Hello, and welcome to the community.
To start with your questions:
1: Yes, and yes. Taverns and such are scattered around the world and in the cities. Player housing will be implemented. During the last beta we got to see the housing area exterior.... it's a very nice area with stairs, walls and even a beach that really feels like a residential area. I don't think we know too much about the systems yet, other than that you'll get an aetheryte for your house.
2. Servers have been locking and unlocking during beta and it's likely to happen during early access as well. It should clear up shortly after launch. Balmung is accessible to anyone and anyone can make a character there--it's the people that played 1.0 that can't leave the realm (yet). If you want to make a character on Gilgamesh, you'll be able to, but it takes some patience and/or the ability to log on during off-peak hours.
3. When you create a character, you see a full calendar. The months have 32 days, so the real world correspondence puts two of the Eorzean days as the same Earth day--but other than that the conversions are direct. To find the month you want, just count down in an astral/umbral pattern until you get to the sixth set. First Astral is January, First Umbral is February, Second Astral is March.... The days don't yet have any significance, but that may be patched in.
4. Yes--we have a Linkshell hall subforum that includes Free Companies as well. You can reply to those threads to show interest, and the hall postings often also include websites for each organization. (Click Linkshells on the top navigation bar.)
To start with your questions:
1: Yes, and yes. Taverns and such are scattered around the world and in the cities. Player housing will be implemented. During the last beta we got to see the housing area exterior.... it's a very nice area with stairs, walls and even a beach that really feels like a residential area. I don't think we know too much about the systems yet, other than that you'll get an aetheryte for your house.
2. Servers have been locking and unlocking during beta and it's likely to happen during early access as well. It should clear up shortly after launch. Balmung is accessible to anyone and anyone can make a character there--it's the people that played 1.0 that can't leave the realm (yet). If you want to make a character on Gilgamesh, you'll be able to, but it takes some patience and/or the ability to log on during off-peak hours.
3. When you create a character, you see a full calendar. The months have 32 days, so the real world correspondence puts two of the Eorzean days as the same Earth day--but other than that the conversions are direct. To find the month you want, just count down in an astral/umbral pattern until you get to the sixth set. First Astral is January, First Umbral is February, Second Astral is March.... The days don't yet have any significance, but that may be patched in.
4. Yes--we have a Linkshell hall subforum that includes Free Companies as well. You can reply to those threads to show interest, and the hall postings often also include websites for each organization. (Click Linkshells on the top navigation bar.)
