Letter from the Producer, XXVI (03/26/2012)

Hello again, all you FFXIVers out there! It’s my pleasure today to deliver to you the twenty-sixth Letter from the Producer.

Patch 1.21 has finally gone live, and the World Merge is just around the corner. Things are still hectic here on the development team, but seeing how much everyone is enjoying the new content—the jobs chief among them—we’re pressing on towards the coming patches in high spirits.

I was rather finicky when it came to the job quests, and must confess to having put all the people involved to work like a slave-driver (credit to the scenario people, lead by Yaeko Sato, and the quest implementation, cutscene, and SFX teams for rising to the occasion). What’s more, till now I’ve refrained from meddling directly with work on the floor, but this time I couldn’t resist the urge and ended up contributing in-game text. I wonder if players can tell which job quests have my hand in them. :)

I’m personally a big fan of the Professor Erik and Widargelt duo in the monk quests, and am also fond of Jehantel of bard quest fame. The latter includes a flashback scene which shows Jehantel the Godsbow as he was in his prime. Though he appears for only the briefest of moments, the scene was a labor of love by all those in charge, and I highly recommend you watch it again by perusing The Unending Journey found in every inn room. :)

On the subject of quests, the eccentric detective and his assistant deserve a mention. The people in charge of these two characters are simply ecstatic at the positive fan reception. As a matter of fact, they were in my office just now expressing their excitement. It may be some time after patch 1.22, but rest assured the investigative duo will appear again and embroil themselves in all sorts of incidents. I hope you all look forward to it!

Now then, as I mentioned earlier, work on 1.21a and 1.22 proceeds even as I write. Below is a list of updates scheduled for the latter.

Quests
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">Ongoing</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">Seventh Umbral Era quests</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">Planning and implementation of quests</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">Ongoing</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">Storylines and world quests</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">Development and release of supplemental storylines and world quests</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Garuda quest</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Implementation of quest for Garuda battle</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr></table>
New Content
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center" rowspan="2">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" rowspan="2">-NEW- Garuda battle</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Implementation of Garuda battle</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Implementation of Garuda battle (hard)</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center" rowspan="3">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" rowspan="3">-NEW- Hamlet defense</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Hamlet item replenishment duties</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Addition of hamlet-related gathering points</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Defense duties based on hamlet level</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center" rowspan="3">1.22 -1.22a</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" rowspan="3">-NEW- Private room expansion</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Expansion of Teleport/Return destinations to include private rooms</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Placement of storage for untradable items</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Addition of login event for private rooms</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22 -1.22a</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Job-exclusive weapons</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Implementation of content for acquiring and upgrading job-exclusive weapons.</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">* In final stage of cost estimation. High likelihood of a 1.22a release.</td></tr></table>
Guildleves
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center" rowspan="3">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" rowspan="3">-NEW- Local levequest revisions</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Change to suitable recipes</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Revision of leve objectives</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">* May be postponed to 1.22a due to text volume.</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Revision of reward system</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr></table>
Behest
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">Ongoing</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">Balancing of behests</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">Further adjustments to behest difficulty and rewards</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr></table>
Company System
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- New Grand Company ranks</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Release of higher Grand Company ranks</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- New seal exchange items</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Addition of items exchangeable for company seals</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Exchange item buff system</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Implementation of buff system for company seal exchange items</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr></table>
Enemies and Non-Instanced Areas
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Imperial stronghold</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Construction of an imperial stronghold related to Meteor</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- New imperial weaponry</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Implementation of new imperial weaponry</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Eased instanced raid requirements</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Eased party requirements for entry into the Aurum Vale and Cutter's Cry</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">Ongoing</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">Balancing of enemy attributes</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">Adjustments to enemy parameters and reexamination of drops</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr></table>
Battle System
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">Ongoing</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">Class action effect adjustments</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">Ongoing adjustments based on player feedback</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">Ongoing</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Job balance adjustments</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Ongoing adjustments to job balance</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Battle log revisions</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Partial revisions to battle log spec</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">* Work commenced in patch 1.21, with cost estimation currently being finalized. High likelihood of release in 1.22a or later.</td></tr></table>
Items, Synthesis, and Gathering
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- High-level recipes</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Addition of class-exclusive high-level recipes</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">* Planned to be highly challenging synthesis.</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- High-level recipe items</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Addition of new ingredients for high-level recipes</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center" rowspan="4">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" rowspan="4">-NEW- Materia crafting</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Addition of new materia types</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Implementation of system for seeking materia melding</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Making certain unique/untradable items convertible into materia</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">* To be implemented in balance with materia created from normal items.</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Adjustment of stats for existing materia</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Removal of synthesis timer</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Removal of command input timer in synthesis</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Increased synthesis speed</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Shortening of animation for synthesis actions </td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Ability revisions</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Removal or improvement of less useful abilities</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">* May be postponed due to balance considerations.</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">Ongoing</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Food and medicine adjustments</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">-NEW- Removal or improvement of less useful abilities</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">Ongoing</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">Review of gear attributes</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">Adjustment of attributes for existing gear</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr></table>
User Interface (UI)
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Hamlet defense interface</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Implementation of a dedicated interface for hamlet defense</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Hamlet replenishment ranking interface</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Implementation of a dedicated interface for ranking hamlet replenishment</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Hamlet defense map markers</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Implementation of dedicated map markers for hamlet defense</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- /job command adjustments</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Making the /job command server-side instead of client-side</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Spellcasting interface adjustments</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Ongoing adjustments to spellcasting specifications</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Materia melding bazaar</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Implementation of interface for seeking materia melding</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Log interface adjustments</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Step-by-step adjustments in areas such as log transparency and partitioning</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">* In final stage of cost estimation. High likelihood of release in 1.22a or later.</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Weapon DPS display</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Addition of damage-per-second display to weapon information</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Materia interface adjustments</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Adjustments to display of information such as melding requirements</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5" align="center">-</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td01"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">1.22</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Display name adjustments</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">-NEW- Implementation of option to toggle display name by character type</td><td bgcolor="#f6efe5">* In final stage of cost estimation. High likelihood of release in 1.22a or later.</td></tr></table>
The Lodestone
<table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" align="center" class="ta01"><tr valign="middle" align="center" class="th01"><td width="12%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Patch</td><td width="25%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Planned</td><td width="32%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Current Tasks</td><td width="31%" bgcolor="#f5cca2">Notes</td></tr><tr valign="middle" align="left" class="td02"><td bgcolor="#f8dfc5" align="center">Ongoing</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">My Page</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3">Improvement of My Page features</td><td bgcolor="#fffaf3" align="center">-</td></tr></table>
Patch 1.22 will see the threat of the Seventh Umbral Era grow ever more apparent. A new primal, Garuda, will descend to offer players the fight of their lives, while swarms of monsters will fall upon hamlets with a vengeance. You’ll also want to keep an eye on the developments between adventurers and entities like the Grand Companies and the Garlean Empire.

Hamlet defense, postponed from 1.21, appears in today’s list. Replenishing supplies in order to expand and fortify hamlets will form part of the content, which can be enjoyed not only by battle classes, but crafters and gatherers as well. We believe that it will be worth the wait!

As for the all-important release date for 1.22, we’re aiming to have it go live at the end of April, ahead of the holiday period in Japan known as Golden Week. The whole team is running full tilt to meet this objective.

Now, I’d like to make an extra mention regarding the job-exclusive weapons listed among the updates. As you can see, there’s a chance that it’ll take until patch 1.22a or later. We’re in the middle of finalizing cost estimation, and so dates are still up in the air. I’ll be sure to keep you in the know on our progress in coming letters.

And that’s about it for now. See you next time and/or on the forums! :)