Letter from the Producer, XLIV...

Yoshi has spoken...  and we shall have Guildhests by Beta phase 3!  Not only that, it seems our illustrious adversary from FFXI, the goblins, will also be available in guildhests...

And our trusty Fernehalwes has again given us much fascinating food for thought as per his latest blog update "M for Marvelous".  Oh yes he did... and we all likes it... a lot.

Until later everyone, be well and I shall update more great news as they come to us.

As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Ferney launches his Magitek 2.0...

...Do you all now believe in Magitek?

Looks spiffy... looks totally spiffy indeed, mate.  And I'm still drooling.   Methinks obtaining my personal Magitek will be one of the first three things I intend to accomplish when 2.0 launches.

Yep.  Until later, be well everyone

As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Fernehalwes as a Mammet...

Nod nod nod... yep, that's him just waiting (and waiting) for the mysterious "Project Manager M" to do... something.  And he's totally hilllarious at being patient...

Quick note though... apologies are in order for not keeping up with the recent news on the blog... I've been busy (yep, VERY busy with some important stuff which I will discuss about much later in the year, promise).

That said, I must remember to note that the awesome Ferney also posted a previous blog entry titled "That's Why We Play" which also had some spiffy Lalafell related art work and design process (I feel like sketching every time I see those pics)...

Soken (the great one and only knee-length socks connoisseur) also updated a sampling of some wicked in-game BGM on the developer blog.  I thought this new edited version for Gridania is much more fitting as per its relation to the time of day...and it definitely has a refined finesse to its resonance... bloody well done Soken.



Last (and surely not the least), the winners for the "Chocobos Rule The World Contest" we're also announced on the Lodestone..  And here are some of the winning entries (I particularly love this first one titled "Devotion")...

That's it for now great folks and I shall update more stuff as soon as they're officially released (Ahhh yes, as per someone's email question, hopefully the translated version of Yoshi's Live letter V will be up soon).  Until later, be well everyone.

As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Official Video: A Tour Of Eorzea Part 1

Finally got round to posting this up (thanks again for the reminder Cynthia, much appreciated)... and we are able to see the gorgeous comparisons between the PC and PS3 versions.  Spiffy innit?



Also uploaded by SE was a quick exploration video which was the foundation for the benchmark released earlier about a week ago



As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Resereved

Finally, a close friend of mine in Hong Kong sent this to me after she posted it up on her facebook... makes us all remember, innit?  BTW, to hear the music better, you can turn down the volume or pause the BGM for the blog by clicking the dashboard just to the right (under "Resonance of Eorzea")

Pinurabi updates the Dev blog...

...And gives us a spiffy pic of Yoshi in sheer prostrated staggerment!

Posting from London while on their European tour, Pinurabi nabbed us some great pics of Saori Hill and Yoshi and gave indications that more information regarding the tour and relevant interviews would soon be available for us to absorb.

Poor chap... and Yoshi is apparently not the only one!  Fuuga on the Lodestone also posted up a pic of Soken bowled over...

(Oi Oi, Pinurabi...quick, grab that can from Yoshi and replace it with a fresh one.  And can Ferny, Rukkirii and Bayohne please make sure to show us Soken's knee socks before he revives?).  

Yeah the Dev Team definitely needs a long six week vacation after the launch of 2.0 but until then, we'll continue to cheer them on with continous positive energy.  Ahhh yes, least I forget... I believe its time for Legacy members to start checking their emails.  Yep.  Until later everyone, be well.

As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Letter From the Producer XLIII

Yep yep... Yoshi is wasting no time in updating us with specific and detailed information... and in this letter,he finally announced that Beta will begin on February 25th!

Apologies for the late updates but I've been very busy in RL.  That said, Yoshi also added some wicked new in-game screenshots, including a female Roegardyn and the FATE battle event...

Until later, be well everyone.  As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Yoshi-P unleashes Letter from the Producer, XLII

Yep Yep... right HERE

He also posted up wicked screenies of the female Elezen...

And for the nay-sayers who keep muttering incoherent impatient doubts about the existence of the benchmark, oi oi, here you go...

Until later everyone, be well.  As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Soken, Ferny and the Sound Of Music!

Honestly, these guys redefine the definition of awesome... which turns out to be beautiful music to my ears.  Literally.  Just head over to the developers blog to understand what has me excited about the new BGM for my beloved Limsa Lominsa...

In fact, lemme just embed the official video here...



Speechlessly spiffy... and I love it.   I LOVE IT!!!  I'm so lost for words which is why I'm keeping this blog entry short so I can just keep replaying the new BGMs.

As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Ferny now shows us... Devsmoot

He has done it again... Ferne has updated the developers blog with Devsmoot, also being generous in showing us some wicked views of the Tokyo skyline and the full wall-height white boards for sketching... an artists' paradise.

That last image is just made of utter win... imagine being able to scribble + sketch all over the white walls to your hearts content without having your parents recoil in horror at how much you have destroyed the paint work.    Awesome stuff... makes me want to get back to sketching now.

That's it for now folks... was a little behind in updating this last entry cuz I had so many real life projects to complete but I finally got round to it.  Until later, be well.

As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

And Ferny gives us ...Shiva

Ferny has again shown enormous grit, cunning and fortitude in snapping up the latest sneak previews from within the vaults of Yoshi and the Dev Teams' secret base. In the Developers blog, he just updated spiffy new images of the primal Shiva...

Stunning yes?  Can't wait to battle her and see which wicked-looking ice-element weaponry she drops...I'm excited to see whatever spear or lance she drops and wonder if it ties into the lore behind the goddess Halone?

Just wildly speculating that since Halone commands the element of Ice, and Shiva is likely an Ice primal, could there be some interesting back-story?   Plus our goddess of Ice has a personal symbol of three spears;  she is the patron goddess of Ishgard, goddess of War and Glaciers.  Guess we'll find out soon enough.

Anywayz, until later everyone, be well!

As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Fernehalwes updates the Dev Blog...

Yep yep... Fernehalwes of the FFXIV Dev Team just updated onto the Developers Blog some wicked nightime images of the beta build for 2.0.   Here are the spiffy pics but definitely check his entry to see what he wrote ...

Actually liked his quip at the end where he mentioned the same mysteries of crafting that we all wondered about in FFXI.

Also, after getting a couple encouraging emails regarding the song "Oraanu" on my BGM playlist, I decided to move it to the top of the list for a few days.  Thanks again for all the kind comments, keep reading and keep sending out all that positive energy for FFXIV:ARR.  Until later, be well everyone

As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Opening Movie Now Live

Wickedly awesome new cutscene that picks up right after the events of November... news is all on the Lodestone and on the official Square Enix you tube channel.   Next bit of exciting new is the launch of Beta applications, so definitely read the eligibility requirements and apply.

But enough of that, here's the new opening video...

I also snapped a few screenshots from the new video for further analysis and here's a handful of them.  First up, our "Crystal?" heroes are back and by the Twelve, do they look knackered...

Can't wait to do all the possible quests and missions related to them (while helping them get their gear dry cleaned).   Fortunately though, they do have their mounts... btw the way, notice how our grown up Warrior hero has a "Legacy" chocobo?

Speaking of chocobos, the next image of the Maelstrom rider blistering with speed at the head of the pack was spiffy... highly fitting because Limsa will always lead provided we have our beloved Admiral Merlwyb...

Ahh yes... by the way, it seems the much anticipated coliseum will indeed be just off the (east?) coast of Limsa...

 Our main scenario heroes are also back...

And of course, the mysterious Odin... once again, it strikes me very curiously that he bears a weird resemblance to the Garlean Emperor Solus Zos Galvus, innit?

I'd say my verdict for the new video is that it is  superbly done and hints about several aspects of the game without giving too much away.  Love it.  

Now all we need are more images of the  Garlean Empire and the appearances of the other thirteen Legatus (because Darnus' VIIth legion should have been replaced by now... unless they were absorbed by Gaius' XIVth thus making him the Legatus of both legions?).  Or perhaps Nael had a young son, younger brother, or even sister who takes over?  Hmmmm... plots within plots and this should make for some really wicked storylines.

Speaking of which, I'm calling it yet again... I predict that one of the Emperor's female children or relatives (a daughter? niece? grand-daughter?) is  one of the powerful Imperial Legatus.

Anyway, be well everyone.  As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved

Happy New Year...

Happy New Year Everyone... wishing everyone the best this year and the strength to achieve anything they put their minds to.  Stay on course, full sail ahead, the wonderful wind always at your backs and the sun shine warm on your faces.  It as an ancient prayer from several cultures on every continent in the world.

To start off, I changed the BGM music sequence on the blog (yet again)... a few close friends in Europe made me remember the theme song for Berg Epona city in dothack G.U vol 3... so it plays first now.   Also re-discovered Luna Sans "Oraanu" while sorting my music files, so it plays off as 3rd on the list now (thus now pushing  "Voyager", one of my favourite songs on Vanadiel, further downwards on the list).   What can I say... I always loved her voice and the flute + drums accompaniment .

In the end, I basically had to swap the music around not only because my Mixpod playlist has been having problems (their servers went offline)...but I had a sudden feeling of nostalgia while considering a return to FFXI  inbetween waiting for FFXIV:ARR Beta to start.

By the way, Yoshi-P just posted an awesome New Year message on the Lodestone.  Not only that, he also hinted that January 7th would be an important date to bookmark... (Beta?  Benchmark?  New Live letter?)... especially since the Developers Blog just posted up a new image of an awesome snake kabuto (helmet)

He also posted up a very curious looking concept art of him and his personal "Free Company" made up of the snake, bomb-baron, baby chocobo, and baby behemoth...

Hmmm... methinks the crowned water snake leading him is very focused (wait wait wait... is that a paragon's crown on it's head?).  Perhaps it represents both the good luck of the year and us (the players) leading Yoshi as he achieves all his targets for the relaunch of 2.0

The baby behemoth carrying his arrows gotta mean something in the storyline... and the baby chocobo possibly refers to the chocobo job class system still in its infancy.    Dunno... this is turning me bonkers trying to rattle this out.   I should go post some speculations about this on the Lodestone later on.

Oi oi oi... this just occurred to me... what if Yoshi-P was going to present a new FFXIV:ARR commercial on January 7th?  Just like the one Square Enix released back in 2010 for the launch of 1.0 (remember when I posted this a couple years back?)...

Would be spiffy innit?  Once Beta is completed, Yoshi-P and his team will need to market 2.0 very aggressively to not only China and Europe, but also to Macau, Hong Hong, South Korea, Australia and South America.   That's what I think will really make this game a global success because from what I've seen so far, ARR deserves nothing less than becoming a phenomenal success.

That said, I suddenly felt like reminescining about several things regarding 1.0, and of course, i eventually went and dug out an old pic of Louisoix from Xmas of 2011...

...So that I could compare it with the last one I took of him.  This was the very last time I saw him alive prior to the final cutscene...

As I was leaving, I turned round to look at him and took another picture... its as if he was trying to tell me something... crazy coincidence huh?  And I never take coincidences lightly...

Now we understand Sensei... you will be avenged, Great One.  I might as well toss up some random pics from last year to cheer the mood up a bit, yeah?.  

Let's begin with the one item I wanted soooooo bad in 1.0 that just absolutely refused to drop for me in Dzemael Darkhold... the Alpine Jacket (far right in image below).   I remember first seeing it just a few minutes after I returned to the game (following my year long hiatus) in Dec 2011 and loved it...

Ahhh... this was my first "The Maelstrom Needs You!' image... sent it as a gag to my friend who kept prattling on and on about how great the Flames were....

This was when we took a trip to Ul'Dah on a mission to get some high-end liquor for our beloved Admiral Merlwyb

Dancing for Luni during Xmas 2011... and she was quite pleased.  Can't really remember too well, but I think Aiden had threatened to post the rest of these all over the forums unless I wore a subligar and ran around Ul'Dah...

Hunting the dungeons with my great friend Amon Kojiro... we used to make record times in clearing those areas....

Another "The Maelstrom Needs You!" campaign poster...

I keep wondering if these strange airship stops in the north Limsa will be utilized in 2.0...

The youngest of the three "Padjal Siblings" that rule Gridania...

Testing out the fire spells on BLM...

The Imperial Eorzean Order of the Dragoon has arrived... all your bases are belong to us....

This was when I was told that I had no more leve allowances left... so I proceeded to burn the leve office down.  What can I say?  I was already in a horrible mood...

Limsa at dusk... magnificent...

This was when I was trying to have words with the Treant... it didn't do well, trust me...

The Imperial Eorzean Order of Black Mages has arriv--- wait wait wait... they definitely don't know we were recently here to rob them already, right?

With a great friend waaaaay back from FFXI... the great Chick Norris/ Valark

Stood beside Merlwyb when all those lurchy males came slobbering for her hand in marriage...

...and all she has to do is show them her muskeets and they bounce.  Case closed...

Ahhh yes, there's Yoshi--- I mean-- the wandering Ministrel...

Feel the power of super saiyan-mode... Goku got nothing on me...

With Arianger, as we plot how to avenge Sensei Louisoix (yeah, he's here in "limbo" with us while we wait for 2.0)

This is how I would like the furniture for my personal home to look like (or at least our Free Company mansions)...

There's Urianger again... wonder what goes on in his head.  he does that a lot these days.  Say, you don't think he might be Louisoix's son right?  Right???

Hey Bahamut!  I'm coming for you, you bloody #$%@!!!

Citizens of Limsa, hail your new Treasurer.  Accepting gil in cash only please...

Wonder if we can still come here in 2.0.  Methinks our great Sensei may have left us clues right here on how to defeat that overgrown reptile...

I always wondered... did this Gridanian terrain get like this hundreds of years ago during the sixth Umbra calamity?

Peaceful place I found right by Althyk's godstone...

Turns out the beastmen seem to have godstones of their own... or am I just speculating iffy conclusions here?

No no no Hildebrant, don't eat those... drop it, drop it...those are not edible bro...

Visited Yoshi the Wandering Ministrel after they locked him up.

Managed to poison all the guards while trying to help him escape.  Didn't quite work out as planned so  they placed a wanted notification around town.  Had friends who used their markers to draw moustasches on the mug shots, so I was never caught.

Yes indeed... Gaius still patrols the skies. I want a spiffy private airship too...

Loved my chocobo mask, still do... goes so well with the "airquotes" emotes.   Hillarious and I miss it.

Yet another "The Maelstrom Needs You" campaign poster.  Yeah... I get paid for this madness...

Heh... wanna beam me up Gaius?

My lovely retainers...

And this was the last thing I was doing before Sensei warped us out to safety... had that magitek idiot down to like 5%

Well, in conclusion, the images are not the best spiffy quality but they make for some thoughtful and fun memories... didnt have the time to sieve through over five thousand screenshots so I just randomly selected about a hundred.  

Anyway in the meantime, be well everyone.

As always everyone, please remember that all the official videos and images from SE were used here strictly for fan purposes; and all the product, system names and/or company logos remain the registered trademarks of Square Enix.  Copyright (C) 2010-2013 SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD. All Rights Reserved