Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Mog Log Extra: End of an era]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/02/02/the-mog-log-extra-end-of-an-era/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/02/02/the-mog-log-extra-end-of-an-era/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/02/02/the-mog-log-extra-end-of-an-era/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Tell us why, given life, we are meant to die?
By now you know.

I wrote my first column of The Mog Log almost exactly five years ago. I've been writing it for the entirety of Final Fantasy XIV's run now. I've been talking about the online Final Fantasy games since before I was married, and it's been a wonderful experience. I had every intention of continuing to do so for another decade. As long as there was a place to talk about it here, I was going to make use of it.

This isn't just a farewell for the column; it's a farewell for something that's made up a huge portion of my life and changed my life in huge ways. As the fall comes to Eorzea, it also comes to us, and I wanted -- insisted -- that I would at least get to have one final chance to say goodbye. So let's take one last look together before we say farewell.

Continue reading The Mog Log Extra: End of an era

MassivelyThe Mog Log Extra: End of an era originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Feb 2015 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last night I re-upped my Final Fantasy XIV subscription. Naturally this made it an ideal time for Square to announce a free weekend for its fantasy MMORPG.

I haven't been in the game since late 2013, and given my dissatisfaction with pretty much everything at the moment, I figured why not return to a fun title that treats crafting (and fishing!) as more than a half-assed sideline activity.

So, yep. That's pretty much that. Free FFXIV weekend -- for inactive accounts -- from Friday, January 30th through Monday, February 2nd. Have fun!

[Source: Square press release]

MassivelyI just reupped my sub so FFXIV is having a free weekend originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jan 2015 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Being the champion after all.
I mentioned a while back that it was kind of neat how the whole setup of Final Fantasy XIV had come full circle. At the start of the 2.0 patch cycle we were scurrying away from tonberries and bashing our heads against Demon Wall; in the final patch, we're back to both of those spots, along with the oft-seen and never-explored Keeper of the Lake in the midst of Mor Dhona's wreckage. It's a neat counterpoint.

Having played through all of the dungeons now, well, you get to rescue tonberries. That alone makes the last set of dungeons worthy.

As in every set of dungeons, there are winners and losers amidst the bosses, good points and bad ones. The dungeons as a whole are very reluctant to let you do much speeding through, with pulls being pretty aggressively gated. So let's talk mechanics, let's talk atmosphere, and let's carefully coach you through the process of kicking the crap out of your final expert roulette competitors.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV 2.5 dungeons

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV 2.5 dungeons originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsolesdungeondungeon-guidedungeon-mechanicsdungeonsendgameendgame-dungeonsfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivguideguidesmog-logopinionsquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logMon, 26 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Haiku edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/25/one-shots-haiku-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/25/one-shots-haiku-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/25/one-shots-haiku-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

ff14
Believe it or not, I have been listening to you guys in the comments, and I know that there's been an ongoing desire for One Shots to provide the full-size pictures that are otherwise shrunk by our size limitations. So I'm happy to announce that starting this week, I'm including a gallery at the end of the column that will allow you to pull up larger screenshots if so desired.

A few weeks ago I issued a screenshot challenge for folks to send in a haiku poem in addition to their picture. A select few of you did, starting with this striking pose from Final Fantasy XIV by reader Wolfyseyes:

Facing this challenge
One thought repeats in my mind:
Please, please, please don't suck

Continue reading One Shots: Haiku edition

MassivelyOne Shots: Haiku edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Jan 2015 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bring-back-one-shotsconsoleconsoleseliteelite-dangerousfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgalleriesgalleryone-shotspics-or-it-didnt-happenreader-screenshotsreader-submissionsscreenshotscreenshotssquaresquare-enixstar-trek-onlinestothe-secret-worldtswuser-submissionsSun, 25 Jan 2015 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV patch 2.5 is live]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/final-fantasy-xiv-patch-2-5-is-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/final-fantasy-xiv-patch-2-5-is-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/final-fantasy-xiv-patch-2-5-is-live/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

We dominated the endgame for months and all we got was captured by Mamool Ja.
The day that Final Fantasy XIV players have waited for is finally here. Patch 2.5 has gone live, and it brings with it a host of improvements and additions to the game. The full patch notes also contain no shortage of items that had previously been held back from the preliminary notes, including new crafting recipes, new vendor wares, and new items available for quick exploration ventures.

While this is only the first part of the game's 2.5 patch series, it includes three new dungeons, the new World of Darkness raid, three new trials, and the first half of the pre-Heavensward story conclusion. The servers are up and running, so if you have the day off or just don't have to go to work yet, you can get a jump on all of the new endgame content and start working your way through everything that's been added. Otherwise you can console yourself with the patch notes.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV patch 2.5 is live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Jan 2015 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsolesendgamefantasyffff14ffxivffxiv-patch-2.5final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgame-mechanicsitemsnew-itemsnewsnews-itemspatchpatchessquaresquare-enixupdateupdatesTue, 20 Jan 2015 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: A primer for Final Fantasy XIV patch 2.5]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/the-mog-log-a-primer-for-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-2-5/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/the-mog-log-a-primer-for-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-2-5/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/the-mog-log-a-primer-for-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-2-5/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

These preliminary patch notes are a blessing and a curse.
Ladies, gentlemen, and those who fall into neither category: The end approaches swiftly. Final Fantasy XIV's last pre-expansion patch is about to drop, and just like the bass, it won't be the same afterward. Tomorrow you've got a whole lot of new content to play through, enough to probably keep you well occupied for the next three months. The fact that the second portion of the patch will be dropping in about a month just makes it all the more occupying.

As we've done many times before, today's column is meant chiefly to take apart the patch elements we know of and get you up to speed so you can start playing without any issues once you can log in again. So let's start in on the first part of Before the Fall, complete with its new mystery trial and the promise of many revelations. Even if the big fireworks are coming in March.

Continue reading The Mog Log: A primer for Final Fantasy XIV patch 2.5

MassivelyThe Mog Log: A primer for Final Fantasy XIV patch 2.5 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsolesdungeondungeonsendgamefantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivffxiv-patch-2.5final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgame-mechanicsloremog-logopinionpatchpatchessquaresquare-enixsquenixstorythe-mog-logupdateupdatesMon, 19 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The usual suspects dominate December's Raptr rankings]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/17/the-usual-suspects-dominate-decembers-raptr-rankings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/17/the-usual-suspects-dominate-decembers-raptr-rankings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/17/the-usual-suspects-dominate-decembers-raptr-rankings/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Do you quote Raptr data when having unscientific discussions about MMO playerbase numbers? If so, rejoice, because here are some more numbers based on a sample size of dubious value!

As you might expect, League of Legends, Dota 2, and World of Warcraft continue to dominate Raptr users' attention spans, while ArcheAge, Final Fantasy XIV, and Guild Wars 2 all dropped from their position in November's rankings.

Click past the cut to see the full list.

[Source: Raptr press release]

Continue reading The usual suspects dominate December's Raptr rankings

MassivelyThe usual suspects dominate December's Raptr rankings originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Jan 2015 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's coming down.
The patch notes for Final Fantasy XIV always include a surprise or two. Yes, the preliminary patch notes for patch 2.5 are out, and they contain lots of things that players had known to expect. But aside from the three new dungeons, the World of Darkness, the previewed trials, the new quests -- whew! -- there's even more new stuff tucked away into the patch.

For example, there's a new form of PvP match added to the game, which pits alliances against one another in a straight deathmatch. There's a new mystery trial unlocked through the main storyline. There's the new Aetherial Wheel furnishing, which allows free companies to charge up their company credits through alternate means. That's not even counting system adjustments or usability improvements or the items not previewed but expected such as new hairstyles. Take a look at the preliminary patch notes to get an idea of what's coming around once the patch goes live on January 20th.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV drops the preliminary patch notes for patch 2.5 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Run on, for a long time; Run on, ducking and dodging; Run on, for a long time; Let me tell you, child, Odin gonna cut you down.
The last pre-expansion patch for Final Fantasy XIV is titled Before the Fall, not That Time When The Heroes Fixed Everything. There needs to be a fall, doesn't there? And there's a lot of stuff that can start falling, as demonstrated in today's preview from the official site. Ul'dah can fall. The Scions can fall. Ishgard can fall. Eorzea can fall. Or if you decide to face off against the Dark Divinity himself, you can fall.

Players not confronting the dread primal directly will still have plenty of opportunities for pratfalls, as the Hildibrand storyline is wrapping up with the final confrontation between the Gentleman Inspector and his thieving rival. There's also a second confrontation with Gilgamesh Greg in the Battle at the Big Keep, with the victor winning the Treaty-Blade... which sounds like pretty good loot, but Greg carries a lot of weapons, so it seems rather natural.

Patch 2.5 drops on January 20th.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV shows off story content and trials for 2.5 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh, good, two decades of dragon corpse can still move around and fight us. Super.
The last pre-expansion patch for Final Fantasy XIV is going to be a big one. So big, in fact, that the game is dropping 12 hours of maintenance for the first part. Servers will go down at 6:00 p.m. EST on January 19th before coming back online at 6:00 a.m. EST on January 20th. As always, exact completion time is subject to change.

If you missed yesterday's trailer, you can get an idea of some of the fuss by checking out today's dungeon preview, which shows off the Keeper of the Lake, Amdapor Keep (Hard), Wanderer's Palace (Hard), and the World of Darkness. While the exact item level requirements for these dungeons are hidden, it is clear that the Keeper of the Lake will once again be part of the main scenario quests like Snowcloak was in patch 2.4. So get ready to fight a dragon corpse, slaughter various voidsent, and most importantly rescue a whole lot of far-less-rancorous Tonberries.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy previews dungeons and plans maintenance for patch 2.5 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Although since it's coming out in the winter, it's more like AFTER the fall! Haha! Seriously, though, every single part of Eorzea is getting wrecked.
The final patch before Final Fantasy XIV's first expansion is a week away, and it's got plenty going on, so much that it's being split into three parts. A new trailer for the patch has been unleashed today, showing off bits and pieces of the whole thing but focusing chiefly on the content that will be going live on January 20th. You can view the whole thing just past the break, assuming you have 10 minutes to see all of the various hints and spoilers.

Patch 2.5 brings with it more main scenario quests, three new dungeons (Keeper of the Late, Amdapor Keep Hard, and Wanderer's Palace Hard), the World of Darkness raid, a battle against the primal Odin, and a continuation of the Hildibrand storyline. Patch 2.51 is confirmed in the trailer for late February and will include the Manderville Gold Saucer, while part 2 of Before the Fall will wrap up the main scenario and set up the story of Heavensward in late March.

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIV drops a trailer for patch 2.5, Before the Fall

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV drops a trailer for patch 2.5, Before the Fall originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here it comes.
We've got patch 2.5 around the corner, but Final Fantasy XIV's first expansion isn't all that far away either. And that, of course, brings with it no end of speculation about what players will find because so little is certain right now. What previews we've had have been vague by design, just enough to set our minds aflame with possibility without nailing down exactly what we'll find when we start venturing northward.

Lucky for me, I love speculating.

There are several ideas I've already seen regarding what we're getting in Heavensward, some of which are so far out of left field that I tend to think it's a pipe dream of the speculator and some of which seem to be logical predictions about the future of Final Fantasy XIV. So here's a bit of talk about those before we start hearing tons of expansion news and it's all proven transparently true or false. (Midway through the week, maybe.)

Continue reading The Mog Log: Speculating on Final Fantasy XIV's Heavensward

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Speculating on Final Fantasy XIV's Heavensward originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classclassesconsoleconsolesdungeondungeonsendgameexpansionexpansionsfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivffxiv-heavenswardfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivfuture-updatesgame-mechanicsheavenswardjobjobsloremog-logopinionpatchpatchesspeculationsquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logupdateupdatesMon, 12 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Black sheep, black sheep]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/11/one-shots-black-sheep-black-sheep/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/11/one-shots-black-sheep-black-sheep/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/11/one-shots-black-sheep-black-sheep/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

mabinogi
What in-game pet means the most to you? To reader Derrick, it's a special black sheep in Mabinogi that's snuggled its way into his heart.

"I'm an Aries in real life and always liked the symbolism of rams in culture, so my first pet after my mount was a black sheep named Tanngrisnir," Derrick submitted. "It's now no longer available in the store and is a bit of a rarity. Over the years playing, I managed to find a black sheep balloon, puppet, and a pair of ram horns to complete the look, along with a black sheep title (not shown). It's helped out not just by providing my wool for tailoring; in my early days, Tanngrisnir was always willing to take a hit or two to distract enemies."

Yes sir, yes sir, three bags of loot full. Sorry, couldn't help myself. I'll be better after the break!

Continue reading One Shots: Black sheep, black sheep

MassivelyOne Shots: Black sheep, black sheep originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Jan 2015 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bring-back-one-shotsconsoleconsolesf2pfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivfree-to-playgalleriesgallerymabinogimortal-onlinenexonnexon-americaone-shotspics-or-it-didnt-happenreader-screenshotsreader-submissionssandboxscreenshotscreenshotssquaresquare-enixuser-submissionsWorld-of-WarcraftwowSun, 11 Jan 2015 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's year in review]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/05/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-year-in-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/05/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-year-in-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/05/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-year-in-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Landing stuck.
A year ago, Final Fantasy XIV was in a weird place. The game had already done the impossible one time around, taking a title that had failed badly and re-launching to actual attention from the world at large. Barring a slight misstep with housing, it had done all right. But a year ago, it had to do the hard part: sticking the landing.

Sure, re-launching was rough. But at that point it had to bank on that goodwill and shape itself into a respectable game within the MMO space. And it managed that.

What still astonishes me about the game's year of history is that despite making mistakes and bad choices, the game has continued to earn praise from players and onlookers, more so as each month rolls on and it continues to not collapse. That alone seems surprising, especially after a year like 2014. So let's look back over the year, see what the game did right, and look forward to the new year as well.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's year in review

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's year in review originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eso
Welcome to a new year -- and the best year of One Shots you'll ever see. I know this because I've been to the future (December 31st, 2015) and spent those precious time-bending moments flipping through all of the One Shots column this year. Amazing stuff, people. Really well done.

Well, we might as well get started with your glorious photo journeys! Our very first pic of the year is from reader Becca, who sends us this groovy bit of shadow play in Elder Scrolls Online: "While waiting for a boss to spawn in a public dungeon, my friend Arkslan and my character Rozyn had some fun with lighting."

Great. Now I know what will be lurking under my bed tonight: a sing-songy bard. Terror knows no name, but it does sing harmony.

Continue reading One Shots: Shadow play

MassivelyOne Shots: Shadow play originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Jan 2015 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For the benefit of those watching in the cheap seats.
Square-Enix has released its summary of 2014's finances with the start of the new year, and the good news is that it looks pretty rosy. According to the summary of the financial year that ended in March of 2014, the company's fortunes had improved immensely. Of more specific interest to the MMO market, of course, is the fact that the report gives some idea of the subscribers for Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XI, and the currently Japan-only title Dragon Quest X.

According to the report, all three titles together boasted "nearly" one million subscribers, with the lion's share likely belonging to Final Fantasy XIV. Specifics are not discussed, nor does the report clarify whether these subscriber numbers are from the end of the financial year in March or the end of the calendar year in December (we assume the former). The most recent official word from Square-Enix was 2.5 million registered accounts for FFXIV in December 2014.

MassivelyFFXIV, FFXI, and Dragon Quest 10 subscribers total(ed) 'nearly' 1M originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Jan 2015 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsolesdqdq10dqxdragon-questdragon-quest-10dragon-quest-xfantasyffff11ff14ffxiffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivfinancefinancialfinancial-reportnewsnews-itemssquaresquare-enixsubscribersubscriber-numberssubscribersFri, 02 Jan 2015 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Stream Team: Final Fantasy XIV's white magery]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/30/the-stream-team-final-fantasy-xivs-white-magery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/30/the-stream-team-final-fantasy-xivs-white-magery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/30/the-stream-team-final-fantasy-xivs-white-magery/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

FFXIV
Massively's Mike Foster has finally unlocked his Final Fantasy XIV job and he's ready to heal some dungeons. Tune in tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST as he cures his way through FFXIV's duty finder as a white mage, the core single-target healing job available to FFXIV players. Dungeons and guildhests are both on deck!

Game: Final Fantasy XIV
Host: Mike Foster
Date: Tuesday, December 30th, 2014
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST

Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

Continue reading The Stream Team: Final Fantasy XIV's white magery

MassivelyThe Stream Team: Final Fantasy XIV's white magery originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christmaschristmas-2014consoleconsolesfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivhands-onholidaylivestreamlivestreaminglivestreamsmassively-metamassively-tvmv-tvmvtvsquaresquare-enixstreamstream-teamstreamingstreamteamthe-stream-teamtwitchtwitch-tvvideovideoswinter-2014winter-holidaywinter-holidayswinter-holidays-2014Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: What we know thus far about Final Fantasy XIV 2.5]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/29/the-mog-log-what-we-know-thus-far-about-final-fantasy-xiv-2-5/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/29/the-mog-log-what-we-know-thus-far-about-final-fantasy-xiv-2-5/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/29/the-mog-log-what-we-know-thus-far-about-final-fantasy-xiv-2-5/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

This is where it ends.
With all the cool stuff we heard about Final Fantasy XIV's first expansion, it's easy to forget that we also heard a bunch of stuff about the last patch of the current patch cycle. I think that's kind of intentional, not just because the expansion is a bit more eye-catching, but because things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. 2.5 is titled "Before the Fall," the Heavensward trailer does not predict sunny times for Ishgard, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what happens next.

There's no actual release date for 2.5 just yet, although I imagine it's fairly soon, especially given the two-part structure and the proximity of the proposed expansion launch. So let's talk about what we know so far to look forward to before everything comes crashing down. (I'm betting around the end of January, although I'll admit to being a bit less anxious than I was with 2.4's release.)

Continue reading The Mog Log: What we know thus far about Final Fantasy XIV 2.5

MassivelyThe Mog Log: What we know thus far about Final Fantasy XIV 2.5 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle-of-ishgardconsoleconsolesdungeondungeonsendgamefantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivffxiv-patch-2.5final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivloremog-logopinionpatchpatchesspeculationsquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logupcoming-contentupdateupdatesMon, 29 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV prepares for a sheep-filled year]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/26/final-fantasy-xiv-prepares-for-a-sheep-filled-year/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/26/final-fantasy-xiv-prepares-for-a-sheep-filled-year/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/26/final-fantasy-xiv-prepares-for-a-sheep-filled-year/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

So you can complete that set you previously had going with the horse hats.
Every year, Final Fantasy XIV rings in the new year with a new animal-themed kabuto, and this year is no exception. With the Year of the Ram swiftly approaching, it's time for that most humble of Eorzean denizens to grace the helm, the diminutive sheep dotting the landscape and bleating all over. That means a new sheep-themed hat, a new sheep minion, and the usual assortment of housing decorations for those who want them.

Coming hot on the heels of the rather involved Starlight Celebration, this event has a quest chain which kicks off in Limsa Lominsa to unlock the various seasonal rewards. Players will also be able to purchase additional decorations and the like through seasonal vendors, as is tradition. So ring in the new year with visitors from the Far East and get ready for your own personal woolgathering sessions.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV prepares for a sheep-filled year originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Dec 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsolesfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivheavensturmholiday-eventholiday-eventsin-game-eventnew-yearnew-year-2015newsnews-itemssquaresquare-enixFri, 26 Dec 2014 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's big fanfest reveals]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/22/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-big-fanfest-reveals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/22/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-big-fanfest-reveals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/22/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-big-fanfest-reveals/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

This is, what, five whole months away? I can't wait that long!
Christmas came early for the forward-looking Final Fantasy XIV player this year. I know some people are upset at the fact that there were more revelations in the Japanese fan festival than in the ones in Vegas or London, but the timing is different. (I'd also point out that the expansion was announced in Las Vegas.) We've gone from having only a dim view of what's coming to having a pretty clear picture of what awaits through the next few month.

One of the things that awaits is, of course, endless yelling about Machinist. Because boy.

So let's start unpacking the stuff we learned from Tokyo. I say "start" because there is no way to get everything in one column, certainly not with deadlines and other considerations to take center stage. It's going to be a few months, but there's a lot to chew on just about 2.5, even if we ignore all of the expansion stuff, which I have no intention of doing.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's big fanfest reveals

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's big fanfest reveals originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astrologianclassclassesconsoleconsolesdungeonendgameexpansionexpansionsfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivffxiv-heavenswardfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgalleriesgalleryheavenswardjobjobsmachinistmog-lognew-classnew-jobnew-jobsnew-raceopinionraceracesscreenshotscreenshotsspeculationsquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logMon, 22 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV introduces two new jobs and new races for Heavensward]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/20/final-fantasy-xiv-introduces-two-new-jobs-and-new-races-for-heav/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/20/final-fantasy-xiv-introduces-two-new-jobs-and-new-races-for-heav/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/20/final-fantasy-xiv-introduces-two-new-jobs-and-new-races-for-heav/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Well, at least we finally got it.
The last Final Fantasy XIV fan festival of the year is going on now in Japan, and the event's keynote speech has already contained big revelations for the game's first expansion, Heavensward. Players can look forward to the first new race for the game, the Au Ra, a race of dragon-esque people from Othard. It's been established that heretofore masked NPC Yugiri belongs to this race, and she will be revealing her face in patch 2.5.

Fans were also treated to preview footage of the Dark Knight in-game as well as two new jobs, the Machinist and the Astrologian. Astrologians are a new style of healer, drawing cards from decks to aid party members while debilitating enemies. Machinists are ranged DPS with a single large handgun and a style of play based on laying down turrets and paying attention to positioning. The keynote also contained information on the next multi-part raid and the Collector's Edition for the game, currently scheduled for release in spring of 2015.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV introduces two new jobs and new races for Heavensward originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Dec 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ff14
Final Fantasy XIV may be intriguing you ever since it won of our Most Improved MMO of 2014 this past week. If you haven't bought into it yet and have a PlayStation 4, then you now have a free option to sample this acclaimed title.

Square-Enix announced today that it has begun to offer a 14-day free trial on the PlayStation 4 before requiring a subscription. There are a couple of caveats for these trial accounts, however; players can level only to 20 and have a few in-game activites restricted for the duration of the two-week trial.

[Source: Square-Enix Press release]

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV is now offering a PlayStation 4 two-week free trial originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>14-day-trialconsoleconsolesfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivfree-trialplaystationplaystation-4promotionps4squaresquare-enixtrialtwo-week-trialWed, 17 Dec 2014 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's Eternal Bond]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/15/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-eternal-bond/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/15/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-eternal-bond/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/15/the-mog-log-final-fantasy-xivs-eternal-bond/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

WEDDINGS WE CAN JUST SAY WEDDINGS COME ON YOSHI-P
Weddings in MMOs always feel like content aimed directly at me. However many side benefits might exist, weddings are fundamentally roleplaying tools, ways for people to mark themselves as bound together in a virtual space that serves no purpose beyond character establishment. So even if I weren't planning on taking part in the marriage ceremony in Final Fantasy XIV, I'd be happy it existed for that reason alone.

Of course, since my actual real-life wedding was objectively the best day of my life and the best possible wedding, there's no way that the Eternal Bond setup could quite match that. But for roleplaying purposes, my character was engaged, so I was still looking forward to it. All that's left is to take part in the actual ceremony, but there's a lot of stuff to be looked at about how it's handled thus far and what's praiseworthy or just plain baffling in the setup stages.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's Eternal Bond

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's Eternal Bond originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsolesfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivffxiv-patch-2.45final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivmarriagemog-logopinionpatchpatchessquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logupdateupdatesweddingweddingsMon, 15 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV rolls out the Starlight Celebration]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/12/final-fantasy-xiv-rolls-out-the-starlight-celebration/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/12/final-fantasy-xiv-rolls-out-the-starlight-celebration/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/12/final-fantasy-xiv-rolls-out-the-starlight-celebration/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The real reason for the season is, and always has been, cute dresses.
You could be forgiven for not remembering the imminent Starlight Celebration in Final Fantasy XIV. After all, there are weddings to worry about now. But it's back again, and like most holidays in the game, it brings with it a new outfit and a new minion for players to procure. Even better, it also brings a variety of housing decorations to help turn your room, house, or guild hall into a festive wonderland. A stuffed qiqirn is appropriate for any house all year round, after all.

The celebration starts on December 18th and runs until December 31st, with a main questline as well as daily quests for event rewards. Another batch of goods will also be made available to players starting on December 24th, so you'll want to be ready for more as the event rolls on. So take a little time away from wedding planning and relic weapon upgrades to celebrate the reason for the season. Also to unlock fake moustaches; that's pretty great.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV rolls out the Starlight Celebration originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christmaschristmas-2014consoleconsolesdecorationseventsfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivholidayhouse-decorationsin-game-eventsnewsnews-itemssquaresquare-enixwinter-2014winter-holidaywinter-holidayswinter-holidays-2014Fri, 12 Dec 2014 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV has 2.5 million registered accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/11/final-fantasy-xiv-has-2-5-million-registered-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/11/final-fantasy-xiv-has-2-5-million-registered-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/11/final-fantasy-xiv-has-2-5-million-registered-accounts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We're going to need a bigger house, like the one I just bought.
At the very end of Final Fantasy XIV's Eternal Bond trailer on Tuesday, there's a small line imploring watchers to join 2.5 million adventurers worldwide. The last official word from the game on numbers was two million registrations back in April. It was easy to miss that line at the end, but it was caught by blogger Syncaine, and we reached out to Square-Enix to confirm that the game has indeed passed the 2.5 million mark in registrations.

Registered accounts is obviously not the same thing as active subscriptions, but it's still a milestone for the game, especially with an expansion on the way in spring of next year. That's good news for both the Final Fantasy XIV team and the players who will have plenty of other people to adventure with.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV has 2.5 million registered accounts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Dec 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountsconsoleconsolesfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivmetricsnewsnews-itemsnumbersregistered-accountssquaresquare-enixsubscribersThu, 11 Dec 2014 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV adds weddings with Patch 2.45]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/09/final-fantasy-xiv-adds-weddings-with-patch-2-45/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/09/final-fantasy-xiv-adds-weddings-with-patch-2-45/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/09/final-fantasy-xiv-adds-weddings-with-patch-2-45/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

As always, this has made several people very angry.
Whether you're a roleplayer or just someone who likes planning weddings, you'll be happy to know that Final Fantasy XIV's patch 2.45 has added the option for everyone to get married to a partner of his or her choosing. The Ceremony of Eternal Bond is now available in the game, complete with special outfits, rings, and premium options for those who want a bit more spice to their ceremonies. Because who wouldn't want a moogle officiating the ceremony?

Patch 2.45 also includes further developments in the Zoidac Weapon quest chain and a new set of postmoogle quests. Dragoons have also been buffed with the removal of most positional requirements and several shorter recast timers, while Ninjas have slightly increased TP costs and a reduction to damage buffs from poisons. The patch is available now, but for those of you who can't download and start playing right this moment, we've included the Eternal Bond trailer just after the break.

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIV adds weddings with Patch 2.45

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV adds weddings with Patch 2.45 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Dec 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsolesfantasyffff14ffxivffxiv-patch-2.45final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivin-game-marriagein-game-weddingmarriagemarriage-systemnewsnews-itemspatchpatchessquaresquare-enixtrailertrailersupdateupdatesvideovideosweddingTue, 09 Dec 2014 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: The two-way community street in Final Fantasy XIV]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/01/the-mog-log-the-two-way-community-road-in-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/01/the-mog-log-the-two-way-community-road-in-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/01/the-mog-log-the-two-way-community-road-in-final-fantasy-xiv/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's not one-sided. So few things are.
If there's one thing that hit me after the live letter this weekend, it's that the Final Fantasy XIV community is kind of a mess.

I've been working around this game since before it launched, and there have always been weird issues going on with the way the community has worked. Part of this is because the game's community has a weird sort of isolationist streak, as if the online installments of this particular series are the only online games in existence, but part of this is also a matter of dealing with a community team that reports to bosses who aren't speaking the same language as the US playerbase.

Community management is a two-way street, and this weekend's antics served to remind me of how many elements of this really need to be addressed. So let's talk about how both the players and the community team can improve our overall culture from both sides.

Continue reading The Mog Log: The two-way community street in Final Fantasy XIV

MassivelyThe Mog Log: The two-way community street in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attitudescommunitycommunity-attitudecommunity-teamconsoleconsolesculturefantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivmog-logopinionplayer-cultureplayerbasesquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logMon, 01 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Stream Team: Bashing it up in Final Fantasy XIV]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/29/the-stream-team-bashing-it-up-in-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/29/the-stream-team-bashing-it-up-in-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/29/the-stream-team-bashing-it-up-in-final-fantasy-xiv/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

FFXIV
This month's Final Fantasy XIV Choose My Adventure is almost at an end, leaving Massively's Mike Foster with just a few more hours to punch monsters in the face and perform adorable emote dances. Tune in tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST as Mike runs his first dungeon and tries extremely hard to remember all of the positional requirements of his Pugilist's abilities. Spoiler alert: It's not going to go great.

Game: Final Fantasy XIV
Host: Mike Foster
Date: Tuesday, November 25th, 2014
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST

Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

Continue reading The Stream Team: Bashing it up in Final Fantasy XIV

MassivelyThe Stream Team: Bashing it up in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Nov 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecmaconsoleconsolesfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivhands-onlivestreamlivestreaminglivestreamsmassively-metamassively-tvmv-tvmvtvopinionpollpollsreaders-choicesquaresquare-enixstreamstream-teamstreamingstreamteamthe-stream-teamtwitchtwitch-tvvideovideosvotevotingSat, 29 Nov 2014 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Perfect Ten: Mobile apps to enhance your MMO lifestyle]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/29/perfect-ten-mobile-apps-to-enhance-your-mmo-lifestyle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/29/perfect-ten-mobile-apps-to-enhance-your-mmo-lifestyle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/29/perfect-ten-mobile-apps-to-enhance-your-mmo-lifestyle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We're living in the age of smart phones, when there are more cell phones than there are people on this planet. I can't go anywhere without seeing people constantly whipping out their little rectangular companions for the constant stream of information, social connection, and Candy Crush interludes.

While MMOs aren't making great headway on these devices, in part due to the limited input scheme, several wise studios have made good use of the mobile market to give players a way to keep in touch with their games even while AFK. Today we're going to count down, count up, and count sideways 10 official mobile apps that will enhance your MMO lifestyle.

Continue reading Perfect Ten: Mobile apps to enhance your MMO lifestyle

MassivelyPerfect Ten: Mobile apps to enhance your MMO lifestyle originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionandroidappauthenticatorblizzardblizzard-entertainmentconsoleconsolesdust-514entropiaentropia-universeeqeq-2eq-iieq-nexteq2eqiieqneverquesteverquest-2everquest-iieverquest-nexteverquest-worldsf2pfallen-earthfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivfree-to-playgoogle-authenticatorgoogle-playhumoriosituneslandmarkmmo-appsmobilemobile-appneocomopinionp10perfect-10perfect-tenriftrift-mobilerounduprunescapesandboxsoesonysony-online-entertainmentsquaresquare-enixstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tentop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtwo-step-authenticationvirtual-tycoonwarcraftwizard101wizardbloxworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 29 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: The final Final Fantasy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/26/choose-my-adventure-the-final-final-fantasy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/26/choose-my-adventure-the-final-final-fantasy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/26/choose-my-adventure-the-final-final-fantasy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

FFXIV
It's amazing how time flies when you're punching things. Just a few weeks ago our Choose My Adventure-forged Final Fantasy XIV pugilist was an aspiring adventurer with no pants; today, she's a certified hero (still with no pants). It's been an impressive ride to say the least. Square Enix has done some things so phenomenally right it's hard to believe the studio botched the game so badly the first time around.

Final Fantasy XIV is definitely a traditional fantasy MMO. But it makes enough changes and innovates in enough places to make itself feel unique and compelling. If I had to pay a subscription for a game (which I hate doing), FFXIV would be the one to get my credit card number.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: The final Final Fantasy

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: The final Final Fantasy originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Nov 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecmaconsoleconsolesfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivhands-onopinionpollpollsreaders-choicesquaresquare-enixvotevotingWed, 26 Nov 2014 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Six reasons MMOs should abandon raiding, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/25/the-soapbox-six-reasons-mmos-should-abandon-raiding-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/25/the-soapbox-six-reasons-mmos-should-abandon-raiding-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/25/the-soapbox-six-reasons-mmos-should-abandon-raiding-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Time to take on the stock.
In yesterday's Soapbox, I had some things to say about why it's time to dump raiding. I'm writing this before I've seen the comment responses, but I'm willing to bet that a fair amount of angry shouting was involved in the comments because that's what I usually expect. But I wasn't done, as suggested by the whole "part 1" thing in the title header.

For those don't feel like reading the whole thing, the short version is that raiding is too expensive to develop for too small a portion of the players. This is a solid argument, but it's standard: You hear it every time this debate comes up. In some ways, it's the foundation of the argument against raiding beyond the reality that most people say they just don't like raiding.

There's more to be said, though, and there are more serious issues up for discussion. Raiding isn't just expensive in terms of development. It's expensive in lots of ways.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Six reasons MMOs should abandon raiding, part 2

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Six reasons MMOs should abandon raiding, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abandon-raiding-soapbox-seriesactivisionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbribebriberybribescarbinecarbine-studiosconsoleconsolescontent-modelsdesigneditorialendgameendgame-contentendgame-modelsfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivncsoftop-edopinionraidraidingraidsrantrantsreward-structurerewardssandparksci-fantasysci-fisoapboxsquaresquare-enixthe-soapboxwarcraftwildstarworld-of-warcraftwowwsTue, 25 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: The end of Final Fantasy XIV's 2.0 cycle]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/24/the-mog-log-the-end-of-final-fantasy-xivs-2-0-cycle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/24/the-mog-log-the-end-of-final-fantasy-xivs-2-0-cycle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/24/the-mog-log-the-end-of-final-fantasy-xivs-2-0-cycle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

I'm betting end of May 2015, just to push it out as far as possible.
It's going to be a little while until we see the next major patch for Final Fantasy XIV. I'm not expecting to see patch 2.5 in the wild until February, to be honest. That's a little longer than the standard three months, but we've also got a holiday season through there and a not exactly clockwork schedule to begin with. It's enough time to get plenty of Poetics kit, make headway into Second Coil, and get thoroughly sick of the expert roulette dungeons. Perhaps the game shouldn't always just keep the three most recent dungeons on there...

But we still have interquel patches to consider, starting with the promised inclusion of Eternal Bonds in 2.45. While we've still got a little bit of time until the next Live Letter (which will no doubt reveal more about what's coming for the next few months), we've got enough information to speculate, prognosticate, and forecast, which is exactly what I want to do for this week. It's a thing I do.

Continue reading The Mog Log: The end of Final Fantasy XIV's 2.0 cycle

MassivelyThe Mog Log: The end of Final Fantasy XIV's 2.0 cycle originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsolesfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivffxiv-patch-2.45ffxiv-patch-2.5final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivfuture-updatesmog-logopinionpatchpatchesspeculationsquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logupdateupdatesMon, 24 Nov 2014 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Nowhere to hide]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/23/one-shots-nowhere-to-hide/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/23/one-shots-nowhere-to-hide/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/23/one-shots-nowhere-to-hide/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

uo
Generally, I don't like to be pessimistic, but I have to say that things don't look good for reader Brad here. Sooner or later his childish game will fall apart, and when that happens, it will be all teeth and claws and slavering fangs. But at least it's for a good cause, right Brad? Oh, it's just to level up his skills.

"To get your skills up in Ultima Online, you had to use them over and over," Brad explains. "As they got higher, you had to do more difficult things with some skills. This was me trying to up my hiding skill. Lets just say, trying to hide in front of this many Ophidians, was not easy... but I was gaining skill! They could not get to me up here."

Who here feels bad for the Ophidians? Raise your hands please. I thought as much.

Continue reading One Shots: Nowhere to hide

MassivelyOne Shots: Nowhere to hide originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Nov 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbring-back-one-shotsconsoleconsolesfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgalleriesgalleryone-shotspics-or-it-didnt-happenreader-screenshotsreader-submissionsriftscreenshotscreenshotssquaresquare-enixultima-onlineuouser-submissionsSun, 23 Nov 2014 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Final Fantasy XIV's thaumaturgery]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/19/choose-my-adventure-final-fantasy-xiv-s-thaumaturgery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/19/choose-my-adventure-final-fantasy-xiv-s-thaumaturgery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/19/choose-my-adventure-final-fantasy-xiv-s-thaumaturgery/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

FFXIV
One of the more frustrating elements of helming Choose My Adventure is that I start every game with hopeless incompetence and spend four weeks trying desperately to reach some level of understanding with that game's core mechanics. MMO players take for granted the basic masteries they have over the systems they command and forget that the first 20 or so levels of any new game are usually spent in a fog of half-understandings and misconceptions.

Because it's so difficult to continually learn a game's idiosyncrasies, I was a bit wary of last week's Choose My Adventure polls. Having just grown comfortable with our Miqo'te Pugilist and the basic rotations that power her damage, I found the thought of taking on an entirely new class fairly intimidating. Aren't Thaumaturges hard to play? Don't they have confusing ability combos and weird buffs?

Luckily, Final Fantasy XIV understands the challenge in switching classes and isn't afraid to babysit you while you re-learn the ropes.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Final Fantasy XIV's thaumaturgery

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Final Fantasy XIV's thaumaturgery originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stop being immature, kids, some of us have things to do here.
If you've been playing Final Fantasy XIV over the past few evenings, you've probably noticed some issues: odd disconnections, login difficulties, things like that. Turns out it wasn't just some general server weirdness; apparently the game is being hit by DDoS attacks that are leading to heavy server load and all of the fun that comes along with it.

The official post states that the attacks are being carried out by a currently unknown third party, with Square-Enix working to try to stop the attacks from all possible angles. It also apologizes for the issues that players are having. So the good news is that it's not just your connection, and the bad news is that someone decided that it's fun to be a jerk. Again.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV has been besieged by DDoS attacks originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Nov 2014 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV
Last week's Choose My Adventure polls on Final Fantasy XIV were very close. With a few more votes in one direction instead of another, we'd be playing a Roegadyn arcanist or a Lalafell thaumaturge. Unfortunately for people who hate human-animal hybrids, voters selected a Miqo'te pugilist by the hair on a cat's tail (Is this a saying? It should be a saying). Consider our character's cat ears the Massively version of growing a Movember moustache.

With our hero forged and her job chosen, it's time to start adventuring.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: So much punching in Final Fantasy XIV

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: So much punching in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Nov 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two Massively employees in the same game at once? The world is madness. (No, you get no hints about who.)
Final Fantasy XIV has had a busy year, and it looks to be having a busy next year to boot. The game's first expansion is in the works and planned for a release in spring of 2015, along with another major patch to cap off the game's current patch cycle. And director/producer Naoki Yoshida continues steering the ship, working what I can only assume is a 200-hour week.

I had a chance to ask a few questions of Yoshida around the time of the first two fanfests of the year (the final one is scheduled for December in Tokyo), ranging from housing questions to the promise of public test servers to how hard it will be to establish an Eternal Bond. Jump on past the break to read the full interview!

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIV's Yoshida on housing, test servers, and post-Fanfest

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV's Yoshida on housing, test servers, and post-Fanfest originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Nov 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsolesexpansionfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivffxiv-heavenswardffxiv-patch-2.4final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgame-mechanicshalf-featureheavenswardhousinginterviesinterviewmechanicsnaoki-yoshidanewsnews-itemspatch-2.4player-housingsquaresquare-enixWed, 12 Nov 2014 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV introduces character rename service]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/11/final-fantasy-xiv-introduces-character-rename-service/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/11/final-fantasy-xiv-introduces-character-rename-service/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/11/final-fantasy-xiv-introduces-character-rename-service/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

After the renames go through we will all be named after members of XTC. We are going on the road. (I got Andy Partridge, so that's keen.)
You've been enjoying your time playing Final Fantasy XIV, which is good. You hadn't expected to, but you have, and that's even better. But it does make your hastily considered name of "Ffxiv Blows" a bit less than appropriate. Or perhaps you've just grown tired of your in-game avatar's appellation, whether it's a setting-appropriate name like M'lana Nyokha or a less-setting-appropriate name like Mycat Isanimrod. You don't have to suffer a poor name any longer, though, as the rename feature has arrived.

Character renames can now be purchased through the game's account management page per character, allowing you to type in a new character name when you're logging in much like the appearance-changing aspects of Fantasia. The cost for a single rename is $10, and they are purchased per character rather than account-wide. So if you've long been looking to alter your character's less-than-dignified sobriquet, you can do that now.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV introduces character rename service originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Nov 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-servicecharacter-namescharacter-renamecharacter-serviceconsoleconsolesfantasyffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivnamenamesnewsnews-itemsrenamesquaresquare-enixTue, 11 Nov 2014 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Stream Team: Starting out in Final Fantasy XIV]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/10/the-stream-team-starting-out-in-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/10/the-stream-team-starting-out-in-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/10/the-stream-team-starting-out-in-final-fantasy-xiv/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

FFXIV
Massively's Mike Foster is ready to start his career as an adorable Miqo'te pugilist in Final Fantasy XIV, thanks to last week's Choose My Adventure polls and a little bit of leftover currency in his Steam wallet. Tune in tonight as Mike checks out FFXIV's starting levels and works to familiarize himself with the vast, pretty world of Eorzea. The pugilizing starts at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Game: Final Fantasy XIV
Host: Mike Foster
Date: Monday, November 10th, 2014
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST

Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

Continue reading The Stream Team: Starting out in Final Fantasy XIV

MassivelyThe Stream Team: Starting out in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Nov 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All things go, all things go.
All right, Final Fantasy XIV isn't really approaching the end of its story. If you think that Heavensward won't include its own set of story missions, well, suffice it to say you are almost certainly wrong. But the ending of the 2.0 storyline will be like closing a chapter in a book, and this patch is the first step along that path. The next patch will close the chapter and begin anew, bringing us down unfamiliar roads.

As a result, parts of this patch flirted with important story parts. Others flung themselves right ahead in ways that I hadn't expected. As always, this post will contain spoilers for 2.4's story, so if you haven't already seen all of it yet, be warned. It will not, however, contain spoilers for the Final Coil in any meaningful way. So if you've held off from the spoilers already swirling about that, fear not. Some of you are quite possibly working on that now.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV and approaching the end of the story

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV and approaching the end of the story originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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