The August version update will bring revisions to the use of two-handed weapons, as well as a number of modifications to several jobs.
In this edition of Topics, we would like to elaborate on the changes that will be made to the two-handed weapon system. Job changes will be described in length in a future Topics article.

Click here for details.

We've updated our site's side poll with a brand new question! We'd like to know when your expected Wings of the Goddess release date is. It's all subject to personal opinion but hey it cam be fun to speculate.

Previous Poll:
Question:
The Fan Fest..

Choices:
Option 01: Is Going To Rock My Socks [1 votes]
Option 02: Is On My Radar [2 votes]
Option 03: Doesn't Really Affect Me [7 votes]

Our topic this week is the new jobs that have been confirmed in Wings of the Goddess. Yes, we know their haven't been any official announcements but we'd love to see The Young Griffons as a playable job. Let us know what you think

Royal Knights of San d'Oria: The Young Griffons
An order formed in secret by the children of the San d'Orian nobles. Their original and unexpected strategies often prove more effective than those of their adult peers.

The August version update will bring revisions to the use of two-handed weapons, as well as a number of modifications to several jobs.
In this edition of Topics, we would like to elaborate on the changes that will be made to the two-handed weapon system. Job changes will be described in length in a future Topics article.

--=Two-handed weapons=--

Up until now, there have been instances in which the attack frequency and speed generated by dual wielding would greatly surpass those of two-handed weapons. We have since examined this issue from every conceivable angle, and as a result have decided to reconsider the frequency and delay calculation methods for two-handed weapons.

This month's version update will see the introduction of a new type of gear called "grips," which players can equip in their offhand weapon slot when using a two-handed weapon. We are also planning to apply changes to associated weapon skills as well.

--=Attacking with two-handed weapons=--

The new modifications will be set up so that a character's attribute scores will enhance attack benefits to a greater extent when wielding a two-handed weapon than when using a single-handed weapon. Further, when attacking high-level opponents or enemies with high defense, two-handed weapons will deal more damage than they have in the past.

--=A word on grips=--

While not designed to bring about radical improvements, grips are a new lineup of items which can be used in tandem with two-handed weapons as a means of wielding them more effectively. They accomplish this by enhancing a weapon's benefits while compensating for shortcomings. Grips will not be limited to offensive weapons, as some will be tailored to mages and their indispensable staves.
Different grips will allow players to adapt to specific situations depending on the type of two-handed weapon they are using, as well as the type of enemy they are fighting. Players should be advised, however, that changing grips mid-combat will result in a loss of TP. Therefore, no grip's benefits will be restricted to the execution of weapon skills.





--=Rethinking weapon skills=--

The majority of two-handed weapon skills already stand to see a vast improvement based on the changes described above. However, we will also be retooling the characteristics of several particular weapon skills in order to enhance their usability.

We've got three new screenshots thanks to staffer Opalflame. Thumbnails below:



Miura


Flowers


Sam Tree

View All Screens

In this month's version update, players will find a plethora of new items and synthesis recipes, including weapons and items with all-new graphics!
ClickHere for more details

Square Enix has released Newsletter 21 to all current subscribers. If you missed the newsletter in your inbox you have missed an excellent recap of all of this summer's hot Final Fantasy XI related news. Some highlights include the E3 Wings of the Goddess information, Community Interviews and more!

The newsletter also includes a brand new "Adventurers Log" comic strip involving the various jobs of Final Fantasy XI. Check it out if you haven't already.

Rumor: Wings of the Goddess has an official release date

The Lowdown:

Wings of the Goddess has been teasing the community ever since it first popped up earlier this spring. When it was revealed at the Square Enix Party in Japan all that we were told is that it would release sometime in 2007. Now that E3 has passed it might be a little concerning to hard core fans that final retail date has not been released.

Recent searches through various online retailers has shed no light on the release date question either. Most online retailers don't even have Wings of the Goddess in their systems yet which would mean we can probably rule out the October 2007 date that our sister site IGN.com has currently attached to the games profile.

With more information on the expansion set to be released at the Fan Fest (according to Square's own newsletter) it's safe to say that a holiday 2007 release is still in the cards. Could we be facing a stealth launch with Fan Fest as the launching pad? It's probably not very likely but we will be keeping a watchful eye for any new information.

As soon as any new information on Wings of the Goddess breaks we'll be sure to bring it to you.

What happens when you combine a rock tune, some linkshell members ready to fight and some creativity? Probably something similar to this weeks featured video. YouTube member "phibanFF" has created a pretty neat fan video depicting the latest quests of his linkshell.

Final Fantasy XI and the music in the video are (C) their original owners as stated in the original YouTube article.

They've updated the Linkshell community Beta Version. We've got full details below. Thanks to the PlayOnline website for this:

At the following time, we performed a version update of Linkshell Community beta version.

[Date & Time]
Aug. 7, 2007 1:00 (PDT)

[Affected Services]
Linkshell Community beta version

[Important Update Details]
- The "Calendar" will now show the duration of "[Official] FINAL FANTASY XI Special Event."

- Number of participants/preferred number of participants, number of comments and last post date are now displayed on the "Linkshell Event Information" accessible from "Community Top page" or "World Portal."

- Event information will now remain on "Linkshell Event Information" accessible from "Community Top page" for 3 days after the event is completed. With this change, status of events that have been completed will display as "Finished."

- Profile sections that cannot be edited (Current job/equipment, Job level, Craft skill, Mission) have been removed from the "Member Profile Editor."

- In addition, a number of minor issues have been addressed.

In the upcoming version update In the upcoming version update, we will be adding a new promotion quest to unlock the next mercenary rank, as well as a series of exciting assault missions.

Our topic this week is of course the next version update. Last week we featured a few news stories about adjustments and updates that will be featured in this update. Are you excited for it? Let us know by responding to this weeks TotW!

Source: PlayOnline
A small update was applied over the weekend that focused on fixing a key item glitch.

At the following time, we have performed a version update of FINAL FANTASY XI.

[Date]
Aug. 3, 2007 at 23:00 (PDT)

[Affected Services]
FINAL FANTASY XI

[Important Update Details]
- An issue has been addressed wherein players obtain the wrong type of "key item" with a specific combination of races for the "Test of Courage" event.

The forthcoming version update brings us to the climax of the Aht Urhgan missions, while introducing several groundbreaking adjustments to Einherjar, the Chocobo Hot and Cold game, Besieged, and more!

We are happy to provide a brand new Calendar for the month of August. It's theme is wings of the goddess. Many thanks go out to our Art Team for creating it for us. It is available in various resolutions below:

1024 x 768
1024 x 960
1280 x 1024

The benefits of working for the vault include:
- Having your work published on the IGN Vault network. Quite arguably the best MMO fan-site network in existence.
- Full credit for your work.
- Custom title on the VNBoards.
- Chances for advancements
- VIP Status on VNBoards after 30days of active staff participation.

If any of these benefits appeal to you then give the following list of open staff positions a glance. If you find one that appeals to you then please contact the site manager using the appropriate contact link. Make sure to list your in-game experience as well as any previous game coverage experience you may have. Experience is not necessary and positions are filled based upon the applications received.

News Poster - Apply Now

We are looking for people to help fill our pages with news. If you've got your fingers on the pulse of the community we'd love to hear from you. News posters are expected to post 1 - 2 entries per week. Knowledge of HTML is a benefit

Editorial/Columnist – Apply Now

Do you have an adventure to share? We're looking for people to help expand our editorial coverage. If you've got a class you'd like to explore, an opinion to share or just some ideas we'd love to feature them.

Screenshots Coordinator – Apply Now

Do you love taking pretty pictures? Do you know anyone who has 100's of FFXI screens stored on their PC? Even if you didn't answer yes to either of those questions and still think you've got what it takes to help us expand our screenshots section we'd love to hear from you. This position requires that you upload at least 2 screens per week.

We've added three new items for the Blue Mage Job. This update was focused on the Sword Weapon Set. If you've got some suggestions for our database please feel free to submit some items to us and we will review them.

Job Added For: Blue Mage
Database Updated: Weapons
Items Added:
1) Adaman KilijAdaman Kilij
2) Steel KilijSteel Kilij
3) Darksteel Kilij

We've added a few new items to our databases. We're sorry that the database updates have been slow coming but we will be making more of an effort to add new items.

Database Added: Key Items

Items Added:
1) Jelly Ring
2) Drake Ring
3) Kampfer Ring
4) Eremite's Ring +1

Source: PlayOnline

We are proud to announce the second FINAL FANTASY XI Fan Festival! The Anaheim Hilton Hotel, in Anaheim California, will play host to the exciting event this November 15th-17th. The Festival includes an in-depth look at Wings of the Goddess, exciting in-game challenges, a chance to speak with the development team, the return of our Live Quest, contests and more! We're also bringing back our famous "Gobbie Bag" filled with goodies and a brand new in-game item for registered attendees! Spaces are limited, so buy your tickets today!

Visit the Fan Festival 2007 website for more details.

Source: PlayOnline

Phase 1 of the registration server maintenance that was originally scheduled to occur on Aug. 1, 2007 from 0:00 to 6:00 has been changed to 0:00 to 9:00 (PDT).

Thank you for your patience in this matter.

[Date & Time]
Phase 1
Aug. 1, 2007 from 0:00 to 9:00 (PDT)

Phase 2
Aug. 2, 2007 from 0:00 to 8:00 (PDT)
* Maintenance completion time may be subject to change.

[Affected Services]
PlayOnline