https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Mon, 24 Apr 2023 12:26:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/24/wisdom-of-nym-we-dont-need-another-final-fantasy-xiv-we-already-have-one/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/24/wisdom-of-nym-we-dont-need-another-final-fantasy-xiv-we-already-have-one/#comments Mon, 24 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=436862 First of all, this one’s for Bruno. He usually doesn’t read these, but maybe he’ll like this one. So we all know at this point that Final Fantasy XIV is an impressive financial success and a critical darling, and has been for several years. This is very good news for anyone who was hoping for […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/24/wisdom-of-nym-we-dont-need-another-final-fantasy-xiv-we-already-have-one/feed/ 23 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/17/wisdom-of-nym-everything-is-broken-a-tale-of-final-fantasy-xiv-post-calamity/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/17/wisdom-of-nym-everything-is-broken-a-tale-of-final-fantasy-xiv-post-calamity/#comments Mon, 17 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=435809 “Marise? Are ye up there, girl?” The answer was yes, but she didn’t much feel like answering. Actually, she didn’t feel much liked doing anything but sitting their scrunched up against the wall and waiting for tears to come as they resolutely refused to do so. So she sat there, and she scowled, and she […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/17/wisdom-of-nym-everything-is-broken-a-tale-of-final-fantasy-xiv-post-calamity/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/11/wisdom-of-nym-this-is-how-final-fantasy-xiv-wants-you-to-play-even-if-it-doesnt-say-so/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/11/wisdom-of-nym-this-is-how-final-fantasy-xiv-wants-you-to-play-even-if-it-doesnt-say-so/#comments Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=434982 It is not a surprise that Final Fantasy XIV wants you to play the game a certain way. There are mechanics in place to make that happen. If the developers do not want you to pull beyond a certain point in a dungeon, they know how to put barriers in place to ensure that you […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/11/wisdom-of-nym-this-is-how-final-fantasy-xiv-wants-you-to-play-even-if-it-doesnt-say-so/feed/ 25 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/03/wisdom-of-nym-what-we-know-so-far-about-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-4-the-dark-throne/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/03/wisdom-of-nym-what-we-know-so-far-about-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-4-the-dark-throne/#comments Mon, 03 Apr 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=433817 I realize this means more to me than it does literally anyone reading this, but gosh, Square-Enix has gotten kind of terrible at dealing with its press site. It used to be that we’d get all of the promotional screenshots uploaded promptly within hours of the Final Fantasy XIV live letter, but now it’s a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/03/wisdom-of-nym-what-we-know-so-far-about-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-4-the-dark-throne/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/27/wisdom-of-nym-recurring-final-fantasy-xiv-systems-we-could-probably-get-rid-of/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/27/wisdom-of-nym-recurring-final-fantasy-xiv-systems-we-could-probably-get-rid-of/#comments Mon, 27 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=432565 At this point, Final Fantasy XIV has had a long time to get into a pretty reliable cadence that has not changed substantially beyond the fringes. If you do not like alliance raids, normal raids, expert roulettes, trials, and frontline matches… well, at this point it’s just fair to accept that this is not the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/27/wisdom-of-nym-recurring-final-fantasy-xiv-systems-we-could-probably-get-rid-of/feed/ 39 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/23/wisdom-of-nym-what-will-a-new-producer-mean-for-final-fantasy-xi/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/23/wisdom-of-nym-what-will-a-new-producer-mean-for-final-fantasy-xi/#comments Thu, 23 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=432154 So we were pretty surprised yesterday when Square-Enix announced Akihiko Matsui would step away as the producer of Final Fantasy XI after a decade working on the title. It’s a far cry from what happened the last time we had a new producer on the game; that was when Tanaka stepped away from the game […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/23/wisdom-of-nym-what-will-a-new-producer-mean-for-final-fantasy-xi/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/20/wisdom-of-nym-potential-destinations-for-final-fantasy-xivs-next-expansion/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/20/wisdom-of-nym-potential-destinations-for-final-fantasy-xivs-next-expansion/#comments Mon, 20 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=431619 Let me say this upfront: While I will occasionally point out that I probably know more than the average Final Fantasy XIV fan about what’s going on behind the scenes with the game, and I do not know where we’re going next. I do not have some secret backstage info that lets me reveal everything […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/20/wisdom-of-nym-potential-destinations-for-final-fantasy-xivs-next-expansion/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/13/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-patch-6-35-content-is-a-mixed-bag/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/13/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-patch-6-35-content-is-a-mixed-bag/#comments Mon, 13 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=430551 So the patch is here! It brought a whole bunch of content! And the content is… actually kind of a mixed bag, if I’m going to be honest. I wouldn’t say that it’s bad by any stretch of imagination, but it’s definitely not all sunshine and rainbows for this particular mid-patch update for Final Fantasy […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/13/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-patch-6-35-content-is-a-mixed-bag/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/06/wisdom-of-nym-how-is-final-fantasy-xiv-going-to-end/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/06/wisdom-of-nym-how-is-final-fantasy-xiv-going-to-end/#comments Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=429600 A long while ago, I wrote an article about how your favorite MMO is going to die. This is because your favorite MMO is going to die. Of course, in the very same article I noted that I was not somehow immune to this effect and that Final Fantasy XIV is also going to die […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/06/wisdom-of-nym-how-is-final-fantasy-xiv-going-to-end/feed/ 17 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/27/wisdom-of-nym-where-is-final-fantasy-xivs-story-going-post-6-3/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/27/wisdom-of-nym-where-is-final-fantasy-xivs-story-going-post-6-3/#comments Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=428437 As we all know, at this point Final Fantasy XIV is the story of Zero and how we all absolutely want her to live happily with at least 30 cats. (Do I mean actual pet cats or miqo’te? Yes. One or the other. Or both.) However, there are actual story developments going on beyond just […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/27/wisdom-of-nym-where-is-final-fantasy-xivs-story-going-post-6-3/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/20/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-unseen-character-is-not-the-warrior-of-light/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/20/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-unseen-character-is-not-the-warrior-of-light/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=427473 In Final Fantasy XIV lore, the Convocation’s overall lineup has changed a little bit as we’ve learned more. At first it was just a dozen members. Then we realized that there was a 13th member, Elidibus. And then we learned about the 14th member who did not stand with them for Zodiark, and thus do […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/20/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-unseen-character-is-not-the-warrior-of-light/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/13/wisdom-of-nym-where-else-could-we-get-a-final-fantasy-xiv-raid-series-from-the-franchise/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/13/wisdom-of-nym-where-else-could-we-get-a-final-fantasy-xiv-raid-series-from-the-franchise/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=426508 Let me start this particular column with an observation that should really accompany any and all discussion of future raid series for Final Fantasy XIV: We are, at this point, far into the weeds and at a point where there is nothing constraining the developers to prior franchise references. Neither Pandæmonium nor Myths of the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/13/wisdom-of-nym-where-else-could-we-get-a-final-fantasy-xiv-raid-series-from-the-franchise/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/08/perfect-ten-10-things-i-really-dislike-about-final-fantasy-xi/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/08/perfect-ten-10-things-i-really-dislike-about-final-fantasy-xi/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=425912 You don’t have to dig very far to find my articles saying nice things about Final Fantasy XI. I say them often. I’d be inclined to say nice things about the game at this point even if just for the fact that years after it supposedly entered maintenance mode, the game is not only getting […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/08/perfect-ten-10-things-i-really-dislike-about-final-fantasy-xi/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/06/wisdom-of-nym-the-powerful-stuff-in-final-fantasy-xiv-that-went-missing-in-action/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/06/wisdom-of-nym-the-powerful-stuff-in-final-fantasy-xiv-that-went-missing-in-action/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=425536 First things first: This article is not about your favorite ability that has been removed from Final Fantasy XIV over the years. No, even if it’s the option of pole-dancing on your Dragoon. Instead, it’s about the fact that we’ve just sort of let certain kind of powerful things get… lost. Like, there are a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/06/wisdom-of-nym-the-powerful-stuff-in-final-fantasy-xiv-that-went-missing-in-action/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/03/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xiv-addon-cheaters-undermine-the-game-and-themselves/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/03/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xiv-addon-cheaters-undermine-the-game-and-themselves/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=425270 It is baffling to me – utterly baffling – that I have to write this column at all. But let’s start by taking a step back and examining the history. Earlier this week, a team “cleared” The Omega Protocol in Final Fantasy XIV. I use quotes there because the team did so while benefiting from […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/03/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xiv-addon-cheaters-undermine-the-game-and-themselves/feed/ 61 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/30/wisdom-of-nym-in-praise-of-final-fantasy-xivs-ultimate-content/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/30/wisdom-of-nym-in-praise-of-final-fantasy-xivs-ultimate-content/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=424482 As basically everyone who has read this column for a long period of time knows, I have not done the latest bit of Ultimate content in Final Fantasy XIV. Nor do I intend to. Considering that I have also not done any prior Ultimate content and do not intend to do subsequent Ultimate content, this […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/30/wisdom-of-nym-in-praise-of-final-fantasy-xivs-ultimate-content/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/23/wisdom-of-nym-impressions-of-final-fantasy-xiv-gods-revel-lands-trembles-story-beats/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/23/wisdom-of-nym-impressions-of-final-fantasy-xiv-gods-revel-lands-trembles-story-beats/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=423411 Considering how I’ve had to spend my last week and change, I am really glad that this patch hit when it did. I wouldn’t really have had the space to ruminate about story beats if it had arrived a little later, quite honestly; last week was a busy blur coupled with illness. But now we’re […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/23/wisdom-of-nym-impressions-of-final-fantasy-xiv-gods-revel-lands-trembles-story-beats/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/16/wisdom-of-nym-first-impressions-of-final-fantasy-xivs-gods-revel-lands-tremble-content/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/16/wisdom-of-nym-first-impressions-of-final-fantasy-xivs-gods-revel-lands-tremble-content/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=422528 So patch 6.3 is live in Final Fantasy XIV, and as always, that means a hefty does of new content and even more on deck for later. Seriously, it feels like it’s been four years since we got a new Deep Dungeon, and I for one am here for this. But we won’t get that […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/16/wisdom-of-nym-first-impressions-of-final-fantasy-xivs-gods-revel-lands-tremble-content/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/10/wisdom-of-nym-examining-final-fantasy-xivs-patch-6-3-job-changes/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/10/wisdom-of-nym-examining-final-fantasy-xivs-patch-6-3-job-changes/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=421765 It’s kind of a good thing that my life changes have involved a massive shift to my overall schedule because that was very useful for this particular set of patch notes. Seriously, Final Fantasy XIV, it’d be nice to have these job changes in the game significantly earlier. I don’t know why we don’t reliably […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/10/wisdom-of-nym-examining-final-fantasy-xivs-patch-6-3-job-changes/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/09/wisdom-of-nym-takeaways-from-the-final-fantasy-xiv-6-3-preliminary-patch-notes/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/09/wisdom-of-nym-takeaways-from-the-final-fantasy-xiv-6-3-preliminary-patch-notes/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=421611 Here we are, a day before the first major Final Fantasy XIV patch of the year… which is also very, very early in the year, as it happens. That’s kind of nice, not going to lie. Like, we’re not going to be settling into the usual calm period after the x.3 patch for this particular […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/09/wisdom-of-nym-takeaways-from-the-final-fantasy-xiv-6-3-preliminary-patch-notes/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/02/wisdom-of-nym-ways-for-final-fantasy-xiv-to-make-more-use-of-old-zones/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/02/wisdom-of-nym-ways-for-final-fantasy-xiv-to-make-more-use-of-old-zones/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=420866 So Final Fantasy XIV has some zones, huh. Now, this in and of itself is neither an issue nor a problem. There are a lot of spaces to explore, and the game generally does a pretty good job of having quests that send you to a variety of zones even after the MSQ has long […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/02/wisdom-of-nym-ways-for-final-fantasy-xiv-to-make-more-use-of-old-zones/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/26/wisdom-of-nym-what-we-learned-from-the-second-final-fantasy-xiv-gods-revel-lands-tremble-live-letter/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/26/wisdom-of-nym-what-we-learned-from-the-second-final-fantasy-xiv-gods-revel-lands-tremble-live-letter/#comments Mon, 26 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=420308 You know what’s going to be very interesting with Gods Revel, Lands Tremble? Unlike a usual x.3 patch for Final Fantasy XIV, this one isn’t going to feel like the game has just settled into a comfortable cadence as if it can just sort of sit for an extended period of time. We’re entering the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/26/wisdom-of-nym-what-we-learned-from-the-second-final-fantasy-xiv-gods-revel-lands-tremble-live-letter/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/19/wisdom-of-nym-the-final-fantasy-xiv-narrative-moments-that-lack-real-conclusions/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/19/wisdom-of-nym-the-final-fantasy-xiv-narrative-moments-that-lack-real-conclusions/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=419491 When I was in college, I met a girl who was absolutely amazing. I was dating someone at the time (not my future wife, for the record), but this girl had me absolutely enraptured with her. It didn’t help that the person I was dating at the time was just… not someone I connected with […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/19/wisdom-of-nym-the-final-fantasy-xiv-narrative-moments-that-lack-real-conclusions/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/12/wisdom-of-nym-a-completely-groundless-hope-about-our-next-destination-for-final-fantasy-xiv/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/12/wisdom-of-nym-a-completely-groundless-hope-about-our-next-destination-for-final-fantasy-xiv/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2022 17:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=418634 Normally when I do speculation columns – about Final Fantasy XIV or really anything else under the sun – I’m doing so for a particular reason that’s at least more developed than my own idle musing. There is a reason for this, and it comes down primarily to the fact that if I wrote a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/12/wisdom-of-nym-a-completely-groundless-hope-about-our-next-destination-for-final-fantasy-xiv/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/06/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-narrative-misfires/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/06/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-narrative-misfires/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=417407 Everyone either accepts at this point that Final Fantasy XIV has an excellent story or has decided to die on the hill of insisting that good things are Actually Bad, one or the other. (I can have a little hyperbole this week. As a treat.) But that doesn’t mean every part of the game’s storytelling […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/06/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-narrative-misfires/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/28/wisdom-of-nym-thematic-discussion-of-final-fantasy-xivs-first-major-story-arc/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/28/wisdom-of-nym-thematic-discussion-of-final-fantasy-xivs-first-major-story-arc/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=416067 Let’s start with something straightforward: Everyone who wants to hop down to the comments to state that you don’t care about story in an MMO? You’re excused. Congratulations on not caring about a thing. Choosing to ignore this warning and posting a comment in which you loudly proclaim how little you care about something constitutes […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/28/wisdom-of-nym-thematic-discussion-of-final-fantasy-xivs-first-major-story-arc/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/21/wisdom-of-nym-whats-the-future-of-final-fantasy-xivs-story-arcs/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/21/wisdom-of-nym-whats-the-future-of-final-fantasy-xivs-story-arcs/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=415304 In August of 2013, the Final Fantasy XIV relaunch happened and did basically every thing you should not do with any sort of long-format storytelling. It launched with a story that did not have a fully finalized long-term plan and one that was going to require a whole lot of time and space to fully […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/21/wisdom-of-nym-whats-the-future-of-final-fantasy-xivs-story-arcs/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/14/wisdom-of-nym-reactions-to-the-first-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-3-live-letter/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/14/wisdom-of-nym-reactions-to-the-first-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-3-live-letter/#comments Mon, 14 Nov 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=414254 Let me start with the most trivial question possible first: Does Naoki Yoshida have a calendar? He has to, right? Early January 2023 is not four months after the last patch; it’s more like four and a half. That’s fine; I’m not, like, bothered by it particularly. But if you’re going to make a big […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/14/wisdom-of-nym-reactions-to-the-first-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-3-live-letter/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/07/wisdom-of-nym-the-unfinished-spaces-left-in-final-fantasy-xiv/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/07/wisdom-of-nym-the-unfinished-spaces-left-in-final-fantasy-xiv/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=413308 It’d really be nice to visit Ala Mhigo, but I sincerely doubt at this point that we’re ever going to go there in Final Fantasy XIV. As with most nations in the game, this is a remarkably loaded statement. Ala Mhigo comprises three regions that we know of (the Fringes, the Lochs, and the Peaks) […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/07/wisdom-of-nym-the-unfinished-spaces-left-in-final-fantasy-xiv/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/31/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-potential-future-destinations-and-expansions-for-variant-dungeons/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/31/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-potential-future-destinations-and-expansions-for-variant-dungeons/#comments Mon, 31 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=412261 As I discussed when the actual patch came out, I was somewhat less than enamored with Final Fantasy XIV’s first Variant Dungeon. It’s not bad, but it suffers from two major issues. The first is filling in lore gaps that weren’t particularly wanting in terms of exploration to begin with; the second is that once […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/31/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-potential-future-destinations-and-expansions-for-variant-dungeons/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/24/wisdom-of-nym-taking-stock-of-the-additions-with-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-25/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/24/wisdom-of-nym-taking-stock-of-the-additions-with-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-25/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=411139 Interquel patches in Final Fantasy XIV are always an odd cocktail. On the one hand, they consist of content that was intentionally held back from the original patch date, either because it wasn’t totally ready or to extend the length of the major patches (or most likely, both; this team isn’t in the middle of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/24/wisdom-of-nym-taking-stock-of-the-additions-with-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-25/feed/ 17 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/17/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-original-manderville-man/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/17/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-original-manderville-man/#comments Mon, 17 Oct 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=410104 There are some divisive characters in Final Fantasy XIV, but in some ways Hildibrand Helidor Maximilian Manderville stands above all of them – not just because he is probably the divisive character who has lasted the longest, having a major role from the original version of the game up until the present, but because he […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/17/wisdom-of-nym-final-fantasy-xivs-original-manderville-man/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/10/wisdom-of-nym-looking-forward-to-final-fantasy-xivs-imminent-patch-6-25/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/10/wisdom-of-nym-looking-forward-to-final-fantasy-xivs-imminent-patch-6-25/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=409044 Well, that was… sooner than I expected! I had honestly been expecting patch 6.25 to be further out than… well, next week, but here we are! Final Fantasy XIV is going to bring us into a world of gathering things to help some robots in the very near future, and with… less fanfare than I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/10/wisdom-of-nym-looking-forward-to-final-fantasy-xivs-imminent-patch-6-25/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/03/wisdom-of-nym-the-problem-with-final-fantasy-xivs-consumables-and-buffs/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/03/wisdom-of-nym-the-problem-with-final-fantasy-xivs-consumables-and-buffs/#comments Mon, 03 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=407886 All right, gang, who wants a sandwich? Especially if that sandwich involves… a boost to your Determination and Critical Hit rating for the next half hour? Congratulations, and welcome to the wonderful world of Final Fantasy XIV’s consumable items including both food and potions. It seems like a very straightforward field when you look at […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/03/wisdom-of-nym-the-problem-with-final-fantasy-xivs-consumables-and-buffs/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/perfect-ten-10-final-fantasy-xiv-musical-tracks-that-absolutely-slap/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/perfect-ten-10-final-fantasy-xiv-musical-tracks-that-absolutely-slap/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=407252 Everyone knows that people who play Final Fantasy XIV will not shut up about the game’s music. This includes me. I will not shut up about FFXIV’s music. It adds a lot to the atmosphere and emotional moments of the game, it’s memorable, it’s beautiful, and it is an absolute testament to the fact that […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/perfect-ten-10-final-fantasy-xiv-musical-tracks-that-absolutely-slap/feed/ 22 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/26/wisdom-of-nym-sorting-through-final-fantasy-xivs-current-balance-state/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/26/wisdom-of-nym-sorting-through-final-fantasy-xivs-current-balance-state/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=406911 So right now, some jobs in Final Fantasy XIV are performing better than others. In other news, water retains its moisturizing properties. Early reports regarding the sun moving from east to west remain unconfirmed. Honestly, part of me is tempted to just leave any and all analysis of the game’s current balance state right there […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/26/wisdom-of-nym-sorting-through-final-fantasy-xivs-current-balance-state/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/19/wisdom-of-nym-where-final-fantasy-xivs-tutorials-really-fall-down/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/19/wisdom-of-nym-where-final-fantasy-xivs-tutorials-really-fall-down/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=405937 I don’t think there’s really a question to be asked about whether or not Final Fantasy XIV wants new players to join the game. The game is pretty transparent about all of this. There is a clear push to help people who have never played an MMO before get into the game with a gentle, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/19/wisdom-of-nym-where-final-fantasy-xivs-tutorials-really-fall-down/feed/ 34 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/12/wisdom-of-nym-making-money-in-final-fantasy-xiv-isnt-what-you-think/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/12/wisdom-of-nym-making-money-in-final-fantasy-xiv-isnt-what-you-think/#comments Mon, 12 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=404914 So let me start with a statement: Gil is pretty much irrelevant to me in Final Fantasy XIV because I already have enough. We are going to be talking about making money today, and as these things go, I have to lay down my bona fides, if for no other reason than to make it […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/12/wisdom-of-nym-making-money-in-final-fantasy-xiv-isnt-what-you-think/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/05/wisdom-of-nym-story-impressions-for-final-fantasy-xivs-buried-memory/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/05/wisdom-of-nym-story-impressions-for-final-fantasy-xivs-buried-memory/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=404008 Gosh, this has felt like a long darn week, hasn’t it? I couldn’t tell you why it felt so particularly long to me, but for whatever reason it did. Maybe it was because I was on the cusp of finishing things off on my Sanctuary and that colored my overall impressions? I honestly could not […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/05/wisdom-of-nym-story-impressions-for-final-fantasy-xivs-buried-memory/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/29/wisdom-of-nym-first-impressions-of-final-fantasy-xivs-buried-memory-content/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/29/wisdom-of-nym-first-impressions-of-final-fantasy-xivs-buried-memory-content/#comments Mon, 29 Aug 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=402972 Everyone, you need to remember something very important about this patch. Something that it’s possible you didn’t even know until just now, something that the Final Fantasy XIV community has more or less been oblivious to during this entire patch cycle so far. All right? Ready for this? There is more content in this patch […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/29/wisdom-of-nym-first-impressions-of-final-fantasy-xivs-buried-memory-content/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/22/wisdom-of-nym-highlights-from-final-fantasy-xivs-buried-memory-patch-notes-ahead-of-launch/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/22/wisdom-of-nym-highlights-from-final-fantasy-xivs-buried-memory-patch-notes-ahead-of-launch/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=402020 The nice thing about having the patch notes always released well ahead of time for Final Fantasy XIV is that we can always pick out a fair bit of what’s going to happen ahead of time. No, it doesn’t mean that we can figure out all of the items that will be included or anything […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/22/wisdom-of-nym-highlights-from-final-fantasy-xivs-buried-memory-patch-notes-ahead-of-launch/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/15/wisdom-of-nym-everything-we-learned-about-final-fantasy-xivs-patch-6-2/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/15/wisdom-of-nym-everything-we-learned-about-final-fantasy-xivs-patch-6-2/#comments Mon, 15 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=400981 To the surprise of basically no one who closely watches Final Fantasy XIV‘s overall patch progression, patch 6.2 is arriving on August 23rd. That’s soon! Seriously, that means that we have just over a week, so if you have anything left you want to get from this particular set of moogle tomestones, you should probably […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/15/wisdom-of-nym-everything-we-learned-about-final-fantasy-xivs-patch-6-2/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/08/wisdom-of-nym-are-crossover-events-in-final-fantasy-xiv-worth-it/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/08/wisdom-of-nym-are-crossover-events-in-final-fantasy-xiv-worth-it/#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=399936 So let me start with an opinion that is going to inform the rest of this particular opinion piece by its very nature: I generally think that crossover events aren’t a very good idea. The thing about any kind of crossover is that it has an impact on the fictional consistency of your universe, inevitably. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/08/wisdom-of-nym-are-crossover-events-in-final-fantasy-xiv-worth-it/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/01/wisdom-of-nym-did-final-fantasy-xivs-relic-farming-zones-work/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/01/wisdom-of-nym-did-final-fantasy-xivs-relic-farming-zones-work/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=399017 One of the things that I am always going to admire about the Final Fantasy XIV team is the fact that it followed up Eureka not just with more Eureka but with Bozja. The fact of the matter is that the reception to Eureka was negative enough that it would make perfect sense for the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/01/wisdom-of-nym-did-final-fantasy-xivs-relic-farming-zones-work/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/25/wisdom-of-nym-forgotten-and-abandoned-systems-in-final-fantasy-xiv/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/25/wisdom-of-nym-forgotten-and-abandoned-systems-in-final-fantasy-xiv/#comments Mon, 25 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=397849 The weird thing when talking about Final Fantasy XIV when compared with a whole lot of MMOs is that it doesn’t have a lot of dead ends. I don’t mean that entirely as a pejorative. Most MMOs, by the simple nature of how they’re designed and how teams work on them, tend to have a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/25/wisdom-of-nym-forgotten-and-abandoned-systems-in-final-fantasy-xiv/feed/ 26 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/18/wisdom-of-nym-optional-and-mandatory-content-in-final-fantasy-xiv/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/18/wisdom-of-nym-optional-and-mandatory-content-in-final-fantasy-xiv/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=396921 One of the things that I’ve long held up as a strength of Final Fantasy XIV is that it is designed to allow you to build your own endgame with the content you enjoy most. If you like progression content, that’s there. If you just want to queue for stuff, that’s there too, and it’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/18/wisdom-of-nym-optional-and-mandatory-content-in-final-fantasy-xiv/feed/ 22 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/11/wisdom-of-nym-variant-dungeons-and-savage-changes-in-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-2/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/11/wisdom-of-nym-variant-dungeons-and-savage-changes-in-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-2/#comments Mon, 11 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=395823 I know I’ve said this many times and in a variety of contexts, but for all that there’s a certain amount of expected content from Final Fantasy XIV at any given interval, it never stops making me happy that there’s also a good chunk of unexpected content as well. Variant dungeons are something very new […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/11/wisdom-of-nym-variant-dungeons-and-savage-changes-in-final-fantasy-xiv-patch-6-2/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/08/wisdom-of-nym-all-right-fam-lets-talk-about-that-final-fantasy-xiv-billboard/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/08/wisdom-of-nym-all-right-fam-lets-talk-about-that-final-fantasy-xiv-billboard/#comments Fri, 08 Jul 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=395519 Every so often you run across something that makes you want to slam your head against a wall out of sheer, unadulterated bafflement. “What were you thinking?” you want to scream. “Were you thinking?!” And so, as not just a writer about MMOs but also someone who is a part of the Final Fantasy XIV […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/08/wisdom-of-nym-all-right-fam-lets-talk-about-that-final-fantasy-xiv-billboard/feed/ 25 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/05/wisdom-of-nym-reactions-to-final-fantasy-xivs-most-recent-live-letter/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/05/wisdom-of-nym-reactions-to-final-fantasy-xivs-most-recent-live-letter/#comments Tue, 05 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=395035 The first live letter previewing a new patch is always a little weird for Final Fantasy XIV, and this one is especially unusual. See, the thing about the next patch, 6.2, is that it’s deceptively large in a way that doesn’t feel immediately obvious. It’s not unusually large or something that has me over here […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/05/wisdom-of-nym-reactions-to-final-fantasy-xivs-most-recent-live-letter/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/27/wisdom-of-nym-so-what-will-we-hear-in-the-next-final-fantasy-xiv-live-letter/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/27/wisdom-of-nym-so-what-will-we-hear-in-the-next-final-fantasy-xiv-live-letter/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=393953 All right. So the next Final Fantasy XIV live letter is happening on this Friday. In and of itself, that’s not unusual, of course; we’re at just about the right time interval to start hearing about the next patch, and while there’s still patch 6.18 on the way and probably a good month and change […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/27/wisdom-of-nym-so-what-will-we-hear-in-the-next-final-fantasy-xiv-live-letter/feed/ 8