Square Enix issues major Final Fantasy XI update

Major gameplay features tweaked, new content added to MMORPG

March 8, 2007

Square Enix issues major Final Fantasy XI update Major gameplay features tweaked, new content added to MMORPG

Square Enix has released its latest major update to its online RPG Final Fantasy XI. The update incorporates major changes to the game, both in new content and in adjustments to certain gameplay mechanics. The major changes are described here.

Aht Urhgan

Aht Urhgan has been updated with new quests and missions to continue the storyline for the expansion, which will soon celebrate its one-year anniversary.

The Assault system has also been expanded, with new missions, a new rank called Chief Seargent and a new Assault area: Nyzul Isle. The Nyzul Isle staging area was added in the last significant update.

Aht Urhgan areas have also been updated with new enemies.

New NMs will make Besieged even tougher.

Besieged

Besieged battles in the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion area are about to get tougher. The previous cap of Level 6 on Besieged events has been raised to 7. Along with that change, new Beastman Notorious Monsters (NMs) will appear in Level 7 Besieged.

Two measures have been taken, however, to give players a fighting chance against the empowered Beastmen forces. New items are being added to the mix of temporary supplies that players obtain when fighting in Besieged, and the Serpent Generals, the NPCs who players must protect in order to win, are gaining new abilities to help defend themselves.

Gambling

A new form of gambling is being added to the game, which regulates the Gil casino competitions that some in-game entrepreneurs have been hosting. In this game, players pay a participation fee (which varies from 300 to 10,000 gil) and the winner walks away with the sum of all entries. NPCs who offer this game can be found in any starting nation, as well as in Nashmau and Jeuno.

Chocobos

Chocobo Racing NPCs have been added to major cities in anticipation of the Chocobo Racing component of the game, which is now due to arrive in late March.

Various updates have also been made to the Chocobo Hot & Cold game.

Chains of Promathia

Experience Points will no longer be lost when players fall on the battlefield for any Chains of Promathia mission. This is in response to player complaints that Promathia missions are too difficult, which discourages players who have already completed it from helping others. It is also now possible to reset certain Chains of Promathia missions.

Signet

The Signet effect gained from Conquest NPCs in the original game areas has been updated, partially to bring it closer in benefit to Imperial Sanction, which is given by Aht Urhgan NPCs. The new effects are as follows:

• HP will heal faster while resting
  
  
• TP will not be lost while resting
  
  
• Small parties will gain more experience points
  
  
• An evasion and defense bonus will be applied when fighting enemies that were engaged via auto-target
  
  

Other Adjustments

Players may now freely choose which FFXI
world they wish to create a character in.

Other gameplay adjustments include:

• The World Pass system has been eliminated. Players may now freely choose a world when creating a character.
  
  
• Many NMs are now popped using specific items, most notably Ullikummi
  
  
• Switching between experience points and limit points modes can now be done outside of the Mog House
  
  
• A graphical effect will now appear when a player earns a limit point
  
  
• Various automan attachments have been added
  
  
• Dragoon wyverns now mimic your emotes, like Puppetmaster automans do
• New equipment and synthesis recipies have been added
  
  
• Corsair cards can now be bundled and stacked as cases of 99
  
  
• The Paladin ability Rampart will not overwrite other effects
  
  
• Mazurka Bard spells now gain less enmity
  
  
• Players exiting their Mog House in Whitegate may now appear in varied areas to avoid conjestion