Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXV (01/05/2023)

We are pleased to present the full digest of the Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXV!
If you missed the live stream, or if you just want to watch it again (and again), check it out below!

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* Don't forget to select the 1080p option to watch the video in HD!

Patch 6.3 Preview Part 2

Following the previous Letter LIVE, we went over what's coming in Patch 6.3, along with gameplay footage.

Gods Revel, Lands Tremble Trailer

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We began the broadcast by revealing the trailer for Patch 6.3 — Gods Revel, Lands Tremble, scheduled to release on Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

What's to Come in Patch 6.3

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The latest episode of "Tataru's Grand Endeavor" will require completion of the Four Lords quests to set the stage for their first return in a long while.

On the other hand, the latest episode of "Tales of Newfound Adventure" will be available after completing the 6.3 main scenario and will provide further insight on a particular character.

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Pictured above are two screenshots from the Loporrit tribal quests.

In stark contrast to the Omicron tribal quests in Patch 6.2, which were like an epilogue to the 6.0 main scenario, these tribal quests focus on the Loporrits as they strive to be hospitable to the people of Etheirys. The first half of the quests may come off as rather predictable, but with Yoshida having mentioned it was his favorite story in Patch 6.3, perhaps there's more to them than this first impression.

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Thanks to Duty Support, our Warriors of Light may choose to be accompanied by Zero in the upcoming dungeon.

Containment Bay P1T6 could be considered the origin of brain-teaser mechanics in FFXIV, and a new variation of its mechanics will be introduced in its Unreal counterpart.

As you may have guessed from the patch trailer, the fifth and latest Ultimate duty will be themed after Omega. We chose to keep the theme a mystery until now as allowing too much time to speculate about the encounter could have lessened the impact of the battle itself; Yoshida also wanted to look at the content for himself after the final review (which was close to release) before revealing it. We hope you're eager to face off against Omega, which will surely live up to expectations!

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Eureka Orthos requires players to have learned the basics of Deep Dungeon content by reaching Floor 50 of the Palace of the Dead. Though the content itself carries over a lot of elements from Palace of the Dead, the bosses have been assigned to dedicated programmers and should further emphasize the feeling of a "boss fight." The story isn't exactly text-heavy, but it'll be a good tale nonetheless.

The slides above also mention job adjustments and PvP updates, which will be covered in the sections below.

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The updates to Treasure Hunt and Leap of Faith will be covered in a later section.

Initially, we weren’t planning to add spearfishing to upper La Noscea at this time, though adding activities from later expansions to A Realm Reborn areas was on the to-do list when flying in those areas was being developed. Yoshida was pleasantly surprised when he learned that the development team members in charge had proactively implemented spearfishing to upper La Noscea at this early timing.

Certain Worlds will not receive additional wards in the housing update for this patch, as they still have vacancies in existing wards; new wards will be added to those Worlds once we see more of those vacancies filled.

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■ Icons for damage type will now display in the Battle log and flying text
This change will be reflected across all existing content and actions. We'll be verifying them as thoroughly as we can, but the sheer amount of content affected means we're bound to miss some discrepancies, so we'd be grateful if you could submit a bug report for any errors you may find.

■ Ability to display remaining time for enhancements/enfeeblements in the party list
This feature can be turned on or off. It'll be on by default, but updating these number displays in real-time will impact graphical load, so you may choose to turn this feature off should you experience any hindrance to gameplay.

■ Portraits will now display when using the Duty Finder
This feature can be turned on or off as you like. Separately, the background for default portraits was too bland and will be changed in Patch 6.3.

■ Expansion of available activities while using fashion accessories
Certain activities, such as crafting and riding mounts, will now be available while using fashion accessories.

■ Ability to automatically open umbrella when rain is detected
This feature won’t detect snowy weather as of Patch 6.3, as there were varying opinions within the development team about how it should function in the snow. With that said, we're looking to expand the feature with new ideas and implementations, so its behavior in snowy weather will be addressed once we're sufficiently prepared. Once that's been realized, it should open up new doors not only for umbrellas but for roleplaying features overall, so we hope you'll bear with us in the meantime.

Job Adjustments

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Paladin's action rotation has been changed due to the significant adjustments to the job. Our proposed changes to the old rotation had a tendency of being limited to quick fixes, so this change ensures that our adjustments are well-grounded.

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Paladin's reliance on damage over time was lowered in exchange for improved capability in dealing burst damage, allowing it to maintain a more consistent playstyle throughout different content. Additionally, certain defensive abilities had their usability improved, as they were difficult to use compared to those of other tank jobs.

You'll be able to refer to the 6.3 patch notes and Job Guide for further details regarding job adjustments once the patch is live.

PvP Updates
　
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Once again, several jobs will receive PvP-related adjustments based on the jobs placing at the top of the rankings.

Regarding large-scale PvP, we're currently referencing player feedback to put together our next set of plans, so we ask that you bear with us a while longer.

We revealed the new Crystalline Conflict arena to be added in Patch 6.3, the Clockwork Castletown, through gameplay footage.

The Clockwork Castletown features mechanics involving trick doors and trick floors. Depending on the length of the match, an event known as the "pneumatic parade" may occur once or twice per match, prompting clockwork NPCs with area-of-effect attacks and gaze abilities to roam about the arena. Make sure to have your crowd control abilities actions handy!

We're also working on adjusting the process of obtaining items for PvP overall. We also showcased the reward equipment for the upcoming PvP Series during the broadcast, which you can see in the video.

Euphrosyne

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Before taking our first look at Euphrosyne, we showcased the new Clear Blue theme, which gives the user interface a semi-transparent look with a muted blue color. We'll be adding more variations of this clear theme in the future.

We showed gameplay footage of the scenery inside Euphrosyne and the obtainable equipment for each role, which you can see in the video.

Our development team put a lot of effort into features like changing the scenery in real-time and lore-related details involving the Twelve. Yoshida enjoyed the sense of accomplishment he felt from completing the mechanics in the third boss encounter, which is another point to look out for.

The Omega Protocol (Ultimate)

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We showed a sneak peek of the upcoming fifth Ultimate duty, the Omega Protocol (Ultimate).

The difficulty won't surpass that of Dragonsong's Reprise (Ultimate), which we consider to be the pinnacle of the Ultimate series. However, there are multiple types of factors when it comes to difficulty, so it'll still be quite the gratifying encounter. In particular, we're expecting some time may be needed to figure out the solution to certain mechanics.

Speaking of Omega, it had an analytical purpose to battle, but what could its objective be this time? We've prepared some breathtaking presentation effects and would recommend that you play through the Dimensional Rift: Omega quests before embarking upon this challenge.

The Omega Protocol (Ultimate) will be released two weeks after patch 6.3, so be sure to prepare your heart and schedule for this challenge. Warriors of Light who aren't challenging the battle themselves can cheer on those livestreaming their endeavors or work out the solution to mechanics together.

The Shifting Gymnasion Agonon

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We showed gameplay footage of the new treasure hunt content, the Shifting Gymnasion Agonon.

Inside you'll find a roulette that determines the mechanics you'll be faced with. One such result will spawn enemies to be defeated for a treasure chest containing rewards. There are also results that may eject you from the dungeon, but how did things turn out for Yoshida during this demonstration...?

We also showcased some new glamour gear that can be obtained. As a note, all of the glamour gear shown introduced in this broadcast will be available for characters to equip regardless of gender.

New Course in Leap of Faith

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We dove right into the new course for Leap of Faith styled after the Sylphlands.

The new course features varying altitudes and a new mechanic to move between them. Sunlight and weather will vary at each altitude, making this a course that can be enjoyed visually as well.

Eureka Orthos

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We went over the general overview and characteristics of Eureka Orthos alongside gameplay footage. Further details can be viewed on the Play Guide on the Lodestone.

Two Chronicles of a New Era quests related to the NPC Koh Rabntah will be removed with the addition of Eureka Orthos. Koh was an interesting character we wanted to revisit with a proper backstory, so she was chosen to appear in the quests to unlock Eureka Orthos. The two quests being removed are weekly quests we believe have outlived their purpose after so many years. Koh will have different dialogue for those who completed these older quests, so we recommend completing them ahead of time if you're interested.

We showed gameplay footage of the opening cutscene, the boss of Floor 10, and the new features to be introduced in Eureka Orthos. Since Eureka Orthos focuses on the Allagan civilization, you'll have opportunities to transform into a dreadnaught and also call upon a certain NPC who appeared in the Crystal Tower storyline.

We also showcased a number of new hairstyles rewards for content and a number of mounts to be added in Patch 6.3. The Blackjack mount can exchanged for MGP and will allow for multiple riders, which we hope you'll look forward to!

"Entrust Duplicates" Function

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We demonstrated a new function which will allow you to entrust duplicate items to your retainer. When transferring items between you and your retainers' inventories, you'll be able to use the Entrust Duplicates button to open a confirmation window.

Should you have any items in your inventory that can be stacked with those already in your retainer's possession, you'll be able to send all of them to your retainer at once. This function will be available even if you have multiple items that fit the criteria, so we hope it'll come in handy.

With that said, the process of transferring the items will take a bit of time. Our server programmers thoroughly designed this function as optimally as possible without putting your items at risk, so we hope you'll bear with us regarding this waiting time.

During the broadcast, we also took a sneak peek at new exterior walls for housing, furnishings, and minions, including a minion of Mama from NieR Re[in]carnation.

A Realm Reborn's 10th Anniversary

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In 2023, we'll be celebrating our 10th year since the realm was reborn with various initiatives, so stay tuned for further announcements! During the broadcast, we revealed our logo for the 10th anniversary.

Japanese Fan Festival

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The Japanese Fan Festival will be held in the Tokyo Dome on January 7 and 8, 2024. We're hoping to commemorate our 10th anniversary with our players in an extravagant celebration of gratitude, so please look forward to it!

Recommencement of Automatic Demolition

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As a reminder for housing owners, the automatic demolition timer will recommence with the release of Patch 6.3.

See this related announcement for details.