[ShepardG]

Unveiling the New Synergy System! (11/05/2009)

Ladies and gentlemen! Coming to you in a version update scheduled for as early as late November is "Synergy"—the new in-game system that will add a whole new dimension to synthesis!

What Is Synergy?
Synergy is an advanced form of synthesis wherein up to six players, each with unique skills, cooperate to create a single item via an apparatus called the "synergy furnace."

There are numerous differences to be noted between synergy and traditional single-player synthesis, one of them being the maintenance of elemental balance within the abovementioned synergy furnace. Synergists-to-be, take heed! Being a new field of science with numerous theories yet unverified, synergy is not a risk-free undertaking, and practitioners are advised to steel themselves for the occasional mishap.

Communal synergy furnaces will be made available in certain cities, and "synergy engineers"—your guides into the fascinating world of synergy—will be posted beside them to teach beginners the ropes. Furthermore, by completing a new quest, players will gain access to a handy new item that will allow them to summon their very own private furnace for use in field areas, eliminating the need to wait in line to use a public one.

Synergy Skill
Synergy skill determines your ability to safely handle synergy furnaces, and can be raised by applying synergy techniques used to manipulate elemental concentration levels inside the furnace. Proficiency in these techniques, too, can be raised to a degree corresponding to your synergy skill level. We recommend all players prioritize improving their skill, because when it comes to synergy, experience is synonymous with safety.

Certain synergy recipes demand expertise in specific synthesis disciplines, but synergy will be possible so long as a participating party member possesses the requisite skill in question. No single character needs to have all skill sets, and the supplier of ingredients is not required to possess any whatsoever. Each participant in synergy plays an equally significant role in the process.

Synergizing via a Communal Furnace
1) Obtain the "synergy crucible" key item.
The synergy crucible serves as the receptacle for different varieties of elemental "fewell," the source of power for furnaces. Characters need only acquire the crucible once by completing a new quest.

2) Prepare ingredients for the recipe.
Recipes corresponding to a character's synergy skill level can be learned by talking to a synergy engineer.

3) Recruit party members.
Synergy is a joint activity that requires the cooperation of other players. The party leader should seek fellow synergists with the right skills needed for a particular recipe and invite them to join a party.

4) Fill up on fewell.
Synergy engineers can inform you regarding your crucible's current supply of fewell and, if required, also provide you with a top-up in exchange for gil. Alternatively, it is also possible to directly replenish the crucible using either crystals or the new synthesizable item version of fewell (alchemy skill required).

5) Claim usage over a synergy furnace.
To use a communal synergy furnace, you must first lay claim by examining it. At this point, you will be allocated a period of time to deposit the ingredients and commence the synergy process. When this has been done, your group will have exclusive access to the furnace until the synergy process is complete.
*Private synergy furnaces summoned using the aforementioned item can be used only by you and your party members.

6) Deposit the ingredients.
Only the claim-holding character may deposit ingredients into the furnace. Similarly, at the conclusion of synergy, the resultant product will be obtainable only by that character.

7) Operate the furnace.
Now comes the most invigorating and rewarding part of the process: the operation of the synergy furnace itself. Throughout the course of synergy, players must keep a close eye on the balance of elemental concentration, internal pressure, the build-up of impurities, and furnace durability. Seamless teamwork and timely application of synergy techniques is the key to success.

Potential Complications
In the hands of the untrained, synergy may prove to be a painful exercise. For instance, if left unchecked, the swelling of elemental forces and the accumulation of impurities inside the furnace are surefire recipes for explosions and leakages. Synergy participants should not be surprised if the furnace literally detonates in their faces. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, and the best way to prevent is to improve your synergy prowess.

Success!
The successfully synergized product will be entrusted to the supplier of ingredients, while all participants will be awarded with "cinders," a synergy by-product. Cinders act as points that can be accumulated and traded to synergy engineers in exchange for items that will aid you in your synergistic endeavors.

The Joys of Synergy
Synergy will play a central role in the recently announced Evolith system by allowing players to add and remove slots on, as well as attach evolith to weapons and armor. There will also be a host of new items that can be had exclusively through synergy.


Prepare yourself for a synthesis revolution when the Synergy system arrives!

[Armando]

Fascinating. Looks like this will play out a bit like a group minigame?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

When they say raising your skill to ensure everyone's safety, they mean this can go BOOM in a nastier way that just losing materials, don't they?

[cidbahamut]

This can only end in tears.

[Takelli]

Originally Posted by ShepardG

What Is Synergy?
Synergy is an advanced form of synthesis wherein up to six players, each with unique skills, cooperate to create a single item via an apparatus called the "synergy furnace."

As soon as I read this, all that came to my head was how bad this can go. Takes six players to create ONE item.

Why not make it so that all six get an item insead of 1/6? I can see many arguments and issues comeing of this now...

[Kailea]

.....I honestly don't know what to say about this, it sounds interesting, but again? another thing where we are forced to have people together? I know this is an MMORPG, but come on, when I want to make something, I want to be alone ;p

I cant wait to try it though, it sounds cool, and could be fun, once you get your portable one.

[Armando]

Stop being paranoid ya bunch of babies. Only one player is contributing materials and the same person is the one that gets the item automatically assigned. The rest are presumably contributing their crafting skills if required, and probably participating in some crude mini-game that helps determine success.

[Yellow Mage]

To those of you who keep crying the end of days for XI, know that S-E is still taking the time to add in large-scale systems in to the game such as this. So, yeah, about that crow . .

YouTube- Weird Al' Eat It (HQ)


S-E has repeated time and again that so long as players support the game, so will they. Neither they nor any of the doomsayers have yet to give me a valid reason to doubt that claim, and updates like this really only serve to back it up. The way I see it, FFXI easily has another 7 years left, minimum.

[Durahansolo]

Originally Posted by ShepardG

Synergy participants should not be surprised if the furnace literally detonates in their faces.

Crafting with a chance of megadeath and full party wipe...EXCELLENT! (Jokes)

[LilithAngel]

HAHAHA!!! Make sure to bring a WHM along to cast Barfira (or whatever other Barspell may be nessesary) and Shellra V before crafting.

This looks like it could work out nicely, depending on what's available besides Evoliths through this venture. However, the group-oriented nature of the endeavour might put off a few who are looking to profit from it all for themselves (unless someone has some mule characters and they like to multi-box).

[Malacite]

Originally Posted by Armando

Fascinating. Looks like this will play out a bit like a group minigame?

As far as I'm concerned this fails hardcore. We have enough group activities in the game, all these extra requirements just to choose our own buffs is just plain retarded.

I'm serious, what the hell is wrong with SE. Why does this new form of augmenting have to be so needlessly complicated?!

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Originally Posted by Yellow Mage

To those of you who keep crying the end of days for XI, know that S-E is still taking the time to add in large-scale systems in to the game such as this. So, yeah, about that crow . .

YouTube- Weird Al' Eat It (HQ)



S-E has repeated time and again that so long as players support the game, so will they. Neither they nor any of the doomsayers have yet to give me a valid reason to doubt that claim, and updates like this really only serve to back it up. The way I see it, FFXI easily has another 7 years left, minimum.

I don't see anyone in this topic declaring the end of days for FFXI in this topic. So I don't know why this came up. In fact, I've only seen Malacite and Zeiro seem to imply it elsewhere.

That and Malcite has made the illogical leap just in his last post, I haven't any idea what that was about.

Do people even read the news anymore or just half-read it?

I was just poking fun. I think it would be funny if Synergy's difference in mishaps was literally blowing up in your face.

[Armando]

Malacite. Malacite. Use your head.

Do you want ACP rewards? What do you need? Say it with me: 5 other people.
Do you want a Fey weapon (WHICH HAVE AUGMENTS AND LET YOU REROLL MIND YOU)? What do you need? Say it with me: 5 other people.
Do you want a Mythic WS? What do you need? Say it with me: 5 other people.

Assume for a moment we have the potential to create something on par with a Rindomaru. What do you think we'll need? YOU GUESSED IT. 5 OTHER PEOPLE.

I mean it's not like you don't already have to fight NMs for these.

[Lmnop]

At first, I was thinking "this is neat". And the more I read, the more I started thinking "I hope ShepardG just posted this as a joke."

As a not-crafter with 0 attention span (and who only continues to play because his sister just took over paying), I'm not looking forward to recruiting 3-6 crafters to make my evolith gear.

Still, if they let us do traditional crafting through this method, happy times -- for crafting things that require like... 80 of 2 different skills or even 100 and 60, it'd be nice to not have to max out your own crafts and instead just split profit with a friend.

---------- Post added at 06:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:37 PM ----------

More thoughts (yay auto-merge!)

If you can do traditional crafting, then I'm hoping the Evolith bits will only require a single synergist. Thus, 2 man party and you don't have to worry about them taking your junk (which is ultimately what this system was designed for).

And speaking of "synergist", I think the thing that's gonna bother me most is having a whole new skill for it. I think level 100 crafters are gonna groan under the weight of more legwork to be wanted again.

I hope it's not like other crafting skills. Maybe something more in line with maxing fame instead of getting a whole new skill up to 100.

[Ziero]

Originally Posted by Omgwtfbbqkitten

So I don't know why this came up. In fact, I've only seen Malacite and Zeiro seem to imply it elsewhere.

Wait wait wait, when in the hell did I ever imply FFXI was dying out? O.o

I know I've said WotG was winding down, but that just means we'll be hearing about their next additional content (which will most likely be more add-ons) rather then the game itself will die. Also, "I" before "E" except after "C" dammit D=<

Originally Posted by Armando

Assume for a moment we have the potential to create something on par with a Rindomaru. What do you think we'll need? YOU GUESSED IT. 5 OTHER PEOPLE.

To be fair, they said "up to" meaning you could probably do some things with less then six. It also seems you won't even need a craft skill of your own to participate, so that would be a nice little boost for some. Chances are this new system will work on all sorts of gear as well, more then likely anything that can be augmented will be able to be Synergized, which would make some really overpowered AH gear.

Though much like they didn't work for Augments, AF gear won't likely work for this system either, and that's just a cryin shame imo. I would absolutely love it if they would let us mess with some base, NQ AF gear to actually give it some use. Even HQ Af gear can be absolutely useless at times, so I don't really see much harm in allowing players to strengthen gear that's supposed to be special but often isn't. But that's just a personal nitpick and nothing more.

But 10 gil says all those dat mined armors we saw get some sort of super special bonus from being Synergized.