Dev Tracker

[Genosync]

Yes, some of Tanaka's penchant for keeping the playerbase at bay can be annoying, but I must admit, giving us everything we want does make some content obsolete in a few months (read: 2-3 for some players) rather than making it viable longer. He knows he doesn't have the budget or manpower to release full blown expansions any more. He's gotta stretch shit out. Sucks for us, smart for him. That's at least how I see it.

Name one time we got a full blown expansion in less than 9 months after the original expansion pack came out. Who cares if we get the full story or not--this game has enough storylines and missions and shit as it is. Make some decent battlefields with some new mechanics that are actually playtested properly. Tanaka thinks all balance is, is trying to keep addicted people playing. Eventually these people get smart and play another game, but miss the enjoyment they could have had. The main reason people hate having to go backwards and help people out with certain drops is the fact we had to do it 15 million times for ourselves in the first place. Which brings us to...

There are legitimate adjustments that have been made and should have been made (multiple pop locations for empy NMs is but one great example), and there are pussification of the game adjustments that never would have been made in the past (some guaranteed drops for example- now some may argue this point but I however do not, to each their own I guess. But I'm sure many can think of other examples of updates where you just think "game on easy mode, great").

Do not replace difficulty with RNG. Randomness of drop rates has nothing to do with the difficulty of obtaining a piece of gear. Anyone saying otherwise is fucking deluding themselves. Having to do a repetitive task that fails over 50% based on the design of said task with a 5% chance to get the thing you actually want with 6 other people wanting the exact same thing = bullshit. Why do you think they changed the Nyzul stuff already?

Pre-abyssea we saw very little of either. In abyssea we saw a lot of the first. Then we saw a lot of "easy mode" adjustments- I think the developers wanted to keep people around by giving people anything and everything they wanted, sometimes without thinking of balance. I don't know how good that has been. And I speak from the perspective of someone who walks around in a lot of old gear. But I get the concept nonetheless.

Easy mode adjustments? No, not exactly. I don't think it made anything unbalanced either. Look at the concept and design of the area and the original vision of it, and think again.

[NynJa]

Abyssea easy mode adustments wasnt to make shit easy mode. 30-60 min repop on gukumatz in a timed event is a fucking stupid mechanic. 3 minute repop on ??? in a timed event is fucking stupid.

[machiko]

Yes, some of Tanaka's penchant for keeping the playerbase at bay can be annoying, but I must admit, giving us everything we want does make some content obsolete in a few months

Means they have to step their game up and it's not that quick...most players took years to clear Aby, not like they aren't making great profits (or they were until Tanaka came back teabagging everyone) from FFXI to put more content out anyway.

Almost every MMO that is still running or is being brought out is being less grindy and more successful for aiming at fun instead of grind, it's a competitive market now. Boring your customers to death with old school ain't gonna cut it after they have been shown the light of Abyssea and other games.

Problem with Abyssea was it raised expectations of their playerbase, expectations they won't live upto. This is something I bet they will battle with in FFXIV too, not making it too fun/player friendly for fear of being unable to keep up with demands. They won't want what happened to XI happen to that.

[Lordender]

Tanaka is a great single player game producer, he worked on the most epic games of the 90's back in the golden age. Tanaka just fails at MMO design period, his logic is terrible in an MMO setting, guess what? I replayed Secret of Mana 3(he directed that game) recently and a lot of the issues of that game could also be found in FF14, lol. Weaponskills stopping gameplay, convoluted menu system thats actually worse than the 1st Secret of Mana game. Some of the damage the monsters do in Secret of Mana 3 makes no sense once so ever(BARANCE!) For instance I was fighting this level 42 knight(non-boss) it hit for like 50dmg normal hits but it did an unavoidable AoE weaponskill and one shot my entire party for 650dmg.

Tanaka has always been a weird cat even when he worked on console games, his logic and design just doesn't translate at all to a MMO game very well. To get your second class change in Secret of Mana 3 you have to grind ??? seeds then throw them into a box in an Inn. I think I spent over 4 hours grinding to get the correct seals thats needed for the class changes I wanted, talk about terrible tanaka striking in the mid 90's.

[KCem]

What was Tanaka's involvement in CoP ? I'm one of those sadists who love challenging fights, and thought it was really well done in that respect. Even the level caps were imo a nice touch, as they meant that lower level players weren't alienated (back in the days when 5k exp per hour was the norm, you could get stuck at a certain level range for days, or weeks if you weren't lucky enough to be playing a desired job), and in order to get an "optimal" set up for certain BCNMs, you didn't need to grind all the way to 75 on a job you might not particularly care for.

If Tanaka was responsible for CoP then we know he can do some really cool things, but I think the culprit for FFXI's problems now is the near non-existent budget.

[transmit]

Greetings!

I have a bit more information in regards to the Limbus renewal status:

• Difficulty
Currently on the Test Server, we’ve only placed the monsters, but have yet to make adjustments to difficulty and balance. (We wanted players to get a feel for the system and what it was all about first, so we only implemented this aspect to start off with.)

The QA team is currently in the middle of making balance adjustments and we are planning to implement this during the next Test Server update or possibly the one to follow that so everyone can get a feel for the balance. We’d like you all to test that out and let us know your feedback.

• Implementation timing
As I mentioned, we still have some balancing and other adjustments to work on from mid-May to the end of May, so we are not planning to implement this content during the May version update. Once we have performed the right amount of testing and adjustments we will implement it.

So they implemented the system as it is, to purely get us used to the Limbus system? May is going to be a very small update.

[Septimus]

What was Tanaka's involvement in CoP ? I'm one of those sadists who love challenging fights, and thought it was really well done in that respect. Even the level caps were imo a nice touch, as they meant that lower level players weren't alienated (back in the days when 5k exp per hour was the norm, you could get stuck at a certain level range for days, or weeks if you weren't lucky enough to be playing a desired job), and in order to get an "optimal" set up for certain BCNMs, you didn't need to grind all the way to 75 on a job you might not particularly care for.

If Tanaka was responsible for CoP then we know he can do some really cool things, but I think the culprit for FFXI's problems now is the near non-existent budget.

No, you are not a sadist, you are a masochist. The sadist is the one who holds the whip, the masochist is the one who says "Thank you Sir, may I have another?" I think if more people had their masochistic tenancies taken care of in real life, MMOs would be a more acceptable genre of game.

[Celebrindor]

Name one time we got a full blown expansion in less than 9 months after the original expansion pack came out. Who cares if we get the full story or not--this game has enough storylines and missions and shit as it is. Make some decent battlefields with some new mechanics that are actually playtested properly.

I care. A lot of us care. That's the reason we play this game and not some mindless MMO where you just kill shit. That's why we liked CoP and Zilart over these mini expansions where you do just kill shit and get gear. Sorry, that's the reason so many of us are clamouring for a full expansion. Don't get that? Then you don't get why there is a demand for a new continent, a demand for exposure to new races, to missing storyline. You've completely missed the point.

I will cede a lot of your other points as valid arguments on the other side of a coin, hence why I won't respond. Point taken there, can't argue.

[ronin sparthos]

Big man in a suit of atma, take that away - what are you?

I giggled.

Anywho, regardless of the power of 3 atmas the level difference between lvl 80 and 99 is significant enough to make all of the vision and scars NMs a joke. Even if we assumed SE never intended to take atma past a single choice the advent of Razed Ruins and Minikin Monstrosity with Scars were enough to still make these NMs relatively easy for anyone to do and telling of a mindset that SE wanted Empyreans to be reasonable compared to Relic/Mythics.

If SE didn't want accessible Empyreans they wouldn't have made the pop items easily acquirable from chests in addition to making repop on KIs so short. Even the most unskilled group could simply drag an entire alliance to Briareus after farming sets via gold caskets and simply zombie everything down, netting helms in the process.

The whole post 90 methodology reeks of Tanaka's style of doing things where everyone must suffer, people are encouraged to slit each others throats over some drops and things are so rare they send the costs into the stratosphere for the average joe blow player.

[Septimus]

I care. A lot of us care. That's the reason we play this game and not some mindless MMO where you just kill shit. That's why we liked CoP and Zilart over these mini expansions where you do just kill shit and get gear. Sorry, that's the reason so many of us are clamouring for a full expansion. Don't get that? Then you don't get why there is a demand for a new continent, a demand for exposure to new races, to missing storyline. You've completely missed the point.

I will cede a lot of your other points as valid arguments on the other side of a coin, hence why I won't respond. Point taken there, can't argue.

But really, there is no reason that we can have "kill lots of shit" and a good story to go along with it. I heard somewhere that someone at S-E likes this thing called "balance".

[ronin sparthos]

I would wonder if the peace offering option to still use the old UI is for windower users.

In regards to Spira and others' arguments about Tanaka et al, I think there are a few good points that Spira brings up that cannot be written off simply as "you live in the olden days, move on".

Yes, some of Tanaka's penchant for keeping the playerbase at bay can be annoying, but I must admit, giving us everything we want does make some content obsolete in a few months (read: 2-3 for some players) rather than making it viable longer. He knows he doesn't have the budget or manpower to release full blown expansions any more. He's gotta stretch shit out. Sucks for us, smart for him. That's at least how I see it. (For a wonderful example of this, see the crafting 100-110 move. Some crafts lack materials available and thus in cost associated. Then actual benefits to the playerbase rarely justify the crafter the incredible investment in leveling the craft to that point.)

I'd agree if it wasn't a stupid fucking mindset regardless of the funds Tanaka's game is lacking. His game is in decline and his game is hemorrhaging players so the challenge is to design roadblocks that keeps people playing until the next version update comes out which is fine. Let's use the Heavy Metal Plate example because it affects practically every player in the current XI endgame scene:

Tanaka's method: 1500 plates with drops being set crushingly low which leads to high prices. Naturally this eliminates many casual players from ever finishing their Empyrean and your upper crust may consider 1-2 weapons worth 99'ing. Tanaka alienates casuals from ever being attempting to finish (a la old relics) their weapons, rich people finish the trial but largely from not doing the content.

How many people actually finished the 95 and 99 trials by doing Voidwatch for all 1500 plates? Right, thought so.

Alternative and not fucking retarded method: Set the goal to 1500 plates but also set the rates of plates higher in such a fashion that by repeating the content you can eventually finish the trial. In such a method your casuals can at least feel they're going somewhere (albeit slowly) and your hardcores might speed through their first Emp but guess what? They'll want more plates for the other 6 weapons they've got sitting around which keeps them busy and eventually your casuals might actually finish a second weapon.

A win-win scenario for both players and Tanaka who needs 3 months to churn out the next fuckup.

Also, why the the final Emp/Relic/Mythic result didn't naturally just glow as a "good job" gesture from SE is beyond me. Instead they attach the effect to a no-lifer tier trial with zero benefits for completing the trial besides what has to be the most humorous area effect the team could come up with.

I really wish Tanaka would just get at up fan fest and in his most engrishy voice start the event with "Fuck you guys" right into the mic.

[shepardG]

I really wish Tanaka would just get at up fan fest and in his most engrishy voice start the event with "Fuck you guys" right into the mic.

This made me laugh ^^, good show

[Lordender]

I'll never believe that Tanaka has EVER reviewed content and asked the number one question that needs to always be asked:

"Is this fun?"

With Tanaka it has always been about stringing people along with his favorite girlfriend named "Random Number Generator". Players don't give a FUCK about the content if its fun and rewarding. You honestly think people would give a fuck if they killed "Hello Kitty mob" if it was rewarding and challenging because the encounter brought new mechanic's to the table? Hell no, it would be the best thing since sliced bread and people might even come back to the game if the content is cool enough.

Tanaka is a troll, he is the Skip Bayless of the MMO world. I think the guy only really approves cool shit for XI(Like Abyssea) when the subs start taking a dangerous dip to lure people back in thinking "SE finally gets it" only to turn around and troll everyone with subpar content or design choices(BARANSU!) that leaves veteran players thinking "wtf?".

I don't think a single person playing this game minds content where they can make progress toward a goal even if they only had an hr or so to play. The major problem I have with Tanaka is he's almost never onboard with this, it is either all or nothing with him. I don't think Tanaka knows how to make grinds fun, grinds don't all have to be bad and loaded with RNG cockblockery. Who honestly wants to go 0/200 on some item? I rather point systems because I'm always getting rewarded for my time, sure it might take me a month or two or whatever to buy what I want but I know eventually I didn't have to rely on a 1% drop rate. People get annoyed when someone bugs others to go do the boss they still need stuff from, when others want to go fight bosses they want stuff from because I was unlucky by going 0/200 while the others went 1/150.

[Spira]

I care. A lot of us care. That's the reason we play this game and not some mindless MMO where you just kill shit. That's why we liked CoP and Zilart over these mini expansions where you do just kill shit and get gear. Sorry, that's the reason so many of us are clamouring for a full expansion. Don't get that? Then you don't get why there is a demand for a new continent, a demand for exposure to new races, to missing storyline. You've completely missed the point.

I care as well!
Story is one of the biggest things that keep me going in FFXI, and at this point I'm clinging on to any story that I can get anymore in-game.
Like, if the Voidwatch series didn't have "story" cutscenes, I wouldn't have felt the urge to clear them all. But that was pathetic - even Abyssea put up a better showing.

I actually quite liked Abyssea's quest mission style - it was more battle than story, but for the most part was executed in much better form than the add-on expansions - might be due to the fact that they had 3 updates to work on one continuous story than 1 update for each crappy scenario.

The whole post 90 methodology reeks of Tanaka's style of doing things where everyone must suffer, people are encouraged to slit each others throats over some drops and things are so rare they send the costs into the stratosphere for the average joe blow player.

I agree. this sucks. i think a part of it lies in the fact that they don't seem to check out their demand/supply figures. Even at the time of the last census, there were already 5.5k Empyreans made to lv90, and another 20k or so 80/85 weapons around. Did they not see the burgeoning demand that was to come? And they could easily cross-reference to the number of Relics and Mythics made. It had already surpassed both. If they would bump up individual drop rates, then the bottlenecking wouldnt be that bad.

I'll never believe that Tanaka has EVER reviewed content and asked the number one question that needs to always be asked:

"Is this fun?"

or his definition of fun must be very twisted.

[Celebrindor]

Tanaka is a troll, he is the Skip Bayless of the MMO world.

I stopped reading at this point. Because, my friend, you have officially won the internet for the week of May 7, 2012. Congratulations, coffee 1, my screen, keyboard, and mouse, 0.

[Tagus]

I'll never believe that Tanaka has EVER reviewed content and asked the number one question that needs to always be asked:

"Is this fun?"

I don't know if any of us can be sure of his specific levels of involvement in decision-making, but no matter what they are, the dev's in general should be held accountable for making this game fun. I quit playing at the start of this month, and I've found myself thinking about this alot since, because I played the game for 5+ years and really loved it for whatever reasons. Today, the concept of an airship with a 12 minute wait time kept popping up in my head... specifically, how any game designer could ever implement something so horribly stupid, and pretend that they were interested in providing a good experience for the player. A small thing, in the big picture. But how the fuck does that exist? I guess when you're inside the game, you can't see the forest for the trees... but seriously how the fuck does that exist.

[Chamaan]

Airships sucked because they put in boats that have shit to do on them. Like fishing, or hunting the one NM on there, or fishing. Can't have one boat be slow and one be instant travel. Airships needed air pirates is what they needed.

[Tagus]

Maybe some pirates would have been alright... or a little 15 minute instanced BCNM type thing where you fight with your fellow travelers, win and zone out into the area you were going to. Or something... anything. But an "oh shit, missed the boat, afk for 12 minutes" type moment should never be allowed to occur in any video game design.

It's funny the things you think about, but the first time I missed a boat, there's a part of me that wishes I would have rage quit and saved myself 5 years of bullshit.

[6souls]

Play-as-a-Monster System

Greetings!

There seems to be quite a bit of speculation as to what the "Play-as-a-Monster System" will be.
While we can’t give away much right now, I can tell you:

- It has nothing to do with Windurst conflict

- It’s separate from Pankration

We are hoping to go a bit in depth on the system details and description during VanaFest 2012, so please make sure to tune into the live stream!

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...l=1#post312976

Treasure Casket Improvements

Greetings!

Hey Ophannus, I wanted to share some feedback from Mizuki Ito in regards to treasure casket improvements. Similar to your suggestion, a player was asking for the treasure caskets found via FoV and GoV to be more like the ones found in Abyssea and be unlockable with keys.

Mizuki Ito »
In regards to treasure caskets, when we were creating the system for Abyssea treasure caskets, we had the idea that if this kind of system was accepted, it would be possible to apply the same rules to other treasure caskets.

There are currently ways such as the kupowers gained from Mog Tablets as well as effects from GoV that will grant increased treasure casket discovery rates, so if we were to follow the same line, we believe methods such as increasing the rate that beneficial hints are given or increasing the amount of hints given when entering numbers would also be possible.

Regardless of the adjustments we adopt, the treasure caskets found throughout Vana’diel are different from the system used for Abyssea treasure caskets and there are also a lot of areas where these are found, so while we cannot do this right away, we would definitely like to look into this.

Thank you for your suggestion and let us know if you have any additional feedback!

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...l=1#post313398

Fellowship Bond Adjustments

We agree with you guys. It can be pretty stressful when you can't level up your fellow due to your bond with them being left in the dust, so we will be looking into increasing the rate of gaining bond.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...995#post312995

Feedback on F8 Key Targeting

Howdy!

With battle systems and styles shifting to players facing off against multiple enemies at once or having more NPCs present in battles, we feel that there is a need to tweak the target NPC feature a bit (the good ol' F8 key).

There is some talk going on discussing what aspects should be prioritized. For example, placing targeting priority on the monster, ???s, treasure caskets, etc. We’d like to know everyone’s feedback and opinions on this matter so we can continue to make the game user-friendly and enjoyable

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...l=1#post313435

[Tarage]

No one cares about "Play as a monster", Treasure Caskets are fine, who the fuck cares about fellows, and the F8 key thing might be useful if we could customize it in some way, but still pretty useless.

Pointless update is pointless.