[Varizen]

Moblin Maze Mongers Set to Open for Business in Jeuno! (11/14/2008)



When a nondescript manhole first popped up one day on the streets of Jeuno, none of us gave it more than a passing glance. Little did we suspect it would be the gateway to a subterranean world of adventure and riches...

Today we get up close and personal with the industrious Moblin entrepreneur whose new business venture is set to take Vana'diel by storm. Your intrepid reporter Finleen has the exclusive scoop with Maze Mongers President and CEO Goldagrik right here!

[Symbios]

I'm predicting that monsters won't give XP in your own mazes so everyone's going to be bitching about it.

Because god forbid just having fun doing something instead of having to accomplish some ultimate item goal.

[Varizen]

Moblin Maze Mongers Set to Open for Business in Jeuno! (11/14/2008)

Feeling lost in the maze of life? Let Moblin Maze Mongers build the labyrinth of your dreams!
We're here today in downtown Jeuno to bring you an exclusive interview with Goldagrik, the pioneering mind behind Moblin Maze Mongers!
He spoke with us about his company's vision and the made-to-order mazes that are sure to delight adventurers across the realm.
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- Er, why don't you start by telling our readers a little bit about yourself, uh...sir.

"What'cha starin' at, missy?
Never seen a Moblin dressed like me before?
No wonder, 'cause yer speakin' to none other than Goldagrik—visionary among Moblins and the brilliant business mind behind Maze Mongers, Inc., purveyor o' the most marvelous made-t'-order mazes!"



- So what exactly are these mazes you build?[/img]

"What are they!?
Only the most devious, diabolical labyrinths you've ever laid yer pretty eyes upon, lovin'ly crafted t'each customer's demanding specifications!"

- [i]Designing a maze sounds terribly complicated...

Ohoho...fear not!
Every Maze Monger customer will be provided with a Maze Tabula, y'see here? Just use one o' these to make a scale model o' yer dream dungeon and our

That certainly sounds simple enough! So did you have any trouble clearing the Grand Duchy's notoriously strict "Building codes? [/img]



Building codes? Not sure I follow ye, missy.
Y'see, our mazes are built underground—under the ocean floor, no less.
We Moblins have been drillin' down there for ages without worryin' 'bout no building codes.
Our customers give us an order, we build 'em a maze, simple as that.
How they use it ain't none o' our concern."

The construction time you advertise seems awfully short for such a massive architectural undertaking...

"Look, us Moblins have been diggin' and delvin' in Movalpolos since yer granddaddy's granddaddy was in diapers. If ye can't trust us, who can ye trust? Eh?
Precision architecture. Comprehensive maintenance. Safe and secure, with limitless possibilities! The perfect maze—of the adventurer, by the adventurer, and for the adventurer."



- [i]But won't the expenses put a strain on adventurers' coinpurses?

"Thought ye'd never ask!
Fortunately, my lovely secretary Chatnachoq is here t'educate our potential customers about Moblin Maze Mongers' three guarantees."

"Yes sir, Mr. Goldagrik, sir...

1) Challenging mazes for the self-improvement-minded adventurer!
2) Delightful mazes that will attract scores of challengers (and admission fees for their owners)!
3) Profitable mazes with piles of treasure to be had!"

- Well, I guess these mazes will offer something for everyone!

"Ye got that right!
So what'dya say, adventurers?
Won't ye be the first t'order yer own private maze with Moblin Maze Mongers?
Act quickly, and we'll even throw in a special limited-time offer! Yes, that's right—
(lengthy sales pitch deleted –ed.)
Now there's a deal ye can't refuse! So what're ye waitin' for?"

- Well, uh, I guess that concludes our interview. Thanks for your time, Mr. Goldagrik!

Illustration: Mitsuhiro Arita
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This is just a taste of what's in store for adventurers when Moblin Maze Mongers opens for business for next month. Interested parties should make plans to visit the Chocobo Stables in Lower Jeuno for the grand opening!

(Interview by Vana'diel Tribune reporter Finleen)

[Varizen]

Wait till I get the info reply in there There's a formula for news posts! Getting all the italics tags in that takes time!

[.Sotek.]

You know what made me "OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG" most about this?

(Interview by Vana'diel Tribune reporter Finleen)

BRING BACK TEH TRIBUNE GOD DAMMIT.

@Vari, post first, edit later. 'swhat I do.

[Kleiner]

I miss the Tribune too.

Symbios, fact of the matter is the Mazes will become another Pankration or chocobo Racing, if SE can't find a way to slip in rewards of use (Exp, Gil, Maze equipment, or possibly stuff like Mining points).

[Varizen]

Right. I'll take that under advisement.

In the meantime, It looks like there's 3 types: XP mazes, Mazes that are fun, and Mazes to make money.

[Georgs]

This seems like it could be fun.

It may keep me interested long enough not to throttle someone.

[Varizen]

Georgs... No. You've always get your hands around someone's neck.

[Georgs]

I can't help it, they're so beautiful and soft...

[octoberasian]

Player-built mazes! And, I thought they were going to cancel that due to "lolPS2 limitations."

I can't wait for more info to come. I wonder how they're going to implement this into FFXI?

Will it be a system similar to Dark Cloud? Legend of Mana? And, there was this other RPG where you made your own mazes on the DS, I forgot what it was called.

I know Dark Cloud and Legend of Mana were city-builders/world builders, and I know there a few others, but I'm sure the system will be simple to use.

[Symbios]

And another vote for bringing the damn Tribune back. I want moar story to flesh out Vana'Diel.

It's probably going to be really annoying; you probably get a set amount of pieces (and probably there's some kind of mini-quest that will allow you to get more pieces no doubt) that you put into a part of the map according to the coordinates (A-1, etc). I'm guess you can set monster spawns in the same way we set markers on our maps. With FFXI's clunky menu system, I can't imagine dungeon creating to be a very pleasant experience- the idea of creating the maze itself sounds fun, but it feels like everything in FFXI has to be done with their annoying limited selection menus rather than being able to drag and drop things so they can favor the controller, and the creation system will just end up being annoying.

I like the idea, but I dunno if it can work with FFXI simply because of the way FFXI is set up.

I don't mind if mazes become another pankration or choco racing- it's just another fun mini game to play, but I wish people wouldn't complain about there being no tangible rewards- especially with this maze thing...it's just too easy to exploit. Maybe I'm just uncreative though- there's probably some way they could set it up so it couldn't be exploited but I think we all know they don't usually bother with that much thought. =P

[Aluvien]

I predict the Brenner Effect on this:

Week 1: OMGOMGOMG NEW STUFF
Week 2: Meh it's not that great...
Week 3: /sea "Moblin Maze" - 0 people found in the specified area.

[spira]

this came as a surprise..
I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon.. (or at all)

Seems like the basic design of the maze will be rather simple to do.. a grid of sorts where u can choose what parts to arrange where.. I guess it'll be something like an automaton equipment menu, except it'll actually matter which position you place what 'structure'...

I sure do hope the 3 different types of dungeons are more customizable.. but it'll not likely be the case...
I guess I can see this becoming WotGs version of Nyzul Isle... with rewards built in.. but they will be placed at points which are predetermined and not customizable by the players at those points...
I also bet there'll be some new currency or limitation system that wont allow people to access the dungeons all the time

[.Sotek.]

They really should have called it Moblin labyrinths for the cheesy 80s movie referance.

[Georgs]

I'm just gonna do what I did with my sims, stick them in a room surrounded by stoves. Instead of fire, I'll just drop massive amounts of mobs, wave after wave.

[spira]

I'm just gonna do what I did with my sims, stick them in a room surrounded by stoves. Instead of fire, I'll just drop massive amounts of mobs, wave after wave.

why bother? theres already something like that in game.. its called Einherjar

[Georgs]

But mine doesn't have a reward, what so ever. And what's sad is, I'm sure I could trick people into doing it over and over again.

[Varizen]

Player-built mazes! And, I thought they were going to cancel that due to "lolPS2 limitations."

I can't wait for more info to come. I wonder how they're going to implement this into FFXI?

Will it be a system similar to Dark Cloud? Legend of Mana? And, there was this other RPG where you made your own mazes on the DS, I forgot what it was called.

I know Dark Cloud and Legend of Mana were city-builders/world builders, and I know there a few others, but I'm sure the system will be simple to use.

My guess is it works very similarly to Mog House. Except you start with a tabula rasa, it's much larger, and the central area isn't off limits. Another way of thinking about it is it'll be like the stage builder in Brawl. You'll probably have the options of texture, and then it's put together by placing in structures and room variations according to the selected textures. Personally I would think it would be interesting to make more use of the Pankration system as a way of obtaining monsters. Take pics of the mobs you want, and add them.