzard fans. While the scale is slightly different, FFXI was more than likely in the same boat 11 years ago. Blizzard has been quoted saying that "MMORPGs are a service industry." This was a tremendous shock to Blizzard fans at that time when Blizzard who possesses such great confidence in their game design said this.

Moving forward to 2013, their user numbers are continuing to fall; however, World of Warcraft reigning as the absolute king of the MMORPG industry has not changed. We arrived to where we are currently with the MMORPG rush during 2007 as well as the additional large scale rush of last year.

There are 3 main difficulties for launching an MMO.
·        Content volume
·        High-quality user interface
·        New and unique elements

To overcome these three difficulties and launch a game is by no means an easy matter. Amongst the large number of MMORPGs that are trying to launch, there are many cases where their content volume is compared to other MMORPGs who have been running for a long time, and end up suffering immensely. Additionally, the impressions of the beginning of the game between the gamer and the new MMORPG player that I mentioned before are as different as night and day. With this, it’s uniqueness that largely increases the difficulty. 
·        I want to target MMORPG gamers as much as possible
·        I want to acquire as many new players as possible

Recent MMORPGs are beginning to shift to a more action based game; however, I personally feel that this is one element that acts as a reverse effect for MMORPGs that are striving to operate for a long time with a subscription-based model (This is separate from cases where you are shortening the life cycle for a single MMORPG user. In that case it is correct.). As I mentioned previously, the road blocks on the way to getting used to an MMORPG are too high and adding action elements into the mix, while definitely exciting, makes it extremely difficult for the common player to repeat these battles everyday for hundreds of hours.

Furthermore, it becomes difficult to churn out battle content from a balance perspective, and as a result content volume is affected. Due to this, a more fitting business model would be the free-to-play model which allows for retention of the game through low estimations of total play time, a higher churn rate of new players, and the average spending per customer (also known as microtransactions).

As a numbered title in the FINAL FANTASY series, we are striving to make FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn a game that operates steadily for a long time, and one where we provide a steady flow of updates and content to you all. With that said, when we made the decision to build A Realm Reborn from the ground up while working on updates for 1.0, the first thing we decided was to eliminate action elements as best as possible.

With the advent of stronger internet connections, recent MMORPGs have come to be able to have defensive and evasive skills similar to offline stand alone games. Despite this, I feel that this does not fit with our customers who play FINAL FANTASY online, and I would like to have everyone play this game steadily for as long of a time as possible, which is why we've eliminated action elements to the best of our ability.

With these goals in mind we have built the content and the battle system.
·        Visually noticeable AoE attacks that you can avoid by moving
·        A system where you can boost damage by attacking from certain positions
·        Freedom to put things together by executing skills that follow a specific route
·        Being able to fixate on dealing the most damage while giving consideration to TP/MP costs in the end-game
·        Jump not being essential for clearing content

While it might be thought of as simplistic, the end-game after reaching the level cap is where a good deal of player skill differences will start to appear, especially when adding equipment into the mix. We started designing this game by making the first goal of FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn having everyone enjoy this aspect.

This is the reason why there are no action elements in FFXIV content and battle. While I’m repeating myself, just like FFXI was trying to show FINAL FANTASY users the excitement of MMORPGs at that time, we would like to show players of the current time period the excitement of MMORPGs once again through FFXIV. Showing that it's possible to play and enjoy it by spending time, without rushing, at their own pace.
·        A fetch-quest game vs. a game with clear purpose
Now then, FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn has adopted the quest form game design that was established by World of Warcraft. However, even since the old days of RPGs there have been small stories from towns that when cleared lead into larger stories, and this isn't just related to WoW.

On the other hand, the world of an MMORPG is vast and is not like a regular game where you simply pass through and move on. As there are multiple classes and jobs, having players adventure through the entire world would result in a gigantic number of quests. Of course there are people who don’t want to read quest text and want to be able to finish them with a single click, so after WoW there have been many discussions on this topic.

However, without a pile of quests, it’s not possible to have players learn about the world, and there are ton of benefits for having these so users can play the game with a sense of progression.

In order to make it so FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn does not just become a fetch quest game we decided to add some variety and flavor. Of course, we've created a really large story since this is a new FINAL FANTASY title after all. However, for the so-called side-quests that have been spread along the main questing line, we’ve done our best to reduce the text, making it so the text can be skipped by spamming through it. For quests where major characters appear, we’ve made this clear by adding a special icon, and also spruced them up to make them exciting by adding voices and cutscenes. While we did not add voices to class and job quests, we still made them with the same thought process.

When it comes to hardcore MMORPG players like myself, it's all about skipping text by spamming the mouse left-click to get to upper ranks of leveling and content. However, this is something that is sure to be fresh and new for the MMORPG newcomer, and we’d like to see gaps form between peoples’ various images of MMORPGs in a positive way, such as "whoa, there are a huge amount of quests," "Just when I thought I was done there is another one," and "Isn't an MMO something you take on with parties?"

The game design will largely change after the level 15 instanced battle quest. All of you adventurers will then begin taking on dungeons with parties throughout the main storyline so that you can meet new allies.

While I understand that there are some of you who feel that it would be better if you could clear everything by yourself, from an MMORPG business perspective, there is a necessity to make it so a large amount of players continue to play for a long time. Because of this, it’s critical that players interact with each other and build a strong community. This is why we have implemented party content in the main quest line and removed the stress of forming parties with the Duty Finder which automatically matches players.

Of course the real loss is if people get tired of the game on the way to level 15, but as I have written, I feel that it’s critical to make the beginning of an MMORPG one such that anyone can progress, and in the case that there are people that drop out or are not satisfied with the development of the game ahead, I feel this is fine as everyone has their own preferences. To some degree, the ideal for the beginning of the game is to get through it as fast as you can and moving on.

Other MMORPGs have a guild system you can set up after starting the game and playing for two hours. In FFXIV: ARR, we have Free Companies, but this can only be created after joining a Grand Company, which is different from other MMORPGs. Especially for those players who are new to MMORPGs, explaining guilds is difficult. The beginning of the game contains too many things to remember and if we had Free Company invitations added to the mix people would be completely lost. However, for those players who wish to form a Free Company right away, you can speed through the beginning and reach that point before you know it. We would like all kinds of players to succeed in this game, so while it might be somewhat of a nuisance for the advanced players, this was designed like this intentionally.
·        FFXIV: ARR Party Content Design
We've put in a considerable amount of work to add as much of the playable scenario as possible for launch. We'd like both MMORPG players and those new to MMORPGs to play the game comfortably while enjoying the newest story in the FINAL FANTASY series.

As I have already mentioned, the party dungeons that will start from level 15 will not require you to worry about finding parties as we have prepared a feature known as the Duty Finder which will automatically form parties (During the third test of Beta Test phase 3 we will be performing Duty Finder stress tests.). With that said, the only things you really need to worry about are leveling up to level 50 and dungeon difficulty.

The difficulty for the 2 dungeons from level 15 has been set you can get excited about your victory and not worry about wiping with the first party of players you meet. With the third dungeon there will be some special mechanics, and for primal battles within the scenario that take place after that, you’ll come to learn that for large boss battles you’ll need a solid strategy to win.

For the Legacy members who have done the end-game content up until the end of 1.0, as well as for players who are familiar with other MMORPGs, the content that you encounter while leveling up to the cap will be a walk in the park. However, the most important point here is that you can have fun and clear content as players with different levels of knowledge will be matched and grouped by the Duty Finder.

The difficulty will increase as the story progresses. Likewise, you role as a particular class will become clearer as you learn weapon skills, magic, and abilities, and the number of times you wipe will gradually increase in the event that you do not properly formulate a battle plan that involves the skilled use of abilities and attack positioning.

We’ve paid extremely close attention to the design of this content so that the balance and difficulty increases, the clear need for strategies to clear content, and the need for equipment can be easily understood. Similarly, this is also the biggest reason why we’ve also made the battle system foundation as simple as possible. The MMORPG battle system and the battle content design are one and the same.

Additionally, once you start getting into crafting and gathering, the game will become even more in-depth and a ton of content you can do each day will be introduced. We’d like you to enjoy the world of Eorzea relaxed in your own style and at your own pace.

Once the main scenario reaches its first major milestone, I believe the meaning behind the opening will become clear.

Doing the quests and reading the story text without leveling another class, continuing to play straight through for 60-80 hours you can see the world’s longest list of credits, and even after that continue to adventure through Eorzea. There will begin to be a difference in player skills as large enemies appear and players gather equipment to combat these foes. There are a ton of plans in store: primals that are summoned in to Eorzea, the housing system, what happened to Bahamut, the Crystal Tower, large scale PvP, company crafting, and more. The feeling that you are living in Eorzea will really take place after the "ending."

It's at this point in time where you will start to need multiple level 50 classes and jobs, battle strategies, efficient usage of skills, and intense analysis from players passionate about research. This is why the early stages of the game and the core battle system have been simplified. The much discussed length of the global cooldown is because you have time to think at the moment, yet once you reach end-game, that free time will all but disappear as what you'll need to do will increase, so with that said, we do not plan on eliminating this.
·        In Closing

I still have so much I could write, but eventually it would just turn into a book…
I apologize for making this so long, but FFXIV: ARR is a game that we have designed with these core concepts in mind. While it may seem a huge list of reasoning, once you start playing, this reasoning could matter less, so though I am yet again repeating myself, we are placing the utmost importance on making sure everyone enjoys the game.

The development team has been checking Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and other sites in addition to the forums to get a wide view of impressions of Beta Test phase 3. Also, please know that we are not making decisions solely based on the number of "Likes" a post has on the forum. There are a lot of differing opinions on the forums and it’s the important work of the operations team to read this data objectively and collect it so there is no bias, reporting it as a ratio of those who post from the total player population.

As long as there are likes and dislikes for games, there will always be conflicting opinions. There are a lot of cases where if we decide to adopt A, then adopting B becomes impossible, so in order to prevent missteps when making decisions, we think about your feedback extremely carefully.

In the Player Feedback Status List that we released the other day, there were items that we addressed as well as those that we did not along with a clear explanation. Since MMORPGs are a service industry, I feel that all of these discussions are extremely important for MMORPG operation, so instead of only "they did this," "they are not doing that," "I think this," "I think it should be this way," it;s my sincere wish that everyone takes a step back a bit and have fun talking about the game.

Before posting, I'd like to ask you to please check to make sure that your post won’t have a negative effect on those around you. Up until now Square Enix has been a pretty closed off company, so I’m sure there are some players who really want to state their demands. Of course we will listen to them sincerely, but please base them all on having fun first and foremost.

I'm repeating myself, but there is no need for players who are experiencing MMORPGs for the first time to overthink this. We’ve made it so you can have fun and reach your goal by preparing a ton of exciting and fun cutscenes and making balance adjustments as we go. We actually tried testing out early battles where the maximum TP was lowered so you would have to really pay more attention to it. However, it was tiring to repeat that kind of battle over and over on random fodder monsters. With 1 on 1 battles, your efficiency in avoiding enemy skills improves around level 5, and you learn that only attacking enemies from the front in instanced quest battles will result in death.

I definitely understand spicing things up, and that’s why it has to be just right. However, as I stated previously, the beginning of an MMORPG is not only focused on battle. There is a world, people, time passes in real-time, battles, crafting, gathering, chatting, and creating your ideal characters. In order to have you all enjoy the world, we’ve prepared the battles at the beginning of the game to be just the first step before shifting into the more difficult aspects (We plan on reducing the difficulty for the level 15 instanced battle quest a little bit more.). If you don’t think this shift was done very well, then that is my fault.

In Beta Test phase 3 the level cap has been set to level 35, and the difficulty for the Brayflox dungeon has been set slightly harder than the official release version. For those who are dying for a challenging dungeon, please give it a shot!

In order to satisfy all kinds of players, we have our goals set very high, but we will continue to work as hard as possible, and would love for you all to stay with us for many years to come!

Beta June 28-30, No Duty Finder

It has been posted on the beta forums, another weekend but seemingly nothing left to test.  It seems the Duty Finder (equivalent to WoW's LFG/LFR) is still undergoing final checks/internal testing, so this will probably be more along the lines of a demo/server test yet again.

Begins:  5am EST June 28th
Ends:  5am EST June 30th


Monday, June 24, 2013

Let's Talk About Limit Breaks!

Hey fellow Eorzeans,

I figured it would probably be a good time to talk about Limit Breaks, a mechanic we have come to love in past Final Fantasies, and how it is going to be completely broken in a raid environment!

First, the ones that are pretty cool and nice for situational use:

Melee DPS:

1 - Braver:  A single-target attack with 2,300 potency.
2 - Blade Dance:  A single-target attack with 5,000 potency.
3 - Final Heaven:  A single-target attack with 9,000 potency.

Ranged DPS:

1 - Skyshard:  An area attack with 1,400 potency.
2 - Starstorm:  An area attack with 3,000 potency.
3 - Meteor:  An area attack with 5,400 potency.

Tank:

1 - Shield Wall:  Reduces damage taken by all party members by 10%. 10s duration
2 - Mighty Guard:  Reduces damage taken by all party members by 20%. 25s duration

Healer:

1 - Healing Wind:  Restores HP of all nearby party members by 25%.
2 - Breath of Earth:  Restores HP of all nearby party members by 60%.

Now, the problems...

Tank:

3 - Last Bastion:  Reduces damage taken by all party members by 50%. 12s duration

Healer:

3 - Pulse of Life - Revives and restores HP of all nearby party members by 100%.

You may be looking at those abilities and be like, "Holy shit those are amazing!  I can't wait to use them to save our raid!"  But, in all practical use, these 2 abilities in their current form are either too powerful or will cause us to depend upon them out of necessity.

I would like to outline 2 scenarios that could potentially cause the raiding scene in ARR to be less than challenging.


Scenario 1:  We will use Ifrit Extreme as an example here.  When killing Ifrit there is a phase where you must DPS down the nails, otherwise it will wipe your raid when he uses "Hellfire," his signature move.  Now, a tank can usually survive this since Hellfire would hit for a little over 3,000 damage.  Well if we use Last Bastion to reduce that damage by 50% for Hellfire then we can simply keep DPSing Ifrit and our healers can heal up that paltry 1,500 damage everyone took with a few aoe heals.  This essentially ELIMINATES the nail mechanic from Ifrit, breaking the encounter the way the developers designed it.

There are 2 solutions here, make Hellfire be an instant kill regardless of buffs which would be ok really, it would force players to do the mechanics of the fight properly.  Or, the development team could simply nerf Last Bastion to something that would not trivialize the only hard part of an encounter.


Scenario 2:  SE seems to be borrowing a lot of mechanics from other triple-A MMOs.  Let's consider a fight where there is a lot of aoe or some mechanic that can easily kill players like poison that has to be passed on before the timer expires.  Pulse of Life could essentially remove these mechanics from raiding just like Last Bastion would do to Ifrit's nails.

You've got half your raid dead from failing at a particular fight mechanic?  No worries!  Just Pulse of Life and everyone comes back at full health and you can keep beating away at that boss like he is a pinata made of concrete!

The only way I see this ability not being completely broken, is if the area of effect is pretty small, at least THEN it wouldn't be an encounter reset that does not reset the bosses HP.  As it stands, we pretty much have the opportunity to fight the boss twice without his HP resetting (more if that limit gauge fills quick enough).


So, are these abilities awesome and very unique to the MMO genre?  You bet!  They make all the Mi'quote girls panties wet (maybe the boys too).  BUT, they are new to the MMO genre because they are so stupidly over-powered.  Last Bastion doesn't even list a range of effect, it is just all members!

These are definitely some unique tools to Final Fantasy, but they will just be a crutch to so many Free Companies as they squeeze by difficult raid fights (if we even have any).  The fact that these 2 abilities are even in the game mean that we will never see any of the DPS Limit Breaks in a raid because who cares about slightly more damage when you can just get a full raid reset?!

Square Enix, please fix this!

Materia System Revisions Flip 1.0 Characters on Their Backs

I don't know about the rest of you, but logging into the beta was a little discerning when I looked at my triple melded gear and only saw cracked materia :(.  The time and effort that went into getting those rarer pieces makes my stomach turn lol.

I understand SE had to redo the materia system for the new version of the game but couldn't they at least have converted the materia over?  I mean, having some bonuses on my gear would be better than "cracked" materia popping up all over like herpes!

Determination is an interesting stat, possibly the best stat but the description is a little vague, it really depends on how much it will effect your damage at endgame.

I do have to say, the fact that you no longer bust gear when melding materia is AMAZING, it does really reduce the value of a triple/quad meld, but honestly, rarity should not come down to someone trying to meld something 200 times to get a success.

I do question if we will actually need things like a fire resist set for Ifrit.  While it would add a layer of preparation and strategy, I feel that it would also impose an unnecessary burden that WoW removed years ago in WotLK and is probably antiquated in today's MMO market.

I am a little sad that we only have Parry Materia and not Block or Dodge, this really limits players on optimizing their tanking (which is always my focus).  Regardless, the new system is intuitive, you don't have to memorize 40 names like "Heaven's Eye" for Accuracry, so I welcome the new materia system!



In accordance with revisions to the battle system, adjustments have been made to the materia system as well as the effectiveness of various items in FFXIV: ARR.

We advise all players to review the changes to the materia system listed below. Further details on item changes will be disclosed at a later date.
1. Overall Changes to the Materia System
In order to make the materia crafting system more intuitive, the following changes have been made:

Stat variation within grades of materia have been abolished.
The number of materia grades has been increased to five.
Catalysts have been consolidated into five grades of one type.
Gear-type restrictions on materia have been abolished; it will be possible to meld them to accessories.
Gear and any materia already affixed to said gear will no longer be lost as a result of a failed melding attempt.
You will no longer need to unequip gear in order to attach materia to it.
Materia have been consolidated into 24 varieties.
Materia created will now be based on gear class rather than gear slot. For example, a cobalt cuirass worn by Disciples of War is more likely to create materia for a tanking class, whereas a felt robe worn by Disciples of Magic is more likely to create materia for a casting class.

Version 1.0FFXIV: ARR
Varieties of Materia6424
Consequences of Failed MeldingMateria, catalyst, and gear used in the melding process are lost.Materia and catalyst used in the melding process are lost.
* Players will not lose gear.
Placement of MateriaRestricted by gear slot.Materia can be used to enhance gear of any slot, including accessories.
Materia Slots-All types of gear will have materia slots.
* Materia can be attached to each slot without failure.
Enhancement Cap-Maximum enhancement values will be imposed upon each gear slot.
Spiritbonding-Requires more time compared to Version 1.0.
Materia ConversionMateria created based on gear slot.Materia created based on gear class.
Types of Catalysts125
Grades of Materia16 grades (4 main grades, each divided into 4 sub-grades)5 grades

2. Multiple Melding
In FFXIV: ARR, only the materia and catalyst used in the melding process will be lost in a failed attempt. Players will keep their gear and any materia already attached to it.

The old system was deemed unfair to players in that both gear and items would be lost simply by chance, forcing them to start again from nothing. Given enough time and effort, we believe creating fully melded gear is now a realistic goal in FFXIV: ARR.

3. Materia Slots in FFXIV: ARR
In FFXIV: ARR, materia can only be used on gear that contains materia slots, each of which can be affixed with materia without failure. Attempting to use more materia than the slots on a piece of gear is referred to as advanced materia melding.

The chance of success decreases as you attempt to affix more materia.

* Gear which occupies multiple slots such as cowls and heavy armor will contain more slots than other types of gear.
* The number of materia slots can be confirmed in the item details window.
* Both normal and high quality versions of gear will have the same number of materia slots.

4. Maximum Enhancement Values
When enhancing gear with materia, there are certain limits to how high attributes can be raised depending on the gear. These attribute limits are based on the gear's function (e.g., gear for blocking) and the item level. Higher level gear will have higher enhancement caps. There are instances where gear with the same equipping requirement have different item levels.

* For example, both the vanya robe and sentinel's cuirass can be equipped at level 50. However, due to their overall quality and the difficulty in obtaining them, their item levels are different.

5. Spiritbonding
Spiritbonding will require considerably more time in FFXIV: ARR. Furthermore, high quality gear and gear enhanced with materia will gain spiritbond at a faster rate than normal gear.

The rate at which gear could gain spirit bond in Version 1.0 was determined to be too fast, and we will be making adjustments to spiritbonding from phase 3 until release.

6. Catalysts
The types of catalysts required when melding materia have been simplified as follows:

The rate at which gear could gain spirit bond in Version 1.0 was determined to be too fast, and we will be making adjustments to spiritbonding from phase 3 until release.

Type of MateriaRequired Catalyst
Grade I MateriaGrade 1 Carbonized Matter
Grade II MateriaGrade 2 Carbonized Matter
Grade III MateriaGrade 3 Carbonized Matter
Grade IV MateriaGrade 4 Carbonized Matter
Grade V MateriaGrade 5 Carbonized Matter

* Any given grade of catalyst can also be used to meld lower grade materia. For example, grade 4 carbonized matter can be used with materia up to, but not exceeding grade 4.

Catalysts from Version 1.0 have been converted according to the following table:

Version 1.0FFXIV: ARR
Carbonized MatterGrade 2 Carbonized Matter
Germinated Matter
Calcified Matter
Petrified MatterGrade 3 Carbonized Matter
Decayed Matter
Cultured Matter
Fossilized MatterGrade 4 Carbonized Matter
Crystalized Matter
Decomposed Matter
Liquefied MatterGrade 5 Carbonized Matter
Ossified Matter
Cretified Matter

7. Version 1.0 Materia
Due to changes in the acquisition of gear, as well as revisions to the battle system, the strength of higher level gear may have changed in the transition from Version 1.0 to FFXIV: ARR.

In addition, there have been adjustments to the strength of materia and their effects when affixed to gear. This may necessitate the use of different materia in FFXIV: ARR to achieve the same results as Version 1.0. In light of these changes, we will give players the option to exchange Version 1.0 materia for a new variety.

8-1. Conversion of Version 1.0 Materia
1. All Version 1.0 materia will be automatically converted into cracked materia.

2. Players will be able to exchange their cracked materia for new materia of their choosing.
* Materia that has already been affixed to gear can be converted as is.

Even after converting cracked materia, there is the possibility certain gear will see a decrease in effectiveness when compared to Version 1.0. To compensate for this loss, players will have the option to exchange any gear affixed with cracked materia for a special currency. The amount of currency received is based on the type of gear as well as the number of materia affixed. This currency can be exchanged for a variety of gear, such as those obtained in dungeons and primal battles, or darklight gear.

* The exchange of cracked materia and gear affixed with cracked materia will be possible starting from phase 4.

8-2. Restoring Cracked Materia


* Cracked materia cannot be affixed to gear.
* Players can only exchange cracked materia for new materia of the same grade. For example, cracked materia III can only be exchanged for grade III materia.

9. Newly Added Materia

NameEnhanced Attribute
Quickarm MateriaSkill Speed (Reduces the recast time of weaponskills.)
Quicktongue MateriaSpell Speed (Reduces the cast and recast times of spells.)

10. Changes to Materia Properties
The properties of the following materia will be changed in accordance with revisions to the battle system. For example, the effect of heaven's eye materia will be changed to encompass both physical and magic accuracy.

NameVersion 1.0 PropertyFFXIV: ARR Property
Heavens' Eye MateriaPhysical AccuracyAccuracy
Savage Aim MateriaPhysical Critical Hit RatingCritical Hit Rating
Savage Might MateriaPhysical Critical Hit Attack PowerDetermination
Gatherer's Grasp MateriaOutputMaximum GP
Craftsman's Cunning MateriaMagic CraftsmanshipMaximum CP

11. Obsolete Materia
The materia listed below will all be converted into cracked materia automatically, and can be exchanged for new materia of your choice. Although certain attributes can no longer be enhanced through the use of materia, this has been accounted for in the revisions made to the battle system.

Bloodthirst MateriaHells' Eye Materia
Manathirst MateriaStellar Might Materia
Lifethirst MateriaSagacious Might Materia
Ironman's Will MateriaCactuar Foot Materia
Swordsman's Cry MateriaWyvern Skin Materia
Watchman's Vigil MateriaBomb Blood Materia
Loresman's Wit MateriaPixie Tongue Materia
Wise Man's Vision MateriaCoeurl Eye Materia
Vestryman's Faith MateriaAurelia Kiss Materia
Fire MateriaBison Hoof Materia
Ice MateriaFunguar Shriek Materia
Wind MateriaTreant Root Materia
Earth MateriaChocobo Down Materia
Lightning MateriaTouch of Rage Materia
Water MateriaTouch of Serenity Materia
Hells' Fist MateriaHealer's Hand Materia
Sound of Certainty MateriaSwiftwall Materia
Sound of Serenity MateriaEvenflow Materia
Sanguinary Might MateriaSound of Suffering Materia

12. Materia in FFXIV: ARR
The following is a list of materia that will be available at the start of FFXIV: ARR. Additional materia may be introduced in future updates.

Materia NameEnhanced Attribute
Strength MateriaStrength
Vitality MateriaVitality
Dexterity MateriaDexterity
Intelligence MateriaIntelligence
Mind MateriaMind
Piety MateriaPiety
Heavens' Eye MateriaAccuracy
Savage Aim MateriaCritical Hit Rating
Savage Might MateriaDetermination (Affects damage dealt by all attacks and HP recovered by spells.)
Battledance MateriaParry
Gatherer's Guerdon MateriaGathering
Gatherer's Guile MateriaPerception
Gatherer's Grasp MateriaMaximum GP
Craftsman's Competence MateriaCraftsmanship
Craftsman's Cunning MateriaMaximum CP
Craftsman's Command MateriaControl
Fire MateriaFire Resistance
Ice MateriaIce Resistance
Ice ResistanceWind Resistance
Earth MateriaEarth Resistance
Lightning MateriaLightning Resistance
Water MateriaWater Resistance
Quickarm MateriaSkill Speed (Reduces the recast time of weaponskills.)
Quicktongue MateriaSpell Speed (Reduces the cast and recast times of spells.)
* The names and specifications of items listed in this announcement are subject to change.