Letter from the Producer LIVE Part X Q&A Summary (12/02/2013)
Greetings everyone!
We're pleased to present the full Q&A digest from the Producer LIVE Part X! If you weren't able to watch the live stream, or if you just want to watch it over and over again, check it out below! Please note that there will not be subtitles added to the LIVE letter.
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Letter from the Producer LIVE Part X Q&A
Quote:
0:02:10
Q: Please tell us about the adjustments planned for dragoon. Also, you mentioned that dragoons won't be made invincible while jumping. Why is this the case when other classes like black mage have damage-mitigating abilities?
A: As mentioned during the previous LIVE letter, Jump is an attack ability. Abilities such as black mage's Manawall, on the other hand, can only be used to mitigate damage. Furthermore, regardless of whether you get attacked or not, the effect of these mitigating skills will wear off after a set amount of time. They also use up an action slot. Because dragoon's jump is an attack-based ability, it would be unbalanced to allow dragoons to attack and mitigate damage with a single skill. If we were to do this, we would have to greatly reduce the damage of Jump or increase the cool-down timer to five minutes or so.
We recently released details outlining adjustments for warrior, but this was mainly to address an imbalance in the Binding Coil of Bahamut where paladins are heavily preferred. Rather than rebalancing the Binding Coil, we will make changes to warriors so that they are on par with paladins. Since these adjustments are quite extensive, we wanted to announce them before the patch. Please keep in mind, however, that announcing these adjustments was an exception to our normal plans for releasing job adjustment details, as this usually results in requests for details regarding other jobs soon after.
With that said, however, we'd like to touch on a few of the changes we have planned, and to start off I'll talk about dragoon. We'll be reducing the cooldown timer of Power Surge by 30 seconds and increasing the damage of their standard three action combo. Also, Jump will be adjusted so that execution is quicker, animation lock is reduced, and landing point is changed. Overall DPS will be increased by approximately 10%, so burst damage will greatly increase.
The video shows footage of the three different jumps.
As you can see in the video, players will be able to move right after using jump, making it possible to quickly dodge after using it.
We've also confirmed a bug where Leg Sweep's stun effect is not being activated after a certain combo, and we will be fixing this.
Quote:
0:05:48
Q: Please tell us about adjustments planned for jobs other than dragoon.
A: As I mentioned during the previous LIVE letter, there are a lot of cases where melee combos and chains are interrupted making burst DPS difficult, so dragoon and monk will be receiving roughly a 10% increase in damage per second. Rather than reducing the effectiveness of other classes, we will be making adjustments to increase certain elements this time.
Monk's Greased Lightning effect, for example, will be increased. Also, we've noticed that because there are so few damage bonuses for attacking from an enemy's rear, players generally focused on attacking from the side. We'll be increasing bonuses for rear attacks, so if you use monk the way we had intended, your DPS will increase significantly.
Quote:
0:07:08
Q: Please tell us about the changes being made to bard.
During the previous LIVE letter I made a comment about adjustments to bard, which I think many of you are worried about. The reasoning for adjustments, as mentioned previously, is that bards tend to take away from other jobs that could be used in certain instances. This is due to their ability to deal steady damage in addition to supporting using job abilities. As such, we will be making adjustments to their cross-class abilities. There will be no changes made to archer or bard themselves. Please also rest assured that we will not be removing their ability to silence enemies.
Quote:
0:08:26
Q: I feel that black mage is a bit overpowered.
A: In contrast to bard, which offers great party utility such as silencing and reducing enemy resistances, black mage doesn't really possess any advantageous skills or abilities for bosses. For example, they can't stun and they don't have any abilities that silence. Black mage has been designed as a specialized DPS job, and compared to other jobs there are some aspects that are balanced in their favor. To remedy this, we'll be making adjustments so that melee jobs can catch up to the DPS that black mage puts out, as well as balancing the advantages and disadvantages for each job depending on the situation. Also, we'll be fixing a bug where Flare can be used twice in a row when Umbral Ice is active.
Quote:
0:09:52
Q: There are instances where tanks and melee DPS classes run out of TP frequently, but black mage seems to have infinite MP. What are your thoughts on this?
A: Looking only at the end result, black mages may seem to have nearly infinite MP, but should they run out of MP for any reason, they aren't able to do anything at all, and they cannot deal maximum DPS. They've been designed with the cycling of Umbral Ice and Astral Fire in mind, which serves as both their strength and their weakness. This isn’t really something you can compare to the TP consumption of other classes and jobs. We encourage players to try out black mage and see how it differs from the other classes and jobs.
Quote:
0:11:09
Q: You have said that in FFXIV: ARR, the character's position is checked by the server once every 0.3 seconds. However there are times where characters receive AoE damage even though they appear to be out of range on screen. It seems like the information on the character's position is not up to date. Is there any plan to make adjustments to this?
A: All MMOs have a roughly 0.3 second position check, and even if we reduced this value, there is still a physical gap in distance between the computers used by players and the data centers. With recent developments in the quality for internet connections, distance is no longer the issue it used to be, but no matter what improvements are made to internet connectivity, lag will occur at some point.
We understand that the difference between what you see on your screen and what's been determined by the server is more noticeable when lag occurs, and we’ve implemented new coding to improve this. Reducing lag is especially important for PvP in the Wolves' Den, primal battles, and end-game encounters such as those within the Binding Coil of Bahamut, and the improved processing speed from this new coding should improve response time in these situations. In particular, we've optimized the code quite significantly for positioning between other players, so the difference will be noticeable. However, because open world areas have unique processes used for FATE enemies, we'd like to monitor zones for a while before we implement this for all areas. As encounters become more difficult, the difference in responsiveness should be clear, so please try it out.
Crystal Tower
Quote:
0:16:07
Q: How difficult is the Crystal Tower? Will it be something to easily assemble members for?
A: We’re planning to have the average item level requirement for the Crystal Tower be 55. If you're geared enough to clear Amdapor Keep, you should be able to take on the Crystal Tower, so it's not set very high.
Also, up until now there haven't really been any encounters that feature actively changing environments, but you can expect your surroundings to undergo various changes while fighting through the Crystal Tower, and we hope you enjoy it!
Quote:
0:16:37
Q: Are the rewards for Crystal Tower going to be need/greed between 24 players?
A: Although Crystal Tower requires an alliance between three parties, when you defeat a boss, a treasure chest will pop for each party. In order to avoid confusion as to which chest belongs to your party, only your party's treasure chest will be visible, and you will lot on rewards with the seven other members of your party. If you clear the raid that will be introduced in 2.1, defeating all the bosses, roughly half of the party should be able to obtain rewards.
Quote:
0:17:53
Q: What are the icons on the upper portion of the screen?
A: All of your party's information will remain displayed in the party list, and this new UI will allow you to check the HP for the other two parties that make up the alliance. It's been designed to only show the HP of your alliance members, as the display of MP and TP is not as vital.
Quote:
0:18:19
Q: Is the gear worn by the character on-screen new?
A: * Yoshi-P shows off the gear that is equipped on his character.
Quote:
0:18:34
Q: What item level will the rewards from Crystal Tower be?
A: The rewards will be item level 80. While the equipment you can purchase with Allagan tomestones of mythology and the equipment you obtain from the Binding Coil of Bahamut are comparatively stronger, we'll be implementing the vanity system in patch 2.2 which will allow you to change the appearance of your character's equipment, so we hope you use it for the equipment you find in Crystal Tower. Also, keep in mind that the amount of players who have obtained upgraded relic weapons and mythology equipment or are challenging the Binding Coil still make up only a fraction of the entire population. There are many players who are waiting for the difficulty to be toned down a bit before they challenge the Binding Coil, so we'd like these players to have fun obtaining item level 80 equipment, getting past hard-mode Titan, and gradually progressing through the game.
Quote:
0:19:40
Q: Will progress be recorded in the Crystal Tower the same way as in the Binding Coil?
A: Progress will not be recorded. However, we'll be updating the Crystal Tower every other patch just like the Binding Coil of Bahamut, and you'll need to clear the Labyrinth of the Ancients that is to be implemented in patch 2.1 in order to take on the next phase in patch 2.3. The areas we implement in patch 2.1 will not have mid-way progress points, so you'll be able to challenge this dungeon without restriction. However, there is a limitation when it comes to receiving gear drops, and once you cast lots and obtain an item, your rights to lot gear will be lost. Once the timer for lotting resets you'll be able to lot on drops again.
Quote:
0:20:56
Q: Is there a weekly lock-out like the Binding Coil of Bahamut?
A: No, there is not.
Quote:
0:22:16
Q: What kind of benefits does the Crystal Tower have for players who are already doing the Binding Coil of Bahamut?
A: You'll be able to collect the equipment to use in conjunction with the upcoming vanity system and also gear up your secondary classes and jobs. There's also a lot of story to be enjoyed in the Crystal Tower.
Quote:
0:23:07
Q: Will we be able to form our own alliances and enter Crystal Tower?
A: This will not be possible in patch 2.1. Once you gather a party of 8 players and queue up, the Duty Finder will match you with two other parties and form an alliance. We're working to implement this in the future, so please give us a bit more time. However, in the event you want to participate together, there is a good chance if the leaders of each party communicate and queue up at the same time that you will be matched together, but it really depends on the application status of the other parties.
Quote:
0:23:59
Q: How will you chat with party members while in an alliance?
A: You'll be able to chat with your party members with regular party chat. There will also be a special alliance chat where you can communicate with the other parties once you enter the Crystal Tower. Please use the alliance chat feature to decide who is leader, discuss strategies, and give directions to alliance members.
Quote:
0:25:17
Q: The Crystal Tower has content where you split into three parties and do different things, but if one party is having difficulties will the other two parties be able to assist?
A: As the Crystal Tower is a 24-man raid, healers will be able to assist other players that are incapacitated and help each other out in the larger rooms. However, when the paths split, or in areas like the one shown here on the screen (* Please refer to the video), there will be mechanics that prevent you from aiding your alliance members.
Quote:
0:26:40
Q: What types of Allagan tomestones will we receive in the Crystal Tower? Will they be philosophy, mythology, or something different?
A: Allagan tomestones of philosophy and mythology. However, there is a possibility that we will introduce new tomestones in patch 2.2. Just remember that certain instances may be subject to change, like the adjustment to tomestones received in the Wanderer's Palace.
Quote:
0:27:41
Q: I'm having inventory problems as it is now, and new items are planned to be introduced soon. Will you be doing anything about insufficient inventory space?
A: While the additional retainer service we announced previously will not be ready for patch 2.1, we'll be increasing the items that can be stored in the Armoire. Rest assured, though, that the additional retainer service is scheduled for implementation before patch 2.2.
Quote:
0:28:46
Q: Will we be able to go to the Forbidden Land, Eureka?
A: Our goal is to replicate the Crystal Tower to the best of our ability. There’ll be many more updates to come for the Crystal Tower, and one of them might just take you there. At the very least, it was written in the planning documents I looked at.
Quote:
0:30:23
Q: Can you show us the new gear that is currently being displayed on the stream?
A:* Yoshi-P shows off the gear that is equipped on his character.
Quote:
0:30:53
Q: There will be a lot of items added in patch 2.1, but since the sort feature is being implemented, we don't have to worry about organizing our items, right?
A: Item organization will be much easier with the sort feature, so no need to worry. Although we originally planned for a simple sort feature, Minagawa was really particular about this and has made it possible to indicate what to prioritize when sorting, so you can create personalized sorting.
Quote:
0:44:16
Q: At the end of the intermission, an "A REALM AWOKEN" logo was displayed. What was that?
A: That was the title of patch 2.1. We want this title to be the theme for this update. For example, although the Garlean empire has been thwarted, the primals have awoken in a more powerful state, the main scenario will include a turn of events which plays to the awoken theme, the Crystal Tower has awoken in a sense, and one could even say the "wolves" of the Wolves' Den have awoken, so you can get a sense of how the entire world is awakening. We'll be introducing these elements with promotional videos between now and the next LIVE letter.
Quote:
0:46:40
Q: Will PlayStation 3 players encounter any display issues in the Crystal Tower?
A: Using the issue where FATE monsters are not displayed as an example, both the PC and PS3 use the same algorithm for display priority order. Though there are still concerns that the PS3 version has aspects that aren't displayed as well as PC, I let the drawing staff know that FFXIV: ARR would have a maximum of 24 player alliances for battles, and the system was designed with this in mind, so there's no need to worry. Looking at the development team's final test, they displayed all 24 members on the screen and there were no problems when all of them were running around. Since you need to have a grasp of your party's status more so than alliance members, you won’t have to worry about this very much.
Aesthetician
Quote:
0:48:47
Q: How much will it cost each time you want to change your hairstyle via the aesthetician?
A: 2,000 gil. This is just the plan for now, but we'll most likely stick with this price. At the moment you can earn roughly 3,000 gil by doing the Wanderer's Palace one time, and if you really wanted to you could change your hairstyle every day. We are thinking about making it 2,000 gil so that if you only play three or four times a week, you can still afford to change your looks if the mood strikes you.
Quote:
0:49:40
Q: Are there any limitations to the number of times a player can use the beauty salon?
A: There won't be any limitations. You’ll be able to pay an additional 2,000 gil to change your appearance again if you don't like what you see, but you'll be able check everything out with the preview feature, so you can keep working on your appearance until it's just the way you want it.
Quote:
0:50:03
Q: Besides hairstyles, what else can you change?
A: In addition to hairstyle, you can also change your hair color, eyebrows, face paint, face paint color, facial hair, scars, tattoos, and tattoo color. We're still discussing if skin and eye color should be customizable.
Quote:
0:52:01
Q: Will there be more beauty salon options added in the future?
A: We’ll be placing the spotlight on a particular race when we introduce more hairstyles each patch. You'll be able to select hairstyles from other races as well.
Also, any players who've completed "For the Winsome," the first quest of the Lighting Strikes event, will be able to select the Lightning hairstyle if their character is female, or the Snow hairstyle if their character is male.
Quote:
0:53:11
Q: Will you be able to change your appearance while sitting in front of a mirror just like a real beauty salon?
A: We discussed this at length, but due to the game's sophisticated lighting, your appearance can vary greatly depending on your environment. Outside of the preview screen, you couldn't be sure if the style and color are what you wanted, resulting in the constant need to change your appearance. While it will have the feel of a salon to some degree, we felt it wouldn't be practical, so think of as changing just your facial aspects in the character creator. You'll also be able to change the background, as well as the change the lighting between day and night.
Good King Moggle Mog XII
Quote:
0:54:41
Q: How difficult is the Good King Moggle Mog XII fight?
A: The Good King Moggle Mog XII fight will be roughly the same difficulty as hard-mode Garuda. If you're still thinking Titan is a bit above you, you can challenge Good King Moggle Mog XII, which is only slightly harder than Garuda, get your weapon, and then challenge Titan. We'll be implementing the extreme-mode of Good King Moggle Mog XII in patch 2.2.
Quote:
0:55:32
Q: Will the Good King Moggle Mog XII fight have the same music as 1.0?
A: The easiest way to answer this question would be to show you the fight, but that would be a spoiler. We've made a short video though, so please check it out.
* The video shows footage of the Good King Moggle Mog XII battle.
Those of you who played during 1.0 will see the differences, but the concept is “many vs. many” as opposed to "many vs. 1." For those of you playing since the launch of ARR, up until now the primal battles have been a party of players against one strong primal; in contrast, this battle will pit you against multiple moogles with different jobs, who will ultimately summon Good King Moggle Mog XII. We think that this is a challenge that everyone will enjoy.”
Quote:
0:58:30
Q: Do you have any plans to implement a normal mode for Good King Moggle Mog XII?
A: In patch 2.2 we'll be adding Leviathan, followed by Ramuh and Shiva, but up until now the primal battles introduced for the main scenario have been between levels 1 and 50. The main scenario from here on out, however, will be for level 50, and there will only be hard and extreme battles. We'll be introducing extreme mode Good King Moggle Mog XII in patch 2.2, but we'll be implementing Leviathan hard mode and extreme mode at the same time.
Quote:
1:00:13
Q: Considering how common the relic weapons are lately, it seems like there's no point in trying to obtain the weapons that drop from Good King Moggle Mog XII.
A: While players who have relic weapons are free to use the weapons from Good King Moggle Mog XII with the vanity system, please keep in mind that there are still many people who are waiting for the relic path to be eased, and the gap to reach the next level is a bit too big right now. This is a way to fill in gaps on the path to obtaining relic weapons.
Quote:
1:01:06
Q: Compared to the Good King Moggle Mog XII fight from 1.0, what has changed?
A: Try and imagine based on the video you just saw. I'll give you a hint: the pom-poms above their heads are all different colors. The rest you'll have to figure out on the battlefield.
Quote:
1:01:29
Q: Can you obtain a moogle minion from the battle?
A: While moogles can be seen by adventurers and Padjal, other common-folk of Eorzea cannot see them, so we’d like to carefully look into a way to introduce these mascots.
Quote:
1:02:02
Q: Do you have any cool-looking moogle equipment planned?
A: Patch 2.1 will introduce weapons. And I can’t say exactly when, but there are plans for further down the line for equipment that will make a moogle out of you.
Quote:
1:02:22
Q: What is the item level for the Good King Moggle Mog rewards?
A: The moogle weapons from 1.0 are item level 70; however, we will be making adjustments and raising them to 80. The weapons you already possess will also be increased.
Also, we will be increasing the item level of the Allagan weapons obtained from the Binding Coil of Bahamut from 90 to 95. The Binding Coil of Bahamut is extremely difficult, so we would like to create a slight difference between these weapons and upgraded relic weapons. Again, only the level of weapons is being increased.
*The video introduces concept art of Leviathan weapons and portraits of 3 GC leaders.
Quote:
1:06:56
Q: Will there be a chance to receive another phial of Fantasia in the future?
A: I understand there have been a lot of requests for this on the forum and other places. While it won't be in patch 2.1, we are preparing to offer these as an optional service.
Duty Roulette/Player Commendation System
Quote:
1:07:48
Q: Tell us more about Duty Roulette.
A: *In-game footage of the Duty Roulette is shown in the video.
A: We've added a "Duty Roulette" tab to the Duty Finder. In this tab there are four categories: low level, high level, main scenario, and guildhests. On the right-hand side of the Duty Finder, when you queue up for the roulette, the rewards for completing the duty will be displayed. There will also be a reward bonus displayed, which will be earned when participating as a role that is in short supply. For example, if you are leveling your secondary character, once you hit level 16 the roulette will become available and I think your levels will go up quite quickly if you are a role that's in demand. We will also be adjusting the amount of experience points earned in dungeons in patch 2.1, so I believe dungeons will be a great option for efficient leveling. These bonuses can be earned once a day for each category, so you'll be able to earn a maximum of four bonuses in one day if you participate in all categories.- Low Level
Sastasha
The Tam-Tara Deepcroft
Copperbell Mines
The Bowl of Embers
Halatali
The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak
Haukke Manor, Brayflox's Longstop
The Sunken Temple of Qarn
Cutter's Cry
The Stone Vigil
The Navel
Dzemael Darkhold
The Aurum Vale
The Howling Eye
Cape Westwind
When queuing up for Low Level, you'll be matched for which ever duty is immediately available. This is for both players looking to rechallenge dungeons and also for new players. Although the high level roulette is better for those seeking Allagan tomestones, players who've just hit level 50 but aren't up to challenging higher level duties are welcome to use the low level roulette and save up tomestones at their own pace.
- High Level
The Wanderer's Palace
Amdapor Keep
Copperbell Mines (Hard)
Haukke Manor (Hard)
Pharos Sirius
Allagan tomestone bonuses will be granted for all instances after reaching level 50. Until level 50, players will receive only an experience points bonus, which also applies to rest experience.
- Main Scenario
Castrum Meridianum
Praetorium
This is a way to reward players for helping others to complete the main scenario.
- Guildhest
All available guildhests
Since guildhests are meant to serve as tutorials, no Allagan tomestones will be rewarded for their completion.
* The video introduces the tab showing off the Duty Roulette.
Quote:
1:14:11
Q: Will you be adding a kick feature for the Duty Finder?
A: Yes, we will. It will be a vote dismiss system, so for example, if someone is AFK or has fallen asleep, a request asking if the player should be removed will be sent to the other members of your party. If all members agree, the person will be removed. However, you won't be able to use this over and over, as it will be limited to once every few hours. Using this as a method for grief tactics falls under harassment, so please be careful.
Quote:
1:15:31
Q: Do you have any plans to handle players with different objectives attempting to use the Duty Finder?
A: Just as I mentioned in the previous LIVE letter, we will be implementing the Party Finder feature in patch 2.1. You'll be able to search for people with the same objectives and form a party, so please use both the Duty Finder and Party Finder as needed. Also, in regards to level 50 players being matched with lower level players through the Duty Roulette for low level dungeons, we will be implementing the player commendation system to promote the spirit of helping among players.
Quote:
1:17:12
Q: When you are level synced through the Duty Roulette, you won't be able to set your hotbar beforehand without knowing what duty you're joining. Will there be some sort of preparation time?
A: We'd like you to set this once you are matched by letting other players know you'll need a minute, or by making settings ahead of time for each level spread.
Quote:
1:18:10
Q: I'm worried that the MVP system will just cause more problems.
A: By calling it the “MVP” system I think there were some misunderstandings, so we've changed its name to the player commendation system. We’d like you all to use this feature as a way to thank a person in your party that really made your experience enjoyable and taught you some strategy or offered helpful tips. Voting is not a requirement, and if you wish to vote when you feel like you've met someone helpful, you can.
Also, we'll be creating achievements for receiving a certain number of player commendations, and you’ll be able to receive titles and rewards. These rewards aren’t meant to be something to actively save for. We’d like you to think of them as a kind of windfall for simply playing and having fun with fellow adventurers.
* The video introduces the player commendation feature and achievements.
Quote:
1:21:19
Q: Will your bonuses for the day be lost if you leave instances right after joining with the Duty Roulette?
A: Bonuses are received upon clearing instances only. We understand concerns about players leaving when the party lacks DPS, as well as requests from North American players for penalties to be given to people who leave without saying anything, so we are considering adding a penalty.
Quote:
1:22:23
Q: Will you be able to use the Duty Roulette when forming a party with 2 or 3 members?
A: We’ll be improving the Duty Finder extensively for 2.1, but I’m afraid the ability to participate in parties will take until 2.2.
Quote:
1:23:04
Q: Are there any restrictions on how many times you can vote or who you can vote on with the player commendation system?
A: In order to vote you will have to be solo, so this feature will only be displayed when you are participating alone.
Quote:
1:23:56
Q: If I queue up using the Duty Roulette as an arcanist and I'm placed in a dungeon under level 30, will I be able to participate as a healer?
A: While this won't be implemented in patch 2.1, when playing as an arcanist, players will be able to choose whether they wish to queue as a healer or DPS class when using the duty finder.
*The original question was “If I queue up to the Duty Roulette as a scholar, will I be able to participate as a healer?” but how Yoshi-p answered is for the case if player queued up as an arcanist.
As of now, if the player queues up to the Duty Roulette as a scholar and is matched in a level 30 or below dungeon, they will participate as a healer. If they queued up as an arcanist, they will participate as a DPS. However they will be able to select which role to participate in the future update.
Quote:
1:24:23
Q: Will it be possible to participate in dungeons that I’ve unlocked but have yet to challenge even once with the Duty Roulette?
A: Yes. Within a single category, as long as you have at minimum two duties unlocked, you’ll be able to use the Duty Roulette. Whether you’ve cleared them or not is not a requirement, so you’ll be able to use it for dungeons you have yet to clear.
Quote:
1:26:35
Q: Will you be adding the dhorme chimera, the hydra, and the Binding Coil of Bahamut to the Duty Finder?
A: We won’t be adding this in patch 2.1. Both the dhorme chimera and hydra are part of a system that is outside of the Duty Finder, but we are discussing adjusting this, so it may be changed in the not too distant future. We have no immediate plans to change the Binding Coil of Bahamut, but this doesn’t mean that we'll never do it. Using the party recruitment feature will make participation much easier, so please be sure to use this in patch 2.1.
Pharos Sirius
*The video shows off gameplay of Pharos Sirius.
Quote:
1:29:32
Q: What kind of dungeon is Pharos Sirius?
A: I believe you saw this place during the main scenario quests, but it’s a lighthouse that has fragments of crystals protruding through it as a result of the Seventh Umbral Era. It was equipped with a cutting-edge aetheryte irradiator, but the inside has become a mess and the objective of this dungeon is to open up the lighthouse. You’ll be starting underground, in a place called the flood cellar.
Quote:
1:30:45
Q: How many players can enter Pharos Sirius?
A: Four. Moving forward we will continue to add dungeons, but it's safe to assume that non-end-game dungeons will be designed for four players.
Quote:
1:31:22
Q: Compared to dungeons already available, how hard is Pharos Sirius?
A: Item-level wise, if you've collected all of your job-specific equipment you'll be able to challenge this dungeon. The equipment you can receive as rewards are item level 60. We've made adjustments to the difficulty of Pharos Sirius and the hard mode dungeons so they are on par with each other. We'll also be easing the difficulty of Amdapor Keep, making it the same level as the Wanderer’s Palace, so we will also be adjusting some of the reward items as well.
Quote:
1:32:35
Q: What kind of story will lead us into Pharos Sirius?
A: There was a part in the main scenario that took place on the Isles of Umbra and various NPCs mentioned Pharos Sirius, but you weren't able to enter. You could say this will be a continuation of the story that took place on the Isles of Umbra.
Quote:
1:33:23
Q: The Wanderer’s Palace has tonberries and Amdapor Keep has the demon wall. Will Pharos Sirius have any iconic FINAL FANTASY elements?
A: I won't be revealing any names, but I believe an iconic FINAL FANTASY boss will be introduced. There will be fun new mechanics as well, even for those of you who have acquired item level 90 gear.
Quote:
1:35:19
Q: What item level will the rewards be in Pharos Sirius?
A: As mentioned just before, they will be item level 60.
Hard Mode Dungeons
Quote:
1:36:10
Q: Which hard mode dungeons will be implemented?
A: This was shown off in the slide just before, but we’ll be implementing hard modes for Haukke Manor and Copperbell Mines.
Quote:
1:36:31
Q: Compared to the original dungeons, what will be different in the hard mode versions?
A: Portions of the routes have been changed, bosses have been changed, and the mechanics have been changed. You'll be able to see for yourself when you enter, but the atmosphere is also different. Prepare yourself for a considerably tougher challenge than the first time round.
We'll also be adding new quests leading up to them. You won’t be able to take on these dungeons if you haven't cleared the originals, and the story has been written as such that something happens, requiring adventurers to return and resolve a new problem. We will continue to add hard modes for dungeons moving forward, so expect to see some interesting stories leading you back inside.
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1:38:19
Q: What kind of benefits are there for challenging hard mode dungeons?
A: These exist to increase the choices and methods for obtaining Allagan tomestones for those players that have already cleared the main scenario.
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1:39:02
Q: Will there be equipment that you can only obtain from hard mode dungeons? If so, what item level will they be?
A: Yes, there will be and they will be item level 60.
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1:39:26
Q: Will we be able to obtain Allagan tomestones from hard mode dungeons?
A: Yes, you will be able to.
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1:40:08
Q: Will we be able to obtain rare materials that can be used for crafting?
A: You’ll be able to obtain a large number of materials via the Treasure Hunt system, which will be covered during the next LIVE letter. During the previous LIVE letter, you may remember me showing off some furniture with a design reminiscent of Aurum Vale. Furnishings such as this will require special ingredients found only in those dungeons.
*The video introduces concept art of new weapons and furnitures.
Extreme Mode Primal Battles
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1:44:13
Q: What item level will be necessary to challenge the extreme primal battles?
A: Roughly item level 70. However, you'll also have to have cleared hard-mode Titan.
* The video shows The Howling Eye (Extreme).
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1:46:30
Q: How hard will the extreme primal battles be? Will it be the kind of unforgiving encounter where a single mistake will lead to a wipe?
A: The battles will be quite intense. If you don’t have enough DPS the battles will be quite rough, so I think it will be difficult if one party member is down. However, it all depends on the situation, and while I can't make generalizations, it shouldn’t be the case that you can't recover.
* The video shows The Bowl of Embers (Extreme).
The commonality between the extreme primal battles is that you might have a hard time at first, but gradually you'll figure out the strategy. We've made them a good challenge for those of you looking for a stronger enemy to fight after clearing hard-mode Titan.
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1:49:31
Q: What kind of mechanics will the extreme primal battles feature?
A: The previous video should help give you an idea of what's in store, but there is more to it than just that, so please try to imagine what else is waiting for you.
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1:49:56
Q: Aren't there a bit too many nails for extreme Ifrit?
A: Yes, there are a lot, and there is also one giant one. I heard there may be 16 or so.
The extreme primal battles are their final awoken phases, or rather, the conclusion to the encounters with each of these primals.
* The video shows The Navel (Extreme) and a new Ultima Weapon battle.
When I was first looking over the plans for extreme mode Titan, I saw how small the battlefield was and thought to myself, "seriously?" Instead of gradually becoming smaller, it becomes small all at once after a while. The changes for extreme Titan are probably the most visible. Imprisoning two people at a time with Granite Gaol, multiple Landslides going off at the same time, and bomb boulders being dropped right before Landslide. It’s a pretty busy battlefield.
As for Ultima Weapon, I've heard rumors that the Wandering Minstrel will make a return, and there's a bit of a twist that ties this battle into the main scenario. The battle team hasn't decided if this will be a "hard" or "extreme" battle, but you can bet the combined strength of these primals will make for an amazing battle.
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1:55:47
Q: For the hard mode primal battles you receive weapons, but what kind of rewards are there for extreme?
A: If you clear all three extreme mode primal, you can obtain an item level 90 weapon. We wanted to add another option to the weapons you can obtain before obtaining an Allagan weapon. Naturally we will have weapons for all jobs.
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1:56:53
Q: Will the extreme primal battles be part of the main scenario or will there be a quest line similar to the one for obtaining relic weapons?
A: Yes, it’ll be part of the main scenario. By progressing through quests you will unlock the first battle, after which you can move on to the next quest and the battle that follows.
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1:57:23
Q: Will we be able to challenge extreme mode primal battles with the Duty Finder?
A: Yes, you can use the Duty Finder.
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1:57:39
Q: You can currently obtain materials for housing items from hard mode primal battles, but will the drop rates be higher for extreme mode, or will multiple items drop?
A: Because we didn't want too many of these items circulating before the release of housing, we set the drop rate relatively low. There's also more than one piece of furnishing associated with each primal, as some items can be made from hard mode materials, while others are made from extreme mode materials. With the release of patch 2.1, we will also be increasing the drop rate of materials for hard mode primal battles. The extreme mode primal won't drop weapons, but there will still be rewards that you can brag about.
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1:59:46
Q: What is the release date for patch 2.1?
A: Patch 2.1, A Realm Awoken, will be released on Tuesday, December 17, 2013.