I recently logged into FFXIV for the first time in months, probably 6 months or more.
There have been a lot of tweaks and changes to the game in that time. It is still similar at the core, but there are new quest, new NMs, new ways to level efficiently, etc.
I know 1.18 will change a lot more in the coming days, as will the patches that follow it. I have a feeling that some of this new content will bring more people, like myself, back to try the game again, especially while it remains free to play. I doubt there will be a major population explosion without either a major marketing campaign by SE, the release of the PS3 version, or a combination of both of those. However, a lot of the curious original players may reinstall, a lot of FFXI players may try it again, etc.
With this, it would be great to get some tips/info from people who have continued to play during all the updates. There is still a lot of info online on FFXIV websites, but some of it is dated, and much of the best info is hard to find, especially little tips and tricks. Can FFXIV vets share suggestions with those of us returning after a long break?
Some questions/examples:
I watched some FFXIV videos on the new lower level NMs. It seemed like the groups where still ignoring battle regimens. Is it still pretty common to just ignore these in a party or do players need to know them and have a macro for them? Any tips on using them effectively?
The economy seems to have changed a lot. The improvements to searching market wards are nice and all, but it is still very cumbersome. Is YG still the best resource for learning about recipes, prices, etc?
I hear the stats and their use has been tweaked. Any tips on how to allocate status points for DoW, DoH, DoM? I am especially interested in how people who play multiple roles on any given day, craft, melee, and magic users, are spreading their points out?
Is owning multiple sets of gear the way to go now? i.e. If I switch from 23 MRD to 10 LNC, should I also make sure to have the lower level gear? I know level 10 is still pretty easy so I do not need to spend a fortune on having all the best items, but it is nice to know what people are doing when they switch from a level 50 class to a level 25 class, etc. Back when I left, the majority of the player base seemed to just stay in their high level equipment.