|
Hello, everyone! Things have gotten pretty spooky over in Eorzea today, but unfortunately there are some things I'd like to get that I just cannot. For shame, I know. I'm wondering if I can get some assistance. I'm basically seeking a screenshot of both of the non-Immortal Flame Grand Company commanders doing their respective salute at the main area for the seasonal event, at night. It would be greatly appreciated if anyone is able to help! Thanks! Also, expect an update soon. I'm going to the Fan Festival event in London this weekend, so I plan to put something up before I go. I'll take some photos to share while I'm there. As an aside, will anybody else be going? Let me know, because if so then we can say hello and maybe even take on Odin together or something!
|
#
?
Oct 20, 2014 23:47
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 27, 2024 19:55 |
|
|
There don't seem to be many other players running around in the game world. Is that just because you're in the starting area or what?
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 01:58
|
|
|
Livewire42 posted:There don't seem to be many other players running around in the game world. Is that just because you're in the starting area or what? He's not on one of the big servers like Balmung or Excalibur, so a little less congestion is to be expected. I think he intentionally chose a less populated server so there wouldn't be like fifteen to twenty people in any given town shot.
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 02:09
|
|
|
Depending on when these were taken, we're also in a bit of a patch lull, and for the most part, the majority of actual game-play content (that's really worth doing) is instanced anyway. So if you're not in the towns, it's not that abnormal for the zone to be somewhat empty. With the Halloween event and 2.4 right around the corner, the number of players ingame is likely to pick up. I could probably grab video of both the other commanders for the Halloween event since I currently have two characters on two different servers.
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 03:31
|
|
|
Xenoveritas posted:Depending on when these were taken, we're also in a bit of a patch lull, and for the most part, the majority of actual game-play content (that's really worth doing) is instanced anyway. So if you're not in the towns, it's not that abnormal for the zone to be somewhat empty. With the Halloween event and 2.4 right around the corner, the number of players ingame is likely to pick up. Pretty much a combination of things. I'm in a low population server, and I tend to record footage off-peak times (which is fairly easy when I'm on a NA server and I'm from the UK). Most of the players on that server seem to hang around Mor Dhona, which is basically an end-game region, too, but it does get somewhat busy later in my day. I've ended up hiding names later on (which is something I should have thought to have done sooner) because things have started getting busier with the pre-2.4 hype. quote:I could probably grab video of both the other commanders for the Halloween event since I currently have two characters on two different servers. That would be pretty fantastic. Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 08:38
|
|
|
For better screenshots, might I suggest turning off floating names on random players and pets? Possibly even monsters, too, outside of combat/targeting. I did that while playing a while back, and it made towns feel so much less pointlessly cluttered. The relevant NPCs were still highlighted, but player name tags didn't show up until I targeted.
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 11:50
|
|
|
Dominic White posted:For better screenshots, might I suggest turning off floating names on random players and pets? Possibly even monsters, too, outside of combat/targeting. I did that while playing a while back, and it made towns feel so much less pointlessly cluttered. The relevant NPCs were still highlighted, but player name tags didn't show up until I targeted. CrashScreen posted:I've ended up hiding names later on (which is something I should have thought to have done sooner) because things have started getting busier with the pre-2.4 hype. Literally the post above yours. Anyway, I heard patch 2.4 is coming out on the 28th so yay for new story stuff. DPS queues will be hell though 
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 15:16
|
|
|
Derpes posted:Literally the post above yours. Derp indeed. Clearly I need to start drinking coffee again. Anyway, looking forward to seeing this LP continue. We can pretty much skip over all sidequests - there's enough main story arc content to last forever and a day, anyhow.
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 15:19
|
|
|
I'm pretty pleased with this thread. I'm glad you chose something other then Gridania, since that's where I started (LNC). So now I don't have to make new characters just to see the level 1-15 content for Ul'Dah and possibly Limsa Lominsa. Also, the information on 1.0 is really fascinating. I'm glade SE gave the old game a good sendoff. I mean, the game seemed to be terrible, but the gesture was nice.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 16:07
|
|
|
On 1.0, it was still getting updated while development for ARR was going on. It actually shaped up to be decent towards the end. Not great, but not the turd the game was at the start of things. Patches alone couldn't fix a lot of the underlying bullshit decisions made to begin with though.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 19:33
|
|
|
Chapter 9: The End of My Silver Bazaar Vacation Last time, I reached the current end of a subplot in the main storyline, and decided to do a handful of side quests to prepare for main scenario quests a little further down the line, as it was a good breaking point. XIV offers a lot of side quests to avoid having to grind very much, and to also provide some free equipment. In trying to further Crash Screen's reputation in Thanalan, we left off when I started meddling in the affairs of a small, dying settlement. A rich lord is sending thugs to force residents to close up shop, and many are leaving due to the lack of customers to begin with. I've been running tasks for Kikipu, but just behind her is another Lalafell that seems to have a problem.  While I won't actually be doing that many of the sidequests in this LP, at least, not for my main class--the Silver Bazaar storyline does complement the gladiators' guild quests. Fafafono's quest line is optional for the Silver Bazaar quests. Instead players can skip him and do the other quest in the area. I feel that it complements this story too, so I'll be briefly running through it.  Fafafono wants me to bring him four bottles of coblyn grease, which can be obtained by slaying Rusty Coblyns. I've to deliver them to Adelard, who readers may remember from the last update. The grease is to help the hammers run. Oh. "I'm surrounded by fools here. They detest the hammers and the new way of life they symbolize. They care only for the successes of the past, but it blinds them to the opportunities of the present. Change isn't coming, friend-it's already here! I call the Silver Bazaar home for now, but I've no lingering affection for the place. I go wherever there is gil to be gotten" Should I really be helping this guy after all?  The Coblyns were designed to be the goblins of XIV, back in 1.0. This isn't true now, as Goblins now exist in the game. These creatures love to devour metal, and are usually a huge pest problem. If you're looking for ore and don't want to mine it, you can usually salvage it from these guys.  They're also one of the earliest enemies in the game to use a full circle area attack. It can hurt, so always make sure to avoid it. You're definitely given enough time to clear the area before it finishes casting too. A point that should be noted is that battle calculations are handled immediately upon the end of cast-time. This means that the result has been decided even during the animation. If you get out of the area before the animation plays, you're not guaranteed to avoid it. It also means that you can step in to start fighting again even during the animation, so you're losing out on damage dealt by waiting for the animation to play.  Returning to Adelard finishes the quest. He's happy to receive what he needs and explains that the ground is being pounded by the hammers to make foundation for estates for the Ul'dahn elite. There's nothing really new here, but he complains about Kikipu's resistance because she owns the majority of the land for the Silver Bazaar, where they want to extend the estates.  Completing Fafafono's quest will unlock his next one, which will also reward us with a bit of an upgrade.  These leggings set the standard for the majority of level 8 gear that I'll be obtaining.  Who did he think I was when he sent me on his errand? "Some wares I ordered from an Ul'dahn merchant arrived, but those bloody worthless haulers just dropped them outside the gate and left. "Ain't obliged to bring 'em no further," the lazy bastards said. "Gate to the Bazaar's still the Bazaar. Order ain't said nothin' 'bout no home deliver." The gall! <sigh> There are three pieces in all. Would you be so good as to bring them to me?"  They are, indeed, just outside the gate and thank Thal that I got here in time. They were clipping through the hill and who knows what could happen to them. There's three of them in all, but who cares? They all contain flawed garments from Sunsilk Tapestries, who produce their Eorzean-wide famous brand of clothing.  "<sigh> Times used to be better. We were never driven to such...lows. But gil is harder to come by now, and more so with each passing day. All that's left to this Bazaar are overly proud souls with underly developed tastes. Everyone clings to the glories of the golden past, yet none make efforts to reshape the dismal present. I pray this damnable Bazaar someday sinks beneath the sands that strangle it. The sooner the better."  Down by the docks is the quest giver to continue Kikipu's story.   Danyell explains that his fisherman dad hasn't been sailing in weeks over a broken compass. Eshtaime's Lapidaries is a jewellers from Ul'dah that are also Eorzea-wide famous.  Magnetite is a quest-only item that can be obtained from the rocks nearby the lighthouse. It looks really suspicious with that strange, dark aura surrounding it. Quests use this to denote areas in which the player will be ambushed to progress the quest. Only one enemy spawns at each of the three spots, and there's nothing earth shattering about the Earth Sprites that attack you.  After collecting the magnetites, I've to return them to Danyell's father, Galfridus. He just makes up a new excuse as to not bother doing work though. It's no wonder this place is dying. The old man also reminisces about when ships filled the shores and everyone had money.  "I ain't no fisherman no more, nor much of a father I s'pose. Just a broken man with a broken compass an' broken dreams." It's a little bit sad, though.  There is more that can be done for him, though, and he has a new quest for me. This quest will provide another level 8 upgrade.  Rather than make new lures, Galfridus wants me to go kill some goblins for his lucky copper lures.  The camp of goblins isn't very far from the Silver Bazaar, and is found north of the hammers. I need to beat up two of them. These goblins are basically identical to the Final Fantasy XI goblins, wearing even the same masks. They're actually not aggressive either, so it's easy to isolate them one at a time to take care of.  I forgot what their attack did, so I had to eat it, but it's fairly easy to avoid a Bomb Toss. Their bombs actually do no damage, but they also stun you for about 3 seconds, effectively missing a full turn. It's nothing catastrophic, but it can be a little annoying if you accidentally catch the attention of more than one goblin for some reason. The attack isn't limited to the area surrounding the monster, and they can instead target you from afar with it. The three seconds of stun gives them enough time to get over to you and give you a solid auto-smack. Unfortunately, the lures are a bit beat up, but I'm sure everything will be fine.  He decides that he'll try something new with his life, and realises that it's time to also leave the Bazaar with his trusty compass. I notice that I've actually been doing more harm than good here...  It certainly did me more good, though, as I got a level up and new piece of equipment for my hands for completing the quest. Please rate my Fashion Fantasy character.  Completing that last quest also unlocks the final side quest for this area.  The Hempen Acton isn't actually a massive upgrade over my current gear. I lose a parry point for dexterity, and I lose some defence. The only benefit to this gear would be against those earth sprites, or any mages I may come across but hey what are the chances of that happening? It's actually a little underwhelming regardless of your class, as the level 5 class quests provide a better body. If you made a mistake and took something else during that quest, then this would actually be a good upgrade.  One of these days I'll remember to set myself on busy status when recording. It prevents you from receiving tells and party invites. Also, I've already done so much for them? I guess she hasn't caught wind of my recent activities.  "Those fiends have drawn up a fake contract of sale and are trying to use it to drive us from the Bazaar!"? "Do you smell that, Kikipu? That is the smell of inevitability. You knew this day would come. You simply chose to fill the interim with resistance rather than acceptance. Brave, but foolish."  It's worth pointing out that Kendrick is dressed in the same attire as a small group hanging around in one of the Silver Bazaar ruins. They claim to be interested in rebuilding the Bazaar into the state it was before the Calamity.  "Easily arranged, I assure you. Come, Kikipu, listen to reason. You know who we are. You know our deeds. You've no hope in this. Look at this miserable place. A stain on the map. You resist now, but I swear I will lay waste to these shabby tents and broken buildings. And when I'm finished, I guarantee you will thank me for it." "We sweated together when we dug this well. We laughed and drank together in every festival. And we mourned together with each life the desert took from us."The well is actually a new feature to the Silver Bazaar. Prior to the Calamity, there was no well and their water source came from a cave.  "<sigh> Stubborn girl... No matter. The sale is all but concluded. Look about you. Writs of seizure have already been posted."   The quest works in a similar way as the Magnetite quest. Whenever you approach a Writ of Seizure, it'll be inside the purple aura of ambush (not it's actual name).  The enemies consist of the playable races, and all conform to the armory system. This Hired Hand is a Gladiator, and can consequently use Gladiator skills up to level 7.  The classes for the Hired Hands will be restricted to that of the classes from Ul'dah. This one here is a Thaumaturge. One point to make is that the NPC version of Thunder is slightly different. For NPCs, Thunder will simply just deal lightning damage. The player version of Thunder will do less damage, but will do also do damage for every three seconds that pass.  You'll be able to take down the writs once you've defeated its guard. They don't pose much threat, and well geared players should face no real challenge yet. There also doesn't appear to be any debuffs from them either.  After tearing them all down, I deliver them to Kenrick in an act of defiance. He's cocky, that is, until I hand him the writs.  "The day may be yours, but I will be back soon, and with far more fearsome company. You've made me an enemy for life, you fool. I won't be content simply to see the Bazaar struck from the maps. No, I will not rest until its name is wiped from every history book in Eorzea!"He's literally only missing the cartoon villain laugh at this point.  With Kenrick's lousy plan foiled, I return to give Kikipu the good news. "Uh... I-I've never had a way with words... Bloody paltry things. But I, er...we would like to thank you, Crash. You've not just saved the Silver Bazaar. You've saved me. You've saved who I am. I see now that I'll have to maintain constant vigilance to keep my home from harm. But it's a vigil I welcome. I'll stand up to any threat that comes through that gate. " Huh?   It seems that Galfridus and Fafafono, who are always hanging around at the well, must have overheard Kikipu's little motivational speech earlier. Fafafono finally decides that this is also his home too, and he'll stay and build even if there's nothing.   "So long as we remain, so too does hope. You taught us what it is to defend the home we love, and from now on, we'll do no less for ourselves than you've done for us." "She and I have been friends for many years. Let her read my words, and she'll be able to give you the reward I cannot."With that, I'm done with the Silver Bazaar, and finished with our detour.  When I hand Momodi the letter, she tells me a little bit about her friendship with Kikipu.  "Kikipu's the very heart and soul of that place. Hells, even most folk here in the city still remember her name. Breaks my bloody heart to hear her and them good folk were nearly forced from their land. Dirty business, that." I had to screenshot that line. "In any case, I thank the Twelve you were there to help them. Here, for you-on behalf of Kikipu and the Bazaar." With that, the quest is finished. This will probably be the only time, putting aside the really rare exception, that I'll be covering sidequests like I did here. For the most part, I'll save the interesting ones with a storyline for when I'm focusing on other classes, after the main scenario is complete. I just wanted to show that the sidequests can have an actual story too, and I wanted to share something on the Silver Bazaar as it won't be involved in the main scenario, where most places are introduced. We will eventually be returning again, but that won't be for a while yet. Bonus:  This is what the Silver Bazaar looked like before Bahamut was released upon Eorzea. The ground surrounding it has been flattened in recent years, and the shore has come in closer too. There were cliffs with a drop into the ocean nearby, but not as close as they are now.  Behind the central building, which has been replaced by a well, was a cave that lead to the water supply. This cave has since disappeared, and this should be roughly where the docks are now. CrashScreen fucked around with this message at 13:39 on Oct 23, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 03:37
|
|
|
Still loving the LP. It might be a bit much to ask, but I might as well. Do you think you can sorta recap what's going on from time to time? I'm ont sure I understood the point of any of what Crash just did besides "We need exp". What even is our current goal?
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 06:44
|
|
|
We're still messing around Ul'dah doing odds and ends.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 06:45
|
|
|
SonicRulez posted:Still loving the LP. It might be a bit much to ask, but I might as well. Do you think you can sorta recap what's going on from time to time? I'm ont sure I understood the point of any of what Crash just did besides "We need exp". What even is our current goal? I don't think you fully understand the adventuring lifestyle. If someone offers you a quest, you do it, no questions asked. In gameplay terms, the Silver Bazaar storyline is 100% optional. You could theoretically completely ignore it, but it gives you gear, money, and experience. If you were to ignore it, I think you'd actually end up below the required level to proceed with the main story quest, which is a thing that can (and definitely will) happen. So you can either aimlessly grind on defenseless critters (dumb), or do a nice little side quest chain that gives you rewards on top of the experience (smart).
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 07:06
|
|
|
FFXIV is filled with these types of chain sidequests, and early in the game, it makes otherwise grindy leveling actually a bit of fun. Storywise, the "main hero" (you, the player) is still just an unknown adventurer looking for...well, adventure.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 07:52
|
|
|
SonicRulez posted:Still loving the LP. It might be a bit much to ask, but I might as well. Do you think you can sorta recap what's going on from time to time? I'm ont sure I understood the point of any of what Crash just did besides "We need exp". What even is our current goal? Sure thing. I'll modify the last couple of posts to make it clearer for anyone else in the future too. As others have pointed out, I done a small series of sidequests to ensure I meet the level of quests that are coming later. I could have done the next couple of main scenario quests, but I figured that was a good point to split off and also show off sidequests. It also gears you up for free. The game is basically designed to smooth the levelling process of your first class a lot, so doing the sidequests tend to keep you on track. As for the goal, at the moment the quests are all kind of about building your reputation within Ul'dah. As an unknown adventurer, you basically look for tasks to help people out and get a name for yourself. The reason this lead me to the Silver Bazaar was because someone we met had a small request to hand something over to Kikipu, and that's when your character kind of learns about the trouble they're facing over land disputes.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 13:05
|
|
|
Digital Jello posted:FFXIV is filled with these types of chain sidequests, and early in the game, it makes otherwise grindy leveling actually a bit of fun. Storywise, the "main hero" (you, the player) is still just an unknown adventurer looking for...well, adventure. To further elaborate on this, Lv1-20 is pretty much the path from being a nobody fresh off the boat (or cart, as the case may be here) to being a potential hero. A lot of gameplay features unlock after that point, too Things really kick off at 20, and it escalates all the way until the end.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 16:48
|
|
|
You really can't stress enough that you should never rely on AoE animations for your dodging, since while most give you more than enough time to get out of the indicated zone, with some you need to move as soon as you see them to dodge/survive the attack. In certain Endgame fights it also helps to use a skill/spell after you ran out of the zone to force the server to update your position.
|
|
#
?
Oct 24, 2014 21:29
|
|
|
CrashScreen posted:That would be pretty fantastic. Thanks! Turns out getting them is random and rare. But I got Merlwyb, finally. On the wrong character so I have her doing the Serpent Salute, but whatever. I also have video of me doing the entire event because - you know, why not? Edit: And the very first glamour I get on the other character is Khan E Senna. So now I have video of two faction leaders doing the wrong salute. Xenoveritas fucked around with this message at 20:30 on Oct 26, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 26, 2014 20:15
|
|
|
Xenoveritas posted:Turns out getting them is random and rare. But I got Merlwyb, finally. On the wrong character so I have her doing the Serpent Salute, but whatever. I also have video of me doing the entire event because - you know, why not? Well, to be fair, the GC leaders doing the wrong salutes sounds very spooky. E: Basically, that's fine. Thanks for taking the footage for me! CrashScreen fucked around with this message at 10:23 on Oct 27, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2014 09:13
|
|
|
Right, I want to do a quick little vote. I can potentially have three updates this week depending on what you would all like. Given that it's Halloween very soon, I've been writing up an update specific to the holiday. I plan to have the main story progress on the weekend as well, regardless of the outcome here. I'm wondering if you would be interested in an update covering the Halloween event from last year, the Halloween event from this year, or both? Keep in mind, this won't affect main scenario progress, but I understand two updates on just seasonal events might not be as interesting for people as one would be, so it's up to all of you if you want both right now or if there's a specific event you'd currently prefer.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2014 12:49
|
|
|
Well, I didn't see the Halloween event last year, so obviously that's the one I'm interested in, just to see how different it is.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2014 14:40
|
|
|
I would be fine with both events, especially to see the differences between both.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2014 14:53
|
|
|
Seasonal: All Saints' Wake It's the All Saints' Wake festival in Eorzea today! It is said that the Twelve would have a large banquet to celebrate a bountiful harvest, and that they invited all of the Saints to feast. This left the realm of Eorzea free for the evils of the night to wander free. To leave their homes, Eorzeans would cloak themselves in guises of those of the monsters that wander, and that became the All Saints' Wake. There was only one All Saints' Wake festival in 1.0. The seasonal event was added in 2011, and involved a number of Imps breaking free of their confinements after their guards left for home before sunset of All Saints' Wake. They attempted to humiliate the Adventurers' Guild with riddles and such, and they were humoured to avoid civilian [casualties], but were beaten by adventurers and returned to their cells. It wasn't until 2013 that the event came back for A Realm Reborn, and it's returned again.  Today, I'm going to participate in the new All Saints' Wake, so let's go participate. I'll need to initiate the starting quest in Gridania, so I'll go rent a Chocobo.  For some reason, Crash Screen's suffering a bit of a headache all of a sudden. I wonder what's going on?  While not in the screenshot (you can complain to the me of 2013), the Shifty Thespian here has a quest marker above their head. The quest is available between 6pm and 6am, and is called Not-so-Evil Dead. Level 1 characters are able to do it. I don't have a screenshot of the quest window but it's not really important. The reward is Wailing Spirit outfit, which is also currently available on the item store. But wait, that was an item from last year's event?  "From spooks and shadows do not shy~♪ Come one, come all, for All Saints' Wake is nigh!♪ Yes, the ancient tradition of All Saints' Wake has returned to Eorzea. 'Tis a night when the saints feast in the heavens above, and the denizens of the realm below partake in masquerades and mischief."It sounds like this person, possibly a Lalafell, is dressed in costume for the All Saints' Wake. Looks like I didn't need to go to Gridania at all. "And who am I, you ask? Merely a humble circus performer, come to Limsa Lominsa with my troupe to add some spice to the celebration. My costume is most convincing? Oh, you are far too kind. Heh heh heh... At any rate, we'd be most obliged if you could lend us a helping hand. If you're interested, you need only speak to the leader of our troupe, the Impresario, and obtain a costume of your own. Happy haunting!"The costume is the reward for the quest. Funny, though. I didn't see it as the reward for this year's All Saints' Wake too. Hmm...  The Elezan in the middle is Impresario and talking to him completes the quest. He has lots to say, so I'm going to trim it a little.  "Greetings, my adventuring friend. I am the Impresario, manager and stage director of a travelling circus summoned to this nation to enliven the seasonal festivities. It is a pleasure indeed to make your acquaintance."He explains the observance of All Saints' Wake. I hope your light is dim and your room is silent. "The observance of All Saints' Wake can be traced to eras long past. Legend has it that once each year, come harvest time, the Twelve would show their favor to the saints-those exalted personages that grace guildleves-by inviting them to a lavish feast held in the celestial realm. The townsfolk, not accustomed to being without their guardians for even a night, quickly grew fearful of the common beasts around them. This spurred them to don the guises of specters and engage in a manner of mischief and revelry, that they might ward away the terrors-or at the very least, forget their fears until the dawn."The Twelve are ever neglectful. "Sadly, such customs have fallen out of favor since the Calamity, with more pressing concerns leaving little time for idle celebration. So did the august leaders of Limsa Lominsa call upon the services of my humble band of thespians, that we might restore the tradition to its former glory. This ghastly guise I wear was crafted by a costumer in my troupe's employ, and it is with pleasure that I furnish you with an outfit of your own. I bid you to take your place among the dead, that a night of delightful terrors can be had by all!" And with that, the quest is complete. I obtain the Wailing Spirit outfit. However that's not the end of the event, and Impresario has something else for me to do. The task is a quest called "Show Me the Candy" and it's only available for level 15 characters. He'll even give me (pumpkin) cookies for doing it! The cookie only provides a Vitality +1 bonus though, besides the well fed 3% bonus exp. It's worth noting that you can't really start the quest without wearing your new outfit, as Impresario wants people to help out with the festivities garbed in costume. "Those tattered rags are most becoming on you, friend. Had I not known otherwise, I would have suspected you were long since dead. Heh heh heh... Now, with no further ado, let the hauntings begin! My troupe has prepared a spine-tingling diversion worthy of the occasion. Thespians under my direction have disguised themselves as ghastly gremlins of all stripes and taken to the streets of the three city-states to haunt the local populace."A common thing in seasonal events is that they require you to participate in each city-state. I suspect this is to ensure that it's fair to players not currently able to access that city-state. While you can travel between Ul'dah and Gridania on foot, you will be restricted from travel between the Aldenard and Vylbrand until a certain point in the main scenario storyline. Impresario then explains that I've to give his Thespians a good scare to receive some candy, which I've then to feed to a magic pot for my reward.  The first thespian is this skittish acrobat. What I unfortunately lack is a screenshot of his cowering before you speak to him, but he's covering his head in fear. When you interact with him, you first interact like he's an object. This results in a progress bar and waving your hands around, which looks like a thing a ghost would do actually.  "Y-Ye gads! Wh-What's the big idea!? An adventurer like you might not understand, but we zombies are delicate creatures. Why, the last time someone t-tapped me on the shoulder, my arm fell clean off!"I guess this acrobat is playing a zombie acrobat then? "Now look at what you've done! You gave me such a fright that my worm-eaten heart dropped into where my stomach used to be, and the mouldy, maggot-infested cookies I was using to patch up the gaping holes in my body are scattered everywhere! The least you could do is apologize. But noooooo, you just want my candy. Well, too bad─you're not getting anything from me. If you're starving for sweets, eat those cookies. I'll carry on......somehow."The poor Just for kicks, when you speak to him without costume he'll say: "Wh-Whaaa...!? An adventurer!? Y-You don't scare me! Besides, the boss told me only to answer to my fellow undead."Hmm...  There are four All Saints' Cookies lying around nearby to be picked up. They take like a couple of seconds to pick up each. When I hand it back to him, he's grateful. Unfortunately, he doesn't have any candy to give me. "Sadly, I've no candy to my name...save for this piece that I've been using as a makeshift eyeball. Just give me one moment to pop it out and wipe the pus off, and... Voilà, good as new!"Oh, right.  This Mucose Mummer is found in the city-state of Limsa Lominsa, in the Lower Decks. Crash Screen does not currently have the ability to travel here, so I will not be showing the city off any time soon. He'll tell you to get lost when you speak to him, but you can choose to say three things. Like with the others, he'll shoo you off if you don't have your costume on. Nice costume you have there.  "Costume...? What cos─ I mean, thank you! But flattery won't get you any treats from me, if that's your plan. Now shoo!"A talking... pudding? "That's right! You got a problem with that!?"To progress, you'll need to say the third option, which is actually first on the list. How would we scare a man in a talking pudding costume? I'm from the Culinarians' Guild, and... "P-P-Please don't eat me! I swear on every onze of jelly in my body, I taste disgusting! Why, just look at this sickly color! And have you taken a whiff of me? You'll have the entire realm throwing up in their chamberpots! H-Here, take this instead! You have my word, it tastes a hundred times better than I ever could! Now, really, get lost─you're giving me the creeps!" In New Gridania, we have this pair. The shifty thespian on the left is our quest objective, though we're to scare the Somber Strongman on the right. "Well, hullo there. Looking for a treat, are you? Had you come a few bells earlier, I'd have been happy to oblige, but I fear I'm clean out of stock. My oversized companion here, on the other hand, still has plenty to dole out. For some reason, it would appear that you adventurers are hesitant to try your scare tactics on him. Hee hee hee..."I don't know what's so scary. He's just a Roegadyn in a costume? R-right? "Because I'm so nice, I'll clue you in on a secret. My partner might look imposing, but the truth is he's scared to death of loud noises. Don't believe me? Just start clapping and see for yourself."The idea is that I've got to use the /clap emote on the Strongman to proceed. When you clap, he'll threaten to crush you, but the thespian will encourage you to keep bugging his colleague. "Oh, don't let him frighten you─his bark is far worse than his bite. Why, he hasn't eaten an adventurer in almost three moons! Now give him a rousing round of applause, as if to congratulate him on his aplomb. That'll put the fear of the gods in him, I guarantee."The congratulate emote involves your character applauding above their head, so it's really just more clapping.  "No...n-no hurt me! Scary ghost t-take candy! Take candy and go far, far away!"It works and we get ourselves the last piece of candy. It's time to return to Ul'dah where I can deliver them to the magic pot.   "Gimme an elixir! No, that's not right... Gimme some candy! Yes, you heard me─I clamor for candy!" The pot will only ask for one piece of candy at a time, so players can keep coming back until he's satisfied. There are only three events, and all three of them will need finished to finish the quest, so there's no point unless you have them all. In return for handing him the candies, we'll get our cookies. It's time to return to Impresario, just outside of the Adventurers' Guild, though only at night time. "Earth, wind, and fire～♪ That's what I desire～♪ Here, this is for you!" Impresario has a new quest for us, called I Burn For You. The reward is a Jack-o-Lantern, which is food that increases your chance of gathering HQ items with a gathering class. "Ah, you return. I am proud to say that the traditional observance of All Saints' Wake has made a rousing return to Eorzea, thanks in no small part to your efforts. Why, I daresay there might be a place for you in our troupe someday."Many an adventurer aspires to join one of Eorzea's Grand Companies. Me? I want to join a troupe of horrors. " But the night is still young, and there is work yet to be done. You have, no doubt, observed the warding lanterns about the streets─those that bear a striking resemblance to the mask I wear. This mask, in turn, was crafted in the likeness of the Great Gourd, the patron spirit of All Saints' Wake, who descends upon the realm but once a year... In any event, the lighting of these lanterns is yet another All Saints' Wake tradition, intended to keep evil spirits at bay."Impresario is worried about the lanterns light going out, and wants me to make sure that these lanterns are kept burning. I've to speak to one of the Thespians behind him to obtain five severed bomb digits to light them; although I'm warned to stay in costume because specters don't like meddling adventurers. At least they're consistent.  The lanterns can be found over various locations in Ul'dah. Each region has their own version of the quest, depending on where you start, but they're pretty much the same. I'm not going to bother with the locations of the lanterns.  Finding a lantern will use up one of the bomb digits in my key item inventory. Once you've lit all five lanterns, you'll need to return to Impresario.  "My troupers tell me that the warding lamps burn brightly once more. The citizens of Gridania have you to thank for keeping the demons of the night at bay. Yes, this has truly been an All Saints' Wake for the ages. But there are still bells before the dawn, and the most terrifying delights are yet to be seen. Do stay a while and enjoy the festivities, friend. Heh heh heh..."With that, the quest is done, and we finally near the end of the event. Just one more quest left to go and we'll be done assisting the troupe in creating the best All Saints' Wake yet! The next, and final quest is Monstrous Mummery. "Back again? I thought I'd given you enough work to keep you out of our─ Ahem! Your efforts on my troupe's behalf have so impressed me that I would entrust to you the most important task of all. What manner of task, you ask? Why, that would be, ah...erm... Yes, I am certain there is some unlit nook or cranny of this city that is in dire need of illumination and you are unquestionably the woman for the job! Now, procure the necessary supplies from my associate over there, and hop to it. I have more important matters to attend to! Heh heh heh..."Sure thing, I'll get right to i-... woman?  I'm given the supplies by the usual thespian. The supplies contain this lantern and another bomb digit. Time to go find a place to put it!  I really like the ghost effect next to where I've to place this lantern. I wonder how the troupe does this? Anyway, this seemed like as good of a spot as any. Mostly because it was sparkling and was in a red area of my map, but yeah!  However, after lighting it a disembodied voice starts to speak... "Ah, the flames warm my belly. Thank you, living one... The monstrous troupers you consort with...do you not wonder whence they truly hail? Should you be curious, you would do well to speak with their purported patrons. But be warned, friend─some secrets are best left to dwell in the darkness..." Huh, what? Well, I guess I should now go speak with some people around Ul'dah, And who better to speak to than Momodi herself?  "No, I've seen enough thieves and tricksters in my day to know when someone's pullin' a fast one on me. Why don't you take this and give that self-styled Impresario a scare of his own? I reckon that'll spook the truth out of him." She hands me a spooky sparkler. This seems kind of dangerous. I'm so sorry Impresario.  When I met him, I use it to instantly get this cutscene and smoke effect. I hope I don't get sent to the gaol for this one. "Wh-What in the─!?"Oh, that's good. Looks like it doesn't do him any ha-...  Ah. "M-My disguise! It's ruined! What did ya have to do that for!? Bah, seven hells! All right, ya got me. That's right, the self-styled Impresario is a real, honest-to-goodness imp."Our disguised hero takes a fighting stance, ready for combat. This is getting more dangerous than anticipated. The festival is ruined, and now we have a voidsent invasion going on in our very own Ul'dah! "Whoa! Settle down, little lady! So the whole traveling circus thing was a sham─ya got me there. But, cross my wings and hope to die, I swear we didn't mean ya no harm."Fun fact, the dialogue here is tweaked a little depending on your nation. Instead of "sham", for example, it's "ruse" in Gridania. A lot of work has went into this localisation, and it's rather interesting that there's even minute differences like that depending on the region. "Back in the old days, when celebratin' All Saints' Wake was in fashion, it was the one time a year when we could leave the dank ol' dungeons we called home, stretch our wings a bit, and mingle with the city folk. Sure, we caused our share of mischief─and occasionally spooked some ol' grandma half to death─but we never hurt no one. Not on purpose, at least... Ever since the Calamity, though, everyone's so godsdamned serious. Can't even come within eyeshot of the city without some overzealous adventurer like yourself wavin' a weapon at me, out for blood. Can ya blame us for wantin' to bring back the old customs? Ah, but what does it matter now? Thanks to your meddlin', our charade is through. And I know exactly what happens next. Yep, you're going to tear off the costume I so kindly provided for you─free of charge, I might add─slip into your favorite suit of armor, and hack my poor little wings off. All for the crime of trying to have a little fun."Our protagonist sheathes their weapon. There will be no voidsent blood spilled here. "Who'd've thunk it? You adventurers aren't all so bad. Me and my minions, we'll not forget this kindness." And now we're being watched by a pumpkin. Could it be, perhaps, the Great Gourd? Patron saint of All Saints' Wake?  "A pumpkin spilled our secrets, ya say? Hah, that's a good one! Listen, the Great Gourd was just a tall tale that I cooked up to give adventurers like you a good fright! Are you suggesting that some overgrown pumpkin could truly...?"  "Adventurers and monsters, revelling as one～♪ And with this, my work is done～♪"  Additionally, beside the thespian who started the quest is merchant for the seasonal event. He sells items specific to the event. You can buy pumpkin masks, much like those that Impresario was wearing. There are four colours in all, but I'll share them in the bonus area.  I guess that's me done with the event for the year, now that I've gotten my final reward: the Howling Spirit. Rather than sad, it looks rather happy. And I'm rather happy too. I'm happy... happy... to be done...  Oh, that's right. I was in the market place, wasn't I? How strange.  My inventory hasn't increased either. I don't think I've actually done it yet. Was I dreaming? Oh, well. I'll just do this year's seasonal event next! /Seasonal: All Saints' Wake (2013) Bonus: Key Items:    Equipment:    
|
|
#
?
Oct 31, 2014 02:00
|
|
|
Wow, did you have this all planned out a year ahead of time to record last year's event? That's dedication.
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2014 01:35
|
|
|
drat that ghost costume is amazing. I'm always impressed at the effort they put into these events.
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2014 05:49
|
|
|
CrashScreen posted:
Holy crap, that is cool. Also, I just resubbed, so there goes the rest of my free time.
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2014 11:23
|
|
|
With the All Saints' Wake (2014) update being split over two parts, I've decided to carry on with the main scenario for now and share some seasonal fun in between. To recap, because it's been a while since the last update (sorry), I started working with random folk in Ul'dah for glory and profit. It ultimately ended up leading me to help out some undercover Sultansworn--Ul'dah's elite guard. As a little break, I also took a trip to the Silver Bazaar to help bring some life back to it. This distraction also improved my equipment, and gave me the levels needed to see me through the next part of the story uninterrupted. Chapter 10: Fishing for More to Do  We're going to return back to Papashan's group of Sultansworn, located in the Ul'dah Dispatch Yard, to pick off where I left off. While the Sultansworn no longer have any need for me, there are still things for me to do around the Dispatch Yard and the neighbouring Royal Plantation.  It's worth noting that there are a couple of other quests available here, but they're not too exciting. I helped out with pest control, as some snipping shrews have been eating up the earthworms at the royal plantation, which were getting used to help enrich barren Thanalan soil. The shrews fight basically like the previous ones I fought. The second quest is a follow up, but is only available at the same level as the next main scenario quest. It's a pretty clear clue that we'll be brought here soon. For reference, the next sidequest is called Listen to Your Fish.  Papashan is still around, but there's nothing for the undercover elite to give me. The next main scenario is given to me by Cicidoa, who is located right next to Papashan. As a reminder, Crash Screen's role in the story is as an adventurer. He's foreign to the land, and came here to do some quests to build his reputation. In the first cutscene, Crash Screen is asked for his motivation. I answered "glory", and you can't achieve glory by being unknown. Cicidoa may not be a member of Ul'dah's elite, but he has a task that will lead us somewhere big. Not that Crash Screen would understand the significance of this small task yet.  A scheduled delivery, consisting of a pumpkin, is late. He wants me to pop by the royal plantation and pick one up for delivery to the Coffer & Coffin for him. The Coffer & Coffin is directly north from the Gate of Nald, so it's fairly easy to find even without the quest marker pointing the way.  I stop by the plantation to pick up the pumpkin. For the sidequest Listen to Your Fish, I'm also tasked to hunt some local fish to deliver to the Coffer & Coffin for a new dish. Convenient.  The bridge along the Royal Allagan Starway allows travelling merchants to safely pass over the Soot Creek. For the sidequest, I don't actually have to do any fishing. Rather, I just have to go kill some wavekin. They're found right next to the bridge, on the river, so I'll quickly slaughter them. For Glory!  Orobons are found in Lower Soot Creek. They rely on auto-attacks, although they'll randomly use gnaw from time to time. They're pretty harmless, and I get the four slices fairly effortlessly.  A FATE also pops up right next to me as well, and introduces another common enemy. Most players levelling a second class in Ul'dah will likely want to use this FATE. It's another FATE that requires just killing the spawned monsters.  The Efts themselves come from Upper Soot Creek, although these ones are a lot weaker. They're enticed by the smells of the camp for adventurers right next to the river. Their only notable attack is Stagnant Spray, which can be easily avoided and only deals increased damage. I kill more than six of them, guaranteeing my gold medal reward.  Indeed. But that's enough meandering. I've got a trivial task to accomplish.  Just north of the bridge is this sign post, located right outside the Coffer & Coffin. It's written in Eorzean script, and you'll probably see a lot of this around the place. It's basically just stylized English, so it's fairly decryptable. From the top, it says "Black Brush Station", "Hammerlea", and "Ul'dah". Things like this make the game rather pleasant even without the minimap, but unfortunately, there are also many things that require it.  The Coffer & Coffin is a tavern for merchants to take a break, situated on a path between western Thanalan (and therefore, Scorpion Crossing or Horizon), Ul'dah, and Black Brush Station (another stop for merchants like Scorpion Crossing). It's situated in a cliff, under a giant rock with a lookout.  Trouble starts when I arrive. The guard outside warns of a group of Qiqirn that is expected to try and sneak into the venue, and we can't have that. The Qiqirn are a beast tribe, much like the Amalj'aa, but they're not often as aggressive. They're known to be clever.  After talking with the guard, a pack of Qiqirn arrive. They're also on my hunting log, so that's two birds with one stone. They're a little more dangerous than most common enemies, and this FATE might be a little overwhelming for fresh players who look to challenge them on their own. The Coffer & Coffin Heavy will support you, but he won't stop a number of them ganging up on you. What's worse is their Faze skill, which will stun you for three seconds. They're still not incredibly dangerous, but it's best to be cautious.  Eventually, after enough Qiqirn have been slain, Guguroon Wetnose will show up. His fight is only to be permitted entry into the Coffer & Coffin. A reoccurring theme in Final Fantasy XIV is the treatment towards beast tribes. For simply resembling rats, the Qiqirn are banned from entering the roadside tavern. Any who attempt to enter are to be slain. Of course, because there's money in it, our adventuring protagonist will slay them anyway. At any rate, Guguroon is a notorious monster meaning that players can get full credit from either contributing enough to the fight against him, or with the number six rule for the previous Qiqirn. He's a more powerful Qiqirn, with the same Faze ability. So long as you dodge the Faze and have someone accompany you, he should go down without issue.  A lot happens for completing that FATE. Ignoring the achievement, the experience from the FATE levels me up. Levelling up also unlocks a new ability: Convalescence. It's a buff that provides a bonus to the amount of healing I receive. As with any buff, it's off of the global cooldown. It won't really have many uses now, but it'll later be useful to help healers in my party reduce MP consumption when keeping me alive.  From level 10, players unlock the ability to customize their character's attributes a little. Each class has a main attribute. As Gladiator's party role is to soak up all the damage, Vitality is the attribute that I will put the additional 3 points into. From this point on, I'll get an extra point for every even numbered level.  Inside the tavern, I hand over the fish to Wowobaru to finish off the sidequest. You can choose to obtain either three potions or three ethers. There's a follow up quest, The Tasting of the Shrews, but it's as exciting as it sounds. It shouldn't come as a surprise that it involves slaying some shrews to fill the Coffer & Coffin's stock.  The Coffer & Coffin belongs to Roger. It was once located in western Thanalan, prior to the Calamity, and was a stop for chocobos to rest. Black Brush Station, formerly Camp Black Brush, is now a hub for merchants. It's also a station that serves as a stop between the both Copperbell Mines and Nanawa Mines, and Ul'dah. With the old Coffer & Coffin wrecked during The Calamity, it makes sense that Roger would set it back up here.  "But hells, an honest to gods pumpkin from the Royal Plantations! I can't wait to see what the cooks'll do with her. The lads here scoff down beastly amounts o' meat, an' it's startin' to tell on their health. It'll be good to get more vegetables in their bellies-assumin' I can get the stubborn bastards to try somethin' new. Thanks fer the help, laddie!" I've finished my errand for Cicidoa, but with new contacts comes new tasks. Roger is a barman, which means being on friendly terms with him might provide some profitable information. Let's see what he might have for us to do.  "Thanks to me unbelievably low prices, we've no shortage of customers here at the Coffer & Coffin. But by the same token, I can't afford to hire much help. We're chronically understaffed. What's more, there's those lazy-arsed types what refuse to come an' order at the counter. It'd be a great help if ye could attend these customers for me. Mark their orders on these here slips, then bring them here. Oh, and don't forget about ol' Adalfuns outside and up top."Unfortunately, the quest is a simple, menial task. I've to play waiter and get some orders. I guess that's as much as Crash is worth right now.  The usual rules apply. The quest markers easily identify who you've to speak to, and there'll be some flavour text for speaking to them. In saying that, there's one awkward individual that players always seem to miss, despite Roger pointing him out.  Adalfuns is located on the structure above the Coffer & Coffin, situated on the rock.  He at least provides some interesting information. The Nanawa Mines was once an open-world dungeon. It's been closed until recently, and the railway leads inside it. It's not even a dungeon any more, though. In fact, it's kind of not really accessible to players any more. Kind of. You'll get to see what I mean later.  Taking the orders for Roger wasn't a complete waste of time, however, as he's now willing to part with some profitable information. Score. With that, I finish Disorderly Conduct and get my reward. At this point, I don't think I'll need to show the quest accept window. The rewards are always quest-level appropriate experience points and gil (with exceptions later).  I will share when you can get anything else, though. With that quest, I can choose to accept three allagan bronze pieces, which sell for 100 gil, or five mustard eggs. The allagan pieces are a currency from an ancient civilisation, but they still have value. They're only for selling. Meanwhile, the mustard eggs have some actual combat use. Of course, I accept them and then forget I ever had them. Now, it's time to start Until a Quieter Time and see what information he has for me.  "It don't help none that the antlings've been multiplin' like its nobody's business. For every critter Warin an' his crew put down, two more o' the buggers spawn in its place. I was thinkin', mayhap ye can make yerself useful at the station by cullin' some antlings. I don't doubt Warin would appreciate the help. An' if ye win his trust, he's like to have more work for ye. Mind ye, ye'll need to show the man proof o' yer deeds. Five or so antling mandibles ought to do the talkin' for ye."I've to make contact with a man called Warin, but I have to impress him first. Five slain Antling Workers will do the trick. Funnily enough, they're also on my hunting log. Like any other low level enemy, they're very auto-attack heavy. They'll occasionally use Acid Spray, but it only does additional damage. It's far from dangerous at this point. Combat is easy now, but it will be taking a step up soon.  Black Brush is barely a minute away from the Coffer & Coffin, and has an aetheryte to attune to. Unlike the smaller aetherytes in Ul'dah, you can freely teleport to the Black Brush Station aetheryte from anywhere in the world, albeit for a fee. There are NPCs that sell gear here, although there's no point since I'll get it through quests anyway.  Warin is located on the station platform. He's a member of the Stone Torches, a mercenary group hired by the Miners' Guild. They ensure that nothing is stolen, while also protecting miners from any unexpected monster encounters in the mines.  A fun little bit of trivia about the line "Thal's balls", which was recently explained at the Las Vegas Fan Fest. A member of the localization team, Michael Christopher Koji Fox, was asked to name the deities of Eorzea. He noticed that cursing often tends to use religion as a basis, so the names of the deities were created with that in mind. Koji came up with the name of Thal from Nald'thal to rhyme with balls, so that he could have NPCs proclaim "thal's balls!" Because the name was too short, Koji suggested that Nald'thal as a twin deity, comprising of both Nald and Thal.  "With Ul'dah nearby, you'd think qwe were out of harm's way. Truth is, the antlings have been more active than ever. We can never have too many able-bodied adventurers to help preserve the peace in the area. If you would lend us your aid, I should gladly assign you a task. Gods know we have no shortage of them here."With that, I can now support the Stone Torches in Black Brush Station. I can only currently work for Warin, but more quests will become available upon completing the next quest. I can choose between the leather wristbands, copper wristlets, or two allagan bronze pieces. The copper wristlets provides an additional point to intelligence and mind, but there's no benefit to me as a Gladiator, so I go with the leather wristbands. It's a short update, but the next one is coming. In the next update, the tasks I carried out today will actually bear fruit. Extra Just beside Lower Soot Creek is a small camp that was put together by a band of adventurers, because Ul'dah was just too expensive. There's also a FATE here in which a disgruntled gladiator takes out his anger on his colleagues because the gladiators' guild refused him. It hasn't conveniently shown up to be recorded yet. I've also not shared this yet, so I figured I probably should now. This is the hunting log. There can be more than one enemy in each tier, and completing an entire page will reward you with even more experience. Today's Delivery I'm showing off a new minion today as well. The Baby Behemoth is obtained by owning the collector's edition of the game... ... which is contrary to what the minion guide says, sorry. As a reminder, hovering the mouse over the image of the minion will give you a quote too. "Disaster follows the man like a behemoth chasing a butterfly. - Chechezan" We'll be meeting Chechezan too. The baby behemoth likes to howl at the the sky, mimicking the behemoth in the A Realm Reborn opening. It also hops around the player, and moves around somewhat freely nearby. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2014 16:18
|
|
|
Wow. I had NO idea I could "block" the annoying gil sellers by just simply putting myself on Busy. You learn something new everyday! Wish I knew about it a long while ago because all the spam was annoying me. Too bad it prevents party invites as well but I can always temporarily turn it off.
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2014 16:59
|
|
|
God every time I see a Fate result screen I feel a bit sick. But, that's for muuuuuuuuuuuch later.
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2014 17:16
|
|
|
Sketchie posted:Wow. I had NO idea I could "block" the annoying gil sellers by just simply putting myself on Busy. You learn something new everyday! Wish I knew about it a long while ago because all the spam was annoying me.  SSNeoman posted:God every time I see a Fate result screen I feel a bit sick. But, that's for muuuuuuuuuuuch later. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2014 17:21
|
|
|
Carlioo posted:You can also just blacklist them if you want your party invites! Also just not hang around the cities if you wanna avoid them completely But I'm going to abuse /busy with impunity. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2014 17:27
|
|
|
Schwartzcough posted:Wow, did you have this all planned out a year ahead of time to record last year's event? That's dedication. I wish I was that SSNeoman posted:God every time I see a Fate result screen I feel a bit sick. But, that's for muuuuuuuuuuuch later. I'm really glad they changed that. It's a really small adjustment, but it makes a world of difference. Sketchie posted:Wow. I had NO idea I could "block" the annoying gil sellers by just simply putting myself on Busy. You learn something new everyday! Wish I knew about it a long while ago because all the spam was annoying me. I've known it for a while but I never remember when I'm recording. There's one point where I obnoxiously get a gil seller during a voice acted cutscene. I think it was in the last video I posted in the LP, actually. At least the gil sellers are nowhere near as rampant as they used to be.
|
|
#
?
Nov 27, 2014 11:15
|
|
|
Chapter 11: Time to get Cracking On In the last update, I'd gotten a new lead on more available work. The Stone Torches need some assistance over at Black Brush Station in central Thanalan, so I decide to go help out. And no, you won't ever actually see the magitek train go by.  Warin is our contact, so let's see what work he has for us. "We Stone Torches are sellswords hired by Amajina & Sons Mineral Concern to protect its interests. Our primary duty here is to keep the tracks clear of pests, and it is for this purpose that we require your aid. You have proven that you have some skill at arms, but before I send you into the midst of fell fiends, I would inspect your gear. A single piece of gear can mean the difference between life and death. I'll not have it on my conscience that I sent an ill-equipped adventurer to an untimely demise."While it's not necessarily work, the whole point of this quest is to ensure players are keeping their equipment in check. If you have just done the main scenario quests, then you won't pass this check. It's designed to make you conscious of your gear, as it's fairly easy to just forget about it. Not that it stops some players anyway. In order to pass this check, I must have something equipped to every slot on the left side of the character sheet. That means equipment for my head, body, hands, legs, and feet. Furthermore, they must all be at least level 5. Of course, all of mine is higher than that, so I don't need to care. "Good. Everything appears in order. Capable adventurers like you are few and far between, and I would not have you throw your life away. I have had to bury too many comrades who brushed aside cracks in their hauberks and dints in their helms. No matter what you face, do not disregard the importance of gear."Translation: make sure to remember to repair your gear too! It's easy to forget, and I've forgotten several times before committing to a dungeon, only to have to end it prematurely due to some broken equipment. Repair costs aren't expensive, and they scale based on how badly the gear needs repaired. But enough of the checks, let's move on. For some reason, Warin feels that I should be rewarded with gil and items for passing the check. The only thing missing was a pat on the head, and that's actually something you can now do in the game. He gives me the option between four allagan tin pieces or a bronze hoplon, and also gives me nineteen water shards.  The hoplon is an upgrade so hell yeah am I picking that.  Completing Warin's task also unlocks the sidequests for the camp too. Aethelgyth is worried about a Brass Blade named Osbert, who you might be able to see over behind one of the chocobos. The quest basically just requires me to buy him a Hi-Potion, which costs 146 gil. It's basically another tutorial quest to introduce potions to the player, but the reward is another accessory: a copper ring, which gives me an additional point for strength and dexterity. Players can equip two rings at one time, so it complements my ring of fidelity. I also get nineteen fire shards.  The next quest is actually padding as well, but also rewards with more gear. With all the upgrades being thrown around, it kind of suggests there might be something coming up. I mean, what happened last time that I had to gear up?  The silver ore provided is used to lure out three Silver Coblyns, which isn't really much of a threat. The only danger is shatter, which only dishes out extra damage.  I beat the coblyns up with very little effort. For this LP, I try to get hit by some attacks during recording just in case I want to show off the animation or the effect, but I struggled to get shatter without having to stand around doing nothing. It's very easy to overwhelm them at this point. Warin, of course, gives the usual thank you dialogue and hands me a brass gorget for an extra point to my strength and dexterity. I'm sure you can see the pattern with these accessories. Keep in mind, mages can select a different option that provides them with an extra point to mind and intelligence.  There's only one more slot to fill, so I shouldn't have very many errands left.  "Even a tiny chunk can send a wagon off its course, so I've had to devote significant manpower to locating and clearing these obstructions. We can't keep this up forever, though. Search for any pieces of pockmarked silver ore on the tracks. If you're lucky, you'll catch the bastards before they escape."  You'll get attacked by spriggans when you check the pockmarked silver ores. Spriggans tend to inhabit where there are lots of minerals to devour. They're able to buff their attack with Jittering Jig, which can be interrupted if you have an ability for that.  They can also use Romp, which sees them bounce around you for increased damage. It has a small, cone-shaped area of effect, so it's also fairly easy to avoid. There's no real threat here. I have to slay four of them before I can report back to Warin.  "Some superstitious miners believe that spriggans are harbringers of fortune, but by my reckoning the creatures are naught more than pests, like coblyns. As far as I'm concerned, there's no better omen for Amajina & Sons than you. Our operations have been running without so much as a single hiccup."For my effort, I'm rewarded with five eye drops and twenty-one wind shards. As a traditional Final Fantasy item, eye drops can do what modern medicine can't: it can cure blindness. I also get a brand new weapon from this quest, and can select one from either for either of the three classes that start in Ul'dah.  The Viking Sword was previously known as a Bronze Gladius, and was much shorter. Its name was changed shortly prior to the introduction of a new class which uses daggers.  Finishing that line for the Stone Torches brings in a new quest. As I've been building up my reputation around the station, the merchants are becoming more familiar with me too. The sidequest that Zezeda has for me has been available since the previous quest, but it's not very exciting. I need to gather some hammer beak ribs to refine some silver ore with a layer of bone ash. I've fought hammer beaks before, in western Thanalan, so I don't think there's any real need to show another fight. The reward is a level 8 piece of head gear.  More interesting is the follow up quest, which involves sneaking around (or fighting your way through) a Qiqirn camp in order to steal back some stolen goods. It's not uncommon for the Qiqirn to pilfer from other merchants, but it's the consequence of banishing them from the city despite the fact that they used to be innocent and honest merchants. I get some level 8 leg gear for my troubles.  Along the way I also pick up a nice leather jacket. There's an interesting story to it, but that's a story for another time. My work for the Stone Torches has made the travelling merchants more familiar with my work, and it leads to a rather fateful encounter with a lalafell merchant.  Zuzumeda apparently has some exciting news that might be of benefit to me.  "Rumor has it that there is a vast, untapped vein of ore beneath the ruins of Sil'dih. But that is not all! Inconceivably, the Concern appears to be entirely ignorant of its existence. And even as we speak, a young upstart--a self-made merchant from Stonesthrow of all places--is moving to claim it!"A couple of points here. Sil'dih is a lost civilisation from Thanalan, and was considered a sister to Ul'dah. The two warred, and Sil'dih was lost. Furthermore, as a reminder, Stonesthrow is the name of the refugee camp directly outside of Ul'dah's walls. "The fellow's name is Wystan, and he is a very, very ambitious young man. Not only does he intend to secure exclusive excavation rights, but they say his master plan is to use his new fortune to curry favor with the Sacrarium. Of course, the thaumaturges only consider the most wealthy when drafting the laws of Ul'dah. If you would have your voice heard, you must be prepared to pay a sultan's ransom. One voice which is invariably heard belongs to Lord Lolorito. He has long lavished gil upon the thaumaturges, and some claim that he devises new laws with the express intention of ruining his competitors while protecting his own interests. Suffice it to say, if Wystan thinks he can compete with the likes of the Syndicate, he's in for a rude awakening."Zuzumeda explains that Wystan is still carrying on with what he plans, and is assembling a survey team. I'm told that I can find him recruiting in the Coffer & Coffin if I'm interested in volunteering. This could my chance to obtain a great fortune so, of course, I volunteer.  Unfortunately, my recent slow pace at updating the LP has gotten the better of me, and I'm too late to join Wystan's expedition. I guess I missed my big break.  "Some Brass Blades looking for extra coin volunteered, and the team's already en route to the ruins. But look, I know it's not easy to find work these days. If you're interested, there's something else you can do for me. There are these children outside--little ones from Stonesthrow. I look after them when I've time to spare, and so they've taken to following me around, even when I tell them not to. I barely have a chance to visit the privy at the moment, much less entertain younglings. Can you give them these ginger cookies and convince them to go home for me?"That's that then. It's not very exciting, but I guess it's suited for a small time adventurer like me.  All the kids are just hanging around outside as they're too young to enter. I hand all four of them a cookie, and go tell Wystan that they're gone. I worry about how I'll feed myself with the scraps of gil I'll get for this.  "...Not that my childhood was much happier. Never enough food to go around, nor work to earn it. I remember thinking things could only get better... Yet now, after the Calamity and everything else...for us refugees to be forced to live outside the gates like bloody beastmen is a disgrace."   "And we will take it, adventurer--we will reclaim our dignity, and with it our place within those walls. "At this point, Wystan's little monologue is interrupted by a couple of Brass Blade rushing inside.    I suppose I should go check this out.  The ruins are located west of the Coffer & Coffin, en route to Hammerlea.  You can find them just down a cliffside along the path. Worth noting is the waterfall to the left. That waterfall comes from Lower Soot Creek, meaning the bridge I crossed to get to the Coffer & Coffin originally is actually just above it. It's possible to jump down from there, although it results in fall damage. Fall damage won't kill you unless you're in battle, but it can hurt. The Spriggan Graverobbers located below are part of my hunting log, but there's no real point in showing the fight. They're level seven, and ultimately fight the same as those fought in the earlier quest, although this romp lets you see the area of effect cone in front of them.  Fighting them does level me up, though. I get an attribute point for my trouble and learn Riot Blade. It only has a potency of 100, but can be combo'd with Fast Blade to boost its potency to 230, making it stronger than Savage Blade. It has an 80 TP cost, though, which will actually cause your TP to not last very long. It also has an added bonus of restoring MP. Unsurprisingly, this skill is abused by new players that don't understand their party role, but that's something I'll talk more about when we get there. Wystan looks like he's in trouble, so I should probably go help him out first.  I'm nearly at the level cap for the duty, but this won't persist for long.    "What did ye think was gonna happen? That ye'd strike it rich and get cozy with the Order, while the masters of Ul'dah looked on? No one crosses the Syndicate!" That's what he said, yeah. Funnily enough, I think Zuzumeda foresaw this happening.  The other Brass Blades unsheath their weapons. As much as I'd like to help Wystan out, I'm not sure I could take on so many professional   Well, whatever the case, it's time to throw down and beat them with my ancient bat. There's a story to that too, but let's pretend that it's a Viking Sword for now. Although everyone is preparing for combat, the camera pans and reveals someone hiding in the rubble.    The screen begins to shake as the ground moves violently. Behind the Brass Blades, the rubble begins to gather...  ...and turns into a giant golem. Well, drat.   The Brass Blades scarper, leaving me to deal with the Golem alone.  And so begins the second boss of the game.  Perhaps as a result of my high level or up-to-date equipment, the Clay Colem barely hurts. It's auto-attack does about 3 damage to me.  The Clay Golem will start using True Grit once it reaches about 75% HP. It's a large cone AoE, but the golem's auto-attack doesn't have much range, so avoiding it should be easy. If you somehow fail to dodge it, you'll take slightly increased damage and will be afflicted with blind, which can sharply reduces your accuracy. Good thing we got those eye drops from earlier, eh? The hidden villain also mocks you for taking the hit, shouting, "Yesss...writhe! Writhe in eternal darkness!" He really loves his job.   He'll also attempt to use Plaincracker, but it can also be rather easily avoided. From here, the boss will rotate between True Grit and Plaincracker. I suppose there's more challenge if you just plough through the story, but it shouldn't be too bad. The game is still taking it easy on you as it's only just the second boss. The only attack that should land should be the golem's auto-attack. Everything else is pretty easy to avoid.  After a little while the golem should drop dead, ending the duty, and also ending this update. Bonus I forgot to show off Black Brush Station in the last update, but it didn't seem right to interrupt the flow of this one by exploring it, so I'll do it here.  The station is where ore from Nanawa Mines is transported to in order to be refined. Inside this building is where all the action happens, and it's fueled by fire crystals. Eorzea is rich in aether, and crystallised aether is a natural resource that is often used for various processes. They're a part of every recipe for crafters.   You can also go inside the building. The whole process is overseen by Eshtaime's Lapidaries, which also own the Goldsmiths' Guild.  Outside, there is also the usual stores. The only one of any interest should be the mender, as your gear might occasionally need repaired. The equipment for your first class will be supplied by the main scenario quests, and any sidequests located alongside them. Hell, at the rate that you get equipment at this point, you probably won't even need to worry about repairs.  Beside the merchants is the chocobokeep and delivery moogle. Alongside the merchants from before, these NPCs are standard amongst all the camps in the game. Camps count as sanctuaries, and each all have their own aetheryte for easy access to each region. Some larger locations even have two camps. From this point on, it's safe to assume that each camp will have these NPCs, so I'll only be showing off what's unique to each camp.  You probably noticed the quest marker above the chocobokeep. Every chocobokeep found in a camp will have one, but they don't actually have a quest. Talking to them will register you at the camp, allowing you to use a chocobo porter to that destination. I'll talk more about renting a chocobo, and using a chocobo porter later. There's actually one more type of NPC that shows up in camps everywhere, but I'll get to them later. They were a new addition in a later update, and they're involved in post-level 50 content. Extra  
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2014 03:49
|
|
|
Luckily the golem isn't too much of a threat. Even if you rolled a flimsy THM, you can still take it on without too much trouble. If any players play along, either save your shards or put them into your GC's storage box. They're used for crafting, and while it may seem like the game is generous with them, that's not gonna last. This is especially true for wind shards.
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2014 04:04
|
|
|
Man, this game doesn't seem to have much faith in the player, what with tutorial quests for drat near everything (There's a thing called potions! They heal you!). And the writing and translation seem really good... but everyone seems to talk so much. All of them could complete their own menial quests in half the time it takes them to tell you their life story. Glad you're giving us the abridged version most of the time.
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2014 04:47
|
|
|
Schwartzcough posted:Man, this game doesn't seem to have much faith in the player, what with tutorial quests for drat near everything (There's a thing called potions! They heal you!). If I recall, part of Yoshida's rebranding for ARR involved making it effectively Final Fantasy Fan's First MMO, so there's a significant amount of hand-holding and tutorializing throughout, even for somewhat mundane stuff that would come naturally. Once the kid gloves come off, though, the game loving slaps you with them, hard. Shaezerus fucked around with this message at 05:03 on Dec 9, 2014 |
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2014 05:00
|
|
|
Shaezerus posted:Once the kid gloves come off, though, the game loving slaps you with them, hard. Yyyep. The game has a pretty constantly escalating difficulty level. You start encountering instant-death attacks at Lv20, a boss that can completely ruin you a dozen different ways at Lv34, and the raids are absolutely packed to the gills with incredibly lethal things.
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2014 17:04
|
|
|
Yeah, you really shouldn't strike out on your own. If you have some players helping you, then most of this game is easy and fun, but if you're relying on PUGs then you might have a bad time. On the other hand, most of this game's skill level comes down to "can you avoid standing in the bad circles?", not counting the sperg endgame stuff of course.
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2014 19:41
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 27, 2024 19:55 |
|
|
Don't forget that from level 28, bosses can sometimes have dodgeable AoEs that won't have the big orange cone to warn you either. The early dungeons hold your hand a little, but I'd say the game kind of stops holding your hand mostly once you've finished your city-state storyline (which we're also approaching the end of). We're also approaching the point where the story starts to continue where 1.0's left off, excluding the seventh umbral era stuff, so I'm thinking of making an LP-style recap post or just linking to some 1.0 cutscenes as a bonus thing. ARR doesn't really require it, but it really does jump more or less immediately in where it was left off before we finish the city-state stuff.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2014 12:28
|
|