Well, maybe we should just be happy the Summoner updates went live now. The much-discussed November version update for Final Fantasy XI was released today, but it's lacking something that had just recently been announced -- namely, the entire evolith and synergy system that was promised to be dropped along with the version update. Square-Enix officially stated that the change is coming in another version update past mid-November. And, sadly, it gets a little worse before it gets better -- one of the promised ranger changes, reduced threat from ranged attacks at longer distances, has been nixed.

But let's not dwell on the negatives, really. After all, the crafting is coming soon enough, and it's not as if this update was sparse on content to begin with. There are a pile of new quests available, new improvements to the Moblin Maze Mongers service, and all the other updates and job changes we've covered previously. Not to mention that the add-on scenario A Shantotto Ascension is ready to play, something likely to produce at least some joy and spontaneous fits of rhyming. Take a look at the list of official patch notes for all the details, and don't fret -- there's enough content that you're sure to find something to do until mid-November.

As Halloween fades into a memory of candy, costumes, and cheaply-made outdoor decorations, the MMOsphere slowly closes its doors on the various holiday events. Final Fantasy XI's pumpkin-carving contest on Allakhazam has finally drawn to a close, with the votes in and tallied and the winners determined. And if you doubt that there's a great deal of talent and originality on display with the contest, the excellently-rendered San d'Orian knight charging into battle above wasn't the winner -- they placed fourth.

Third place went to a rendition of the title image for this year's Halloween event, while second place went to Final Fantasy XI's resident mad professor herself. First place went -- quite deservedly -- to this hauntingly well-rendered image of a tonberry in the darkness. The official announcement includes a tally of the votes, but that might not be quite as exciting to casual observers as a gallery of all the entries. Congratulations to the winners, and here's hoping that next year brings still more pumpkin-carving fun for FFXI.

At the rate we're getting swamped with information about the upcoming Final Fantasy XI version update, we'll soon be finding out that the update is also adding two new jobs and a level cap increase. Well, maybe not, but Square-Enix has released yet more news about the upcoming November version update. Already we've heard about new gear enhancements, new crafting, job updates, and a reward for content-minded players. The most recent information involves some of the more miscellaneous activities of Vana'diel's inhabitants, including chocobo racing and fishing.

Chocobo races are being changed over to a new schedule system that keeps races running on a consistent real-world schedule to make coordination easier for players. The system is also adding new purchasable items that will have a variety of bonuses for the devoted race enthusiast. Of course, the new items won't be cheap -- nothing in Final Fantasy XI is -- but first through third-place winners in each race will be receiving a much larger amount of chocobucks for their placing, which should make affording things much more fesable. On top of that, there's a promise of more fish to turn in for the popular "In the Belly" quest, with the hint of new equipment. Keep your eyes peeled, as we might well have not seen the last of the additions to this now-massive update.

We've been seeing a great deal of news and information coming out from Final Fantasy XI -- which probably means the end times are coming, but be that as it may. Just the other day we found out about the upcoming Evolith system, with its cryptic mentions of the integrated "synergy" system and a promise of more details shortly. Sure enough, we already have an idea of what synergy will look like when it drops alongside the rest of the filled-to-bursting November version update. And it promises to be quite a deviation from the status quo for crafting right away -- it's an art practiced not by one person, but by a full six-person party.

In keeping with the extant nature of Final Fantasy XI's crafting, synergy doesn't promise to be simple. A number of reagents and elemental energies are dumped into the pictured "synergy furnace," at which point the entire part must begin carefully modulating and controlling the flow of elements therein. Crystals can be used to help alter the elemental composition, but will not be absolutely necessary from the sound of things. A failed synthesis can cause the whole mess to blow up in your face -- literally -- while success yields both slotted items and "cinders" that can be turned in for equipment to help boost your skill at the craft. There's a lot to digest here, so take a look and get ready for the most mold-breaking crafting yet seen in FFXI.

The November version update for Final Fantasy XI is going to contain a number of new and improved features -- for many of the game's players, just the changes being made to several jobs will alter the game significantly. However, the just-revealed Evolith system is going to add even more wrinkles to the gameplay, allowing players to insert powerful stones with a variety of properties into equipment. Not only is the system based around a new form of synthesis -- in essence an entirely new form of crafting -- but it promises to allow further customization and equipment improvement.

In order to obtain the Evolith stones themselves, players will need to hunt down notorious monsters as part of a new set of "hunt regimes" (which seem as if they'll likely be similar in nature to the Fields of Valor training regimes and enhancements). Equipment can both have new slots added to it via synergy, and then have the Evolith attached to the slots based on elemental properties. Original? Not precisely. But it's a new way for players to improve their abilities and their equipment, and it's a pretty large change for a regular patch. Take a look at the full article for more details and for a sneak peek at what some of the stones will offer.

The last of Final Fantasy XI's add-on scenarios is coming out in just about a week, but that's not all that's coming with it. Players who have purchased all three of the mini-expansions (A Crystalline Prophecy, A Moogle Kupo d'Etat, and A Shantotto Ascension, all of which have small flash sites) will receive a special in-game item following the next version update. The fact that it's a cape may not sound like much, but veteran players would be rather interested in the item's special enchantment: it allows you to teleport.

Players who haven't experienced Final Fantasy XI might not realize just how difficult and frequently dangerous transport through the game can be. Most leveling is done by working your way to a dangerous location, surrounded by monsters that can easily slaughter a lone player. The Nexus Cape reward will transport the user instantly to the party leader's location, thereby enabling easy movement from one spot of relative safety to another. It's only usable once per day, but it's a nice added bonus for those who've grabbed all of the additional scenarios. If you're holding out for the Ultimate Collection due on the tenth, don't despair -- as it contains all three add-ons as well, players with the collection will also receive the Nexus Cape. More details on its mechanics are available on the official announcement.

Final Fantasy XI's final new add-on adventure, A Shantotto Ascension, comes out the ninth of November. Should eight more days prove too long a delay, you might just be pleased at what we have to say. A new trailer, you see, has been put on the site, with our dear professor in the center spotlight. And if you lacked apprehension regarding Shantotto, this new trailer may have you pull quite the reversal.

The trailer makes mention of rituals demonic, a threat whose recurrence is horribly chronic -- but lest you assume that the danger's routine, you had best keep a watch on this unfolding scene. For Shantotto denies that she has lost her mind, and thinks herself flawless (or so she's opined). Yet all of the images that we see within leads us to believe something mad will begin -- and while we don't mean to drive players to terror, to not say the truth would be too much an error. For Shantotto seems poised upon something gigantic, and appears to enlarge to proportions titanic! If you've made Final Fantasy XI your home, be prepared to defend all the roots that you've sown. The release is still pending, but you may purchase today -- so go view the trailer, no need to delay!

Halloween is probably second only to Christmas in terms of holiday popularity. Ask just about anybody what their favorite holiday is, and they'll probably list one of those two (if it fits the culture). Naturally, as MMO players, we have fun celebrating it in our virtual worlds just like we do in the real world. And boy, this year, do we ever celebrate. Just about every active MMO out there had (or has) something going on. The 2009 lineup included:

• Final Fantasy XI - Harvest Festival
• City of Heroes - The Deadly Apocalypse
• EverQuest II - Nights of the Dead
• Fallen Earth - Days of the Dead
• Warhammer Online - Daemon Moon Rising
• Aion - Harvest Revel
• Guild Wars - The Mad King's Revelry
• Runes of Magic - Pumpkin Festival
• Lineage - Cavern of Chaos
• Lineage II - Spooks and Scarecrows
• Age of Conan - Nights of Lost Souls
• EverQuest - The Haunting of Norrath
• Legends of Norrath - Brraaaaaainss!
• Star Wars Galaxies - Galactic Moon Festival
• Exteel - Hey, sweet! Paint!
• Free Realms - Super Spooktacular
• Champions Online - Blood Moon

Most of these events last a few days into November, so if there's any one in particular you're dying to experience, you might still have a chance if you have a subscription laying around. If you're not able to visit any of these in person, we have screenshots from many of these events in the gallery below. Enjoy!

Final Fantasy XI's November update is just around the corner (what with the end of October fast approaching), and that means we're hearing more about what job abilities are due for an upgrade. This time around, we're getting information about the game's two classic pet-using classes, the Summoner and the Beastmaster, and what new abilities are in store for them. To summarize in brief: pure, unadulterated awesome.

Summoners will learn a new ability called Avatar's Favor at level 55, which provides a passive benefit to all party members and reduces the MP cost of keeping an avatar active. With a two-hour duration, the ability is clearly aimed at the longstanding irritation many players have had about the "preferred" approach to summoner pets. Traditionally, the class has been forced to summon their pet, use one of its party-buffing abilities, and then immediately dismiss it due to its low utility in normal combat and the high MP cost of keeping it active. Avatar's Favor obviously rewards keeping a single avatar active on the battlefield to reap the most benefit, and its promise of a cost reduction makes that more fesable.

Beastmasters, meanwhile, are gaining the ability to directly control the special abilities used by their called beasts (as opposed to beasts tamed on the field). The system is explained in brief, but it should help provide some utility and control to a class that has slowly been making the shift over to called pets instead of tamed ones. Both updates should be welcome by the classes, and lend more support to the idea that if the November update is one of the last ones to grace Final Fantasy XI, it will be going out on a high note.

Weddings in MMOs are sort of an odd beast at best, but the setting and atmosphere found in Final Fantasy XI suited the feature even way back when it was first introduced. Unfortunately, actually going through the process in-game has always been something of a hassle, what with the additional fees, the scheduling problems, a convoluted registration feature and so forth. Considering your only reward was usually an in-game wedding ring, it didn't light many people on fire. However, even though the game is entering its twilight years (or possibly because of that), Square-Enix is rolling out a new and more straightforward system to make marriage less of an issue -- in-game, at least.

Rather than having an ornate application to fill out, the game will be instituting a page in which you can simply schedule a time, date, and place. The nation's wedding masters will be added in as NPCs, allowing you to talk with them at any time to retrieve a certificate as a house furnishing once you've gotten married. In addition to all of this, you'll no longer have to jump through hoops for most of the wedding items (presumably including the game's tuxedo and wedding dress), as they'll be purchasable by anyone who requires them. If you prefer having a more ornate wedding, however, there's an optional Player Event system in place allowing you to expand beyond the confines of the existing system. It's not exactly a Vana'dielian Vegas, but Final Fantasy XI's updates to the system should at least make it a bit easier to tie the knot.

Most games give crafters the shaft. There's no real art to pushing a button and having an item pop out, especially when today's modern MMO design heavily favors "quick crafting." Crafting is an afterthought to most games, or something that players can do to both pass the time and perhaps offer an alternative to buying items from the shops.

Then there's Final Fantasy XI. The game equipped with a crafting system so complicated, people still have arguments about how the game calculates success 6 years after its American launch. A crafting system so complicated, some people like to refer to it as "voodoo crafting."

The ins-and-outs of the system may be hard to grasp for the starting player, but we here at Massively want to give everyone a fighting chance at what is a very interestingly designed crafting system. So if you want a few tips on how to leverage the crafting system in your favor, or if you want to find out what makes crafting in this game so difficult and draw so much debate, then this is the guide for you.

Come this November 10th anyone with 20 bucks will be able to pick up the newly announced Final Fantasy XI Ultimate Collection. This low-priced packaging lives up to its moniker by coming with every single expansion and add-on released since Square Enix launched the game. So if you've been holding off all this time or just haven't played in a long while and wouldn't mind checking out that new content with an old character, this is definitely the release for you.

We're pretty sure this is the final collection for Final Fantasy XI, as Square Enix's next MMO will be launching sometime in 2010. That's not to say there won't be any new add-ons, but we get the feeling those will only be offered through digital distribution. Oh, and the whole 'Ultimate Collection' makes it a little obvious, too.

[via Joystiq]

The time is nearly upon us for darkness to return to the world of Vana'diel, and all that can be hoped is that adventurers will stand against the undead to keep their homes and cities safe. Final Fantasy XI's Harvest Festival is fast approaching, complete with the requisite cocktail of ghouls, ghosts, and gibbering zombies shuffling about. What was once an innocent celebration has turned slightly more sinister with the addition of processions of undead throughout the world, calling for those of stout heart and strong arm to keep safe.

It's a bit melodramatic, but it's hard not to get the vibe with the announcement, which includes not only a description of everything coming to the game for the holiday, but a short story explaining the origin of Vana'diel's pumpkins and how they came to be seen as wards against evil spirits. The even promises the usual plethora of rewards and fun activities for all, whether you intend to help defend the capitals from undead incursions or just want to pass around some sweets to the good citizens of the nations. If you can tear yourself away from pumpkin carving or the recent news about the game's sequel, it would be a fine time to take a trip to Final Fantasy XI -- just carry a candle.

We have news for all of you readers, you can now draw pictures of your future fearless leader! Final Fantasy XI's Lady Shantotto is the focus of the mini-expansion, "A Shantotto Ascension," and she wants to make sure her reign begins with your full apprehension!

If you are artistically inclined, then drop by the Final Fantasy XI website in time! There you will learn the contest's basics, so hopefully you can learn enough to face it. Many renditions of her fabulous nature will be chosen, but only a few will get the medal that is golden!

Those selected to win a prize will see it appear right before their eyes. A Nomad Moogle Rod is the contest's winning, and we think you'll find that the item will keep you grinning. Target a fellow party member and before you can say do-si-dori, a gift will end up in their inventory!

So don't wait and stop to yawn, or else this contest will have come and gone!

Sincerely, Professor Shan... er... the Massively.com staff. O~hohohohohohohoho!