Final Fantasy XI

[Kalarion]

It's Yoko-tier over

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[Finarfin]

No idea what that schizobabble means so congratz or sorry?

[WhiteShark]

FINAL FANTASY XI GAME MANUAL

I highly recommend having a look at the manual if you're new. Though there's a tutorial miniquest you can take right after character creation, it's also easy to miss it (as I did), and it barely touches some very important game elements. The expectation seems to be that the player will have read the manual beforehand. It also contains an exhaustive list of the game's text commands, which is very useful when creating macros.

---

► Basic Controls

Actions summary	Xbox 360 Controller	Analog Controller(DUALSHOCK 2)	Keyboard
Move your character	Left stick	Left analog stick	[8], [2], [4], and [6] on the numeric keypad
Continuously run (or walk)	LB	L1 button	[7] on the numeric keypad while moving
Switch between running and walking	-	-	[/] on the numeric keypad
Start healing	Left stick button	L3 button	[*] on the numeric keypad
Perform an action	A button	〇 button	[Enter] key
Cancel an action	B button	✖ button	[ESC] key
Move the camera	Right stick	Right analog stick	Directional keys
Switch the camera point of view between first-person and third-person	Right stick button	R3 button	[5] on the numeric keypad
Return the camera to its original position	-	-	[Home] key
Zoom in with the camera	-	-	[Page Up] key or [9] on the numeric keypad
Zoom out with the camera	-	-	[Page Down] key or [3] on the numeric keypad
Open the main menu	X button	▢ button	[-] Key
Select an item on the menu	Directional pad	Directional buttons	Directional keys
Open the action command window	A button	〇 button	[Enter] key
Select the active window	Y button	△ button	[＋] key
Switch between targets	Directional pad	Directional buttons	[Tab] key or [0] on the numeric keypad
Target your character	Directional pad	Directional buttons	[F7]
Target an NPC	Directional pad	Directional buttons	[F8]
Target a PC	Directional pad	Directional buttons	[F9]
Lock your target	Left stick button	L3 button	[*] on the numeric keyboard while targetting
Chat using the software keyboard	RB	R1 button	-
Start chat entry	-	-	[Space] key
Talk using the auto-translator	Select [Tab] key on software keyboard	-	[Tab] key
Call up the macro window	Left trigger, right trigger	L2 button, R2 button	[Ctrl] key or [Alt] key
Display/hide the window	BACK button	SELECT button	[Scroll Lock] key
Take a screenshot	RB (with windows hidden)	R1 button (with windows hidden)	[Print Screen] key (with windows hidden)
Log out of the game	START button	START button	Press [Pause] key or Type /logout
Wave to another character	Select [/wave] from the [text commands] in the software keyboard after selecting [complete]		Type /wave
Bow to another character	Select [/bow] from the [text commands] in the software keyboard after selecting [complete]		Type /bow

---

CLIENT ENHANCEMENTS

► Enhancements

Enhancements

The following is what I'm using and why. Addons and Plugins are activated from the Horizon XI Launcher.

Some of these may end up cut, but I doubt any more will be added from the pool of existing approved addons. WIP.

---

Addons

• aspect: necesary to display the game at 16:9.
• Balloon: gives NPC dialogue nice looking speech bubbles with portraits. Doesn't half the time.
• Chains: displays an alert when a skill chain is possible and for how long. Very useful.
• chatmon: plays sound effects for certain chat messages, such as when someone writes your name or your inventory is full. Very useful.
• Checker: colorizes messages from the examine function for visual clarity. Useful.
• CleanCS: hides UI elements from addons during cutscenes. Doesn't work for all of them.
• clock: despite the name, it seems to be about setting timers. Probably useful for tracking mob spawns.
• config:
• craftmon: lets you know the success of a synthesis attempt immediately, giving you time to rearrange your inventory based on the result. Mildly useful.
• drawdistance: lets you set the drawdistance for the world and mobs, though the one for mobs seems to have a hard cap. The world looks very expansive with it.
• equipmon: displays your equipment on screen. Maybe mildly useful later.
• filterlesss: removes the language filter. Prevents messages from being oddly censored.
• filters: "Allows players to save and load chat filter settings with ease." Haven't used it yet, but probably nice for something.
• fps: displays FPS and allows it to be raised to 60. I prefer the higher FPS even if it makes animations a bit faster.
• hideconsole: hides the bootloader, saving you from having an extra window open when alt tabbing. Mildly useful.
• HXUI: adds a number of handy UI elements. Some are replicas of existing ones, but they're much easier to see.
• instantah: "Get the results from your auction house purchase attempts instantly." Useful.
• Logs: saves your chat logs externally. Nice.
• luashitacast: helps manage equipment swaps. Probably useful later.
• macrofix: makes macro bar appear immediately when activated. I don't think I tested without, but a delay sounds as though it would be awful.
• MobDB: shows the target monster's level range, resists/weaknesses, and traits. Very useful.
• NoLock: "Allows you to engage/disengage without animation lock from effects such as spells being cast on you or mob TP moves." Probably very useful.
• petinfo: I have no pets yet.
• stfu:
• TargetLines: "FFXII style combat lines for FFXI," which lets you clearly see who is targeting whom. Very useful.
• timers: shows recast (cooldown) timers of your abilities. Very useful. Don't use the recast addon with this.
• timestamp: adds a timestamp to chat messages. I like it.
• tparty: May be redundant with HXUI. Not sure.
• ZoneName: briefly displays the name of the area you've entered when you zone into a new area. Useful for getting your bearings.

Note that I'm not using the allmaps plugin because I want to have to buy maps.

If you activate every addon I've listed here, you'll end up with an ugly pile of overlapping UI elements in the middle of your screen when you first log in. All of these can be repositioned with the mouse either by clicking and dragging with left click or with shift + left click, depending on the addon.

---

Plugins

• Nameplate: "Corrects rendering issues in the nameplate." Sounds good to me.
• PacketFlow: "Sends update requests the to server at a higher rate," presumably maintaining better synchronization. Very useful.
• Shorthand: "A plugin to allow more flexible typed commands." Probably useful.

Note that I'm not using the Minimap plugin because I want an experience closer to the original, but I'm sure it's very useful.

---

External

• Launcher Gay Flag Remover: replaces the gay flag in the launcher with an HQ logo and a link to this thread. Surprisingly useful!
• Fireworks Disabler: disables the incessant fireworks explosions from the ongoing summer event. Saves your sanity!

---

default.txt

If you're using fps and drawdistance, add the following to the very end of the default.txt file in \HorizonXI\Game\scripts:

Code: Select all

/fps 1
/drawdistance sete 20
/drawdistance setw 20

These lines should come on new lines after all the #s at the bottom of the file. That will set the FPS to its cap of 60 and the draw distance to is cap of... whatever it is, since it seems to be lower than 20.

---

ASHITA SCRIPT DOCUMENTATION

Horizon XI comes bundled with Ashita, "a free feature-rich third-party enhancement/modification for the MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI." It does many things, but what is immediately relevant is that it adds a chat command to run macros from external .txt files. If you prefer to edit your macros outside of the game, build them as scripts following the documentation above and then create simple /exec macros to run them in game.

@Val the Moofia Boss, would you mind adding the above to the OP? If you quote my post, you can copy the bbcode for use in yours.

[WhiteShark]

@Kalarion the random rumor tavern NPC strikes again. He assured me that attacking mobs from behind negates their block, evasion, and deflection, so I was always careful to position such that we flanked our targets, but, upon investigation, the only mechanic in the whole game affected by flanking seems to be a single THF ability. I wonder if this sort of confusion was normal back in Kalarion's distant, distant online gaming youth, before all the wikis and data mining.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Don't forget that that esoteric stuff about which elemental crystals you use on which ingame day of the week and how the cardinal direction your character is facing affects your crafting.

[rusty_shackleford]

Don't forget that that esoteric stuff about which elemental crystals you use on which ingame day of the week and how the cardinal direction your character is facing affects your crafting.

I feel like @WhiteShark is going to take this seriously because he doesn't get the joke.

[rusty_shackleford]

@Kalarion the random rumor tavern NPC strikes again. He assured me that attacking mobs from behind negates their block, evasion, and deflection, so I was always careful to position such that we flanked our targets, but, upon investigation, the only mechanic in the whole game affected by flanking seems to be a single THF ability.

https://ffxiclopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Innin
https://ffxiclopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Regurgitation

[Oyster Sauce]

Don't forget that that esoteric stuff about which elemental crystals you use on which ingame day of the week and how the cardinal direction your character is facing affects your crafting.

Don't face north unless you're elderly, in which case it's actually beneficial. That's the DP.

[WhiteShark]

@Kalarion the random rumor tavern NPC strikes again. He assured me that attacking mobs from behind negates their block, evasion, and deflection, so I was always careful to position such that we flanked our targets, but, upon investigation, the only mechanic in the whole game affected by flanking seems to be a single THF ability.

https://ffxiclopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Innin
https://ffxiclopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Regurgitation

Even aside from specific abilities, it seems I was too quick to believe Horizon players. I kept searching for terms like 'back', 'behind', and 'flanking', but I finally found these on the Horizon wiki:

To activate parrying skill you must:

• Face the mob (within a ~60 degree angle).

To activate Shield skill you must:
[...]

• Be facing the mob (under ~60 degree angle).

And this on bg-wiki:

Unlike a shield block, guard can only activate while engaged to an enemy, but guard can activate on any attacking enemy in front of the player, not just the one currently targeted.

@Kalarion, my apologies. I'm still not entirely certain whether these hold true for mobs, but there's definitely more to it than I had realized.

[rusty_shackleford]

Don't forget that that esoteric stuff about which elemental crystals you use on which ingame day of the week and how the cardinal direction your character is facing affects your crafting.

@WhiteShark you marked this 'informative', I just want to be 100% clear that this was based entirely on player myth.

[WhiteShark]

@WhiteShark you marked this 'informative', I just want to be 100% clear that this was based entirely on player myth.

Hm... let's see, first quarter moon, Windsday, facing West/Lightning... ok, I'll believe you.

[rusty_shackleford]

@WhiteShark you marked this 'informative', I just want to be 100% clear that this was based entirely on player myth.

Hm... let's see, first quarter moon, Windsday, facing West/Lightning... ok, I'll believe you.

Just face southwest like the rest of us.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I died, and then reraised, only to die again. So close. One more weapon swing from either @Finarfin or I and he would have been mushroom soup.

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[WhiteShark]

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So that's what toon mode looks like. Screenshot courtesy of @Finarfin.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

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I like how Vakurm Dunes looks at night, with the blue sand and the pink/purple sky.

We are starting to get into skillchaining. Right now I am using Dark Harvest and Kalarion follows up with Combo to perform an Impaction.

Here is the chart:

[Kalarion]

Don't forget that that esoteric stuff about which elemental crystals you use on which ingame day of the week and how the cardinal direction your character is facing affects your crafting.

@WhiteShark you marked this 'informative', I just want to be 100% clear that this was based entirely on player myth.

It is possible this was myth on live (I doubt it, a metric fuckton of raw statistical data was generated from thousands of players over several years), but Darkstar (the server code that Horizon is based on) coded all of this into the server. I've seen it.

Edit - looking at that chart, I was incorrect. Moon phase, weather and day were coded. I don't know about facing.

[J1M]

@Kalarion the random rumor tavern NPC strikes again. He assured me that attacking mobs from behind negates their block, evasion, and deflection, so I was always careful to position such that we flanked our targets, but, upon investigation, the only mechanic in the whole game affected by flanking seems to be a single THF ability.

https://ffxiclopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Innin
https://ffxiclopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Regurgitation

Trick attack.

[rusty_shackleford]

Don't forget that that esoteric stuff about which elemental crystals you use on which ingame day of the week and how the cardinal direction your character is facing affects your crafting.

@WhiteShark you marked this 'informative', I just want to be 100% clear that this was based entirely on player myth.

It is possible this was myth on live (I doubt it, a metric fuckton of raw statistical data was generated from thousands of players over several years), but Darkstar (the server code that Horizon is based on) coded all of this into the server. I've seen it.

Edit - looking at that chart, I was incorrect. Moon phase, weather and day were coded. I don't know about facing.

HauberkDeatharc

Can you officially confirm the crafting variables? Does direction, day of the week, time of day etc. effect crafting in any way?

FFXI_DevTeamSquare Enix

A:でません。（フジト）

Fujito: They do not

---

The server is based on LandSandBoat.

[J1M]

Okay, I'm downloading this. Which classes are people playing? Probably going to start as a WHM since I was THF/WAR when I played decades ago.

[rusty_shackleford]

What surprises me the most about all these old MMOs is the amount of effort put into server emulation without anyone bothering to make an open source client. The biggest hurdle to them is how unusable the clients are.

[WhiteShark]

Okay, I'm downloading this. Which classes are people playing? Probably going to start as a WHM since I was THF/WAR when I played decades ago.

I'm WAR/MNK currently and probably going to turn into SAM when I unlock it.
@Kalarion has talked about maining RDM later, but his current highest level job is MNK.
@Val the Moofia Boss has been playing DRK/DRG with us. I'm not sure what his main job really is.
@Shillitron is RDM, and I'm not sure if he's decided on a subjob.
@Finarfin is WAR (hasn't unlocked subjob yet), and I don't know what his plan is.
@Silver started as THF, but, as far as I know, she's only played once so far.

[rusty_shackleford]

I tried to use the UI addon and I hated it, how do I move the default UI elements?

[rusty_shackleford]

FINAL FANTASY XI GAME MANUAL

I highly recommend having a look at the manual if you're new. Though there's a tutorial miniquest you can take right after character creation, it's also easy to miss it (as I did), and it barely touches some very important game elements. The expectation seems to be that the player will have read the manual beforehand. It also contains an exhaustive list of the game's text commands, which is very useful when creating macros.

---

► Basic Controls

Actions summary	Xbox 360 Controller	Analog Controller(DUALSHOCK 2)	Keyboard
Move your character	Left stick	Left analog stick	[8], [2], [4], and [6] on the numeric keypad
Continuously run (or walk)	LB	L1 button	[7] on the numeric keypad while moving
Switch between running and walking	-	-	[/] on the numeric keypad
Start healing	Left stick button	L3 button	[*] on the numeric keypad
Perform an action	A button	〇 button	[Enter] key
Cancel an action	B button	✖ button	[ESC] key
Move the camera	Right stick	Right analog stick	Directional keys
Switch the camera point of view between first-person and third-person	Right stick button	R3 button	[5] on the numeric keypad
Return the camera to its original position	-	-	[Home] key
Zoom in with the camera	-	-	[Page Up] key or [9] on the numeric keypad
Zoom out with the camera	-	-	[Page Down] key or [3] on the numeric keypad
Open the main menu	X button	▢ button	[-] Key
Select an item on the menu	Directional pad	Directional buttons	Directional keys
Open the action command window	A button	〇 button	[Enter] key
Select the active window	Y button	△ button	[＋] key
Switch between targets	Directional pad	Directional buttons	[Tab] key or [0] on the numeric keypad
Target your character	Directional pad	Directional buttons	[F7]
Target an NPC	Directional pad	Directional buttons	[F8]
Target a PC	Directional pad	Directional buttons	[F9]
Lock your target	Left stick button	L3 button	[*] on the numeric keyboard while targetting
Chat using the software keyboard	RB	R1 button	-
Start chat entry	-	-	[Space] key
Talk using the auto-translator	Select [Tab] key on software keyboard	-	[Tab] key
Call up the macro window	Left trigger, right trigger	L2 button, R2 button	[Ctrl] key or [Alt] key
Display/hide the window	BACK button	SELECT button	[Scroll Lock] key
Take a screenshot	RB (with windows hidden)	R1 button (with windows hidden)	[Print Screen] key (with windows hidden)
Log out of the game	START button	START button	Press [Pause] key or Type /logout
Wave to another character	Select [/wave] from the [text commands] in the software keyboard after selecting [complete]		Type /wave
Bow to another character	Select [/bow] from the [text commands] in the software keyboard after selecting [complete]		Type /bow

---

CLIENT ENHANCEMENTS

► Enhancements

Enhancements

The following is what I'm using and why. Addons and Plugins are activated from the Horizon XI Launcher.

Some of these may end up cut, but I doubt any more will be added from the pool of existing approved addons. WIP.

---

Addons

• aspect: necesary to display the game at 16:9.
• Balloon: gives NPC dialogue nice looking speech bubbles with portraits. Doesn't half the time.
• Chains: displays an alert when a skill chain is possible and for how long. Very useful.
• chatmon: plays sound effects for certain chat messages, such as when someone writes your name or your inventory is full. Very useful.
• Checker: colorizes messages from the examine function for visual clarity. Useful.
• CleanCS: hides UI elements from addons during cutscenes. Doesn't work for all of them.
• clock: despite the name, it seems to be about setting timers. Probably useful for tracking mob spawns.
• config:
• craftmon: lets you know the success of a synthesis attempt immediately, giving you time to rearrange your inventory based on the result. Mildly useful.
• drawdistance: lets you set the drawdistance for the world and mobs, though the one for mobs seems to have a hard cap. The world looks very expansive with it.
• equipmon: displays your equipment on screen. Maybe mildly useful later.
• filterlesss: removes the language filter. Prevents messages from being oddly censored.
• filters: "Allows players to save and load chat filter settings with ease." Haven't used it yet, but probably nice for something.
• fps: displays FPS and allows it to be raised to 60. I prefer the higher FPS even if it makes animations a bit faster.
• hideconsole: hides the bootloader, saving you from having an extra window open when alt tabbing. Mildly useful.
• HXUI: adds a number of handy UI elements. Some are replicas of existing ones, but they're much easier to see.
• instantah: "Get the results from your auction house purchase attempts instantly." Useful.
• Logs: saves your chat logs externally. Nice.
• luashitacast: helps manage equipment swaps. Probably useful later.
• macrofix: makes macro bar appear immediately when activated. I don't think I tested without, but a delay sounds as though it would be awful.
• MobDB: shows the target monster's level range, resists/weaknesses, and traits. Very useful.
• NoLock: "Allows you to engage/disengage without animation lock from effects such as spells being cast on you or mob TP moves." Probably very useful.
• petinfo: I have no pets yet.
• stfu:
• TargetLines: "FFXII style combat lines for FFXI," which lets you clearly see who is targeting whom. Very useful.
• timers: shows recast (cooldown) timers of your abilities. Very useful. Don't use the recast addon with this.
• timestamp: adds a timestamp to chat messages. I like it.
• tparty: May be redundant with HXUI. Not sure.
• ZoneName: briefly displays the name of the area you've entered when you zone into a new area. Useful for getting your bearings.

Note that I'm not using the allmaps plugin because I want to have to buy maps.

If you activate every addon I've listed here, you'll end up with an ugly pile of overlapping UI elements in the middle of your screen when you first log in. All of these can be repositioned with the mouse either by clicking and dragging with left click or with shift + left click, depending on the addon.

---

Plugins

• Nameplate: "Corrects rendering issues in the nameplate." Sounds good to me.
• PacketFlow: "Sends update requests the to server at a higher rate," presumably maintaining better synchronization. Very useful.
• Shorthand: "A plugin to allow more flexible typed commands." Probably useful.

Note that I'm not using the Minimap plugin because I want an experience closer to the original, but I'm sure it's very useful.

---

External

• Launcher Gay Flag Remover: replaces the gay flag in the launcher with an HQ logo and a link to this thread. Surprisingly useful!
• Fireworks Disabler: disables the incessant fireworks explosions from the ongoing summer event. Saves your sanity!

---

default.txt

If you're using fps and drawdistance, add the following to the very end of the default.txt file in \HorizonXI\Game\scripts:

Code: Select all

/fps 1
/drawdistance sete 20
/drawdistance setw 20

These lines should come on new lines after all the #s at the bottom of the file. That will set the FPS to its cap of 60 and the draw distance to is cap of... whatever it is, since it seems to be lower than 20.

---

ASHITA SCRIPT DOCUMENTATION

Horizon XI comes bundled with Ashita, "a free feature-rich third-party enhancement/modification for the MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI." It does many things, but what is immediately relevant is that it adds a chat command to run macros from external .txt files. If you prefer to edit your macros outside of the game, build them as scripts following the documentation above and then create simple /exec macros to run them in game.

@Val the Moofia Boss, would you mind adding the above to the OP? If you quote my post, you can copy the bbcode for use in yours.

A bunch of addons are approved but not preinstalled
https://horizonxi.info/addons

[Finarfin]

I tried to use the UI addon and I hated it, how do I move the default UI elements?

As far as I know, you don't.

[rusty_shackleford]

aaand already lost interest, this game is as clunky as I remember. Enjoy your time guys.

[WhiteShark]

A bunch of addons are approved but not preinstalled
https://horizonxi.info/addons

Huh, I actually saw that page, but, for some reason, I thought the ones that didn't come preinstalled were still pending approval. I'll start looking through these.

[Finarfin]

Wait, can you actually play a paladin that is not a tank? If so I would definitely do that. I love playing Paladins.

[Shillitron]

Okay, I'm downloading this. Which classes are people playing? Probably going to start as a WHM since I was THF/WAR when I played decades ago.

I'm WAR/MNK currently and probably going to turn into SAM when I unlock it.
@Kalarion has talked about maining RDM later, but his current highest level job is MNK.
@Val the Moofia Boss has been playing DRK/DRG with us. I'm not sure what his main job really is.
@Shillitron is RDM, and I'm not sure if he's decided on a subjob.
@Finarfin is WAR (hasn't unlocked subjob yet), and I don't know what his plan is.
@Silver started as THF, but, as far as I know, she's only played once so far.

I'm planning to do RDM/BLM until further notice.
Kalarion said he's gonna WHM/RDM but as you said he's currently a Monk and working on THF sub class now.

I am planning to heal for the near future but if anyone wants to do it really badly long term (Kal? J1m?) then I can swap off. As per what @Val the Moofia Boss said, as long as we have something that can sorta tank and something that can heal - we should be good to start slamming group pulls. Doesn't have to be super optimized and I wanna be flexible so people can play the **** that they are interested in.

Ninja / THF looks kinda FUN TBH but I'm already too deep on learning magic skills.


EDIT:

It's not uncommon to have an "off-healer" either. especially at higher levels which I can happily do if someone wants to go all in with WHM - which by far gets the most healing skill.

[J1M]

Wait, can you actually play a paladin that is not a tank? If so I would definitely do that. I love playing Paladins.

Dark Knight, Dragoon, and Samurai are the classes with heavy armor and big weapons. The paladin passives are focused on taking less damage, but they get some good spells for assisting people.

[rusty_shackleford]

dibs on dragoon