Details on the Upcoming Version Update!
The upcoming September version update of Final Fantasy XI is less than a week away! With several new job adjustments, new Walk of Echoes challenges, adjustments to Monster Rearing and the Trust Initiative, party member sorting, and the new Incursion battle content, there's something available for everyone! Look for this new version update to land September 8th!
Excited about this version update? Let us know about it over on the ZAM forums!
From the official Final Fantasy XI forums:
Details on the Upcoming Version Update!
Matsui here.
I'd like to give you all a preview of the content slated for the September version update.
In the September version update we’ll be introducing two types of new battle content: Walk of Echoes content for high item level characters and Incursion.
The high-tier version of Walk of Echoes is an adjusted version of the current Walk of Echoes that poses an extremely hard difficulty even when using the most recent equipment. Similar to the original, you’ll be able to enter each area without having to form a party, and you can play easily with the people that have gathered there.
As for the other new type of battle content, Incursion, we’ve balanced it for people who want to enjoy a moderately difficult battle. The enemies are the Velkk, the beastmen found in Adoulin areas, and their king, who has been quite a mystery up until now, will make an appearance. Incursion will start off with a moderate difficulty, but at higher levels the enemies will become stronger and the number of rewards will increase.
The goal for the September version update is to increase the breadth of daily content by introducing these two new types of battle content.
Additionally, besides the battle content, we’re also revamping the rewards you can obtain through the Goblin Mystery Box. We’ve increased the types of items you can obtain, and we’ve also made adjustments so that you'll be quite happy when you hit the jack pot.
There will also be various job adjustments, quality-of-life adjustments which includes a feature to organize your party list, and much more!
The version update is scheduled to be implemented on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 (JST).
Also, I have an announcement! Though it was just posted on PlayOnline the other day, we’ll be holding a Welcome Back Campaign as well as a slew of other campaigns from Tuesday, September 11th (JST). I hope you can use this opportunity to invite your friends to experience and enjoy the current Vana’diel
Among the items scheduled for implementation with this version update, there are still some that are currently in testing. Please keep in mind that we may remove certain items from this implementation list in the event that bugs take an unintentionally long time to fix or balancing issues occur during the development process.
Missions and Quests
| Implementation Timing | Update Task and Overview | Tasks Being Worked On | Notes |
| September | Additional Seekers of Adoulin quests | Quest to introduce Adoulin lore | - |
| September | Adjustments of existing missions and quests | Easing the amount of time on existing missions and quests that require a certain amount of time to occur | - |
| September | Active Adventurer Appreciation Campaign | Add Mog Pell | - |
| September | Idyllic Vana'diel Initiative | Add Mog Pell | - |
| September | Adjustments to seasonal events | Add rewards to existing seasonal events | - |
| September | Sequel quest to Wings of the Goddess (*Implementation of this adjustment has been pushed back to a later date.) |
Quest that illustrates the aftermath to Wings of the Goddess | - |
Content and Systems
| Implementation Timing | Update Task and Overview | Tasks Being Worked On | Notes |
| September | Incursion | Set specific areas Add related NPCs Set Key Items for entrance Add new NMs Adjust NM behavior logic Adjust balance Set rewards |
- |
| September | Walk of Echoes | Creation of system for a high-tier version to occur at a set percentage Set strength of the advance version of NM Set reward of the advanced version Creation of mechanism to have bonus applied at a set percentage |
- |
| September | Seals battlefield | Add Capacity Points as reward for battlefields that use Microcosmic Orb and Macrocosmic Orb | - |
| September | Trust | Increase Naja's combat skills Adjustments to summoning rules within Reives Apply killer-type effects to alter egos |
- |
| September | Monster Rearing | Add monsters that can be reared Add subspecies that can develop based on growth process Set Items that can be acquired through added monsters |
- |
| September | Goblin Mystery Box | Add a special dial Set acquireable items Change items acquireable with Dials 1-5 Change Daily Points used for Dials 1-5 |
- |
| September | Records of Eminence | Add combat objectives pertaining to Lumoria | - |
Battle
| Implementation Timing | Update Task and Overview | Tasks Being Worked On | Notes |
| September | Beastmaster | Add pets usable through Call Beast Add corresponding pet items Add shops that sell pet items to Upper Jeuno |
- |
| September | Dragoon | Increase the effect of Spirit Surge Adjust the Strife job trait Add a Strafe Effect Merit Point category Adjustment to time for wyvern to execute breath Add a system for player's attack, defense, and haste to increase as wyverns level up |
- |
| September | Blue Mage | Add new blue magic Add blue magic for Unbridled Learning Change the Job Point category "Learning Chance" to "Increase Accuracy of Physical Blue Magic's Additional Effects" |
Since the Job Point category was changed, Job Points spent on "Learning Chance" will carry over to "Increase Accuracy of Physical Blue Magic's Additional Effects". |
| September | Dancer | Add a system that allows for a higher number of steps that increases based on your level Add the job ability Contradance |
- |
| September | Rune Fencer | Expand the effect radius of Valiance | - |
| September | Ninja (*Implementation of this adjustment has been pushed back to a later date.) |
Add a job trait that uses shuriken | - |
| September | Summoner (*Implementation of this adjustment has been pushed back to a later date.) |
Add the avatar Atomos | - |
Items
| Implementation Timing | Update Task and Overview | Tasks Being Worked On | Notes |
| September | Incursion-related items | Add new equipment | - |
| September | Walk of Echoes-related items | Add high-quality versions of existing equipment | - |
| September | Porter Moogle | Added support for items so they can be stored with storage slips | - |
UI
| Implementation Timing | Update Task and Overview | Tasks Being Worked On | Notes |
| September | Add function to sort party members | Add a function to sort the party member list at the bottom right of the screen Add a sort button to the Party section of the main menu |
- |
| September | Map icon | Add a function to show icons on the map Show Home Point locations as an icon Visual display of Home Points that have not been unlocked Show Survival Guide locations as an icon Visual display of Survival Guides that have not been unlocked Show Telepoints as an icon Visual display of Telepoints that have not been unlocked |
- |
| September | Add item search function | Add the /itemsearch command to be able to find which storage the specified item is stored in | - |
| September | Adjustment to the <stnpc> feature | Remove alter egos and adventuring fellows from this feature | - |
| September | Equipment sets (*Implementation of this adjustment has been pushed back to a later date.) |
Expansion of equipment sets | - |
| September | Sub-linkshell (*Implementation of this adjustment has been pushed back to a later date.) |
Add a way to equip multiple linkshells at same time | - |