Final Fantasy XIV: A Calculated Evolution walkthrough

After completing Preservation Their Purpose in Final Fantasy XIV, another puzzle-oriented quest kicks off, in A Calculated Evolution. To wrap up this Main Scenario Quest, players will need to come up with a trio of passwords, and then have their party input them at the same time, to move on to the next quest, One of Our Own. However, it may not be immediately clear what you need to do to sort this quest out.

We’ve completed it on our way to finishing up the story, so if you aren’t sure what to do for A Calculated Evolution’s puzzle in Final Fantasy XIV, we’re here to get you through this so you can take part in the rest of the Main Scenario Quests for the Dawntrail expansion.

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How to complete A Calculated Evolution in Final Fantasy XIV

Just interact with all of the sparkly objects to move on (Image via Square Enix)

A Calculated Evolution is the next section of the building we’re in, in Final Fantasy XIV. Now that we have a Level 3 Security Card, we can move on, but we need yet another card. Once you get into the next room, start sorting through the director’s room to get some more information. Here are the steps you’ll take for this quest:

• Search for a security card.
• Speak with Shale.
• Use the Level 3 security card at the scanning device.
• Speak with Shale.
• Gather Information in the director's office (4/4).
• Use the Director's terminal and select the correct passwords.
• Have Gulool Ja solve the puzzle.
• Insert the Alexandrite into the gem display.
• Click the gems to confirm their rooms and click the signature in the bottom right corner.
• Ask Sphene about the symbolism of Alexandrite.
• Solve the puzzle with the following passwords in order: Honesty, Devotion, Protection.
• Speak with Shale.

Once you’re in the director’s office, just click on the four sparkling locations to gather information for the next step of this Final Fantasy XIV quest. When you get to the desk, if you want “information,” select the datapad and go through both entries. You can come back and interact with it again in a bit for the locker, if you want a bit of a laugh.

It turns out, this is the layout of the floor we're on! (Image via Square Enix)

After you’ve gathered all the information, speak to Gulool Ja, and ask him to solve the puzzle. This gives you a piece of Alexandrite. Insert the Alexandrite into the gem display, and then click on the gems, as well as the signature once, to get some further info.

Once that’s done, cancel, and ask Sphene about the symbolism of Alexandrite. She will talk about the gems, and that's when we figure out that the symbolism behind the three gems are the passwords for those specific rooms.

That gives you all the information you need about the passwords. Go back to the Director’s Terminal and enter the passwords Honesty, Devotion, Protection, in that order. This will wrap up the Final Fantasy XIV MSQ A Calculated Evolution, and let you begin One of Our Own.

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