StormBlood Relic?

So whats going on with the Relic weapon for 4.0? Are we getting one, and if so, when?

Letter from the Producer LIVE Part XXXIX Digest (11/1/2017)
"As for Eureka (name pending), balancing is taking quite some time, so we are aiming for release during or after Patch 4.2. Instead of focusing on upgrading weapons, we are planning for a fun new activity of strengthening the player character themselves. Please stay tuned for more details."

This is all we know right now, they seem to be delaying it patch after patch.

It seems like either relics won't be a thing this expansion or they are taking a back seat to allow Eureka to be the new upgrading/grind path.

Wait, what the hell? Strengthening the player themselves?
Dude no, give me a weapon that gets shiner the more I work on it.

They are doing a SB relic, however the quote about a stronger weapon doesn't relate to the SB relic as they have said in the past that eureka was not designed for the relic, but the relic was designed for eureka.

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Originally Posted by Hakuro89

Dude no, give me a weapon that gets shiner the more I work on it.

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The popular consensus that the devs picked up on was that players were tired of relic grinds and wanted something different. This is what we are getting, and I think that change is a good thing.

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Originally Posted by Lambdafish

The popular consensus that the devs picked up on was that players were tired of relic grinds and wanted something different. This is what we are getting, and I think that change is a good thing.

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My sentiments exactly. Though if it means players get stronger and not just simply through item levels, I do wonder what that means for future gear?

http://gamerescape.com/2016/11/15/fa...-fan-festival/

Some of what we know about Eureka so far:

Different from the Diadem
So this is something new - we hope to have an expanded form of exploration in Stormblood in the form of the Forbidden Land, Eureka. Currently in development we have a continuation of our Exploratory Missions and the Diadem that's planned for release at 3.5, but this is something completely new. It's something that's going to be unique to Stormblood and it will span its own entire area. (Source: NA Fan Fest Keynote)
Something like having a gigantic monster popping somewhere and you need to have an alliance to actually beat it. This kind of content that we are creating is a new idea...

Yoshida: The "exploration content" and "deep dungeons" are new content categories that we want to continue in the future. The exploration content in particular is something that was part of first generation MMORPGs and we have a sense of how we want to implement it in a more current style, so we'll be doing experimentation with that. If it goes well, I think we'll come up with some new play elements, so we want to continue to challenge ourselves in the future with that.

For further development of the game, we are okay with adding totally new attractions such as using a huge area to explore or creating an area where you get one shotted unless you take the enemies out one by one, even if you have the best gear
At the moment we are slowly experimenting with the exploratory missions to observe how players move about and we are piling up experience on whether or not it fits the FFXIV system. We do have conversations about how we want to do something that is a compilation of all of what we experimented with.

Zone dedicated to relic quests
Yoshida: Up until now, in the theme park called FFXIV land, we went to various attractions through the Zodiac and Anima Weapon quest lines, but I think a lot of people are getting tired of that system. We are also reaching our limits on how to create routes to go to those attractions, so we thought that we might as well make the weapon quest one of the attractions, as well, rather than it being a tool to see attractions.

It will still be a “time to win” based attraction like Zodiac and Anima Weapons. That’s why we thought that the name “Forbidden land” fits it quite well… (laugh). In FFIII, Eureka in a land that is sealed with powerful magic and weapons, so in order to keep that charm point, we want players to put in hours and effort into making it. With that in our minds, we thought we should bring it up by a level, so we made Eureka.

Potential for pop NMs

Famitsu: Will monsters that pop once every 72 hours appear there?

Yoshida: It’s an easy to understand example, so I used it in the Opening Keynote. It would be hard for it to work in the current age. But, I do think that it is possible to have contents that require some kind of an entry key to challenge them, like FFXI and FFXIV 1.0 had. For example, in FFXIV 1.0 you had to collect Infernal Totems in order to challenge Ifrit.

We can’t implement that for all of the contents in the game, but using that system for one “attraction” is a possibility. It would introduce a new concept and values of getting rewards through putting time into getting those entry keys and then challenging the contents to get those rewards. Therefore, we thought it would be a good idea to introduce that to FFXIV, as well.

There might even be, you know, a Notorious Monster that appears once every 72-hours or so. (Source: NA Fan Fest Keynote)

Potential for relic armor

Q: I have a lot of love for the weapons that I enhanced myself, namely the Zodiac and Anima weapons. I think it would be fun to be able to enhance armor in the same way, so do you have any plans to introduce something like Anima armor?

A: We haven't made any decisions as to whether or not we will do this, but the development team has been talking about something like this for a future patch series, but not for 3.x patches. We'd like to hear your thoughts on this.

Famitsu: Will there be content where even players who don’t like to do content like Anima and Zodiac Weapons just for the sake of completion, can receive strong weapons?

Yoshida: I will leave that for Eureka. If it goes well, we might think of doing armor, as well… But, if we were to do armor, it wouldn’t have its own design. You would register a piece of armor you like and make it stronger. We are thinking that it might be interesting to manipulate a piece of armor you like and make it stronger. This problem is somewhat solvable with the glamour system, but I think that maybe picking and then deciding is also one of ways to entertain oneself.

Famitsu: It will change gear progression all together.

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Originally Posted by ThirdChild_ZKI

My sentiments exactly. Though if it means players get stronger and not just simply through item levels, I do wonder what that means for future gear?

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I'm actually ignoring the statement entirely, we have nothing else to go on except our own speculation, and we have no basis for what it means. Best to wait and see what we are getting, with the mindset that whatever it is, it is different from the relic grind.

As far as "strengthening the player" as the mechanic to get a relic weapon....doesn't that just sound exactly like palace of the dead? I forget what POTD called it but basically how you collect "soul power" and your weapon changes color and stuff until you get 100%. I have to say it sounds exactly like that for Eureka. However, I'd imagine that once you get 100% power you likely turn it in for some kind of token (not like potd where you turn it in for a weapon). Then I'd imagine you collect a bunch of those tokens to turn in to upgrade your weapon. They make it sound like its some brand new mechanic that is gonna wow us but, I've been underwhelmed before by them talking up new content like this.

Anyone else just seeing Eureka sounding like a POTD rehash but is outdoors like Diadem with Notorious monsters that you likely spawn by doing fates? IE, just more of the same and not anything remotely new?

Not trying to sound negative, I mean I am one to mindlessly grind content myself. Just saying that I really doubt we are going to be wow'd by this just because they are putting a relic in Diadem 2.0 (with POTD spirit power system).

Though I hope I'm wrong and am pleasantly surprised. It's happened before.

Relics may be something included in the mix, but on the side, same for armor potentially. Going by how it is explained it is likely to be open world, no instance, that people came and go from over a greater span of time, with included content actually designed for the community to congregate and zerg, rather than the situation we have with current hunts. Maybe think all the things people kept asking for, like hard-hitting field mobs and actual sense of danger, and it all put into this new area. Possibly with more than one zone.

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Originally Posted by Lewtskie

Relics may be something included in the mix, but on the side, same for armor potentially. Going by how it is explained it is likely to be open world, no instance, that people came and go from over a greater span of time, with included content actually designed for the community to congregate and zerg, rather than the situation we have with current hunts. Maybe think all the things people kept asking for, like hard-hitting field mobs and actual sense of danger, and it all put into this new area. Possibly with more than one zone.

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Isn't that the the Diadem?

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Originally Posted by ThirdChild_ZKI

My sentiments exactly. Though if it means players get stronger and not just simply through item levels, I do wonder what that means for future gear?

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When I see something like strengthen the players themselves. I picture us, the player, upgrading our base stats permanently. Segregated from weapons and armor. However that would make Eureka a requirement, not an optional adventure.

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Originally Posted by jameseoakes

Isn't that the the Diadem?

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That or an entirely new zone altogether that isn't an instance. Along with and similarly to PotD with it's unique leveling, we go there with a new set of rules. Do some stuff. Grind it out. And walk out with a new fancy weapon similar to the Aetherpool weapons but more customizable.

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Originally Posted by jameseoakes

Isn't that the the Diadem?

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Biggest difference is between it being instanced and its own area. Also, Diadem required you being in a large group, Eureka will likely feature solo progression with added options to gather up a group and do other things. This, as they have hinted at, will span beyond just a big bad zerg, and include other functions that require teamwork and co-operation.

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Originally Posted by Lewtskie

Biggest difference is between it being instanced and its own area. Also, Diadem required you being in a large group, Eureka will likely feature solo progression with added options to gather up a group and do other things. This, as they have hinted at, will span beyond just a big bad zerg, and include other functions that require teamwork and co-operation.

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So it's FC only content then? As there is little chance of this games community co-operating with content open to the whole player base

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Originally Posted by jameseoakes

So it's FC only content then? As there is little chance of this games community co-operating with content open to the whole player base

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In all honestly... It's most likely going to be over glorified FATEs disguised as something else so that it doesn't feel like we're doing FATEs. That's how I view hunts. I see them as FATEs without the FATE timer and circle.

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Originally Posted by jameseoakes

So it's FC only content then? As there is little chance of this games community co-operating with content open to the whole player base

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I mean, that one singular part of it that includes things needing multiple people? You seem to keep missing that that will just be one facet of the features detailed so far. And its easy to get the community to gather up to zerg something when its in regards to progression or even just tat. Hunts were never designed for an alliance's worth of people to show to nuke, yet despite that there is an entire unwritten mandate by the community regarding calls and timers and gathering as many people as possible that if ignored risk one being ostracized.

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Originally Posted by Lewtskie

I mean, that one singular part of it that includes things needing multiple people? You seem to keep missing that that will just be one facet of the features detailed so far. And its easy to get the community to gather up to zerg something when its in regards to progression or even just tat. Hunts were never designed for an alliance's worth of people to show to nuke, yet despite that there is an entire unwritten mandate by the community regarding calls and timers and gathering as many people as possible that if ignored risk one being ostracized.

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To be fair with hunts waiting for people to gather is normally just good manners, especially as the rewards can be shared out pretty widely.

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Originally Posted by jameseoakes

To be fair with hunts waiting for people to gather is normally just good manners, especially as the rewards can be shared out pretty widely.

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Exactly, and Hunts are nowhere near seen as an absolute necessity, but come the point when they are relevant enough there is a large enough gathering. This then all falls down to how useful or necessary that part of Eureka is seen.

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Originally Posted by Lambdafish

The popular consensus that the devs picked up on was that players were tired of relic grinds and wanted something different. This is what we are getting, and I think that change is a good thing.

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Ya, as it stands the relic weapons were just different weapon skins you obtained over a long period of time. Their overall influence on the player in terms of gameplay was very negligible so it is refreshing to see that have different plans in store.

Let's remember at any given time a relic weapon was always 5 IL weaker than the best weapon you could obtain at the time.

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Originally Posted by Airget

Ya, as it stands the relic weapons were just different weapon skins you obtained over a long period of time. Their overall influence on the player in terms of gameplay was very negligible so it is refreshing to see that have different plans in store.

Let's remember at any given time a relic weapon was always 5 IL weaker than the best weapon you could obtain at the time.

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Devil's advocate here (and I'm a-ok with them getting rid of the grind, and shaking things up) I do want to point out that the past relic weapons never involved absolute endgame stuff, which was what was needed to get the 'best' weapon at the time. I think that's fair? It's a good weapon, good enough for anyone who isn't doing absolute endgame stuff, and although the grind was terrible (especially if you relied on maps/PVP/hard-mode primals) someone could do it without, say, ever touching the current extremes or savage modes. I'm okay with the past ones not being the be-all, end-all.

That being said, I think the point of it just being 'another boring grind for something that's not that special' means it's time for a shake-up, something new. I hope it's not just another reskinned PotD/Diadem combo with weapons or gear provided in either of those manners. I hope it is something different. Not saying it will be, just that I hope.

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Originally Posted by Airget

Ya, as it stands the relic weapons were just different weapon skins you obtained over a long period of time. Their overall influence on the player in terms of gameplay was very negligible so it is refreshing to see that have different plans in store.

Let's remember at any given time a relic weapon was always 5 IL weaker than the best weapon you could obtain at the time.

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Only if you raid, which is a small subset of the player base

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Originally Posted by bass9020

Letter from the Producer LIVE Part XXXIX Digest (11/1/2017)
"As for Eureka (name pending), balancing is taking quite some time, so we are aiming for release during or after Patch 4.2. Instead of focusing on upgrading weapons, we are planning for a fun new activity of strengthening the player character themselves. Please stay tuned for more details."

This is all we know right now, they seem to be delaying it patch after patch.

It seems like either relics won't be a thing this expansion or they are taking a back seat to allow Eureka to be the new upgrading/grind path.

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This sounds like merit points from FFXI.

Hmm I honestly don't really like the sound of this as up until now Relic weapons have been grind yes, but mostly solo-able content with the exception of easily Duty-finder dungeon content. I went into Diadem i think twice, had no fun at all Zerging from monster spawn to monster spawn. I dont want to be forced into groups (large or small) to work on my relic. >.<

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Originally Posted by KagatoAC

Hmm I honestly don't really like the sound of this as up until now Relic weapons have been grind yes, but mostly solo-able content with the exception of easily Duty-finder dungeon content. I went into Diadem i think twice, had no fun at all Zerging from monster spawn to monster spawn. I dont want to be forced into groups (large or small) to work on my relic. >.<

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Well if you don't like this implementation, it's not like you can't completely ignore it by playing the rest of the game. Just because Diadem came out a certain way doesn't mean this team doesn't know how to make content solo-able and party centric in the same content. Some of them worked on XI.

I used to be able to solo some stuff in sky, sea, zeni, and abyssea but it also required groups for certain things. If there are no challenging mechanics to deal with then it will be just like fighting trash monsters in dungeons or field enemies in Stormblood areas, though they may hit harder, for normal enemies. It's not a zerg unless you can ignore enemy mechanics.

From the sound of it, I think a claim system and pop/key items are returning for this content. With most of the most challenging things being locked behind mini instances. Pulling mechanics might make a return too since there was a comment about not wanting to fight more than one at a time.

I think every job needs come kind of good self heal if solo is going to be accessible at all though.