I had to take a small break from FFXIV

I got physically and mentally tired of playing FFXIV. I love the game, but the player base is really getting to me.

Viva Eorzea has gotten quite large and it's hard for me to deal with every complaint that comes on the table. I left the rule up to the Tiamats for a few days while I get some rest and relaxation, I didn't want to melt down leading the group we worked hard for three years to build up.

Not to mention Titan, while he's easy to do as Paladin, on Black Mage it's an entirely different beast. A stressful one at that. I am getting better at dodging stuff, but not good at nuking. Just need to study my abilities and go from there.

Whim Independent Studios - Development Log #21

Hey guys, back with the 21st development log!

Selatria: 

We have finished the main portions of Chapter 2 and released the Alpha version of said chapter for testing since the last development log. There were some critical bugs that were found in the game and we got quite a bit of feedback, so we took the game down from the public for a little while. We are currently planning on fixing a good portion of these bugs and then put the chapter up for testing as soon as possible.

Among some of the major feedback we've received is that status effects aren't explained too well, and the pacing between the puzzles and boss battles becomes too challenging at once. We'll be performing some buffs and adjustments in certain areas to make the progression in the game more smoothly.

At the same time we're putting fixes to Chapter 2 content, we've moved forward to Chapter 3. Check out some of the new music and cutscenes for Chapter 3! Music in SoundCloud by Christopher Nuño. Last theme for the minigame in the video is provided by Luke Simpson. Character art by Jennifer Gilliland






I do want to remind that given that this is an alpha version, some of the graphics are placeholder until the art team gets to it, this version of the alpha is meant to test game breaking bugs and and gameplay concerns. We will have testing of graphics in meticulous detail come when the game hits the beta version.

Regarding Upcoming Kickstarter:

We will be launching a Kickstarter for Selatria in late November given the current pace. Just in time for the holidays! First, we plan on making sure our backers from the Indiegogo campaign get all of the promised tier rewards and kept in the loop on the progress of the game.

Indiegogo backers will also be grandfathered into the reward tiers from that phase. Thanks for being early adopters of the project!

ANTics:

It's almost complete!!!

Check out some new gameplay footage of ANTics! The game is about 85% finished, and you'll probably see some aspects of the game that aren't final/currently placeholder, but we have a really fun game on our hands!





Purchase ANTics when it drops on Google Play in the near future for 99 cents. We will also be working on a Kickstarter for ANTics: Exterminator Edition coming this winter with added monsters, levels, and music. We may give a special reward for Exterminator Edition players for those who have beaten the first version of the game as well! So stay tuned.


That's about it for this development log. Until next time!

Viva Eorzea vs Garuda Hard Mode - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PLD PoV)

Our first linkshell video. Check it out! Fraps caused it to lag.

Codecademy Quick Update

I've really gotten back into Codecademy lately. I felt like I've been slacking on my progress a bit too much. I'm currently working on the Python language.

My goal is to do five exercises a day to keep me relevant, but I always end up doing way more, because I get into it.

Feel free to track my progress.

First month back in Eorzea

Warning: This post contains spoilers!

Setting off on another adventure with my chocobo "Wonder".

About a month has passed since my arrival in New Eorzea. In that time, I was able to save the world (again!), obtain a relic weapon, finally down Garuda Hard Mode, get my Arcanist almost to level 30 and my Miner almost to level 50.



Hyperion Server:

Wandering through the new Southern Thanalan

So far, my experiences on Hyperion server have been relatively positive. However, I have had a problem with people in the Duty Finder. I find most people in there to be so rude to the point that I will not run with random people unless I absolutely have to. I'm very happy to say I was able to get my relic quest complete with the company of at least 80% Free Company members in the party.




Storyline Completed!

*Again, beware. Spoilers*

FFXIV had a really great story. Being a Legacy player, I was treated to a lot of different cutscenes than new players did. A different opening where I woke up in the middle of nowhere and wandered to Gridania somehow, Minfilia remembering me from the 1.0 Scenario but telling me others forgot who I was. Cid losing his memory and then regaining it and telling me he remembered the first time I tried to save the world and the whole Nael Van Darnus conflict. And then the three city-state leaders all being shocked that I was a Warrior of Light all along who returned to save the world twice!

I hope they continue a lot of these legacy nods, but it was a nice touch to not forget us at the end. Very nice closure, and the ending scene with the crystal, Ascians, and their worship of Zodiark. I can't wait for the new storyline to hit!

Garuda Hard Mode finally downed!:

Us fighting Garuda Hard Mode in a Free Company event, picture by Zell Drakkengaard

My revenge against Garuda Hard Mode has finally been fulfilled. In version 1.0, we suffered against her due to the latency problems with her attacks and being hit by her abilities when she was "clearly" out of the way on most of our screens. It really caused me to be upset to the point where I would go on what my friends would call "Depression IHOP runs" in the middle of the night after logging off in frustration. (FC/LS still has fun with that to this day.)

In the current battle, her mechanics are mostly the same from Version 1.0, but there were some tweaks in order to make it more attractive to all jobs to participate in the fight.

-Her teleportations are no longer random. She teleports to the North, the middle, and then the east. However, if the rocks are destroyed before her teleportations, she will change her strategy.

-The phase 2 which spawned adds and her random teleporting and the phase 3 which spawned the sisters on a random wind were replaced by an overall phase 2 which consists of.
---Go slightly NW of original tanking spot and wait for her to Summon Sisters (One heals Garuda, one does more damage to the person holding it)
---Kite clockwise to avoid tornadoes and kill a special Purple Plume
---Run to Center of battlefield and kill sisters again. (As Main Tank, I hold her at 12:00)
---Run South and kite Clockwise back to original Phase 2 positions.

The fight as a whole is a DPS and positioning check, rather than a check over your lag. Much more fair in my opinion.

And then there's Titan... Way more difficult than anything I've done in any MMO so far. And I was tanking, I was the easy job. I just sat there and ate damage, but mind you I needed some of the best gear to be able to do that, the party members have to be epic on dodging his rotation of abilities.

Relic Weapon Obtained: 

Relic weapon also obtained! I touched on this back in my last post a bit. Now that I have the Paladin, the next one will be the Black Mage relic. I will be working on that later this month.


What's happening for October?

My goals in Eorzea for October will not be as large as they were this last month because though I will still be playing, I'm going to be focusing on Pokemon X and Y for a little bit as well.

-Working Scholar and Summoner past level 30.
-Working on Black Mage relic weapon.
-Get Miner to level 50.
-Help FC members get past Titan Hard Mode. He's ugly.
-Complete at least turn 1 of Bahamut's Coil