Info from EU FanFest Panels

[Kilieit]

• Samurai confirmed for melée pure DPS, uses Striking gear
  
• Also liberating Doma as well as Ala Mhigo
  
• Yugiri and Gosetsu will play major MSQ roles
  
• New 8-man raid: Interdimensional Rift Omega - The Bend of Time
  
• New Alliance raid: Return to Ivalice
  
• New City: Kugane, upon the island of Hingashi
  
• New Field Areas: Othard continent. The Ruby Sea, Yanxia, Azim Steppe previewed
  
• New Beast Tribe: Kojin. Live in Ruby Sea (underwater); believe in “kami”; collect artefacts; worship new FFXIV-exclusive Primal: Susano, Lord of the Revel
  
• New Dungeons: one previewed was ship graveyard (preview vid should be online)
  
• New Housing Area: Shirogane, upon Hingashi. Won’t be open upon launch so people can enjoy the new content before focussing on getting a house.
  
• New Housing Features: moving-house feature; doubling housing item limit; adding many more Doman-style furnishings
  
• New Themesong Information: track title is “Revolutions”, sung by Susan Calloway
  
• Launch Date (still tentative): 20 June, 2017
  

 

 

Article on Press Conference

 

Q&A

• Butt sliders: no

• Increasing garden item slots: maybe later

• Eos or Selene recovering position after knockback: do it yourself!

• Rhythm game in Gold Saucer: maybe (probably not)

• Remove racial restrictions for hairstyles: yes for some, not all

• Remove racial restrictions for hempen sets: difficult technically

• Repeating MSQ fights: difficult technically. Roll an alt

• 3.0 EX primals too easy, what about 4.0?: accessiblity of content is more important to them

• Krile outfit on mogstation: would be expensive to make

• More Hildibrand trials?: probably not. Hildibrand may or may not reappear in 4.X

• In-game/official DPS parser: hard no

• PS4 Pro patch: in progress

• Keeping flowers in pots: planned for 3.5X

• Umbrellas as a vanity item: considering adding as a mount

• PotD across data centre: in progress, but cross server alliance raids first

• /tells across data centre: in progress, as are linkshells, free companies, and friends lists

 

3.55a news

 

• Live on Tuesday, 28th February

• Anima weapon story quests - “easy!”

• Zhloe Aliapoh - story quests for crafters and gatherers

• Proto Ultima battle

• The Feast

•• new maps

•• sudden death to resolve draws

•• new items and adjustments

•• season 3 ending / season 4 pre-season so people can get used to new map before ranking begins

• Items:

•• Adjustments to Sophic and Demon Lanner drop rates

•• Garo Gear added to Calamity Salvager

•• FanFest gear codes redeemable

• 3.55a because Diadem isn’t ready for release yet. They’re very sorry, but there’s a bug they couldn’t fix in time. Will be in 3.55b

•• 3.55b release planned anywhere between March 7th - 14th

•• Constant stream of content between 3.55 and 4.0

• MSQ continuation in 3.56

 

Guinness World Records

 

• Final Fantasy 14 has longest end credits in an MMO video game (1 hour 38 minutes)

• Final Fantasy 14 has the highest number of original pieces of music in a video game (384 original compositions)

• Final Fantasy series is the most prolific role-playing game series (87 titles)

 

 

My full text transcript can be found here.

Images and video from the PR release can be found here.

 

SO what do we think?

[ExAtomos]

I think Yoshi is massive otaku

[Nebbs]

I think I may have to change my character to a new one, because Samurai!

 

I also noted that some of the new areas were Pirate themed!

[Gegenji]

I'm feeling a little bit vindicated in my steadfast belief that SAM would be a melee DPS class. Still waiting to see if they wear the DRG-style heavier armor, but I'll take some solace that the whole "charging energy for attacks" thing was something I spoke with a few folks around the RPC ages ago as something they'd possibly be doing. :lol:

 

... And Chachan's new IC "combat" class will likely be SAM. I've kinda played him as one due to the whole "Doman Knight" thing before he settled into more peaceful behavior... but it'll be nice to have something like that to back it up. Will still be a bit off since he uses a hammer these days instead of a sword!

[Unnamed Mercenary]

I'm feeling a little bit vindicated in my steadfast belief that SAM would be a melee DPS class. Still waiting to see if they wear the DRG-style heavier armor, but I'll take some solace that the whole "charging energy for attacks" thing was something I spoke with a few folks around the RPC ages ago as something they'd possibly be doing. :lol:

 

... And Chachan's new IC "combat" class will likely be SAM. I've kinda played him as one due to the whole "Doman Knight" thing before he settled into more peaceful behavior... but it'll be nice to have something like that to back it up. Will still be a bit off since he uses a hammer these days instead of a sword!

 

SAM shared with MNK I think. ...that's what they said in the opening keynote strea unless I was half-awake.

[Kilieit]

I'm feeling a little bit vindicated in my steadfast belief that SAM would be a melee DPS class. Still waiting to see if they wear the DRG-style heavier armor, but I'll take some solace that the whole "charging energy for attacks" thing was something I spoke with a few folks around the RPC ages ago as something they'd possibly be doing. :lol:

 

... And Chachan's new IC "combat" class will likely be SAM. I've kinda played him as one due to the whole "Doman Knight" thing before he settled into more peaceful behavior... but it'll be nice to have something like that to back it up. Will still be a bit off since he uses a hammer these days instead of a sword!

 

SAM shared with MNK I think. ...that's what they said in the opening keynote strea unless I was half-awake.

 

Correct, it uses Striking gear!

 

Those of you who play melée dps will maybe worry about what kind of equipment they will be wearing (battling other players over).

The equipment will be in the same section as monks.

So all you ninjas out there breathe a sigh of relief!

[Riggy]

I feel like they're blowing a lot of potential content out all at once. I thought this was supposed to be the expansion for liberating Ala Mhigo and focusing on Monks, but it seems like it's now the Ninja/Samurai expansion with maybe a tiny little bit of freeing Ala Mhigo if we really want to.

[Gegenji]

I'm feeling a little bit vindicated in my steadfast belief that SAM would be a melee DPS class. Still waiting to see if they wear the DRG-style heavier armor, but I'll take some solace that the whole "charging energy for attacks" thing was something I spoke with a few folks around the RPC ages ago as something they'd possibly be doing. :lol:

 

... And Chachan's new IC "combat" class will likely be SAM. I've kinda played him as one due to the whole "Doman Knight" thing before he settled into more peaceful behavior... but it'll be nice to have something like that to back it up. Will still be a bit off since he uses a hammer these days instead of a sword!

 

SAM shared with MNK I think. ...that's what they said in the opening keynote strea unless I was half-awake.

 

Correct, it uses Striking gear!

 

Those of you who play melée dps will maybe worry about what kind of equipment they will be wearing (battling other players over).

The equipment will be in the same section as monks.

So all you ninjas out there breathe a sigh of relief!

 

Oh. Bleh. Ah well. My dream of the lower level "heavy DPS" gear being used by something other than DRGs remains forever unfulfilled. :lol:

[Sylentmana]

I thought Samurai would be announced so I've been preparing a character to take on the job as soon as the expansion drops. She's a Doman refugee who was forced to flee without her katana and has been fighting as a Monk across Eorzea. Looks like the Samurai will be using gear similar to Monk so it looks like I guessed correctly. And its DPS! I couldn't be happier!

[Kellach Woods]

I'm sad at no Blue Mage.

[Kilieit]

I feel like they're blowing a lot of potential content out all at once. I thought this was supposed to be the expansion for liberating Ala Mhigo and focusing on Monks, but it seems like it's now the Ninja/Samurai expansion with maybe a tiny little bit of freeing Ala Mhigo if we really want to.

 

I don't feel this is the case. I very much got the impression of going "back and forth" between the two areas, and I feel like the liberation of both is likely to go hand-in-hand, story-wise.

 

Remember, we had two FanFests focussed solely on Ala Mhigo, and only 1 that even mentioned Doma at all. If it was Doma-with-a-side-order-of-Ala-Mhigo, it would be the other way around.

[Heidrek]

I feel like they're blowing a lot of potential content out all at once. I thought this was supposed to be the expansion for liberating Ala Mhigo and focusing on Monks, but it seems like it's now the Ninja/Samurai expansion with maybe a tiny little bit of freeing Ala Mhigo if we really want to.

 

That's quite an overreaction. It's more about keeping up the pressure on both sides of the Empire. Which makes sense when you remember that 5.0 is Garlemald.

[Swanmay]

I'm very much looking forward to Doma, if only to write a little more for my Doman alt. Though I am a little disapointed it wasn't Ishgard housing announced.

[Kilieit]

If I'm being honest, I'm a little disappointed they never sorted Ishgard housing too... though more because I recognise it would've been a boon to the RP community as a whole than because I'm personally interested in it. Perhaps they may go back and add it at a future date, as server technology improves and allows them to store more wards for cheaper..? Who knows.

 

I'm still really happy for Shirogane housing, though. I wonder what the level requirements will be to obtain it - I have a certain alt who will want an apartment in that region specifically (assuming apartments there are a thing, ofc)...

 

He's gonna open a venue. Assuming I can get off my ass and get him the prereqs.

[Valence]

I'm pretty sure the liberation of Ala-Migho will probably take place at the end, as the finale. The hub shown in the trailer seems kinda similar to Mor Dhona and Idyllshire to me. The main antagonist also lives there and rules over Ala-Migho.

 

Kugane seems like the new City we will probably join early on, like Ishgard. Most of the new areas are in Othard just around, and they even say that some of those will be the first we will discover.

 

All in all we will probably get the biggest chunk of the expansion around Doma, but the story climax and ending probably around Ala-Migho itself.

 

That's my feeling on the matter.

[Gegenji]

I'm still really happy for Shirogane housing, though. I wonder what the level requirements will be to obtain it - I have a certain alt who will want an apartment in that region specifically (assuming apartments there are a thing, ofc)...

 

I'm kind of up in the air now whether to have Chachan's smithy there (if I can manage to snag a plot) or hope someone in the Goblet gives something up to move there... and we get a Doman-style that I can use to have that "Doman smithy in Ul'dah" look to it.

[Teadrinker]

There's a Koji Fox quote from a lorecast where he's talking about cities on/around Othard being named stuff like Dalmasca in certain translations.

 

The 24 mans are also Return to Ivalice.

 

So MSQ could be Mhigo-centered

24 Man Liberating Doma/Ivalice

8 man Raid dungeon is Omega/Bend of Time

 

This is a total guess/conjecture but *shrug*

[Valence]

50% of the story happening in Ala-Migho confirmed.

 

( Also, they really plan to do Blitzball at some point and are considering it )

[Kilieit]

PLL is done, here is my TL;DR (I'll go back and add it to OP as well in a minute):

 

Q&A

• Butt sliders: no

• Increasing garden item slots: maybe later

• Eos or Selene recovering position after knockback: do it yourself!

• Rhythm game in Gold Saucer: maybe (probably not)

• Remove racial restrictions for hairstyles: yes for some, not all

• Remove racial restrictions for hempen sets: difficult technically

• Repeating MSQ fights: difficult technically. Roll an alt

• 3.0 EX primals too easy, what about 4.0?: accessiblity of content is more important to them

• Krile outfit on mogstation: would be expensive to make

• More Hildibrand trials?: probably not. Hildibrand may or may not reappear in 4.X

• In-game/official DPS parser: hard no

• PS4 Pro patch: in progress

• Keeping flowers in pots: planned for 3.5X

• Umbrellas as a vanity item: considering adding as a mount

• PotD across data centre: in progress, but cross server alliance raids first

• /tells across data centre: in progress, as are linkshells, free companies, and friends lists

 

3.55a news

 

• Live on Tuesday, 28th February

• Anima weapon story quests - “easy!”

• Zhloe Aliapoh - story quests for crafters and gatherers

• Proto Ultima battle

• The Feast

•• new maps

•• sudden death to resolve draws

•• new items and adjustments

•• season 3 ending / season 4 pre-season so people can get used to new map before ranking begins

• Items:

•• Adjustments to Sophic and Demon Lanner drop rates

•• Garo Gear added to Calamity Salvager

•• FanFest gear codes redeemable

• 3.55a because Diadem isn’t ready for release yet. They’re very sorry, but there’s a bug they couldn’t fix in time. Will be in 3.55b

•• 3.55b release planned anywhere between March 7th - 14th

•• Constant stream of content between 3.55 and 4.0

• MSQ continuation in 3.56

 

Guinness World Records

 

• Final Fantasy 14 has longest end credits in an MMO video game (1 hour 38 minutes)

• Final Fantasy 14 has the highest number of original pieces of music in a video game (384 original compositions)

• Final Fantasy series is the most prolific role-playing game series (87 titles)

[Aldotsk]

Seems like I wasn't too far off when I assumed that there would be like similar outer shoreland to Vylbrand for Doman region. Kind of helps me to rewrite my Doman character more and finally samurai yay!

[Sylentmana]

The only real concern I have is that we may be going through the story too quickly. I had thought this expansion would be about Ala Mihgo and the next would maybe be about Doma and thereabouts. Suddenly, with this next expansion, large parts of the entire world will have opened up. After that we may go to Garlemald. What then is there after that?

[Sounsyy]

After that we may go to Garlemald. What then is there after that?

 

I'm actually glad we're diluting Ala Mhigo and the Far East. It gives me hope that the Ala Mhigan crisis won't be solved in five minutes by the WoL's divine presence.

 

And, as far as what could lie beyond Garlemald? Geographically: Thavnair, Meracydia, Mamook, Sharlayan, not all of Othard was unclouded - Rabanastre in the southern deserts of Greylia's Bend and the Anchorite at Gorvos. Will we get to go to the Burn where Bozja once sat?

 

Story-wise, even if we destabilize or topple the Garlean empire, we'll throw every conquered region into uprising and political turmoil. Reshaping the newly independent nations could be an expansion of its own. Going to new lands. Discovering old magical mysteries. XIV may not be XI, but its predecessor's expansions creatively utilized an already (mostly) mapped world. I hope XIV will be able to do the same after disposing of an evil empire.

[Sylentmana]

After that we may go to Garlemald. What then is there after that?

 

I'm actually glad we're diluting Ala Mhigo and the Far East. It gives me hope that the Ala Mhigan crisis won't be solved in five minutes by the WoL's divine presence.

 

And, as far as what could lie beyond Garlemald? Geographically: Thavnair, Meracydia, Mamook, Sharlayan, not all of Othard was unclouded - Rabanastre in the southern deserts of Greylia's Bend and the Anchorite at Gorvos. Will we get to go to the Burn where Bozja once sat?

 

Story-wise, even if we destabilize or topple the Garlean empire, we'll throw every conquered region into uprising and political turmoil. Reshaping the newly independent nations could be an expansion of its own. Going to new lands. Discovering old magical mysteries. XIV may not be XI, but its predecessor's expansions creatively utilized an already (mostly) mapped world. I hope XIV will be able to do the same after disposing of an evil empire.

 

That gives me hope that this game with last a good while. Its the only MMO that I enjoy. All others have fallen flat within days for me, including WoW.

[Valence]

 

I'm actually glad we're diluting Ala Mhigo and the Far East. It gives me hope that the Ala Mhigan crisis won't be solved in five minutes by the WoL's divine presence.

 

I'm not sure to follow... If you dilute it and make it 50% instead of 100% as initially we thought it would be, then that leaves even less time for the WoL to solve stuff...

 

Unless there is nothing solved at the end of course, but it works in both cases.

[Kage]

 

I'm actually glad we're diluting Ala Mhigo and the Far East. It gives me hope that the Ala Mhigan crisis won't be solved in five minutes by the WoL's divine presence.

 

I'm not sure to follow... If you dilute it and make it 50% instead of 100% as initially we thought it would be, then that leaves even less time for the WoL to solve stuff...

 

Unless there is nothing solved at the end of course, but it works in both cases.

The idea is that many people did not and do not want to see Ala Mhigo 'yay full liberation wheee everything is now A-OK!' at the end of 4.0.