just sayin.

post patch play.

Today was really my first day to play since the new patch. I am loving the new UI. Here is an article I found on Eorzeapedia regarding how to utilize the UI in different formats. Inventory sort and the ranged weapon stacks of 999 instead of 99 (how much difference one number makes!) changed how I grind Archer. No more refilling mid battle!! I feel free! The only lingering concern I have is regarding the skill points, I feel like the physical xp and class sp are flipped. Low level is super fast now, and if you do low battle leves the reward is typically a weathered weapon.

So what did I spend my time doing?

• Picked up some Level 20 leves at Tranquil and Bloodshore. I died very little, much to my surprise. Good to know I can hang at Bloodshore now.
• Hit 16 Archer, 11 Lancer and 4 Conjurer (it took all of 5 minutes, and now I have Cure which has definitely helped with the grind) 
• Fished a little, I think the sp for fishing may be worse. Gave up pretty quickly, but not without a few Merthlor Gobies.
• Messed with my retainer, collected a little gil. Hit 100k finally (I'm rich bitch!) 

Nothing too exciting to take pictures of. But I find it hilarious that the Nanny goats follow you everywhere, including into camp (and I finally figured out how to escape Limsa).

partying.

So imagine my surprise when I received another email from Squenix informing me that I had yet another month of f2p before shelling out the monthly cash for FFXIV. I can play through the two major updates before making my decision to continue (which I imagine will be yes).

Last night I joined up with my first group, some fellow Miqo'te from the ls. We partied around Gridania, hitting up the camps there.

Our setup was Lnc 16, Arc 13 (that's me!), Con 16. We all went up one level, and I got to physical rank 19, which I thought was surprisingly decent for only about an hour and a half. I also did all the Camp Emerald Moss battlecraft leves when the timer reset. I think once I get Archer to 20, I may begin focusing more on Lancer. I started as an Archer and I enjoy the class, but arrows, wiff fests & refilling during battle are not things I am enjoying about the class. Lancer went by much faster and I am very close to 10 already. I have never leveled a magic class, and I wasn't planning on it, but I may take Conjurer to 4, simply for heals.

I also got a Velveteen Tabard last night from an ls mate, it's green. I can't wait to hit 32 and commission the rest of the set. I am going to look like Robin Hood!

Also, MAINTENANCE TONIGHT! {Edit: The patch has been delayed, I repeat, the patch has been delayed. This better be worth it}
Anyone care to share what they are most excited about? Anima resets, recipe book, levequests, party sp...?

ding.

Culinarian Rank 12
Fisher Rank 10

I don't know why I am loving two of the (seemingly) most unpopular classes; but Culinarian is about to surpass Archer as my main. You can get very decent skill ups leveling Culinarian and Fisher simultaneously. I am considering leveling Lancer to 20 next, would be nice to have a job class I didn't have to continually restock weaponry for.

hitting up the aetherytes.

I set out on Friday night, intending to run to Ul’dah then Limsa so I could sync with the Aetherytes. After running to Ul’dah (and getting force closed on several times by my bf who was attempting to attain a better connection for Black Ops), I gave up on Limsa and teleported back to Emerald Moss for a Saturday night grindfest. While wandering around, I ran into an LS member who was kind enough to hang out with me and show me some cool leveling spots. Then, my LS leader offered me some new gear, but I had to get to Limsa (the city I didn’t run to yet, crap!) Fortunately I snagged a tele out to the level 1 camp where I got new gear (yay!), arrows and Aetheryte syncage (plus a guided tour of the city). I have been relatively quiet on the LS, but after last night, I am impressed with the friendliness and social (ness?), which was something I had previously complained about, on my server. Figaro ftw. 

Here's the travel guide I used for the run, if you're interested. 

 

Near the edge of the Black Shroud I found these pretty Does and had to screenshot them, luckily they don't aggro. 

 Dragon? While I was searching for the Ul'Dah caves (still haven't found them) I DID find this Firedrake.

 Not in Gridania anymore...

 

 First look at Limsa.

Limsa reminds me a LOT of Jeuno from XI. Osiria is still there saltwater fishing (rank 10 now) and crafting. I am still hoping leveling Culinarian will pay off in the end.

* New information I procured for Archer: Warped Arrows > Bronze Arrows (or at least equal). I hope ACC will be fixed when the new patch comes out. *

lala creepster.

Is it just me, or do the mustached Lalafells creep you out? Instead of being cute, I think it makes them look oddly nefarious.

fail.

I dislike evenings when I log on with the best intentions, but end up only getting some running done (why is everything so far?) before general fatigue and the impending early morning before work set in, hindering my desire to progress.

Such was last night.

I did meet up with my retainer who confirmed that my continual crafting of River Sand will produce at least a moderate amount of monetary gain. I am leveling Fisher & Culinarian simultaneously; so,basically his job is to chill and sell sand to Goldsmiths. (Yes, I put him in the correct Market Ward.)

Tonight, I think I will make the run from Gridania to Limsa Lominsa, leveling my Lancer and Archer along the way. Expect screenshots.

FFXIV lodestone: nov/dec updates

I just read the newest update regarding the November & December FFXIV updates on Lodestone. You can read the whole thing too. I am beyond excited for some of the things SE is planning to implement. It's going to completely change the face of the game. A few of the issues I had previously listed under grievances are scheduled to be fixed:

Improvements to the targeting feature (thank god!)

An increase in player inventory capacity

An increase in the number of employable retainers

The addition of a delivery service (this sounds fun? or maybe it only seems fun to me because I am imagining little Lalafells running around with packages...)

Improvements to the Map

Improvements to chat functionality

Also the addition of "companies."

The forthcoming November and December version updates will introduce what are known as "companies," a special type of linkshell with more group-oriented progression and goals.

Companies will have the option to possess ships & buildings (shades of Ultima Online?) I have a feeling companies will replace or takeover linkshells for partying while linkshells will remain solely for the social benefit. Companies also appear to favor more hardcore gamers. I am not sure how I feel about it all necessarily, but ships are definitely something I can get behind.

Now, I need to make some more in-game friends. (._.) 

the lala cult.

Osiria is shocked to find the Children of the Corn. This is also the first screenshot where I am NOT wearing my noob gear.

an accidental behest.

I have been hearing a lot about Behest and its similarities to Beseiged from XI, yet I have thus far been unable to partake in one. I wasn't entirely sure what it was or how to go about signing up. Beseiged was fairly complicated to participate in, so I was planning to puzzle it all out at a later date. However, while relaxing at Bentbranch (low level Gridania camp) crafting some River Sand I noticed a Battlewarden. Who is this strangely clad NPC? Curious, I investigated. One too many clicks and oops! "You are now bound by duty." Well, crap.

It was very similar to a guildleve, you follow the arrows and kill the mobs. But there were a LOT of them (comparatively). As I understand it, up to 10 people can participate in a Behest... in this case, I was the only one. So I may have been massacred toward the end by a Naked Mole (I blame the target system!)

In case anyone is pondering the specifices of the Bentbranch Behest:
Begin time: around 10 PM CST
Time Limit: 30 mins
Participants: first 10 to sign up
Mobs: 
4 Evenfall Fireflies
2 Stumbling Funguars
2 Chiglets
2 Bee Clouds
When these have been defeated, 2 Naked Moles pop.
Reward: 700 gil

grievances & improvements.

There were some things initially which were offputting about the game as well as some things I really enjoyed. Most of these have probably been "touched on" by various gaming sites, but I figured I would throw down my "two cents" for what it's worth (probably two cents...) from a casual player's perspective.

Grievances:  

1. No auto target. The unfortunate battle system has caused me many a guildleve death.
2. No auction house. I know, I know, this has been done to death. I don’t Mind the market wards per se, in fact, I think they could be quite advantageous, but there needs to be a search system. It took me a good hour to just find a body armor piece, and I was in the correct ward.
3. Anti social. Perhaps it has to do with the poor chat interface, but no one talks! My server (Figaro) is so quiet, yet there are tons of people with linkshells, but no one is shouting for members. How does one join these niche shells? I felt very alone for a while (I met some people on forums and now have 2 fairly active linkshells).
4. Maps. I had to think about adding this one, because by now I have become quite used to it. But, before you spend time looking things up and figuring it out, the maps are extremely convoluted. I think I have them down now though, so although they are initially confusing, stick it out!
5. Lag. It takes me a REALLY long time to open the menu and switch gear, ls, craft, etc. Apparently this is something SE is working on.

Improvements:

1. Class system. Omg it’s so much more fun! You can switch jobs by simply changing what’s equipped in your “main hand” slot, rather than running to a mog house, speaking to your moogle, changing class, running back, perhaps still having time to do what you wanted to do in the first place.
2. Crafing. I despised crafting in FFXI, I attempted to level alchemist and fishing but they were both expensive and/or boring. Crafting in FFXIV is far more dynamic and I like the mini-games. Plus I can switch back and forth between my craft classes easily. So far Culinarian is my favorite.
3. Guildleves. Here’s where the advantages for casual players come in. Guildleves are essentially mini-quests geared toward your job type which reward you with gil, exp and sometimes items. They reset every 36 hours so you can repeat some of the ones you’ve already done for more gil / exp. This prevents more “hardcore” players from repeating quests ad nauseum (and totally pwning your rank) while you are working or going to school. 

FFXIV: the preface.

My love for MMOs began in junior high with Ultima Online, and then Diablo. I picked up FFXI in college because, well, I suppose I had too much time on my hands. I spent many a night leveling in the doonz and crawler’s nest until I had a 45 drk. My problematic experience with FFXI came from the fact that I relied too heavily on my irl friends to power level me and assist me in-game. Therefore, I never really got a feel for it on my own. I never really learned the maps, quests, characters, etc. Eventually, I quit completely to pursue my degree with increased vigor (I graduated in 4 years in case you were wondering… which I suspect you weren’t).

When FFXIV was announced at E3, I knew it would outweigh my current gaming obsessions (Luna Online & Plants vs Zombies). I pre-ordered the game and settled in for the grind. Ugh, the grind. My problem is, I am a casual gamer (I work full time, have an active social life and attend grad school) so I was ecstatic when FFXIV was purported to be perfect for my type of player. Finally!

After navigating the unnecessarily confusing login screen, rife with things I didn’t quite understand, I finally managed to create an account. I played an Elven female in XI, so I opted for the catlike Miqo’te this time around, Moon variety. I hadn’t read much about classes, crafting or character choice at this point, so I decided to start out as an Archer. Miqo’te and Elezen were described as excellent Archers and I was all, “okay sounds good!” Plus I like the look of Archer, Robin Hood style. I chose Figaro as my server (for no other reason than that was the castle I always got stuck at in FFIII), Gridania as a starting point and began the MSQ (main story quest) which was interesting enough.

The graphics were beautiful. I was very impressed with the opening cutscene (and the Pudgy Moogles). I met Miounne, obtained her NPC linkpearl and got to work.