thistlechaser | Sometimes I love S-E (FFXI only)

From today's update:

It is now possible to mine "silica" in Tahrongi Canyon and the Maze of Shakhrami.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. Now you won't have to be level 70+ or pay tens of thousands of gil for a single piece of silica. Seriously: Thank you, S-E. I tried not to be depressed/grumpy on the LS about it, but it was so harsh/depressing/sad that it was yet another thing that only the highest level people could have.

This also makes me happy, and seems very fair:

When asking for a new signal pearl, the relationship between a player and a Fellowship NPC will now worsen slightly.

While YMMV, my view on it was: S-E made the cooldown period 20 hours. Not 10 hours. Not calling-out-twice-in-20-hours. Once in 20 hours. Just because you can break a rule does not mean you should. But again, this is my opinion on it. You're free to have yours.

- A new command "/blockaid" has been added.

Wow, that makes sense. Another cookie to S-E!

And last but far from least:

- Players will no longer be able to use spells or abilities to claim a monster as soon as it appears.
If players attempt to use spells or abilities to claim a monster before a set amount of time has passed since it appeared, they will not be able to use those spells etc. again for a certain duration.

MY GOD, were they reading the ever-bitching NA players' minds? Did someone put happy drugs in the S-E water coolers? A whole update of good things! Really, really good things!

This little mini-update makes me a whole lot happier than the big one we had a short time ago. So much goodness!