Wow, that was an enormous live letter! For anyone who missed the action or would like a quick English version of what went down, here’s a copy of Marko Turn & Mr. Happy’s collaboration!

Read on for more!

Translator: MarkoTurn (twitch.tv/markoturn) – twitter: @markoturn

Document: MrHappy1227 (twitch.tv/mrhappy1227) – twitter: @mrhappy1227

Live Letter XXXIII Begins! Yoshida & Foxclon welcome everyone. Foxclon was in London recently. There was CHAOS in Square Enix a few days back.

This Live Letter is the Patch 3.5 Preview: Part 1! First half will be about Patch 3.5 and the second half will be with an unknown special guest.

Patch 3.5: The Far Edge of Fate will be the name of the patch. The logo portrays the Warrior of Light surrounded by Alphinaud, Alisiae, Yda and Papalymo, with Tupsumati in the center.

The “Far Edge” is very important in the title.

New Main Scenario quests

Part 1 in 3.5 (Mid January)



Part 2 in 3.55 (March)

New Warring Triad quests

New side quests Scholasticate Hildibrand Anima Weapon – They just tease us about whether or not it will be longer.



New Dungeons

Baelsar’s Wall – Wall that divides Gyr Abania and the rest of Eorzea

Obviously we’ll get to go to the other side of the wall in the Expansions

Sohm Al (Hard) In 3.0 we climbed up Sohm Al, this time we are going down into the mountain.



24 Man Raid

Dun Scaith – The Fortress of Shadows

Story will reach its finale, but there may be remaining loose ends.

First boss will be on an airship. Others will be in the different districts of the fortress.

Who knows, maybe we’ll fall? Something similar to Titan.



Look at that Mhachet Board

New Trials

Containment Bay Z1T9 – Zurvan, the Demon of the Warring Triad

Extreme Mode as well.

Warring Triad will reach its finale with this quest. Regula will play a centerpiece here.

Zhloe Aliapoh

A new book for new crafter/gatherer content.

Raise satisfaction level of specific NPCs by handing them requested crafted or gathered items.

Glamour elements will play a role here.

Will be introduced in 3.5 and expanded upon in 3.55.

Originally will use new NPCs, they may patch in older NPCs to participate in the content.

Exploratory Missions 2.0

Pre existing exploratory Missions have been heavily updated

Hunting Exploratory Missions



Gathering Exploratory Missions



You’ll be determining which missions you want to participate in.



Map itself will change from what it was before.



Players earn equipment from completing duty requirements.

DoL complete duties with gathering.



Missions also include bosses that require four parties to clear.



Unlike old Diadem, this will have mostly guided content, as opposed to just fly around and kill stuff.



Not directly in 3.5, but Diadem will be unavailable starting in 3.5 until new Exploratory Mission changes are implemented sometime in 3.5x.



Achievements for current Diadem will be adjusted for the rework.

Party Finder Updates

Window will change to allow a choice between server-only, entire data center, or all Party Finder parties in both categories.

Data center wide Party Finder Options being implemented.

Players will still have the option to only recruit for their server, but it opens up the ability for people from across servers to play together for instanced content.



Cross server only works for content in the Duty or Raid Finder.



Party chat can be used once you join a Party Finder group, even if on different servers.



Adjusting the blacklist to work cross-server.

Party Finder Filters to help narrow down recruitments you’re searching for.

Content like PoTD & Diadem will be updated into the Party Finder sometime later. It won’t be available at launch of the new PF for cross-server play.

Can Password Lock recruitments

Can be used to make cross-server static raid groups or only your friends to join

Will be in 3.5

PVP

Grand Company Requirements have been abolished for Frontlines

You CAN still choose to use GC requirements, but uh…why?

Removing GC requirements because in 4.0 we are getting a new and bigger PVP content.

Can use FC/LS chat in PVP from now on

Dueling Ability to ilvl sync duels to i150 Ability to sync gear to host’s item level Unsynced can still be done Recast timers reset at start of duel

The Feast

New Maps – Same Rules



Will be introduced in 3.55 when the current season ends.



New map is shown to be in the Black Shroud.



Chat disabled during battles Due to the majority of chat containing harassment and not actual strategy. New targeting commands and auto translate actions will be implemented for strictly strategic discussion. These new commands/actions are actual buttons for your hotbars These actions are Feast only



Chocobo Companion Update

Improvements to the Companion System

Duty Finder can be used while your chocobo companion is present



Companions appear in the party list the same way as pets.



Chocobo companions and SMN/SCH pets can be out at the same time.



Full party can contain 8 players and 8 chocobos.

8 SMN, 8 Chocobos, 8 Egis



Because they are no longer party members, you’ll need to manually target a party member’s chocobo to see its HP like you do with pets currently.

Egi Glamour

The outward appearance of Garuda, Titan and Ifrit-egi can now be altered.

Complete the relevant quest and it unlocks this feature.



Change your egi’s appearance using text commands



Other players will see your egi’s altered appearance



Patch 3.5 will only allow for Carbuncles to be used as alternate appearances, other egi appearances will be added in as they stated several times prior to this.



Appearance changes will be saved even if you log out.



Resummon an egi once you’ve altered its appearance.

Novice Network

Players will be asked to confirm that they wish to join the network after being invited.

Players can opt out

Support for returning players

A new player status has been introduced: returning players.

This is to help let people know someone is playing the game again after taking a break.

This status becomes available if you have not logged in for 45 or more days

A window will pop-up and ask you if you want to use this status



Sets their status as “Returning Player”

Requires level 50 or above.



Returning players can use the Novice Network



Gain Extra EXP by forming a party with a mentor, just like new players

Additional Updates

Preview item colors on equipment screen

Paintings will be added as furnishings

They are not screenshots turned into paintings, they are premade paintings for furnishings.

Sightseeing Log unlocks different paintings



Patch 3.5 set for Mid-January (Far Edge of Fate: Part 1)

Patch 3.55 set for March (Far Edge of Fate: Part 2)

Possibility they might release 3.55 later to help bridge the gap in 3.5 and the expansion based on player feedback for 2.5/2.55 prior to Heavensward

Next Live Letter during JP Fan Festival Dec 24-25

Showing off some new armor from new 24 man raid. Tank armor, Caster Armor & Bard (?) shown.

They are showing off the Duality album. Music video for Locus released today.

Still have the special guest for the second half of this Live Letter. Wonder who it will be?

Special Guest – Rie Tanaka (We’ve had her as a guest before) Voice Actress for Sophia, Kan E-senna and Garuda

Background

Just finished A11S as a White Mage



Currently working on Floor 100+ for PoTD

Wiped at Floor 180



Yoshida wiped at floor 199



Rie got the mount from PoTD



Alright I’m not gonna keep typing this stuff. If I’m doing a biography I want dat guap.



Show off a new glamour piece, suspenders.



Currently making a Khloe Minion



She wants an emote where you hold your hands together and bow.



Just to be clear, the only remaining content pieces are likely the announcements at the end for things like new merch, Jp fan Fest, etc.



Scenario team wants Kan E-senna to “go wild” and really lose her cool. Difficult to make us fight alongside her since Gridania as a nation is not a very confrontational city-state.



May raise the speed of ground mounts in the future. If they do, they MIGHT add the FF7 Bike as a mount.



Nidhogg not a possible mount, but Rie wants Hraesvelgr as a mount



Also wants a big Carbuncle mount



New Merch available in the Crane games at JP Fan Fest FFXIV Blanket



Hoodie Yoshida is Wearing



Necklace of Haurchefants Shield

Announcements

Reminder of the remaining Fan Festivals

Next one is in Japan Dec 24-25



JP Fan Fest Stream tickets become available Nov 29th



Show off JP Fan Fest Merch

For the Merchandise available at the Tokyo Fanfest, click here!