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The Mog Log: Forward impressions of patch 1.20

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Patches, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

As I write this, patch 1.20 is not actually live just yet. All I have to go on is a monster list of patch notes and the various previews we've been given thus far. Of course, by the time you're reading this, the patch will have released, and I have no doubt that some people will have played through everything it has to offer a couple of times over. So I'm working at a bit of a disadvantage.

In some ways I'm actually not in that terrible a spot. The last two patches have done great things for Final Fantasy XIV, and the patch notes are long enough that I can at least make some reasonable guesses about how things will play out. So I'm going to do precisely that, with the obvious caveat that I might be punching at the wind. Long story short: I'm confident about this patch; only a few bits irritate me.

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The Mog Log: Forward impressions of patch 1.20 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV releases notes for patch 1.20

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

Expected to drop on to the live servers later this week, Final Fantasy XIV's patch 1.20 is bringing with it several large-scale overhauls to combat, leveling, and crafting. In anticipation of the patch release, the patch notes have just recently been posted on the official site; they contain a number of new pieces of information. Among the news is the revelation that players will be able to ascend even further in the ranks of the Grand Companies, and there are new rewards from the vendors as you climb to Sergeant Third Class.

The patch notes also contain the finalized levels and names of the various adjusted actions as well as discussion of the game's new system for allocating bonus points per class. There's also a small preview of the fight against Good King Moggle Mog XII with the video embedded just after the break. If you're looking forward to the patch, it's still not quite here, but having the full list of notes to inspect should help take some of the edge off.

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Final Fantasy XIV releases notes for patch 1.20 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XI outlines the road ahead for classes

Eliot Lefebvre — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Classes, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Consoles

Final Fantasy XI has a pretty expansive list of classes, and while that gives players plenty of freedom, it can pose a headache for design trying to keep each job distinct. But the development team has managed thus far, and the latest update previewing the future philosophy for job adjustments shows that there are still more elements to be brought into play. Each of the game's 20 jobs has a unique vision and role, with several potential new abilities discussed.

While none of the directions design is taking jobs will be of huge surprise to veteran players, there are some interesting promises of future abilities and goals. For example, the team wants to give Beastmasters the tools to be useful and desirable in a party, while Dragoons are potentially getting more enmity management and more synergy with the wyvern. Final Fantasy XI players should look at the full rundown to see where their favorite class sits in terms of design -- as well as hints of what might be coming down the line.

Final Fantasy XI outlines the road ahead for classes originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Massively: Career day edition

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 12 May 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classes, Opinion, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous

As you read this, depending on the time this goes live, I will either be knee-deep in a Career Day presentation or be coming down off the high of getting to talk about my job to a bunch of middle-school children. I'm writing this before I'll know whether it went well or not, but I'm hopeful. Truth be told, I have exactly the sort of job now that I would have loved to hear about when I was a young boy, so I'm expecting this will be pretty fun.

Plus I'll be having school lunch again for the first time since my high school graduation. That's got to be worth a few points on the nostalgia-o-matic, right?

This week's Ask Massively is thus an honorary career day edition, as we tackle questions about careers, classes, and professions throughout the wide world of gaming. On deck this week are questions about Guild Wars and doing things you oughtn't with classes, World of Warcraft's lockstep class system, and the range of flexibility in Star Wars: The Old Republic. As always, you can send off your own questions to ask@massively.com or leave them in the comment field for next week's column.

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Ask Massively: Career day edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Traits of war (and magic)

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

One of the areas in which Final Fantasy XIV really dropped the introduction ball is its handling of traits. They're an interesting way to put together the character you want; unfortunately, they're fenced behind a wall made out of Guild Marks and a moat of 20 ranks before you can purchase most of them. (I'm sure there's a boiling oil of misunderstood applications somewhere in there, but we can't spend the whole column on our trip to Metaphor Castle.) The fact is that you get a lot of points to equip traits long before you probably have any, to the point that other rewards probably look more appealing.

It's a shame, since the game's traits can often make a set of Guild Marks more valuable than another pile of gil. So today I'm going to look at the traits for the Disciples of War and Magic, along with a few ideas about how the traits can be used in a character setup and which ones have the broadest application.

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The Mog Log: Traits of war (and magic) originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Absorbent

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

By the Twelve and by the Goddess, it's good to be back.

Logging back into Final Fantasy XIV was a unique pleasure, one that honestly had nothing to do with the changes to quest experience from Monday or anything else. It was due to the simple fact that I had missed the game, and if I had been in the middle of more projects with Final Fantasy XI, I would have been equally happy to log back in there. (It was still nice, but it's more a matter of seeing an old friend come back than anything.)

Now, for the past couple of weeks I've been vaguely hinting at talk about Thaumaturges, so it seems only fair that I use today as an opportunity to stand and deliver. I'm going to talk about one of my favorite abilities within the class, a set of skills that really starts upping the synergy between Disciples of Magic and Disciples of War. I'm speaking, of course, of the four major Absorb skills, which I loved when they were on Dark Knights and I love even more when I can toss them on any character I choose.

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The Mog Log: Absorbent originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: A preview of the Hellion in Ether Saga Online

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Classes, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Ether Saga Online

Ether Saga Online has been quiet for a little while, but this spring, the game is gearing up for a major update which includes a brand-new race, the Mogui. Long locked away from the world, the Mogui have broken free of their confinement in the wake of the battle against the forces of Oxen Ultera. The race has two unique classes, and the team at Perfect World Entertainment has decided to start off by previewing the hot-tempered Hellion class first.

Hellions are an aggressive class, wielding twin battleaxes and assaulting enemies through direct attacks and wide-range area abilities. They've also got the ability to improve their damage via sacrificing health. At level 75, a Hellion can upgrade to either a Warlord or Ruiner depending on player choice. We've got several new shots of the Hellion in action (including a distressingly happy dance) in the gallery below, which should keep Ether Saga Online players excited about what's coming with the spring update.

Gallery: Ether Saga Online

Exclusive: A preview of the Hellion in Ether Saga Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: In the case of Scrappers

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Classes, Game mechanics, Opinion, A Mild-Mannered Reporter

We're in a small lull for City of Heroes at the moment, and truth be told it's well-deserved. After several months of invasions, updates, previews of the upcoming issues and so forth... it's nice to finally have a chance to just lean back and breathe a little bit. Of course, said breathing will involve a fair bit of superpowered antics, but as involved as that might be for the characters, the players don't have to be constantly looking to the future.

So while we technically should be working through the Incarnate System, the odds are better than even that we'll all be rolling alts over the holiday season. We play City of Heroes; alts are in our blood. So in a move that can only have been brought on by an almost criminal overdose of liquor, I've decided to start taking a look at the powersets of the archetypes, starting with the alt-friendly Scrapper. This should be of benefit to those who have never played a Scrapper, including players who are starting the game for the first time and who by definition haven't tried one before.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: In the case of Scrappers

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: In the case of Scrappers originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another bump to Final Fantasy XI's level cap brings more class boosts

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Classes, Previews, News items, Consoles

The December version update for Final Fantasy XI is right around the corner, bringing with it a slew of enhancements to the game as a whole and players in particular. Needless to say, the biggest enhancement in many players' eyes is the boosting of the level cap to 90, which perforce requires a new set of job abilities and magic to fill the five levels between the current cap and the new ceiling. And it doesn't appear that the update will disappoint in that regard, as the most recent preview explains several of the abilities players can look forward to in the 85-90 band.

Among the more interesting abilities are the Warrior's new buff to the critical hit rate of allies, the Dragoon's ability to command the wyvern to use certain breath attacks, and a variety of abilities in several classes to cripple enemies of given types (Paladins against undead, Dark Knights against arcana, et cetera). There's also the promise of new blue magic, although the details are not yet offered. Past updates have frequently included even more enhancements to each job, but Final Fantasy XI players will likely be happy even with just what's provided in the new preview.

Another bump to Final Fantasy XI's level cap brings more class boosts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV improving skill gains

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

Leveling up is an important part of any MMO, but the task is a bit more difficult in Final Fantasy XIV than it needs to be due to the system of skill point gains. As it currently stands, the random nature of point gains can make leveling very productive or completely pointless, since killing an enemy is no guarantee of skill points. It's a problem, one that Square-Enix is addressing along with a host of others in the November version update. Skill points needed for leveling from 11 to 31 will be reduced, and skill point gains will now come after the battle alongside experience points, making gains a reliable and steady reward instead of the current random system.

The newest update preview also outlines some of the ability adjustments due for the large update, all of which are universal buffs for class abilities such as Life Surge for Lancers and Sacrifice for Thaumaturges. A mini-FAQ has also been added to clarify some of the finer points of the previous update previews -- the added storage space in the update will be an automatic addition, enemy spawns will be increased by roughly 50%, and the habit of aldgoats and dodos to stare into your soul may be addressed in the future. Whether or not you're satisfied with Final Fantasy XIV in its current state, both of the previews paint a brighter picture for the future.

Final Fantasy XIV improving skill gains originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: World of Craft-craft

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Professions, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

Crafting is optional in Final Fantasy XIV, but that word doesn't mean what it usually means in games. You don't have to take any local levequests or take part in crafting to level up, but you'll find yourself far more constrained and advancing your physical level far more slowly if you ignore the crafting side of things. It should be obvious, really -- combining local and regional guildleves gives you plenty of content, but just doing one or the other might leave you feeling a bit spare, and a full half of the classes are crafting classes to begin with.

Of course, the problem quickly turns from "should I bother crafting" to "where do I start?" And that's not even touching on issues of inventory, crafts that work well with others, and which crafts support which classes. So this week, I'm going to take a look at crafting as I've seen it thus far and offer some tips on keeping yourself balanced and sane. Or at least minimizing the enraged outburst when you botch the synthesis at 99%.

Continue reading The Mog Log: World of Craft-craft

The Mog Log: World of Craft-craft originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV moves forward with exploit patches and companies

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Interviews, Launches, New titles, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

The general release of Final Fantasy XIV is three days away, but the collector's edition has been out for nearly a week. As a result, early players have had the chance to start taking part in that most celebrated of ceremonies -- finding whatever exploits the programmers didn't catch and using them. The most recent exploits are at least team-oriented, as they seem to involve casting beneficial spells during a guildleve; regardless, the issues are being fixed as fast as they arrive.

FFXIVCore has also translated a recent interview with Hiromichi Tanaka in which the game's producer discusses both his role in the history of the series as well as what prior lessons impacted the armoury system in Final Fantasy XIV. As he put it, one of the reasons for the flexibility was to allow players to choose their ability loadouts based on the situation, unlike the fairly fixed roles within Final Fantasy XI. The full interview also drops some hints about the as-yet-unseen company system, something which will be implemented in a patch after the full retail launch on Thursday.

Final Fantasy XIV moves forward with exploit patches and companies originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Answering unasked questions

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Classes, Game mechanics, Launches, New titles, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

Sometimes, you wind up with what amounts to a perfect case of convergence. After a busy and stressful week, there's nothing I'd like more than to have an opportunity to relax with an enjoyable game -- and gee, Final Fantasy XIV came out on Wednesday. Seeing the release means a lot to me for a variety of reasons, but the most immediate reason is it means I have something to do from the moment I wake up Saturday to the moment I go to sleep Sunday. I couldn't be happier about that.

Of course, a certain amount of confusion is going to go hand-in-hand with that, so I'm slightly cheating on our regular format, helped by the fact that this month has been a little light on normal questions. The last Saturday of the month always covers questions and answers... but this month, I'm going to be covering the questions that come up most frequently while playing Final Fantasy XIV that don't fall under any of our prior articles on the game. So yes, it's another week without much Final Fantasy XI love. I beg your forgiveness, but I will stay the course.

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The Mog Log: Answering unasked questions originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Further job adjustments en route for Final Fantasy XI

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Classes, Patches, News items, Consoles

Due out next week, Final Fantasy XI's September version update is going to increase the level cap once again, giving jobs access to a plethora of new abilities. But the development team isn't stopping there. Several existing job abilities will also be seeing improvements and refinements, with a number of the upgrades targeting the many pet classes in the game. Even the smallest upgrades are notable improvements to quality of life, such as blue magic remaining set when the job is changed out as a main job, rather than forcing players to re-select their abilities.

Summoners can look forward to more effective Blood Pacts and reduced sustain costs past level 76, while beastmasters gain additional jug pets, as well as changes to pet food to tier the existing types and make them more effective. Dragoons will receive a wyvern that levels up in Abyssea; puppetmasters gain a new way to call their automaton and a faster recharge for the summon; and several other class abilities see their negatives removed and positives enhanced. Nearly every player will want to take a look at the full list of changes, which should help ensure that even with Final Fantasy XIV on approach, Final Fantasy XI will remain engaging.

Further job adjustments en route for Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XI expands the job update preview

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Classes, Patches, Previews, News items, Consoles

Our first tease of the coming excellence in Final Fantasy XI's September version update hinted at many exciting job abilities, but unfortunately, the language we were given was very vague. That alone was enough to get players excited, but more details are welcomed, and the development team has happily obliged. While the list of new abilities is likely not comprehensive, it gives several jobs a good idea of what they can look forward to with the next major patch.

Several of the new abilities granted boosts to existing abilities in previous unused aspects -- red mages can enhance their debuffing skills for a short time, while blue mages can gain extra TP when using physical magic. In addition, there are two new rolls for corsairs, including a party-wide haste effect, and several job traits that will be welcomed by their recipients (including dual wield for thieves). Considering the fast-approaching target date of Final Fantasy XI's next update, players would do well to familiarize themselves with the full rundown of updates.

Final Fantasy XI expands the job update preview originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More details on the new abilities coming to Final Fantasy XI

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles

September is going to be a big month for Final Fantasy XI, and not just because of its big brother launching toward the end of the month. The September version update will steamroll on to the servers early in the month, and it will bring along with it an increase in the level cap once again. With another large jump in levels, new abilities are coming, and Square-Enix has put together a small preview of what's coming with the next increase.

While the details on recast timers and such are still to come, there should be many happy dances from certain jobs. Dragoons are getting a new jump ability, thieves are joining the same team as dancers insofar as they grab dual wield as an innate trait, and dancers themselves grab a new step. Take a look at the full rundown of previewed additions on the official site, and keep your eyes peeled for more news as the September version update draws closer for Final Fantasy XI.

More details on the new abilities coming to Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aika previews two more class evolutions

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Expansions, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Aika

With the June 17th date now firmly set, Aika fans can look forward to the full experience of the game's first expansion in less than a week. But there's still more to preview, and while we heard some of the details in our recent interview with the team, they've still got more up their sleeve. The most recent preview on the official site details the new evolutions for the Arcanist and Saint classes, which are receiving notable upgrades along with their fellow classes under the expanded level cap.

The Arcanist will be receiving Calamity, a damage-over-time spell that has a long range and a movement-slowing effect to help snare and finish targets in both PvP and PvE. With a five-minute cooldown, however, the spell needs to be used carefully for maximum effectiveness.. The Saint, on the other hand, will be giving massive benefits to allies via Aika's Grace, restoring a large amount of HP and MP while making the target temporarily invulnerable. Read all about the new evolutions, as well as a recap on the nation balance mechanics discussed in yesterday's interview, on the official site.

Aika previews two more class evolutions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: A little more conversation

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Classes, Culture, Events, real-world, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

Well, gee, not much has happened since the last time we did a community spotlight in this column. Except maybe for that little VanaFest thing, and huge drops of new info on Final Fantasy XIV, and the beginning of the latter's beta testing. So, yeah, slow month all around. This should be a pretty short column, I might just start talking about my favorite beers toward the end.

All joking aside, a lot has been happening, and it has produced more than a few diverse opinions. The immediate response to the VanaFest announcements for Final Fantasy XI was covered a couple weeks ago, but there's still the specifics to be hammered out. After all, it's hard to take in server merges, level cap raises, massive content drops and new add-ons all in one go. Not to mention that we do still have another game coming in the not-so-distant future, one that's shaping up to have an interesting positional aspect to gameplay. So let's take a look at some of the noteworthy talk from Final Fantasy's webwide community.

Continue reading The Mog Log: A little more conversation

The Mog Log: A little more conversation originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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