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They’ve been previewed on the main page, they’ve been hinted at in quest texts, but the Grand Companies of Final Fantasy XIV haven’t been seen in the game — at least, not until now. Along with all of the mechanical shifts, patch 1.18 is also bringing the long-awaited organizations into play, offering players new opportunities for adventure and advancement. A new official preview has placed the process for joining the Companies and adventuring with them in the spotlight, giving a clearer picture of what can be expected from the upcoming patch.

As previously noted, there will be a company in each of the three city-states, but players are not required to join the company corresponding to their home state. Rather, characters past rank 22 will be presented with a mission, and success will give the opportunity to join the company. There will also be a new part of the UI added to track a character’s standing with the Company of choice. The full preview should help get Final Fantasy XIV players excited for the patch, due to release late next week.

There are five playable races resembling those from Final Fantasy XI.Each race has a new name and their appearance has been altered; additionally, each is divided into two clans. The “missing genders” for some races (Female Roegadyn, Male Miqo’te and Female Highlander Hyur) will become available upon the PlayStation 3 release. [1] A recent player’s poll presented the possibility of mixed races (Miqo’te-Lalafell, Hyur-Elezen), though nothing is confirmed as of yet.

·Hyur

The Hyur are a race not originally from Eorzea, having migrated there and brought their technology with them. They are split into two clans, the Highlanders and the Midlanders. They are similar to Humes from Final Fantasy XI.

·Lalafell

The Lalafell are a race from the seas south of Eorzea. The race consists of the Plainsfolk and the Dunesfolk. They are similar to the Tarutaru.

·Miqo’te

The Miqo’te are a race from Eorzea, and like the Hyur, are not native to the region. Miqo’tes are either Seekers of the Sun or Keepers of the Moon. They are cat-like beings, and similar to the Mithra.

·Roegadyn

The Roegadyn are a race from the seas north of Eorzea. This maritime race is broken into two tribes; the Sea Wolves and the Hellsguard. They are like the Galka, though they lack tails.

·Elezen

The Elezen are the race that has lived in Eorzea the longest and co-exist peacefully with the other races. Elezen can either be Wildwood Elezen or Duskwight Elezen. They are similar to the Elvaan.

Huge Materia
“An extremely large materia.”
—Description, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy.

The Huge Materia (ヒュージマテリア, Hyūji Materia?) in Final Fantasy VII are extraordinarily powerful Materia, produced in the core of a Mako Reactor. They are high density Materia that have 330 times the power of a regular Materia. The Huge Materia bear an uncanny resemblance to the traditional Crystals of the Final Fantasy series.

When Shinra Electric Power Company decides to destroy the Meteor, they set out to gather the four Huge Materia and fire them on the Shinra No. 26 rocket into the Meteor. Cloud Strife and the party want the Materia for themselves and attempt to stop Shinra, though the game continues even if the party is unsuccessful.

Acquiring Huge Materia

The first Huge Materia is found in North Corel and must be taken from a runaway train. If they succeed, Barret is hailed a hero, and the player will be given the Ultima Materia. If the player catches up with the train but does not stop it they will not get the Materia and will have to pay for the Ultima Materia. If the player fails to catch up to the train they get neither the Huge Materia or any chance of getting Ultima.

The second Huge Materia can be found in Fort Condor and is won after the battle minigame. The player does not need to win the minigame, they simply must face the boss that attacks the group. If they lose to the boss Fort Condor is defeated and the Huge Materia is lost.

The third is found on the Bottom of the Sea near Junon and on the sunken red submarine. If the player fails to destroy the submarine in the torpedo minigame, the Huge Materia is lost.

The final one must be saved from the Shinra No. 26 rocket while in space by inputting a code. If the party fails to guess the code in time, the Huge Materia will be lost.
After the party escapes the rocket in an escape pod it will plow into Meteor, but fail to destroy it. Even if the player fails to save the Huge Materia, Shinra’s plan will still fail.

If the player loses any one of the Huge Materia, they miss out on the blue Huge Materia. If this happens, the player can still get Bahamut ZERO from Bone Village. If the player loses two Huge Materia they miss out of the red and blue Huge Materia, and if they only save one Huge Materia it will be the yellow one. It is possible to lose all four and if the party arrives to Bugenhagen’s observatory with no Huge Materia in their possession, the party will be unable to access the upper floor of the observatory for the rest of the game.
Master Materia

If all the Huge Materia the player saved are gathered and taken to the observatory in Cosmo Canyon, Bugenhagen will let the player store them there. If Cloud has both the Bahamut and Neo Bahamut Summon Materia, they will receive the Bahamut ZERO Materia through the blue Huge Materia. Through the other three, Cloud can gain use of the three Master Materia, but each one comes at a price.

By mastering all of the possible Materia orbs in a specific group — e.g., all green Magic Materia orbs — Cloud can obtain the Master Magic Materia, but will have to sacrifice all the “MASTERED” (fully grown or full stars) normal Materia. Since all mastered Materia immediately “give birth to” or spawn an identical Materia at the basic level (one star), it is possible to have all mastered Materia, as well as the Master Materia. Master Materia does not gain Ability Points.

The three Master Materia are Master Magic (green), Master Command (yellow), and Master Summon (red). Because the Master Command Materia does not possess all the available commands, the player doesn’t have to master all Command Materia to get it. Master Materia can be created for an infinite amount of times.

If the player failed to score any Huge Materia the set of Master Materia can still be acquired from the Kalm Traveler.

Okay, we’re back with another edition of our Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn previewand we still have so much to cover. Don’t worry; we’ll get there, I promise. If you missed our introduction to character creation or battle systems make sure to head over and check them out.

This time around we will visit on a few major topics within the social interworking of Ezorea. So, once again let’s dive right in, this week up on the docket are the game’s best ways for players reach out to other players: Linkshells, Free Company and The Duty Finder.

[ Linkshells ]

I think this is the most appropriate place to start, as it seems Linkshells may very well be the heart and soul of the social community in FFXIV: A Realm Reborn. There is no doubt that FFXI players have a general idea of this concept, although it isn’t exactly what they might expect. The first thing to note for anyone who is coming from FFXI is the fact that Linkshells are not guild affiliated, nor do they any type of inventory system associated with them.

These Linkshells are in fact a way for you to group and stay in touch with anyone you meet, be they friend or simple acquaintance. Luckily, they are also relatively easy to form and manage, so have no fear when starting up your first Linkshell. Starting one up is as simple as visiting your local Linkshell Distributor located in your home city.

Once you’ve met up with your new distributor, I suggest choosing the option “Learn about Linkshells” since this will not only tell you but show you the intricacies of the system itself. Now that you have a hold on the look and feel of the system, just choose a name and it’s off to the races.

It is worth noting that the Linkshells do have different ranks within them including Master, Leader, and Member. If you are the creator of the particular Linkshell, you also have the ability to disband it, if you so choose. Another power handed to Linkshell creators is the fact that you can promote or demote members, which is easily achieved by a simple click on their name inside the Linkshell menu.

Whether you intend to use them simply for chat, to plan adventures, or even plot out elaborate raids Linkshells work wonderfully. They do work well when used properly but there is a limitation of eight Linkshells that you can belong to, so choose wisely.

[ Free Company ]

A Free Company definitely has some similarities to the above mention Linkshells but also offers additional features for your group. While both offer dedicated forms of communication, a Free Company aims to focus a set network of players on tasks together. Another thing to take notice of is that you are only able to belong to one Free Company at a time, unlike the Linkshell’s limit of eight. So, in this case you would actually have to leave the one you belong to before joining another.

Of course a big difference is that a Linkshell may be created at anytime but there are a few tasks that must be finished before you can enter into a Free Company.

If you’d like to create your own Free Company, the first hurdle to overcome will be reaching level 25. If you haven’t already found a Free Company to call home once you’ve obtained this level in the game, it’s time to finally begin the arduous task of creating your own place to call home. Just like the Linkshell Distributor, there will be an NPC you must speak with before anything can be set in place.

Locating the Administrator is simple enough because they will always be located within your Grand Company Headquarters. Upon speaking to them you will be able to choose a name as well as a five-letter tag, which will appear next to your members name. Once this is done you will be required to payout a 15,000 Gil fee, but only after you have accrued three other players into your Free Company.

While I have not had a chance to experience it myself, it looks as though Square Enix has some ambitious plans for Free Companies. At E3 they briefly touched on the subject of housing, and in doing so mentioned a tasty morsel about Free Companies as well. It seems that they will be allowing Free Companies to purchase plots of land, but it may be a trial and error type affair. If all goes well and the idea picks up, they are considering the notion of letting players purchase their own individual homes.

[ The Duty Finder ]

So, what is the Duty Finder? Well, I suppose that’s a pretty good, albeit obvious question. Well, if we compare the concept to other MMOs you will see that it essentially is a dungeon or party finder. This feature is a way for Square Enix to try and stomp out the problem of being unable to find people to fight alongside.

The Duty Finder will allow you to form anything from small parties to alliances composed of multiple parties at once. You will even have the option to form these groups with players who aren’t in the same world as you. So, when preparing for a dungeon or a large-scale battle with a Primal, this will be a invaluable tool at your disposal.

This tool is aiming to simplify the entire process of forming groups, especially for those who have a hard time finding others. Beginning the process may seem daunting, but it is pretty straight forward; even beginners should be able to grasp it.

The first thing that must be done to use the Duty Finder is to bring up the menu. It starts with a simple press of either the start button on your PS3 controller or the menu in the bottom right of your PC screen. Once you’ve open the Duty Finder up, you will find yourself presented with a list of dungeons and raids that you have already come across, now the real fun begins.

Make sure to get geared up and ready before clicking on the raid or particular dungeon you wish to tackle. Hit the “join” button and sit back (or continue solo questing) while the game attempts to find other players looking to take on the same quest as you. Additionally, it doesn’t just look for any players available, it also fills the different roles needed for a battle. This means when you do finally group up to fight, you will have a solid attack and defense team in place.

The system itself is simplistic, yet it has incredible depth. It’s just another way FFXIV: ARR looks to bring players together. I must say that this actually works really well and looks to be a extremely prominent and useful tool in the world of Ezorea.

[ Wrap Up ]

It looks like there are big plans in store for the social network within the reborn realm of Final Fantasy XIV. Taking a look at the world’s different methods of networking, it’s beginning to become clear just how massive this game is attempting to be. All the social aspects detailed here seem to lend a hand to players’ ability to create a thriving community amongst themselves.

So, do you think these options have something special to offer or is it the same ole same ole? Let us know in the comments below what you think or as always you can shout directly at me on Twitter by clicking there —>Follow @John_Osiecki . Don’t forget we will be back soon with another FFXIV: A Realm Reborn preview and make sure to stay tuned here at Exilic for all your MMO news.

“A new age is upon us…and we fight, to make it ours.”
—Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Game Trailer

To complete the cycle of modifying the game after the initial reception, Square Enix announced a “2.0″ update of the game named Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. A Realm Reborn is not an expansion pack, but an entire reworking of the game built from the ground up. The project’s Alpha testing began in November 2012.

The update will require an all new client, available for download to players around the release date. It uses a different engine and will drastically redesign the game world map and boast completely different graphical and server structures; the new engine is said to be better optimized for both lower end PCs and the PlayStation 3. The main storyline will be slightly modified to fit in with the new Eorzea, but ultimately be the same, happening five years after the fall of Meteor.

Several other features are planned to be released around that date, including Player vs. Player (PvP) content. They have mentioned the addition of Miqo’te males, Highland Hyur and Roegadyn females as playable races, more character creation options, summoning and pet systems, auction houses (expanding on the current Market Wards), dungeon maps readable by disciples of the land, chocobo-back battles, player-run companies, and other adjustments and new systems, though many of these may appear after the 2.0 client has been released.

Recent artworks show concepts of Magitek armor from Final Fantasy VI planned to be a player mount, and inclusion of more monsters from earlier titles such as Behemoth and Iron Giant.
FFXIV PS3 InterfaceA screenshot of Playstation 3 version, showcasing the new UI.

During E3 2012, new information regarding the release for the PlayStation 3 version and the 2.0 revision of the game, along with new screens and artwork of the content for the update, was released. It included concept art for Typhon, a series recurring enemy, Fenrir with a design similar to that of the one seen in Final Fantasy XI, new screenshots of male Miqo’te as a Paladin and another as a Dragoon, as well as many new weapons and equipment. The first gameplay presentation was shown at Gamescom, and the Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary event on September 1st featured a keynote with Naoki Yoshida.

On July 5, 2012, Square Enix launched a new teaser site.

The Alpha Test, carried during the last several weeks of 2012, was an encouraging success. Many praised the Alpha for having far more content than was needed to conduct server stress tests.

The Beta Test application site is currently open, and the ARR beta commenced on February 25th, 2013, with testing currently in Phase 3. Legacy members and players with a Final Fantasy XIII Members Registration Code will be given priority for selection in Phase 1 of the Beta, but more testers will be invited regularly until the game’s launch; Phase 4 is currently slated to be an “open beta” in which progress made will carry forward into the release game, and in which virtually everyone who applied for testing beforehand will be allowed in.

Barring any last-minute emergencies, ARR is currently scheduled to launch on August 27, 2013, on both the PC and with the long-awaited PlayStation 3 version. Players who pre-order ARR will get “early access” to the release game ahead of the official launch date.

 

Unrevisitable Locations

Unrevisitable locations are locations that are accessed automatically during the storyline and inaccessible upon being left, thus, only visitable once in the entire play-through. Many unofficial guides and walkthroughs warn players of these locations beforehand, especially if they contain useful items.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years

The player can revisit some areas in different Tales, but in some Tales they may be unrevisitable. Some locations become unrevisitable after the Point of No Return in a Tale, but reloading the player after completing the Tale may place them back at an earlier location, so areas that can be revisited upon reloading are not noted here.

In Ceodore’s Tale the player cannot re-enter the Adamant Isle Grotto and Mythril after leaving the area. In Rydia’s Tale the Underworld and all locations within become inaccessible after traveling to Agart. In Edge’s Tale the player visits the Dwarven Castle, Tower of Trials, Mount Ordeals and the Impact Crater with the members of the Eblan Four, and can only visit them in Edge’s Tale once.

In Porom’s Tale the locations visited in flashbacks – Kaipo, the Ancient Waterway, Mist and the Feymarch – cannot be revisited in the final part of the Tale. In Kain’s Tale, the Mist Cliff, Kaipo, Ancient Waterway and Damcyan cannot be revisited.

In The Crystals, the final tale, many cave areas are blocked off by meteor strikes or cave-ins or otherwise cannot be re-entered. These locations are – Underground Waterway, Devil’s Road, Mist Cave, Ancient Waterway, Antlion’s Den, Impact Crater, Mt. Hobs, Mount Ordeals, Adamant Isles Forest, Agart Mine, and Tower of Babil. Additionally the Red Moon is inaccessible outside of The Lunarian’s Tale.

World & Lore
Final Fantasy XIV is set in the world of Hydaelyn. Players can currently explore a realm of Hydaelyn known as Eorzea, though there are many other distant landmasses with numerous civilizations.180px Eorzea Final Fantasy Xiv:Game Setting
EorzeaThe Eorzean Realm.
In Eorzea, towering mountains dominate the north, their peaks forever lashed with icy winds; to the south, a bleak expanse of unforgiving desert holds sway. These inhospitable lands hold irresistible lure for man and monster alike: the currents of Aether that run through the realm. Aether is a magical substance that flows through the planet and everything living on it. It can be used in a number of ways, including fuelling magic, powering machina, aiding in crafting, and allowing instantaneous teleportation through Aetheryte Crystals. This valuable substance can start wars, as different organisations and races compete for control over it.Eorzea is said to cycle through prosperous Astral eras and disastrous Umbral eras. Eons ago, the land was inhabited by gods and goddesses, which the wandering tribes that settled the land called the Twelve. The gods blessed the tribes that came to the savage land with welfare and prosperity, in what is known as the First Astral Era. The tribes began fighting with each other, and war tore Eorzea apart. The gods and goddesses vanished, starting the First Umbral Era. There have been six such eras of calamity since the First Astral Era ushered in the age of man. Each of the Umbral catastrophes has, in turn, borne the characteristics of one of the six elements. With the end of the last Umbral Era, all the elements had been represented, it was believed the current Astral Era would last into eternity. With the end of Final Fantasy XIV 1.0, and the fall of Dalamud, a period known as the Seventh Umbral Era has started. The unleashing of Bahamut has destroyed much of the land, and numerous other dark omens signal great suffering to come. The Realm Reborn relaunch will take place in this Seventh Umbral era.

Three major city states exist within Eorzea; the bustling commercial hub of Ul’dah, the forest nation of Gridania, and the marine city-state of Limsa Lominsa. Each state hosts a Grand Company – economic and military organisations tasked with defending the land. Adventures join these organisations to further their goals and ambitions, while at the same time helping keep the peace over Eorzea.

Eorzea’s main enemies consist of the Beastmen races and the Garlean Empire. Beastmen are a group of intelligent but monstrous clans, whose ideals and objectives clash with the humanoid races, while the Garlean Empire is a magically weak but technologically advanced, multiracial (though Hyruan-dominated) nation hailing from outside of Eorzea. They seek to conquer the land and its Aether, which powers their Magitek Armor.

City States
Ul’dah

The bustling commercial hub of Ul’dah sits amid the desolate desert landscape of southern Aldenard. The city is organized strategically around the dome-shaped citadel at its center. Its towering fortifications and protective outer walls are visible for malms in all directions, and serve as a stark deterrent to would-be besiegers.

Visitors from every corner of Eorzea come to Ul’dah to partake of the city’s famed recreation, most notably the fighting arenas and gambling halls. Ul’dahn culture is known for its affluence, and the nation’s wealth comes from its abundant mineral resources and prestigious clothcrafting industry.

Historically, it is the sultan who claims sovereignty over Ul’dah, but true power is wielded by the Syndicate, an elite group of six of the most influential and richest members of society. Nald’thal is the patron deity of the city, and two great halls devoted to his two aspects can be found in the eastern and western sections of the city.
FFXIV Ul’dah Flag
The bustling commercial hub of Ul’dah sits amid the desolate desert landscape of southern Aldenard. The city is organized strategically around the dome-shaped citadel at its center. Its towering fortifications and protective outer walls are visible for malms in all directions, and serve as a stark deterrent to would-be besiegers.

Visitors from every corner of Eorzea come to Ul’dah to partake of the city’s famed recreation, most notably the fighting arenas and gambling halls. Ul’dahn culture is known for its affluence, and the nation’s wealth comes from its abundant mineral resources and prestigious clothcrafting industry.

Historically, it is the sultan who claims sovereignty over Ul’dah, but true power is wielded by the Syndicate, an elite group of six of the most influential and richest members of society. Nald’thal is the patron deity of the city, and two great halls devoted to his two aspects can be found in the eastern and western sections of the city.

Limsa Lominsa

On the southern coast of the island of Vylbrand, under the shadow of ancient cliffs worn by the relentless onslaught of the Rhotano Sea, lies the marine city-state of Limsa Lominsa. Said to be blessed by the goddess of navigation, Llymlaen, the city is spread out over countless tiny islands, each connected by sturdy bridges of iron and wood construction, earning her the name the “Navigator’s Veil” from traveling bards who have witnessed the city’s beauty from afar.

Limsa Lominsa is a traditional thalassocracy, with power lying in the hands of the ruling party and its leader, the Admiral. Its economy is driven by shipbuilding, fishing, and blacksmithing, but the majority of wealth comes from the lucrative shipping industry.

To maintain the safety of its maritime routes, the city employs a formidable navy known as the Knights of the Barracuda. However, even in the waters nearby the city, pirate bands run rampant, reaving and pillaging.

Gridania

In the eastern reaches of the Aldenard landmass, home to vast, dense woodlands and coursing rivers, lies the forest nation of Gridania. The cityscape is a mosaic of labyrinthine waterways and great wooden structures, so gracefully constructed they seem a part of the surrounding environment.

The Gridanian emphasis on natural harmony has led to its preeminence among Eorzea’s city-states in trades such as forestry, agriculture, carpentry, and leatherworking. Gridania is home to the Wood Wailers, a militant band of polearm-wielding sentries charged with the protection of their homeland.

The favored goddess of the citizenry is Nophica, the Matron, but great faith is also placed in the wisdom of the Seedseers—young oracles who guide the nation based on the will of the forest’s elementals.

In the past few weeks, I have been able to spend a little time in the reimagined world of Eorzea. Eorzea is the world in which the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV is set. FFXIV was released in September 2010 to largely negative reviews. Claims that the game was poorly optimized, that it offered a sluggish and convoluted interface, and that quests felt boring and uninspired left many to feel that the game was unfinished upon release. The absence of the promised Playstation 3 version didn’t help matters. Fortunately, Square Enix realized the mistake it had made and announced in December 2010 that a major shift in the development team was taking place to correct the issues. The new dev team, lead by Naoki Yoshida, began work immediately and made several big changes and implemented patches that added significant new content. Finally on October 14, 2011, Square Enix announced its intention to relaunch the game as Final Fantasy XIV 2.0. Thus, FFXIV: A Realm Reborn came into existence.

FFXIV: ARR is set to include many changes upon launch, such as a revamped server system, redesigned graphics engine, a redesign of the game world, an optimized user interface, a revamping of the current jobs (as well as adding several more), PvP, the introduction of the FATE system and the long-delayed Playstation 3 version releasing alongside the PC version.

Well, enough of the history lesson, let’s talk about how ARR stands today. I played a few levels as a Gladiator but spent most of my time plowing through enemies as the Marauder (seen decked out above), both as as the human-like Hyur. My beta access was limited, so I didn’t get to a really high level or find any really good gear, but I did get enough of a taste of most of the game systems that I can offer some insight of what to expect.

The character creation is pretty standard fare as far as RPGs go, but I haven’t seen many MMOs with quite as extensive an offering of customization. I won’t bore you explaining every detail, but I want to make a note of the fantastic presentation. All the categories you can tweak to your liking has a distinct Final Fantasy feel to them. If you like the character design you’ve seen in the series, you shouldn’t be disappointed. Once you create your character, pick your class and choose your server, the game sends you into a dream-like cutscene sequence where you see yourself in common attire floating in space. A crystal appears in front of you, and next thing you know you see yourself decked out in high-level gear related to your class confronted by a menacing enemy that you engage in battle. The cutscene concludes with you waking up and being introduced to your character-specific starting area. I think this is a really cool way to give the player a tease of how badass his or her character will become. The cutscene also shows off how beautiful this game is. I can honestly say I haven’t seen a better looking MMO on the market. I played both the PS3 and PC versions, and while the PC version looks better, the PS3 version isn’t far behind at all and ran much smoother than I expected it to.

Once you get unleashed into the world, the game again turns into pretty standard MMO fare. What helps set ARR apart are its controls, U.I. and class system. If you’re using a keyboard and mouse, you aren’t going to see anything different than anything else on the market when it comes to the control. But if you’re using a gamepad, which you have the option to on PC and is the preferred control method on the PS3, you’re in for a treat. ARR uses a unique interface for use with a gamepad, which is a XrossMediaBar-like interface called the “Cross Hot Bar.” Playstation users will be familiar with this setup. This bar is used to access everything from configuration menus to maps to inventory to character loadout. The Cross Hot Bar also maps the action bar and macros to four icon sets horizontally arranged at the bottom of the screen. These are accessed through the combination of L2 and R2 trigger buttons and the directional pad and face buttons. Yes, it sounded a little confusing to me at first, but after a short while of using the system I couldn’t imagine playing any other way. The class system is very interesting as well. You can change classes by simply equipping different weapons, and at level 30 you can do quests to unlock an advanced version of your starting class called an advanced job. I can’t comment in detail on this as I did not personally get that far, but I like that it allows you to experiment with different classes so freely.

The questing and leveling also seemed like more of the same, but I had fun regardless. Most of the quests have gear rewards, which was highly motivating for me, especially in the beginning levels of the game. I can’t comment on how well the different Jobs work together as I didn’t run many instances with other players, but the few that I did seemed to be well-balanced. I did not get to partake in any PvP, so I can’t really comment there (personally I’ve never engaged in much PvP anyway). The battles I ran through were fun and engaging and took a bit of strategy to get through alive. One new mechanic that I find very interesting is the FATE mechanic. FATE stands for Full Active Time Event, which a large number of players can participate in no matter what their party status is. They are location-specific and vary in their objectives and offer good loot and experience if you participate. One may have everyone take down a giant monster, while others will have a specific number of a specific type of enemy that you must take down in a set amount of time. These ran seamlessly and are completely optional even if you find yourself in the middle of the fray accidentally. I’m intrigued at the potential that the Fate system has for varying the content of the game.

While the experience is almost identical on PS3 and PC, there are some differences. Unless you have a USB keyboard and mouse to hook up to your PS3, conversing with other players is going to be a chore. The U.I. is also going to take a little getting used to. If you do not use a mouse, you have to cycle through the different elements such as chat, world map, quest logs, etc., but a credit to the game is that the optional tutorials are invaluable and not intrusive. There is a bit of a learning curve, but if you can stick it out, you’ll be playing this MMO like you never have before (well a lot of you anyway). Another gripe I have about the PS3 version is there is no voice chat. When I play with friends I will more than likely play on my PC so I can use some kind of voice client. Just a few things to keep in mind.

I had a lot of fun with the limited time I got to spend with ARR and cannot wait to get my hands on more of the game. I can’t deny that it feels like most of the MMOs that are out there already, but it also feels fresh and has brought in some original systems to the table that has me intrigued. There’s no doubt that from the character creation screen to wandering around the world, it feels like a Final Fantasy game. It truly feels that Naoki Yoshida and Square Enix have gone to great lengths to make this a Realm Reborn. Look for its release on Playstation 3 and Microsoft Windows on August 27, 2013, and on the Playstation 4 in 2014.

 Hello future and present Eorzeans, thanks for returning to our Final Fantasy XXIV: A Realm Reborn Preview Series. Today, it’s all about leveling up.

If you’re an MMOer, you either love or hate the experience of leveling up; there’s really no in between.

If you love it, it’s because – let’s face it – you like lore. You like exploring. You like to get to know NPC’s, and you like to immerse yourself in the backstory. You live in this world, you may as well get the full experience of growing up in it.

If you hate it, it’s because you like to fight. You like to get to the end; you like big crits and super powerful abilities, and crawling up the ladder to get there is simply a pain in the ass.

[   MMO Leveling Formulas   ]

A few games have tried making leveling easier. The classic formulaic gather or kill quests are still in classic MMORPGs like WoW, but due to the public’s totally understandably weariness when it comes to repetitive grinding, they’ve been trying to get you to level cap more quickly.

Then there are games like TERA, which is sort of like WoW, except there are BAM encounters sometimes. There are also games like Diablo III or Marvel Heroes, where there’s a smooth, compelling story and great action combat, but the story ends halfway through your grind to endgame.

Other games have tried to embrace an “open world” concept, which does its best to eschew a pre-planned linear storyline in favor of encouraging you to go out and write your own story however you wish, à la Age of Wushu.

Now, before I say what I’m about to say, I’m going to have to offer you this disclaimer: I effing love FFXIV: ARR. I just do. I’m going to pre-order the crap out of that thing, and wish I could do it twice. So now you know I’m a little biased.

That being said, I think leveling in ARR is revolutionary, and literally has something for everyone. Even you, Mr. Endgame Racerface.

[   How Classes Work   ]

Before I get too far into descriptions of the different ways to level, we need to make sure we’re all on the same page about how classes work in ARR.

There are different types of classes, and different types of gear available to them. We’re going to talk about this more in depth in a different preview article on classes, professions and jobs (they’re different), but for now, here are the basics:

• You switch classes by switching weapons
• Once you level your first class to level 10, you can then become any other class
• Some class combinations work together to later help you learn a job. Once your first combat class is level 30, and your second one is level 15, if they’re the right combination, you’ll unlock an optional job. For example, if you’re a level 30 Lancer and a level 15 Pugilist, the Dragoon job unlocks.
• A job is an advanced combat class, not a crafting class. Crafting classes are different, but also begin at level 1 and are leveled independently and can be learned by anyone.
• To level a crafting class, you equip the tool of your trade, the gear set with bonuses to that trade, and you get to work. You can quest or craft to level up your crafting profession.

We’re not going to talk a whole bunch about crafting here, since that deserves its own article as well. But I thought it was important to make sure everyone knows that you can’t level crafting while you level your combat class, you can only get experience toward one thing at a time (by equipping the appropriate weapon or tool).

That being said, let’s have a look at different ways to level your first combat class. Keep in mind that when you switch to a new class, you’ll need to travel to the city where that class’s guild resides and do the whole leveling process over again.

[   Questing   ]

There are two types of basic quests here: required and optional. You can level up without ever doing an optional quest, but you must move through the story to unlock certain things you’ll need in the game, like access to another class or the ability to travel around. Plus, it’s Final Fantasy – the cut scenes are gorgeous.

The quests you must complete (as well as the quest mobs you must kill for that quest) are denoted by a special icon that looks like a “Q” on fire.

Just like most other MMOs, however, questing is probably the easiest way to get gear, cash and experience.

[   Levequests   ]

Once you complete a quest to unlock them after level 10, you can complete Levequests. These are given at the Battlewarden, and appear in your questlog but look different than normal quests on your mini-map.

To begin a Levequest, you need to find it in your quest journal and initiate it. All of the Levequests I tried were timed and instanced, although if you were on the same Levequest as someone nearby, they could tag the quest mobs as well.

[   Guildhests   ]

Once you’ve done your first Levequest, you’ll be able to sign up for Guildhest. A Guildhest is a five man group quest where you are qued up and instanced into an encounter with an objective.

You must que for Guildhests at the Battlewarden, who is normally right next the the Levemate. If you have people in your party higher than the appropriate level, they’ll be scaled down.

You must complete the Guildhests in the order they’re listed on when you queue up. When you’re finished, you must talk to the NPC at the start of the Guildhest quickly – once, I stopped to take a few screenshots after the kill and I was ported out before I could collect my reward.

[   Hunter Log   ]

If you don’t like the whole questing and grouping thing, you can complete the entries in your Hunter Log. Found amongst the icons on the bottom left of your screen, your Hunter Log is a list of aggressive in your area.

By completing the required amount of killing listed in the log, you’ll receive bonuses and experience. This log can be used the same way for gathering and crafting.

[   FATES   ]

Much like the random group encounters in TERA or Marvel Heroes, FFXIV: ARR has FATES, which were discussed in previous articles as ways to get a quick bit of XP and cash.

If you’re in a level-appropriate zone and you see a purple circle on your mini-map, just head over and join the fray. If you’re too high or too low, however, you won’t be rewarded much.

[   Closing Thoughts   ]

Since this is beta, we can most certainly expect there to be more ways of leveling as more content is unveiled. This game is nothing if not complex and full of options in the best way possible.

Our next FFXIV previews will cover the class and job system, as well as crafting.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will finally release on August 27th for PC and PS3 and attempt to right its initial missteps.

When the game initially released on September 30th, 2010 for the PC, it was met with widespread criticism. Unfortunately, this was not only well-founded but also led to the postponement of the PlayStation 3 Release. Despite its negative reception and the announcement that came in October of 2011 that the game would be completely overhauled, the original version of FFXIV stayed live until November 11th, 2012.

The good news behind all of this is that Square Enix seems to have recognized the shortcomings of FFXIV 1.0,  and set out to right its wrongs. You can read all about that (as well as the game’s character customization) in our first FFXIV: A Real Reborm Preview.

The other good news? FFXIV has finally made it to the PS3!

Now that FFXIV: ARR is nearing its arrival, the beta version is in full swing for both PC and PS3 players. So, without further adieu, it is my great pleasure to continue the weekly breakdown of the most important aspects in this new incarnation of FFXIV.

[ FATE Battles ]

What exactly are FATE battles? Well, if you break it down they are essentially instanced battles with a Final Fantasy twist. Full Active Time Events (or FATEs) are random events that occur throughout the world in designated locations. Once initiated, these battles may be joined by anyone willing to run head first into the fight. Of course, once the FATE is completed you will be rewarded according to your participation. While the same FATE battles will pop up within set areas over time, it is still nice to be able to fight alongside other players. This is a great option for those who haven’t linked up with a party yet and delivers a great sense of teamwork.

These FATE battles also have an important part in the main quest line, and as you begin to level things begin to get a little notorious. Yes, that’s right, notorious monsters and primals will make appearances on the battlefields of FFXIV. Luckily these creatures will are restricted to these instanced battles and therefore ensure they aren’t throwaway moments. I can say from experience that during the main quest line, Ifrit makes an appearance in one such fight and is an important part of the main story line.

All of that is fine and well, but how does the system actually feel? Does it work? After hours of these FATE battles I can stand as a testament to the fact that they actually do what they set out to do. These instances do a wonderful job of creating a sense of teamwork, and when big battles (like Ifrit) do arise they feel refreshing and fun. While it may not be a game-changer or a even a new idea within the MMO world, these FATEs have enough Final Fantasy in them to make them feel distinct.

[ Level Sync ]

FATE battles also feature the Level Sync system, which allows everyone to evenly participate, even in lower level fights. Sounds great, but what exactly is Level Sync? Great question, I’m glad you asked.

The Level Sync system operating with the world of Ezorea allows all party members to be set at a designated level for a set period of time. This system may be used with your own personal party or in conjunction with FATE battles. Essentially, it scales down everyone to an assigned level so that the playing field is even and everything is dealt with in a fair fashion.

Watching this system in action and actually playing through it allows you to understand how this can only help FFXIV ensure there is always something to do. Not that you should ever feel like there’s nothing to do, it is an MMO after all, but when encountering low-level instanced battles this allows you to participate fairly. When entering into these fights you will be allowed to sync, which then lets you join the fight and reap the rewards.

[ Hot Keys – PS3 ]

Okay, so now something special for all the console players out there that will be getting into the realm of Ezorea for the first time. Let’s face it, the User Interface is a big problem in most console based MMOs; the transition from a keyboard to a controller makes this extremely frustrating. FFXIV looks to correct this problem by mapping a set of eight commands to each back trigger, L2 & R2 respectively, and a combination of either the D-pad or the face buttons. Using R1 before hand will allow you to switch between different sets of command layouts, which opens the gates for a massive amount of these combinations.

Console players staring at this UI for the first time may begin to feel a bit overwhelmed. It seems like a lot, but once you get rolling you’d be surprised. As you begin to gain abilities through leveling, you will see these slots filled up. The next thing you know, you’re swapping between potions and abilities like it’s second nature. While gameplay still seems to feel more natural on the PC, it’s clear how much work Square Enix put in to the console version of this title and the user interface is just one great example of this.

[ Wrap Up ]

Now that we have had a little time to go through some important issues within the combat realms of FFXIV and one specifically for the console players, it’s clear that this is shaping up to be a valiant effort by Square Enix. Don’t worry, we’ll be back with another preview of FFXIV: A Realm Reborn soon. Remember to keep checking back here at Exilic for the latest on FFXIV and all your MMO news, reviews and previews. Make sure to let us know your favorite primal or NM and how these battle systems sound to you in the comments below.