Letter from the Producer, III (02/17/2011) + Player's Poll

[Hyan]

http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com...bbc24abc29469f

Hello again, to all of you continuing to enjoy FINAL FANTASY XIV.

Your devoted Yoshi-P is here, back for my third letter, despite some stiff shoulders that have been giving me trouble lately. What are you gonna do, right?

Patch 1.15a went live with all of the intended content (resulting in a bit of behest-induced fever on some forums, hehe), and the dev team is now on the next step in improving the game. After balancing skill and experience point awards in 1.15a, I logged in and clandestinely took part in a few behests. I was left with the impression that everyone seemed to be having a good time. And it reinforced my conviction that MMORPGs are all about people getting together and having a good time.

Of course, we're still on the fence a bit about balancing the degree of difficulty for fifteen-member parties, but I personally am of the opinion that everyone playing together is what makes the game fun. And so that is the direction in which I would like to take the game, and take it as quickly as possible. It was for that reason that I opted to balance the skill and experience points rewards first, with the intention of later tackling the difficulty level, rather than vice versa. Further balancing adjustments are ongoing, and are being based on the new designs in place for a maximum party size of eight members, as well as the smaller four-member party, both of which I've added to our list of intended changes.

I kept a close eye on how things went for the week or so following the release of 1.15a. Not surprisingly, the maximum number of members and levels of difficulty for behests were less than ideal. Therefore, in the coming days we'll be looking into further improvements to bonuses awarded when participating in groups of nine or more. For now, I'd be happy to think that we've already taken care of some balancing issues that relate directly to future content. Also, the amount of experience points awarded to Disciples of the Hand is a bit on the large side, and will be balanced to be more akin to those awarded to Disciples of War and Magic.

A bit wordy for a lead-in, I know, but now we can move on to what many of you no doubt are waiting to hear about. As I mentioned in my last letter, our FINAL FANTASY Players' Poll the Second begins today, focusing primarily on the battle system. I've set the deadline at one week from today. I apologize for shortening the submission period from last time, but quick responses will lend themselves to quick results. I hope you all take the time to submit your answers and have your voices heard!

Next, I'd like to post the updated list of planned changes. There have been a number of changes to the list since 1.15a was released, both new additions as well as progress updates. Items marked as –NEW– have either been added or updated. Those tasks that are in gray have been completed, and will be removed from the chart as of my next post. Consider yourselves warned! (I apologize for my chart being a bit artless... It isn't the easiest thing in the world to read, I know.)








We've received a lot of feedback from players regarding collision detection issues hampering player movement, and are working on resolving these now. Unfortunately, fixing all of them in one fell swoop would pose too great a risk, and so we'll be addressing them in stages. We've also completed our examination of the balancing and placement of freely roaming enemies, and are in the midst of holding meetings now to begin implementing the planned changes. Also, the routes players take when traveling through areas must also be adjusted so as not to have a negative influence on quest balance. All told, we'll be making changes of this sort up until the onset of spring.

We are also in the process of putting together a new workflow to handle the development of new quests and sidequests. Though we will begin releasing these in the next patch, it will be difficult to release a large number of them at once. It is certainly possible to continue developing quests until we reach a target number, and then release them simultaneously, but this would slow the rate at which this new content would become available. I prefer to release fewer quests regularly as part of the monthly patches instead. This may give the impression of less content per patch, but I'd like to try it this way for a span of about two months or so and see how it goes. At the same time, we'll gradually be implementing system-side changes related to quests as well, aimed at improving user-friendliness.

I’d now like to speak about the battle system and its forthcoming changes. The tasks laid out for the overhaul of the battle system are being divided up and divvied out, and the office is a maelstrom as we try to settle upon the final specs for the system itself. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t have a battle-related meeting of some sort, and it is my strong hope that we finalize a direction to take as soon as possible after receiving your feedback and opinions from the second poll.

We are also looking into players using death warps (or blood warps, or whatever other name you wish to give them). We will be making a decision on how to address this following the release of quests. After all, having a bunch of adventurers committing suicide isn't very FINAL FANTASY-esque, now, is it?

And finally, a few words on the large-scale PvE content I tacked onto the end of the list last time. Our current thinking is that this will be content aimed at high-ranked or endgame players, and are now looking into design aspects and costs, as well as viability for middle-ranked players, together with NMs. Hopefully, we'll be able to get all of our ducks in a row, hammer out an engaging battle system, and bring a slew of new and exciting challenges to all of you soon!

I suppose that just about does it for this Yoshi-P letter. For those interested, in my next letter, I am hoping to talk about items and the in-game economy. The more astute observers among you may have already noticed that a few changes pertaining to these topics have already been added to the list... ^^;

How about this weather, huh? Cold enough for you? Well, I suppose that depends entirely on where you are... But it’s cold in Tokyo. It looks like influenza is popping up all over the place, regardless, so take care of yourselves lest you miss out on your adventures in Eorzea!

Until next time, keep your hopes high and your noses to the gri—bad choice of words. Just keep having fun!

FINAL FANTASY XIV Producer & Director, Naoki Yoshida

---------------

https://secure.square-enix.com/enqt/...AYERENQ02/html is the link to the Player's Poll (US).

https://secure.square-enix.com/enqt/...AYERENQ02/html Player's Poll (EU).

[Hyan]

Yoshida, your lodestone doesn't work. Somebody from the UK post the link to the EU poll please

–NEW– Instanced PvE Content (Dungeons/Raids)

derp

–NEW– Addition of icons to make quest NPCs easily recognizable

!

4 and 8 sounds like a good set-up to me.

[Hiroishime]

–NEW– Instanced PvE Content (Dungeons/Raids

instanced dungeons? fuck yes

–NEW– Reduction of "full" party size from 15 to 8 members
–NEW– Release of "small" parties made up of 4 members

party reduction sounds good, but i dont know how is it going to work in between this and behest size increase.. bringing back the alliances?

–NEW– Adjustments to period of time between behest resets

i came.

Also, the amount of experience points awarded to Disciples of the Hand is a bit on the large side, and will be balanced to be more akin to those awarded to Disciples of War and Magic.

lolcraftingnerf

We are also looking into players using death warps (or blood warps, or whatever other name you wish to give them). We will be making a decision on how to address this following the release of quests. After all, having a bunch of adventurers committing suicide isn't very FINAL FANTASY-esque, now, is it?

0 anima cost for returns sounds good

I suppose that just about does it for this Yoshi-P letter. For those interested, in my next letter, I am hoping to talk about items and the in-game economy. The more astute observers among you may have already noticed that a few changes pertaining to these topics have already been added to the list... ^^;

How about this weather, huh? Cold enough for you? Well, I suppose that depends entirely on where you are... But it’s cold in Tokyo. It looks like influenza is popping up all over the place, regardless, so take care of yourselves lest you miss out on your adventures in Eorzea!

Until next time, keep your hopes high and your noses to the gri—bad choice of words. Just keep having fun!

please keep writing this way Yoshi P, /like

[Hyan]

–NEW– Examination of an auto-attack feature

Fucking shitfuck

dick-tits

–NEW– Removal of character collision

–NEW– Risk analysis of collision detection adjustments to improve movement response

I am 12 and what is this?

-NEW– Adjustments to positioning algorithms of enemies in relation to PCs

Intressant.

Our current thinking is that this will be content aimed at high-ranked or endgame players

All about the destination, not the journey!

as well as viability for middle-ranked players, together with NMs.

I'll take that back, for now.

How about this weather, huh? Cold enough for you?

-25-32c for a week now, fucking winter.

despite some stiff shoulders that have been giving me trouble lately. What are you gonna do, right?

I feel ya.

[Zettofaia]

Is anybody else getting a "wrong region/different region" error when clicking the poll? :/

[Hyan]

If you live outside UK/German/France but in EU, you get that sort of error. Which is why we need someone to post the EU link for us.

[sruon]

https://secure.square-enix.com/enqt/...AYERENQ02/html for EU

[Hyan]

Thanks, added to the OP.

[sruon]

The poll

Spoiler: show

[Hyan]

Can you take a pic of the added changes to the list too sruon? I'd like to add it to the OP.

[Riposte]

These plans definitely tell me that the game is going to be improved, but at the same time some of the stuff they are changing are so random that it is also off-putting. I will be unable to find out whether this will be a type of game I want to play until a lot of time has passed. By then the combat system will certainly be entirely different. I guess the deciding factor will be how range, weapon types, AoEs, and hopefully positioning/battle formations will play in this new world order.

EDIT:

After all, having a bunch of adventurers committing suicide isn't very FINAL FANTASY-esque, now, is it?

Has been for a long time, actually lol.

[sruon]

here you go.

Spoiler: show

[Hyan]

here you go.

Spoiler: show

Added, thanks.

[Alkar]

This was probably the best letter released so far. I honestly voted for more class uniqueness, especially the damn mages being so generic.
Bring forth White Mage and Black Mage if you have to... those two worked for more than 20 years. And more flashiness to my spells too.

[Hyan]

Might as well post this here for discussion.

They really made it tough for me to decide on the last question. Instancing in MMO's is some dumb shit when taken too far but so is this upcoming claiming system. I think I'll pick Skill, experience, and loot going to only the first party to deal damage to an enemy and that I don't prefer the game to be instanced.

As for comments, A) Let us use the basic attacks while moving, B) Fasten the frame-rate for as many skills as possible preferably without making them look like crap, C) make skills more flashy, D) Improve the lag.

[Alkar]

That kinda defeats the purpose of alliances. Instanced content was a huge issue in XI and I surely don't want to see another Dynamis.

[Charismatic]

Hard to write down all the reasons I don't think we ought to be rooted to one spot in combat in 400 characters but I did my best.

[CasualPlayer]

Am I the only person that read through that whole list and got a little depressed? I love how hard they're trying but its been about 6mon. since the game released now, and that list is a stark reminder of how far they have to go.

Also that bit about instanced content at the end really makes me pause. Did people really like dynamis from ffxi?

Other than that the list seems good to me but it will be 2013 until all that shit gets finished. How long can they keep up this development pace for a f2p game?

[Shuichi]

I must say, I'm loving these letters from Yoshi P. Also, reviewing the planned changes tables has some very good shit in there. I was talking to the hubby the other day about how party size should be reduced and alliances should be returned. Looks like they were on the same line of thought. In reference to Dynamis, I would not call Dynamis a true instance. Because only one group could be in Dynamis at a time. True instanced content allows for multiple parties to participate in the content all at the same time. So, in that sense, don't be afraid of instanced content, when implemented correctly, everyone can go on their own time and not worry about scheduling conflicts. Frankly, I LOVED Salvage. Keep doing the damn thing Yoshi! Oh and "LOL" about the "blood-warp" part. This man is definitely on the ball. Return should be free.

/sipcoffee

[Alkar]

Dynamis wasn't instanced which is the issue. If a group is in Dynamis-Xarcabard you can't enter.
They're simply asking if you want to have areas/content that is locked once a group is using it or if you want this content to be instanced and allow anyone to enter after meeting the requirements. I honestly don't see why anyone would pick the first option unless you loved Dynamis for some weird reason.