FFXI Plot-holes and unclear issues

[Karbuncle]

So i was on the official forums looking over the general threads and came across one where someone didn't know the purpose of the Strange Apparatus.

I noticed when looking into it for nostalgia's sake, theres 3 inactive ones, a Carmine, a Cyan, and a "unlit" one (Gray?), I noticed during CoP, 3 chips were added corrosponding to these.

It should be noted KRT and Fei'Yin still have colors associated with them, Cyan and Carmine. While Rang is listed as "Unlit", but this may be coincidence and it could be the "Gray Chip"... mistaken for unlit. On that note, this deepens a bit, during CoP, they added 3 chips.

http://www.ffxiah.com/item/1693/cyan-chip
http://www.ffxiah.com/item/1692/carmine-chip
http://www.ffxiah.com/item/1694/gray-chip

These are drops from enemies in CoP zones, and all correspond to the non-functioning Apparatus. Interesting, no?

To quote my post over there. Its been a long time since CoP, but can anyone remember if these 3 chips were ever given/attempted to these non-functioning apparatus? or if these three chips were added to the mobs simply as... lore, that maybe the chips for the apparatus ended up in Fei'yin when they were damaged.

[Ophannus]

I wonder ortharsyne is gonna grow thunder cats style, or if it's gonna remain in its cinquedea form.

[Spira]

So i was on the official forums looking over the general threads and came across one where someone didn't know the purpose of the Strange Apparatus.

I noticed when looking into it for nostalgia's sake, theres 3 inactive ones, a Carmine, a Cyan, and a "unlit" one (Gray?), I noticed during CoP, 3 chips were added corrosponding to these.



To quote my post over there. Its been a long time since CoP, but can anyone remember if these 3 chips were ever given/attempted to these non-functioning apparatus? or if these three chips were added to the mobs simply as... lore, that maybe the chips for the apparatus ended up in Fei'yin when they were damaged.

thats interesting. never been familiar with the strange apparatus things and have never tried using the chips on them. i think previously the chips themselves were quite a pain to farm.. but don't really expect them to work with the apparatus themselves

[Azat]

If I recall correctly nonfunctioning would give an error message no matter what chip, and broken one, well did not work at all. However all of the apparatus (including the non functioning ones) were used in the RUN quest for AF weapon. Quest had you visit the functioning apparatus but if you took the time you could pick up a little backstory filler lore from the non functioning ones. Nothing omg lore changing but gave some insights.

[Priran]

If I recall correctly nonfunctioning would give an error message no matter what chip, and broken one, well did not work at all. However all of the apparatus (including the non functioning ones) were used in the RUN quest for AF weapon. Quest had you visit the functioning apparatus but if you took the time you could pick up a little backstory filler lore from the non functioning ones. Nothing omg lore changing but gave some insights.

and those insights are

[Azat]

I can't remember them in detail without logging in an rewatching the cs, so forgive me if some of it is incorrect but general idea was

Spoiler: show

it was voice recorded journal entries from the people working at those locations just before the zilart/kuuluu war. Ending entry led you to draw conclusions that one of the Zilart princes was visiting the site. I forget exactly but it was they took over to start a new project or overseeing the experiments happening there.

. The voice recordings at the functioning sites were made by the traveling RUN and were just short messages about his personal opinions regarding what he initially thought were new ideas on runes and the elemental affinity at these sites where rune technology already seemed to be mastered in the ancient devices.

[Rocl]

oh hey i actually took screenshots of those three conversations, gimme a sec

Spoiler: show

pretty sure it's feiyin > krt > ranguemont

[Priran]

Cool. But what "spectral fiends" would the Zilart be fighting?

[Azat]

My guess would be the Terrestrial Avatars.

[Sechs]

Rocl you're sexah <3

[Spira]

Cool. But what "spectral fiends" would the Zilart be fighting?

maybe foreshadowing to the main antagonistic force in Adoulin? lol

[Priran]

So thousands of years ago, the Zilart had a war with the wyrms (resulting in the creation of things like Proto-Omega/Proto-Ultima). How did that end again? Was that when Al'taieu was sent to another dimension? Because the most recent SoA mission ends with a wyrm appearing out of the vicinity of Ra'kaznar, which certainly appears to be a Zilart structure and contains things like "Dimensional Tethers".

[Qeomash]

That war ended when the Kuluu blew up the Crag in the North (Xarcabard), causing meltdown, etc. It was then that Al'taieu was sent within the fifth mothercrystal (so it contained itself..hence Emphereal Paradox) through unknown means (probably Bahamut shenanigans). I haven't played any SoA, but to me (from screenshots) the structure doesn't look Zilart...too square and no cermet, though it does fit their naming convention (of a love of apostrophes). Perhaps Kuluu?

[Priran]

I don't think it's Kuluu, there's too many Zilart similarities (an elevator, a device which "registers" you, force field floors). I mean yeah, it's not made of cermet, but not everything the Zilart made is made of cermet (they made golems, which are at least partly made of mythril ore-and for being made partly of cermet they look nothing like it. and Ultima/Omega are not cermet for sure) and perhaps it's some material they developed during the war. Plus there's nothing to say they can't change their architecture, the Kuluu made Uggalepih and it's got passing similarity to Pso'xja or Horutoto at best.

If I'm not mistaken, Al'taieu was sent into the mothercrystal as a defense mechanism (everyone, out of the universe!) so perhaps that was mediated by Ra'kaznar?

[Dotsudoku]

You're correct. Al'taieu's relocation was the city's last defense mechanism against Bahamut

[Priran]

Does anybody else get the feeling that Oboro is the one of those mid-expansion NPCs which hints at the next expansion? Like Sagheera, Achtelle, Assai Nybaem, Luto Mewrilah, and Anastase. He mentions being from the Far East a lot and warns of some impending nonspecific doom.

[Sechs]

Not sure if we'll ever get a new expansion. I would have said "absolutely not!" 1 year ago, but now I think it's a possibility.
I'd love an expansion set in the Far East, with a japanese/eastern settings, buildings and stuff.

[Niiro]

People have been wanting a far east expansion since day 1.

The Tenshodo have always been around.
Then we got SSG/Gilgamesh, NIN, SAM.
Then we got Tenzen.
Then we got ToAU, the Near East empire at war with the Far East...

The we got...(drumroll)...WotG, those 3 stupid little paid-for questlines, then Abyssea.

The prime opportunity for a far east expansion has long since past, if they were gonna do it they should have done it in place of Adoulin. I just don't see them going back to it now, but if they did it probably wouldn't get full-on expansion level treatment.

[Sechs]

After Adoulin (a highly unexpected and well beyond my best optimistical scenarios) the only thing I can say is "never say never".

[Malithar]

Does anybody else get the feeling that Oboro is the one of those mid-expansion NPCs which hints at the next expansion? Like Sagheera, Achtelle, Assai Nybaem, Luto Mewrilah, and Anastase. He mentions being from the Far East a lot and warns of some impending nonspecific doom.

Any chance someone has a screenshot of what he says the first time? Had a few min before I had to leave for work when the servers came up and I enter spammed so I could see ingredients needed for stuff before prices shot up.