RPGFAN WOTG Interview

[Malaquist]

I skimmed the business discussion up to here.

This is like having the cure for cancer discovered but all the research trashed because they don't have the 'manpower' or 'funding' to produce it.

Are you comparing a cure for cancer to new hairstyles in a video game? Just checking on that one.

RPGFan: A lot of content in Chains of Promathia was capped at level 30, so it was available to a larger amount of players. [Since] Wings of the Goddess is for more hardcore players, does that mean that dungeons will not have a level cap?

SE: Probably there won't be any level capped areas. There might be something like Assault Missions from Aht Urghan, where you choose if you want to put the cap on. There will be things like that, but for [mandatory level caps], there won't be any.

This is the thing I'm most excited about in the entire expansion. Not a fan of 30 minutes of muling for cap gear.

[divisortheory]

Too bad nobody said to themselves "hey I bet 700 other websites and people are gonna do the exact same interview, maybe we should ask different questions"

[Intense]

I always thought that by the traditional methods, Non-windower PC uses are at a disadvantage to PS2 users in the sense that PS2 users can be logged on while surfing the net on their computers. I think that Windower for PC evens it out.

[Sho]

Do you shop at Walmart? Do you know what they do to get those wonderful "Rollback Prices"? They stick representatives of companies in small rooms similar to that of a police interrogation and the TELL that representative what they will pay that company for their product. There is no negotiation. Either the company accepts the offer or they don't get their product in Walmart's stores. Walmart exploits companies on a daily basis and the better that product sells in Walmart's stores they force that company to lower their prices more.

Exploiting is everywhere. Using windower is even a way of exploiting this game so that you can have the privilege of browsing the internet without DCing while playing FFXI on one PC. Using 3rd PT programs to get claim of HNMs is another exploit. Personally I'd love to hear the dumbass that would say they wouldn't want work experience working with SE to redesign characters and items to help SE overcome the PS2 limitations to allow the game to grow beyond it's current conditions and get a well known video game company's name on their resume. Which will greatly help them get a job over the thousands of other college students that are competitions for the same job as them. But no why would they want to get 'exploited' for their cheap highly competitive labor when they can work at Walmart.

If there's a way to fix the PS2 limitations then SE should stop using it as an excuse and fix it.

Is Walmart a Japanese company? Japanese and American business practices are completely different. The American way is to cut costs by squeezing as much out of your resources as possible for the lowest cost, by any means necessary. The Japanese typically do it (esp in the case of auto mfg, which ringthree was getting at) by process efficiencies, and a lot of the time, they destroy the American companies in the end. Just because American companies are willing to stick college students in a room for low pay to do their work doesn't mean companies in the rest of the world are, because some cultures are *gasp* against exploitation and inefficiency. American business concepts aren't always the best business concepts, and anyone who's taken a management course knows this already. Like he said, try telling GM or Ford that Japan fails at business concepts.

Do your research before you blow up at someone with a valid point, dimwit.

True American business concepts aren't always the best but neither is a 4 year old excuse "PS2 limitations". How is "We have a solution to PS2 limitations but can't do it because of lack of manpower" which is CLEARLY untrue 'efficient'. It's not. And last time I looked America was a bigger world leader than Japan. Let's see Japan invade a few countries in the name of democracy and the whole world basically stands by and doesn't do shit about it when it's been clearly noted their leader lied about the reasons for going to war. Sorry but I look at the bigger picture. I like how you ignored my questions and comments about windower and shopping at walmart though. It's always great to see ppl ignore the comments that are obviously true but they can't admit because it makes them look like a hypocrite while trying to make their point have more merit.

Yes Japan has some good business practices yet it's clear that some japan companies don't (i.e. - SE)
Yes America is good at cost cutting that others may find questionable (i.e. - walmart)
No it is not acceptable to use the same excuse for 4 years after admitting you have a solution to the problem.
Again the work experience from a large company helps when your competitive job market helps greatly. Sounds like you'd rather not have that work experience or that advantage.

This is like having the cure for cancer discovered but all the research trashed because they don't have the 'manpower' or 'funding' to produce it.

You don't have a damn clue what you are talking about; just stop, lol. The PS2 excuse is just that-- it's a hardware limitation-- something that would have been completely worked around if Sony made updates to the HDD (in which they scrapped a bit after a few more Japanese HDD games), or sold ones of a bigger capacity. Also if you've been reading all the updates for WotG, you'd know that SE is running thier workers all over the place, between updating ToAU and working on this project. Anyways, it boils down to you not having a clue about business cultures.

[ringthree]

What we really need is for the next time the premier sites get interviews, FFXI and Alla at least, have them coordinate their questions. And honestly I don't think anyone would mind getting a little input from BG either. Working together is going to be our best way to get information. For the stuff that we know we are going to hear from other generic sources like 1UP and stuff, just let them ask it. We need to be asking the follow-up questions first, so we can get deeper information. Like we don't need 6 sites asking about new jobs and all getting "more than 1." Let 1UP ask that, and the premier sites should be asking more detailed and nuanced questions about the new jobs.

Stupid internet rivalries are useless. Especially when the people that run these sites all appear to have a decent relationship. Coordinated questions between the premier sites will get the fans much more depth and breadth in the information coming from SE.

[Angelsin]

I didn't ignore a thing. Your comments about windower and 3rd party programs being "exploits" is pretty much irrelevant to the issue. Windower and cheats have nothing to do with SE or their business practices, because they're not the ones that created them. Yes, they have to deal with them, but how does something a company didn't create have anything to do with their business practices? As for your argument about Walmart, it was the entire basis for my comment. Learn to read. You did an amazing job ignoring my comments about culture though. Who's the hypocrite again?

You're arguing that a Japanese company, steeped in Japanese culture and business practices, adopt an extremely American view of business. It's not about who's right or who's wrong, it's about the fucking culture. Try to run a business in Japan using your ideology, you'll fail miserably. Likewise, a Japanese businessman starting a business in America using his ideology will get eaten up by American workers. Think about the culture you're discussing before making a blanket statement.

Arguing against exploitation and using tools (programs to get an advantage in games or products sold through companies that exploit other companies through tactics) makes you the hypocrite. They are not irrelevant to the issue at all. I'm calling bullshit on your beliefs. I'm saying your full of shit by arguing that exploitation is wrong but have no problem using services provided through exploitation. That's like being a member of Peta and eating meat or using insulin which was founded through animal testing. SE has been against cheating and exploitation and it shows in their monthly bannings. What SE does in the name of their culture I really don't give a shit. But that doesn't mean I have to agree with how they do what they do. Welcome to my culture. I shop at walmart and use windower. If I can get it cheaper then why would I pay more for the same product from someone else. And as you said I'm not wrong in these thought because they are a part of my culture.

And where do you think these 'business practices' that America and Japan have originate from? Oh yeah - their CULTURE. I don't need to comment on a country's culture when is common sense that their business practices are founded on it. It's the same thing.

Again you're not looking at the bigger picture. The world is becoming more connected and pretty much 'smaller' everyday. And to address your running a business in Japan/America points I'd run a business most likely in America founded on Japan's efficiency and America's costing cutting practices. To this day I don't know why more companies are embracing theories and practices and learning from other countries in the world. I like to have a more global perspective on things and learn from others. Some things work and some things don't. If you are fine accepting the excuses of 4 years ago fine, but that's not me.

The PS2 excuse is just that-- it's a hardware limitation-- something that would have been completely worked around if Sony made updates to the HDD (in which they scrapped a bit after a few more Japanese HDD games), or sold ones of a bigger capacity. Also if you've been reading all the updates for WotG, you'd know that SE is running thier workers all over the place, between updating ToAU and working on this project.

SE: Because we want everyone playing the same version, we have the wall of the PS2 version. While there is the ability to create better stuff with the PC, it would leave the PS2 players stuck. But more than the memory issue, probably the biggest problem with adding new hairstyles or races or face types, we would have to go back and [re-model] those pieces for this type of hair, and do that for the thousands of models of armor. That's probably the biggest thing, there's just not the time and manpower to do that.

Sorry but when I think "memory issue", "hardware capacity" doesn't seem like a solution to me. When I think memory I think RAM. Adding a bigger hard drive is not the same as adding more RAM. You're going to need to explain this one a bit better. They've been saying the limitations are on the PS2 - not their hard drive.

[ringthree]

I didn't ignore a thing. Your comments about windower and 3rd party programs being "exploits" is pretty much irrelevant to the issue. Windower and cheats have nothing to do with SE or their business practices, because they're not the ones that created them. Yes, they have to deal with them, but how does something a company didn't create have anything to do with their business practices? As for your argument about Walmart, it was the entire basis for my comment. Learn to read. You did an amazing job ignoring my comments about culture though. Who's the hypocrite again?

You're arguing that a Japanese company, steeped in Japanese culture and business practices, adopt an extremely American view of business. It's not about who's right or who's wrong, it's about the fucking culture. Try to run a business in Japan using your ideology, you'll fail miserably. Likewise, a Japanese businessman starting a business in America using his ideology will get eaten up by American workers. Think about the culture you're discussing before making a blanket statement.

Arguing against exploitation and using tools (programs to get an advantage in games or products sold through companies that exploit other companies through tactics) makes you the hypocrite. They are not irrelevant to the issue at all. I'm calling bullshit on your beliefs. I'm saying your full of shit by arguing that exploitation is wrong but have no problem using services provided through exploitation. That's like being a member of Peta and eating meat or using insulin which was founded through animal testing. SE has been against cheating and exploitation and it shows in their monthly bannings. What SE does in the name of their culture I really don't give a shit. But that doesn't mean I have to agree with how they do what they do. Welcome to my culture. I shop at walmart and use windower. If I can get it cheaper then why would I pay more for the same product from someone else. And as you said I'm not wrong in these thought because they are a part of my culture.

And where do you think these 'business practices' that America and Japan have originate from? Oh yeah - their CULTURE. I don't need to comment on a country's culture when is common sense that their business practices are founded on it. It's the same thing.

Again you're not looking at the bigger picture. The world is becoming more connected and pretty much 'smaller' everyday. And to address your running a business in Japan/America points I'd run a business most likely in America founded on Japan's efficiency and America's costing cutting practices. To this day I don't know why more companies are embracing theories and practices and learning from other countries in the world. I like to have a more global perspective on things and learn from others. Some things work and some things don't. If you are fine accepting the excuses of 4 years ago fine, but that's not me.

The PS2 excuse is just that-- it's a hardware limitation-- something that would have been completely worked around if Sony made updates to the HDD (in which they scrapped a bit after a few more Japanese HDD games), or sold ones of a bigger capacity. Also if you've been reading all the updates for WotG, you'd know that SE is running thier workers all over the place, between updating ToAU and working on this project.

SE: Because we want everyone playing the same version, we have the wall of the PS2 version. While there is the ability to create better stuff with the PC, it would leave the PS2 players stuck. But more than the memory issue, probably the biggest problem with adding new hairstyles or races or face types, we would have to go back and [re-model] those pieces for this type of hair, and do that for the thousands of models of armor. That's probably the biggest thing, there's just not the time and manpower to do that.

Sorry but when I think "memory issue", "hardware capacity" doesn't seem like a solution to me. When I think memory I think RAM. Adding a bigger hard drive is not the same as adding more RAM. You're going to need to explain this one a bit better. They've been saying the limitations are on the PS2 - not their hard drive.

Inane agenda post? Do you have a point besides you don't like the PS2 limitation excuse? They aren't going to change the models, get over it.

[Intense]

Inane agenda post? Do you have a point besides you don't like the PS2 limitation excuse? They aren't going to change the models, get over it.

Im sure they would if there was overwhelming demand for it.

[ringthree]

Inane agenda post? Do you have a point besides you don't like the PS2 limitation excuse? They aren't going to change the models, get over it.

Im sure they would if there was overwhelming demand for it.

Yeah, probably. Thank god the average player wants more content over new hairstyles.

[Intense]

Inane agenda post? Do you have a point besides you don't like the PS2 limitation excuse? They aren't going to change the models, get over it.

Im sure they would if there was overwhelming demand for it.

Yeah, probably. Thank god the average player wants more content over new hairstyles.

If given the option between the 2 (Which I dont see why there has to be), one would pick new content. But you know, its possible to want 2 things at 1 time.

[skurlover]

Inane agenda post? Do you have a point besides you don't like the PS2 limitation excuse? They aren't going to change the models, get over it.

Im sure they would if there was overwhelming demand for it.

Yeah, probably. Thank god the average player wants more content over new hairstyles.

That's where you are wrong Ring. Remember, the "average" player is the Alla poster, not the elitist bastard like yourself that only cares about content.

[Valacirca]

Arguing against exploitation and using tools (programs to get an advantage in games or products sold through companies that exploit other companies through tactics) makes you the hypocrite. They are not irrelevant to the issue at all. I'm calling bullshit on your beliefs. I'm saying your full of shit by arguing that exploitation is wrong but have no problem using services provided through exploitation. That's like being a member of Peta and eating meat or using insulin which was founded through animal testing.

Holy shit, you are just absolutely terrible at the whole "analogy" concept.

I shop at walmart

That explains a lot.

[Angelsin]

Inane agenda post? Do you have a point besides you don't like the PS2 limitation excuse? They aren't going to change the models, get over it.

Changing the models would free this game of many issues it faces. Hairstyles is a manpower and time constraint not a PS2 limitation constraint. SE admitted that in the bold part of that quote that I and someone else posted. Yes I agree that SE isn't going to change the models anytime soon. But it would be nice in a few years or so that they move from the PS2 to the PS3 to free this game from those limitations.

Arguing against exploitation and using tools (programs to get an advantage in games or products sold through companies that exploit other companies through tactics) makes you the hypocrite. They are not irrelevant to the issue at all. I'm calling bullshit on your beliefs. I'm saying your full of shit by arguing that exploitation is wrong but have no problem using services provided through exploitation. That's like being a member of Peta and eating meat or using insulin which was founded through animal testing.

Holy shit, you are just absolutely terrible at the whole "analogy" concept.

How am I bad at the analogy concept. An analogy is a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based. Aka being against exploitation and supporting and using things based on exploitation can easily be compared to being a member of Peta and eating animals. I guess you don't know what Peta is.

[Khamsin]

Too bad nobody said to themselves "hey I bet 700 other websites and people are gonna do the exact same interview, maybe we should ask different questions"

If everyone thought that way, none of those questions would have been asked, and we'd have no idea there were new jobs planned, that the expansion was focused on the past, or that they were going to add a windowed mode.

[Cjskater]

If everyone thought that way, none of those questions would have been asked, and we'd have no idea there were new jobs planned, that the expansion was focused on the past, or that they were going to add a windowed mode.

I'm pretty sure we've at least known the windowed mode for like half a year. >.> If it was sarcasm then oops!

[Valacirca]

How am I bad at the analogy concept. An analogy is a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based.

Yes, and your analogies suck because they fail at finding a similarity between what you're arguing and what you're presenting as representative of that similarity. "Exploiting workers is just like using windower, lol." That's fucking ridiculous.

Aka being against exploitation and supporting and using things based on exploitation can easily be compared to being a member of Peta and eating animals.

The difference is that in one example you're talking about the "exploitation" of two things which have nothing to do with each other and have a very large difference in outcomes, and in the other example the two ideas have a clear connection but the only point you're making with it in relation to this argument is that it would make someone a hypocrite. The latter analogy only has a relation to the argument if you believe the former does make you a hypocrite, and you've failed in making a compelling case as to why the former example would make one a hypocrite. I'm thinking you only wanted to call someone a hypocrite since you think that would somehow make your original stance correct somehow.

This is a ridiculously stupid thing to be arguing about in the first place.

I guess you don't know what Peta is.

Now you're just being an ass. Its "PETA" by the way.

[Ferien]

Arguing against exploitation and using tools (programs to get an advantage in games or products sold through companies that exploit other companies through tactics) makes you the hypocrite. They are not irrelevant to the issue at all. I'm calling bullshit on your beliefs. I'm saying your full of shit by arguing that exploitation is wrong but have no problem using services provided through exploitation. That's like being a member of Peta and eating meat or using insulin which was founded through animal testing. SE has been against cheating and exploitation and it shows in their monthly bannings. What SE does in the name of their culture I really don't give a shit. But that doesn't mean I have to agree with how they do what they do. Welcome to my culture. I shop at walmart and use windower. If I can get it cheaper then why would I pay more for the same product from someone else. And as you said I'm not wrong in these thought because they are a part of my culture.

And where do you think these 'business practices' that America and Japan have originate from? Oh yeah - their CULTURE. I don't need to comment on a country's culture when is common sense that their business practices are founded on it. It's the same thing.

Again you're not looking at the bigger picture. The world is becoming more connected and pretty much 'smaller' everyday. And to address your running a business in Japan/America points I'd run a business most likely in America founded on Japan's efficiency and America's costing cutting practices. To this day I don't know why more companies are embracing theories and practices and learning from other countries in the world. I like to have a more global perspective on things and learn from others. Some things work and some things don't. If you are fine accepting the excuses of 4 years ago fine, but that's not me.

Yea, you're an idiot. First off, I'm not arguing against "exploitation". I'm an American business student, in New York fucking City. I know all about using cheap college students to get the job done because they're willing to work for the padded resume. Shit, I'm one of them. Comparing windower and 3rd party tools to SE's business practices is just inane. They ban people for using cheats because it's against the rules, not their fucking business culture.

What I did say, is that your opinion of "hire a bunch of cheap college students to do the grunt work" was bullshit because you're applying your American ideology to a Japanese culture. It doesn't make a shit of a difference where they're selling their product, they're still a Japanese company. It's just not going to fucking happen. You want SE to change something seated in 3000 years of culture because you want fucking hairstyles in a video game? Give me a fucking break.

[Lordender]

this interview was lol at best -.-

[divisortheory]

Too bad nobody said to themselves "hey I bet 700 other websites and people are gonna do the exact same interview, maybe we should ask different questions"

If everyone thought that way, none of those questions would have been asked, and we'd have no idea there were new jobs planned, that the expansion was focused on the past, or that they were going to add a windowed mode.

I know. I only wanted one person to think that way though

[Sagacious Sundi]

RPGFan: A lot of content in Chains of Promathia was capped at level 30, so it was available to a larger amount of players. [Since] Wings of the Goddess is for more hardcore players, does that mean that dungeons will not have a level cap?

Promyvion (excluding Vahzl) = a lot of content now? We have:
30 cap: 3 areas, 3 missions, 3 ENM quests
40 cap: 3 areas, 3 missions, 3? ENM quests
50 cap: 4 areas, 4 missions, 3? ENM quests
60 cap: 1 area, 3 missions, 2+? ENM quests