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EU Media Event Translations
Note: All translations are done by me (Slycer) - if anything sounds inaccurate or misleading, please send me a PM or reply on one of the threads and I can look into it. My focus with the translations is on readability (staying true to the content) vs. 100% robotic word-for-word accuracy which often reads as an incoherent mess.
If you're copying portions of the translation or copying it in full please link back to this original translation as I tend to edit them heavily as I re-read them several times and update them for accuracy based on other information sources.
Game Watch: Yoshida Interview
Dengeki: Yoshida Interview
Famitsu: Yoshida Interview <- You are here
Game Watch: Field/Dungeon Area Trial Notes
Dengeki: Job Updates/Additions
Game Watch: Job Updates/Additions
Famitsu: Job Updates/Additions, Compiled Info
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Source: http://www.famitsu.com/news/201505/26079368.html
Note: Full translation continues into the second and third posts of this thread.
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On May 18 through May 20, 2015, the European wing of the media tour for Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward was held in Nantes in western France. Primarily European media were invited to this event, which was an overview of battle capabilities for all jobs at level 60 (including new jobs), the new state of item levels at 170, and new field areas, instanced dungeons, and trials. At the same time, with the upcoming release of on June 23, each of the media outlets had a chance to interview producer and director Naoki Yoshida.
This castle town was the stage for this portion of the media tour, with mountain weather that seemed to change from one minute to the next. Some of the interviews just prior were held inside because of the dark, rainy weather, but because it was beautiful outside and it had cleared up, we decided to chat behind the castle in the gardens. Here's the exchange we had, set to the sound of birds singing and leaves rustling in the wind on a cool evening.
A real life fantasy world
What was the significance of holding this media tour at a castle?
Yoshida: Since Final Fantasy XIV is a global game, the PR teams from each country gather about once every six months at global marketing summits in Japan and the United States to meet and formulate strategies around how to continue PR in each country over the coming years. Media from around the world gather at each event, and although the media tours with their presentations are things we've done many times before, since this is the first expansion pack we're releasing, each region came up with some more elaborate ideas. Among them, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Northern Europe teams united, and since the visual style of Heavensward is a Gothic fantasy, they proposed that we rent a castle and invite members of the media for PR.
It was immersive... the scale of the place is tremendous.
Yoshida: When the Japanese staff heard this for the first time, including myself, our reaction was "how much is that going to cost?!" But when we compared it to estimates of what it would cost to rent out other places and have separate events in each country, we realized that the budget was actually quite reasonable. Based on that, we decided "why not try it out this one time?" Actually, in France there are a lot of little countryside towns with castles many of the owners continue to maintain them so in many cases they can be rented out as event spaces but also as a hotel. So it was definitely within the PR budget that we had originally assumed (laughs).
How were the reactions of the European media?
Yoshida: A lot of them felt like "wow, that's cool!" Although it doesn't happen in Japan so much, overseas many AAA titles that launch globally do rent out and decorate hotels for their exclusive use to invite media, so really this isn't so uncommon. We wanted to try out something more elaborate than what we currently do in Japan, so we attempted this more global PR technique.
I'm guessing they hadn't seen events like this in a European castle before (laughs).
Yoshida: As an event targeted at the gaming media, we wanted to treat it more as an event for people who have loved games for a long time rather than a sleepover at a castle. Since this place is isolated from the rest of the world, even though everyone is doing their job, they're also enjoying it themselves, so it turned out really well. Hopefully everyone returns home having enjoyed their time here.
I think most people have spent half their time trying out the game and the other half hanging out in the garden taking photos (laughs).
Lots of content... where to begin?
Although the game still feels familiar, since there are new things everywhere, I have to say I was a little overwhelmed. With all this new content, where do you think more casual players should begin after the release?
Yoshida: I was originally a hardcore gamer myself, but I don't have the time anymore to be waiting on repops for rare monsters, so I also need to consider how I can play efficiently in limited amounts of time. My situation is a little different now so I don't have as much time to play, but I'm still going to have black mage as my main job so I plan on getting into the main scenario straight away. As you go through the quests, your main job will grow from level 50 to 60. As with A Realm Reborn, the main scenario also introduces new content and systems so players can grasp the new features and explore the areas and regions during the storyline and open up the Aetherytes as they go along. You'll also need to go through the main scenario to get the item required to ride flying mounts, so I think enjoying the main scenario should be everyone's first goal.
I assume you mean to do this with an existing job from level 50 to 60. So when you obtain a new job you'll have to level them later since you'll get them at level 30 and have to advance them to 60?
Yoshida: No, no, since it's a MMORPG please play it however you'd like to (laughs). It's fine if you would rather start a new job first. As long as you've completed the main scenario through patch 2.55, you'll be able to begin the quests for Heavensward starting at Camp Dragonhead where Haurchefant of House Fortemps will direct you to Ishgard.
So Haurchefant is the first step.
Yoshida: Once you go through the main quest to the point where you reach Ishgard, new quests will pop up in the town. Since you'll be able to access the three new jobs' guilds immediately at this point, you're free to unlock the new jobs so you can change to them. For those who want to put the main story on hold for a bit and instead level up the new jobs, they can begin the job quests and start on that path.
So you can also continue leveling.
Yoshida: Since the new jobs start at level 30, if you change to one of them, you won't be high enough level to participate in activities in Ishgard. Once you return to the content from A Realm Reborn and progress from level 30 to level 50, you can go back to the main scenario content in Ishgard and continue on with the main quest. By the time you finish that, you should be level 60 with the new job.
Previously, the design was such that you'd be able to get about 60% of the experience for leveling from the main scenario and side quests with the remainder from things like the hunting log and FATEs. Has this balance changed for Heavensward?
Yoshida: In A Realm Reborn it was actually set up so you could level up to about level 42 from experience from quests alone, and supplement that experience with other experience from things like dungeons and FATEs past that. This won't be any different this time around. The experience from the main scenario will be a bit short of what you need, so you'll need to try some FATEs along the way, or try out the new dungeons where you can earn experience along with obtaining new stronger equipment, or go exploring for hidden locations in the exploration log. The level of your first job will advance through the main quest, and subsequent jobs will be easier to level by other methods due to the Armoury bonus. So the best way to level will be to get to 60 first with one job so that your other jobs can gain experience more quickly, so your first goal for leveling should be to get your main job to level 60.
Ah, I see. I had forgotten about the Armoury bonus.
Yoshida: It's there because you can't get the experience from completing the main scenario a second time, so it's to help other jobs level up. Of course, you'll also gain experience from doing things like FATE or other things on the side, but the amount of experience you get from those will be lower the first time through.
And naturally things will open up as you progress your job level from 50 to 60.
Branching through field areas, and don't skip the dungeons!
Yoshida: One thing we're doing here a little differently from A Realm Reborn is that each field area will correspond to a certain level range.
I assume it'll be something like a level 52 area, a level 54 area, etc.?
Yoshida: In A Realm Reborn the way the story progressed there were parts of areas that were immediately adjacent that were used in different parts of the story so you're moving back and forth between locations a lot. The new story will move from one field area to the next so exploring each field area will be a fundamental part.
So, for example, how much time will players be spending to explore the Coerthas Western Highlands and Abalathia Sea of Clouds areas that we saw this time in the trial version?
Yoshida: After level 50 players reach Ishgard, the first place they go for the first major main scenario quest will be Coerthas Western Highlands. Abalathia Sea of Clouds is a bit unique from the rest in that it's loaded as one zone but it's divided into an upper and lower section. The upper section is totally for high levels and the lower area is around level 50 like Coerthas Western Highlands. In other words, early in the main scenario quests, players can start out either in Abalathia Sea of Clouds or in Coerthas Western Highlands.
So that's why you chose to show us those areas to experience at this event. Any reason you chose to branch it out like this?
Yoshida: We want to disperse people early on since many people will be gathering at Ishgard (laughs). Both main quests are available from the start, but things come back together pretty quickly. That said, the reason we chose those as the play areas for the PR events isn't because they are the lower level areas, it's because we wanted to avoid spoilers. If you go to the most remote places in Heavensward, the areas dominated by dragons, there are many places to where man's reach doesn't extend. However, there are still quests available from those areas, so we don't want people seeing that and saying "what's that quest from?"
I see. As I was exploring, I found what looked to be the entrance to the Dusk Vigil dungeon, even though there wasn't any quest starting point to go along with it. Although you confirmed in the trailer that eight dungeons would be released at launch, it wasn't clear whether they would be part of the main quests. Are these related to progress through the main scenario?
Yoshida: Some are like that. Four of the dungeons are intertwined with the main scenario.
And the rest will be from side quests like the Sunken Temple of Qarn?
Yoshida: Yes. But in A Realm Reborn, you were able to skip Qarn because it wasn't necessary to leveling and by the time you needed them, there were beter dungeons to clear to level up. However, since there's a first time clear bonus for the new dungeons, as well as generous experience and equipment rewards, I think it will be best to try them all out.
So they drop items as well?
Yoshida: Since we've prepared new equipment for the different roles in each dungeon, you'll want to go through them to earn new gear, even if it's just for glamour, so that should be enjoyable. Hey, let's go back indoors.
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We were so involved in the interview that we hadn't noticed the sky darkening at this point. All of the staff was out in the garden at that point, so we got to see Yoshida in action making quick decisions and getting everyone moving back inside in this situation.