Grand Companies

[Holland]

More quests expanding companies will be introduced on 1.18. The dungeons are directly related to them. For source, check the latest interview with Yoshida, Matsui and Gondai

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...er-site/page10

"4Gamer：
　分かりました。今後のアップデート予定の中では，特設ページが開設された「グランドカンパニー」も注目されてますよね。特設ページを読むと，まさにストーリーが動き出すといった雰囲気ですが。
4Gamer: OK in later updates there was grand company information which is getting some attention. Reading the page for it looks like a story that will actually move.

吉田氏：
　グランドカンパニーは，FFXIVの世界そのものといっても過言ではないです。リムサ・ロミンサ，グリダニア，ウルダハの3国に，冒険者がどう関わって，それがどう帝国と交わって，メインストーリーがどう補完されていって，さらにそれぞれ3国の思惑や首領達がどう絡んでくるのか。そして，FFシリーズに（名前が）登場しているキャラクター達がどう関わってくるのか。実は1.18にも大きな話が1個入っているので，こちらも楽しみにしていただけると。
YoshiP: In FFXIV Grand Company can be said that it’s the main world of FFXIV. How it relates to the 3 countries, with the Empire? (Teikoku). Also how characters from FF Series (the name) comes into play. In 1.18 there is one big story so if you can please enjoy that as well."

[Colino]

They said the same exact crap about the 3 sidequests they put in 1.17.

It's gonna be some lame sidequests with some more text asking you to run from one NPC to another. You'll get it done in 10 minutes and that's all you'll hear about Grand Companies for another 2 months.

[Molly_Millions]

They said the same exact crap about the 3 sidequests they put in 1.17.

It's gonna be some lame sidequests with some more text asking you to run from one NPC to another. You'll get it done in 10 minutes and that's all you'll hear about Grand Companies for another 2 months.

Well that wouldn't be very, um, grand.

[Colino]

Well that wouldn't be very, um, grand.

Well you can paint me surprised if whatever it is in 1.18 ends up being more than just some sidequests and a wall of text on the lodestone. If it were anything more than that they would've hyped it and teased it into oblivion already.

[northernsky]

Anyone thinks it will be similar to the Conquest system from FFXI? As in Grand Companies will compete for control over regions. Will probably be more in depth... done with quests, leves, PVP etc... with maybe ranks and rewards.

This is exactly what I had in mind, and they stated before that there will be a form of progression within the companies, associated with rewards.

I see the companies as a parallel way of progressing in the storyline.

[Holland]

Well you can paint me surprised if whatever it is in 1.18 ends up being more than just some sidequests and a wall of text on the lodestone. If it were anything more than that they would've hyped it and teased it into oblivion already.

Unfortunately from our perspective is not exciting at all, since were living inside the development cycle of a game going through changes as if it was a new game from the ground up. For a new players perspective, comes PS3 release, it will actually be a very exciting sequence of quests leading up to dungeons on rank 25~ and any other content that is implemented. Try to look at it like that and it makes sense ^^.

We are all playing a game that is not finished yet, failed a launch and will try to be great with the second lunch, all this, is just preparing for the new launch, nothing else.

[Sypherblade]

Prolly just need the battle system and party mechanics working properly before they can introduce the companies.

I hope its like campaign tho

[Colino]

Try to look at it like that and it makes sense ^^.

We are all playing a game that is not finished yet, failed a launch and will try to be great with the second lunch, all this, is just preparing for the new launch, nothing else.

You're saying all that like it's a wonderful thing we get to play this "failed at launch" game (which I and others paid $60 for).

Regardless of how you look at it, it's 3 sidequests that take 5 minutes to do each. You walk to some targets on the minimap and they tell you "Something is happening".

Yes I know it'll be grand and exciting for the new PS3 player but guess what, there are none right now!

[AlexiaKidd]

I think by the time the PS3 release happens that most of what we have now won't be in the game. The coming threat will be here and much will have changed, I know it sucks but to me it seems like we are currently playing a prequel of sorts and I don't think these build up quests and things will even be in the game come PS3 launch as they are geared to the arrival of the Companies but like I said the Companies will be here come PS3 launch so those thing will not be necessary.

[Victor]

I too remember how heavily "companies" were advertised by SE, then they released the company webpage and all talk of them just stopped. Very strange.