Test Server Guide

This guide is designed to explain how to use the test server and what the differences between it and the main server are.
= Setting up =
First, you will need to be signed in to the official forums. Then go here and sign up with your desired character. There should be a star that you click to indicate which character from your SE ID you want to use. This should bring you to a page that lets you download (four) zip files. Download them, put them in the same directory, and double click the smallest one. I honestly don't remember much after this, but you should be able to figure it out. You should install this into the same PlayOnline/SquareEnix folder that your normal install is in. If you are in Steam, this will be something like Steam/steamapps/PlayOnline/SquareEnix. After it is installed, just go to its folder and use the settings utility to set up your mouse, resolution, etc. and then double click playonline. It should boot normally, though you'll notice that the FFXI shortcut icon in POL doesn't work. Wait for everything to load and click "Play on the Test Server" in the upper right hand corner of the normal FFXI entrance screen.
It is possible that the Test Server may be closed when you read this. It is never filled, but sometimes they shut it down between major updates.
= Differences =
First, you'll notice that your normal moogle recruited two moogle friends. You now have your own personal "=TEST= Porter" (works just like a normal Porter Moogle) and the moogle that will become your greatest ally in this harsh new world, the "=TEST= Moogle GM".
== TEST Moogle GM ==
This "=TEST= Moogle GM" is capable of several things, just by navigating the menu and selecting them:
* He can give you gil (a lot of gil). Without a real economy, the use of this is pretty limited.
* He can give you medicines, ninja tools, food, basic pieces of equipment, warp scrolls, stock weapons (from the 90 cap) and so on.
* He can change your level.
* He can unlock all jobs, abilities, and magics for you.
* He can reset your job abilities
* He can give you 30 merits
* He can warp you to any Outpost, staging point, City, or Campaign spot.
* If you trade him Storage slips (which you can buy from =TEST= Porter), he will give you the option to entrust all contents.
So this moogle is the primary difference between the test and main server. Not just that, but this may be the single best designed menu system that SE has ever created. Remember to keep grabbing scrolls of instant warp. Be aware that your skills will be uncapped until you zone out of MH in any way (including logging out), at which point they will all cap for your current job combination. See below if you want to force low skills for some reason.
== Test Voidwatch GM (Cruor) ==
If you warp to Rabao, you can head down by the Oasis and talk to "=TEST= Voidwatch GM". He will offer you:
* All the Periapts/Atmacites at max level.
* 5 million Cruor
* Voidstones, if I remember correctly
A very useful source of Cruor, which seems to primarily be used to buy Primeval Brews.
== Trial of the Magians ==
You can obtain any item that results from a Trial of the Magians by going to Ru'Lude Gardens, searching for the trial whose reward you're interested in, and clicking "View Reward". After you have selected "View Reward", the game will offer you the item in question. This can be used to obtain relics, mythics, empyreans, and so on of any level.
= Advanced Methods =
Perhaps there will come a time when this section is more full, but at the moment there are only two things to add here.
== Forcing Low Skills ==
Step 1: If you want to force low Parrying Skill, for example, choose a job that doesn't have access to Parrying and set that as your main job. Raise its level to 99. Choose a job with parrying as your subjob.
Step 2: Warp to Rabao. This will set your skills to the cap for your current job combination (low parrying).
Step 3: Change your job to whatever you actually want to be on. Oh look, low Parrying skill!
Step 4: Use some method other than the =TEST= Moogle GM to go wherever you want to test stuff. Don't travel through the mog house.
If you want to force 0 skill, repeat this process but use a main/sub where neither have any Parrying skill.
== Forcing the Test Server to load with Windower ==
You may want two accounts to do this. It can be done with one account but you DC yourself a lot, just follow the instructions below and keep logging back in. Only one of the accounts needs to have test server access.
Step 1: Open the POL Test Server client
Step 2: Open Windower
The below steps contain two instructions that should be performed at the same time. I personally Alt-Tab back and forth to try and keep the loading rates approximately equal, with the test server version a little in front. It's a mix of voodoo and luck that gets this to work.
Step 3: Log into the POL Test Server client using a character that you don't want to access the Test Server with / Log in to the Windower version with the character that you do want to access the Test Server with.
Step 4: Click "Final Fantasy XI" (not the shortcut) on both instances.
Step 5: If you are lucky, the Test Server link should have loaded on both accounts. Click it on the Windower version and log the non-Windower version back out. Success!