FINAL FANTASY XI Roadmap For Oct 2011 – Mar 2012

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/threads/16211

Attention, adventurers of Vana'diel!



Today, we are pleased to present an updated FINAL FANTASY XI roadmap covering the months of October 2011 through March 2012.

*Dates noted on the roadmap indicate the time at which new content will be introduced on the test server.


October 2011-March 2012
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With the addition of the test server, the FINAL FANTASY XI development cycle will shift from the periodic large-scale version updates seen thus far to a more frequent introduction of specific content as it becomes ready for release. That content will be tested by you, the players, and refined by our development and quality assurance teams to ensure the most challenging and enjoyable playing experience possible.

New content will hereafter be implemented in the following manner:
Development of new content
Introduction on test server and announcement on official forums
Playtesting phase
Feedback from test server participants received.
Development and QA teams explore possible revisions.
Refinement phase
Content is adjusted based on playtesting feedback and reintroduced on the test server.
(*Cycle repeats from step two until content is deemed ready for release.)
Content released!

The following new content is scheduled to feature on the test server in the coming months:

2011
October
The next installment in the Voidwatch saga, new Walk of Echoes walks, additional BCNM battlefields, and upgrades for relic equipment are scheduled for introduction this month.

A daily reward system is also under development for this month, along with adjustments to the warrior, thief, and scholar jobs.



November
An increase in the level cap from level 95 to 99 as well as additional adventures to embark upon, new job abilities and appropriate refinements for existing ones round out the planned focus for this month's content.

For player convenience, monster placement will be adjusted and the porter moogle system expanded.



December
Features proposed for this month include a new battle system for level 99 players—tentatively named The Last Stand, a renewal of the Nyzul Isle Investigation battlefield, additional weapon skills, a level cap increase for adventuring fellows to 95, and further job adjustments.


　
2012
January
This month's test server update is scheduled to introduce the fourth chapter of Voidwatch, additional job adjustments aimed at level 99 characters, and refinements to merit point groups one and two. The scope of these job and merit point adjustments will likely exceed even those implemented with the level 99 cap increase.

February
Features planned for this month include: a new dungeon crawl system, the latter half of Voidwatch's fourth chapter, a further expansion of the porter moogle system, and adjustments to limit break quest difficulty.


　
March
Expansions to the Limbus and Einherjar battlefields, along with further job adjustments and two-hour abilities obtainable via merit points are set to be introduced this month.

　
　
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We thank you for your continued exploration of Vana'diel and wish you many more incredible discoveries in the future!

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The FINAL FANTASY XI Team

...99 in november wat

New 2 hour abilities. Oooh...

When did Danny Devito mate with Shadow Lord?

*Dates noted on the roadmap indicate the time at which new content will be introduced on the test server.


so we wont see 99 till 2012

update this month? could of sworn the month is almost over, have they announced that at all?

interesting to see lv 99 so soon.
and new ws, thats always interesting.

too much to comment on here but here is to hoping VW stops sucking as it has to be by far the dumbest event in this game by my opinion.

edit: oh for test server?..so this is just a tease? ffffffffffffff

Can't match Kali's posts! :< You even missed some image! Like the funky apkallu and the awesome pixie!

But anyway~
Lotsa interesting stuff! I'm excited that all this is coming relatively soon(lv 99 is kinda unexpected so soon, I thought it was gonna be somewhere in february or so).

Meh when you've seen one pixie you've seen them all. Still, updated with the missing images.

Am I the only one getting a "last hurrah" feeling from this update?

these dates are all for the test server, not the regular servers

Too much VW planned

Alot of the other stuff looks real good thogh

Stuff doesn't stay on test server for more than a month. Thus my feeling stands still.

Got that feeling strongly from the name of the new event scheduled for testing in December. XP

I mean really "The Last Stand?" Even if it's just a name for testing purposes that is not the best name to use at a time like this in the life of your game.

"The last stand" sounds a lot like something involving Tavnazia to me.

Yeah, I'm totally getting a last hurrah feeling from a roadmap of 10+ future updates.

We'll likely see it before December.

i miss kali's post . . . ;_;

As amazing as I think that would be, simply because of my ever expanding need to know more about the place or simply to have more contact with it. I'm assuming it has more to do with Voidwatch, and that new area they show in the screenshot there.

Possibly finally going to this area between worlds/dimensions/wherever where Voidwatch bosses live, to finally give them what they deserve and ending the Voidwatch threat? I don't know, I honestly havn't gone far enough in Voidwatch quests to know the story behind it and make these assumptions with certainty.

Yes you are the only one, FFXI will never die.

Voidwatch has a story...?

Barely. The latter chapters actually have cutscenes (in particular a very interesting one with Cait Sith possibly tied into the avatar version we'll get). I'm only on Jeuno T2, but I'd say that there are more cutscenes in Voidwatch now then there are in Abyssea.

Granted, cutscenes don't necessarily mean a story, but they're going somewhere with it...

I've heard talk of a cs, and the officers do seem to attempt to make some kind of story behind it. So I am simply assuming at best I suppose. :x

lol, wait did you miss the love story that VW is?? oh wait... thats just my love for getting junk..

Hopefully they do something about Salvage as well. I would be really disappointed if they didn't do any upgrades or revamps to it like they are with everything else.

ye
yea, i have no idea about any of the storylines even though i have beaten most of them. i'm just in it for the GEARS :D

SE: oh you want something about Salvage too? *thinks* Ok, let's lower Alexandrite drop rates!

almost half a year till we see our 2hrs change in some form or fashion @_@ Just give me more -2h weapon delay on DRK and ill be happy xD

Is it me or does the 1st mob pic under October looks like Ifrit's fat little brother?

I looked at it more as a new meritable 2hr for each job, not adjustments to our current ones. :x But I suppose it could go either way.

Some how i just feel like you dont know were playing "Final" Fantasy xD

The only way i could see them augmenting 2hrs are Increasing duration of 2hr. Reducing recast of 2hr. Enhancing Effect of 2hr. and for like 10 of the jobs that may not be something to look forward to. So i am hoping your right. Then that would justify almost half a year of work i guess.