Final Fantasy XI - Journal!

[Hathen]

Didn't really mean any disrespect to Masato Kato, but rather meant that it's a big disappointment that a story like this would come out of him, given the track record he's had.

Sorry about lack of code tags, but I figured I wouldn't need to tag things about the Seed Crystal being the origin given that I believe they had already said that by the fifth or sixth mission. My problem with the seed crystal, though, is that it's introduction adds nothing to the overall story. I've never been one to be too anal about canon or consistency in sequels/spinoffs, if you can do a good story, you can change stuff around so that it works better. But again, the Seed Crystal really doesn't add anything, and it wasn't even used effectively to develop any of the characters. Also, there's no actual explanation given in the game itself of what the seed crystal is and what it is for. If we have to make it up ourselves, that means the writer didn't know.

As far as the ending goes, well...I'll wait till you finish it before I say any more, I suppose.

[Parn]

FYI, the second Star Onions album is shipping next month.  The website opened, and there are three samples.  I really love the arranged version of Gustaberg.

http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/sem/page/onion_2/main/

[Hathen]

About damn time another Star Onions Album came out.

I'm not sure about the song choices, though. Faded Memories works as a slow, creepy song, and I think they already achieved that under the piano collections arrangement. The Gustaberg arrangement seems redundant because they already had a Bonus Track of Gustaberg in the Aht Urhgan soundtrack, which sounded great. And Distant Worlds...guess they just can't get enough of that song, eh? =P

That being said though, Rapid Onslaught is easily my favorite battle song in the game, and a rearrangement of Fighters of the Crystal sounds nice.

[Parn]

I prefer what I hear in this Gustaberg arrangement from what little we were given to hear... and I ignored the piano collections since I'm not much of a fan of sticking to just one instrument, as much as I love hearing the piano.  It's neat hearing someone play a rendition of a song I recognize, but paying money for it is not happening.  I'm interested to hear their arrangement of Faded Memories... hope it maintains that ominous feel.

[Ramza]

The new sample for Gustaberg, if it's any indication, sounds MUCH better than the bonus track on Promathia OST. But Parn, you should out the Piano Collections, they are pimp.

Promyvion arrangement will hopefully live up to its glory. :)

I just finished ACP. I have a slightly higher respect for the story than I thought I would, and the final battle was great. But that final battle + new armor + new music (MAN I LOVE THE LAST BOSS MUSIC) was not worth $10. Not by a long shot. Review to come shortly.

Speaking of that new song...I really wished that appeared as an arrangement on the new Star Onions CD. Maybe as an unannounced bonus. LET ME DREAM! :)

Ramza

[Hathen]

Speaking of the piano collection...



Don't think it comes with the Harpsichord though. ;(

And just to highlight the joke that is ACP, the story quests that were added this patch were not only more coherent, but actually had more things to do than the ACP ones- 4 fights, to be exact, compared to ACP's 3 if you count the Mandragora one.




Interesting stuff is finally happening in the Bastok line of quests, which up until this point has been annoying me to no end with its incredibly boring pseudo-politics.
Crazy Spoiler Image here.



Hopefully I'll find a group to the the Windy/Sandy ones now. The Sandy ones are, so far, as boring as ever. Of course I've not even done the fight for the first new quest, and the Sandy quest has two new fights in this update so I'm expecting something to happen.
The Windurst quests are interesting as always, and this bit (spoiler) is something that makes Lehko and Robel-Akbel the most interesting characters we've been introduced to so far.

And one last crazy thing that has happened tonight...

Whoooo. 5/5 on Usukane 35s. Still missing the 25 legs and 15/25 body, but more importantly...I need 6 million gil now. Har. Accepting any donations, heh...

[Ramza]

5/5 on the 35s? Enough gil and you're basically set for a full Usu. Nice!

I clicked the spoiler image. I shouldn't have. But that's awesome.

I beat ACP the other night and have review ready soon. Yeah. It sucked. They should've given us that for free and made us pay another $10 to advance in WotG. Or just not made us pay anything.

Yeah, the nation-based quests are awesome. I've only kept up with San d'Oria. I look forward to catching up with the others.

Ramza

PS - grats on the CD. I love FFXI Piano Collections (both of them). The sheet music book for the one you won, I'm going to be buying soon. I love sheet music.

PPS - They should've awarded you a new copy of Sanctuary (Star Onions) instead. :P:P

[Hathen]

I clicked the spoiler image. I shouldn't have. But that's awesome.

Don't worry, the shot is actually a pretty minor spoiler compared to what actually happens.

They should've given us that for free and made us pay another $10 to advance in WotG

Funny thing is, if they had a story on the level of the nation quests this patch, I think it most definately would've been worth $10. The thing about the last fight of ACP, though, is that even people who haven't bought the expansion can help with it, so you don't have to have the expansion to experience that fight (True that you need one person who has the expansion to open the arena of course, but still), only need it to get the armor.

Did "The Long March North" and "The Forbidden Path" today (Windurst).



I wish my laptop didn't suck so much, otherwise I wouldn't have to just stare at gradient skies and crappy framerate during these battle cutscenes, heh.




Pretty simple sleepga-kill fight, only one is immune to sleep but a PLD can hold it while DDs take out the small ones one by one easily.

Spoiler Image. As much as I like the Windurst quests, I did not like this segment, because it was a pretty cheap plot device to use and the way it was done basically made it so I couldn't possibly care about what happened.

Nevertheless, it passes quickly enough, so we can move on the the real meat of the story, and the appearance of one of the most important elements that made CoP and ToAU more epic and scale. Spoiler image once again.

After this is a meeting with the Star Sybil. Does she actually do anything other than just look pretty all day?



And of course something we've all been waiting for a long time...the appearance of the legendary Karuha-Baruha.

Anybody that has knowledge of the Vana'Diel history knows his importance not only in the Crystal War, but his importance to the understanding of the nature of the avatars. Meeting him in person though, was rather unremarkable. I hope to see his character do great things.



A fetch quest follows, but I don't quite understand why this is here. We get another Magic McGuffin to trace, but I probably lack an understanding of it because I haven't done Windurst nation quests- I really should try to do those sometime.
Spoiler image from one fork of the fetch quest. I was confused when I saw this guy, but I told by my LS members that he plays a key role in the Windurst nation quests, which is probably why I don't recognize him.


Spoiler dialogue between Karuha-Baruha and Robel-Akbel is great, I really wonder about this man's motives.

Hopefully I'll get the Sandy quests done sometime soon. Having done the Bastok and Windurst quests, I expect great things from the Sandy ones as well. Both of these quests have been left on a strong cliffhanger, and I feel something huge is about to happen. When's the next patch, dammit!?

[Ramza]

I saw that Windy CS, and I really liked it actually. I understand your complaint though...

Code:

killing off a character you just met and trying to make it an emotional experience is weaksauce.

Understanding Windurst's plot takes more than doing the nation quests. There's a LOT to be gained by doing the Summoner AF quests.

Good screen grabs.

Ramza

[Raze]

http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/sem/page/onion_2/main/

It's tough to tell as it cuts off just as it's starting, but I'd be interested to see if they could do anything with the complete xarcabard. I loved that music, but it's definitely more mood music rather than something you'd sit down and listen too.

[Ashtrot]

The prodigal son returns.

I fucking fell off the wagon again. Motherfucker.

[Parn]

Oh, you crazy, crazy person.  Look for Meicyn, the Paladin obsessed with capping his shield skill in Boyahda Tree.  Later tonight, that is.

[Ashtrot]

:D

[Hathen]

We're getting a Conquest version of Astral Candy.

[Parn]

That's actually really badass.