As patch 1.18 draws close for Final Fantasy XIV, the development team has been stepping up the rate of previews. The latest one highlights a feature discussed previously but not seen for some time: the addition of several outposts across the landscape, hubs for adventurers to explore as they take part in new content. Six outposts are listed in the newest preview, two for each of the major regions in the game and each with a distinct thematic focus.
Each of the outposts listed highlight the environment of the nearby city-state -- the outposts in Gridania are concerned with hunting and maintaining security in the wood, while Ul'dah's settlements focus on more mercantile and mineral concerns. In addition to the stops for adventurers, beastman settlements are said to be on the plate for patch 1.18 later this week. Final Fantasy XIV players who can't wait to see the new hubs can take a look at the preview for a glimpse at the expanding and improving environment.
Reader Comments (21)
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:11PM Syesta said
Patch 1.18 is gigantic and game changing.
Hope everything goes smoothly, as this culmination of the past 9 months of Yoshida's polling, surveying, interviewing, and requesting all beginning to finally come into being.
With this, along with the announced accelerated update schedule for 1.19 and beyond, it's a good time to be in (or come back to) Eorzea.
Hope everything goes smoothly, as this culmination of the past 9 months of Yoshida's polling, surveying, interviewing, and requesting all beginning to finally come into being.
With this, along with the announced accelerated update schedule for 1.19 and beyond, it's a good time to be in (or come back to) Eorzea.
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:21PM (Unverified) said
@Syesta
Most definitely. I just went and looked at the various improvements coming in 1.18 and I'm impressed. No more fatigue, standard repair materials, rez spells at lvl 14, no anima cost for return, settlements, grand companies, and more. Looks like it's back to Eorzea time this weekend- hopefully I'll see some familiar faces again.
So many people I know wanted this game to be THE game and it looks like SE is really removing many of the artificial limitations that prevented us from playing the way we wanted. Fingers crossed!
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Most definitely. I just went and looked at the various improvements coming in 1.18 and I'm impressed. No more fatigue, standard repair materials, rez spells at lvl 14, no anima cost for return, settlements, grand companies, and more. Looks like it's back to Eorzea time this weekend- hopefully I'll see some familiar faces again.
So many people I know wanted this game to be THE game and it looks like SE is really removing many of the artificial limitations that prevented us from playing the way we wanted. Fingers crossed!
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:41PM Mevan said
@(Unverified)
Let's not forget the addition of auto-attack, the removal of the stamina bar, and dungeons! (Also, I'm 83% sure they're removing the physical level with this patch which would allot attribute points to each class instead of all classes having to share points!)
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Let's not forget the addition of auto-attack, the removal of the stamina bar, and dungeons! (Also, I'm 83% sure they're removing the physical level with this patch which would allot attribute points to each class instead of all classes having to share points!)
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:54PM (Unverified) said
@Mevan
And enmity changes, guildleve reforms lol.
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And enmity changes, guildleve reforms lol.
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 11:55PM ImperialPanda said
@Mevan
All that sounds good and all, but you have to keep in mind one thing...
A lot of the changes is still just to make life easier. And everything else is stuff that is standard in pretty much every MMO. Why would someone play FFXIV instead of Rift, SWTOR, Tera, or GW2? Can you name a single standout feature that FFXIV has? (besides graphics, it has the best graphics, literally)
Until Yoshi turns into Midas, I will stay negative on FFXIV prospects. Tanaka may have screwed the pooch in terms of execution, but he was the one with the vision of making something unique.
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All that sounds good and all, but you have to keep in mind one thing...
A lot of the changes is still just to make life easier. And everything else is stuff that is standard in pretty much every MMO. Why would someone play FFXIV instead of Rift, SWTOR, Tera, or GW2? Can you name a single standout feature that FFXIV has? (besides graphics, it has the best graphics, literally)
Until Yoshi turns into Midas, I will stay negative on FFXIV prospects. Tanaka may have screwed the pooch in terms of execution, but he was the one with the vision of making something unique.
Posted: Jul 20th 2011 12:45AM Vagrant Zero said
@Raikulxox I think he meant standout features that actually matter. How I repair my armor is really not something that influences my MMO buying decision making process.
Neither is that god awful nonAH thing they have going on. Different isn't always better.
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Neither is that god awful nonAH thing they have going on. Different isn't always better.
Posted: Jul 20th 2011 12:52PM ImperialPanda said
@Vagrant Zero
Actually yeah I do like FFXIV's holdover from FFXI of only having a single character.
The actual "armory system" I couldn't care less about. It doesn't really matter whether I change my job by changing a weapon or by going through a menu. I don't know how they got around to calling something as simple as that a "system".
It is 100x nicer to play a single character instead of 8. But that's an innovation made in FFXI, like 8 years ago.
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Actually yeah I do like FFXIV's holdover from FFXI of only having a single character.
The actual "armory system" I couldn't care less about. It doesn't really matter whether I change my job by changing a weapon or by going through a menu. I don't know how they got around to calling something as simple as that a "system".
It is 100x nicer to play a single character instead of 8. But that's an innovation made in FFXI, like 8 years ago.
Posted: Jul 21st 2011 1:01AM Mevan said
@ImperialPanda
The armoury system allows you to assign most abilities from other classes you've ranked up to your current class. So on Archer I could equip Protect and Cure from Conjurer, Attack boosting abilities from Lancer, Debuffs from Thaumaturge... all on Archer. Making you a much more rounded and valuable player in a party. It's actually pretty neat. And yeah, XI and XIV's idea to let you level all the classes on one character is just great and one of the things that I really enjoy about these games.
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The armoury system allows you to assign most abilities from other classes you've ranked up to your current class. So on Archer I could equip Protect and Cure from Conjurer, Attack boosting abilities from Lancer, Debuffs from Thaumaturge... all on Archer. Making you a much more rounded and valuable player in a party. It's actually pretty neat. And yeah, XI and XIV's idea to let you level all the classes on one character is just great and one of the things that I really enjoy about these games.
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:12PM Khalus said
I'm looking forward to the Hawthorne Hut the most{pictured above}, as it would seem this will be our first glimpse of a female Roegadyn in both adult and child form. Unless Rolfe married another race, guess we'll see soon.
"Now residing there is his descendant Rolfe, a retired adventurer of some repute, who is joined by his loving wife and daughter."
"Now residing there is his descendant Rolfe, a retired adventurer of some repute, who is joined by his loving wife and daughter."
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:44PM Mevan said
This patch is really amazing and I can't wait for Thursday to get here. This is only the first step and I'm glad to be a part of it!
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:59PM Tyrang said
Yoshi is an outstanding project manager. He seems to be able to deliver what he promised and pretty much hit the schedule that he provided. I am really impressed.
I think by the end of this summer, this game will be improved enough to play! I am still waiting for the patch to update the class system.
FFXIV has some of the best graphics and sound in the industry already. Even in 2 years, the game will still be one of the prettier games out there. Now they really just have to make the game fun and give it a good story!
I think by the end of this summer, this game will be improved enough to play! I am still waiting for the patch to update the class system.
FFXIV has some of the best graphics and sound in the industry already. Even in 2 years, the game will still be one of the prettier games out there. Now they really just have to make the game fun and give it a good story!
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 5:41PM Nenene said
Whatever they're paying Yoshida, it's not enough.
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 7:33PM Tizmah said
I haven't seen anything yet that really makes me want to come back just yet. Maybe once 2.0 arrives, It'll be enough for me to take a dive back in and revisit.
I'll probably start completely over then.
I'll probably start completely over then.
Posted: Jul 19th 2011 11:19PM JuliusSeizure said
@chum
Pretty much exactly what I'm thinking. This could be a really nice game soon.
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Pretty much exactly what I'm thinking. This could be a really nice game soon.
Posted: Jul 20th 2011 12:45AM KorbenDallas said
Im not some sheep that plays games for graphics, and Im saving for the more robust mmorpg this year. I dont know what that is, so again, as was asked previously, what are the mmorpg stand-out robust features that place FFXIV ahead of the features of SWTOR, Tera, or GW2?
Posted: Jul 20th 2011 1:30AM (Unverified) said
@KorbenDallas
Those 4 games are all very different with very different features, settings, and subscription models. For me, XIV stands out for its' armory system, crafting system, and grouping. It's also in the middle of some big changes so if you're really interested (and I get the feeling you're not) wait and see how it all turns out. Bottom line- It's your money and only you can decide which features are important to you.
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Those 4 games are all very different with very different features, settings, and subscription models. For me, XIV stands out for its' armory system, crafting system, and grouping. It's also in the middle of some big changes so if you're really interested (and I get the feeling you're not) wait and see how it all turns out. Bottom line- It's your money and only you can decide which features are important to you.
Posted: Jul 20th 2011 10:14AM (Unverified) said
@KorbenDallas Not sure what GW2 or Tera will do - but I think the idea behind was to provide a more sandbox-esque experience instead of the typical quest -> instances -> harder instances -> raid progression you see in almost every MMO right now.
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