Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail - The Blacklist, Mute List, And Term Filter

The early access period for Dawntrail began yesterday. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes like what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them. 

Two days until the official launch of Dawntrail

This fourteenth post in the series will cover information labeled "System" in the patch notes: Blacklists, Mute Lists, and Term Lists. I do not plan on covering all the items in the System section of the patch notes as some of the items are a little to esoteric even for me, but I figure these additions and updates are of enough interest to warrant a post.

The Blacklist - Many of the features were requested by those who wind up with unwanted fans or toxic enemies. New blacklist functionality will not be applied to characters tied to a blacklisted character's service account if they were registered prior to Patch 7.0

• Characters registered to the blacklist will be hidden. When joined in a party or alliance, their character will be displayed; however, their name will display as "Unknown" in the party list and on their nameplate.
  
  
• Messages from characters registered to the blacklist will be hidden. When joined in a party or alliance, a notification will be displayed when they speak during duties.
  
  
• After receiving a notification of blacklisted messages, players may elect to temporarily see what was written via the subcommand menu.
  
  
• Blacklisting will apply to all characters tied to the blacklisted character's service account.  Blacklisting for party recruitment will now also apply to all characters tied to a service account. A system message will be displayed if a blacklisted player joins a party you're in, or if you join a party that contains a blacklisted player.
  
  
• The Blacklist tab has been removed from the Social window, and will now be displayed in its own window found under Social in the main menu.
  
  
• Players can now save comments regarding blacklisted characters.
  
  
• Blacklisted characters and all characters tied to their service account will also be subject to the Lodestone blocked users list.

The Mute List - The Mute List is an addition for Dawntrail. The Mute List can be found under Social in the main menu.

• Messages from Muted Players
  
  
• Muting will apply to all characters tied to the muted character's service account.
• While their messages cannot be seen, if they are members of your party or alliance, a notification will be displayed when they speak during duties.
• Players can also save comments regarding muted characters.
  
  
• Temporary Display of Muted Messages
  
  
• After receiving a notification of muted messages, players may elect to temporarily see what was written via the subcommand menu.

Term Filter - Once registered to the Term Filter, any messages containing designated words can be hidden from the chat log.

Display of Filtered Terms - The Term Filter can be applied to hide the display of registered words in one of two ways:

• Display the applicable term filter's number. A system message will be displayed, indicating the term filter applied to the chat log. (e.g. "Message could not be displayed due to Term Filter 1.")
  
  
• Hide the affected message in its entirety. Messages containing a registered word will be completely hidden.

Registering Words to the Term Filter - Words can be registered to the Term Filter in one of two ways:

• Players can freely register words as they see fit via the Term Filter List window.
  
  
• Select a desired word in the chat log, then register it via the subcommand menu.
  Half-width and full-width spaces, as well as words from the auto-translation dictionary, cannot be registered.

Up to ten words can be registered to the Term Filter list, each with its own individual settings.

• Shout
• Yell
• Say
• Tell
• Custom Emotes
  
  
  
  
  
  

Saving Registered Words

• Term Filter settings are saved locally.
  
• When playing on a different platform, words you wish to be filtered must be registered anew.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawnwalker Patch Notes - Miscellaneous Item Changes

The early access period for Dawntrail began yesterday. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes like what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them. 

Two days until the official launch of Dawntrail

This thirteenth post in the series will cover information labeled "Items" in the patch notes I have not covered in previous posts.

Breaking Good - The following changes have been made to desynthesis:

• The level cap for desynthesis has been increased from 650 to 710.
  
  
• When using quick desynthesis, canceling will now close the window if all items have been desynthesized.
  
  
• After checking the "Desynthesize entire stack" box in the Desynthesis window, this option will remain checked even after desynthesizing unstackable or single items.

Sundry Splendors - Rowena has opened up a new shop in Old Sharlayan just to the east of the Aetheryte.

Exchanging Gear for Allagan tomestones of astronomy, causality, and comedy - The purchase of the Endwalker gear has changed.

• Gear that required the exchange of a base item and upgrade material can now be obtained directly in exchange for Allagan tomestones of poetics.
  
  
• The base items and upgrade materials for such gear can no longer be obtained from shops, dungeons, or retainer ventures.
  
  
• Players who possess the base item for such gear may upgrade them in exchange for 100 Allagan tomestones of poetics.

A Realm Reborn Receives Some Love - The developers made some specific changes for A Realm Reborn content.

• New items are available in exchange for societal currency from allied societies in 2.0 areas.
  
  
• Verdant Scepter and Warlock's Buckler will no longer drop separately in the Aurum Vale, and instead drop together as Black Mage's Verdant Arms (Lv. 47)

Can I Have That Back? - Calamity salvagers have received some updates. Calamity salvagers are located in Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks (11.4,14.4), Old Gridania (10.0,8.4), and Ul'dah - Steps of Thal (12.6,13.1).

• New items have been added to the inventory of Calamity salvagers.
  
  
• These pairs of items can be obtained in exchange for a single Silver Chocobo Feather
• Doctore's Scimitar and Warded Round Shield
• Doctore's Cudgel and Nightprowler's Targe

Time Has Expired - After using the following items to grant a boost to experience points earned from synthesis, a system message will now be displayed when their effect expires:

• Company-issue Engineering Manual
• Company-issue Survival Manual
• Company-issue Engineering Manual II
• Company-issue Survival Manual II
• Commercial Engineering Manual
• Commercial Survival Manual
• Revised Survival Manual
• Revised Engineering Manual

Not So Unique - The following items are no longer classified as unique.

• Moonward Ring of Fending
• Moonward Ring of Slaying
• Moonward Ring of Aiming
• Moonward Ring of Healing
• Moonward Ring of Casting
• Augmented Radiant's Ring of Fending
• Augmented Radiant's Ring of Slaying
• Augmented Radiant's Ring of Aiming
• Augmented Radiant's Ring of Healing
• Augmented Radiant's Ring of Casting
• Augmented Lunar Envoy's Ring of Fending
• Augmented Lunar Envoy's Ring of Slaying
• Augmented Lunar Envoy's Ring of Aiming
• Augmented Lunar Envoy's Ring of Healing
• Augmented Lunar Envoy's Ring of Casting
• Augmented Credendum Ring of Fending
• Augmented Credendum Ring of Slaying
• Augmented Credendum Ring of Aiming
• Augmented Credendum Ring of Healing
• Augmented Credendum Ring of Casting

Gender Unlocked - The following items are no longer gender locked.

• Faerie Tale Prince's Circlet 
• Faerie Tale Prince's Vest 
• Faerie Tale Prince's Gloves 
• Faerie Tale Prince's Slops 
• Faerie Tale Prince's Boots 
• Faerie Tale Princess's Tiara 
• Faerie Tale Princess's Dress 
• Faerie Tale Princess's Gloves 
• Faerie Tale Princess's Long Skirt 
• Faerie Tale Princess's Heels

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes - Crafting And Gathering

The early access period for Dawntrail began yesterday. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes like what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them. 

Two days until the official launch of Dawntrail

This twelfth post in the series will cover information labeled "Items" in the patch notes: Crafting and Gathering. The post will begin with changes that apply to both, then split into crafting and gathering specific changes.

Level Cap - The level cap for Disciples of the Hand (Crafters) and Land (Gatherers) has been increased to level 100.

Scrips

For those who stocked up on scrips for Dawntrail, I have bad news...

Orange crafters' and gatherers' scrip 

• Available to level 100 Disciples of the Hand/Land
• Exchangable at Splendors Exchanges and custom deliveries at level 100
• Can have a maximum of 4000 or each at any given time

White Crafters' Scrips and Gatherers' Scrips

• No longer obtainable from completion of quests and levequests. All activities which yielded white crafters' or gatherers' scrips will now yield purple crafters' and gatherers' scrips.
  
  
• Can no longer be used for item exchanges. Items currently obtained with white crafters’ and gatherers’ scrips will be obtainable with purple crafters’ and gatherers’ scrips respectively by speaking with the scrip exchange.
  
  
• White crafters' and gatherers' scrips can now be exchanged for purple crafters' and gatherers' scrips at the scrip exchange in Revenant's Toll (X:22.4 Y:6.7)

Yellow Crafters' Scrips and Gatherers' Scrips

• Yellow crafters' scrips and yellow gatherers' scrips have been removed.

Purple Crafters' Scrips and Gatherers' Scrips

• The number of purple crafters' and gatherers' scrips required in exchange for items has been adjusted.

Custom Deliveries and Collectables

• The amount and type of crafters' and gatherers' scrips received from custom deliveries have been adjusted.
  
  
• The experience points rewarded when delivering collectables will be standardized per item, the amount received no longer being reduced at lower levels.
  
  
• Experience points rewarded when using a class at level 90 or above to deliver collectables that are level 90 or below have been capped at 1,000.

Crafting Actions and Traits

The Crafting and Gathering Guide has been updated with the latest additions and changes.

The following crafting actions were removed.

• Focused Synthesis
• Focused Touch

The following modifications were made to the following 

• Reflect - Efficiency has been increased from 100% to 300%.
• Advanced Touch - Now acquired at level 68 (previously level 84).
• Both Standard Touch and Observe are now combo actions.

Special Recipes - The categories under Special Recipes in the Crafting Log have been adjusted.

• Restoration (1), Restoration (2), Restoration (3), Restoration (4) have been combined into Restoration

Gathering Actions and Traits

The Crafting and Gathering Guide has been updated with the latest additions and changes.

Gathering Quality of Life Changes

While not listed as such in the patch notes, the changes below I consider to be quality of life changes.

The following miner and botanist actions can no longer be used when a gathering point is at maximum integrity:

• Miner
• Solid Reason
• Wise to the World
  
  
• Botanist
• Ageless Words
• Wise to the World

The Gathering window will now display the integrity of a gathering point.

• Fishing UI
  
  
• The Bait & Tackle window will now also display swimbait, a new form of bait obtained using the level 91 fisher action Spareful Hand.
  
• The Fish Guide will now indicate whether a fish requires Precision Hookset or Powerful Hookset to catch.
  
  
• GP will no longer be reduced to 0 when players are incapacitated as a non-gathering class

Ocean Fishing Rewards

The Ocean Fishing rewards were updated for Dawntrail

• Level 1-49
• Experience points
  
  
• Level 50-99
• Experience points
• Purple Gatherers' Scrips
  
  
• Level 100
• Purple Gatherers' Scrips
• Orange Gatherers' Scrips (certain conditions must be met to obtain this reward)

Spirit Bonding

• Spiritbond gained when gathering will now be based on gear's equipping level rather than its item level.
• Spiritbond bonuses when gathering at unspoiled or legendary nodes has been adjusted.
  
  
• Players will now receive a bonus to spiritbonding when landing a big fish or legendary fish.

FFXIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes: Facewear And Dyes

The early access period for Dawntrail began yesterday. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes like what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them. 

Three days until the official launch of Dawntrail

This eleventh post in the series will cover information labeled "Items" in the patch notes: Facewear and Dyes.

Facewear

Facewear is a new form of accessories for the head, separate from other equippable accessories. The feature addresses a desire among many players to wear eye glasses as well as hats.

Equipment slot - Facewear is equipped via a new equipment slot in the Character window, or by accessing the Facewear interface under Character in the main menu. Facewear will also appear in portraits.

Acquiring Facewear - Facewear is acquired by using corresponding items such as a copy of The Faces We Wear - Oval Spectacles. Once acquired, they can be freely equipped or removed at any time, and customized with a selection of twelve colors.

The following fashion accessories have been converted into facewear:

• False Oval Spectacles
• False Shaded Spectacles
• False Classic Spectacles
• Rose-colored Spectacles

Calamity salvagers - The fashion accessories listed above will no longer appear in the Fashion Accessories window. However, players who acquired them prior to Patch 7.0 may obtain corresponding facewear free of charge by speaking with the Calamity salvagers located in Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks (11.4,14.4), Old Gridania (10.0,8.4), and Ul'dah - Steps of Thal (12.6,13.1).

Pre-existing items -  Items used to acquire these fashion accessories have not been removed from the game. If one is in your inventory or obtained via trading or the market board, it can be used to obtain corresponding facewear.

Dyes

• Up to two dyes can now be used on a single piece of gear.
  
  
• Gear that allows more than one dye will display two separate dye tabs in the Item Dyeing window.
• Additional gear that allows for multiple dyes will be added gradually in future updates.
• Following this change to dyeing, currently selected instant portraits may need to be edited.
  
  
• Undo Color Selection and Redo Color Selection buttons have been added to the Item Dyeing window.
  
  
• After selecting a color, it can now be set as a favored dye.
  
  
• An option to preview preferred color schemes using favored dyes has been added.
  
  
• An option to preview a previously applied color scheme has been added.
  
  
• An option to invert colors selected as dye 1 and dye 2 has been added.
  
  
• A marker indicating no dyes have been applied to an item has been added.
  
  
• When previewing your character's appearance while using a gamepad, players can now press R1 (RB) to switch between color categories.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes - PVP and Crystalline Conflict

The early access period for Dawntrail began yesterday. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes like what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them. 

Three days until the official launch of Dawnwalker

This tenth post in the series will cover information labeled "Battle System" in the patch notes: PVP and the Crystalline Conflict. 

PvP actions for viper and pictomancer have been added. I'll point to the pages in the Jobs Guide for both Viper PvP and Pictomancer PvP actions.

Wolves' Den Pier

• New items are available in exchange for Trophy Crystals.
  
  
• New items are available in exchange for Wolf Marks.

Series 5 ends and Series 6 begins.

• Rewards from Series 5 can only be claimed until the end of Series 6. To claim rewards, select Series Malmstones from the PvP Profile window, then select Previous Series.
  
  
• Series 6 will be held from Patch 7.0 to the release of Patch 7.1, during which time you can earn Series EXP and increase your Series level by participating in any PvP duty. Increasing your Series level will unlock various Series rewards.

Crystalline Conflict - Season Eleven ends and a pre-season begins

• When the season ends, the top 100 ranking players from each data center will receive vouchers via the moogle delivery service.
  
  
• Players finishing in the Bronze tier or higher can claim rewards by speaking with the Seasonal Quartermaster at the Wolves' Den Pier (X:4.9 Y:5.7).
  
  
• Tier rewards for Season Eleven must be claimed before the release of Patch 7.1

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes - Armory Bonus, Duties, Trials, And Hunt Trains

The early access period for Dawntrail began yesterday. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes like what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them. 

Three days until the official launch of Dawntrail

This ninth post in the series will cover information labeled "Battle System" in the patch notes: Bonus experience point gains, Duties, Trials, and Hunt Trains.

Bonus Experience Point Gains

• The Armory Bonus - The Armoury Bonus is a bonus applied to EXP gained by combat classes when below the level of your highest class. The bonus is +100% from level 1 until reaching the lowest level of the current expansion. Despite what the in-game Active Help entry implies, this bonus does not otherwise change depending on the discrepancy between levels. This bonus only applies to defeating enemies and FATE rewards. Other sources of experience, such as completing Duty Roulettes, are not affected.
  
  
• The armoury bonus granted below level 90 has been increased from 50% to 100%. From level 90 onward, the armoury bonus is a 50% increase in EXP gained.
  
  
• New World and Preferred World character bonuses

• New World and Preferred World character bonuses now apply to all jobs at level 89 or below.

Dungeons and trials

• New dungeons have been added. The patch notes showed four images of dungeons.
  
  
• After beginning a boss encounter in dungeons newly introduced in Patch 7.0, the shortcut warp will take players to the boss area's entrance.
  
  
• Players can now gain experience from level 90 dungeons, trials, and 6.x alliance raid dungeons.
  
  
• Certain status effects granted by class and job actions will now be removed when changing areas or entering an instanced duty.

Trials

• New trials have been added.
  
  
• Unreal trials have been temporarily disabled.

• --Players may still exchange Faux Leaves for various rewards.
  
• --A new unreal trial is scheduled to be added in Patch 7.1.
  
  
• The Power of the Echo. As a game mechanic, The Echo is a flat percentage buff: "Maximum HP, damage dealt, and potency of HP restoration actions are increased." which may be provided to players after failing a duty. The following Endwalker trials received The Echo in Dawnwalker.
  
  
• The Abyssal Fracture and The Gilded Araya
• Players will be granted a 10% Echo effect boost, which increases each restart up to a maximum of 50%. If a player restarts after battling for less than three minutes, they will not be granted this effect.
  
  
• The Abyssal Fracture (Extreme)
• Players will be granted a 5% Echo effect boost, which increases each restart up to a maximum of 25%. If a player restarts after battling for less than three minutes, they will not be granted this effect.
  
  
• In Pandæmonium: Anabaseios (Savage), players will receive the Power of the Echo, increasing players' maximum HP, damage dealt, and healing potency by 20%. This bonus does not increase upon the entire party being defeated.
  
  
• The Spire of Trial, an expansion of Stone, Sky, Sea, has been added.
  
  
• --The Spire of Trial offers trials tailored to various high-level duties in which players will be tasked with destroying a level 100 striking dummy.
  
  
• --To access the Spire of Trial, complete the quest offered by Eccentric Researcher in Solution Nine (X:19.9 Y:17.1), Trial by Spire. Players must first complete the final quest of the Dawntrail main scenario and the quest "A Striking Opportunity."
  
  
• The weekly restriction on receiving Cracked Anthoclusters upon clearing Thaleia has been removed.

Hunt Trains - Officially The Hunt, I use Hunt Trains due to the social gameplay that evolved in FFXIV.

• New elite marks have been added in the new Dawntrail areas.
  
  
• Marks defeated in the new areas will also yield Sacks of Nuts, which can be exchanged for various items.
  
  
• Characters with a Disciple of War of Disciple or Magic level 90 job must first complete the quest, A New Dawn, a New Hunt, before taking up the Hunt in these areas.
  
  
• To obtain the quest, talk to Wing of Protection Scout in Tuliyollal (X:11.8 Y:13.7).
• Characters must first complete the quest "Elite and Dangerous" and progress to a certain point in the main scenario.
  
  
• Characters can exchange Sacks of Nuts for items with Ryubool Ja in Tuliyollal (X:13.9 Y:13.4)

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes - Allagan Tomestones, Raid And Duty Finders

Today began the early access period for Dawntrail. Creative Studio III published the complete patch notes for Dawntrail on The Lodestone. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes similar to what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them. 

Four days until the official launch of Dawntrail

This eighth post in the series will cover information labeled "Battle System" in the patch notes: Allagan tomestones and the Raid and Duty Finders. I changed the order of the patch notes for this since we are currently in early access and these mechanics may be more relevant for those playing now.

 Allagan tomestones

Allagan tomestones of aesthetics

• Players can only obtain up to a maximum of 2,000 tomestones of aesthetics
• Players can only receive tomestones of aesthetics after reaching level 100 with at least one Disciple of War or Magic class or job
• There is no weekly limitation on tomestones of aesthetics.
• A secondary currency, Allagan tomestones of heliometry, will be available in Patch 7.05, which is scheduled to release approximately four weeks after the start of official service for Dawntrail.

Allagan tomestones of causality and Allagan tomestones of comedy

• Allagan tomestones of causality and comedy are no longer available.
• All trials and duties where these tomestones could be obtained will now offer Allagan tomestones of poetics or Allagan tomestones of aesthetics instead
• Allagan tomestones of causality and comedy can be exchanged for Allagan tomestones of poetics by visiting Auriana in Revenant's Toll, located in Mor Dhona (X:22.7, Y:6.6)

Allagan tomestones of astronomy

• Allagan tomestones of astronomy have been removed from the game.

Allagan tomestones of poetics

• Allagan tomestones of poetics may still be obtained from duties up to level 90, as well as certain Duty Roulettes.

Raid and Duty Finders

Raid Finder

• The Raid Finder now only lists trials and duties introduced with Patch 7.0.
  
  
• All of the Ultimate raids --The Unending Coil of Bahamut (Ultimate), the Weapon's Refrain (Ultimate), the Epic of Alexander (Ultimate), Dragonsong's Reprise (Ultimate), and the Omega Protocol (Ultimate) -- can still be accessed via the Raid Finder.

Duty Finder

For some reason the Duty Finder changes were divided into two groups. Below is the first, high level group.

• Category names and the duties listed within each have been reorganized.
• 6.x duties can now be undertaken using the Unrestricted Party option.
• When undertaking duties using the Unrestricted Party option, players can now elect to leave a duty even during combat.

The reorganization of the category names and duties is listed below.

• New duties for Dawntrail have been added to Duty Roulette: Expert, Duty Roulette: Leveling, and Duty Roulette: Trials.
  
  
• Duty Roulette: Level 50/60/70/80 Dungeons and Duty Roulette: Level 90 Dungeons have been combined into Duty Roulette: High-level Dungeons.
  
  
• The type and number of Allagan tomestones received from each Duty Roulette category has been adjusted.
  
  
• Duty Roulette: Expert - pays out 80 Allagan tomestones of aesthetics
  
  
• Duty Roulette: High-level Dungeons - pays out 100 Allagan tomestones of poetics and 120 Allagan tomestones of aesthetics
  
  
• Duty Roulette: Leveling - pays out 100 Allagan tomestones of aesthetics
  
  
• Duty Roulette: Trials - pays out 60 Allagan tomestones of aesthetics
  
  
• Duty Roulette: Main Scenario - pays out 350 Allagan tomestones of poetics and 100 Allagan tomestones of aesthetics
  
  
• Duty Roulette: Alliance Raids - pays out 120 Allagan tomestones of poetics and 120 Allagan tomestones of aesthetics
  
  
• Duty Roulette: Normal Raids - pays out 80 Allagan tomestones of poetics and 60 Allagan tomestones of aesthetics
  
  
• Duty Roulette: Mentor - pays out 30 Allagan tomestones of aesthetics
  
  
• Duty Roulette: Frontline  - pays out 50 Allagan tomestones of aesthetics
  
  
• The requirements and rewards for the adventurer in need bonus have been adjusted for Duty Roulette: Leveling and Duty Roulette: Alliance Raids.
  
  
• Requirements: Class or job at time of registration is level 90 or higher (increased from level 80)
  
• Reward: Cracked Novacluster and 2 Cracked Prismaticlusters (changed from Cracked Anthocluster and 2 Cracked Dendroclusters) 
  
  
• The requirements to register for Duty Roulette: Alliance Raids have been changed.
  
  
• Players must meet the highest item level requirements among the alliance raids they can enter at their current class or job level at the time of registration. This was changed from meeting  meet average item level requirements commensurate with the level of their current class or job at the time of registration.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes - Level Cap, New Jobs, Job Actions/Traits, And Attributes

Today began the early access period for Dawntrail. Creative Studio III published the complete patch notes for Dawntrail on The Lodestone. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes similar to what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them. 

Four days until the official launch of Dawntrail

This seventh post in the series will cover information labeled "Battle System" in the patch notes: the level cap, new jobs, new and updated job actions and traits, and a change to attributes.

Level cap: The level cap for all Disciples of War and Magic has been raised from 90 to 100.

New jobs

Two new jobs were added in Dawnwalker, Viper and Pictomancer.

Viper: The Viper is a melee DPS job. To unlock the Viper, visit Worried Weaver at Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (X:9.3 Y:9.2) and complete the quest Enter the Viper. The only prerequisite is the character must have a Disciple of War and Magic job at level 80.

For information on actions and traits, refer to the Viper page in the FINAL FANTASY XIV Job Guide.

Pictomancer: The Pictomancer is a ranged magical DPS job. To unlock the Pictomancer, visit Cheerless Hearer in Old Gridania (X:8.0 Y:10.3) and complete the quest The Joy of Pictomancy. The only prerequisite is the character must have a Disciple of War and Magic job at level 80.

For information on actions and traits, refer to the Pictomancer page in the FINAL FANTASY XIV Job Guide.

Gear for viper and pictomancer has been added to the rewards for certain duties, and will now be sold by merchant NPCs. Please note, however, that viper and pictomancer cannot be used in the Hall of the Novice, nor can they receive the first-time completion bonus from guildhests.

Viper and Pictomancer arms are now available from the following deep dungeon vendors:

• South Shroud (X:25.0 Y:20.6) - E-Una-Kotor
• Ruby Sea (X:21.2 Y:9.3) - Confederate Custodian
• Mor Dhona (X:34.9 Y:19.0) - Synthesis Node
  
  

Job Actions And Traits

New Job Actions and Traits

The patch notes include the following video and a link to the FINAL FANTASY XIV Job Guide.

Actions and traits have been adjusted.

• Once again the patch notes provided a link to the FINAL FANTASY XIV Job Guide.

Limit breaks:

• Monks will no longer change position when executing Final Heaven.
• Dragoons will no longer change position when executing Dragonsong Dive.

Player attributes

• Tenacity's effect on damage dealt, damage received, and HP restored has been increased.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawnwalker Patch Notes: Miscellaneous Playable Content

Yesterday Creative Studio III published the complete patch notes for Dawntrail on The Lodestone. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes similar to what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them. 

Four days until the official launch of Dawntrail

This sixth post in the series will cover information the developers labeled miscellaneous playable content.

Female Hrothgar - Players can now select female Hrothgar when creating new characters, editing a character's appearance using Fantasia, or hiring a retainer. Female Hrothgars do not need to be unlocked via reaching a certain point in the MSQ.

Hairstyles - New hairstyles were added to the game, including one of the winning entries from the Hairstyle Design Contest of 2023.

Trust System - The following additions and changes were made to the Trust system.

• Krile has been added as a new avatar NPC. She will become available after progressing to a certain point in the main scenario.
  
  
• The level cap for avatar NPCs has been increased to 100.
  
  
• New glamours will be unlocked for avatar NPCs that reach level 100.

Duty Support - The Dawntrail category was added to Duty Support

Wondrous Tails - The following changes were made to Wondrous Tails.

• Prizes available in exchange for Khloe's Gold Certificate of Commendation, Khloe's Silver Certificate of Commendation, and Khloe's Bronze Certificate of Commendation have been adjusted.
  
  
• The following duties have been added as objectives for Wondrous Tails. The addition of these duties will not affect a Wondrous Tails in your possession prior to reaching level 100 with at least one Disciple of War or Magic.
  
  
• The Minstrel's Ballad: Endsinger's Aria
• Storm's Crown (Extreme)
• Mount Ordeals (Extreme)
• The Voidcast Dais (Extreme)
• The Abyssal Fracture (Extreme)
• Level 91-99 Dungeons
• Level 100 Dungeons

These new raid series categories consist of the following raids and alliance raids:

• Eden's Gate - consisting of Eden's Gate: Resurrection or Descent and Eden's Gate: Inundation or Sepulture.
  
  
• Eden's Verse - consisting of Eden's Verse: Fulmination or Furor and Eden's Verse: Iconoclasm or Refulgence
  
  
• Eden's Promise - consisting of Eden's Promise: Umbra or Litany and Eden's Promise: Anamorphosis or Eternity
  
  
• Alliance Raids (A Realm Reborn) - consisting of The Labyrinth of the Ancients, Syrcus Tower, and The World of Darkness
  
  
• Alliance Raids (Heavensward) - consisting of The Void Ark, The Weeping City of Mhach, Dun Scaith
  
  
• Alliance Raids (Stormblood) - consisting of The Royal City of Rabanastre, The Ridorana Lighthouse, and The Orbonne Monastery
  
  
• Alliance Raids (Shadowbringers) - consisting of The Copied Factory, The Puppets' Bunker, The Tower at Paradigm's Breach
  
  
• Alliance Raids (Endwalker) - consisting of Aglaia, Euphrosyne, Thaleia

The Sightseeing Log - New locations were added.

Skywatcher NPCs - Skywatcher NPCs are located in the new Dawnwalker zones. Skywatcher NPCs in older zones can offer forecasts for Dawnwalker zones, although special requirements are required for certain areas.

Island Sanctuary - Island sanctuaries received some attention in the patch.

• When selecting the plus button on the Isleworks Agenda interface, players can now choose whether Set Agenda or Supply & Demand is the default window that opens.
• From the Islekeep's Index, select Sanctuary Settings, then Default Agenda Settings under the Workshop tab.
  
  
• The Sanctuary Gathering Log can now be opened via the Material Allocation window.
  
  
• The Material Allocation window will now save sorting settings.
  
  
• When selling materials in bulk via the enterprising exporter, the quantity set may now be saved for future transactions.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes - Grand Companies, Free Companies, And Housing

Today Creative Studio III published the complete patch notes for Dawntrail on The Lodestone. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes similar to what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them.

Five days to go until the launch of Dawntrail

This fifth post in the series will cover information about the changes in Dawntrail to Grand and Free Companies as well as housing. Given the importance to housing to free companies, I thought I should put the two together in one post.

Grand and Free Companies - The following changes were made to content involving Grand and Free Companies.

• Additional items will now be accepted for supply and provisioning missions. This change is only in Dawntrail.
  
  
• Viper and pictomancer symbol options have been added to the Charge category of the Company Crest editor.
  
  
• New craftable items have been added to the company workshop. I'm unsure if these are only for items level 90 and above.
  
  
• The following additions and adjustments have been made to subaquatic voyages:
• New areas have been added.
• New items have been added.
• Maximum submersible rank has been increased from 115 to 120.

Housing

Ward classifications - Ward classifications are changed for all worlds on the Dynamis Data Center as well as on Phantom, Sagittarius, Alpha, and Raiden. All other worlds are unaffected. Also, the changes will not affect any estates already purchased on these worlds.

The changes go into effect on Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. (PDT) / 15:00 (GMT) / June 30, 2024 at 1:00 (AEST).

• Free Company Only Estates: Wards 1-6 and 25.
• Private Buyers Only Estates: Wards 21-24 and 30.
• Both Free Company and Private Buyers: Wards 7-20 and 26-29.

The Estate Holder Rights system - Beginning in Dawntrail owners of an estate and their designees can bar characters from their estates and gardens. The feature is important enough I will copy verbatim from the patch notes.

• To bar a character from your property, you must first be on your estate grounds and have the requisite authority. Target the character you wish to bar, and select "Bar from Property" in the subcommand menu, then choose "Register as Barred Character." They will be ejected from the estate grounds and moved to the housing area entrance.
  
  
• Barred characters will remain on the Barred Characters list for 10 days. During this time, any attempts to enter your estate hall or garden will instead transport them to the housing area entrance.
  
  
• To view or adjust these settings, select Housing from the Social menu, followed by Estate Settings, then Estate Holder Rights. Authorization settings will differ according to the type of residence.

Below are the rules for the three classifications of estates.

• Free Company Estate
  
  
• The free company master is the main rightsholder, and may appoint up to four free company members as secondary rightsholders.
  
  
• Personal Estate

• The estate owner is the main rightsholder, and may appoint up to three tenants as secondary rightsholders.
  
  
• Apartment / Private Chambers

• The apartment or private chambers owner is the main rightsholder, and cannot appoint secondary rightsholders.

An important note about secondary rightsholders. When secondary rightsholders with the setting enabled are present on an estate, characters on their blacklist may also be denied access to the property. Which rightsholders' blacklists will be included to determine who is barred from the estate may be adjusted via the Estate Holder Rights window.

Purchasing Estates

• After entering the lottery for an estate, viewing the placard for a different plot before confirming the results of your entry will now remind you of the estate address of the plot you bid on.

Furnishings

• New furnishings were added. This includes player designed items from the 2019 and 2022 Furnishing Design Contests.
  
  
• Crafting facility furnishings can now be used by crafting classes up to level 90.
  
  
• In accordance with the increased character level cap, level 100 striking dummies have been added.

Orchestrion rolls

• New orchestrion rolls are now available.

Aquariums

• New aquarium fish have been added.

Flower pots

• A new type of seed, Garden sunflower seeds, are now available.
  
  
• Garden sunflower seeds can be purchased from the following NPCs:
  
  
• Mist (X:11.0 Y:11.4) - Material Supplier
• The Lavender Beds (X:11.9 Y:8.3) - Material Supplier
• The Goblet (X:10.9 Y:8.9) - Material Supplier
• Shirogane (X:10.5 Y:12.1) - Material Supplier
• Empyreum (X:10.2 Y:12.2) - Material Supplier
• Apartments - Apartment Merchant
• New Gridania (X:11.0 Y:11.2) - Tanie

Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Patch Notes - Leves, FATEs, Treasure Hunts And The Manderville Gold Saucer

On Tuesday Creative Studio III published the preliminary patch notes for Dawntrail on The Lodestone. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes similar to what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them.

Five days to go until the launch of Dawntrail

This fourth post in the series will cover information about the new Leves, FATEs, and Treasure Hunt content and changes in Dawntrail. Unlike the first three posts in the series, the changes in this post only affect the Shadowbringers, Endwalker, and Dawntrail expansions.

Leves - Also known as a Guildleve or Levequest, Leves are a type of repeatable quest that players can perform to earn experience, gil (the in-game currency), and items. Unlike regular quests, which can only be performed once per character, levequests can be performed again and again as long as the player has Leve allowances remaining. 

• New tradecraft and fieldcraft leves have been added - No tradecraft leves or fisher fieldcraft leves allowing multiple turn-ins have been added. I believe the Coffee Biscuit leve from Shadowbringers may have influenced this design change.
  
  
• Experience points rewarded when using a class at level 90 or above to complete a leve with a level requirement below 90 have been capped at 1,000 - A standard move as the developer want players to partake in the current content.

FATEs - As expected, the developers are adding new Full Active Time Events to all zones in Dawntrail. Players will continue to receive bicolor gemstones, first introduced in Shadowbringers, tradable to vendors in each zone.

• The cap on bicolor gemstones a player may hold is rising from 1000 to 1500.
  
  
• FATEs that grant a bonus to experience will also grant a bonus to bicolor gemstones earned. The change also applies to FATEs in Shadowbringers and Endwalker.
  
  
• The game client will now respond more quickly when opening the Shared FATE window or changing between categories.
  
  
• Large-scale FATEs that take place at fixed locations will now also appear on the map like regular FATEs. Those affected in Shadowbringers and Endwalker are:
  
  
• The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damned Thing
• A Finale Most Formidable
• Devout Pilgrims vs. Daivadipa
• Omicron Recall: Killing Order

Treasure Hunts - The following changes were made for Endwalker and Dawntrail treasure maps.

• Loboskin Treasure Maps and Br'aaxskin Treasure Maps have been added. In patch 7.05 completing Br'aaxskin Treasure Maps may spawn a teleportation portal.
  
  
• Rewards for Saigaskin Treasure Maps, Kumbhiraskin Treasure Maps, and Ophiotauroskin Treasure Maps have been adjusted.
  
  
• Allagan tomestones rewarded for completion of Saigaskin Treasure Maps, Kumbhiraskin Treasure Maps, and Ophiotauroskin Treasure Maps have been changed from Allagan tomestones of causality and Allagan tomestones of comedy to Allagan tomestones of poetics.

Also, the Excitatron 6000 and the Shifting Gymnasion Agonon will now be level synced, adjusting player levels to 90.

The Manderville Gold Saucer - New prizes are available for purchase using MGP. In addition, Triple Triad has received the following changes:

• New cards have been added.
• New NPC opponents for Triple Triad have been added.
• Players can now engage in Triple Triad matches in new areas.
• Card numbers have been added to the item description of all Triple Triad cards.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes - Questing Quality Of Life Improvements

Yesterday Creative Studio III published the preliminary patch notes for Dawntrail on The Lodestone. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes similar to what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them.

Six days to Dawntrail's launch

This third post in the series will cover information about several quality of life changes made to doing quests. Except where noted, these changes are game wide, not just found in the new Dawntrail content. Also, any text or instructions in italics are copied directly from the patch notes.

Hiding the display of nearby player characters when interacting with quest-related NPCs or objects. - I believe a much requested feature very handy both at an expansion launch as well as for those occasions someone decides to sit on a quest giver with their whale mount. The ability is limited to NPCs or objects with a quest icon. Also not all quests will have the ability. Finally, the feature will not hide players targeted or force targeted.

Adjust this setting via the Character Configuration menu by selecting Control Settings followed by the General tab, then checking or unchecking the options under "Quest Progression Settings."

• Hide nearby players when close to quest NPCs Enabling this option will temporarily hide nearby players when you approach NPCs or objects with a quest icon.
• Hide nearby players when interacting with quest NPCs Enabling this option will temporarily hide nearby players when you interact with NPCs or objects with a quest icon.

An additional option is available to also hide party members.

Quest objectives that require following an NPC will now utilize visual indicators to help players avoid detection. - If a player is in danger of detection during these quests, a character will have a yellow and black circle marker display both immediately around the character and in a wider area. I'm guessing the yellow and black signifies police crime scene warning tape.

Players can now select icons in the Duty List to carry out quest objectives such as using emotes or opening the Crafting Log. - This is the only feature that applies specifically to Dawntrail.

The patch notes do indicate the developers will go back to the previous expansions and add the feature .

Players may now adjust text auto-advance settings to apply only to voiced dialogue. - All I can say is I've wanted this for a long time. The only reason I don't use text auto-advance is due to not wanting to miss non-voice acted dialog.

To help alleviate issues with misinputs when completing quest objectives that require entering phrases with the chat mode in Say, certain half-width and full-width characters will now be treated as the same character when typing. - This feature will help with the pre-Dawntrail content until selecting icons is implemented.

The categorization of certain allied society quests has been adjusted. - Some quests are seeing their description change from Tribal Quests to Allied Society Quests. Over the years the terminology for these quests has changed depending on the relationship between what originally were labeled "beast tribes" and the cities of Eorzea has changed.

And finally, because I don't think a better place for the item exists, limited jobs are ineligible for certain quest battles. The battles were not listed in the preliminary patch notes.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes - Wachumeqimeqi Deliveries

Yesterday Creative Studio III published the preliminary patch notes for Dawntrail on The Lodestone. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes similar to what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them.

This second post in the series will cover the information about Wachumeqimeqi Deliveries. If Endwalker is a guide, the Wachumeqimeqi Deliveries should be content good for leveling Disciple of the Land and Disciple of the Hand (aka gathering and crafting) classes from 90 up to 100.

Wachumeqimeqi Deliveries

 To qualify to do the Dawntrail deliveries a character must first do the level 50 quest Inscrutable Tastes. If a character can collect crafting and/or gathering scrips, the character has done the quest.

Performing Wachumeqimeqi Deliveries actually counts as questing as each of the five shopkeepers has their own quest lines. To unlock the shopkeepers, one has to visit Ropli in Tuliyollal (X:16.1 Y:11.1) and complete the quest Wrought in Wachumeqimeqi. Since Stormblood the unlocking quest has just consisted of talking to the quest giver.

Below are the five quest lines and the shopkeeper who hands out the quests. The first quests in the quest lines are all available at level 90.

XRral Soj Metalwares (Blacksmith / Armorer / Goldsmith)

• The first quest, Your Friendly Neighborhood Metalworker, is available from Rral Soj in Tuliyollal (X:16.9 Y:11.0)

Epistles by Pameka (Carpenter / Leatherworker / Weaver)

• The first quest, Pameka, the Scrivener, is available from Pameka in Tuliyollal (X:16.6 Y:11.3)

Xeerol Ja Juicecraft (Alchemist / Culinarian)

• The first quest, Blame It on My Juice, is available from Xeerol Ja in Tuliyollal (X:16.4 Y:11.0)

Shunye's Apothecary (Miner / Botanist)

• The first quest, Hands for Hire, is available from the Greying Gatherer in Tuliyollal (X:15.9 Y:11.3)

Fish Fancies Donuhanu (Fisher)

• The first quest, Fishmonger Blues, is available from Donuhanu in Tuliyollal (X:17.1 Y:11.2)

A sixth quest line is planned for a later update.

Apparently Yoshi-P does not want players to just do the quests by purchasing items off the market board. 

"Requested materials can only be collected while undertaking each quest. Furthermore, these materials will not be listed in the Gathering or Fishing Log, but will appear in the Duty List.

"The location where items must be gathered or delivered can be confirmed via the Journal or the Duty List. When viewing the Journal, select Map, then either Gathering Location or Delivery Location from the subcommand menu that displays. When viewing the Duty List, selecting the appropriate duty will display the same subcommand menu."

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch Notes - Cities, Zones, Role and Job Quests

Today Creative Studio III published the preliminary patch notes for Dawntrail on The Lodestone. I thought I would try to cover the patch notes similar to what I have done for the last few EVE Online expansions. I have to put in similar because I do have a real life job and CCP drops their patch notes on Fridays so I have the weekend to work on them.

One week before the launch of Dawntrail

This first post in the series will cover the information about the new cities, field areas (aka zones), role and job quests found in Dawntrail. I found a few tidbits of interest that applies not only to the zones in the New World but along the way as well. Almost as if Yoshi-P wanted to streamline the game a bit to make catching up to current content a little easier.

New Cities And Field Areas - I almost went with the term zones, but if the developers want to use field areas, I won't argue. Dawntrail is adding two new cities, Tuliyollal and Solution Nine. From what I can tell, Tuliyollal is the main city of the expansion and Solution Nine will be the focus of activity for content at the end of patch 7.0.

Creative Studio III also added five field areas. They are, in the order presented in the patch notes:

• Urqopacha
• Kozama'uka
• Yak T'el
• Shaaloani
• Heritage Found

If I had to guess, the order listed above is the order players will travel as the progress through the MSQ. At the very least, Heritage Found is the final field area of the expansion. 

And a very important note for those still travelling through previous expansions. The number of aether currents in all Endwalker areas has been reduced. Those currently adventuring through Endwalker zones who meet the new aether current requirement will be granted flying when Dawntrail goes live for them.

Role and Job Quests

Yes, a new expansion brings new main scenario and side quests. But players should look out, and even seek out, the following quests.

Thanalan - Bottled Fantasy. With a new race (female Hrothgar) comes a new quest to get a phial of Fantasia to make the switch. For those wanting a free Fantasia, go to Ul'dah - Steps of Thal (X:13.4 Y:9.2) and visit the Medicine Merchant to accept the quest. The only requirement is the character to have finished the the main scenario quest "The Scions of the Seventh Dawn."

Role quests - Players will have access to role quests once completing the Uncouth Customers quest from Br'uk Evu in Tuliyollal (X:12.4 Y:14.5). The patch notes did not specify at what point in the MSQ the quest becomes unlocked. But once unlocked, completing Uncouth Customers unlocks 5 new quest givers.

Tank (Paladin / Warrior / Dark Knight / Gunbreaker)

• Talking to Loazenikwe in Tuliyollal (X:12.9 Y:15.0) unlocks the first quest, The Narwhal Beckons

Melee DPS (Monk / Dragoon / Ninja / Samurai / Reaper / Viper)

• Talking to Shashepya in Radz-at-Han (X:11.8 Y:14.9) unlocks the first quest, The Hunter and the Hunted

Physical Ranged DPS (Bard / Machinist / Dancer)

• Talking to Raholl Ja in Tuliyollal (X:12.5 Y:15.0) unlocks the first quest, To Steal a Steelhog

Magical Ranged DPS (Black Mage / Summoner / Red Mage / Pictomancer)

• Talking to Tsuuhe in Tuliyollal (X:12.8 Y:14.8) unlocks the first quest, Power Forgotten

Healer (White Mage / Scholar / Astrologian / Sage)

• Talking to Nyipine in Tuliyollal (X:12.0 Y:15.0) unlocks the first quest, In the Sting of Things.

Job Quests - As is custom, the developers added a series of job quests for the two new jobs in Dawntrail, Vipers and Pictomancers. The only requirement is the character have either a Disciple of Magic or Disciple of War job at level 80.

Vipers - To become a viper begin the quest series begins by talking to the Worried Weaver at Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (X: 9.3 Y:9.2) to acquire the quest Enter the Viper.

Pictomancers - To become a pictomancer begin the quest series by talking to the Cheerless Hearer in Old Gridania (X:8.0 Y:10.3).

Dawntrail Registration Codes, Mountain Dew, And Twitch Drops

Creative Studio III is eight days away from launching the newest expansion for Final Fantasy XIV, Dawntrail. The hype is growing and not just because the art team is posting a digital countdown on the Lodestone. The site has additional instructions for registering the game for launch as well as collaborations with Mountain Dew and Twitch.

Eight days until the full launch of Dawntrail

First for a piece of housekeeping. Square Enix requires PC and Mac users to visit the Mog Station to register their copies of the expansion. Yes, even if a player has already registered a code for the pre-order items, although entering the pre-order code allows players to play the expansion during the early access period. Can you say "unnecessarily complicated"? Or is the correct term "spaghetti code"? Either way, The Lodestone has instructions. Console users are automatically registered when they purchase Dawntrail.

The early access period begins when the servers come back online around 2am (PDT) on Friday, 28 June and last until 11:59pm local time on 5 July. North American accounts will use PDT, European accounts will use GMT, and Japanese accounts will use JST. During this time PC and Mac players will need to register their codes to continue playing.

Ready for early access to Dawntrail

If in doubt about whether all codes are entered, players can check their Current Account Status on the Mog Station.

Next up is the promotion with Mountain Dew. Between 28 June and a date not listed players can collect caps from 20 oz. Mountain Dew bottles. I think the most sought after in-game items will be the Mountain Zu mount for 600 points and 5 pots of various metallic dyes for 200 points. I took a closer look and apparently Mountain Dew has an ongoing series of events when players can turn in points.

Beginning March 2024, and continuing through the remainder of the Program Period, the Sponsor will offer a time-sensitive marketplace (the “DEW Game Vault”) where specialty merchandise (“DEW Vault Rewards”) will be available for a period of 72 hours after the DEW Game Vault opens (within the timeframes stated below) or until all then currently offered DEW® Game Vault Rewards have been redeemed.

Approximate DEW Game Vault Openings

• March 25 – April 1
• April 22 – April 29
• May 20 – May 27
• June 17 – June 24
• July 22 – July 29
• August 5 – August 12
• September 23 – September 30
• October 21 – October 28
• November 18 – November 25
• December 9 – December 16

Finally are the Twitch drops. Watching participating FFXIV streamers between 1am PDT on 2 July and and 1am PDT on 29 July can net the following rewards.

• 1 Hour Watched: EXP Boost Meal Set (Buttery Mogbiscuit & Fat Choco Choco) x10
• 3 Hours Watched: Aetheryte Ticket x10
• 6 Hours Watched: Chocorpokkur Whistle (Mount) x1

Twitch accounts are not automatically linked up to FFXIV service accounts. Instead, players will received a registration code and then have to visit the Mog Station to redeem the code. And sorry trial players, only paying accounts are eligible.

Besides the sale of new physical items like shirts, I'm not sure what else Creative Studio III may have in store over the next few days. I do know that the new t-shirts are also obtainable from the Mountain Dew promotion so those who like drinking Mountain Dew might get a chance at a t-shirt depending on how the promotions work out.

Alisaie and Gra'ha modeling the new shirts

An Unexpected Visitor To My Island Sanctuary

On Monday I managed to finally complete the main story questline (MSQ) for Endwalker patches 6.5 and 6.55. With the completion of the MSQ I thought all I had to do is some housekeeping tasks and wait for the early release date of 28 June to begin a new adventure. But I had a surprise awaiting me on my island sanctuary the next day.

I had a message waiting for me from Tataru about another group of visitors she was bringing to visit me on my island, so I walked down to the beach to meet them

Having Jullus and his friends show up was a bit of a surprise because I had not checked the Wiki lately. But the visit made sense. The last time I'd seen Jullus was in the Tertium rail station in Garlemald urging  Alphinaud and Alisaie to take a vacation, preferably somewhere warm. So who shows up to take a break someplace warm? Have to love the writers.

Of course, much like the twins, Jullus and friends don't really take a break and wind up helping around the island. Doing all the farm tasks around the island makes the group remember the days before the war when they lived on farms.

Of course, being Final Fantasy XIV, we needed a campfire scene at the end of the day. The writers always manage to pull out the campfire at an opportune time. For me, the timing was especially good as I waited so long to finish the MSQ. A visit from a character who started Endwalker as an enemy but ended the expansion as a friend seems the true fitting end to the expansion.

At the end, Tataru informed me that this was her last visit to the island as she had no more visitors to escort. And in a way that was fitting. Next week begins a new chapter in Final Fantasy XIV's story and I'll put my island into maintenance mode. 

I'll probably only have one or two more posts about my island sanctuary, but I'll really have a problem letting go of the place. I've grown attached to my island over the past year and really don't want to see it fade away. Hopefully I can turn the island into enough passive income to justify the effort in my gamer brain. I don't have to worry about my heart. My island sanctuary had me at hello.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Launch Notes

After experiencing the near painless process of EVE Online's Equinox launch, I now get to go through a Final Fantasy XIV launch. While the full launch of Dawntrail is on 2 July, the process begins next Wednesday. So far this week Creative Studio 3 has published not one but two articles on The Lodestone concerning the launch and the probable congestion afterwards. I thought some people might get their eyes opened by what the FFXIV developers and players go through when a new expansion launches.

The time scheduled for the launch of Dawntrail is a little longer than the almost 30 minutes CCP took to launch Equinox. Square Enix plans on taking down all worlds at 2am PDT/9am UTC on Wednesday, 26 June and bring them back online at 2am PDT/9am UTC on Friday, 28 June. The maintenance may go longer, but the world servers will not come online before the scheduled time on Friday.

One thing I really like about the way Square Enix rolls out an expansion is the developers allow players to download the new client during the downtime. PS4, PS5, and XBox users can begin downloading the client around 4am PDT/11am UTC on Wednesday and PC and Mac users can begin their downloads around 8am PDT/3pm UTC on Friday. Square Enix will announce when downloads are ready on The Lodestone in the news under "Special Event".

Besides the world servers, the following services will be affected by the downtime.

• Data Center Travel will be suspended 30 minutes before maintenance begins, and will be unavailable until maintenance has ended.
  
  
• The Home World Transfer Service will be suspended 30 minutes before maintenance begins. In consideration of the high server load expected immediately after the start of early access and the release of Patch 7.0, the Home World Transfer Service is scheduled to open on June 29, 2024 1:00 a.m. (PDT)
  
  
• We will also be performing maintenance on the following Mog Station services. Please see "Online Store / Mog Station Maintenance (Jun. 26-28)" for details.
  
  
• - Character Renaming Service
  
  
• - Item code/Gift code entry
  
  
• We will also be performing maintenance on the FINAL FANTASY XIV COMPANION App. For details, please see "COMPANION App Maintenance (Jun. 26 - 28)".
  
  
• Any duty recorder data recorded prior to this maintenance can no longer be replayed after this maintenance.

The developers also wrote a long article based on player experiences during the launch of Endwalker. I'll try to summarize.

Login Queues - If a player encounters a login queue, don't leave the queue, even if the numbers do not decline. Those who leave the queue will be placed at the end when trying to log in again. When a queue exists, playing players will receive priority in the queue over those on a trial account. 

Restrictions on Data Center Travel & World Visit Systems - While Final Fantasy XIV is divided into individual world servers, players have the ability to travel between those worlds. Unfortuntely, Square Enix will need to shut down or severely curtail the ability to travel to other worlds.

The first concerns the ability to travel between worlds within the same physical data center. Physical data centers refer to the actual server infrastructure located in a specific geographical region. These physical data centers are located in four regions: Japan, North America, Europe, and Oceania. The limitations are as follows.

Japanese Data Center

The number of non-Home World characters that can log in will be limited.

• When a World has reached the maximum number of visiting characters, non-Home World characters that are logged out on that World will be unable to log in, and the World will be unavailable for visitation via Data Center Travel.

North American Data Center

• Aether/Primal/Crystal: Will be unavailable for travel.
• Dynamis: Will remain available for travel, and the maximum number of traveling characters will be increased compared to usual. The newly added Worlds in the Dynamis Data Center are still relatively unpopulated and may be helpful login destinations when other Worlds are experiencing high congestion.

European Data Center

• Chaos/Light: Will be unavailable for travel.
• Shadow: Will be open to travel, with probationary Worlds which may be helpful login destinations when other Worlds are experiencing high congestion.
  
  

Visiting the Oceanian Data Center via Cross-Region Data Center Travel - The Oceanian Data Center is the newest data center with the least amount of players. As such, travel will face the same restrictions as during the testing phase of cross-region travel. This part of the article is actually good news for the future.

The cross-region Data Center Travel functionality, which has been in public testing for some time and appears to be stable, will be usable in Patch 7.0 onward.

The traveling limitations on cross-region will remain as follows:

• Japanese Data Center → Oceanian Data Center
• North American Data Center → Oceanian Data Center
• European Data Center → Oceanian Data Center

World Visit System - The World Visit System allows players to travel freely between game worlds within their logical data center. Each logical data center contains five to eight worlds, the individual servers that players choose to play on. 

Japanese Data Center

The number of non-Home World characters that can log in will be limited.

• When a World has reached the maximum number of visiting characters, non-Home World characters that are logged out on that World will be unable to log in, and the World will be unavailable for visitation via the World Visit system.

North American Data Center

Aether/Primal/Crystal: The World Visit System will be unavailable.

Dynamis: The World Visit System will remain available, and the maximum number of characters that can visit via the system will be increased.

European Data Center

Chaos/Light: The World Visit System will be unavailable.

The World Visit System will remain available on the Shadow Data Center. Furthermore, the maximum number of characters that can visit via the system will be increased.

Oceanian Data Center

The World Visit System will remain available as usual.

Square Enix recommends making sure your characters are on their homeworlds before the maintenance begins. While the system will allow the characters to return, congestion may force delays.

Playing on Other Worlds During Congestion

High congestion is expected on all Worlds, especially those on the Japanese/North American/European Data Centers.

Although Data Center Travel and World Visit will be limited as mentioned above,

during periods of high congestion, you may want to consider playing on Worlds with relatively lower populations, new Worlds (NA/EU/OC), probationary Worlds (EU), and those on the Oceanian Data Center...

While there will be restrictions based on the World Visit System or Data Center Travel, you will still be able to progress in main scenario quests, as well as find parties and participate in duties through the Duty Finder, so we recommend considering this method depending on your situation.

Character Creation - Players cannot create characters on worlds experiencing congestion. Square Enix recommends either trying to create characters during off-hours or on the new worlds in the North American and Oceanian Data Centers.

Error Messages - The following error messages were the most common during the Endwalker launch period and likely will appear frequently.

Error 2002 When Logging In

This error is displayed when the login server is experiencing high amounts of traffic or when the number of characters waiting in a login queue for a logical Data Center exceeds its maximum capacity.

This is a measure to prevent the server from crashing due to extreme traffic loads.

Should you encounter Error 2002 when attempting to log in, we apologize for the inconvenience, but ask that you wait a while before trying again. Furthermore, the aforementioned maximum capacity has been increased by roughly 50% compared to the launch of Endwalker.

In another note, the lobby server will hold your place in the queue for roughly a minute. If your connection returns and you manage to re-enter the lobby server relatively quickly, you will be able to return to your place in the login queue.

Error 90002/90006 During Gameplay

These errors are general network connection errors caused by network disconnections. While Square Enix states players should check their home network if they receive these messages, I really have the feeling any such errors are caused closer to the game servers.

Automatic Logout - If a player remains inactive for 30 minutes, the game will kick the character out. I believe that also affects characters dancing in Limsa Lominsa.

Peak Congestion Times - These are the times Square Enix expects congestion to occur during the week. The launch weekend may see longer periods of time.

• Japanese Data Center: From 2:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. (PDT)
• North American Data Center: From 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (PDT)
• European Data Center: From 4:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (PDT)
• Oceanian Data Center: From 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. (PDT)

Preventative Measures Against Server Crashes

To prevent World servers from crashing, the number of characters that can move between in-game areas within a certain timeframe will be limited. As such, the game may display "Unable to move areas due to congestion" when attempting to enter a different area. If this error is displayed, we ask that you try to change areas again or wait a while before attempting again. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation as we strive to provide a stable gameplay experience.

Wait Times for Instanced Content

There is a possibility that certain instanced content, such as duties required to progress through quests, may experience congestion. For instanced duties required to progress a quest, we have devised methods to stagger player traffic during main scenario progression, and have also implemented a queue system in case of congestion. Should congestion occur, your number in the queue will be displayed upon attempting to enter the instance. We ask that you patiently remain in the queue as players are admitted into the instance in the order that they joined the queue.

Instances of the New Areas - Once again, Square Enix will spawn multiple instances for the first couple of weeks of the expansion. Below are the instructions and mechanics for how the instances will work.

Selecting and Confirming the Instanced Area

You may choose to enter a specific instance of an area either by traveling to your destination through an entrance from a neighboring area or by interacting with an aetheryte in the area.

When moving to these areas via teleport or Return, an instance will be automatically selected. Players can confirm which instance they are currently in through a log message in the chat or by using the “/instance” text command.

Restrictions in Instanced Areas

Players in different instances of the same area can communicate with Tell messages as normal. However, there are some restrictions such as being unable to see each other's character in the overworld.

Entering the Same Instanced Area As Your Party

Party members will generally be moved to the same instanced area when using teleport or Return. However, party members may be split between different instances if the destination instance has reached the player cap. As such, players may not always end up in the same instance, and may need to select their desired instance either by traveling through an entrance from a neighboring area or by interacting with an aetheryte in their desired area.

Support Services During Early Access and Immediately After Launch - Finally the article points out how to access support information. World and server statuses, as well as any issues that may arise, will be announced through our Lodestone announcements or on the Final Fantasy XIV official X channels (@FF_XIV_EN and @FFXIV_NEWS_EN).