RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

Addressing the official Final Fantasy XIV forums, producer Naoki Yoshida announced some of the upcoming changes with the latest version.  Of particular note is a move away from guildleves as a central mechanic, which Yoshida openly admits is a retraction from prior statements about the system.  Replacing them will be actual quests, as has been requested by fans for some time.  Leves will still be available, but are being repositioned more as solo content: a quick and optional means of character building in between more time-consuming adventures.  Details about the changes to the system are bulleted below:

• Guildleve rewards will be regionally distinct and based on the guilds located in each town.  Limsa Lominsa, for instance, will provide more metal armor and components thanks to the Blacksmith’s Guild.  Levequests that offer guild marks as rewards will be limited to the region housing that particular guild.
• With the focus on solo levequests, leve-linking bonuses will be reduced, while solo adventurers may be rewarded with skill points in addition to experience.  Difficulty and completion time will now factor in the quest reward.  Sidequests may also grant skill point bonuses upon completion.
• Some regional levequest rebalancing is under way, such as adjusting the distance at which levequest areas may spawn and paths the player must take to get there.
• UI adjustments are planned as relates to leves: automatic updating of the minimap marker position, pegging of enemy rank variance based on difficulty, and a revised menu position when cancelling within the guildleve issuance window.

The post can be read in full over here.