FFXIV Alters Controversial Mechanic in "Dawntrail" Update

Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail will change the stealth mechanic used for specific story quests by including new indicators that may help players tell where to avoid detection. This mechanic was introduced in Final Fantasy 14 during the Endwalker expansion for specific moments in Garlemald, but its inclusion was a point of contention for players.

In addition to the game's first major graphical update, Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail will make changes to other game systems. To coincide with the graphical update, a second dye channel will be available for specific weapons and armor, with more being added retroactively over several patches. Dawntrail will also give players who use a Fantasia potion one hour of in-game time to change their character's appearance without consuming another potion. At the time of writing, Final Fantasy 14 underwent 48 hours of maintenance ahead of the expansion's early access period. Square Enix recommended players download Dawntrail's massive patch files in advance, with the Patch 7.0 download file totaling 57.3 GB on PC.

While parts of Dawntrail's main story remain a mystery, one change should make a specific game mechanic easier for players. According to the preliminary Patch 7.0 notes, a stealth mechanic added in Endwalker will include target indicators to help players see where an NPC's detection radius is. During Endwalker, the level 82 main scenario quest "Tracks in the Snow" tasked players with following a Garlean girl named Licinia to her home without being detected and without losing sight of her. This meant players had to use sparse points of cover to avoid detection, or risk starting over. This mechanic proved problematic for both players with visual impairments and those not used to stealth mechanics.

Final Fantasy 14 Adding New Stealth Indicators In Patch 7.0

However, the stealth segments of Final Fantasy 14 will change in response to player feedback. As of Patch 7.0, an indicator will tell players when an NPC is about to turn around, which is symbolized by two yellow lines with black stripes. Another indicator will show an NPC's detection radius, which will give players an idea of how far away they should be from an NPC they're tailing. In light of the changes, Twitter user Sara Winters said that this will help players with visual impairments. Whether the stealth mechanics will return in Dawntrail's main story or not remains to be seen.

Between the stealth mechanic and the dungeon shortcut changes, Final Fantasy 14 players should have an easier time experiencing the game's story in Patch 7.0. With any luck, Square Enix will continue making player accessibility improvements a priority in Dawntrail.