Fellowship Update- November 18th, 2005

[Septimus]

Since no one else posted it, I guess it's up to me.

The Fellowship system was created to be enjoyable to players of a wide range of levels in response to player comments regarding features such as garrison and escort quests in past version updates. Whether adventuring with your fellow for the first time or the fiftieth, there is a Fellowship quest suited for you.

In the first stages of development, we had to carefully test how the player was affected in the presence of player-dependent NPCs such as avatars, wyverns, and chocobos. VRAM (memory used for the game's display) is not infinite, and there is a limit to the number of characters that can be shown on screen. After an assessment of the difficulties to surmount, the adventuring fellow was created.

Several additions and adjustments have been made to the Fellowship system after its introduction in July 2005, including a series of quests involving a story about legendary mirrors. The next version update will bring a new quest that will conclude the first part of the series' main story. A quest designed to further raise the adventuring fellow's level cap is also in the works.

Refinements to the balance of fighting styles and an increase in wearable equipment are also among the new content planned for adventuring fellows in the upcoming version update.

Information about changes to the Fellowship system is released on the FINAL FANTASY XI main page on a regular basis.

FINAL FANTASY XI Development Team (11/18/2005)

What is instesting is that it is not so much talking about the update but about the development of NPCs. Very interesting.

[Not Kuno]

Wow I really like how they talked about that.

Ps. Nanako owns.

[Amarok]

In the first stages of development, we had to carefully test how the player was affected in the presence of player-dependent NPCs such as avatars, wyverns, and chocobos. VRAM (memory used for the game's display) is not infinite, and there is a limit to the number of characters that can be shown on screen.

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/...t-0044/PS2.jpg

[Ankiseth]

I love the NPC system, I just don't get to level mine all the time so it sucks. I need to start putting aside every morning before school to walk Zenji.

The expanding of equipment is cool, I like the idea of outfitting them how we please.

[dietvanillapepsi]

My NPC is only lvl 31 so I don't really know much about it. I was wondering if you lvl your NPC pretty high then how uber can it get?

Say your character can only solo Evens at best. With a well developed NPC, are you now able to take on T's and VT's? Can it become a decent way of earning exp? (e.g. 2k an hour or more)

Does it stay out longer depending on its level? Mine doesn't stay out too long at 31. One day, I brought it out and made a train of like 20 crawlers. After I killed the last one it decided it had enough and left. So I am guessing number of mobs is also a factor. Does this increase as well?

[Ankiseth]

Yeah both are affected by your relationship with your NPC. I'm not at home so I don't have the links Sept posted before, but it's something like 30 mins and 15 fights > 45 mins and 20 fights > 60 mins and 25 fights > 75 mins and 25 fights. It gets longer the more you call them out and the more quests you do.

Might be a bit off, but it is somewhere in that general area.

[Septimus]

There are three levels of duration depending on how often you call your NPC.

15 fights or 45 minutes
20 fights or 55 minutes
25 fights or 75 minutes

The will leave after whatever comes first. I think after about 20 calls it will go up to the next level of duration, but I am not sure about the third level. And I think if you drop your Signal Pearl it takes away 2 to 4 calls from your total.

[Alleya]

I am really surprised. Square actually appears to be listening to the massive amount of feedback they've been getting recently. Detailed updates (even with a little technical stuff ), representatives appearing on community forums, and new/more frequent interviews with less evasive answers. I hope they keep it up.

edit: lol@the elvaan pld with excalibur in that screenshot on the page.

[Septimus]

I am really surprised. Square actually appears to be listening to the massive amount of feedback they've been getting recently. Detailed updates (even with a little technical stuff ), representatives appearing on community forums, and new/more frequent interviews with less evasive answers. I hope they keep it up.

edit: lol@the elvaan pld with excalibur in that screenshot on the page.

I'm not surprised. I think Square lost a lot of players to WoW and other MMOs.

[Not Kuno]

My NPC hit 60 today. Shes so badass.

[Ryany]

I can't wait until they bump up the cap again. You already have people leveling NPCs off popular xp mobs in Boyahda Tree. You will probably have NPCs moving to Bibiki Bay if they bump it up much higher. We all know about how much Bibiki needs more people.

[Not Kuno]

I only level in areas where theres absolutely nobody else. I don't like other people and I like my mobs to be plentiful. :3

[Alleya]

I only level in areas where theres absolutely nobody else. I don't like other people and I like my mobs to be plentiful. :3

If only the 5-7 people leveling their npcs in kuftal/booyatree/altep at a given time thought the same way.

[Khamsin]

If I take my level 30 NPC to the highest level place I can farm efficiently (and change his job so he doesn't voke), will they level faster than if I take them to where people his level tend to xp?

At least, as SMN, I can safely kill things that parties don't tend to xp on ( e.g. malboros or scorpions) while my NPC and I just stand back and let my avatars do the work.

[Not Kuno]

It's faster to kill stuff IT to them, then stuff you farm. I level my npc on SMN too, and the easier the mobs the faster I tear them a new one. Of course I emphasize speed because longer fights mean more mp spent etc so yeah.

[Khamsin]

I meant, stuff barely IT to them (and TW------ to you) versus stuff IT++++++ to them, but still low enough for you to kill a lot of efficiently.

[cubone]

I only level in areas where theres absolutely nobody else. I don't like other people and I like my mobs to be plentiful. :3

funny thats what everyone else saids when i was lvling my BST
and my released pet accidently MPKed they NPC ;D

"you mpk my npc!"

"no, your npc got 0wned! LOLZ!"

they should just make an instance where people can lvl they wannabe npc pokemon away from areas that bsts usually lvl -_-

but other than that it wasnt a bad idea.....
just the people aditudes towards hogging everything D:

[Janice]

I only level in areas where theres absolutely nobody else. I don't like other people and I like my mobs to be plentiful. :3

If only the 5-7 people leveling their npcs in kuftal/booyatree/altep at a given time thought the same way.

I have the perfect solution to the Kuftal problem. Have Guivre pop every hour. That way everyone wins.