Real Patch Notes

[Kiara]

Hi All / Yoshida-san,

First off, I'm super excited by most of the 1.19 Changes. Some major improvements across too many areas to reiterate here. But a few key things hit me:

• New Interface Tutorials: Even though I no longer need them, I'm really glad to see SE taking the time to make it friendly for any new players to get into the game. I remember sitting in Open Beta (and explaining to my friends when it got released Day 1) how to just even get out of the opening sequence (how to open Main Menu, attack, etc.). This is a good update.

• I love the new content for Grand Companies - So much more stuff to do. Repeatable Grand Company Leves, Caravans, etc.

• Beastmen Strongholds! Love it!

• New Low Level Dungeon (Open World) for newer players or those ranking new class.

• Locked Chests! This has that excitement / fantasy / adventure feeling to get a special Key and go hunting for a Locked Chest. I wonder what's in there?

• Ifrit Battle!

• Chocobos and Airships. Joy!

That being said, I think Square / Yoshida-san made a few questionable mistakes in 1.19 already:

Those who defeat Ifrit in a party formed exclusively of members from their own Grand Company will earn greater rewards.

Square keeps telling us, "Oh don't worry about what Grand Company you join!" and they add this "little" caveat above?!

It's not all about Gear or Rewards (just doing the Ifrit Fight will be really fun), but it's questionable what they were thinking when adding this. Of course it's going to promote your friends and/or LS mates to want to join the same Grand Company.

It sets a precedence for future Dungeon / Raids to "those in the same Grand Company will earn even cooler stuff (again) and (again) etc. in 1.20 and beyond."

Maybe they were hoping that it'd promote just grabbing strangers / pick up groups, but I think it will do the opposite (especially since this is for Ifrit Hard Mode).

• Promoting even MORE Centralization of Ul'dah.

I understand that for the lore, the Goblin who brought Materia to Eorzea had to land somewhere and start his business, but for all the "decentralization" that Yoshida-san and his team is trying to do (to get people to LL or Gridania), they pull off this mistake:

For the Materia System (THE new, critical method for developing Gear for Low or High Level):

Players may step into the world of materia by undertaking the quest "Risky Business" offered by the the NPC Aistan, posted in Ul'dah Merchant Strip (6,3).

Creating materia requires the “materia assimilator” key item, an apparatus which can be obtained via the quest "Forging the Spirit" offered by the NPC Swynbroes, located in central Thanalan (29,20).

Fingerprints of the Gods can be learned via the quest "Joining the Spirit" offered to Disciples of the Land level 18 and above. To undertake the quest, speak to the NPC Kokosamu located in central Thanalan (29,20).

<Attaching Materia>
To undertake the quest, speak to the NPC F'hobhas located in central Thanalan (29, 20).

To exchange your regular melder for the augmented version, simiply speak to the NPC Mutamix located in central Thanalan (29,20).

It is possible to have equipment purged of materia by paying a fee in gil to the NPC Mutamix located in central Thanalan (29,20).

All of these design choices, just further cement Ul'dah as the central city (including the Main Storyline which sends everyone over there).

It's fine for me and many others, as we're used to going to Ul'dah or staying there permanently now, but for all their hard work, it's strange that SE and Yoshida-san just decides to plop so much critical stuff back in... Ul'dah and Thanalan.


Overall, I really look forward to 1.19, but a few changes are going to be interesting to say the least.

I can't wait for next week!