Yoshi-P Interviews with the Japanese Press - Needs Translations

[Gokulo]

I don't know shit about this stuff, but it seems Yoshi said they're thinking of using Flash for add-ons. Is that a good thing? O.o

[Achitophel]

As far as servers go, I started playing FFXI when I was in Korea. Moved to California and played it. Moved to Texas and played it. Moved to North Carolina and played it. Moved to Hawaii and played it before finally calling it quits.

If you stay in the same place your whole life (or even just a couple of years while you play the game), regional and timezone servers might make sense. If you move often, travel on business often, etc, it's a fucking pain in the ass. I only had two LSs in my time in XI- just because I moved didn't mean I had to jump servers or change up who I played the game with. How gay would it be to join a server based in Hawaii and then move the next year to the UK? Not having regional servers facilitates around-the-clock play (assuming the game becomes popular enough) and mitigates problems that people have when moving.

[Spider-Dan]

its like... building a 2nd boat while people are in the first one thats sinking, and making repairs in the gaping hole on the hull even tho it won't fully sink.
but they know when the 2nd one is ready, they'll abandon the first.

And you get to take all the booze that you conned off of other passengers to the second boat.

[miokomioko]

I don't know shit about this stuff, but it seems Yoshi said they're thinking of using Flash for add-ons. Is that a good thing? O.o

That sounds like a really bad idea.

Also, I think a majority of the people who argue for international servers are unemployed/freelance(me)/night-shift/travelers. The average Joe that works his 9-to-5 would probably gain nothing from the other countries playing in the odd hours of the night.

[Achitophel]

Yeah, I know. But they don't lose much either.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Yeah, I know. But they don't lose much either.

Instead they just gain nothing. Totally balances out, right? >.>

[Achitophel]

...Right.

If plan X is executed, group 1 gains something (+1), group 2 gains nothing (+0).

If plan Y is executed, group 1 loses something (-1), group 2 gains something (+1).

Perhaps you plan on staying in the Eastern Time Zone for the whole time you play. Some of us travel and move quite a bit. I'm typing this from the Middle East, for example.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Your situation is not typical. See mioko's post.

[Cichy]

Damn Yoshi, he's making me excited about the events leading to zone changes. We will know why it's gonna snow in Coerthas and why Behemots migrate there to make their lair zomg.

[Achitophel]

Your situation is not typical. See mioko's post.

I understand that. But if you're just looking out for what's best for you (situation X), don't be surprised if people counter with that's best for them (situation Y), especially if it doesn't really penalize you in anyway.

[miokomioko]

The only "down-side" I can think of for international servers is that things are generally camped/farmed 24hrs out of the day instead of getting an area to yourself by staying up late or playing early.

I think the simultaneous international launch helped a lot to reduce the headbutting conflict between the Japanese and English players that was so prevalent in XI from the Americans swarming in on their game over a year into it.

[Lordender]

I'm all about going to an english speaking only server!

[Waraji]

We have numerous JP players in our Na LS, along with EU players. Region Specific Servers would be a major hindrance to our gameplay along with a drastic hit to player economies.

[Gokulo]

Of course. We plan on starting this revision from the moment you start the game. Right now, after you join up with your Adventurer guild you're then lead to do Guildleves and pretty much left all alone after that. Our objective with the new FFXIV is so when new players enter the Adventurer's guild for the first time, he/she will see "?" marks over every single NPC within the guild. By accepting and completing these quests these NPCs have to offer, not only will you familiarize yourself with how the game works, but also receive background information on Eorzea's history and future goals as a player. Doing all these quests will also provide you exp, so you can easily level up a few levels from doing those alone.
We also have plans to change the armory system so they won't be unlocked until a player hits level 10. What we therefore are asking new players to do is to raise their first selected class to level 10 by completing various quests, complete their respective class quests, then finally be allowed the freedom to change into other classes at will. You will also receive a single Mannequin at the same time you complete these quests, so you can dress up your Mannequin with the equipment you had until now and start leveling a new class with other equipments.
Once players reach that point, then they can go to the Guildleve counter and finally be treated as a member in the guild and be issued Guildleves they can then complete.

That's pretty interesting. Makes me wonder whether I should just stop playing the game completely and restart with a new character when 2.0 hits just to experience everything the new way

[Trocian]

Server full of people in my own timezone, yes please!

3½ years of FFXI with every event starting after midnight was enough.

[Kaisha]

I just hope the English-servers are actually located over here so the ping rate isn't ass.

[Stanislaw]

4Gamer Interview Translation done.

I'm not going to bother with the other two because Reinheart is in the process of translating those.

Sheesh, so tired. =P

[XalienLevi]

Great interview Stanis, thanks for the translation.

[Mikelee0351]

This makes me think back earlier in the year when everyone was bitching, "if this new dev team is as huge as they said (what, 200 or so?), why are updates so little, so far apart." I guess we now know what all those people were up to.

[The Blackrose]

I just finished the transcription for BG's interview, which has it's own thread.

http://www.bluegartr.com/threads/107...rk-in-progress)

On a side note, I hope they revisit making the UI elements out of Flash...