Adjustments to Ease Solo Travel

[Okipuit]

Hey everyone,

As we have recently made adjustments so that adventurers could easily travel through the Quicksand Caves solo without the need for an army of galkas to step on the weight platform, there have been various requests for similar adjustments in other areas that require multiple adventurers to travel about.

We currently have two areas that we are planning to adjust:

Garliage Citadel
We plan on restructuring the requirements to access the Banishing Gates when traveling solo. The main reasoning for this is due to the fact that we are currently revamping various quests such as “In Defiant Challenge” to make it easier to complete without requiring the assistance of others.

Castle Oztroja
We are also planning to change the requirements necessary to open the Brass Door at the very top of Castle Oztroja.

Moving forward, we will continue to make adjustments to make sure your travels and adventures are more enjoyable. :)

[Zubis]

I will remember those bloody Banishing Gates until the day I die -_-

Thank you for making things easier.

[Sargent]

To be fair, you could already pass both Banishing Gates solo using the Sauromogue Champaign [S] and the Lycopdium NPC quest. The only issue was passing back through Gate 3, you have to drop down. You could also open the door at the top of Oztroja solo, but it required a form of movement speed.

[cidbahamut]

{Eldieme Necropolis} {Where?}

[Phafi]

You might want to consider the weight doors in Halvung.

[Kraggy]

Garliage Citadel
We plan on restructuring the requirements to access the Banishing Gates when traveling solo.
Er, WOTG already dealt with that problem, there's no need for more simplification here.

[Daniel_Hatcher]

Er, WOTG already dealt with that problem, there's no need for more simplification here.

Disagree! Not having to go to the past would be much appreciated.

[Saenomo]

Actually, I was recently collecting THF AF, and found that you need to pass through Banishing Gate 1 to complete it and zoning out to come around from the Maw wouldn't help as you have to re-examine the points in front of the banishing gate and then pass behind it for the rest each time you zone in. This change would have been appreciated, but with that exception, I can't imagine needing to open them ever again except to avoid going the long way around.

As a fun thought, do you think we could get a spell to time displace our characters? For example, a spell to drop us into Shadowreign Era without changing our X, Y, Z coordinates. I suppose it would be a bit unbalancing to be able to bypass a door that is generally open in one time, but not in the other, but I don't know how many times I've been nowhere near one of the maws and wanted to switch over to the [S] equivalent.

[Economizer]

On the Castle Oztroja stuff, you can bypass it with /SCH and some Desert Boots at 99, but I'm assuming the issue is for beginners soloing?

But if you are really going to be spending time adjusting it, as much as I love hacking the machine at the top, it can be time consuming, perhaps there should be a pass to get past it quickly for people who have gone past it multiple times before?


Disagree! Not having to go to the past would be much appreciated.

Voidwatch warps, if my memory serves. Really it is just one or two gates that is hard to get past I think?

Of course, the Voidwatch warp require clears, which might not really fit with the whole bit of making lower levels people have an easier time doing stuff solo.

[Keyln]

Er, WOTG already dealt with that problem, there's no need for more simplification here.

Not everyone has WotG.

[Zerich]

I don't want to buy WotG.

fixed

but seriously, i like this proposed change. yeah, we already have maws to get around this stuff and you're complete gimpsauce if you can't figure it out with all the resources we have, but i am liking that SE is acknowledging that this is a general annoyance for everyone who plays the game.

+3

[Keyln]

fixed

but seriously, i like this proposed change. yeah, we already have maws to get around this stuff and you're complete gimpsauce if you can't figure it out with all the resources we have, but i am liking that SE is acknowledging that this is a general annoyance for everyone who plays the game.

+3

Cute, and entirely missing the point. My point is that if there are any walk-arounds, it shouldn't require a separate expansion.

[Zerich]

Cute, and entirely missing the point. My point is that if there are any walk-arounds, it shouldn't require a separate expansion.

why would anyone be playing the game (bar-trial accounts) without all the expansions?

[cidbahamut]

why would anyone be playing the game (bar-trial accounts) without all the expansions?

Why does that matter? Why are you so adamantly opposed to us getting a nice quality-of-life update for something that's been a headache for players for roughly a decade now?

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/183/923/Whywecanthavenice2.png

[Zerich]

Why does that matter? Why are you so adamantly opposed to us getting a nice quality-of-life update for something that's been a headache for players for roughly a decade now?

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/183/923/Whywecanthavenice2.png

i guess you are incapable of reading my first post in the thread?

btw, cute sockpuppet

[cidbahamut]

All I'm seeing is you coming into multiple threads over the past week or so and being generally unlikable to the tune of "I don't want quality-of-life updates for this game."

P.S.
lol at me being a sock puppet.

[Edyth]

Sounds good.

Like the other poster said, similar adjustments are also needed in the Eldieme Necropolis.

And I wish I had the option to delete posts of misinformed bitching. Wings of the Goddess does not fully solve the problem of solo travel (see the THF AF quest involving the Chandelier NM). And worst of all, Wings of the Goddess didn't solve the problem of noobs whining for help in the Linkshell and Port Jeuno because they don't wanna go through the past, boohoo. That will be one of the best results of this update.

P.S. Please make the banishing gate key accessible to the noobiest of noobs.

[Zerich]

All I'm seeing is you coming into multiple threads over the past week or so and being generally unlikable to the tune of "I don't want quality-of-life updates for this game."

P.S.
lol at me being a sock puppet.

stalkermuch?
I am for the changes being made, and against people considering to enjoy the game without all expansion packs.

[Keyln]

stalkermuch?
I am for the changes being made, and against people considering to enjoy the game without all expansion packs.

Yeah, yeah, maybe people don't have access to said expansion packs for one reason or another. Frankly it doesn't matter. My point still stands, getting around hard to get areas shouldn't require going to another expansion pack area.

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/183/923/Whywecanthavenice2.png

[Bulrogg]

<The Eldieme Necropolis> <Gate Breach> <Can I have it?>

[wildsprite]

<The Eldieme Necropolis> <Gate Breach> <Can I have it?>

what he said

[Jonadriel]

I think also someone mentioned this but, work on fixing the lever doors in Halvung where u need 5 ppl just to open them. Is a pain when i need to kill a ZNM and I have to get 5 ppl just to open those doors.

[Jamesy]

Castle Oztroja
We are also planning to change the requirements necessary to open the Brass Door at the very top of Castle Oztroja.



wait what lol? it was hard to open the final brass door? or are you moving the torch right in front of the door or something i don't get how getting into that room other then aggro was difficult

[Sharnak]

I'm also concern about Eldieme Necropolis that still need at least 2 ppl to help open to go in deeper.
Also i hope SE will adjust poping method of Skull of Sins series NM (Skull of greed ect.) which form present method it's need like 6-7 ppl on each torch stand to trade 1 flint stone. it's just cuz torch will lit just for 5 min after trade and every torch need to re-enter Eldieme again and again whole map. so no way can do it solo.

[Sharnak]

I think also someone mentioned this but, work on fixing the lever doors in Halvung where u need 5 ppl just to open them. Is a pain when i need to kill a ZNM and I have to get 5 ppl just to open those doors.

If i not mistake Halvung heavy door can advoid by use another way, I use to explore Halvung alone with no problem. It's just need to go longer way and got more mob than heavy door's way. Same in Mamook got door with key repeatly to go deeper but you still can use longer way with TS mob to go in also.

[Godofgods]

Er, WOTG already dealt with that problem, there's no need for more simplification here.

I love how some assume that all ppl have all content, and are all progressed far enough to make use of all of it.
Ever think that not everyone has access to that yet? And i could be wrong but new players don't start with all that right?

[Vivivivi]

I just ran into the banishing gates thing yesterday while I was leveling a job. A poor new adventurer came to the gates for the limit break item only to discover we needed 2 more people to assist. I couldn't find any friends who weren't already in Abyssea or doing void watch to come down and help, so I support easing requirements such as this to help newer players.

[Ziyyigo-Tipyigo]

i don't get how getting into that room other then aggro was difficult

A single person cannot light a torch, make themselves invisible, and get through the door before it closes again. And people capped at 60 need to get through that door.

[Luvbunny]

Thank you, thank you for all these updates, please make it so that the game more enjoyable to solo and we should not always dependent on others on many simple things in the game, very appreciate it!!

[Dragoy]

Hey everyone,

As we have recently made adjustments so that adventurers could easily travel through the Quicksand Caves solo without the need for an army of galkas to step on the weight platform, there have been various requests for similar adjustments in other areas that require multiple adventurers to travel about.

We currently have two areas that we are planning to adjust:

Garliage Citadel
We plan on restructuring the requirements to access the Banishing Gates when traveling solo. The main reasoning for this is due to the fact that we are currently revamping various quests such as “In Defiant Challenge” to make it easier to complete without requiring the assistance of others.

Castle Oztroja
We are also planning to change the requirements necessary to open the Brass Door at the very top of Castle Oztroja.

Moving forward, we will continue to make adjustments to make sure your travels and adventures are more enjoyable. :)

You mean Garlaige, right?

Haha, I'm just teasing. Garliage... Jueno... what were the other oh-so-commonly misspelled things that they became more or less a norm? ^^;

All in all, even though I have not been affected any of these too much due to various reasons, it is good to see more far over-due issues being addressed, at last.


A single person cannot light a torch, make themselves invisible, and get through the door before it closes again. And people capped at 60 need to get through that door.

It is very much possible with the mere help of Sprinter's Shoes (http://ffxi.gamerescape.com/wiki/Sprinter's_Shoes) alone.
I know I did it back when I needed it (being a Red Mage helped a bit too on the way in general). ^^

I imagine Raptor Mazurka (http://ffxi.gamerescape.com/wiki/Raptor_Mazurka) would work as well.
And there is, of course, the Hermes Quencher (http://ffxi.gamerescape.com/wiki/Hermes_Quencher).

It may not be easy, but more than doable. I did it probably more than 4 years ago when I needed it, so there are more than likely even more ways to tackle it today, that which I can not think of right now.

[Wolfandre]

You mean Garlaige, right?

Haha, I'm just teasing. Garliage... Jueno... what were the other oh-so-commonly misspelled things that they became more or less a norm? ^^;

ValkRUm Dunes.....*ValkURm Dunes*...

'What?!' you might say?

Look it up.

[Edyth]

ValkRUm Dunes.....*ValkURm Dunes*...

'What?!' you might say?

Look it up.

There's also "Quifim Island." And then the rearrangement of letters to get Charybdis's nickname, "Charby," which I think was not a conscious decision, but rather a result of people giving up after seeing all o' dem big ol' letters.

I also hate some of the nicknames players have given things. I can't stand seeing "aby" instead of Abyssea, "ironclads" instead of iron giants, "spiders" instead of mites, "pots" instead of zdeis, "fenny" instead of Fenrir, and "alex" instead of Alexandrite or Alexander (this one just bothers me because of the ambiguity, but the others piss me off).

[Shadax]

While we're at it, how about making Sahagin Key a key item. Not a major change, sure but I like having one on me just in case and it's an inventory slot I'd like to get back. Also, please, for the love of Altana... how about letting all four lamps light when you trade a lit lamp to get into the Sacrificial Chamber?

[Vivivivi]

Lol after having just done the savage blade quest... Altepa Gate? ^^;

[Ziyyigo-Tipyigo]

Altepa Gate?

Meh, not necessary now that you don't need help to trigger the door plates. The columns stay triggered for like an hour each, giving plenty of time to do it all solo.

[Bookong]

Well done, SE. i can dig it. I think this is an awesome step in the right direction for helping solo players and the player base at large. Thank You! :)

[Saenomo]

Not everyone has WotG.

To be honest, if you don't have it, you should have gotten it. If you don't have the $20-30 for a fully up to date game, I'm sorry, but you can't really complain. Besides, the way the game was designed, not having WotG makes the game virtually unplayable in areas that have mobs that originally showed up in those zones (a.k.a.: Peiste in Abyssea without WotG and Khimaira in Abyssea without ToAU are invisible and untargetable without the dats that come with their proper expansions).

[Ziyyigo-Tipyigo]

To be honest, if you don't have it, you should have gotten it. If you don't have the $20-30 for a fully up to date game, I'm sorry, but you can't really complain.

Expansions/DLC should never be required by anything, anywhere, ever. There's "add-ons" and then there's paying for an incomplete game.


(a.k.a.: Peiste in Abyssea without WotG and Khimaira in Abyssea without ToAU are invisible and untargetable without the dats that come with their proper expansions).

As it says right in the proverbial manual, Abyssea add-ons require both RotZ and WotG.

[Okipuit]

Hey everyone,

I have some follow-up information for you regarding easing access through areas (such as Eldieme Necropolis, Castle Oztroja, or Halvung). These gates were originally created as a challenge adventurers must face, so simply removing them would take away from the satisfaction of gaining access that was intended upon their original introduction. However, we understand that requiring multiple people is a burden so we will be looking into ways to improve the current system while taking into consideration a solution that will not simply make traveling a cake walk.

[Septimus]

Hey everyone,

I have some follow-up information for you regarding easing access through areas (such as Eldieme Necropolis, Castle Oztroja, or Halvung). These gates were originally created as a challenge adventurers must face, so simply removing them would take away from the satisfaction of gaining access that was intended upon their original introduction. However, we understand that requiring multiple people is a burden so we will be looking into ways to improve the current system while taking into consideration a solution that will not simply make traveling a cake walk.

There is no satisfaction to be had because you triumphed over an inconvenient mechanic that shouldn't have existed in the first place. The biggest hindrance to this game is the Inconvenience Fairy (http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/10/29) mentality that goes into its development.

[Llana_Virren]

Travel time has been reduced so much over the years, that suggesting there's still an inconvenience from going from Point A to Point B, is just being lazy. I Understand Okipuit's remarks: areas such as Edleime, or Garliage, which required 2+ people, is difficult when solo.

The goal of "inconvenience" was to ensure team play. It doesn't always work out... but if there was no requirement to do anything in groups, there'd be no need for FFXI to be an MMO.

[Luvbunny]

Please be realistic. The game has CHANGED!!! Get with the reality, please make it so that you NEVER have to do this kind of retarded activities ever again. On another note, do not give us the bullshit of "challenge" and "accomplishment" crap, it may works in 2003, but it does not work now. You want example? Here it goes, the quicksand cave access where you need certain races to be able to do just that. You managed to fix it, so I see no point where you cannot fix all the other "inconveniences" in the game. I get it, you need your time sink crap, but let's be realistic here, the year is 2012, get with it, and change!

I was quite happy with your original intention of making everyday things to be EASY and extremely convenient for players everywhere, then came this ridiculous post trying to backtracking the good intention that you put forward.

[Washburn]

Think of it this way: if it doesn't give you a title, or if its something you'd never see bazaar comment bragging about, just drop the shit. Noone's ever shouted for help with a banishing gate, then put "Banishing Gate 1 Cleared!" in their bazaar comment.

[Alhanelem]

All you really need is a quest that gives you a key to the door/etc after having done something that requires going past it the normal way one time. You've triumphed over the obstacle once, so what sense is there in making people continue to have to go through it every time?

[Luvbunny]

we will be looking into ways to improve the current system while taking into consideration a solution that will not simply make traveling a cake walk.

This is like the biggest contradiction EVER... first he posted that wanted to make adjustment for ease solo travel then now this statement to make sure that traveling will not be a cake walk.... Uhm like, so what is your original intention? You want us to have ease of traveling or keep bogging us down with crap like this in the sake of BS Barance....

[RAIST]

All you really need is a quest that gives you a key to the door/etc after having done something that requires going past it the normal way one time. You've triumphed over the obstacle once, so what sense is there in making people continue to have to go through it every time?

Probably the most balanced compromise I've seen on this issue. Maintains the need for teaming up to satisfy the MMO side, while providing a means to remedy it for the more casual player. All you would really need is to gather your LS mates one time to open the gates and get the KI one time and you are set for life. Now, if you don't have any friends/LS mates to call on to assist you just ONE time....that is a bigger issue that can't really be remedied by game design changes.

[Vivivivi]

All you really need is a quest that gives you a key to the door/etc after having done something that requires going past it the normal way one time. You've triumphed over the obstacle once, so what sense is there in making people continue to have to go through it every time?

Agreed. There is something fun and satisfying about gathering people together to open 3 mage gate for the first time, or the quicksand caves weights, a fun little animation, a minor sense of accomplishment. So I'm all about requiring every player to do these at least once in order to get a KI to allow them solo travel access in the future.

[Luvbunny]

Yes to do it one time for KI, that is fine, to have to do it every single time and inconveniencing all the people you know and asking favor for such trivial thing IS NOT OKAY.

[Jackastheripper]

I ran into another one yesterday that could use some work. Getting through Newton Movalpolos to Mine Shaft #2716. You need 3 people to pull the levers to raise the walkway pieces. Been trying to get to some of the mobs in the middle of Newton for item drops and to the coffer and can't because I don't have anyone to help raise the platforms....

[RAIST]

Huh? Mine shaft access is easy...trade a snow lilly. That's been an option for forever and a day. Now, getting to that one section of the map to farm mobs there, that is another issue....but if you've been in this game for any reasonable length of time and don't have friends to fart around with in game that you can call on one afternoon to help you out....again, as stated earlier (http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/threads/23405-Adjustments-to-Ease-Solo-Travel?p=321387&viewfull=1#post321387), that is NOT a game design issue per se, but more an issue with the playerbase mentality.

[Jackastheripper]

I was not aware of the snow lily trick, thanks for the info!

[Powder]

I am so aggravated right now I could scream! I just left Eldieme after an hour of shouting over and over to get a gate breach. This is so stupid! There were at one time 4 other people there and not one would respond to my shout. I do stuff in this game myself I don't bother people and having to beg for help irks the hell out of me. Please do something about this!!

[Tsukino_Kaji]

Castle Oztroja
We are also planning to change the requirements necessary to open the Brass Door at the very top of Castle Oztroja.Leave the previous way intact as well.

[Limecat]

How about reducing the equip level of the chocobo whistle to 1, and removing the level restriction on rentals? We already reached at least Lv20 and did the license quest. It's not like we're getting over on the system to be able to ride a bird at a lower level.