FFXIV Random Speculation/Question Thread IX: "Boss, I'm going on vacation, starting on the 22nd."

[ascalon]

Oh I totally agree. There are far greater issues with the game than this. A lot of it could be alleviated simply by players running around and talking and crafting stuff and populating the wilderness. Only not many people seem to be talking. I asked questions and tried to initiate conversation with maybe a dozen or more people at an aetheryte the other day (on Istory). They couldn't all have been Japanese, but not a single person responded for close to fifteen minutes.

So I went and fished some more... XD

[KoRnpedo]

Yeah the boat trip really needs improving, but when airships are in the game who is going to ride it anyway? It's not like XI where it was a convenient way of getting from Windurst to Valkurm and back which was faster than getting airships or chocobos.

well, we don't know where will the ""Airports"" be located or the Chocobo NPCs, so you can't say that just yet.
I wish they make the trip as 20 minutes or even 30 minutes, and allow us to use the docks to keep our boats there to use them wenever we want, so those who have boats there wont need to wait for the ship to arrive.. and that we can use our boats to transfer 2 or three more characters *Taxi Time*.. it would be a nice add.

[plue]

I made a character from Limsa today, as I haven't really been there much since closed beta, and was excited to see the extra cutscene in the intro that they've slotted in, where they have npcs walking round and chatting and stuff.

And then of course when I could actually control my character, they were all gone and everything was dull and static.

Even something like in FFXIII where the NPCs would say stuff when you got near them would add to the impression of a livelier world. I can't say I remember a single NPC who isn't rooted to the spot unless they're in a cutscene (or Sisipu on the escort quest). I know quest-giving NPCs have to be *relatively* static, but I can't see a problem with having them wander round an area.

I'm so tired of people being rooted to the floor. Can't we get past that in terms of game design? Nothing seems to MOVE in FFXIV and that bugs me probably more than it should. We have these incredible visuals, but almost zero life to any of them.

It is kinda like when I emote something. I have a few seconds of awesome animation, and then it reverts back to just standing there woodenly. Are there even any idle animations? I can't say I even noticed.

Another example, in the boat scene from Limsa. All the NPCs are chatting and talking, some are leaning on the railings, others are walking about. Soon as you've stood up, half of them have disappeared, and everyone else is either sat straight-backed on a chair or standing stock still.

I agree, for the most part the very expansive world of XIV seems very dead. It's like you're walking through a very large, very static place. Maybe it'll get better when the player populations get much higher, but right now I'm a bit disappointed.

[ascalon]

I guess I'm just more surprised that, with their focus on atmosphere and aesthetic, that such movement and scripting wasn't already there from the start!

[Priran]

Am I the only one who hates idle animations? They were especially annoying in Aion, where they kicked in after like half a second of standing still. I'd be trying to take a group screenshot or look at a piece of gear and the characters would immediately start shifting their lower body around like they had to piss, and tilting their head all over like they were following a floater.

[BlackheartX]

Maybe I'm crazy but I believe the majority of this games development was spent in the Art&CG room then the animation room, then the story room and then the game room. The rest was spent in the Wada shrine room. It's no secret that time was an issue for this game so maybe your NPCs will jump in the future while your still stuck to your 3D plane lol.

[CrstyCptSteveWitherspoon]

Meh. Kinda bummed there's no mob on mob action(not talkin humpin here either). Ever since the ollddddddddd XI trailer where the goobbue was eating the mandies? I think that's what it was. I was hoping to see some stuff like that in XIV. XII had some. The big t-rex guy eating any wolves that came near it. That weird dragon thing eating birds that got close to it. I think this would really liven up the environment. The only thing I've seen is them recreate sea with nanny goats and dodos. Big whoop. Now I can't cast aoe's half the time when we're doing leves.

[Anton]

It's just immersion. When it's pulled off, good immersion can make you forgive a lot of faults with a game. When immersion is blown, your gaming experience stops dead in its tracks for a sec. Like the San D'orian army of 3. I had to stop and wonder.

By NPC's moving I don't think he meant quest npcs going to the grocery mart, be back in 10, so much as doing something in their immediate area. All the vendors stand ramrod stiff all day, that's gotta be tiring (However, the Qiquirn Elezen who needed to get into character kind of made my day - need more fourth wall humor like that). What about camps, can't the quest NPCs (the Quartermaster) be looking at a checklist of all the TONS of materials theyre giving away? Guards having a meal? Even rotating the guard would be kinda cool I guess.

But yea it's definitely fluff, and would further tax the already taxed data bandwidth.

It's also a beta, and will be in spirit until PS3 launch I imagine.

[SephYuyX]

If I were to buy a used copy of XIII and it has a code, the code should work yeah? Since the code cant be used until XIV is released?

[Ratatapa]

The code is used to register on FFXIII square member site, and when you register that code, another code is isued for the arms and the FFXIV Beta for PS3

So yes even if there is a code It might've been used already

[Rokku]

If I were to buy a used copy of XIII and it has a code, the code should work yeah? Since the code cant be used until XIV is released?

I forget to take that shit out of the boxes sometimes even after I've used them before I trade stuff in (when I do), so there's a good chance it might be used. It's possible it might though, since unless the person had an intent to play XIV there was literally near 0 incentive to register that code.

[miokomioko]

I have a feeling that a majority of codes are unused, especially from those games being resold.

[Vuitton]

well, we don't know where will the ""Airports"" be located or the Chocobo NPCs, so you can't say that just yet.
I wish they make the trip as 20 minutes or even 30 minutes, and allow us to use the docks to keep our boats there to use them wenever we want, so those who have boats there wont need to wait for the ship to arrive.. and that we can use our boats to transfer 2 or three more characters *Taxi Time*.. it would be a nice add.

I know for a fact that there is an airship dock in Gridania. It is in the adventurer's guild on the downstairs floor. The area is a lounge with seating and two gates for entering and exiting. The NPCs say the airship is currently unavailable and turn you away.

Not sure about the other two cities.

[Lucavi]

Am I the only one who hates idle animations? They were especially annoying in Aion, where they kicked in after like half a second of standing still. I'd be trying to take a group screenshot or look at a piece of gear and the characters would immediately start shifting their lower body around like they had to piss, and tilting their head all over like they were following a floater.

Not me. I got tired of seeing my hume heaving and huffing ad nauseum. A foot tap or a head scratch every now and then would be nice. It doesn't have to be much - that's what /emotes are for, but even a body shift here and there would be nice.

[Null]

That would drive me nuts. I have to agree with Priran, they'd really annoy me.

[Null]

well, we don't know where will the ""Airports"" be located or the Chocobo NPCs, so you can't say that just yet.
I wish they make the trip as 20 minutes or even 30 minutes, and allow us to use the docks to keep our boats there to use them wenever we want, so those who have boats there wont need to wait for the ship to arrive.. and that we can use our boats to transfer 2 or three more characters *Taxi Time*.. it would be a nice add.

Are you freaking kidding me? We see them all over the place.

[Lucavi]

That would drive me nuts. I have to agree with Priran, they'd really annoy me.

Eh, to each their own. Thank god there's a little more movement this time around.

[CrstyCptSteveWitherspoon]

I know for a fact that there is an airship dock in Gridania. It is in the adventurer's guild on the downstairs floor. The area is a lounge with seating and two gates for entering and exiting. The NPCs say the airship is currently unavailable and turn you away.

Not sure about the other two cities.

There's also an elevator/lift in LL that is closed off atm in the same area as the adventurer guild.

[neubian]

This has me a little concerned:

"Physical and elemental statuses will greatly affect crafting and gathering. There are hints in the game that reveal what statuses affect which aspects. For example, attributes for a crafting class can affect synthesis quality and elemental stats for a gathering class can affect the type of crystals obtained while gathering."

Looking at some of the stats that are given in DoH gear, it would seem that if you wanted to excel as a Weaver, you should increase your MND and INT stats, since the Weaver class is originally equipped with a "Weathered Spectacles" and higher eyeglasses have INT and MND stats. Which would mean that pumping your points into STR/VIT/DEX as a Pugilist, Marauder or Gladiator would be detrimental to your Weaver skills. I assume that it may not be an issue when you are a low level crafter, but may become an issue if you want to take a craft all the way.

So if you want to be a "artisan" Weaver, you should aim to be a DoM and maybe a Blacksmith or Armorer if you want to focus on DoW class? I know you can't be great at every Discipline, but I was a little sad to see this since I was planning to be a PUG and WVR main.

[qpoiuwer]

This has me a little concerned:

"Physical and elemental statuses will greatly affect crafting and gathering. There are hints in the game that reveal what statuses affect which aspects. For example, attributes for a crafting class can affect synthesis quality and elemental stats for a gathering class can affect the type of crystals obtained while gathering."

Looking at some of the stats that are given in DoH gear, it would seem that if you wanted to excel as a Weaver, you should increase your MND and INT stats, since the Weaver class is originally equipped with a "Weathered Spectacles" and higher eyeglasses have INT and MND stats. Which would mean that pumping your points into STR/VIT/DEX as a Pugilist, Marauder or Gladiator would be detrimental to your Weaver skills. I assume that it may not be an issue when you are a low level crafter, but may become an issue if you want to take a craft all the way.

So if you want to be a "artisan" Weaver, you should aim to be a DoM and maybe a Blacksmith or Armorer if you want to focus on DoW class? I know you can't be great at every Discipline, but I was a little sad to see this since I was planning to be a PUG and WVR main.

The best play is to have fairly balanced stats. You know there are going to be melee abilities that are completely dependent on Piety or some shit and no one will realize it for a year after release, then everyone on that class will switch to boost that one stat hardcore.