Recently, the new “Letter from the Producer” livestream for Final Fantasy XIV took place. The developers presented fresh information about the recent DDoS attacks, the promised benchmark update, and the upcoming expansion Dawntrail.
What’s new with the benchmark? You’ve probably heard about it: The program that allows players to find out if their PC is strong enough for Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail caused quite a stir.
The old technology of the tool struggled with the extensive graphics update of the MMORPG, leading to unintended changes to existing characters as well as display errors. The criticism from the community had an impact. The developers announced a comprehensive update for the benchmark tool.
During the new “Letter from the Producer” livestream (via Square Enix), specific details about the implemented improvements were discussed. There will be adjustments for the fangs of the Miqo’te from the tribe of the Moon Tamers. Additionally, the worsened dental graphics of the Lalafell due to the graphics update will be fixed.
Other issues, such as the faulty representation of laugh lines, should be resolved through the improvement of lighting. Moreover, the so-called “Normal Mapping” for all playable races has been revised, enhancing the displayed surface details. According to the developers, the updated benchmark will be released on June 3, 2024.
What about the DDoS attacks? Final Fantasy XIV has been suffering from DDoS attacks for quite some time now, negatively affecting the server connections of players who are currently exploring Eorzea. According to the developers, this is the most extensive and longest wave of attacks since the launch of A Realm Reborn.
The official statement on this:
Our infrastructure team is working around the clock in shifts and collaborating with providers worldwide to mitigate the impact of the attacks as much as possible. Despite our efforts, however, it happens that the attacks overcome our protective measures and interrupt the connection for entire groups of 1,000 to 2,000 players simultaneously.
Square Enix
New Information about Patch 7.0
Was there any new information about Dawntrail? The last three hours of the stream revolved around the new expansion of Final Fantasy XIV. Here are the main takeaways:
- A new quest will come with Patch 7.0, through which every player can earn a vial of Fantasia. With Fantasia, the character can be fully customized once.
- While Dawntrail does not bring drastic design changes for the jobs, adjustments will be made focusing on improved handling of playstyles. The goal: to better highlight the individuality of each job.
- Players will soon be able to decide whether commands that trigger follow-up commands should change automatically or not at all.
- The damage reduction capabilities of every defender job will receive different additional effects.
- For all attackers, the healing potential of Chakra will be increased. The duration of Wear Down will be raised to 15 seconds for melee attackers. The job-specific defensive talents of all physical ranged attackers will be reinforced.
- The new job of the Viper will possess a similar number of commands as other jobs but is designed so that significantly fewer commands need to be saved in the command menu.
- The execution of the basic spell combo of the Pictomancer will enable the immediate effect of the spell “Sanctus in White”. Furthermore, the spell combo will fill the job gauge, and when it reaches 50, a further combo consisting of more powerful spells with longer activation times, as well as the huge “Comet in Black”, will become available.
- The cooldown for Spontaneity will be reduced to 40 seconds for all magical ranged attackers and healers.
- Adjustments to PvP commands and arenas are planned for Patch 7.1.
- In the new main scenario, two new characters will play a significant role: “Bakool Ja Ja is a two-headed Mamool Ja, just like the current ruler of Tural Gulool Ja Ja. He is not part of the royal family; he is participating in the competition for a very specific reason. Koana, a contender from another group, is a Miqo’te from a region where this race is known by a different name.”
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail will be released on July 2, 2024, for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Those who pre-order the expansion can explore the new continent Tural starting June 28. For optimal preparation, check this out: 10 things you should do in Final Fantasy XIV before Dawntrail arrives
