Why don't we get this stuff too?

[Rai]

http://www.enterbrain.co.jp/jp/p_pickup/2006/ff11maniax/

http://www.enterbrain.co.jp/jp/p_pickup/2006/ff11maniax/cover.jpg

A Japanese speaking friend told me there are Japanese books on several aspects of FFXI including Crafting. He told me the books on crafting give indepth info in crafting beyond anything he has seen on any FFXI english website.

[Mhurron]

They aren't released here because no one looked into getting an English translation and North American Distribution rights.

[Malevolent]

Brady Games Inc i think its called made a huge guide when FFXI RoZ was released. I know Brady Games lost the rights to distribute it a few years back and thats why theres no more of these guides in circulation.

[Jei]

There are tons other FFXI books that never got translated. I don't know why Brady Guide would suddenly translater this one.

[neighbortaru]

brady made 2 products for FFXI (and afaik still is licensed to), a strat guide and an "atlas."

the main reason why a lot of those JP guides never come stateside (or elsewhere) is because there is no market justification for it.

[Rai]

The problem is that having such books readily available to the Japanese players puts the NA and EU players at a disadvantage.

That one book has a complete list of items synths, where to obtain the ingredients(shop list, chocobo digging, mining and so on) how to go about crafting the HQ. It has data on probabilities of skills, HQ and such.

It is very indepth, a friend who speaks Japanese has a couple Japanese books and he says they have so much more info than any NA website he has ever found.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

The problem is that having such books readily available to the Japanese players puts the NA and EU players at a disadvantage.

That one book has a complete list of items synths, where to obtain the ingredients(shop list, chocobo digging, mining and so on) how to go about crafting the HQ. It has data on probabilities of skills, HQ and such.

It is very indepth, a friend who speaks Japanese has a couple Japanese books and he says they have so much more info than any NA website he has ever found.
You can find complete synthesis lists and sources for obtaining ingredients online at somepage (ffxi.somepage.com). HQ probabilities based on HQ Tiers is fairly well known, and that information can be gleaned at many FFXI message boards. It might not seem as convenient as having a book to hold in your hands while you play. But it's only a disadvantage to uninformed and/or lazy players.

Finding out that information through online sources has an advantage over using books: your information source can potentially stay up-to-date with changes.

[neighbortaru]

It might not seem as convenient as having a book to hold in your hands while you play. But it's only a disadvantage to uninformed and/or lazy players. agreed. plus, it not like the entire JP population has an advantage, those who don't have the book are in the same boat as the rest of us.

[jcmeadows]

They look really cool, I would like to have them just to collect them.

[Jei]

ISBN 4-7577-2989-8
I think I'll go to kinokuniya and order it. Maybe I'll hire some JP friends to translate it.

[Oogami]

Unless the book also states explicitly that by "doing this and this and this, etc. you're guaranteed a HQ on a tier 11 craft", all the information can already be found in the various forums. Eruantalon over at Allakhazam's did a lot of research into the HQ tiers before he left the game over half a year ago after saying that he broke the HQ code and have reached his "endgame". (Pretty credible in my own opinion).

Granted, the information are scattered all over the place, so the book does provide convenience, nice pictures and ease of use.

Besides, nothing beats the advantage of cheap mass production and full time market watch. I don't see the RMT crafters that makes shihei/bolts 24/7, with another character watching the AH 24/7, even needing this kind of book to have overwhelming competitive advantage.