Some Alpha to Beta update notes.

[Satrina]

I'm not actually in the beta....*Strangles an animal* Got these from another site.

 

 

The Market Wardï½ in Limsa Lominsa are now accessible via [ 8 - 7 ] on the map.

Note: Map coordinates follow a [horizontal axis - vertical axis] format.

 

The quest âTreasures of the Mainâ has been lengthened.

 

Players can now recruit the services of a retainer at the Drowning Wench, the Adventurersâ Guild in Limsa Lominsa. Retainers are hired on an extendable contract basis, and can be tasked with minding your items and money, and operating bazaars in the Market Wards in your stead.

* During the beta test, employing a retainer will not incur a fee.

 

The following adjustments and additions have been made to the guildleve system:

 

* The interval for guildleve issuance is now once every two days (Earth time).

* The reward given for the successful completion of a levequest now varies based on difficulty and other factors.

* Upon successful completion of a levequest, an additional reward will now be given to all participants, even those not in possession of the active guildleve.

* This reward also varies based on difficulty and other factors.

* A window displaying levequest rewards now appears when they are awarded. (pictured below)

 

* Players can now obtain uncollected levequest rewards by examining an aetheryte and selecting the âInitiate levequestâ option that appears.

* For the aforementioned additional reward, however, there is a limit in place on the amount reward data that can be stored for later collection.

* Party members who are too far away from the aetheryte at the time a levequest is activated will be deemed illegible to participate on it. However, players may join their party leaderâs ongoing levequest by seeking out the quest-triggering aetheryte.

* During levequests, there is now a small probability of treasure chests appearing in the field.

* Players can now use the âfavorâ they have earned with their Guardian to petition for temporary attribute increases and other bonuses for the duration of a levequest.

Favor increases at a rate of 10 points every 12 hours (Earth time), up to a maximum of 200 points.

* âFaction levesâ have been added, and are issued in exchange for faction credits.

Players can possess up to a maximum of 200 faction credits.

* A new guildleve which serves as a tutorial has been added.

* To have this guildleve issued, speak with the NPC Piralnaut and select the "Tutorial Leves" option. (pictured below)

* New regional guildleves have been added.

* Due to adjustments, the issuance of local guildleves has been temporarily suspended.As such, the NPC Tâmokkri will no longer appear.

 

 

The new game element âBehestâ has been added.

âYellowjacketâ NPCs may appear in the vicinity of certain aetheryte crystals and aetherial gates to enlist the aid of adventurers in hunting down monsters molesting the land.

 

The map screen is now accessible via the class quest section of the journal interface..

Maps opened in this manner will indicate your destination and the NPC you should seek out next.

 

Using the Return and Teleport commands now consumes anima.

* Anima recovers gradually over time up to a maximum of 100 points.

* The Return command can be used at no cost while KOâd to revive your character.

 

 

[battle-related]

 

The following classes have been added:

 

* Disciples of the Land: Botanist

* Disciples of the Hand: Carpenter / Weaver / Leatherworker

 

 

The cap for physical level and class rank has been increased from 20 to 30.

 

The following adjustments and additions have been made with regards to physical level:

 

* HP and MP now increase automatically when a character gains a physical level.

* Elemental resistance points, used to enhance a characterâs elemental resistances, have been introduced.

Based on this change, attribute points can now be allotted only to the basic attributes (STR, DEX, etc.).

* The interface for the allotment of attribute and elemental resistance points has been consolidated on the same screen. (pictured below)

* Players now have an option to undo and reassign allotment points they have spent.

* A certain amount of time must elapse before points can be reassigned.

New abilities and spells have been added.

 

The command delay when switching between passive and active modes no longer exists.

 

When equipping a piece of gear in the midst of battle, the attributes it grants will be halved for a period of 30 seconds.

This measure is in place to deter frequent switches to high-level classes while in combat.

 

The effect gauge has been removed.

 

The following adjustments have been made to the stamina gauge:

 

* Actions are now performed by expending stamina, which gradually fills over time.

The amount of stamina consumed varies with the action performed. By allowing stamina to accumulate, it is possible to perform multiple actions in quick succession.

* Actions performed with the off hand require more stamina.

The following adjustments and additions have been made to the action bar:

 

* The number of available action slots has been increased from 20 to 30.

* Recast timers for actions are now displayed.

* A separate action bar now exists for gathering and synthesis actions, to which actions can be assigned independently of battle actions.

A separate action bar now exists for gathering and synthesis actions, to which actions can be assigned independently of battle actions.

* The following main menu option has been renamed:

Actions -> Actions & Traits

 

 

New monster varieties have been added.

 

Monster placement has undergone several adjustments.

 

 

[item-related]

 

Weapons, armor, and tools are now subject to deterioration through use.

The attribute bonuses of equipment in poor condition will be lessened. A Disciple of the Hand skilled in the appropriate class can restore worn gear to its mint condition. Certain NPCs can also perform emergency repairs for situations where convenience takes precedence over quality.

* Disciples of the Hand can restore an itemâs condition to its maximum value.

* NPCs, however, can restore an itemâs condition to no more than half its maximum value. Further, only equipped gear can be repaired in this manner.

 

The following adjustments and additions have been made to synthesis:

 

* A time limit now applies when inputting synthesis commands.

* New recipes have been added.

* Several existing recipes have been adjusted.

* The following synthesis concept has been renamed:

Focus -> Quality

 

 

The following adjustments and additions have been made to gathering:

 

* The Log and Harvest commands, usable by botanists, have been introduced.

* The miner ability Lithoscan has been removed.

* New gathering points have been added, and existing ones adjusted.

* The following gathering terms have been changed:

Prospect -> Lay of the Land

Mining Point -> Mineral Deposit

Quarrying Point -> Rocky Outcrop

 

 

New pieces of equipment have been added.

 

Various new items have been added.

 

The goods stocked by vendor NPCs have been adjusted.

 

Stackable items are now automatically sorted when obtained.

 

 

[system-related]

 

Up to three characters can now be created per account.

 

The character creation process has undergone significant changes.

The following races and tribes are now selectable:

Hyur: Highlander Male / Hyur: Midlander Female / Elezen Male / Miqoâte

 

The design and layout of the main menu have been changed.

 

The "Party" option has been added to the main menu.

Players can now indicate their objectives and recruit like-minded adventurers to join their party. In addition, individual players can also seek an existing party that suits their needs.

 

The "Configuration" option has been added to the main menu. (pictured below)

The design and layout of the interactions menu have been changed.

Approaching an aetheryte or similar objects will bring up an icon, at which point the Interactions menu will appear above the main menu. (pictured below)

The display range of the minimap has been adjusted.

 

Monsters occupying a map level different from the player will no longer appear on the minimap.

 

Certain changes have been made to the keyboard controls.

 

The following configuration options have been added to FINAL FANTASY XIV Beta Version Config (pictured below):

Video Settings / Graphics / Sound

[Akashi]

Sounds good, was hoping for some more classes though. Ahh well.. perhaps later on in the beta.

[Satrina]

This is interesting:

 

When equipping a piece of gear in the midst of battle, the attributes it grants will be halved for a period of 30 seconds.

This measure is in place to deter frequent switches to high-level classes while in combat.

 

 

So we might be able to carry situational gear, but using it correctly and at the right times will require foresight and tactics.

[Eva]

This is interesting:

 

When equipping a piece of gear in the midst of battle, the attributes it grants will be halved for a period of 30 seconds.

This measure is in place to deter frequent switches to high-level classes while in combat.

 

 

So we might be able to carry situational gear, but using it correctly and at the right times will require foresight and tactics.

 

I've always loathed having to carry around 65 bits of gear for various situations in FFXI. TP set, WS set, DMG- set, HP+ set, wyvernHP+ set... I had never understood, in an in-character manner, how the rapid changing on one's gear to something else in order to, say, execute a weapon skill, made any sense whatsoever. I had always hoped they would penalize gear swaps but it never happened. Sounds like we'll be able to get away with not having to tote around excessive gear for every little contingency. I do see, as Satrina pointed out, where strategy and foresight could come into play. Particularly if weapons and armor degrade over time, having a backup or two might be prudent. It will be interesting to see how this impacts things.

[Aveline]

Hooray! Yeah I hated situational gear-swapping too. I could understand having an alternate weapon or even an alternate body-piece or helmet or something to use depending on the party set up and what you needed to do, but swapping in every piece of gear for weapon skills/songs/spells just was obnoxious.

[Kylin]

* The interval for guildleve issuance is now once every two days (Earth time).

 

Maybe I don't understand the guildleve system enough but I don't like the sound of this. Only one guildleve every 48 hours? That's kinda lame.

 

Love the gear switching stuff. Always hated having an entire bag full of situational gear. Was made worse by the fact that my main was rdm and I had to swap out gear for every single spell -.-

[Smiling River]

Particularly if weapons and armor degrade over time, having a backup or two might be prudent. It will be interesting to see how this impacts things.

Or bring a smith along

[Hiname]

It makes all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that many people will want to drag you along just because youc an take care of their stuff, right? *snickers and prepares a price-list*

 

... What? Blacksmithery IS business, too!

[Aveline]

Maybe I don't understand the guildleve system enough but I don't like the sound of this. Only one guildleve every 48 hours? That's kinda lame.

 

It means you are limited to how often you can repeat the same leve to 48 hours, but you can do any new ones that come along for you.

[Satrina]

Maybe I don't understand the guildleve system enough but I don't like the sound of this. Only one guildleve every 48 hours? That's kinda lame.

 

It means you are limited to how often you can repeat the same leve to 48 hours, but you can do any new ones that come along for you.

 

 

Exactly, it's to prevent farming 5 star easy leves over and over with a group for huge rewards.

[Gavriel]

Maybe I don't understand the guildleve system enough but I don't like the sound of this. Only one guildleve every 48 hours? That's kinda lame.

 

It means you are limited to how often you can repeat the same leve to 48 hours, but you can do any new ones that come along for you.

 

 

Exactly, it's to prevent farming 5 star easy leves over and over with a group for huge rewards.

 

YES! Finally, a blow to farming.

[Trizzip]

A note off the beta forums by Nobuaki Komoto.

 

Beta testing is almost upon us!

 

The beta test will see the implementation of many new features, including significant user interface, character creation, and battle system changes based on alpha test feedback. Before beta testing begins, I'd like to take the opportunity to touch upon certain areas that should be considered "under construction" for this next phase.

 

Disciples of the Hand

Due to internal processing complications, we will temporarily be disabling local levequests for Disciples of the Hand. These issues also prevent us from implementing the Disciples of the Hand tutorial currently available for classes of other disciplines.

 

This development will make it difficult for anyone attempting to raise an entirely crafting-centric character. Although this goes against one of the basic concepts for FINAL FANTASY XIV, we decided that releasing the beta version and having our testers experience other elements of the game as soon as possible was a higher priority.

 

In this beta test phase, we will also be introducing a system in which the condition of weapons, armor, and tools will degrade with use. Disciples of the Hand will be able to repair these degraded items. While NPCs can be asked to perform repairs, PCs and retainers will also be able to fix equipment via bazaars. Although it will be difficult to advance in a crafting discipline, we encourage everyone to attempt to repair their own or their companions' gear, or engage in repair-related transactions at least once during testing. Let us know what you think!

 

The materials and recipes necessary for repairing items will be announced on the Beta Test Site in the near future.

 

The User Interface

The user interface, or "UI," will see a significant overhaul for the beta version. There are, however, several UI issues that have yet to be fully addressed-in particular, the overall time delay experienced when navigating the item interface. We are aware of the amount of time required to display long lists of items, and hope to resolve this issue before the next phase of the beta test.

 

There are also cases where rapid input in the various sections of the UI is not properly registered by the server. We are working to resolve this issue, but meanwhile, if confronted with a "???" or similar error, please try waiting a few moments before reattempting the same action.

 

Recruiting Party Members

In an effort to bring new elements to party play, we decided to introduce a different recruitment method than was available in FINAL FANTASY XI, in which the usual flow was for the recruiter to send an invitation to the prospective party member. Now, however, players can join a party automatically if they meet the conditions designated by the recruiter.

 

In the future, we plan to add features such as allowing players to join parties based on skills with weapons not currently equipped, or to join a party in a different area. Give the current system a try and tell us what you think.

 

Teleporting and Warping

As of the beta test, using the Teleport and Return commands will incur a small cost in "anima" (a character's self-replenishing energy). Countdowns will continue to use the same temporary display used during the alpha test. Furthermore, when teleporting, returning, or logging out, you will no longer be able to cancel the action using the same command-you will need to use a different command, such as toggling active/passive mode. In the next beta test phase, we plan to not only add effects, but also allow for easier teleporting/returning when not in battle.

 

Delayed Features

Unfortunately, the auto-complete/auto-translation feature that allows players to communicate across languages could not be implemented at this stage. We are currently scheduled to introduce this feature in the next beta test phase.

 

Player macros, a feature required to fully realize the Armoury System, are essential not only for battle situations, but also for switching equipment and setting up action bar shortcuts. We are working to ensure the implementation of a macro system, but regret that this feature will also not be ready for testing until the next testing phase.

 

There are still many areas with room for improvement, but we have the same dedication and desire to continue building the realm of Eorzea alongside our players. We hope to see the same great level of feedback and support during the beta test!

 

FINAL FANTASY XIV Director

Nobuaki Komoto

[Ellion Goto]

I really like where they are going with this so far. It looks like XIV is now starting to really branch away from XI and take its own place as they said it would.

[Arzy]

Screw beta. O: I want to get my game on! Interesting info though, seems like the beta is going well.

[DAISHI]

The automatic party system is going to hurt joining a party. This will make the requirements of certain skills an automated version of mandatory sub/whm for Summoners.

[Satrina]

* PS3 was delayed because of lack of RAM.

* PS3 will have a fixed resolution.

* Square will have another meeting this month to discuss the timing of the PS3 bet.

* French version (and presumably German as well) will have English voice overs with subtitles.

* Chocobos will be used as mounts and also in a brand new way.

 

http://www.eorzeapedia.com/wiki/en/Chocobo

 

* Retainers will be placed in set marketplace stalls and be able to hold, and sell, player goods while a player is offline. At this time there is no auction house in the game.

* Levequests yield, in addition to tangible rewards, reputation.

* As was the case in FFXI, some mobs will attack unprovoked on sight, but will refrain from such an attack if the player is too high a level.

* Instanced dungeons and notorious monsters are in the works.

* Currently is is possible to raise all crafts to maximum level.

[Shamadconde]

I love your sig Satrina!