2004-08-27 #1

News Update for Chains of Promathia

Chains of Promathia, the second FINAL FANTASY XI expansion pack, is almost here!

The following version update changes are scheduled to coincide with the commencement of services for Chains of Promathia. A great percentage of these new quests, missions, items, and other updates are related to the contents of the expansion pack.

• A New storyline (a.k.a. CoP Missions) will begin with the addition of Chains of Promathia to the mission menu.
• Many new areas related to the Chains of Promathia expansion pack will be opened to players. In a similar fashion to battlefields, level restrictions will be imposed in several of these areas.
• Four entirely new regions, as well as new areas in existing regions, will be added. It will be possible to perform searches within these new regions and areas.
• Many new monsters will appear in the newly added areas. For further details, please read the Chains of Promathia page found in the Compendium.
• New pieces of equipment that manifest special abilities depending on their use will be introduced.
• New escort quests will be added. It will now be possible to cancel escort quests after they have been accepted.
• Skillchain elements and magic burst effects will be added to avatar blood pact abilities. Also, the accuracy and damage of low-level blood pact abilities will be increased while the accuracy and damage of high-level blood pact abilities will be decreased.
• It will be possible to check a pet’s TP using the command <pettp>
• The MP cost for the white magic spell Dia II will be reduced.
• The MP cost for the black magic spells Bio and Bio II will be reduced. The effect of these spells will now be dependent of the Dark magic skill.
• The skillchain element for the dagger weapon Evisceration will be changed.
• The recast time for the paladin job ability Cover will be decreased from 5 minutes to 3 minutes.
• The level required for paladins to learn Raise will be reduced from 75 to 50.
• The area effect of Etude bard songs will become restricted to a single target.
• The casting time for the bard song Goddess’s Hymnus will be decreased.
• The dragoon weapon skill Wheeling Thrust will be enhanced.
• Several throwing weapons will be become usable by dragoons.
• The effect of the ninjitsu Utsusemi will be completely removed by area attacks.
• The range of parameters adjustable by the Merit Point system partially introduced in the previous version update will be expanded. An exclusive menu for adjusting the settings of this system will be available only when inside one’s Mog House.
• Several system-related adjustments will be made to Ballista (again).
• A new activity called "clamming" will become available on the beaches of a certain area.
• Several key items have been added to the list of items available by trading guild points. These key items will make it possible to perform special types of synthesis.
• Players who have reached the craftsman level in a particular synthesis skill will be able to revoke their title, making it possible to raise another skill to this level without penalties.
• It will become possible to log into PlayOnline and go directly to the FINAL FANTASY XI main page by interesting the Chains of Promathia expansion pack disc (PlayStation 2 version), or by double-clicking the FINAL FANTASY XI shortcut (Windows version). Also, a new text command will make it possible to completely log out of FINAL FANTASY XI and PlayOnline, and exit the PlayOnline Viewer. This command will shut off the power (PlayStation 2 version), or return you to the desktop (Windows version).
  

Many other updates are in the final stages of testing. Further details will be announced along with the introduction of the Chains of Promathia update. A preliminary version update is scheduled to take place in the beginning of September, before the release of the Chains of Promathia content. Dates for maintenance will be announced as soon as they are decided. The preliminary version update will not contain changes that immediately affect gameplay.

In order to activate the Chains of Promathia expansion pack, it is necessary to complete the Expanded Services registration process from FINAL FANTASY XI’s Content ID page using the registration code that comes with the North American expansion pack or the European All-In-One pack. Registering the expansion pack contents does not incur any additional FINAL FANTASY XI user fees.

This version update is timed to coincide with the official release of the Windows version in European territories, and the commencement of worldwide service for Japan, North America, and Europe. It is predicted that with the eight-hour time zone difference between these three areas, the influx of new players will not substantially affect the maximum number of players online simultaneously in each world.

An unexpected world awaits you in Chains of Promathia. We hope you meet new friends and enjoy the adventure, as you uncover the secret history of Vana’diel.

Best regards,
The FINAL FANTASY XI Team