Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Beta set to go Online 24/7

Via the Final Fantasy twitter accounts, it has been confirmed that after Wednesdays successful beta window they will be making the beta online 24/7. They are announcing this as the start of beta phase 2, so knew features and changes could be expected. After finally resolving server load issues and allowing people to enjoy the beta this is a welcome announcement.

Nothing has been said in regards to handing out more keys to coincide with this move to 24/7 accessibility.

-Heicko

Tuesday, 27 July 2010

Post number 99, Beta test is on!

The beta test is on right now, so if you are at home you might want to check our vent server, as our testers might be there now!
Anyway I have to wait another 3 hours bfore I can play becuase I am at work at the moment.  I get in at 5pm but then at 7:30pm I have to go out and fix my mates laptop.  Damn it!
Anyway the test should last until midnight, so if you are on Garland server, we'll see you there!

Monday, 26 July 2010

FFXIV - stick yer manhood in the forge.

You might have already seen this on the forums but the American age ratings board (ESRB) have just giving FFXIV a teen rating.
Ok so thats not such big news but the description is so funny it deserves a read!

Rating:
Teen
Content descriptors:
Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

Rating summary:
This is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) in which players navigate a large cast of characters that engage in missions and fight the forces of evil. Players explore environments (e.g., cities, plains, caves) and battle human and fantasy creatures. Players use swords, spears, axes, firearms, and magic spells (e.g., fire balls, energy beams) to defeat enemies in real-time combat. Cutscenes depict a man being stabbed from behind, and creatures emitting splashes of purple or yellow blood when struck. Some female characters are depicted from low camera angles, with lingering camera views of their buttocks (i.e., up-skirt shots). Dialogue contains suggestive references; for example, "The netmaster's probably up in his office polishing the mast just thinking about her," "stick yer manhood in the forge," and "You cheating little whore!" Several characters are referred to as drunk or drunken, while others sometimes talk about wine, rum, and grog. The word "sh*t" can be heard in the dialogue.

Pure comedy at its greatest, from: http://www.esrb.org/ratings/synopsis.jsp?Certificate=29479

Monday video update.

Woohoo!  We have a fair few new videos today, and they are pretty cool as well.  Enjoy!







Sunday, 25 July 2010

The day after the night before.

Well yesterdays beta test was fun and I hope those of you testing it had a great time.
Anyway as to be expected more videos can now be found on the 'net, so here are some for you to see.  Also I should be getting a working microphone next week so I can actually use vent during play.  I have found that I can't play full screen FFXIV and use vent text chat because once I change windows FFXIV crashes.  Anyway should be sorted before the next test starts.






Plus if you check the forums there are plenty of streaming sites where you can see FFXIV in action too.

Friday, 23 July 2010

Client update now online

There is an update of the FFXIV client now online ahead of tomorrows Beta test, so boot up FFXIV and update now.

Thursday, 22 July 2010

Final Fanasty XIV Recommended System Requirements

Here they are, the specs for FFXIV, so you can now see what your system should be aiming for.

Ok if you want to run the game under these conditions:

Window Size and Display Mode1280×720 (Windowed)
Ambient OcclusionOFF
Depth of FieldON
Shadow DetailStandard
Multisampling4x MSAA
Buffer SizeWindow Size
Texture QualityHigh
Texture FilteringHigh

Then you are going to have to match these specs:

OSWindows® 7 32bit / 64bit *
ProcessorIntel® Core™ i7 (2.66GHz) or faster
Memory4GB or more
StorageInstall: 15GB or more
Download: 6GB or more
VideoNVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460 with 768MB VRAM or equivalent
SoundDirectSound compatible sound card (DirectX 9.0c or higher)
InternetBroadband Internet connection
Resolution1280 x 720 or higher; 32bit
DirectXDirectX 9.0c
ControlsMouse, Keyboard, Gamepad
* 64bit OS will run in WOW64 (Windows on Windows 64) mode

So there you have it, now you know!

See, it didn't take long!

Day after the slighty short Beta test, and the Internet is filled with videos again.  If you are intrested, Beta servers should be open again on Saturday.  Also while I am here, if you found the controls a bit heavy in the Beta (I'm sure this will be changed yet), try using a 360 wired pad (Example: Link).  As I found it was a lot easier to move around using it.

















Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Tomorrow, it all starts again...

Tomorrow the Beta servers are open again as from 2pm (UK time).  I have tomorrow booked as hoilday from work so if you are also a beta/forum user join us on Ventrillo.  Forum users can PM me via the forum for the vent details.
Also if you are expecting me to start leaking my own screen shots and videos, sorry but that is not going to happen.  But don't worry!  There are plenty of idiots who are more than happy to break the NDA and I'll post their stuff here so you don't miss a thing!

Monday, 19 July 2010

Lets take a video apart and see what we can learn from it.

Watch this video, I shall take it apart in this post and write about what we can see in it.



Ok, good now I'm going to take it apart and look into what we have just seen in a bit more detail.

1) Rank and Power.

One of the first things we get to see on the video is the players Rank and Physical level.  Now Physical Level gives you stats. Rank level gives you proficiency and skills, Gear is limited by your skill rank.  In other words, same thing as weapon proficiency's in FFXI in essence, except that you have an actual level meter to measure how much time between skill levels.

2) The Secrets of the Stone.

Accessing the stone brings up this menu.  The first two options should really explain themselves.  By using 'guardian favor' during a quest, you can receive a buff. View faction standings should also be pretty clear to anyone that played FFXI (Go on the Bastok!). The last option will tell you about certain stats in the game, for example Fire melts ice, but is extinguished by wind and Ice obstructs wind, but is melted by fire.
It gives the low down on all the element and player stats in the game so it's something to read if you are unsure of anything stat related.

3) Pick a quest, any quest.


After initiating a guild leve, this menu pops up.  Put bluntley, this is a list of all the quests that are available at this time in this area.
Pick one and be on your way!  Although it looks like the translation dept at Square-Enix has not lost its sense of humour.  You have a reference to a retro game, a Prince song, an old poem, a 1950 British Play and the Flintstones.
Oh those pranksters at Square-Enix, they are just too much!

Anyway once you select which quest that you would like to do then another window pops up with some more information on it.


 This box has more setails about the quest that you have just selected.
How much Gill you will earn from the quest, who gave you the quest, what class the game recomends that you should be to undertake the quest, where the quest will take place, what you have to do to complete the quest and how long you have to do the quest.

All pretty useful information really, but once you commence the quest you get another window appear, and this is something that I think really sets FFXIV apart from other MMORPG's on the market and thst is this.




You now choose the size of the group that shall be undertaking the quest.  You can pary from 1-15 people, two stars is 2-4 people, three is 5-6, four is 6-11, five is 12-15.
Clearly a harder difficulty level will bring you a better reward.  For the question shown here on solo level you will be rewarded with Guardian points. 



Which as I wrote eariler, will allow buffs to be cast upon you as you do the quest that you have selected.
Maybe harder settings will give more points or even better items.



4) Thats an Airship!




The more eagle eyed viewer may of spotted this the first time around, but if not look again in this cut down video.
See that in the sky?  Look at the way it moves across the sky.  You know what that is?  Thats an Airship!  The prefered mode of transport from FFXI makes its return in FFXIV.

5) Marked Mobs.

Just in case you didn't read whjat you had to do in the guild leve, thje mobs you have to kill are marked with a special icon by there name.  The little icon means that they are the prey for the quest that you are on.  Simples!

6) I've got the skills.


I have writetn aleady about Rank skill an physical skill, well killing mobs will give you points towards these, as you can see in this picture.  To be honest, being an MMORPG that was really a given but it is intresting to see just how many points are awarded for killing mobs

Ok well that is the end of this post, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed the beer I drank while I was writting it.  Bye bye!

FFXIV moves list, if you cair enough!

FFXIVcair has a cheeky little back door if you google it, which takes you to a moves list (or just click on the link).  Here is what I found.

Thaumaturge

Bloodrite (III)Spill your own blood in a sacrificial rite, enhancing magic potency.
Punishing Barbs (II)Channel your pain to an enemy, redirecting a porion of damage dealt to you back to its source.
Dark Seal (III)Focus your mental energies, increasing the accuracy of your next spell.
Initiation (II)Bestow your strengths on another, granting certain of your enhancing effects to a target ally.
Paradigm ShiftAmplify your voice, increasing the scope and reducing the range of thaumaturgic spells.


Scourge (IV)
Deals umbral damage to enemies within an area of effect.
DamnationOpen a portal to the netherworld, increasing magic potency by ** and dealing umbral damage. May inflict the target with Doom.
Numbing Rime (II)Launch a frozen projectile, increasing magic potency and dealing ice damage. Temporarily incapacitates body parts when targeted.
Onus of MightChant in tongues, evoking the power to recover MP.
ExaltationTurns an enemy's strengths to your advantage, reducing the target's attack power and defense by ** for each enhancing effect it has.
ContagionShare your anguish, transferring all your enfeebling effects to the target.
Emulate (II)Emulate (II) Imitate an enemy's very essence, assuming their elemental resistances.
Banish (IV)Consumes HP to deal astral damages to enemies within area of effect. Reduces defense of the Ashkin.
Dia (II)Deals astral damage over time and reduces defense of enemies within area of effect.
Bio (III)Deals umbral damage over time and reduces attack of enemies within area of effect.
Aspir (III)Transfers MP from enemies within an area of effect to you.
Drain (III)Transfers HP from enemies within an area of effect to you.
Shadowsear (II)Deals umbral damage and increases your magic potency in proportion to the different in HP between you and the target.
Poison (III)Posions enemies within area of effect.
Absorb DEF (II)Transfers a potion of the target's defense to you.
Absorb ATK (II)Transfers a potion of the target's attack power to you.
Mass Fear (II)Causes enemies within area of effect to flee in terror.
BlindReduces the accuracy of enemies within area of effect.
ParalyzeParalyzes enemies within area of effect.
SilenceSilences enemies within area of effect.
Siphon MP (II)Transfer MP from the target to you.
Siphon TP (II)Transfer MP from the target to you.
Absorb TP (II)Transfer a potion of the target's TP to you.
Absorb EVA (II)Transfer a potion of the target's evasion to you.
Absorb ACC (II)Transfer a potion of the target's accuracy to you.
Absorb DEF (II)Transfer a potion of the target's defense to you.
Stygian Spikes (II)Armors you with umbral spikes, absorbing the MP of attacking enemies.
Sacrifice (IV)Consumes HP to restore a potion of the target's HP.
Soul WardAllows target to instantaneously revive upon being KO'd.
ResurrectRevives a KO'd target.

Conjurer

Profundity (III)Enunciate, increasing the magic potency of your next cast. Lengthens cast and recast times.
Trance Chant (II)Intensify your next cast, preventing it from being interrupted.
SpiritbindChannels the elements, binding yourself and reducing MP consumption by half.
Purge (III)Alter an enemy's essence, rendering the target's elemental alignment neutral.
Soughspeak (III)Speak in a whisper, reducing magic potency and lowering the amount of enmity generated.
Roaming Soul (II)Hum your next spell, allowing movement while casting.
Resonance (II)Alter your tone, increasing the range and reducing the scope of conjuring spells.
Chainspell (II)Repeat your chant, consuming ** times the normal MP and casting your next spell three times in quick succession.
Stonehail (II)Launch a stone projectile, increasing magic potency by ** and dealing earth damage to the target. May also cause petrification.
Levinbolt (II)Launch a charged bolt, dealing lightning damage and inflicting further damage over time.
TranquilitySuppress your sense and gaze in ward, evoking the power to recover MP.
Blizzard (IV)Deals ice damage to enemies within area of effect.
Fire (IV)Deals fire damage to enemies within area of effect.
Water (IV)Deals water damage to enemies within area of effect.
Thunder (IV)Deals lightning damage to enemies within area of effect.
Stone (IV)Deals earth damage to enemies within area of effect.
Aero (IV)Deals wind damage to enemies within area of effect.
Frost (III)Deals ice damage over time to enemies within area of effect.
Burn (III)Deals fire damage over time to enemies within area of effect.
Drown (III)Deals water damage over time to enemies within area of effect.
Shock (III)Deals lightning damage over time to enemies within area of effect.
Rasp (III)Deals earth damage over time to enemies within area of effect.
Choke (III)Deals wind damage over time to enemies within area of effect.
Freeze (II)Deals ice damage to enemies within area of effect.
Flare (II)Deals fire damage to enemies within area of effect.
Flood (II)Deals water damage to enemies within area of effect.
Burst (II)Deals massive lightning damage to enemies within area of effect.
Quake (II)Deals earth damage to enemies within area of effect.
Tornado (II)Deals wind damage to enemies within area of effect.
Protect (III)Enhances defense of allies within area of effect.
Shell (III)Enhances magic defense of allies within area of effect.
Cure (IV)Restores HP of allies within area of effect.
Repose (II)Renders stationary enemies within area of effect immobile.
Sleep (II)Induces slumber among enemies within area of effect.
Stoneskin (III)Hardens your skin, allowing a certain amount of damage to be absorbed.
TractorPulls the KO'd target toward you.
ReraiseRevives target upon being KO'd.
RaiseRevives a KO'd target.
SilenaRemoves silence from you and allies within area of effect.
ParalynaRemoves paralysis from you and allies within area of effect.
PoisonaRemoves poison from you and allies within area of effect.
Shock Spikes (III)Armors you with lightning spikes, stunning attacking enemies.

Gladiator

Rousing Provoke (III)Use a threatening gesture to increase enmity.
Rampart (III)Protect yourself, increasing defense and magical defense.
Still Precision (II)Steady yourself, increasing accuracy and reducing evasion.
Aegis Boon (II)Recover behind the safety of your shield, converting a portion of damage sustained when blocking into HP.
Outmaneuver (II)Go on the defensive, increasing the amount of TP generated by blocks.
Deflection (II)Focus on your shield arm, negating a certain amount of damage when blocking.
War Drum (II)Create a clamor, increasing the enmity of nearby enemies.
Sentinel (II)Thwart enemy attacks, reducing damage dealt to you by **% and increasing enmity generation.
AmbidexterityFocus on your off hand, increasing action gauge regeneration by **%.
CoverProtect an ally, positioning yourself between the enemy to redirect damage dealt to yourself instead.
Obsess (II)Focus on a single enemy, increasing defense against the target while reducing defense against all other targets.
Battle CalmMaintain your composure, consuming MP to increase attack power by ** and ensuring the success of your next attack.
Master of ArmsApply all you have learned, increasing the affinity of your next action by **.
Tempered WillHarden your resolve, increasing magic resistance by ** and removing impairing effects.
Discerning EyeObserve an enemy's attack pattern, increasing your attack power in proportion to the amount of damage you sustain.
Phalanx (II)Move deftly from defense to offense, increasing attack power and dealing slashing damage. Increases enmity. Can only be executed following a block.
Red Lotus (II)Call upon the power of the flame, increasing attack power and dealing fire damage.
Shield Bash (III)Slam an enemy with your shield, dealing blunt damage with a high change of interrupting casts. Renders the target unable to cast for several seconds.
Spinstroke (II)Feint before attacking, dealing slashing damage to the target. Increases attack power when the target is not engaging you.
Circle Slash (II)Spin your weapon fiercely, increasing attack power and dealing slashing damage to nearby targets.
Luminous SpireImbue your blade with brilliance, increasing attack power by ** and dealing astral damage. Reduces magic defense of the target and blinds other nearby targets.
Howling Vortex (II)Sound a haunting howl with your weapon, increasing attack power and dealing slashing damage. Lengthens the target's cast times.

Onion CutLash out at an enemy, dealing slashing damage and preventing them from fleeing.
Stroke of TimeUnleash a shockwave, increasing attack power by ** and dealing slashing damage at a range. Increases enmity and renders the target incapable of using weaponskills for a short time.
Riot Blade (II)Description not provided
Rage of Halone (II)Let Halone guide your weapon, dealing piercing damage. Increases attack power in proportion to the amount of damage sustain while readying.
Name not specifiedAlthyk blesses your sword, dealing fourfold slashing damage to the target. Increases attack power by ** for each enfeebling effect on you. Removes enfeebling effect after execution.


Lancer

Comrade in Arms (II)Bolster morale, consuming TP to place an enfeebling effect on the target which grants attacking party members TP regeneration.
Ferocity (III)Trigger an adrenaline rush, consuming HP to increase the attack power of your next attack.
Invigorate (III)Channel your physical energies, consuming HP to gain TP.
Collusion (II)Employ deception, transferring the enmity generated by your next successful attack to an ally positioned between you and the enemy.
Life Surge (II)Make sport of an enemy, gaining the ability to absorb HP. While active, successful attacks reduce the target's evasion by **.
Speed Surge (II)Wield your weapon with blinding speed, increasing action gauge regeneration. Hitting the target causes an enfeebling effect which grants attacking party members the ability to absorb HP.
Keen Flurry (II)Use the power of positive thinking, increasing your accuracy by ** during Battle Regimens.
Diversion (II)Create a diversion, consuming TP to deploy an illusion capable of absorbing close-range attacks.
TrammelDeliver a crippling stab, rendering the target immobile.
Overrun (III)Close in on an enemy, increasing TP by ** and dealing piercing damage. Can only be executed when the target is unaware of your presence.
Feint (II)Stab with precision and timing, ensuring the success of your next attack. Increases attack power and deals piercing damage. Can only be executed after target evades an attack.
Leg Sweep (II)Strike low, dealing blunt damage to all enemies in a cone before you. Does not affect flying targets.
Moonrise (II)Frustrate an enemy's tactics, increasing attack power and dealing slashing damage. Inhibits TP generation of the target.
Skewer (II)Run your enemies through, increasing attack power and dealing piercing damage to all enemies between you and the target. Places Slow effect on non-flying targets.
JumpLeap high into the air, gaining temporary immunity to all attacks.
Line of FirePractice strategic maneuvers, redirecting **% of damage dealt to you to an enemy positioned between you and the source of the damage.
Doomspike (II)Stab with great force, increasing attack power and dealing piercing damage to all enemies between you and the target. Reduces the evasion of flying targets.
Righteous WayUnleash a calculated attack, dealing piercing damage. Amount of TP consumed in dependent upon distance to the target.
Onslaught Thrust your polearm in all directions, increasing attack power by ** and dealing piercing damage to nearby targets.
Ring of ThornsStab an enemy wildly, dealing sixfold piercing damage. Damage is increased additionally in proportion to your TP when the target is below 20% life.
Chaos ThrustDeliver a debilitating stab, rendering the target immobile.
Twisting ViceStab and twist, increasing attack power by ** and dealing piercing damage. Wipes out the target's TP.
Heavy TrammelDescription not provided.

Pugilist

Mocking Provoke (III)Whistle tauntingly to increase enmity.
Blindside (III)Strike from an enemy's rear, increasing attack power by half of your dexterity.
Chakra (III)Channel your vital energies, consuming TP to restore HP.
Steal (II)Rifle through an enemy's belongings, stealing a random item. Chance of success increases with stealth.
Featherfoot (III)Tread lightly, increasing evasion. Effect fades after evading an attack.
Third EyeSpiritually enhance your powers of perception, increasing evasion against non-frontal attacks by **.
Jarring Strike (II)Strike at an enemy's joints, dealing blunt damage and stunning the target. Increases enmity. Can only be executed after evading an attack.
Victimize (II)Exploit an enemy's weaknesses, dealing slashing damage and increasing your critical hit rate for each enfeebling effect on the target.
Haymaker (II)Deliver a missive strike, increasing attack power and dealing blunt damage. Can only be executed after evading an attack.
Shoulder TackleCharge at an enemy with devastating force, dealing blunt damage.
Seismic Shock (II)Create powerful tremors, increasing attack power and dealing earth damage at range to all enemies between you and the target. Does not affect flying enemies.
Concussive Blow (II)Beat an enemy about the head and face, dealing blunt damage and reducing the target's accuracy. Effect may stack up to three times.
Aura Pulse (III)Emit a burst of energy, increasing attack power by ** and dealing blunt damage to nearby enemies. Grants an additional ** to attack power against flying enemies.
Asuran FistsThrow a fury of traumatizing blows, dealing eightfold blunt damage. Target's defense is reduced by ** when used in optimal defensive stance

Marauder

Bloodbath (II)Revel in the blood of an enemy, converting a percentage of the damage dealt by your next successful attack into HP.
Murderous IntentThrow yourself into your attacks, increasing critical hit rate and reducing TP generation.
Defender (III)Tighten your guard, increasing defense and reducing attack power. Increases enmity generation while in a steadfast stance.
Disorient (II)Flick dust, sand, or soil at an enemy, reducing the target's evasion. Effect may stack up to three times.
Enduring March (II)Take strong and sure steps, enabling movement at **% reduced speed while bound. While active, also maintains steadfast stance while moving.
Name not specifiedBecome one with your weapon, increasing attack power by ** and dealing neutral damage. Increases your attack power by a further **% of your HP if target is below half life.
Foresight (III)Anticipate an enemy's actions, increasing your parry rate. Ends after parrying an attack.
Rampage Controlthe momentum of the battle, increasing attack power by ** with each successful attack. Ends when an attack is missed.
Barbaric Yawp (II)Sound a booming cry, interrupting casts of nearby targets.
Warmonger (II)Put on a threatening display, increasing enmity generation by **%.
Skull Sunder (II)Strike an enemy in the head, increasing attack power and dealing slashing damage. Deals further damage over time. Attacks enemies in a cone before you while in steadfast stance.
Trunksplitter (II)Deliver a strong chop, increasing attack power and dealing slashing damage. Attack power is increased further against Seedkin.
Brandish (II)Strike nearby enemies, increasing attack power and dealing slashing damage.
Iron Tempest (II)Spin your axe wildly, increasing attack power by ** and dealing wind damage to nearby targets.
Inferno EdgeCreate a burst of heat, increasing attack power by ** and dealing fire damage to nearby targets.
Brutal Swing (II)Strike with the flat of your weapon, increasing attack power and dealing blunt damage. Attacks enemies in a cone before you while in steadfast stance.
RetaliationPunish oncoming enemies, granting a **% change to counter frontal attacks.
EntrenchPlant your feet firmly, gaining immunity from knockback effects and reducing movement speed by **%.
Fracture (III)Deliver a devastating blow, increasing attack power and dealing blunt damage. Renders the target incapable of using weaponskills. Can only be executed following a parry.
GodsbaneUndo what the gods have done, dealing threefold slashing damage and reducing the target's critical resistance. Reduces your maximum HP by **%.
Storm's Path (II)Attack with a storm's fury, dealing slashing damage to nearby targets. Increases enmity.
Maim (II)Render an enemy defenseless, increasing attack power by ** and dealing slashing damage. Exposes the target in the direction of the attack.
Quelling Strike (II)Stifle the noise made by your weapon, reducing the enmity generated by your next attack.
Raging Strike (II)Strengthen your grip, increasing the attack power of your next attack by **.
WhirlwindWhirl your axe fiercely, increasing attack power by ** and dealing slashing damage to nearby enemies. Damage is increased by an additional ** times your total TP when you are below half life.

Archer

Replenish (II)Invoke a blessing of renewal, consuming MP to replenish your projectiles to capacity.
Chameleon (II)Blend in with your surroundings, consuming TP to reduce enmity.
Quickstride (II)Quicken your stride, increasing movement speed by **%.
Retrieval (II)Search your surroundings, consuming Hp to find and gather projectiles.
Hawk's Eye (II)Your eyes gain hawklike precision, increasing the accuracy of your next attack.
Decoy (II)Create a decoy, consuming TP to deploy an illusion capable of absorbing ranged and magic attacks.
Puncture (II)Strike with full force, increasing attack power and dealing projectile damage to all enemies between you and the target.
Subtle ReleaseCarefully place your attack, reducing the chance for changes in the target's enmity.
Farshot (II)Heighten the angle of your attack, increasing range and reducing attack power by **.
Shadowbind (II)Fetter an enemy's shadow, rendering the target immobile.
Wide Volley (II)Launch a wide-ranged assault, increasing attack power and dealing projectile damage to the target and nearby enemies.
Quick Nock (II)Nock and release with blinding speed, shooting multiple arrows at a time into a cone before you. Increases attack power and deals projectile damage.
Scouring Strike (II)Deliver a debilitating blow, increasing attack power and dealing projectile damage. Removes a single enhancement from the target.
ShriekerLoose an attack with a terrifying sound, dealing projectile damage and causing the target to flee in terror.
Arrow Helix (II)Loose arrows in all directions, increasing attack power and dealing projectile damage.
FoeseekerDeliver a precise shot, increasing attack power by ** and dealing projectile damage. Increases accuracy by ** for each projectile spent.
BarrageGet the most out of your weapon, dealing up to fourfold damage. Increases enmity.
FerocityLoose a hail of arrows, increasing attack power by ** and dealing projectile damage. Requires a minimum of three nocked arrows.
SwarmstingAim for the heart, dealing projectile damage and charming the target. Increases attack by ** when attacking from the front.
SmiteAim for the source of an enemy's voice, dealing projectile damage and reducing magic potency.
Bloodletter (II)Snipe a vital area to cause excruciating pain, dealing projectile damage and further damage over time. Deals damage again when the effect fades.
MindscatterDescription not provided.
Speed Surge (II)Wield your weapon with blinding speed, increasing action gauge regeneration. Hitting the target causes an enfeebling effect which grants attacking party members the ability to restore HP.

Sunday, 18 July 2010

Even More Beta Videos

Thanks to Arkadian for pointing the first video out on the forum.  We have a video of a Miqo'te logging, havesting and mining.



And the next video is of a Miqo'te again, this time showing off what it means to be a conjurer.

Yet more Beta Videos

Looks like this youtube user is putting his FFXIV/youtube account at risk but if he is going to post this stuff, I'm going to have to publish it here too!





Saturday, 17 July 2010

Now where was the shop that sold that animal glue?

FFXIVonline has posted a list of synthesis recipes that are in the Beta version of FFXIV. Once again it looks like the different crafts will need to trade with each other to be able get the items needed for their own recipes.

Blacksmith

Item Materials
Bronze Nugget 3 chunks of copper ore, 1 chunk of tin ore
Bronze Ingot 6 bronze nuggets
Copper Nugget 4 chunks of copper ore
Copper Ingot 4 chunks of yellow copper ores
Copper Ingot 6 copper nuggets
Bronze Spear Butt 1 bronze square
Bronze Needle 1 bronze nugget
Bronze Nails 2 bronze nuggets
Bronze Pickaxe Head 1 bronze ingot, 2 bronze nuggets
Brass Hatchet Head 1 brass ingot, 3 brass nuggets
Bronze Spatha 1 bronze spatha blade, 1 aldgoat horn sword grip, 1 slate-grey sheep leather-bound swordguard, 1 handful of brass rivets, 1 block of animal glue
Bronze Gladius 1 bronze gladius blade, 1 aldgoat horn sword grip, 1 sheep leather-bound swordguard, 1 handful of brass rivets, 1 block of animal glue
Bronze Labrys 1 bronze labrys head, 1 ash axe haft, 1 bronze axe butt, 1 red ochre buffalo leather strap, 1 handful of brass rivets, 1 block of animal glue
Iron Labrys 1 iron labrys head, 1 elm axe haft, 1 bronze axe butt, 1 red ochre buffalo leather strap, 1 handful of iron rivets, 1 block of animal glue
Bronze Knuckles 1 bronze ingot, 1 circle of buffalo leather, 1 buffalo leather strap
Bronze Chakram 1 bronze ingot, 1 soot-black buffalo leather strap
Birdsbeak Hammer 1 birdsbeak hammer head, 1 ash hammer grip, 1 bronze ingot, 1 bolt of undyed canvas
Brass Head Knife 1 brass head knife blade, 1 maple head knife grip, 1 block of animal glue
Iron Saw 1 iron saw blade, 1 elm saw grip, 1 handful of iron rivets

Weaver

Item Materials
Hempen Yarn 2 clumps of moko grass
Undyed Hempen Cloth 3 spindle of hempen yarn
Hempen Fent 1 bolt of undyed hempen cloth
Mole-brown Hempen Cloth 3 spindles of hempen yarn, 1 pot of mole-brown hemp dye
Cotton Yarn 2 cotton bolls
Sepia-brown Canvas 4 spindles of cotton yarn, 1 pot of sepia-brown canvas dye
Crow Fletchings 3 crow feathers
Hempen Socks 1 bolt of undyed hempen cloth, 1 spindle of hempen yarn
Cotton Socks 1 bolt of olive-green cotton cloth, 1 spindle of cotton yarn
Hempen Inner Dalmatica 2 bolts of undyed hempen cloth, 1 spindle of hempen yarn
Hempen Coif 2 bolts of hempen of undyed hempen cloth, 1 sheep leather strap, 1 spindle of hempen yarn
Cotton Coif 1 bolt of undyed hemen cloth, 1 circle of sheepskin leather, 1 sheep leather strap, 1 spindle of cotton yarn
Hempen Dalmatica hempen inner dalmatica, 2 bolts of sand-brown hempen cloth, 1 circle of sheepskin leather, 1 pair of sand-brown hempen sleeves, 1 spindle of hempen yarn
Cotton Trousers 2 bolts of undyed cotton cloth, 1 circle of dodo leather, 1 dodo leather strap, 1 handful of brass rivets, 1 spindle of cotton yarn
Hempen Chausses 2 bolts of sand-brown hempen cloth, 2 bolts of mole-brown hempen cloth, 1 bolt of lead-grey hempen cloth, 1 spindle of hempen yarn
Cotton Slops 2 bolts of undyed cotton cloth, 1 midnight-black dodo leather strap, 1 spindle of cotton yarn
Hempen Beret 1 bolt of lead-grey hempen cloth, 1 bolt of sand-brown hempen cloth, 1 basket of apkallu down, 1 spindle of hempen yarn
Canvas Hat 1 circle of sheepskin leather, 2 bolts of undyed canvas, 1 spindle of cotton yarn
Plumed Bronze Pickaxe 1 bronze pickaxe, 1 iron buckle, 1 bolt of undyed cotton yarn, 1 cock feather

Leatherworker

Item Materials
Sheep Leather 1 sheepskin, 1 handful of oak chips
Sheep Leather Spetch 1 circle of sheepskin leather
Sheep Leather Strap 1 circle of sheepskin leather
Sheepskin Outsoles 2 circles of sheepskin leather, 1 block of animal glue
Leather-bound Swordguard 1 circle of slate-grey sheep leather, 1 antelope sinew cord
Slate-grey Sheep Leather 1 sheepskin, 1 handful of oak chips, 1 pot of slate-grey sheep leather dye
Hempen Breeches 1 circle of taupe sheep leather, 1 taupe-sheep leather strap, 2bolts of mole-brown hempen cloth, 1 spindle of hempen yarn
Cotton Breeches 1 circle of sheepskin leather, 1 sheep leather strap, 2 bolts of dull vermilion cotton cloth,1 spindle of cotton yarn
Sheepskin Duckbills 1 circle of sheepskin leather, 1 sheep leather strap, 1 pair of sand-brown hempen socks, 1 pair of sheepskin outsoles, 1 antelope sinew cord, 1 handful of brass nails
Padded Sheepskin Duckbills 1 circle of dodo leather, 1 sheep leather strap, 1 pair of maize-yellow cotton socks, 1 pair of sheepskin outsoles, 1 antelope sinew cord, 1 handful of brass nails
Leather Satchel Belt 2 circles of moss-green buffalo leather, 1 iron buckle, 1 antelope sinew cord
Smithy’s Gloves 2 circles of sheepskin leather, 1 sheep leather strap, 1 antelope sinew cord
Sheepskin Targe 1 circle of sheepskin leather, 1 sheep leather strap, 1 lauan plank, 1 handful of copper rivets, 1 antelope sinew cord, 1 lump of beeswax
Wrapped Maple Longbow 1 maple longbow, 1 circle of soot-black buffalo leather, 1 soot-black buffalo leather strap,1 sheet of silver plate, 1 handful of silver rivets, 1 pinch of brimstone
Leather Himantes 1 pair of leather knuckle guards , 1 pair of bronze himantes grips, 1 bolt of undyed canvas, 1 block of animal glue, 1 antelope sinew cord

Carpenter

Item Materials
Oak Chips 1 oak log
Willow Lumber 1 willow log
Elm Saw Grip 1 piece of elm lumber, 1 sheet of brass plate, 1 handful of iron nails
Bronze Arrow 1 handful of bronze arrowheads, 1 handful of cock fletchings, 1 bundle of cedar arrow shafts, block of animal glue, 1 spindle of hempen yarn
Maple Wand 1 maple branch, 1 bottle of growth formula alpha
Pine Crook 1 pine branch, 1 pot of viscous secretions, 1 bottle of beastkin blood
Bronze Spear 1 bronze spearhead, 1 maple spear shaft, 1 bronze spear butt, iron spear clasp, 1 block of animal glue
Harpoon 2 bone harpoon heads, 1 maple spear shaft, 1 bronze spear clasp, 1 block of animal glue
Maple Longbow 1 maple branch, 2 pieces of maple lumber, 1 linen bowstring, 1 circle of sheepskin leather, 1 block of animal glue
Lauan Pattens 1 pair of slate-grey sheepskin vamps, 1 pair of undyed hempen socks, 1 lauan plank, 1 slate-grey sheep leather strap, 1 antelope sinew cord, 1 handful of brass nails
Maple Pattens 1 pair of uncolored leather vamps, 1 pair of undyed cotton socks, 1 maple plank, 1 uncolored buffalo leather strap, 1 antelope sinew cord, 1 handful of brass nails
Square Maple Shield 2 maple planks, 1 sheet of bronze plate, 1 uncolored sheep leather strap, 1 handful of bronze nails, 1 handful of bronze rivets
Round Chestnut Shield 1 sheet of bronze plate, 2 chestnut planks, 1 circle of buffalo leather, 1 uncolored buffalo leather strap, 1 handful of bronze nails
Bronze Pickaxe 1 bronze pickaxe head, 1 maple pickaxe shaft, 1 handful of bronze nails, 1 bolt of undyed hempen cloth
Brass Hatchet 1 brass hatchet head, 1 ash hatchet haft, 1 sheet of brass plate, 1 block of animal glue

Friday, 16 July 2010

More Beta Videos

More videos to see today, and better quality than the last batch.  Enjoy!









Wednesday, 14 July 2010

Hours of footage of the beta, right here, right now!

Heres more videos from that guy that I showed in that last post. Anyway these videos continue from where the one in the last post left of and, wait for it.........there is FIVE hours of footage between these three videos!

Prepare ladies and gentlemen for information overload!


Watch live video from kamizage's channel on Justin.tv


Watch live video from kamizage's channel on Justin.tv


Watch live video from kamizage's channel on Justin.tv

What is going on in the world?

How come this idiot has got a Beta key and I do not?  I mean come on he even has no idea what he is doing, or anything about the game!  It's not fair I tell you, not fair at all.  :(


Watch live video from kamizage's channel on Justin.tv

For some reason this video was crashing IE but worked fine in Firefox, if your using IE try watching it on the justin.tv site.

Tuesday, 13 July 2010

PC Upgrade Advice


Yes, the benchmark has been around for a while, but let's get some discussion going! (Link is to forum discussion about specs and scores.)

[If you don't have the benchmark yet, download it here!]

I'll assume most people who check this blog often are people who will be playing on PC at release time. If you are anything like me, you probably want to upgrade your PC to be up to snuff! I did a little ballpark-figure upgrade for my PC on Newegg recently, and it came out to be over $1000 USD. I had intended on getting a new CPU, a new Video Card, and a small but fast Solid-State Drive to install the game onto.

My advice for anyone hell-bent on upgrading their PC for launch day is simply this: Don't do it!

Wait until September. Prices will fall, if only slightly. Octuple-core CPUs are coming (sometime). Video card technology is constantly changing.

Unless you need the equipment right away for other purposes, it's prudent to wait until after you have played the game on your current setup before committing money to improving it. That way, you can decide how much of an upgrade you require, roughly; or if you even need one at all -- perhaps the cost won't be justified when you see that it actually runs nicely on your current rig.

As the adage goes, "haste makes waste." Ordering your upgrade blindly, or based loosely upon your benchmark scores, will almost certainly result in overspending and buyer's remorse.

Make yourself wait those extra two or three weeks after launch, maybe even a month or more, to decide whether the game is running smoothly at the setting level you desire. Updates will likely be rampant after launch; not everything is perfect after beta! There could be performance boosting updates due to rewriting wasteful code.

You can argue that if you did overspend, that you have at least gotten a leg-up on future games that will be more demanding. That very well may be true, but to me it's just a rationalization.

Don't spend your money before you know what it's being spent for!

Did you already drop some cash on an upgrade? Let me know what you spent it on, and how much your benchmark changed!
Satisfied with your current benchmark score? Post your rig and score in the thread!
Waiting for release to upgrade, like I am? Tell me what you have your eyes on for your upgrades!

Monday, 12 July 2010

More Beta Testers Added

Square Enix just announced via their Twitter that they added “thousands of new applicants” to the Beta. Access to the Tester site for these new applicants isn't available til Tuesday the 13th (2moro). Along with this news the Tester Timetable has also been adjusted. Beta play windows are now 20 hours instead of alphas 4 hour test window.

Also there has been a few videos added to Square Enix's youtube account but they are set to private and can't be viewed.

So everyone go check your e-mails, cause I just did and have been given Beta access.

Heicko.

Post βeta video look Part 1

So after the huge βeta video blowout yesterday what have we got from it?  Lets look a bit more in depth.

First of all we have the main menu:

















So you can see the list there and all the normal sort of options are all there.  Our first look at the option called 'Configuration'.  This brings up the graphics options.



Clearly switching options on or off is going to affect the performance of the game.  What effect does the 'Physics' option have on the game I wonder?  Clicking on the 'Extended drawing' changes the draw distance of the landscape.  You can see that effect in this picture, notice the detail on the hills far in the distance.



The next option is the shadow option.  Bit of a no brainier really, but lets have a look anyway.


That's really all we got to see of the graphics options, we did see a fair bit of the battle system though so we can look a little more into that.


This is the stamina bar, the top graphic shows the bar filling up to the needed amount required for the highlighted move in the action bar (not pictured).  The second graphic shows the bar continuing to fill even after the required amount has already been acquired.  The third bar shows the bar once a move has been selected and is about to be performed.

Sunday, 11 July 2010

Final Fantasy XIV - βeta videos

Eagle eyed forum user Arkadian has spotted these FFXIV Beta videos on youtube!















Saturday, 10 July 2010

Final Fantasy XIV at the Japan Expo in France

Can you speak French?  Yes?  Well you're in luck becuase FFXIV was shown at the French Japan Expo and there is a lot of new footage on offer if you want to watch it.
If you can't speak French then you still might find it intresting as your at this site in the first place!





Visible Accessories! Beta File Exploration!

According to a quick glance at the files downloaded for the Beta client, there are something around twenty(!) equipment slots, including what seems to be two ring slots (also reported as four from some sites, but the current version of the beta client leads me to think two), and a bracelet slot (possibly two of those as well).

What is more interesting, to me, is that data is included to make accessories visible, down to earrings, necklaces, and rings. This will add a subtle depth to the environment that FFXI was unable to achieve due to resource and software limitations.

*The following paragraph is intended for computer geeks, read with caution.*

As for the files themselves, they seem somewhat obfuscated. From what I am going to assume, the folders in the data areas are actually treated as files , and the numbered, extension-less files within those folders are stitched together by the client to read the data (as an example, folder "hir_mdl" would be treated as a file/container/wrapper "hir.mdl", and files 0001 and 9999 within it would comprise the data). This is, presumably, to make data mining more difficult. If you decide to delve into these folders, MDLs are models, TEX/TEX1/TEX2s are textures to map onto the models. That is the case within the /client/ directory. Within the /data/ directory, you will find the much more familiar hex numbered folders leading to .dat files, a la FFXI. Nothing of value is human-readable in these after a quick glance; I am going to assume that old .dat viewing utilities will not work, but I may be wrong.

Just felt like nerding out there for a bit, this is only speculation on the first release of the beta, so of course change is to be expected.

-kylep

Thursday, 8 July 2010

Evolution of this blog

You may have noticed a couple of changes on here today.  The main one is the new title picture at the top of the blog, the others are the jiggling around of the links in the links area and shifting the side bar elements around.

The reason for this change is that this blog going to start changing direction.  I started this blog to track my journey through Final Fantasy XIV back in March, hoping that I would get a tester account.  Of course that didn't happen so I thought I might as well keep the blog a little active until then and post a bit of news from time to time.
What happened next was a bit of a suprise.  The tester Pooky Poo went mad and broadcasted what he was doing on the internet.  While many watched his live stream, I recorded it, knowing it would not be around long.
It was not, and soon I found myself in the position of being one of the only people in possesion of his broadcasted material so i done what anyone in my position would do, cut it into chunks and put it on youtube!
This was the start of this blog gaining a following, and this site changed from being a blog to chart my progress through FFXIV, into a site that posted leaked FFXIV footage.
When another person let me loose on their recorded Alpha stash I find myself bombarded with new videos and the site hit counter really started to roll.

Now as the footage is drying up and we are getting close to the release of the game, once again this blog will change again and this time it'll be on the good side of Square-Enix!

Myself and many of the regluars on the forum are going to create a Linkshell called 'Twelve' (or something to that effect), and this blog will be aimed at that.  It we be about OUR journey through Final Fantasy XIV, and I will grant publishing access to a few of you as well as forum admin status.

This blog is not going to be about me, it will be about us and our adventure.  I hope you enjoy the ride!