More Chocobo Info (6/19/06)

[Kyomu]

http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...38/detail.html

Qui sont les chocobos ?

The chocobo is a large, herbivorous bird with powerful legs and a sharp, sturdy beak. Its size and impressive speed make it the most popular type of mount in Vana'diel. Although too small to allow flight, the chocobo's wings assist in keeping balance and also function as a type of brake.
A species native to the La Theine Plateau, the wild chocobo were once seen racing across the plains in great numbers. However, as the people of Vana'diel began to realize the utility of this fleet-footed creature, more and more chocobos were captured and domesticated. A truly wild chocobo is now a rare sight to behold.
Adventurers mainly use the chocobo as a mount, but there are those who are skilled at using gysahl greens to have the animal dig holes, taking advantage of its natural instinct to bury food.



Domestic Chocobos

Elvaan have raised chocobos for use in farming, hunting, and general labor since before recorded history.
But once the practice of riding bareback was civilized with the invention of reins and saddles, the number of people using chocobo mounts suddenly soared. Merchants now preferred chocobos for long, overland journeys, and the military adopted the birds for use in highly mobile cavalry units. People began selective breeding programs as the chocobo craze spread to every corner of Vana'diel.
Recently, the chocobo races held at a local level have been elevated to the world stage, garnering unprecedented attention.

Chocobo Breeds

Destrier
These knightly mounts were bred in San d'Oria. They underwent training that allowed them to bear the weight of heavy armor and withstand the shock of cavalry charges. Destriers were characterized by their large, jet-black bodies and thick, powerful legs. With the decline of lance combat and improvements to ranged weaponry, destriers lost their place in battle to the faster coursers. These days, there are no remaining purebred destriers, but it is possible to see their proud bloodlines occasionally reemerge in the birth of rare, black chocobos.

Courser
The courser is a larger-than-average chocobo and is the most common breed found in the Kingdom of San d'Oria. They are characterized by their streamlined bodies, and long, graceful legs. They were originally bred for scouting duties, but their adoption into the military was accompanied by a general acceptance of the courser as an everyday mount. On extremely rare occasions, a red-colored courser will be born.

Palfrey
The mid-sized palfreys were bred to withstand the searing air and blazing heat of the desert. They are mainly raised in the Republic of Bastok and on Zepwell Island. With a relatively gentle demeanor, these chocobos are suited for those with who lack advanced riding skills. Palfreys are known to come in both blue and yellow.

Jennet
This breed of chocobo has been magically reduced in size to provide mounts for the diminutive Tarutaru. They have short legs when compared to other breeds, but like the Tarutaru themselves, jennets are capable of maintaining a rapid pace. Due to a request from the southern Mithra wishing to blend into the jungle, there are some jennets that can be found in a shade of green.

Rounsey
With its huge population of adventurers, Jeuno boasts more frequent use of chocobos than any other nation. The main type of chocobo to be found in the duchy is the mid-sized rounsey. The pride of the famous trainer Brutus and his family, the rounsey is the result of a lengthy breeding program involving wild chocobos. This program has produced a robust mount of somewhat unpredictable temperament that is suited for long, punishing treks.

Calling Your Chocobo

Along with the new chocobo raising system, in the upcoming version update we will be introducing the ability to call chocobos. This feature will allow players to call up and ride the chocobo they have lovingly raised.

No longer will adventurers have to rely on rental chocobos for traveling around Vana'diel! Players will be able to call their very own chocobos anywhere, at anytime.
Impress your friends with your personal chocobo mount!

Calling Your Chocobo
Calling your chocobo will involve an enchant item, similar to the signal pearl or empress band. With the appropriate item equipped, you will be able to call your trusty mount at any time, in any area where chocobo riding is permitted.
We are planning on setting the enchant recast to a time period that won't adversely affect in-game balance. Rather than making it possible to recall your chocobo immediately after dismounting, it will be necessary to wait for a certain amount of time.

Your Own Personal Chocobo
Colors
Aside from the familiar yellow, we will be introducing two new colors for chocobos. We invite you to try chocobo raising for yourself to discover what colors are available. Additional colors will make an appearance in subsequent version updates.

Appearance
The appearance of your chocobo will change depending on the attributes it acquires. These changes will affect a part of the chocobo, such as its beak or legs, rather than change its appearance entirely.

Attributes
Depending on the method used to raise your chocobo, its attributes will be slightly enhanced or decreased. For example, some chocobos may run a little faster, while others may be ridden for longer periods of time.

Digging
Just as with a rental chocobo, it will be possible to dig with your personal mount. Perhaps you may notice a difference when digging with a chocobo that you have personally raised with love and care?

Additional information will be released in late June as the version update approaches.
Keep an eye on the Topics page!

Nice, we can call them. Although 2 colors disappoints my interior decorator gene. ><

[Senoska]

awsome, maybe this is something SE wont totaly screw up, this sounds really fun and possibly a very good sorce of income, im excited to see this in action

edit : they said they would add more colors in other updates we gotta play this by ear to see if it works out.

[Kurp]

Oh yay, we can call them! 8) Probably once every 24 hours, but that's still pretty bad ass.

[rahskala]

I hope they let tarus ride the huge galka-sized chocobos.

[Siatdiat]

Oh yay, we can call them! 8) Probably once every 24 hours, but that's still pretty bad ass.

With any luck, over time you can increase calls per day or something, like with npc.

[Kaylia]

"My chocobo left after 3 minutes"




I guess we will see green and red for now, and they might add black and blue later?

[Norelco]

Digging
Just as with a rental chocobo, it will be possible to dig with your personal mount. Perhaps you may notice a difference when digging with a chocobo that you have personally raised with love and care?

Oh hell yes.

[Allbeefstu]

Bets on the recast timer being longer than 10 minutes after you dismount.

[Kyomu]

Oh, I guarantee it'll be a 16-24 hour thing. It's a step in the right direction, is all, and possibly we can call them in ToAU areas. They seem chocobo friendly, although the stables aren't open.

Might even have a tactics pearl type item (possibly dug up?) that we can use to call the chocobo more often.

[Boyiee]

Bets on the recast timer being longer than 10 minutes after you dismount.

I dont usually dismount a chocobo within a 10minute walk of another stable as it is... so who cares. If im renting a chocbo, im going far. Unless its in reference to digging, for that i sub blm and (until toa came out) set my hp near the stable i was renting from.

::

Oh, I guarantee it'll be a 16-24 hour thing. It's a step in the right direction, is all, and possibly we can call them in ToAU areas. They seem chocobo friendly, although the stables aren't open.

Might even have a tactics pearl type item (possibly dug up?) that we can use to call the chocobo more often.

If its 16-24 that would kinda suck, but it would be nice to Rent Chocobo > use till time runs out > call own chocobo > use till time runs out. Thats alot of total riding time.

[Matricide]

Lvl 75. All Jobs

but seriously, how many situations are there where this is useful (calling a chocobo). not that im complaining its a nice addition, but outside getting back to town when you're in a chocoboless area (no rings, no cudgel).. now if it's allowed in aht urgan areas that would be nice.. or if they allowed them in cities/dungeons, and zoning with them. i think this addition may be moreso geared towards lvl40-60 players who can't travel around as easily.

[Raineer]

I like it :D

edit: grats to the choco-diggers, this sounds like something really cool for you guys to utilize

[Sui]

It's a step in the right direction, is all, and possibly we can call them in ToAU areas. They seem chocobo friendly, although the stables aren't open.

One of the shots in a TAU trailer was a Galka riding a chocobo through Wajaom or Bhaflau, so it seems likely that we'll have some way to ride there, whether rental or personal chocobos. I would bet that it includes both.

I wonder if we'll be able to call it in places like Xarcabard or Beaucedine.

[Sirenia]

Sounds super! Can't wait! :D

[Cyberfoxx]

There's a chocobo stable in Al Zahbi only that is closed by now <.<

[Lordwafik]

wow this is hot.

to the people who called SE worthless and lame in the other chocobo topic, if I EVER catch you riding a chocobo you raised by yourself, I will call you a fucking hypocrite.

Cant wait for my pure white chocobo :D

[Gatsby]

Can I apply a Type R sticker to my racing chocobo?

[divisortheory]

I bet this is what that hidden "riding" skill is for that you used to be able to see in the Combat Skills menu via a game glitch.

[Eternus]

If this can be called in dungeons/cities then it will be really hot shit. Also will invalidate Mazurka in some situations though. I would expect it to be callable in Xarc/Beac due to them being outside. I wonder how long the recast and ride times will be, 24hrs would not be too bad. The quest sounds really long and a pain in the ass though, but I will wait for more details I guess. They still have some shit to fix though, and this is just a fun distraction. I am not looking at the chart, but aren't the job balance changes coming as well?

[Kaylia]

^
Doubt you will be able to use it in dungeon/city. It's probably going to be limited to outside area that could previously be reached on chocobo.

Imagine getting to jorm on chocobo. That would be too easy. That's why SE wont do it.