Unveiling the New Synergy System! (05/11/2009)

[Jaunty]

http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...28/detail.html

Ladies and gentlemen! Coming to you in a version update scheduled for as early as late November is "Synergy"—the new in-game system that will add a whole new dimension to synthesis!

What Is Synergy?
Synergy is an advanced form of synthesis wherein up to six players, each with unique skills, cooperate to create a single item via an apparatus called the "synergy furnace."

There are numerous differences to be noted between synergy and traditional single-player synthesis, one of them being the maintenance of elemental balance within the abovementioned synergy furnace. Synergists-to-be, take heed! Being a new field of science with numerous theories yet unverified, synergy is not a risk-free undertaking, and practitioners are advised to steel themselves for the occasional mishap.

Communal synergy furnaces will be made available in certain cities, and "synergy engineers"—your guides into the fascinating world of synergy—will be posted beside them to teach beginners the ropes. Furthermore, by completing a new quest, players will gain access to a handy new item that will allow them to summon their very own private furnace for use in field areas, eliminating the need to wait in line to use a public one.

Synergy Skill
Synergy skill determines your ability to safely handle synergy furnaces, and can be raised by applying synergy techniques used to manipulate elemental concentration levels inside the furnace. Proficiency in these techniques, too, can be raised to a degree corresponding to your synergy skill level. We recommend all players prioritize improving their skill, because when it comes to synergy, experience is synonymous with safety.

Certain synergy recipes demand expertise in specific synthesis disciplines, but synergy will be possible so long as a participating party member possesses the requisite skill in question. No single character needs to have all skill sets, and the supplier of ingredients is not required to possess any whatsoever. Each participant in synergy plays an equally significant role in the process.

Synergizing via a Communal Furnace
1) Obtain the "synergy crucible" key item.
The synergy crucible serves as the receptacle for different varieties of elemental "fewell," the source of power for furnaces. Characters need only acquire the crucible once by completing a new quest.

2) Prepare ingredients for the recipe.
Recipes corresponding to a character's synergy skill level can be learned by talking to a synergy engineer.

3) Recruit party members.
Synergy is a joint activity that requires the cooperation of other players. The party leader should seek fellow synergists with the right skills needed for a particular recipe and invite them to join a party.

4) Fill up on fewell.
Synergy engineers can inform you regarding your crucible's current supply of fewell and, if required, also provide you with a top-up in exchange for gil. Alternatively, it is also possible to directly replenish the crucible using either crystals or the new synthesizable item version of fewell (alchemy skill required).

5) Claim usage over a synergy furnace.
To use a communal synergy furnace, you must first lay claim by examining it. At this point, you will be allocated a period of time to deposit the ingredients and commence the synergy process. When this has been done, your group will have exclusive access to the furnace until the synergy process is complete.
*Private synergy furnaces summoned using the aforementioned item can be used only by you and your party members.

6) Deposit the ingredients.
Only the claim-holding character may deposit ingredients into the furnace. Similarly, at the conclusion of synergy, the resultant product will be obtainable only by that character.

7) Operate the furnace.
Now comes the most invigorating and rewarding part of the process: the operation of the synergy furnace itself. Throughout the course of synergy, players must keep a close eye on the balance of elemental concentration, internal pressure, the build-up of impurities, and furnace durability. Seamless teamwork and timely application of synergy techniques is the key to success.

Potential Complications
In the hands of the untrained, synergy may prove to be a painful exercise. For instance, if left unchecked, the swelling of elemental forces and the accumulation of impurities inside the furnace are surefire recipes for explosions and leakages. Synergy participants should not be surprised if the furnace literally detonates in their faces. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, and the best way to prevent is to improve your synergy prowess.

Success!
The successfully synergized product will be entrusted to the supplier of ingredients, while all participants will be awarded with "cinders," a synergy by-product. Cinders act as points that can be accumulated and traded to synergy engineers in exchange for items that will aid you in your synergistic endeavors.

The Joys of Synergy
Synergy will play a central role in the recently announced Evolith system by allowing players to add and remove slots on, as well as attach evolith to weapons and armor. There will also be a host of new items that can be had exclusively through synergy.

http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...28/5028_18.jpg

Prepare yourself for a synthesis revolution when the Synergy system arrives!

[Corrderio]

Crap you beat me.

Anyway really not liking how this sounds. Sounds like this evoltih system will be something I'll probably never touch if I need to grab others in order to put slots on gear.

[Max™]

Wow...

I just...


Better have fucking epic shit you can put on gear.

[Corrderio]

Wow...

I just...


Better have fucking epic shit you can put on gear.

That's what I worry about, this could easily be abused and have someone fail on purpose.

I already see it...

"A Haubergeon +1 was lost"

[Jaunty]

I agree with you there, this just seems like an awful idea on SE's part. Maybe it'll work better than it reads though.

If you need to find people with the right "skills" and also that "Seamless teamwork and timely application of synergy techniques is the key to success." it just isn't going to work for the majority of people. Decent update yesturday, and they've just destroyed it.

[Spira]

so the furnace IS a summon after all

[Corrderio]

If you need to find people with the right "skills" and also that "Seamless teamwork and timely application of synergy techniques is the key to success." it just isn't going to work for the majority of people. Decent update yesturday, and they've just destroyed it.

This is also another thing that bothers me. Will this mean you'll need to trust an item to someone with the right crafting skills? Like if I wanted to try this w/ a Hauby would I have to trade and entrust it to a smith and 5 others for slots? And what if someone DCs then what? Will that be an instant fail?

I mean WTF @ SE. They made so much of this game revolve around teamwork... did they really have to do the same with crafting?

[Spira]

it doesn't really specify how the joint synergy will work.. but does say that only the guy who claims the Furnace can deposit items and retrieve them, probably meaning to say the synthesizers don't have to deal with them at all..

anyway i did call player-based synthesis / existing skill required yesterday in the other thread. XD

[The Stig]

Ok, not gonna lie.

I didn't understand any of that.

Someone lay it down to me in simple terms.

[Corrderio]

it doesn't really specify how the joint synergy will work.. but does say that only the guy who claims the Furnace can deposit items and retrieve them, probably meaning to say the synthesizers don't have to deal with them at all..

anyway i did call player-based synthesis / existing skill required yesterday in the other thread. XD

Even so, there has to be a point for others being there, I really doubt the server would do everything for the players automatically.

[McGoonagle]

it doesn't really specify how the joint synergy will work.. but does say that only the guy who claims the Furnace can deposit items and retrieve them, probably meaning to say the synthesizers don't have to deal with them at all..

anyway i did call player-based synthesis / existing skill required yesterday in the other thread. XD

"Your orb, your drop" in synthesis. It isn't going be a trivial matter and I don't see it as being a pick-up thing. You know crafters you can trust, and that you can work with.

I'd have no problem cooperating with the crafters in my ls.

[Aemora]

This is also another thing that bothers me. Will this mean you'll need to trust an item to someone with the right crafting skills? Like if I wanted to try this w/ a Hauby would I have to trade and entrust it to a smith and 5 others for slots? And what if someone DCs then what? Will that be an instant fail?

I mean WTF @ SE. They made so much of this game revolve around teamwork... did they really have to do the same with crafting?

Completely and utterly wrong.

It doesn't state that ONLY people with Synthesis skill can Synergize, only that the party LEADER can obtain the items. If you invite Synthers into the party, they can use their skills in the process, whereby you get the item. Because it staes, only the party leader gets the rewards.

It's about manipulation, derka. Sounds interesting to me rly.

[Jaunty]

Ok, not gonna lie.

I didn't understand any of that.

Someone lay it down to me in simple terms.

1) Get items

2) Get "skilled" people

3) You put stuff in furnace

4) The "skilled" people do something (balancing elements)

5) You take your newly slotted item out the furnace

[Corrderio]

Completely and utterly wrong.

It doesn't state that ONLY people with Synthesis skill can Synergize, only that the party LEADER can obtain the items. If you invite Synthers into the party, they can use their skills in the process, whereby you get the item. Because it staes, only the party leader gets the rewards.

It's about manipulation, derka. Sounds interesting to me rly.

Ugh.... I really wish SE went into more detail with this. Still confused with this entire thing.

[Septimus]

I try not to fall prey to Irrational Exuberance or Irrational Despondence for update notes, but seriously, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?

Even as a level 100 cook I just failed 6 times on 4 stacks of ingredients on a LEVEL FUCKING 23 SYNTH. It's like Martha Stewart burning a bowl of Fruit Loops. Fucking "occasional mishap" my ass.

[Shamaya]

so the furnace IS a summon after all

Here's are summon, gents. /clap

For me, I'm out of things to do with my money other than buy AV items, a Vajra, or some HQ dusk gloves. This looks like something one could use wealth to gain an edge on.

Much more complicated than originally anticipated. If done correctly tho, this will have done a lot for crafting. Augmenting in general breaths life into NQ's, giving them a use. This will just build on that.

I have a feeling SE will make the items from this "worthwhile," with some pretty nice shit to be had. But I'm sure none of us will be short of any frustration. I'm already frustrated in advance at the hassles that this looks to create. Indeed, better be nice.

[test123]

i'd hate loosing my HQs for the chance of etching sockets and inserting evoliths

[Julian]

what is this I don't even. Also, didn't know this was posted in May, and we're only now finding out about it.

I really.. don't understand any of what they said. At first, it sounded like it was just some sort of new crafting system, and I really don't see how this has anything to do with that evolith system they introduced the other day, sounds like something completely different tbh <_<

Will synergy skill (if it's really a skill level?) be like fishing? That you can take to 100 without fucking your other crafts? I sure hope so >_>

edit: i can't count months

[Corrderio]

Will synergy skill (if it's really a skill level?) be like fishing? That you can take to 100 without fucking your other crafts? I sure hope so >_>

I'm thinking synergy skill = your craft skill. Don't forget SE also added new aprons in the Oct. update and they need to have some kind of use. So I'm assuming they'll be used for Synergy.

[Rubett]

Sounds like a new craft, more randomness and more unnecessary points (seriously SE, more points?).

I see some profit to be made, but unless the rewards are worth it, this will be MMM v2...