New SE interview

[Septimus]

Thf = Treasure hunter. Most ls's don't use them for much if anything else from what I have seen...although you may love having treasure hunter wherever you go, you think Thf's enjoy having their only requirement be they think happy thoughts as a mob dies and hope their job trait helps other people around them?

A lot of jobs have shitty duties in end-game, sitting on the side lines for most of the fight is boring, but so is casting refresh on 6 people, so is waiting to cast stun, so is curing. End-game isn't fun for a lot of jobs.

[Zigrah]

Lasitha, saying Diabolos is easy is like saying because I can solo the shadowlord I can also solo the Dynamis Lord. That's just plain stupid.

As for Rooster, of course SE is trying to make money. No game company makes games solely to make our lives more interesting, they are in it for a paycheck. Now having a good game goes hand in hand with gaining that big paycheck but if they had to make 3 different variations of the game for every patch, every emergency maintenence, every expansion you certainly wouldn't be paying $12.99 per month, FFXI would probably be the most expensive MMO ever because they'd need to triple their dev team. It's just not reasonable to make the same game 3 times to accomodate better systems, what I would argue is for something like PC they should encourage and release an SDK for the fans to make the game better as a personal hobby. Maybe every patch take two people's custom armor designs and implement them into the actual game or just have the players dat swap them more openly. Have people redesign the UI's and stuff, make the game more enjoyable for PC users without having to do the work. There are people who enjoy doing that as a hobby and getting their name out there. Look at the windower and the plugins and that other program which changes the whole UI which name eludes me at the moment. But developing 3 versions of the game on their own is in reality just too much work, expense wise and there is little point anyways. I would rather a change to the game design itself than changes to the visual side of it anyday.

I understand your feeling on wishing it happened but I certainly don't hold anything against SE for not doing it. I mean you have to look at them as a business and as much as everyone hates them and their game, I think they're still doing a good job. One can't expect a miracle every patch that will suddenly balance everything it works in strides, people need to come up with good and viable solutions and post them. What we need is a more interactive form of sending in feedback... I think if anything that's what we need to push for be it a official forum or some form of e-mail response to questions or a dev blog. These usually have good effects on some games as sometimes devs can say "look this idea is stupid and will screw the game up even more, here's why". The problem is the language barrier.

Anyways I have to say the 1up crew is the best at getting interviews right from the source and they do a good job. I think we got some good answers out of it and any answer to me is better than the lack of answers we're used to.

[Makochin]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but end game players only make up of a small portion of the total player base. In that sense, these melee jobs, drg included, are not flawed for things outside endgame. From SE's perspective, it is not really that urgent to change something that works for non endgame players.

[NynJa]

How can a Thief use Sneak Attack on Nidhogg and Fafnir?

Can't you use Hide and do SA from anywhere? Granted, that's only like every 5 minutes but it's better than nothing...

do I really have to explain hide mecanics ??

I mean, you "own me so bad", it would be an embarassment of someone of your caliber to get schooled by someone who you "own so bad".

[rooster]

One can't expect a miracle every patch that will suddenly balance everything it works in strides, people need to come up with good and viable solutions and post them. What we need is a more interactive form of sending in feedback... I think if anything that's what we need to push for be it a official forum or some form of e-mail response to questions or a dev blog. These usually have good effects on some games as sometimes devs can say "look this idea is stupid and will screw the game up even more, here's why". The problem is the language barrier.

Viable solutions? like taking weeks to schedule interviews at their events and from people that work there at the company? Giving them ideas and holding long dialogs with them ie http://www.theorderls.com/belt ? They dont want to hear what people want..... If they did they wouldn't make BS updates like fish up treasure maps that do nothing. If they were listening or wanted to really listen to the player base they'd have a website that featured forums for dev talks. If they were listening to the players they'd post more then 1-3 times a year on random boards. If they were listening to what we had to say they would have fix 1 year old content that still isn't fix NOR mentioned.

I personally have run through EVERY 'Viable solution' to helping hype of this game, offering suggestions, and making an impact in the community.

I'm at my wits end. Also the problem is NOT "language barrier", I'm completely fluent in japanese. I've lived there and worked there, hell even my wife is japanese.

you know what the real problem is..... it's how they operate. How they conduct and run the company. There are very few people in the company that want to be accessible, and the rest cant breath the wrong way without permission. After working, living, and knowing japan very very well... this company is run just like all japanese companies are run. It's not wrong, it's just not right.

finally, dont think i'd make a statement that wasn't back with experience and some knowing. Some fag on allakhazam, sure... but trust me when i say....

FFXI has ignored its end game community for a long long long time. Now look at this.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/threa ... ost5811106

this is a Dev or Webmaster that has sum'd up all the information that devs have told the community... this board is 10x bigger then any ffxi board and they still listen and answer dev-based questions freely and openly.

now look at this, this is a 2-2.5 month LARGE patch that WoW is about to release, there is sooo much content in this, that FFXI could call it a new expansion (and then work on it for 1.5 years as they actually finish it..... joking).


http://www.wow-europe.com/en/info/under ... sands.html

not only are there new textures, 2 new HUGE end game zones, Job balances and much much more that i'm not going to go into. I mean shit! look at those weapons...

FFXI is so far behind and they aren't trying to catch up. They need something MASSIVE, which is more then just 2-3 new jobs of which only 1 will probably be anything good. New dynamis zones in this update? I hope its done right... because doing a 3.5 hour run to get loot that no one wants anymore is not fun. All i have to say is get to lvl 20-30 in wow, and it'll open your eyes.

[Sonomaa]

rooster almost makes me want to play wow
almost

/hugs kittys

[FFXIFlux]

you know what the real problem is..... it's how they operate. How they conduct and run the company. There are very few people in the company that want to be accessible, and the rest cant breath the wrong way without permission. After working, living, and knowing japan very very well... this company is run just like all japanese companies are run. It's not wrong, it's just not right.

It is right. If people had access to the developers they would never get anything done. I don't have the numbers on hand but you're talking over 100k players and 95% of them are drooling idiots (read Allakhazam forums.) You might think you have something to say but so does the other 99.999% of the FFXI population.

FFXI has ignored its end game community for a long long long time.

You're just bitter. They've done many things to improve end game, they've improved claim so NA have a chance, they added KS99, they've improved claim lock, they've put in a mechanism to reduce holding, and they've added in new raid and encounter styles.

this is a Dev or Webmaster that has sum'd up all the information that devs have told the community... this board is 10x bigger then any ffxi board and they still listen and answer dev-based questions freely and openly.

A company having a spin person to spout bullshit is common practice, and thats all it is, bullshit. Blizzard is just following the example of Verant/Sony Online Entertainment with EQ and the other MMORPGs before it. Paying a PR person to make the company seem all touchy-feelie and responsive does just that make it SEEM responsive. And you'ver certainly bought into the bullshit.

now look at this, this is a 2-2.5 month LARGE patch that WoW is about to release, there is sooo much content in this, that FFXI could call it a new expansion (and then work on it for 1.5 years as they actually finish it..... joking).

This is still stuff that Blizzard promised they'd have ON RELEASE a year ago. This isn't a 2-2.5 month patch, this is stuff that should have come on CD but they're only just finishing now.

not only are there new textures, 2 new HUGE end game zones, Job balances and much much more that i'm not going to go into. I mean shit! look at those weapons...

FFXI is so far behind and they aren't trying to catch up. They need something MASSIVE, which is more then just 2-3 new jobs of which only 1 will probably be anything good. New dynamis zones in this update? I hope its done right... because doing a 3.5 hour run to get loot that no one wants anymore is not fun. All i have to say is get to lvl 20-30 in wow, and it'll open your eyes.

Uh... FFXI isn't even remotely "behind" WoW. FFXI has VASTLY more content than WoW will for a long long time. DYNAMIS by itself is more end game content than WoW has. You've just played most of it already. I give you 3 months and you'll have done everything in WoW. Twice. On 3 different 60 characters. Each.

A company that fixes a bug that completely hoses access to the endgame, ala raid instance lockouts... takes 5 tries to do it, over 3 months, and a dozen patchs. That isn't responsive. Thats gross incompatence.

I mean, heres a company that has WAIT QUEUES on their servers to play. For a year. Hello? These guys can't even fix it so people can ACCESS the game, let alone fix the problems WITH the game.

Completely revamping a class (in fact every class). Repeatedly. Again, this isn't responsiveness. It's incompatence.

[Kuponut]

How can a Thief use Sneak Attack on Nidhogg and Fafnir?

Can't you use Hide and do SA from anywhere? Granted, that's only like every 5 minutes but it's better than nothing...

The reason I said that, is because Hide only works on Monsters who aggro to ONLY Sight, don't detect by anything other than sight, and Nidhogg and Fafnir I would assume are True Sight, so I think Hide wouldn't work on them, and I doubt anyone would want their Thief hitting them in the back either (I should say, that I have never fought Nidhogg or Fafnir, so I don't know how Spike Flail works, just that it involves someone with hate being behind a wyrm)

You could use Hide one time during the fight, which would be if you had no hate on Fafnir or Nidhogg at all, but once you get hate, Hide would Fail

[DrObvious]

I've seen thieves use Hide+SATA on mobs like lizards and weapons, neither of which aggro to sight. I don't see why they'd bother if it didn't do anything. From what I've seen/been told, the whole purpose of Hide in exp parties is so that you don't have to go behind the mob. Of course this is all second hand information from thieves I've partied with or talked to.

[NynJa]

I've seen thieves use Hide+SATA on mobs like lizards and weapons, neither of which aggro to sight. I don't see why they'd bother if it didn't do anything. From what I've seen/been told, the whole purpose of Hide in exp parties is so that you don't have to go behind the mob. Of course this is all second hand information from thieves I've partied with or talked to.

StupidTHF uses Hide, but is spotted by the Lizard or Weapon.

[Nyxx]

Heh that's a good question is fafhogg true sight/sound? Has he ever been up long enough for anyone to check, I always assumed he is claimed almost instantly.

[Not Kuno]

Yes it is. You can tell when theres maint or something, you might see an unclaimed faf walking around ready to destroy everyone. Same with Adamantoise, except that thing has crazy ass agro range.

[Okan]

you know what the real problem is..... it's how they operate. How they conduct and run the company. There are very few people in the company that want to be accessible, and the rest cant breath the wrong way without permission. After working, living, and knowing japan very very well... this company is run just like all japanese companies are run. It's not wrong, it's just not right.

It is right. If people had access to the developers they would never get anything done. I don't have the numbers on hand but you're talking over 100k players and 95% of them are drooling idiots (read Allakhazam forums.) You might think you have something to say but so does the other 99.999% of the FFXI population.

I think Rooster is right. It's not right by American standards, but it's completely acceptable by Japanese standards.

FFXI has ignored its end game community for a long long long time.

You're just bitter. They've done many things to improve end game, they've improved claim so NA have a chance, they added KS99, they've improved claim lock, they've put in a mechanism to reduce holding, and they've added in new raid and encounter styles.

WoW has also ignored their entire community for a long time. Rooster, you're just starting to play now. You didn't see it a year ago when WoW's forums were just a bunch of "WTF".. They have serious log in and server issues. Not saying SE doesn't, mind you. They constantly add new stuff that people don't care for, ala SE. WoW DOES listen to its players, but look what happened to most of the jobs. Nerf sticked. Paladin used to be a really good job and really well balanced. (You Horde that complained that you couldn't kill them... Did they EVER kill you? Paladin doesn't have DPS but they had the best survivability.)

this is a Dev or Webmaster that has sum'd up all the information that devs have told the community... this board is 10x bigger then any ffxi board and they still listen and answer dev-based questions freely and openly.

A company having a spin person to spout bullshit is common practice, and thats all it is, bullshit. Blizzard is just following the example of Verant/Sony Online Entertainment with EQ and the other MMORPGs before it. Paying a PR person to make the company seem all touchy-feelie and responsive does just that make it SEEM responsive. And you'ver certainly bought into the bullshit.

WoW's GMs on the forums say the same damn thing that SE does at their few interviews "We're working on it, but can't give specific details!! You'll like it though!" Yeah.. They give the same info as SE. "We're adding new jobs and new areas. Here's a few screens. Leave us alone."

now look at this, this is a 2-2.5 month LARGE patch that WoW is about to release, there is sooo much content in this, that FFXI could call it a new expansion (and then work on it for 1.5 years as they actually finish it..... joking).

This is still stuff that Blizzard promised they'd have ON RELEASE a year ago. This isn't a 2-2.5 month patch, this is stuff that should have come on CD but they're only just finishing now.

I don't think I need a response.

not only are there new textures, 2 new HUGE end game zones, Job balances and much much more that i'm not going to go into. I mean shit! look at those weapons...

FFXI is so far behind and they aren't trying to catch up. They need something MASSIVE, which is more then just 2-3 new jobs of which only 1 will probably be anything good. New dynamis zones in this update? I hope its done right... because doing a 3.5 hour run to get loot that no one wants anymore is not fun. All i have to say is get to lvl 20-30 in wow, and it'll open your eyes.

Uh... FFXI isn't even remotely "behind" WoW. FFXI has VASTLY more content than WoW will for a long long time. DYNAMIS by itself is more end game content than WoW has. You've just played most of it already. I give you 3 months and you'll have done everything in WoW. Twice. On 3 different 60 characters. Each.

A company that fixes a bug that completely hoses access to the endgame, ala raid instance lockouts... takes 5 tries to do it, over 3 months, and a dozen patchs. That isn't responsive. Thats gross incompatence.

I mean, heres a company that has WAIT QUEUES on their servers to play. For a year. Hello? These guys can't even fix it so people can ACCESS the game, let alone fix the problems WITH the game.

Completely revamping a class (in fact every class). Repeatedly. Again, this isn't responsiveness. It's incompatence.

Again, WoW isn't lightyears, or any days, a head of FFXI. It's new and fresh so THAT'S why you're loving it now. I was the same way. You'll find out one day too.

[rooster]

That's fine, I'm just going with what has a future in my eyes.

ok, but the last whole year of end game content has been a joke in FFXI, updates are sparce. there are 2-4 new instance that are going to be added in the next 2+ months. Then in 6-8 months a new lvl, cap 6-8 new instances, and 2 new races etc etc etc. The next expansion is also already in the works from what i hear.

I see an un-ps2-capped future with WoW.

I'll still be in FFXI for new stuffs tho.

[Kuponut]

I've seen thieves use Hide+SATA on mobs like lizards and weapons, neither of which aggro to sight. I don't see why they'd bother if it didn't do anything. From what I've seen/been told, the whole purpose of Hide in exp parties is so that you don't have to go behind the mob. Of course this is all second hand information from thieves I've partied with or talked to.

-_- Thief can use Sneak Attack, then Hide, and hit a Lizzy or Weapon WHEREVER they want for normal Sneak attack, but ONLY if the Thief has not done anything to the weapon that would cause the Thief to have any hate on the Weapon or Lizzy, if the Thief has hit the monster, stolen from the monster, Ranged Attack, etc... Thief CANNOT use Hide, it will Fail, seriously, which is what I said in the last part of my post if you ever got to reading it

You seem like someone who has not played as Thief, at least to level 35 where you get Hide, Using SA(+TA)+Hide is nice in experience parties I guess, but, Thief usually pulls, so the monster would have to be a gobby, Cockatrice, Yagudo, ANYTHING that only aggros to Sight, and doesn't Track by sound/smell, however, I Rarely EVER use SA(+TA)+Hide in Experience parties, Because I would only use that where the monster can be hidden from, but I would rather save hide for when I accidently get an add when pulling, or if we have a RNG in the party, and they get an add, I can run out, get hate on the add, then run from the party, then Hide, and then I lose the aggro for the party, I also like to seperate SA and TA anyways, so using Hide for damaging purposes doesn't interest me much


Thief can use TA while in hiding, and it won't cancel Hide, very odd^^

[NynJa]

I've seen thieves use Hide+SATA on mobs like lizards and weapons, neither of which aggro to sight. I don't see why they'd bother if it didn't do anything. From what I've seen/been told, the whole purpose of Hide in exp parties is so that you don't have to go behind the mob. Of course this is all second hand information from thieves I've partied with or talked to.

-_- Thief can use Sneak Attack, then Hide, and hit a Lizzy or Weapon WHEREVER they want for normal Sneak attack, but ONLY if the Thief has not done anything to the weapon that would cause the Thief to have any hate on the Weapon or Lizzy, if the Thief has hit the monster, stolen from the monster, Ranged Attack, etc... Thief CANNOT use Hide, it will Fail, seriously, which is what I said in the last part of my post if you ever got to reading it

You seem like someone who has not played as Thief, at least to level 35 where you get Hide, Using SA(+TA)+Hide is nice in experience parties I guess, but, Thief usually pulls, so the monster would have to be a gobby, Cockatrice, Yagudo, ANYTHING that only aggros to Sight, and doesn't Track by sound/smell, however, I Rarely EVER use SA(+TA)+Hide in Experience parties, Because I would only use that where the monster can be hidden from, but I would rather save hide for when I accidently get an add when pulling, or if we have a RNG in the party, and they get an add, I can run out, get hate on the add, then run from the party, then Hide, and then I lose the aggro for the party, I also like to seperate SA and TA anyways, so using Hide for damaging purposes doesn't interest me much


Thief can use TA while in hiding, and it won't cancel Hide, very odd^^

I didnt believe you, so I tried it out.
the use of TA wont cancel invisible either.

[FFXIFlux]

That's fine, I'm just going with what has a future in my eyes.

ok, but the last whole year of end game content has been a joke in FFXI, updates are sparce. there are 2-4 new instance that are going to be added in the next 2+ months. Then in 6-8 months a new lvl, cap 6-8 new instances, and 2 new races etc etc etc. The next expansion is also already in the works from what i hear.

I see an un-ps2-capped future with WoW.

I'll still be in FFXI for new stuffs tho.

FFXI is getting expansions every 1-1.5 years or so, which is a LOT longer than things like Everquest did/does AND IT SHOWS, and they DO deserve to lose players over it. But guess how frequently Blizzard is putting out expansions for WoW... yep. > 1 year per.

[Okan]

That's fine, I'm just going with what has a future in my eyes.

ok, but the last whole year of end game content has been a joke in FFXI, updates are sparce. there are 2-4 new instance that are going to be added in the next 2+ months. Then in 6-8 months a new lvl, cap 6-8 new instances, and 2 new races etc etc etc. The next expansion is also already in the works from what i hear.

I see an un-ps2-capped future with WoW.

I'll still be in FFXI for new stuffs tho.

FFXI is getting expansions every 1-1.5 years or so, which is a LOT longer than things like Everquest did/does AND IT SHOWS, and they DO deserve to lose players over it. But guess how frequently Blizzard is putting out expansions for WoW... yep. > 1 year per.

I remember reading WoW wouldn't put out expansions at all and all additional content would be free.. hmmm.

[Khamsin]

WoW gets a lot more press time, too.

It even made it to Jeopardy.

[Sekkite]

WoW gets a lot more press time, too.

It even made it to Jeopardy.