A Beginners Guide to Eorzea (11/22/2010)

This week's Q&A session from The Lodestone seeks to assist newcomers to Eorzea by covering the differences between gathering activities when using primary tools and secondary tools.  We will also outline the basic flow of a gathering attempt.

Discuss in the ZAM Forums or read on for more details!

Q. What is the difference between primary and secondary tools for a Disciple of the Land?

A.  The nature of the location at which a gathering activity is being performed determines whether it is the primary tool or the secondary tool which is employed. This difference can be seen in the name of the options that are displayed in the Interactions menu. For example, in the case of miners, approaching a mineral deposit will yield the Mine command, which is associated with a primary tool. Approaching a rocky outcrop, however, will cause the Quarry command to be appear, and require use of a secondary tool.

Whenever a player draws near a gathering point, an icon representing the availability of a gathering command in the Interactions menu will be appear in the upper potion of the screen.

The types of gathering points and their associated commands as they appear in the Interactions menu are listed below.

 

Miner
Interactions Menu Mine Quarry
Tool Type Primary (Main Hand) Secondary (Off Hand)
Gathering Point*

* Though capable of appearing in similar rocks and crags, mineral deposits and rocky outcrops are distinguishable by the color of the shining light representing them.

 

Botanist
Interactions Menu Log Harvest
Tool Type Primary (Main Hand) Secondary (Off Hand)
Gathering Point*

* When a shining light is located on a tree, the Log command will appear. When the light is found amongst grasses on the ground, however, the Harvest command becomes available.

 

Fisher
Interactions Menu Fish Spearfish
Tool Type Primary (Main Hand) Secondary (Off Hand)
Gathering Point*

* The Fish command becomes available near any fishable water source. There are some bodies of water, however, that cannot be fished, for which no Interactions menu icon will appear. The Spearfish command can be used only at those locations where a shining light is visible in the water. As a testament to the gig's versatility, it may even be wielded effectively under seemingly impossible circumstances, such as in puddles of rainwater completely obscured from view by pesky shrubs, within the shallows of which aquatic life has taken a precarious and baffling foothold.

Q. How do I find gathering points?

A. Gathering points can be searched for by equipping a primary tool in the main hand and using the Disciple of the Land searching abilities that subsequently become available, such as Lay of the Land or Arbor Call. This will provide information such as the distance and direction to the nearest gathering point in the log. With a recast time of fifteen seconds, these search abilities can be used frequently to help determine the exact location of gathering points.

There are no search abilities that specifically target gathering points for secondary gathering activities. Finding them requires keeping an eye out when running about in the wild or in dungeon depths. Below is a list of gathering points that can be found in proximity to each of the major cities.

 

Secondary gathering points near Limsa Lominsa

  • Pink-Rocky Outcrop
  • Green-Lush Vegetation
  • Shallow Waters

 

Secondary gathering points near Gridania

  • Pink-Rocky Outcrop
  • Green-Lush Vegetation
  • Shallow Waters

 

Secondary gathering points near Ul'dah

  • Pink-Rocky Outcrop
  • Green-Lush Vegetation
  • Shallow Waters

* Gathering points may also be located within caves.

Q. I'm not sure how to best go about the primary gathering actions of mining, logging, and fishing.  What should I be doing?

A. When engaging in primary gathering, individual commands are repeated through use of various dynamic gauges, such as the circle for mining, or the arrow for logging. By stopping the oscillations of these gauges with the Select/Confirm button, a player determines which "part" of the gathering point they target. Discovering the "sweet" spots within a gathering point will yield varying rewards of items, experience points, and skill points. Though luck always plays a factor, the experienced Disciple of the Land knows that there are no substitutes for the ability to quickly locate gathering points, and a sure and steady hand to work them.

Below is a detailed step-by-step description of a typical gathering attempt.

Step 1: The Interactions Menu

The first step is to approach a either a mineral deposit, mature tree, or fishable waters, and select the gathering command that appears in the Interactions menu. For primary gathering actions, the option will be either Mine, Log, or Fish.

 

Mine Log Fish

Once the gathering command is selected from the Interactions menu, a window will appear such as the one pictured below. Relevant information, such as details of available commands and gathering results, is displayed within.

 

Mine Log Fish

 

Step 2: Taking Aim

Use the directional arrows on the keyboard to adjust the sliding gauges. The positioning of a slider represents what portion of the deposit, tree, or water is being targeted. This determines what items a player will be capable of obtaining. In the case of fishing, the Wait command is used following this step. Not until a player feels a bite on their line will they move on to Step 3.

 

Mine Log Fish

 

Step 3: Finding the "Sweet Spot"

Pictured below from left to right are the three dynamic gauges used for mining, logging, and fishing. To determine an area of the gathering point on which to focus, press the Select/Confirm to stop the gauges' oscillations. If the area selected maps up with a "sweet spot" contained within the point, a player will be awarded with varying items, as well as experience and skill points. Should a sweet spot be missed, however, a hint will be given in the to improve a player's chances on the next attempt. Each time one of the below gauges is used to make a gathering attempt, the point's Remainder bar will decrease. When this bar is completely depleted, the point can no longer be the target of a gathering attempt. Even if no items are obtained by the time a point is depleted, skill points will still be awarded.

 

Mine Log Fish

 

Step 4: Success or Failure

When mining or logging, the number of attempts remaining before a resource is depleted are shown on-screen. When this figure reaches 0, the point can temporarily no longer be the target of a gathering action. In rare cases, inexplicable natural occurrences will cause a point to collapse or deteriorate, also resulting in an inability to gather from them. In such instances, the wise Disciple of the Land seeks out another point.

 

Mine Log Fish


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