Quick Update, and some early thoughts before play resumes on the update...

Didn't play as much as I planned to before I left for a show over the weekend in Los Angeles.

Laid up with a small cold, so I'll be on to play the new update and expansion as soon as play resumes...

DNC 74, SAM (at least) 26 (and probably a couple more than that)

My new Siren Dynamis shell had to cancel Wednesday because we couldn't get enough people, and I don't know what happened on Sunday.

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Some thoughts on the posted information on the POL site with a lot of what's happening in the new update:

New quests, especially WotG...

Let's hope this gets some people off their duffs and actually progressing in the WotG stuff. Read the last Vana'diel Census for more on that. I am hoping that, maybe, access to a "new end-game area" is part of this, but it doesn't sound like it.

Nation on the Brink, LFP... Need 3 Healers and 2 DD...

Maze Mongers changes...

The best one for me is the one where you can "sell", for marbles, unused runes. I actually have my maze set up where I like it (a soloable situation), but could use a few more marbles to get more Vouchers...

Fishing maze? Meh.

Chocobo Circuit

I never saw the Chocobo Circuit as that much of a viable thing, and I still (really) don't.

Wedding Support Now Automating as of 11/18

Not a bad idea with manpower being an issue...

Several minor, though important, changes to WotG Campaign areas...

Was wondering when they might address some of the stuff going on in Xarcabard (S) to allow people to, I don't know, actually _PLAY THE ZONE_...

Gates will now remain open in Eldieme (S) to allow people to get the Union-spoil caskets easier.

And more Union spoils are now available to bribe people to actually try the campaign battles in Beaucedine (S) and Xarcabard (S).

(One side note: I still dis-believe the notion of 100-pieces dropping in Campaign battle Union spoils. I've played so many Campaign Battles, it's not even funny... Not one 100-piece yet even in the chests.)

New NM's all over the place...

You know what I'd like to see? More challenging, though soloable, NM's and BCNM's.

And they have officially nerfed the AV Modus Veritas situation!!!

Nice ninja nerf, there, Square-Enix!! But is anyone REALLY surprised???

More chat filters (for spam, offensive words, etc.) put in.

I can see it -- Hell, I've been officially warned for some of my language in-game.

The GM Call response will no longer tell you where you are in the queue.

No real surprise (that functionality went away with the addition of several modes (online on the web especially) to getting in touch with the GM's, suggestions to the STF, etc. Now they just change the message so it's no longer an issue.

And the previously announced SMN, RNG, and BST stuff... Update scheduled to end in about 3 1/2 hours. Probably go download it now.