POL News: Dance Your Heart Out.

Looks like Sunbreeze is bringing the dance to you again. Vana'diel is definitely not the setting for Footloose. If you didn't get that joke you are too young and probably think that Transformers is a movie that was made by Michael Bay and that Bumblebee is a POS Chevy instead of a German rustbucket.

Wow, of on a tangent there. Anyway, the new event looks to be a little more interesting than the last time around. There is some mention of a new scantily-clad dancer, and a special, "more advanced" quest involved in the event. Meh, I say! MEH! I really need to get someone on staff that actually cares about these kind of things. Anyone out there that actually wants to write about these things? If you are interested send me an e-mail at tweiner1 at gmu dot edu.

Anyway, if you want the full write up check after the cut. Beware the huge poster for this event.

"Hi everyone! My name's Mumor!
How are you all? I've been feeling just fantastic, thank you! My live performance at this year's Sunbreeze Festival is about to begin, you see. All the fans have already begun lining up and—huh? Where in the world did everyone go...?

What's with the commotion over there? A crowd of people seems to have gathered.
But...something doesn't smell right here..."

This summer, a fearsome new menace has come to wreak havoc on festivals and smiles of happiness—the very things our winsome superheroine, Fantastic Fraulein Mumor, has sworn to protect. Only with your spirited show of support can Mumor hope to prevail in her latest battle against evil!
All together now: "Shining Summer Samba!!!"

Proceed here to learn how you can help Fantastic Fraulein Mumor purge Vana'diel of this latest threat casting its shadow over the realm!

*The Sunbreeze Festival will commence on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT) and run until Monday, August 17 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT).
And here is the rest of it.

A long, long time ago, a lone meteor came hurtling through the heavens, finally coming to rest in a long forgotten corner of Vana’diel. From the core of this extraterrestrial rock emerged a being of pure evil: the self-proclaimed demon king, Ullegore. With unrelenting singleness of mind, Ullegore set forth to instigate his diabolical plot to sow the seeds of boredom the world over, finding festivals—the predominant source of fun and excitement in the realm of mortals—as the preferred targets for his insatiable thirst for tedium.

However, the arrival of this entity of darkness did not escape the notice of Professor Sarmoega, genius inventor and head of the Research Institute for Paranormal Phenomenon (RIPP). Realizing the dire implication of Ullegore’s appearance, the professor made it his life’s mission to prepare his only daughter, Mumor, to become she who would restore smiles and laughter to the world in its hour of need. As years of intensive training went by, this unlikely savior of Vana’diel matured to be known and loved by her fans as “Fantastic Fraulein Mumor,” the superpower-imbued defender of all that is good and fun.

Last year’s Sunbreeze Festival saw the two nemeses, Mumor and Ullegore, finally come face to face in an epic battle that will forever have a place in Vana’diel’s history books.

Despite having conceded the upper hand to her demonic adversary early in the encounter, with sheer tenacity and the power of her fan-fueled super-ability, the Dancing Force, in full swing, Mumor succeeded in banishing the demon king back to his rancorous realm...or so it was thought.

This summer, a fearsome new menace—the mysterious Mithra, Uka—has arrived to threaten the very existence of the Sunbreeze Festival. With the stakes so high, will Fantastic Fraulein Mumor be able to again stay the hand of evil and keep all the things she has sworn to protect safe from harm?

You, too, have a decisive role to play in this battle of fun versus boredom!
All together now: “Shining Summer Samba!!!”








Event Period

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT) until Monday, August 17 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT).

Sunbreeze Festival Venue

Fireworks displays, Sunbreeze dances, and other festivities will commence each day at nightfall in the following locations:
West Ronfaure / East Ronfaure
Southern San d'Oria / Northern San d'Oria / Port San d'Oria
North Gustaberg / South Gustaberg
Bastok Mines / Bastok Markets / Port Bastok
East Sarutabaruta / West Sarutabaruta
Windurst Waters / Windurst Walls / Windurst Woods / Port Windurst
Eastern Altepa Desert / Western Altepa Desert
Rabao

Superheroine Stage Show

Only with your spirited show of support can Mumor hope to prevail in her latest battle against evil! Find out more about how you can lend a hand to our irresistibly adorable superheroine by speaking to a moogle posted near to the show's venues at the following locations:
Northern San d’Oria (D-8) / Bastok Markets (G-8) / Windurst Waters (F-5)

Fun and Frolic

Not content to merely soak up the ambiance? Fear not, for the locations below will feature delightful games with a chance to win exclusive Sunbreeze Festival prizes!
Southern San d'Oria (H-9) / Port Bastok (K-8) / Windurst Woods (K-12)

*Fancy yourself a mini-game master? This year we have a special treat for you! Earn yourself a HQ yukata during the festival, then participate in a mini-game while decked out in your new duds, and you'll qualify for an advanced mode offering increased challenge and reward!

Piscine Pursuits

It just wouldn't be a Sunbreeze Festival without everyone's favorite event—the thoroughly gratifying goldfish scoop! Players may test their skills of aquan acquisition at the following locations:
West Ronfaure (G-11) / South Gustaberg (E-8) / East Sarutabaruta (H-8) / Rabao (F-7)
Trade your catch to vendors and you'll accrue points—commensurate with the variety of fish you've snagged—that can be redeemed for a veritable host of valuable prizes!

Moogle Teleportation Service

Adventurers attired in either the Otokoeshi Yukata or Ominaeshi Yukata—festival-exclusive items acquirable as prizes from participating in the Superheroine Stage Show—are granted the privilege of teleporting between the three nations at will. Simply seek out and speak with one of the moogles posted at the following locations to be whisked away to further your festive endeavors to a new backdrop!

Item Vendors

Did you miss last year's Sunbreeze festival? Are you dying to get your hands on a stylish yukata to complete your collection? Just pay a visit to one of the vendors in the areas below!
Northern San d'Oria (D-8) / Port Bastok (L-8) / Windurst Waters (G-10)
This is a rare opportunity to acquire items you may have missed in past events—don't pass it up!

<a href="http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics/ff11us/detail/4790/4790.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics/ff11us/detail/4790/4790.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 415px; height: 100px;" /></a>Looks like Sunbreeze is bringing the dance to you again. Vana'diel is definitely not the setting for Footloose. If you didn't get that joke you are too young and probably think that Transformers is a movie that was made by Michael Bay and that Bumblebee is a POS Chevy instead of a German rustbucket. <br /><br />Wow, of on a tangent there. Anyway, the new event looks to be a little more interesting than the last time around. There is some mention of a new scantily-clad dancer, and a special, "more advanced" quest involved in the event. Meh, I say! MEH! I really need to get someone on staff that actually cares about these kind of things. Anyone out there that actually wants to write about these things? If you are interested send me an e-mail at tweiner1 at gmu dot edu. <br /><br />Anyway, if you want the full write up check after the cut. Beware the huge poster for this event.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />"Hi everyone! My name's Mumor!<br />How are you all? I've been feeling just fantastic, thank you! My live performance at this year's Sunbreeze Festival is about to begin, you see. All the fans have already begun lining up and—huh? Where in the world did everyone go...?<br /><br />What's with the commotion over there? A crowd of people seems to have gathered.<br />But...something doesn't smell right here..."<br /><br />This summer, a fearsome new menace has come to wreak havoc on festivals and smiles of happiness—the very things our winsome superheroine, Fantastic Fraulein Mumor, has sworn to protect. Only with your spirited show of support can Mumor hope to prevail in her latest battle against evil!<br />All together now: "Shining Summer Samba!!!"<br /><br />Proceed here to learn how you can help Fantastic Fraulein Mumor purge Vana'diel of this latest threat casting its shadow over the realm!<br /><br />*The Sunbreeze Festival will commence on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT) and run until Monday, August 17 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT).<br />And here is the rest of it.<br /><a href="http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/topics/read/mumor2/imgs/img01.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/topics/read/mumor2/imgs/img01.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 522px; height: 848px;" /></a><br />A long, long time ago, a lone meteor came hurtling through the heavens, finally coming to rest in a long forgotten corner of Vana’diel. From the core of this extraterrestrial rock emerged a being of pure evil: the self-proclaimed demon king, Ullegore. With unrelenting singleness of mind, Ullegore set forth to instigate his diabolical plot to sow the seeds of boredom the world over, finding festivals—the predominant source of fun and excitement in the realm of mortals—as the preferred targets for his insatiable thirst for tedium.<br /><br />However, the arrival of this entity of darkness did not escape the notice of Professor Sarmoega, genius inventor and head of the Research Institute for Paranormal Phenomenon (RIPP). Realizing the dire implication of Ullegore’s appearance, the professor made it his life’s mission to prepare his only daughter, Mumor, to become she who would restore smiles and laughter to the world in its hour of need. As years of intensive training went by, this unlikely savior of Vana’diel matured to be known and loved by her fans as “Fantastic Fraulein Mumor,” the superpower-imbued defender of all that is good and fun.<br /><br />Last year’s Sunbreeze Festival saw the two nemeses, Mumor and Ullegore, finally come face to face in an epic battle that will forever have a place in Vana’diel’s history books.<br /><br />Despite having conceded the upper hand to her demonic adversary early in the encounter, with sheer tenacity and the power of her fan-fueled super-ability, the Dancing Force, in full swing, Mumor succeeded in banishing the demon king back to his rancorous realm...or so it was thought.<br /><br />This summer, a fearsome new menace—the mysterious Mithra, Uka—has arrived to threaten the very existence of the Sunbreeze Festival. With the stakes so high, will Fantastic Fraulein Mumor be able to again stay the hand of evil and keep all the things she has sworn to protect safe from harm?<br /><br />You, too, have a decisive role to play in this battle of fun versus boredom!<br />All together now: “Shining Summer Samba!!!”<br /><a href="http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/topics/read/mumor2/imgs/bn01.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/topics/read/mumor2/imgs/bn01.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 129px;" /></a><a href="http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/topics/read/mumor2/imgs/bn02.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/topics/read/mumor2/imgs/bn02.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 129px;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Event Period<br /><br />Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT) until Monday, August 17 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT).<br /><br />Sunbreeze Festival Venue<br /><br />Fireworks displays, Sunbreeze dances, and other festivities will commence each day at nightfall in the following locations:<br />West Ronfaure / East Ronfaure<br />Southern San d'Oria / Northern San d'Oria / Port San d'Oria<br />North Gustaberg / South Gustaberg<br />Bastok Mines / Bastok Markets / Port Bastok<br />East Sarutabaruta / West Sarutabaruta<br />Windurst Waters / Windurst Walls / Windurst Woods / Port Windurst<br />Eastern Altepa Desert / Western Altepa Desert<br />Rabao<br /><br />Superheroine Stage Show<br /><br />Only with your spirited show of support can Mumor hope to prevail in her latest battle against evil! Find out more about how you can lend a hand to our irresistibly adorable superheroine by speaking to a moogle posted near to the show's venues at the following locations:<br />Northern San d’Oria (D-8) / Bastok Markets (G-8) / Windurst Waters (F-5)<br /><br />Fun and Frolic<br /><br />Not content to merely soak up the ambiance? Fear not, for the locations below will feature delightful games with a chance to win exclusive Sunbreeze Festival prizes!<br />Southern San d'Oria (H-9) / Port Bastok (K-8) / Windurst Woods (K-12)<br /><br />*Fancy yourself a mini-game master? This year we have a special treat for you! Earn yourself a HQ yukata during the festival, then participate in a mini-game while decked out in your new duds, and you'll qualify for an advanced mode offering increased challenge and reward!<br /><br />Piscine Pursuits<br /><br />It just wouldn't be a Sunbreeze Festival without everyone's favorite event—the thoroughly gratifying goldfish scoop! Players may test their skills of aquan acquisition at the following locations:<br />West Ronfaure (G-11) / South Gustaberg (E-8) / East Sarutabaruta (H-8) / Rabao (F-7)<br />Trade your catch to vendors and you'll accrue points—commensurate with the variety of fish you've snagged—that can be redeemed for a veritable host of valuable prizes!<br /><br />Moogle Teleportation Service<br /><br />Adventurers attired in either the Otokoeshi Yukata or Ominaeshi Yukata—festival-exclusive items acquirable as prizes from participating in the Superheroine Stage Show—are granted the privilege of teleporting between the three nations at will. Simply seek out and speak with one of the moogles posted at the following locations to be whisked away to further your festive endeavors to a new backdrop!<br /><br />Item Vendors<br /><br />Did you miss last year's Sunbreeze festival? Are you dying to get your hands on a stylish yukata to complete your collection? Just pay a visit to one of the vendors in the areas below!<br />Northern San d'Oria (D-8) / Port Bastok (L-8) / Windurst Waters (G-10)<br />This is a rare opportunity to acquire items you may have missed in past events—don't pass it up!</span>

Morning in Vana'diel: Sunbreeze Makes Me Feel Fine.

Morning in Vana'diel is your daily dose of FFXI and all things Vana'diel. Give us your thoughts on the interesting topics of the day! Sunbreeze is here, and I love the music for it even if you hate it!

I love the Sunbreeze Festival. Don't get me wrong, I never actually do any of the events involved with in-game holidays, but I still love the music in and around the Sunbreeze zones. It's very cheerful and it breaks up the repetition of the music you get the rest of the year. The Sunbreeze music is second only to the Christmas music in Jeuno in making me happy and cheery the whole time I am there listening to it.

Now I know that a lot of people don't like it for some reason. I believe these people have small, black hearts made mostly of coal, but I am not one to judge. :) I just wish that SE would have the balls to actually expand the events into the newer areas of the game like Aht Urhgan or the Wings cities. They could do a lot more with the events if they didn't just repeat them over and over and instead developed them and tweaked them for the newer areas.

SE seems to be afraid to have anything new added to the game that doesn't directly connect with the original zones of the game in some manner. Treasures went through Mhaura when the boat in Norg seemed like the natural choice. All of the Wings zones connect directly to the original zones. I think it may have more to do with the design philosophy of trying to make sure everyone has "access" to these new zones, but it doesn't make a lot of sense when these are higher level zones and when you have to have installed all of the previous expansions to get the newest ones to work, except for the mini-scenarios. But they just further prove my point of only accessing things from the old zones.

Wouldn't you like to see where the boat in Norg goes? What about all the interesting little areas that are just dead ends but seem like they should go somewhere littered through out the world? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!

<a href="http://na.square-enix.com/ffxi/newsletter/5/media/sunbreeze.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://na.square-enix.com/ffxi/newsletter/5/media/sunbreeze.gif" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 211px; height: 130px;" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Morning in Vana'diel</span><span style="font-style:italic;"> is your daily dose of FFXI and all things Vana'diel. Give us your thoughts on the interesting topics of the day! Sunbreeze is here, and I love the music for it even if you hate it!</span><br /><br />I love the Sunbreeze Festival. Don't get me wrong, I never actually do any of the events involved with in-game holidays, but I still love the music in and around the Sunbreeze zones. It's very cheerful and it breaks up the repetition of the music you get the rest of the year. The Sunbreeze music is second only to the Christmas music in Jeuno in making me happy and cheery the whole time I am there listening to it. <br /><br />Now I know that a lot of people don't like it for some reason. I believe these people have small, black hearts made mostly of coal, but I am not one to judge. :) I just wish that SE would have the balls to actually expand the events into the newer areas of the game like Aht Urhgan or the Wings cities. They could do a lot more with the events if they didn't just repeat them over and over and instead developed them and tweaked them for the newer areas.<br /><br />SE seems to be afraid to have anything new added to the game that doesn't directly connect with the original zones of the game in some manner. Treasures went through Mhaura when the boat in Norg seemed like the natural choice. All of the Wings zones connect directly to the original zones. I think it may have more to do with the design philosophy of trying to make sure everyone has "access" to these new zones, but it doesn't make a lot of sense when these are higher level zones and when you have to have installed all of the previous expansions to get the newest ones to work, except for the mini-scenarios. But they just further prove my point of only accessing things from the old zones. <br /><br />Wouldn't you like to see where the boat in Norg goes? What about all the interesting little areas that are just dead ends but seem like they should go somewhere littered through out the world? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!