Comments from the Devs

[Lucavi]

So they're just going to throw XIV's supposed "plot" out the window, scrap it, and turn it into some sort of Mario Party-meets-FF mashup, just to attract subs?

I'd actually kinda laugh if they had to go through with that just to make a buck. There's reaching, and then there's reaching.

[Cichy]

No argument they are desperate as shit but I always thought it would been cool if FF MMO did that.

[Lucavi]

I wouldn't mind if it that's the idea they started out with and advertised. I just can't see a company pulling that after planning this "big, bright, expansive, wonderful" world.

[miokomioko]

Mario Party-meets-FF mashup, just to attract subs?

I'd compare it more to Kingdom Hearts.

Also, I'm not sure why you're assuming any plot is going out any window.

[Niiro]

I think people are taking a pretty vague and open-ended statement and running with it a bit too much.

That said, such behavior is symptomatic of a serious lack of actual information and content.

[miokomioko]

It's times like these that I am so glad I don't waste my time looking at the official forums. I can just imagine the rampart retardedation flying around right about now.

[Thiefami]

You know if they actually did the 'concept' of leves/echo to experience events past or faraway lands (how it was shown in the opening trailer) I could see them justifying a lot of things without destroying the storyline.

[Lucavi]

That would require them to, you know, actually design different areas outside of their usual cave setting.

[Crab_Cake]

Debated not cross posting this portion, but I figured it was relevant for anyone who wasn't watching the server merge thread. Feel free nuke the post if you don't think it's worth having in both.

Now I'm disappointed.

Turns out I was right all along. Versus XIII really is an evil ploy by SE to setup an expansion pack for FFXIV.

"Major spoilers" for Versus XIII and FFXIII-2.

(Spoilers for Versus XIII may or may not be true.)

Short to the point version:

Spoiler: show

the Nothing (also known as Noctis) is the ultimate god figure of the Fabula Nova Crystallis universe. It has absolute control over the universe. Everything that occurs in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series is a training exercise for the Nothing, which desires to break out of its own universe and devour other universes. Every time the Nothing is defeated and destroyed at the end of Versus, the Nothing simply goes back in time and begins the process all over again by corrupting Novus’ crystals. In the Versus timeline that players will play through, the Nothing–during its final battle with Godhand–finally grows strong enough to break out of the universe, and it does so.

Long Epic version:

Spoiler: show

After it is revealed Noctis is the Nothing and actually the supreme being of the FNC universe all along (and in fact he created everything to use as a training exercise for himself, so he can one day become strong enough to break free from the universe to devour other universes).

Vanille (turns out she was a *Flawless l'Cie from Novus from 20,000 years ago) absorbs the power of Chaos by using her brand on her left iris (that was hidden... which contrasts with Noctis brand on his right eye!).

*Long story short but <insert background info that explains what Flawless l'Cie are and how they can absorb Chaos and how they are awesome and can only be branded by being awesome like Vanille is awesome>. Also Vanille was totally part of the Nine from Novus created to fight the Nothing.

(Disclaimer - I changed some things from the Versus XIII link. The Flawless were just regular crystals that simply weren't corrupted by the Nothing yet. I changed it to make Vanille overpowered because I love Vanille, so therefore she is overpowered.)

Anyway the two fight but Noctis/the Nothing keeps coming back (it can't truly be defeated).

So Vanille does the only thing possible - She combines with Noctis / the Nothing (sort of similar to Vanille + Fang into Ragnarok but they stay in human form for coolness factor) and "they.... become one!".

Que something similar to trailer for Wrath of the Lich King where Vanille's friend (with Vanille originally being from Novus) goes:

Cocoa (see what I did there?): My friend... the day you were branded... the very forests of Novus whispered the name "Vanille". (Obviously because Vanille is that awesome.)

Que epic cutscene where Vanille/Noctis finds an icy planet to sit on a throne (to mimic the WotL trailer) then gets back up to display their epic powers.

Cocoa: And I know you will show restraint when exercising your great power (Vanille).

Vanille then busts out her Scythe (ATB Skill Death = Scythe fits right?) and uses it to break the ice then they summon corrupted fal'Cie (which includes Titan and Bhunivelze) with their power (now controlled by Vanille/Noctis). Also a big explosion occurs because irony needs to happen.

Then they break free from the universe to devour other universes (not Vanille but Noctis leading them). To be continued.... in FINAL FANTASY XIV!!!!! Oh noes! Evil plan by SE to make people get FFXIV! (Same strategy by Blizzard except more epic and actually planned from the very beginning!)

Also there are totally several hints that show that Vanille is really the counterpart to Noctis:

1. Vanille is outgoing and active, while Noctis is reserved and shy (according to SE).

2. Vanille dislikes having to hurt and she tries to avoid it as much as possible, while Noctis doesn't care. Also Vanille wants to save worlds, while Noctis wants to devour worlds.

3. Vanille is hotter, while Noctis is much less hotter. Both Fang (and totally Lightning too, both from Gran Pulse) and Cocoa (friend from Novus) want Vanille, while we don't know of anyone that wants Noctis (so Vanille is clearly objectively hotter than Noctis).

THEY WERE CONNECTED ALL ALONG GUYS!!! See how they are counterparts to each other? Truly Noctis required Vanille to be complete.

True story....

(Deleted the rest of the part to keep it from being too long; but tl;dr version is I'd prefer it if they continued in FFXV where Vanille and Noctis both go to Vana'Diel and battle it out at the end of FFXV!!!!!1111.)

Can't wait for that epic trailer for Final Fantasy XIV: Wrath of the Lich King... err I mean FFXIV: <Insert expansion name here>.

Here is the Versus XIII spoilers if anyone is curious
(Take note the source apparently comes from some random guy on gamefaqs who also has a LJ with a bunch of fan fiction, so it's not very credible and probably just fan fiction. Who knows though... Who knows...)

[Fievel]

It's times like these that I am so glad I don't waste my time looking at the official forums. I can just imagine the rampart retardedation flying around right about now.

The same stupid shit is thrown around here too. You guys just turned server merges into the game becoming FF7, wut?

[miokomioko]

The same stupid shit is thrown around here too. You guys just turned server merges into the game becoming FF7, wut?

Hey, give us a break over here. :[ Yoshi just straight up said the reason they changed the names of the servers was to reserve the names of these places for their "future vision" of making some sort of interdimensional content involving said iconic locales from other Final Fantasy titles. Then, he specifically mentioned both Midgar and Gold Saucer (which was never a world name to begin with).

It's not as much of a stretch as it sounds, and one can draw parallels with Yoshi's current implementations so far (meteor storyline) and his admitted love for FF7. However, people saying "omg they are just throwing the xiv plot out the window to do a FF mashup" is getting a bit carried away.

Just sayin' it can be expected to be 9 billion times worse over there, where people feel the need to start threads that amount to: "you guys should make a /falldown emote! it would be so funny! imagine seeing someone run by and then just fall on their face! ROFL" (paraphrased, but it's real)


Personally, I hate the idea of visiting locales in other FF titles that have a vastly different steampunk/futuristic themes.

[Lucavi]

And just think, those posters on the official forums represent the sense of "community" that so many XI-XIV fanboys throw around constantly.

[Raldo]

stuff

Good lord, I had to double-check to make sure I wasn't in the official forums. What the f

[Seravi Edalborez]

I don't think (/hope) they really plan on a to-the-letter Gold Saucer. More of an area "like" that for whatever reason.
Really feels like they're just tossing out buzzwords (or reasons for not using buzzwords in this case), not planning a full-on crossover. Like would you rather be on Ridill or Buster Sword server (parallel: Selbina or Midgar)?

[Grey Jorildyn]

I'd die happy if I never heard the word Ridill ever again.

[solracht]

I usually hate cross-over stuff, but... do want a copy-pasted FFVII gold saucer, music and all.

[Draylo]

Ooh if its not limited to FF7 maybe they will let you go into FFXI and you can pvp the people playing or a battlefield vs Shantotto or something, hehe.

Spoiler: show

Honestly, I don't really like the idea if its true. Seems really silly. Although I do recall the old team saying they wanted to include a door in the FFXI Mog house to go between Eorzea and Vanadiel, something crazy like that if I remember right.

[Alkar]

FF has always done this by adding familiar town names and character names in different entries. How many Mog, Cid, Boko, Mysidia, Kain, etc. do we have so far?
It's nothing new and complaining about this when we have absolutely no info except "we're planning a place called Gold Saucer" is simply stupid.
Also it's not limited to FFVII because a Crystal Tower was also confirmed when 2.0 was announced iirc. This is what an online FF should've been from the very beginning imo. New story and world with a bunch of known locations thrown in.
FFXIV IS part of the FF franchise and it's also a numbered entry so these things should be expected. Oh and they're remaking the whole world now so why exactly wouldn't they create new zones entirely anyway? What's the difference?

[TacoTaru]

Surprised no one has posted this already.

[dev1301] Private Player Residences
* The following changes are scheduled for the 1.21 patch release.
* Features are under development and subject to change or postponement.
With Patch 1.21, players will be able to access inn rooms, private areas for their own use, after completing certain quests.
Inn quests
In each city, players will be able to use an inn room after completing a quest issued by the NPC manning the front desk of the inn. Players must first complete the main quests listed below in order to accept an inn quest.

City Quest
Limsa Lominsa Treasures of the Main
Gridania Souls Gone Wild
Ul'dah Court in the Sands
　
Inn functions
Inns can be used free of charge, and provide the following functions:
Replay event scenes
In the inn, players may access a list of completed quests called the Records of a Journey (provisional name) from which they can replay event scenes as many times as they like. Event scenes can also be skipped.
* When replaying event scenes, player characters are shown with their current equipment, rather than the equipment they were wearing when they first completed the quest.
* Event scenes from inside raid dungeons and non-event scenes will not be viewable from the Records of a Journey (provisional name).

Rested bonus (provisional name)
When player characters enter an inn, they go into “resting mode,” accumulating a rested bonus as time passes. Even after players have logged out, the rested bonus will continue to accumulate up to a maximum limit.

The accumulated bonus is visible on the EXP bar.

When characters have accumulated sufficient rested bonus, they receive a boost to experience points received. The accumulated bonus decreases in proportion to the experience point bonus granted, and when it reaches zero the effect ceases.
* When playing with a level 50 class, the rested bonus does not decrease.
* The bonus does not apply to experience points received as part of quest rewards or for completing levequests.


With the implementation of the rested bonus, Guardian's Aspect will be abolished and the experience points awarded in regional levequests will be adjusted. Players will receive more experience points than they do now when not under the effect of Guardian's Aspect.　

In the current Patch 1.21, the inn rooms are simplified private areas, and players cannot synthesize, repair, or affix material while in them. (Such features are planned for inclusion in FFXIV Version 2.0's housing system.)
* More features, such as login events, are planned for the future.

[Lucavi]

Aww baby, SE takes the leap into the industrial era with Rested XP~!!