Final Fantasy 14 modder plays Scholar with book and pencil setup
Yes, the gear actually works
Someone's played Final Fantasy 14 with an actual, real-life spell book.
That someone would be Twitch streamer SuperLouis64, who streamed yesterday on August 7 with his brand new, erm, controller. After some extreme difficulty putting on his graduation cap correctly along with a flashy blue robe, SuperLouis64 takes on the challenge of playing Final Fantasy 14 with a book controller.
The spell book controller is the perfect vehicle for playing the Scholar class in Final Fantasy 14. The streamer actually scribbles in their spell book to cast spells as the Scholar, but unfortunately there wasn't enough room to give buttons for every move in the Scholar's arsenal.
Therefore, it's a bit of a handicap, more so than you might think for a book controller. If SuperLouis64 wants to revive a player in a Raid or Dungeon, they can't "swiftcast," meaning they've got to really rely on another player to raise an ally from the dead instead if they don't want a "slowcast" instead. Hey, as far as handicaps with a book controller go, that's not bad.
As for moving, that's all down to the pencil controller, the counterpart to the spell book. It turns out SuperLouis64 has hooked up analog sticks to the comically huge pencil, so he can freely move his Scholar around and get the plucky mage through trials like Dungeons.
Checking through the streamer's Twitch channel, they actually have a history of doing whacky stunts like this. They've played Mario Kart by cycling on the spot with a peloton bike, and have even played Elden Ring with two boxing gloves rigged up for attacks in the digital world. If you're looking for super creative playthroughs of some of the best games out there, look no further than SuperLouis64.
Final Fantasy 14's patch 6.2 showcase this Friday should be one for the books, with the promise of more details on the Island Sanctuary.
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Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.