Announcing the November Version Update! (10/24/2014)

[Sechs]

Apparently there's closed off areas in Sih, Moh, Doh, Woh Gates and Cirdas Caverns they're going to open up

Wonder if they'll do the same with Rala.
Don't know if you people know but in the middle of the Rala Map, between the left and right "wings", the map shows nothing, while instead if you turn wireframe mode on you can see there's a PLETHORA of other wings/rooms.
I was expecting that part to get used sooner or later...

Nice to see roaming NMs

Is it really nice?
I miss a lot that time of FFXI, but I'm afraid it's nostalgia googles.
It was another time, different game standards, gaming world was different, we were different.
Something like that today, it it becomes something really sought after and not just some side-thing not a lot of people bother about, it could become quite frustrating to have such system in 2014.



What's that monster summoning at the end of the trailer btw? Trust versions of Mandragora and Goobbue? I guess they will be geo-like things.

[NynJa]

Is it really nice?
I miss a lot that time of FFXI, but I'm afraid it's nostalgia googles.
It was another time, different game standards, gaming world was different, we were different.
Something like that today, it it becomes something really sought after and not just some side-thing not a lot of people bother about, it could become quite frustrating to have such system in 2014.

If theyre high respawn rate with good r/e loot and not stupid 1% drop rates, it wont be bad (and non aggressive unless theyre in their own alcoves, because fuck drawing aggro from 130 NM's in the field)

[Sechs]

IF the drop rate is decent (not asking for 80% hey, but not even 1%), IF they're in good positions, IF their respawn is good enough, IF the good loot is fairly distributed among NMs and not concentrated on a few (so that people will camp only those and ignore the rest creating congestions and claimbot fights)...
Lots of "Ifs" there

But yeah, there's hope I guess

[NynJa]

Servers dont have 5k characters anymore though. As long as the NM doesnt drop pop items for other fights or any kind of consumable, there shouldnt be any issues. People will get the item they need and be done with it. You might run into situations where douchebags may attempt to monopolize, but a quick respawn timer should take care of that. No ones going to take out of their delve time to hold a NM for a chance at selling its drop for 5 mil, when the NM will respawn in 1-3 hours and has a pretty good drop rate (nor will anyone pay, unless theyre a shitty player with no friends).

[Malithar]

Surprised no one mentioned this yet:

Job Points - Add a system where jobs will be enhanced in various ways, starting with job traits, depending on the amount of job points used - This feature will be added in a future version update in order to conduct further adjustments.

I get that it'll start with job traits, but there's a hell of a disparity between jobs as far as the use of their JTs and JAs. Never mind that this sounds like a way to force us to put points into things that are clearly bad or unwanted, if the upgrades to JTs and such are worth it. But hey, moar STP for Sam!

[Damane]

Surprised no one mentioned this yet:



I get that it'll start with job traits, but there's a hell of a disparity between jobs as far as the use of their JTs and JAs. Never mind that this sounds like a way to force us to put points into things that are clearly bad or unwanted, if the upgrades to JTs and such are worth it. But hey, moar Overwhelm + STP + Skillchain bonus for Sam!

fixed, while other jobs will probably have to deal with resist virus, resist petrify stuff etc.!

[Byrthnoth]

I get that it'll start with job traits, but there's a hell of a disparity between jobs as far as the use of their JTs and JAs. Never mind that this sounds like a way to force us to put points into things that are clearly bad or unwanted, if the upgrades to JTs and such are worth it. But hey, moar STP for Sam!

I don't actually understand what that means. If they were expanding job points then they wouldn't be adding a new "system." Also, why include it in the write-up as being scheduled for November and then have: "This feature will be added in a future version update in order to conduct further adjustments" right after it?

[Sechs]

I completely missed that line, thanks Malothar for pointing that out.
Uhm... I share your concerns.
First I don't get why they call it "add of a system". Bad translation? Despite the wording it seems to me they're just talking about new JP categories involving job traits.

Anyway, assuming they obviously meant just the default Job Traits and not the merit ones, I think every job gets at least some possible nice option. Some more, some less, but all jobs get at least something interesting.
It kinda depends on what SE will choose though (like Resist Virus for WAR and Resist Blind for SAM ).
Only two jobs that would get kinda fucked by this system are BRD (all options are really meh) and BLU (they have no basic Job Trait).
They'll probably think about something unique for BLU, and they will just ignore BRDs who will have to manup and deal with it


Speaking of job traits, I wish they could change the way they're listed in the JT menu and add the tier number next to the JT name (and maybe release a detailed and updated jap-only datasheet with all the exact % numbers for the JTs...)



@Byrth
They've done that in the past as well I think.
It was probably something they had originally scheduled for November but then pushed it for December.
For us it makes no difference because it's the first time we see that timetable, but they probably planned to release it sooner and because of that kept track of all the internal changes (like this one) which make no difference at all for people who see the table for the first time, like us.

[Damane]

I completely missed that line, thanks Malothar for pointing that out.
Uhm... I share your concerns.
First I don't get why they call it "add of a system". Bad translation? Despite the wording it seems to me they're just talking about new JP categories involving job traits.

Anyway, assuming they obviously meant just the default Job Traits and not the merit ones, I think every job gets at least some possible nice option. Some more, some less, but all jobs get at least something interesting.
It kinda depends on what SE will choose though (like Resist Virus for WAR and Resist Blind for SAM ).
Only two jobs that would get kinda fucked by this system are BRD (all options are really meh) and BLU (they have no basic Job Trait).
They'll probably think about something unique for BLU, and they will just ignore BRDs who will have to manup and deal with it


Speaking of job traits, I wish they could change the way they're listed in the JT menu and add the tier number next to the JT name (and maybe release a detailed and updated jap-only datasheet with all the exact % numbers for the JTs...)



@Byrth
They've done that in the past as well I think.
It was probably something they had originally scheduled for November but then pushed it for December.
For us it makes no difference because it's the first time we see that timetable, but they probably planned to release it sooner and because of that kept track of all the internal changes (like this one) which make no difference at all for people who see the table for the first time, like us.

BLU coudl merit the amount of spells being able to be set (not points).

[Malithar]

I don't actually understand what that means. If they were expanding job points then they wouldn't be adding a new "system."

I pegged it as something like 10 JPs spent, get x, 20, get y, etc. I agree though, if they wanted to expand the system outwards, they've got plenty more categories to add as well as increasing the cap to 30. Adding another function to the system that grants further bonuses based on total JPs spent is interesting, but with so many JPs lacking use and desire, if the bonuses are desired it's going to turn the entire system into a massive grind for categories that we have absolutely no desire for simply to get the carrot on the stick at tier x. They say they're starting with JTs, but what's the end goal? Just further increasing the potency/duration of JAs? New JP unlocked abilities? Job specific WSs?

At least if Incursion is any sign of future content, JPs won't be that difficult to get in decent quantities just by doing content.

[dasva]

Sounds almost like their solution to shitty jps. Oh that jp is shitty? Well don't worry you will still get something good out of it by putting points into it so now we don't have to fix them. Which is kinda dumb to begin with as it's basically just a big hey grind all the things statement but also in the huge disparity between jts between jobs... like what are they going to do with blu that has no native ones but can equip dozens with spells?

[ccl]

I wonder what/how free roaming NM would be in this dead server era(unless they are popped via ??? then nvm).

[Ophannus]

I get that it'll start with job traits, but there's a hell of a disparity between jobs as far as the use of their JTs and JAs. Never mind that this sounds like a way to force us to put points into things that are clearly bad or unwanted, if the upgrades to JTs and such are worth it. But hey, moar STP for Sam!

I read this as more Store TP and Zanshin(read: Double Attack) for SAM, and more Critical Defense Bonus, Strafe and Conserve TP for DRG.

Seriously, I'd rather them buff things jobs lack, like Crit Attack Bonus for DRG, Store TP for DNC, Attack for Thief, etc..

[Capuchin]

I wonder what/how free roaming NM would be in this dead server era(unless they are popped via ??? then nvm).

Surely they MUST realize that free roaming/spawn NMs with any worthwhile reason to kill would be dominated by bots and would be an awful idea... right?

[NynJa]

I read this as more Store TP and Zanshin(read: Double Attack) for SAM, and more Critical Defense Bonus, Strafe and Conserve TP for DRG.

Seriously, I'd rather them buff things jobs lack, like Crit Attack Bonus for DRG, Store TP for DNC, Attack for Thief, etc..

"hey were aware iLvl doesnt give you additional level based job traits, so we'll let you spend job points for them"

[ccl]

Surely they MUST realize that free roaming/spawn NMs with any worthwhile reason to kill would be dominated by bots and would be an awful idea... right?

Yup, and most of us can't sit in front of screen 24/7 anymore in hope for a pop/claim so I hope for ???.

[Ophannus]

Hopefully it's a popped NM in which you buy the pop item with these Unity Points.

[NynJa]

Surely they MUST realize that free roaming/spawn NMs with any worthwhile reason to kill would be dominated by bots and would be an awful idea... right?

Servers dont have 5k characters anymore though. As long as the NM doesnt drop pop items for other fights or any kind of consumable, there shouldnt be any issues. People will get the item they need and be done with it. You might run into situations where douchebags may attempt to monopolize, but a quick respawn timer should take care of that. No ones going to take out of their delve time to hold a NM for a chance at selling its drop for 5 mil, when the NM will respawn in 1-3 hours and has a pretty good drop rate (nor will anyone pay, unless theyre a shitty player with no friends).

ok

[ccl]

ok

Well 5m gil is less gil than 3h of delve, so I'd pay 5m for a drop I want if the NM can take up to 3h to repop and not 100% drop.

[NynJa]

It was an arbitrary figure. We dont know the drop rate, we dont know the respawn time, we dont even know what the items are.