March 2022 FINAL FANTASY XI Digest

[Akihiko_Matsui]

The latest FINAL FANTASY XI Digest is now available! The digest covers key features from the most recent version update. Check out the video, try the version update, and leave a feedback based on your experience of playing the new content.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U_G2TVXjiis" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Please reply to this thread to leave your feedback.
Please only post feedback pertaining to the version update and digest video in this thread.
To better collect your feedback, we ask that you post one specific feedback per reply (of course you are allowed to post several replies!)
Before posting your feedback, check the thread to see if similar feedback was already mentioned and hit the “Like!” button instead of re-posting the same feedback.

[Shuko]

I have been enjoying the sakura fall in game alot, though as my shell grows, the 64 player limit of players on at once is getting noticed more and more. With ps2 limitations gone now, can this be raised at all? so people don't seek out other linkshells?

[Immortal]

Hello, please add gear to effect the potency of additional effects on Blue Magic and also gear to enhance duration of the buffs.

Also, you should consider adding an intense version to vol2 as an option, it would open up the amount of varied battles to everyone and some of those have unique mechanics that could be fun for high end players. Barely anyone I know even does vol2.

[Alhanelem]

I have been enjoying the sakura fall in game alot, though as my shell grows, the 64 player limit of players on at once is getting noticed more and more. With ps2 limitations gone now, can this be raised at all? so people don't seek out other linkshells?
It's not a PS2 limitation

[Voidstorm]

Just had a look at the new Apex mobs in Crawler's Nest (S). I must say it looks like an excellent spot for doing AoE(area of effect) apex killing in a party w/ a tank.
As such, please remove the nerf to BLM from ~2005 where AoE spells' damage was changed to be reduced by the number of targets hit by the cast.
At present, a BLM is better off getting TP and weapon skilling for damage than casting -aga/aja spells for damage. (this adjustment also applied to banishgas, sch's kaustra, and even diaga)


FYI, this is a very old adjustment separate from the one that reduces dmg to additional targets in Dynamis Divergence - Jeuno & Odyssey sheol a/b/c.

[Pixela]

New Apex re-textures are great!

[Alhanelem]

Just had a look at the new Apex mobs in Crawler's Nest (S). I must say it looks like an excellent spot for doing AoE(area of effect) apex killing in a party w/ a tank.
As such, please remove the nerf to BLM from ~2005 where AoE spells' damage was changed to be reduced by the number of targets hit by the cast.
At present, a BLM is better off getting TP and weapon skilling for damage than casting -aga/aja spells for damage. (this adjustment also applied to banishgas, sch's kaustra, and even diaga)


FYI, this is a very old adjustment separate from the one that reduces dmg to additional targets in Dynamis Divergence - Jeuno & Odyssey sheol a/b/c.
Very unlikely to happen. Even FFXIV does this (on a skill by skill basis though) to prevent AoE damage from being too much more efficient than the single target things to the point that they never get used.

[Shuko]

It's not a PS2 limitation

Was it newly implemented then? I've never had to deal with it til about 2019 or so, but then again I can't say I ever played with more then a small handful of people before then, linkshells under 20 from US release on

[Voidstorm]

Very unlikely to happen. Even FFXIV does this (on a skill by skill basis though) to prevent AoE damage from being too much more efficient than the single target things to the point that they never get used.
Why are you taking this stance? Did you even read my whole post?

Your argument doesn't hold water since there's a giant hole of AoE not all being reduced in that way, Only certain ones were nerf'd long ago. New stuff never felt the nerf, well until they added a gimmick to nerf all AoE on additional targets, but guess what?! It also applies to elemental magic AoE, meaning it gets double nerf'd.

[Voidstorm]

Was it newly implemented then? I've never had to deal with it til about 2019 or so, but then again I can't say I ever played with more then a small handful of people before then, linkshells under 20 from US release on
It is a PS2 limitation. It's always been like that, it's the way the game was coded from the start based on PS2 limits and the issue of trying to change code on something that old can create numerous new bugs. It's why they have always been slow to increase inventory, and why many other things are as wonky as they are.

[Pixela]

Doesn't 14 has the same LS cap numbers?

[Alhanelem]

It is a PS2 limitation. It's always been like that, it's the way the game was coded from the start based on PS2 limits and the issue of trying to change code on something that old can create numerous new bugs. It's why they have always been slow to increase inventory, and why many other things are as wonky as they are.

It's not a PS2 limitation. Just because the limit has been the same since the PS2 era does not mean that the PS2 is the reason for the limit. More than likely it is a server load issue, the same reason yells are limited to certain areas, the same reason Free Companies, Linkshells, and the Novice Network in FFXIV have a set size limit, and why Cross World linkshells have a smaller limit. The higher the number of players, the more network and server load is exerted by sending a message to that many people. (and don't try to say "ps4 limitations," as PC is the main platform for FFXIV and any other platform will be dropped if and when it is limiting their ability to upgrade the game). I imagine that they could double the size limit if they removed the ability to have two active linkshells. But I don't think people would be happy with that.

Shout and Say are different because those are limited to a localized area and the zone you're in, respectively. Any given zone is handled by only a single server within the world's server cluster, so on an individual zone basis there isn't this kind of limitation.

They were "slow to address inventory" because the system was designed a certain way that makes it not easy to change. It's also a network speed limitation due to the game being designed to work on dial-up internet connections, more than it is a PS2 limitation, as the reason they didn't simply give us a ton of wardrobes and space immediately was because of the data loading issues caused by this design. They could make inventory capacity anything they want to (within reason), but the network rate cap is not a PS2 limitation. The PS2's memory limits probably did get in the way as well, but that limit went away the very moment they stopped supporting the PS2, they wouldn't have had to do anything special to get around that, as the PC version always used more memory than the PS2 version.

Ultimately, every issue has different causes, you can't just assume PS2 limitations in the case of every thing we want they don't change.



Why are you taking this stance? Did you even read my whole post?I love it when everyone jumps to "did you even read?" when you disagree with someone...
Yes, I read. No, it doesn't change anything. I honestly don't believe it is simply an oversight that AoE modifiers were not applied equally to all spells, unless you submit this "double-nerf" as a bug and they accept it.

AoEs doing less damage with more targets is is a balance decision.

[Alhanelem]

Doesn't 14 has the same LS cap numbers?
Cross-world linkshells are limited to 64, regular linkshells 128, free companies and the novice network are capped at 512.

[Voidstorm]

I submitted it idk probably a year ago. They replied by putting it in, 'not a bug'.

AoEs doing less damage with more targets is is a balance decision. casts thundaja, group of targets take 2k dmg.
Readies Cataclysm, group of targets take 30k dmg.
another party member readies Aeolian Edge, group of targets take 35k dmg.
(if i cast in occult acumen it's more like 500dmg)


Fuck that is not balance in any way.

[Alhanelem]

I submitted it idk probably a year ago. They replied by putting it in, 'not a bug'.
casts thundaja, group of targets take 2k dmg.
Readies Cataclysm, group of targets take 30k dmg.
another party member readies Aeolian Edge, group of targets take 35k dmg.
(if i cast in occult acumen it's more like 500dmg)
Fuck that is not balance in any way.
It only goes in "Not a bug report" if you don't use the template.

If you use the template and they decide it's not a bug, it goes in "working as Intended." meaning you did not use the template or did not fill it out completely. Bug reports are essentially ignored unless the template is filled out.

Outside of that, I can't really speak to their logic or rationale behind WS balance, it doesn't seem to take all that much effort to elevate certain WS to stupidly high damage. But specifically comparing magic against magic, the mechanic of less damage being dealt per target with multiple targets IS in fact a balance decision. The AoE spells deal more damage than the single target tier they are closest in level to on a single target. If they dealt that same amount of damage to a large group it would, in fact, be broken from a balance standpoint. As I said before, it is typical in MMOs for AoE damage to be lower and require a certain number of targets before it becomes more efficient DPS.



When it comes to AoE WS, for a very long time they were rarely used and generally inferior- and it's probably because of this that the AoE scaling rules used for spells were never implemented for WS. Quite frankly, WS like Aeolean Edge are stupidly broken under current mechanics and conditions and should have these modifiers applied, rather than them being removed from spell damage. But since nerfs aren't fun, I don't expect that to be a popular opinion.

(This is also not to mention that in the early days, AoE spam itself was not common and people generally avoided fighting multiple monsters whenever possible)

[Pixela]

Wasn't this magic nerf due to summoners 1 shotting stuff in ambuscade?

[Alhanelem]

Wasn't this magic nerf due to summoners 1 shotting stuff in ambuscade?
No, we're talking about the mechanic with AoE nuke magic (e.g. -aga spells- I'm not sure if -ra spells are equally subject to this, as they were introduced much later) doing gradually less damage per target the more targets that get hit, down to a certain minimum.

You are thinking about the summoner-specific nerf where certain encounters, including ambiscade, dramatically reduice the damage of blood pacts used in succession, effectively neutering their second 1-hour, but also the use of multiple summoners. This dispute is specifically over AoE magic cast by mage jobs.

[Voidstorm]

-ra spells are indeed equally subject to this but BLU magic is not if you want a magic to magic comparison.