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Holdenhamlet's guide to starting FFXIV
holdenhamlet
Member EpicPosts: 3,772
It seems to me that many people are confused about starting this game and what to do in the game. I spent a lot of time in Beta and enjoy reading various message boards, and I'm really enjoying my time in game and play pretty much as much as I can, so I think I might have some good information to share for people who are brand new to the game.
Installation/Set-Up:
Before you start downloading the patch, make sure your firewall is turned off for the patcher and then turn it back on after it's done. This should dramatically increase your d/l speed.
Number One Tip- Get a controller! They can sell for as little as 10 dollars and the UI is set up for them. You can do everything except chat with your controller. It may seem strange to be using a controller for a PC game, but remember the ps3 people will have to be getting keyboards and mice for their versions. To me, having a controller using the PC version is just as important as having a keyboard for the PS3 version.
Number 2- most of the configuaration settings are found in a seperate program called FFXI Config on your computer. That should be located in your Square Enix folder.
If you insist on using keyboad and mouse, make sure to check "Hardeware mouse enabled" in the Config program. I believe this might affect performance a little but it's the only way to use your mouse reliably in the game. I have mine unchecked because I'm using the controller and very rarely use my mouse.
Graphics:
As you probably know, the graphics in this game are cutting edge. You will probably need to adjust settings a couple of times to get it to run smooth. The main settings that affect performance are anti-aliasing, Ambiant Occlusion and Depth of Field. I have mine set to 4x, AO and DF off for my 8800gt and it runs smooth. It still looks great. Anything more than that is to make it look REALLY great, but you need the system to do it.
There are also some settings in game under configuration that you can fiddle with if you want a click improvement in performance, like turning shadows and physics off. They won't help you much but might be useful in a crowded, graphically intensive area.
Getting Started:
Character creation should be self-explanatory. SE lets us have only one character, but you can do everything on that one character, so you don't need any more.
Once you get into the game, you'll be running through a string of quests designed to get you acclimated to the game. There's no need to rush through this and it's way more fun and helpful if you take the time to talk to the role-playing NPCs and look around the city once you get in it.
Keep following up with the NPC that's eventually assigned to starting you out at the adventurer's guild. If you get stuck, go back to him/her or try clicking on the "NPC Linkshell" in your menu.
By the time this is finished you should know you're way around the city, how to add abilities (the only way to get your second ability is to do this quest so make sure to do it), and a little bit about the outside zone.
Guildleves:
Back at the adventurer's guild is someone that will give you your main quests/leveling tools which are called guildleves. You can get 8 per day or so (they reset every 36 hours server time as far as I know). There's some for gathering and fighting. Pick up as many battle ones as you can for the level 1-10 camp and gathering ones too if you want. The person next to him/her will be giving out local leves which are on a seperate list and those are for crafting. You will want to pick up a crafting job eventually but maybe not right away.
The first camp will be on your map.
Actually doing the leves should be pretty self-explanatory. Just make sure to click on the crystal and you'll be ready to go.
Battlewardens:
At every camp will be a battlewarden, although he goes out with groups every 30 min. If he's there and you want some extra fighting and fun, make or join a group for a 30 minute battle excercise.
Important: Crafting:
You will want to craft in this game. First of all, if you care about leveling, it's the second-easiest way to get physcial experience points besides leves. Secondly, the economy is totally dependent on crafters. Quests do not give out gear usually and 2nd level gear is not sold by NPCs. The only way to get it is to make it yourself or have a linkshell member make it or buy it in the Markets (more on Markets later). Second of all, it's pretty fun. Crafting and gathering have you play a kind of mini game each time.
Linkshells:
Linkshells are guilds in this game and you will want to join (at least) one as soon as you possibly can. Most of the chatting in this game is done within parties or in linkshells, so if you're in neither, the game might seem uncommunicative, when actually it's probably the most social MMORPG experience you will have come accross. Plus you can ask questions and your linkshell wiill probably organize some group leves, which is where you can share leves- this is a way to get around the 8 level per day limit, and it's also a lot more fun than doing them alone.
Markets:
Market wards is where players place retainers to sell things. There is no Auction House in this game so if you really need something, this is where you will go to shop. You can set your own retainer up at the adventurer's guild.
Job Switching:
The easiest thing in this game is switching jobs. Whatever is in your main hand determines your job. You can buy first tier weapons and crafting tools to give you access to other jobs around town at NPC shops. Just as an aside- every town has two NPC market strips right next to eachother. They will be marked with little red dots on your map. Go to those for crafting ingrediants. Also located there will be an NPC that can repair your gear if it gets damaged.
Lodestone:
http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/
This site is set up kind of like WoW's armory, but it is also a great source of crafting recipes and tons of different information. It also has lots of good beginner information. Make sure to check it out before or soon after you make your first character.
Attitude:
This game is really different than WoW, and different from most MMORPGs. It is not about a race to max level, and crafting is basically as important as your main job. If you play often, you will not be spending the majority of your time solo-questing like in most games. You are free in this game to decide what you want to do, but you'll actually have to stop and think for a second because the game isn't going to tell you what to do next.
If you come into the game just wanting to level up your main job as fast as possble and do nothing else, you're bound to be frustrated because it's almost impossible to just work on one job non-stop because of the way the leves are limited to 8 and there is also a fatigue system in place if you work on one for too long. The only way you could really do it is if you do group leve-sharing or group grinding, but that wouldn't be too fun and you'll be missing out on much of the game.
If you allow yourself to "get into" the rhythm of this game without judging it on your past experiences, I'm convinced you will be able to enjoy it as much as I have so far.
The game is desinged for you to do many different things, and for you to explore and discover things on your own. On that note, I'll close the guide. Hopefully this info was helpful for you to get started and I hope to see you in game. I'm Hal Autumnal on Selbina and feel free to look me up if you're stuck.
Comments
May want to add something about moving the map around. (IJKL)
Maybe add something about the specifics to the gathering professions like fishing and mining. I saw some video with people having trouble fishing.
Maybe add something about how when you accept a guildleve, the mobs that you are looking for are meant specifically for you and no one else can target them. If you try to target someone else's mobs, you will get a message that you can't. It might help people realize that it's not a bug.
I don't know. I guess it all depends on how ambitious you are with this.
Those are good ideas. I'll stick them in later but I'll be hanging out with my fiance tonight. If anyone else has suggestions, feel free to reply and I'll give you credit for them in the OP. Thanks.
"Number One Tip- Get a controller! They can sell for as little as 10 dollars and the UI is set up for them. You can do everything except chat with your controller. It may seem strange to be using a controller for a PC game, but remember the ps3 people will have to be getting keyboards and mice for their versions. To me, having a controller using the PC version is just as important as having a keyboard for the PS3 version."
This bit made me lol. This is a PC Im sitting at not a PS3 or Xbox ><
Thanks for this Holden.
You may want to add having to go into the menu to revive after you've died as well.
Good job. Appreciate the effort
I still think something of a FAQ quicklist should be made for all the little things that can confound people in their first hours in the game, like IJKL can be used for map navigation, 'return' will bring you back to the res point and NPC vendor types can be discerned by the distinct symbols and icons on the map, that sort of stuff.
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
I think people should learn the keyboard controls, when mastered players would be more efficient than with a controller. It might take a while, but it worked for me in FFXI.
Dumb question?
How come everytime I try to sell something whether it be me or my retainer the 'Accept' button doesn't light up? What am I missing?
Make sure to set it to "set price". I had some trouble with this too yesterday but figured it out eventually. Normally in this game if something isn't working, fiddling with what you're able to fiddle with will make it work.
Actually, I've decided to not update this thread. In fact, I'm not going to check these message boards for at least two months.
I have no idea why there is such intense animosity against this game in general, but it's just kind of a bummer to come onto the boards when I'm having so much fun in game and everyone I'm talking to in game is loving it.
Is it global warming?
Is it that WoW's fans are actually feeling threatened by this game and realize it might actually be "the next big thing"?
I'm not sure, but I find the game to be incredibly amazing in almost every detail, and every time I play I am having a really good time.
Anyway, peace out mmorpg.com. I'll check in come November and see if things have settled down by then.
I have a question if you do happen to drop by. Are we able to use any sort of character creation system to customize how our retainer looks?
I am not he but I think I can answer that one. You have not directly influence about how your retainer looks. Anyway you are able to choose the race and gender when you talk to the eprson that offers you your retainer. He will than introduce some persons he does to offer, not sure how big that list actually is for each race and gender.
A nice side note to this is, that their looks normally fits pretty well to the city where you are starting.
You can also cancel what they give you and they will give you a person that looks different. So you can sort of cycle through different looks.
Hmmmm. I would rather create the character myself, but at least some variety is offered. Thanks for the replies!
Oh that too , and you are able to give them a nickname . While I personally like to use normal names it is maybe better to give them for market reasons a name that fits to the products that you intend to sell. You will thank me for that advice
.
On the other hand 'Weapon Shop' is just not a great Nickname.
Well the main reason I was asking is because I promised my wife that she would be able to create this retainer for me. You see, she loves creating characters in games more than she enjoys actually playing them most of the time lol. Since I can only have one character I told her she could make my retainer for me. Unfortunately she will not get to do that. Beacuse of this I'm gonna have to let her name it whatever she wants. Hopefully it doesn't destroy my sales!
In any case, thanks for the advice!
Your efforts are appreciated
Im still thinking about starting up, as I liked the beta, even though I didnt get to try it much. This guide made me a bit closer to getting it
Thank you!
Any idea if theres a trial coming ever?
just name him weapon's dealer.
err might fit better
*edit*
Bump for the angry noobs!
Here's a great tip for people trying to level up their DOH (disciples of hand) crafting levels.
Do the local leves for the DOH profession of your choice!! Not only do these awesome leves give you the mats you need to craft high level items for free, they also give you the required crystals/shards too. At the end they also give you reward mats and new recipes too!
EDIT2: Also, no time limits making them a nice source of basically free crafter XP. They also DON'T add to the battle level limit.
(Thanks sudo for the correction on limits)
So if you're interested in leveling up your crafter quickly and don't want to go gather materials, local leves are your best friend!
Best of luck!
Sounds like the crafting tasks in Aion, where you leveled your crafting skill cheapest and most effectively by doing the crafting tasks that were available.
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
Yeah, it's actually surprisingly like that now that you mention it
. Also, if you're a smith looking for some tin ore (it's fucking rarer than gold in limsa lossa at least =_=) some of the smith levequests will reward with 6 nice chunks of the stuff 
.
They don't. Battle leves are called Regional and you can do 8 of those overall. Crafting leves are local and you can do 8 of those overall as well.
"Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted.
Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world."
Hans Margolius
I learned something today regarding repairs and would like to share it since a lot of people seem confused about it in game.
Repairing your equipment
There is a repair npc in main hawker district of every city. You can get your armor/weapons/tools etc repaired by this npc but only to a certain limit. After that either you have to do your own repairs or seek help from someone else by paying little fee if required. Usually if you provide material for repair people are nice enough not to ask for gils. This is the only way to fully restore your equipment back to its original condition.
However, in order to make repair for your tools say you are Blacksmith and you want to repair your BS hammer. You would need to keep one extra BS hammer for repairs. Blacksmith (BS) repairs weapons and all kind of tools and Armorsmith make repairs on armors and so on. So make sure to keep an extra BS hammer in case your main one breaks down.