Interim Report – Sorry to keep you all waiting!

[Phogg]

Communication is great and all but from a consumer's perspective all I get from this is "Yeah, we take forever to develop content, but look at all these things we "plan" to do (like what we "planned" to do a year ago and never completed). So, just sit back and keep paying us to take forever to actually do anything. So sorry, wish I could do more, can't, kthx"

Sorry but the content IS SKIMPY. You can finish voidwatch clears in a matter of weeks. Adding a ridiculous drop rate with people going 0/200 of their desired item is not the same as making actual content. It simply makes skimpy content take longer, and it's mildly offensive that the developers think people are stupid enough to accept that answer. Legion and Neo-Nyzul are just a matter of how badly you get screwed by randomness or ridiculous AOE wipes. Meebles has arbitrary limitations on frequency.

-New content takes entirely too long to develop at this point.

-The majority of updates in the last year have been minor tweaks.

-If the resources for these normal expected monthly fee driven content updates are being used for a paid expansion which we have no idea when will be launched, then it should be heavily discounted to make up for a year to two years worth of lackluster skimpy content by the time it launches.

Some might feel reassured with some note from the devs but I could really give a shit, I want to see value in my monthly fee and I don't see that right now.

[Camate]

Greetings!

I have a couple follow-up comments from Producer Akihiko Matsui.

Thank you all so much for the comments.

The main point of yesterday’s post was to illustrate how the current situation is being perceived and our direction. I will be doing my best to let you all know the specific plans for what we will be doing as the next step.

Also, instead of posting individual topics in this thread, please post the content into an appropriate thread. By talking in this thread it will become way too large and difficult to gather up all the feedback, so we appreciate your cooperation on this.

With that said, I will respond to some comments.

I think that the development direction of redefinition is a good thing. However! From a user’s perspective it's rather late. I believe this is something that should have been done before big things like the Embrava and Perfect Defense changes or the new special abilities.

In any event, the current decay of the game is in full force. You understand this now, but unfortunately it took some time. Frankly, before your comment I really thought the game was going to collapse before Adoulin came out.

With the development team restructuring the development plans, I don’t think you need to be concerned with a roadmap. It's way better than having to add half-assed stuff and make pointless edits just to match the roadmap. I'd really like you to make a solid game patiently and diligently.

Also, in regards to the forums, I understand that you are in dire straits over there, but I think it would be best to address things a bit more frequently. I believe there are a lot of users that have left recently due to being ignored. The users that actually play the game understand the condition of the game best, so in order to keep those users from going away it's be best to listen to them. Please make a response even if the content is short, even if the response is weird. You can always retract the statement or apologize after the fact. If you don't understand, then ask the users. I really believe that it’s critical to continue to address things frequently.

I felt your spirit with this post. I think I will stick around and see what happens a bit longer.
Do you best! I don’t want to quit just yet!

As you pointed out, I would like to take this seriously.

Since we're not putting off version updates until we finish redefining everything, the redefining will be worked on alongside our regular work; however, even amidst this work I will be talking to the staff as much as possible and have them work on this as well.

In regards to adjustments, regardless of them being big or small I feel it is integral to address them frequently. Similarly for the forum as well, I will be doing my best.

I'll be cheering you on with positivity! Please do your best!

Just one thing.

I believe moderation should be done more proactively on the forums. I think the reason why trash talk, cynicism, and other forms of negativity develop is because there is a lack or complete absence of reactions despite there being serious feedback. While some posts need to be made in a careful manner, the largest criticism in response to posts is that the way the game is thought about does not follow how the game is actually played at all. I'm sure that it is extremely difficult to play in Vana'diel while creating it, but it's difficult to understand certain things if you don’t actually play the game. Please try your best to play. Thanks.

Thank you very much. I will give it my all.

To be honest, it's not that the development team and community reps do not play the game. They actually proactively play.

So with that said then, why is there a misconception about the view of the game? One large reason is it seems there are cases where there are differences. Players want to continue discussions about only merits of a specific job, whereas we want to have discussions about jobs overall with a top-down perspective. Another case is it's only possible for everyone to talk about information that has been released, whereas the development side is aware of future plans or is envisioning them in the back of their mind.

For the former example, I believe this is a problem of whether it is a benefit for an individual or a benefit for the game, and we get stuck in an endless loop.

For the latter, however, I believe that this will improve if we can increase the amount of information that can be shared with the warning that the information is not finalized. However, it will lead to a game of telephone where there will be a risk that non-finalized is said to be finalized, so we would really appreciate your cooperation linking or quoting the original post if incorrect information is popping up.

You only discussed battle content. Please do something about other aspects like chocobo raising and mog houses.

We will be addressing things besides battle.

However, since battle, jobs, and items are all closely interconnected, we consider this to be the largest pillar of the game's elements, so we would like to do this only after we are able to get all of these large elements into shape.

I read over your post. I think the whole philosophy is great. However, there is one portion that I have a question on.

Development Plans

With all that said, to make it easy to understand, we will be redefining and deciding on themes for the below points:

• Content structure
• Jobs overall
• How to add stats to items
• How to hand out rewards

Is it safe to assume by looking at this that you will not be doing anything to the core system? I believe one of the biggest problems is with haste and corresponding power inflation. I took what you said as you will be focusing on adjusting content and leaving these things as they are.

The battle system as whole, including haste, is in the scope of our discussions. I believe this to be an extremely delicate portion as it is an element that has a large extent of effects.

The staff and I are operating the forum and developing while we bear in mind that critical feedback is a blessing.

However, it's not realistic to think that a single person is doing all of it. The other development staff and community reps are working very hard as well. With that said, I would like to ask that you do not single out members, scream for me, or attack certain individuals. I appreciate your cooperation with this.

Just like I have been doing with these posts, I promise to show my face around here a bit more, even if the content is short. In the case that I'm in-between meetings and misread something or cannot keep the conversation going, I will be sure to follow-up afterwards, so please go easy on me.

[Totema]

One thing I think could help make the game more accessible to newcomers is to make EXP parties viable again at low levels. Maybe something along the lines of boosting the FoV bonus in larger groups? I think a big turnoff to a lot of new players is that most low level EXPing nowadays is just done through soloing until they can get into Abyssea, and this sometimes does a bad job of teaching you what your job does. Not to mention that it's pretty tough for some jobs, like Bard. (Please, though, I'm not talking about nerfing EXPing while soloing... I'm happy with how that is now!)

[Raksha]

Inc haste nerfs.

#rumorstarted

[Hinote]

In the case that I'm in-between meetings and misread something or cannot keep the conversation going, I will be sure to follow-up afterwards, so please go easy on me.

I just think this is adorable XD

[Mirage]

Inc haste nerfs.

#rumorstarted

It might actually be healthy for game balance. Of course, it would require current content that is made with the currently existing haste functions in mind to be adjusted too.

It could make things like Apocalypse's haste more valuable, 5/5 desperate blows+hasso actually do something, and haste samba amount to more than ~2% haste when in a high buff situation.

I would be fine with it if in medium haste situations, you felt almost no difference, but in high haste situations, average buffers would only get us to something like 75% haste, while really good buffers would manage to bring us to 81 or 82%

[Zagen]

One thing I think could help make the game more accessible to newcomers is to make EXP parties viable again at low levels. Maybe something along the lines of boosting the FoV bonus in larger groups? I think a big turnoff to a lot of new players is that most low level EXPing nowadays is just done through soloing until they can get into Abyssea, and this sometimes does a bad job of teaching you what your job does. Not to mention that it's pretty tough for some jobs, like Bard. (Please, though, I'm not talking about nerfing EXPing while soloing... I'm happy with how that is now!)

I don't know about you but whenever I have to level a job under 30 I solo up to 10-14 (not really worth teaming up at that stage anyway) and then join a party in gusgen > qufim or stay in gusgen with new syncs.

The difference between now and 2003 when I leveled jobs is that instead of being in the dunes I'm in gusgen and instead of spending 2 days to a week trying to get out of the dunes it usually takes 1-2 days in gusgen/qufim.

EXP isn't the issue for new players, learning curve is the biggest issue. After that would be the lack of good incentives for old players with missions/quests to help random new players.

[Luvbunny]

One thing I think could help make the game more accessible to newcomers is to make EXP parties viable again at low levels. Maybe something along the lines of boosting the FoV bonus in larger groups? I think a big turnoff to a lot of new players is that most low level EXPing nowadays is just done through soloing until they can get into Abyssea, and this sometimes does a bad job of teaching you what your job does. Not to mention that it's pretty tough for some jobs, like Bard. (Please, though, I'm not talking about nerfing EXPing while soloing... I'm happy with how that is now!)

This has been discussed to death in several other threads. The problem with normal xp party and the current fantastic xp boost is that, T-VT chain can get you 300-500 xp per kill with xp ring on. Coupled with 800-1200 FoV bonus per completion, this amount to get over 2k-5k exp per rounds of 1 book page. Which resulted you level so fast in one camp that you will have to move around every 60-90 mnts max. People don't like to travel to find camps which adds 10-30 mnts depending on how fast your party members can move or if they even have access to old camps. There is also issue with how fast you can finish the book and how convenient is the camp, which makes GoV the most efficient way of leveling. Granted you end up with a bunch of jobs that are grossly under skilled, but you get to pay your dues later on anyway.

[saevel]

It might actually be healthy for game balance. Of course, it would require current content that is made with the currently existing haste functions in mind to be adjusted too.

It could make things like Apocalypse's haste more valuable, 5/5 desperate blows+hasso actually do something, and haste samba amount to more than ~2% haste when in a high buff situation.

I would be fine with it if in medium haste situations, you felt almost no difference, but in high haste situations, average buffers would only get us to something like 75% haste, while really good buffers would manage to bring us to 81 or 82%

I think their referring to alter how haste works in general. Currently it's used as a percentage delay reduction.

50% haste is actually 100/(100-50) type formula instead of a (100+50)/100 type of scaling.

[Sapphires]

Im going to rant on voidwatch a bit here since some others brought it up:


Right now there is a voidwatch shout after not seeing any for a couple hours. I am posting on this forum instead of joining that shout because I am second guessing whether i should spend 120k gil yet again for 6 more chances at something that has a 1 in 1500 chance of dropping.

You have game content I want to play and enjoy but you have turned it into a moneysink that has become increasingly frustrating due to 'bad luck' and a system that replenishes voidstones too slowly.
Something like Qilin is not hard game content, it is now a loot grind that I have to keep paying gil to participate in for a rare/ex drop.

I use rubi cells, red alignment always capped to 550% so what gives with your battle content design and sense of balance? I enjoy the luck factor but there comes a tipping point where players get bitter and angry their time and gil invested does not yield the treasure they desire from these events.


To compound this frustration, voidwatch participation has been suffering also partly due to not everyone being willing to 'gamble' on voidwatch and buy voiddust. Your perceived success of the event in the past was largely tainted by the cruor->gil abuse that had been going on.
Since that correction to the cruor->gil was made, event participation has dropped off significantly because voiddust are no longer subsidized through the previous cruor->gil conversion.

When I want to play FFXI and do voidwatch, most of the time im doing something else like reading forums and glancing at the chatlog window for a voidwatch shout. This is why people say they 'log in and have nothing to do' because they are doing the same thing. People are standing around waiting for something to happen, but your game design and RL time limtations on things like voidstones replenishing are largely to blame here.

I feel that the dev team should rebalance the event and encourage participation in voidwatch by having stones replenish quicker or implement an optional reward system where perhaps some lofty goal of turning in 1000 petrifacts would entitle the player to a pulse weapon/item/abjuration of their choice. At least with an absurd requirement of 1000 petrifacts, there is a 'light at the end of the tunnel' for someone grinding voidwatch that much.

The problem with FFXI battle content design and balance is that it is afraid of people 'winning too fast':
far too many hours before voidstones replenish
1 day wait to enter dynamis again
20 hour cooldown on meeble phermones
3day wait for einherjar
1 day wait for an imperial ID tag so I can do 1 assault/nyzul run
and so on.....

stop making game content that I have to wait around for to play. People making more than 1 empyrean/relic should have made this obviously clear to you by now that people will keep playing even if they 'win' at something. People wont quit, they'll find something else to do and keep paying their subscriptions instead of quitting out of frustration.