With all the old areas getting revised enemies and mob placements, things can feel disorienting for players who have been used to the same-old-areas for years now. Where are the new high level enemies to be found in each area? Am I going to have to re-learn where I'm safe from aggro and where I need to watch my ass again? What kinds of mobs are there? I've been wondering all these things myself so I decided to go out and see firsthand.

To view the entire post you'll have to click on read more. Most new mobs don't aggro unless they're a typical aggro type mob. For example Goblins, Skeletons, Scorpions, etc.aggro while the more usual "animal" type mobs don't aggro, (Crabs, Lizards, Bats, Leeches, Flies, etc.).

I labeled the sections "High level mobs/low level mobs", some of those old lower level mobs will still aggro a level 90 player. Don't think of this as a guide to safe versus aggro areas, it's for showing "new versus old" enemy placement. Also I didn't bother to check for resting aggro.

Areas listed are roughly in order from areas with the highest level enemies to lowest. ONLY THE MAPS THAT CONTAIN THE NEWER ENEMIES ARE SHOWN, if a zone with multiple levels and maps is not shown then that implies only old lower level enemies remain there untouched.

May 10 2011
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/threads/6290-dev1012-Revamped-Monster-Placement
[dev1012] Revamped Monster Placement
        Several areas will receive adjustments to monster distribution in order to cater to high-level characters.


Fei’Yin: 95-99 Balayang, Wekufes !aggros sound/hp!, Sentient Carafes !aggros magic!.



Bostaunieux Oubliette: 94-99 Blind Bat !aggros sound!, Dabilla !aggros sound/hp!, Panna Cotta !aggros sound!, Nachtmahrs !aggros sound/hp!, Wurdalaks  !aggros sight/sound!.



Toraimarai Canal: 94-99 Deviling Bat, Plunderer Crab, Blackwater Pugil, Starborer, Sodden Bones !aggros sound/hp!, Drowned Bones !aggros sound/hp!, Flume Toads, Rapier Scorpion !aggros sound!, Poroggo Excavators.

 Another update, more new gear, and new additions to maximum obtainable stats. Just like before here's a list of FFXIAH gear sets with each slot bearing the highest stat for that gear slot. These aren't practical gear sets to actually put into use so don't look at them as such. Sets that are updated list what gear changed.

Full MP and HP to MP Equipment Set
Oneiros Headgear beats Pixie Hairpin MP 90
Mujin Obi beats Belisama's Rope MP 60

Full HP and MP to HP Equipment Set
No changes

Full Mind Equipment Set
No changes
Full Intelligence Equipment Set
Anhur Robe beats Augers INT 14
Full Enhancing Magic Skill Set
Anhur Robe beats Glamour Jupon Enhskill 12

Full Enfeebling Magic Skill Set
New Slot, Irrwisch Ring Enfskill 4 (rare)

Full Magic Accuracy Skill Set
Menhit Slacks beats Estoq+2 Macc 7
Demonry Sash beats Witch Sash Macc 4
Oneiros Cape beats Hecate's Cape Macc 5

Full Elemental Magic Skill Set
Anhur Robe beats Glamour Jupon Eleskill 12
Avesta Bangles beats Genie Gages Eleskill 15
New Slot, Irrwisch Ring Eleskill 4 (rare)

Full Magic Attack Bonus Set
New Slot, Ossa Grip Latent Ice Ele Mab +2
Genesis Locket beats Carect Choker MAB 5
Oneiros Sash beats Bitter Corset MAB 4
Strendu Ring beats Gadlr Ring MAcc 4 (ra/ex)

Full MP Recovered While Healing Set
Numen Staff + beats Ariesian Grip combo beats Runic Anelace + Legion Scutum combo MPH 15
Menhit Slacks beats Nisse Slacks MPH 5
Menhit Leggings beats Goliard MPH 4

Full Conserve MP Set
No changes

Full Fast Cast Set
No changes

Full Haste Set
Calmecac Trousers beats Nashira Haste 3

Full Physical Damage Taken Set (includes "damage taken" where no alternatives available)
Melaco Mittens beats Darksteel+1 PDT 3

Full Magic Damage Taken Set (includes "damage taken" where no alternatives available)
New Slot, Chtonic Staff MDT -12

Full Negative Enmity Set
No changes

Full Magic Defense Bonus Set
New Slot, Demonry Stone MDB 2
New 2nd earring Mujin Stud MDB 2

Full Refresh Set
New slot, Oneiros Grip Latent Refresh

New Set Additions:
Full Dark Magic Skill Set

Stoneskin Unique Items
Stone Gorget +30 to stoneskin cap
Siegel Sash +20 to stoneskin cap
Haven Hose +20 to stoneskin cap
Stone Mufflers +30 to stoneskin cap
Or
Alternate Hand Slot: Carapacho Cuffs Stoneskin  cast time -15%

You're beautiful!

A new year and a new development cycle means a new "roadmap" has been released by Square to give an indication of where the game is headed in the long term. So most likely you've already read about the info yourself, but just in case you haven't here's a link to read all about it:

Final Fantasy XI Roadmap for 2011 Link

Essentially it boils down to 3 large updates and 1 mini update. And over the year-long span it focuses on these main things:

• -Implementing the final level cap increases to 99
• -Job adjustments
• -Voidwatch system
• -Grounds of Valor system.
• -New battlefields
• -"Dungeon crawling"
• -"The Last Stand"
• -Adventurer Growth elements. 
  
• -Implementing a daily reward system
• -Reworking Dynamis and Walk of Echoes
• -Implementing final Fellowship additions
• -Additions to Magian Trials
• -Monster and NM distribution and respawn adjustments
• -Additions and adjustments to synthing and synergy.
• -Enhancing the game via tweaks like AH merges and congestion relief.
• -Increasing treasure-casket areas.
• -Opening the test server to player testing.

Much of the meaty graphical content from the last three years of FFXI has been derived from reskinned older graphics. Things such as areas, armor, weapons, weaponskills, enemies, etc. Accompanying this trend is a popular myth stating that the purpose is because reskinning old graphics helps the PS2 to conserve disc space. I've heard people say this all the time, and I'm sure you have to. But it is false, and here I'll show you very plainly and evidently (with simple pics for proof) that it's false.

This post was from a thread posted on the official FFXI forums, but it turned out so lengthy I figured I'd make it a blog post while I'm at it. Since the opening of the forums Abyssea has come under heavy criticism from plenty of clueless "greener grass" types. This is basically my response and defense of Abyssea content. This is a long post... but I think some perspective is needed.

Context from FFXI in 2009:
I think it's important to remember what it was like before Abyssea came out. 2009 was possibly the most dull year in FFXI history. Players were feeling, at best mixed, and at worst snubbed by the string of addon scenarios, so more new "addons" were treated with heavy skepticism. On top of this new plans were announced; the level cap was being increased, and at the time it seemed like FFXIV was ready to crush FFXI. The content for 2010 had to be epic or players were unlikely to shill out another $30 and a years worth of subscription for more tedium and fetch frustration. This was the challenge Abyssea was up against. Despite any flaws, it's clear that Abyssea has succeeded at this and provides plenty of value for the purchase price.

Due to the tragic circumstances in Japan, we've all been given a little time to do other things while FFXI is offline this week. While looking around and cleaning up the files on my PC I ran into an old folder of Google Earth style maps I made over a year ago now. I had forgotten all about them, but I figure they're sort of cool, so why not turn them into a blog post.

Basically I used the program EWH Zone Viewer to take sequential pictures of a number of zones from above. Then took those pictures and stitched them together in Photoshop and cleaned it up. The entire process was tedious and awful, which is why I stopped. As nifty as they were I couldn't conceive of any good practical and useful reason to justify the difficulty of making them. Although if you had any good ideas yourself, I'd be willing to listen. It's too bad too. Seeing the entire game in a Google Earth format would be a nice concept, but just far too much of a challenge. I dunno, maybe there's someone out there who's a clever programmer or has less of a life than me who could accomplish it.

Anyways here they are. For some reason I focused on WotG zones, I guess at the time they felt more relevant. They are hosted using the handy Maplib.net website. Click the individual name links to get a better view. Click read on below the cut off to see more.


Windurst Waters (S)



Click read on below the cut off to see more.

This post is just what it says. Looking back at the delay between the final release of "A Shantotto Ascension" and the release of "Visions of Abyssea" in order to guess at how long it may be before we see a new series of content introduced to FFXI. Whether it's more addons or whatever. Here's the breakdown:

*All these dates used are the dates the content went live in the update, not the presale date, or announcement or anything*

A Shantoto Ascension: 11 9 2009
Visions of Abyssea: 6 21 2010
It is 224 days from the start date to the end date.
Or 7 months, 12 days

Heroes of Abyssea: 12 6 2010
Today: 3 11 2011
It is 95 days from the start date to the end date.
Or 3 months, 5 days

By subtracting the current time between the release of Heroes and today, from the total period between the Addon Scenarios and Abyssea we get:
224 - 95 = 129 days worth of difference.

And so, if the past is any rough indication it may now be about 130 more days until some kind of new addon type content goes live. Let's see what happens.