Letter from the Producer XXIV

[Lokus]

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...l=1#post533840

Hello again, FFXIVers. I hope you’re all having a good time riding around Eorzea on your new goobbue mounts!

Well, like I mentioned in my last letter, today I’m going to be writing about the progress of patch 1.21, and posting an updated list of changes to the game. The total list is ridiculously long now, so what I’ve done is just update the parts relevant to 1.21. Take a look if you have the time!

*tables with stuff, go look at the letter*

Patch 1.21 is going to be the biggest patch yet since the launch of FFXIV service.

The addition of seven classic jobs, their related abilities and artifact gear, two new instanced raids, private player residences, a cutscene replay feature, chocobo armor, a reworking of crowd control, adjustments to classes, revisions to how spell-casting works, changes to food and medicine effects and recipes, and so on and so forth. (The addition of the On/Off toggle for sub-targeting is another addition I’m looking forward to, being a mouse-and-keyboard man myself.)

For the long-awaited changes to food and medicine, we’ve gone back to the drawing board at a conceptual level, and will be making distinct changes to each item. We’ll be keeping you informed of the new concepts and such on the forums and in Topics posts, so please hang on a bit longer for more details.

There is something I have to apologize for. We were shooting to have the new “hamlet defense” content ready in time for 1.21, but despite the progress we’ve made, I’m afraid the scale is just too large for that to be possible. I’m truly sorry about this. But, it’s going to be fresh new content that can allow all classes to play an integral role (not just combat classes!), so I hope it’s something you can all look forward to. Again, I’m sorry for the delay, and ask for your patience and understanding.

I’d also like to share some info on the release schedule for 1.21. We’d originally aimed for the patch to go live in the second week of February, but after looking over the amount of content and all the accompanying UI changes, localization, balancing, QA’ing, and such, we’re currently looking at a delay of about two weeks. We’re pushing really hard for an end-of-February release, but ask that you wait a bit and keep an eye on the announcements we’ll be making on the forums and in Topics regarding details. (Don’t worry, none of this will have any effect on the version 2.0 schedule!)

Last of all, I’d like to talk about the merging of servers I’ve mentioned on the forums. This is something we’ll be doing to ensure that everyone has a chance to meet as many other players as possible and encourage embarking on adventures together. We’re currently looking into how to make this particularly effective for the European players distributed across all Worlds, as they are fewer in number than players from other regions.

The server merge is a temporary measure intended to help FFXIV progress. We’ll be reintroducing Worlds when the number of players demands it, and with relaunch of version 2.0.

We’re planning to allow for an adequate amount of time between when we release the information regarding the server merging and when we actually carry it out. But for now I’ll have to ask you to wait a little while for the details. Patch 1.21 is a much higher priority, so the merging won’t happen until sometime after it goes live.

Since we’re in the final phase of patch work, this letter kind of just zipped through things, but I also wanted to mention that in addition to the 1.21 environment, we’re also running 2.0 clients on the shop floor now. One of the things we’ve done so far is make sure that more character customization options will be going in the relaunch version. We’ll be releasing more info in the future, so keep an eye out for that as well!

Well, I’m gonna get back to it. See you in the next letter, or on the forums. See you soon!

[Ambrosia]

2 new level 50 raids. The new 7 jobs with their respective level 30 and 50 quests and their armor. Each job content is going to take the form of quests incorporating exploration and battle. Is the battle going to be mainly solo or party centric? Warp within city states seems nice. EXP adjustments to leves (probably making it better since most people don't do leves anymore?) Quite a few changes/additions to the U.I. Player residence and being able to replay cut scenes are nice. Search via text command and a log out bonus? I take it in the form of rested exp. No more slot cost is also nice.


They are looking at the end of February for the patch release, and any minor delay will push that till the beginning of March. The server merge "won’t happen until sometime after it goes live." That can easily mean till mid March or the end of March at the earliest. With Final Fantasy XIII-2 about to release I would expect a negative impact especially for NA/EU players for at least the next month or two. It seems Europeans are heavily focused as they are fewer in number than players from other regions.

[Gulkeeva]

Looks like their throwing everything out there to get people to join the P2P to get 2.0 moving along financially

May have to sneak on at 1.21 to see whats up, and data mine around a bit obviously (I'm sure I won't be the only one!)

[Waraji]

Welp, don't have to pay for another month.

[Enygma55]

Welp, don't have to pay for another month.

Pretty much what I got out of it too.

[Lordender]

lol even when people are paying to play patches are still being delayed. Patch sounds pretty pwn though, this should of been the patch that started the P2P service imo.

[sceptre]

Seems nice and yea i agree this should of seen the introduction of P2P.

One thing im wondering is have they re skinned old sets and put them in the new raids or do we get AF from there via quests inside or just drops.

Eitherway its looking nice and someing to do other then moogle lol.

[Lokus]

Hopefully some of the job gear isn't complete ass that will get overshadowed by single or double melded gear. I'm sure people will still go out to get it and wear it regardless.

[Ambrosia]

With the amount of work they have to put in I wouldn't be surprised if every or almost every patch is delayed by several weeks. I understand that 1.21 is top priority and they are hoping that it will bring in folks. This is probably the last "very major" patch is concerned because I don't see how 1.22 or 1.23 will top this prior to 2.0's launch. But considering how NA/EU populations are across the board and how for the first time in FFXIV history JP simultaneous log ins have dropped below 10k this past week, I am a bit surprised that they are going to wait for the merge even further.



Yeah I am not sure how they are going to do with armor sets if it will be via quests alone that can be soloed or if it's going to be full party content only. If it is party content only, I see that being a major hurdle for many folks out there especially the lower populated servers. Ah and you have a point about AF gear versus double melded gear. Hopefully they thought about this beforehand.

[MutamixBubblypots]

But considering how NA/EU populations are across the board and how for the first time in FFXIV history JP simultaneous log ins have dropped below 10k this past week, I am a bit surprised that they are going to wait for the merge even further.

They're probably waiting to see if they get a population boost from 1.21 first before merging the servers.

[Patriarch]

Welp, don't have to pay for another month.

This.

But this patch does seem solid. Will definitely be back whenever this hits to check it out. Then quit again

[Lucavi]

Looks like their throwing everything out there to get people to join the P2P to get 2.0 moving along financially

May have to sneak on at 1.21 to see whats up, and data mine around a bit obviously (I'm sure I won't be the only one!)

Wait, you -weren't- playing daily?

[shidobu]

This.

But this patch does seem solid. Will definitely be back whenever this hits to check it out. Then quit again

quitter

[Gokulo]

But this patch does seem solid. Will definitely be back whenever this hits to check it out. Then quit again

Aaand +1

[Corrderio]

Not too bad, but still skeptical. Amount of content doesn't matter to me if the battle system is still broke as hell.

[Nullibicity]

No hamlet defense.

[donnie]

lol i actually dont have that much issue with battle system as much as i do with no delivery box

[TacoTaru]

I expected a delay, but I was really hoping there wouldn't be. In the position now where I don't want to buy materia because of the update, but with it that far away I think I may need to. <_<

[miokomioko]

Looks solid, I'm pleased. It gives me another month to maybe get a single Ifrit weapon that I can actually use before people ditch it for the new dungeons.

[Dizzy]

Will probably resub soon to check this stuff out, looks pretty promising. Haven't played in quite a while so hopefully there's still human beings on Rabanastre.