Post VanaFest 2012 Interview, by Gamer Escape

[Morari]

http://gamerescape.com/2012/07/25/ga...vanafest-2012/

A month ago, Square Enix rocked the Gigas Socks off players during VanaFest 2012 by introducing “Seekers of Adoulin” the fifth expansion for Final Fantasy XI which is celebrating ten years of service. New jobs, new continent, new UI… even with all the information released at the event, people still wanted to know more! We had a chance to get some of our questions answered straight from the source.

Read on for our interview!

GE- It’s great to see that a new expansion is on the way! It’s been quite awhile since Wings of the Goddess came out. Why was there such a long period of time between expansions? When did development begin on Seekers of Adoulin?

SE- While we were planning the release of Wings of the Goddess, we realized that there wouldn’t be enough room in the future to create the amount of additional maps needed for a full disc expansion. With that in mind, we decided to do what we could by using existing areas for add-on scenarios and the addition of a few areas for the Abyssea battle area add-ons. During that time, we continued researching and revamping the system to allow us to increase the number of maps that we could implement, something that was previously impossible. With the revamp completed it became possible for us to increase the map capacity around the middle of 2011 and then we started planning for Seekers of Adoulin.



GE- In North America Seekers of Adoulin will not be available for the PlayStation 2. Can you tell us what lead to this decision? It seems a bit odd to increase HDD capacity for the game on the console then only release the expansion in one territory. Why not release the expansion digitally?

SE (Answered by Square Enix, Inc.)- In evaluating the North American release of the expansion across all platforms, we needed to consider multiple factors, including the number of players exclusively on the system, and the costs associated with publishing or developing a stand-alone download. Regrettably, these two factors greatly determined our final decision to support the PC and Xbox platforms exclusively. However, we remain committed to supporting FINAL FANTASY XI on the PlayStation 2 platform for the foreseeable future.



GE-How will players first arrive in Adoulin? Where will they depart from and what kind of prerequisite will need to be met before travel to Ulbuka is possible?

SE- For Seekers of Adoulin, we didn’t create a map for an ocean route, so we’re planning to make the main mode of transportation a teleport-like warp. We are planning to make this extremely convenient, and as players progress further with pioneering, the number of areas that they’ll be able to warp to will increase. We can’t say too much, but yes, there will be a quest requirement similar to the one to use the boat to travel to Aht Urhgan.



GE- How many types of Runes and Luopons will there be? Will they be a consumable item that players will have to carry around with them? Or will they be a spell or ability?

SE- Runes will be activated through the use of abilities. As mentioned at VanaFest, there are both offensive and defensive types of runes. Offensive runes will mainly be used against enemies dealing elemental damage and such, while defensive runes will mainly be used on yourself and party members to reduce elemental damage.

Rune fencers will also be able to utilize enhancing magic, so like paladins they will also utilize and consume MP.



GE- How will the new jobs play into current relic, mythic and empyrean weapons? Is it safe to assume that they’ll have relic and empyrean armor as well?

SE- Rune fencers and geomancers will have Artifact equipment, Artifact weapons, Relic Equipment, Empyrean equipment, and Mythic weapons.



GE- With Seekers of Adoulin, players will receive private islands that they can use like a farm. How similar will these be to the Mog House? Can other players visit your island? Will you be able to furnish any parts of the island?

SE- As there will be rental houses for players within the town of Adoulin, the islands will not be too similar to Mog Houses. Imagine the island as a specialized area for procuring materials. From a system perspective it is difficult to invite other players to your island, but that’s not to say that we have completely given up on it. Since you won’t be able to alter the layout of this area like you can inside of a Mog House, it won’t really be possible to decorate it. However, there will be visual variations that can be made, such as farmland expansions, in order to increase the amount of materials that you can procure.



GE- At VanaFest you said that you’re looking into changing some of the core coding for the game to deal with issues such as the limit on recast timers. Are there any other things that the coding will make possible that you can tell us about?

SE- We’re not actually changing the code itself but expanding on the character-related data. This update will enable the addition of new jobs, as well as the expansion of various other facets of the game, but we have not yet fully planned out exactly what we will be doing with this. To start out we will first be expanding job-related aspects, such as new jobs and recast timers.



GE- It’s been mentioned that plug-ins might be supported with the new PC user interface. Can you tell us more about what tools will be made available to the community, what type of plug-ins will be allowed or forbidden, and if there will be some type of approval process?

Using a tool we’re internally calling “Schemer,” we will be making it possible to freely customize and arrange existing functions with the graphics of your liking. We are currently looking into the overall approval process.



GE- Final Fantasy XIV has been picking up some steam lately while heading towards the launch of 2.0. Now, Final Fantasy XI has a new expansion pack coming out next year. Have you thought about a permanent discount or a bundled subscription to both games so that players don’t have to pick one over the other?

SE- This is currently undecided.



GE- This year marks the 10th anniversary of Final Fantasy XI. What are some of your favorite memories since the project began? Is there anything you would have done differently?

Mizuki Ito- Well, one of the most memorable things for me recently is the announcement of Hiromichi Tanaka’s retirement. While I was saddened by that fact that he is retiring, I feel very proud and fortunate to be a developer at the same company with a person who retired while being loved by many of the fans.

Yoji Fujito- When I think about memorable things in the history of the game, I would have to say the earthquake on March 11, 2011 and how its influence reached FFXI had a major impact on me. There hasn’t been an example in the past where service had to be halted for a long time and when I think about the fact that there were players who were affected by the disaster, I feel that this was a major event for both us and players alike.

[Damane]

SE- Rune fencers and geomancers will have Artifact equipment, Artifact weapons, Relic Equipment, Empyrean equipment, and Mythic weapons.

Seems like all Geomancer and Rune fencer get are mythic weapons, no relic or empy weapons for them. Strange.
Or it just means: we are desiging new artifact equip/weapon, relic equpi, emyp equip and 2 new maythic weapons, while we just add rune fencer and geomancer to existing relic weapons and empy weapons.

But alas SCH COR BLU never were added to relic weapons, so I wouldnt hope for it.

[Guitarman]

Mythic GSWD has potential to be pretty boss.

we’re planning to make the main mode of transportation a teleport-like warp... as players progress further with pioneering, the number of areas that they’ll be able to warp to will increase

I like this part alot. I'm all for more ports.

[Damane]

Mythic GSWD has potential to be pretty boss.



I like this part alot. I'm all for more ports.

you forgot that every mythic has its exclusiv WS. My guess: rune fencer will get an exclusiv mythic multi-hit-crit GSW WS... just watch it!

[Alistaire]

Seems like all Geomancer and Rune fencer get are mythic weapons, no relic or empy weapons for them. Strange.
Or it just means: we are desiging new artifact equip/weapon, relic equpi, emyp equip and 2 new maythic weapons, while we just add rune fencer and geomancer to existing relic weapons and empy weapons.

But alas SCH COR BLU never were added to relic weapons, so I wouldnt hope for it.

It could also mean either just relic af, and empy af+weapons, or it could mean they'll add ToAU/WotG jobs to relics. Most likely the first option.

[Damane]

It could also mean either just relic af, and empy af+weapons, or it could mean they'll add ToAU/WotG jobs to relics. Most likely the first option.

you really think they add ToAU/WotG jobs after all this years to relic weapons? I hardly doubt that rune fencer and geomancer will make it to any relics, maybe to empy weapons. But definitly nto Relic

[Gokulo]

Good they mentioned runes are not inventory items so people will stop crying about space again.

[Morari]

I like this part alot. I'm all for more ports.

Given the potential for this to turn into the 3+ page long discussion it did on the FFXIAH forums, I'm wary to even say this, but I would have liked for boat ride there (at least for the first time) and back, but have an easy quest to unlock a cutscene teleport as part of the new missions.

[Kari]

Given the potential for this to turn into the 3+ page long discussion it did on the FFXIAH forums, I'm wary to even say this, but I would have liked for boat ride there (at least for the first time) and back, but have an easy quest to unlock a cutscene teleport as part of the new missions.

Mixed feelings for me. On one hand, I'd kinda like to see the boat ride there.
On the other hand, I know I'd end up spending a lot more time on that boat than I want to, because they'd definitely put a new fish or easier-to-catch old fish on that boat.

[dasva]

Actually unless I read that wrong they blatantly avoided the question of wether or not runes were consumables. They instead said they would be used by jas and on top of that rune fencer will have enhancing magic.

Also can't wait till geo mythic has after math varying based on which direction you were from mob when ws was preformed lol

[Gwynplaine]

From a practical view, hardly anyone ever wants to sit on a damn boat to wait 13 minutes to get somewhere. After the initial newness of going to Aht Urghan and everyone set their HP or got taru warps, the boat area was useless. On top of which having a boat route means a two-way route, and each way has to be its own zone copy and pasted. So it's probably a good idea.

[Yukari]

Actually unless I read that wrong they blatantly avoided the question of wether or not runes were consumables. They instead said they would be used by jas and on top of that rune fencer will have enhancing magic.

GE- How many types of Runes and Luopons will there be? Will they be a consumable item that players will have to carry around with them? Or will they be a spell or ability?

SE- Runes will be activated through the use of abilities. As mentioned at VanaFest, there are both offensive and defensive types of runes. Offensive runes will mainly be used against enemies dealing elemental damage and such, while defensive runes will mainly be used on yourself and party members to reduce elemental damage.

I dunno, seems pretty clear that you gain runes when you use the ability.

[Eurell]

Seems like all Geomancer and Rune fencer get are mythic weapons, no relic or empy weapons for them. Strange.
Or it just means: we are desiging new artifact equip/weapon, relic equpi, emyp equip and 2 new maythic weapons, while we just add rune fencer and geomancer to existing relic weapons and empy weapons.

But alas SCH COR BLU never were added to relic weapons, so I wouldnt hope for it.

When they say they are getting Relic/Empyrean Equipment I assume they are including the weapons. Otherwise they would probably just say Armor. They specified Mythic weapons because there is no armor to go along with them.

Just how I read it anyway.

[Slycer]

I don't understand why they are bothering adding AF equipment for Geomancer and Runic Fencer. If it's just because they want to have job-related quests/storylines, they could make the rewards unique spells/abilities unlocked rather than equipment you'll never use at 99. Just put all the stats on Relic(+2) and Empyrean, gdi. It's not like people are going to be in the 50-70 range for any extended period of time that they'll get any use out of AF armor. Also, AF weapons, lol.

[Eurell]

Idk, Don't some jobs have decent stats on their af? My wife just leveled SCH and I know she said she needed a few pieces of AF, but that may have been our inexperience with the job speaking.

[Slycer]

Idk, Don't some jobs have decent stats on their af? My wife just leveled SCH and I know she said she needed a few pieces of AF, but that may have been our inexperience with the job speaking.

Yeah, mage jobs and some newer jobs like COR have a useful piece of AF here and there. But the armor hasn't been added yet, and the level cap is now 99 with plenty of new gear options, they could just take that into account and put all the relevant stats on the relic and empyrean and just abandon AF for the new jobs. They've already said they have no intention of ever adding Artifact+2 armor. Like I said above, I'd much rather see something unique for the job-related quests (akin to how SCH's AF "weapon" quest actually granted the Klimaform scroll).

[dasva]

I dunno, seems pretty clear that you gain runes when you use the ability.

I think you are misreading. It says activate not gain. As far as precedent goes look at cor. Rolls and qd effects are both are activated by jas. 1 needs no items 1 needs ammo equipped and consumes invent items.

Now SE might not have been being percise with their semantics however based history and how they managed to make long answer about what wasn't asked and completely skipped the loupons part of the question I'm betting they were evading the question?

[Yukari]

I think you are misreading. It says activate not gain. As far as precedent goes look at cor. Rolls and qd effects are both are activated by jas. 1 needs no items 1 needs ammo equipped and consumes invent items.

Now SE might not have been being percise with their semantics however based history and how they managed to make long answer about what wasn't asked and completely skipped the loupons part of the question I'm betting they were evading the question?

Ugh, you make a good point. I guess at this point, I hope I'm right because then we won't have to worry about stacks of consumables.

[Kaisha]

Disappointed at lack of new boat tune due to no boat.

As far as a boring ride went, it could have been something more than just your standard-fare boat ride. Make it perilous seas or some shit where you have to fight to make the boat survive the run, which would explain their lack of keeping in touch with the existing continents.

A straight up port there feels anti-climatic. No tension or build up, unless they plan on having some form of per-requisite quest that doesn't involve running around talking to 20 NPCs per nation...

[dasva]

I too wish there was a boat to ride... so I can fish somewhere new!