Gamer Escape Interviews FFXI Dev Team Post VanaFest 2012

[Kristal]

Greetings,

To answer the question about "why can't these new jobs also use relics?"

The main reason why rune fencers and geomancers will be unable to equip Relic and Empyrean weapons is because those weapons were created and balanced around the jobs that existed at the time. This is also the reason that blue mage, corsair, puppetmaster, dancer and scholar were never given access to relic weapons.

However, as Mythic weapons are job-specific, it won't be a problem to design a weapon that is best suited specifically for rune fencers or geomancers.

As an additional note, when we release content for these new jobs in Seekers of Adoulin, they will be able to earn the equivalent of Relic equipment, Empyrean equipment, and Mythic weapons. We simply used these terms to make it clearer and we haven't officially decided on what names these types of equipment will take.

Camate, a lot of people seem to be worried that the term "empyrean weapons" covers ALL of the magians weapons. We know that Rune Fencer/Knight will not be able to equip Caladblog/Xiphias/Ragnarok, but what about the bread&butter weapons Fulgurante, Tenebreuse and Kauriraris that are available through magian trials? Without those, RNF/K will not have much to wield. (Not as bad as PUP had it when it was introduced, but still...)

[THD]

Greetings,

To answer the question about "why can't these new jobs also use relics?"

The main reason why rune fencers and geomancers will be unable to equip Relic and Empyrean weapons is because those weapons were created and balanced around the jobs that existed at the time. This is also the reason that blue mage, corsair, puppetmaster, dancer and scholar were never given access to relic weapons.

Because a Scholar with Claustrum destroys balance.

[Sunrider]

Greetings,

To answer the question about "why can't these new jobs also use relics?"

The main reason why rune fencers and geomancers will be unable to equip Relic and Empyrean weapons is because those weapons were created and balanced around the jobs that existed at the time. This is also the reason that blue mage, corsair, puppetmaster, dancer and scholar were never given access to relic weapons.

However, as Mythic weapons are job-specific, it won't be a problem to design a weapon that is best suited specifically for rune fencers or geomancers.

As an additional note, when we release content for these new jobs in Seekers of Adoulin, they will be able to earn the equivalent of Relic equipment, Empyrean equipment, and Mythic weapons. We simply used these terms to make it clearer and we haven't officially decided on what names these types of equipment will take.

It's important that the developers understand that, among the players, the difficulty of obtaining Mythics is not commensurate with the value of each to their respective jobs. For all but a handful, the worth of Mythics is far, far below the effort required in getting them.

This is significant because, for each of the original pre-ToAU jobs, even though Mythics are mostly a disappointment, there are still alternative "endgame" weapons in Relics and Empyrean. Less so for the post-ToAU jobs, that are limited to Mythics and Empyreans, but at least still have an "endgame" alternative.

When Rune Fencer and Geomancer are released, their only option will be Mythics, whose requirements are largely regarded as being more arduous than Relics.

[Damane]

Greetings,

To answer the question about "why can't these new jobs also use relics?"

The main reason why rune fencers and geomancers will be unable to equip Relic and Empyrean weapons is because those weapons were created and balanced around the jobs that existed at the time. This is also the reason that blue mage, corsair, puppetmaster, dancer and scholar were never given access to relic weapons.

However, as Mythic weapons are job-specific, it won't be a problem to design a weapon that is best suited specifically for rune fencers or geomancers.

As an additional note, when we release content for these new jobs in Seekers of Adoulin, they will be able to earn the equivalent of Relic equipment, Empyrean equipment, and Mythic weapons. We simply used these terms to make it clearer and we haven't officially decided on what names these types of equipment will take.

Just on a side not:

how can giving BLU COR PUP SCH DNC access to relic weapons be so gamebreaking? In all honesty this is bullshit and allways was bullshit to begin with. This is SEs chance to add ALL the jobs that were left out on the relic part to them includeing RNF and GEO. I really dont see a problem. Job balance was never based around weapons.

A COR with access to annihilator isnt gonna make the cor ofmg ubber. it would just give cors another option
a BLU with access to excalibur isnt gonna make the BLU broken, it would help yes, but it wouldnt break the job
a SCH with access to LOL-Claustrum isnt gonna do jack shit too
A DNC with access to Mandau wont break your pants either
a PUP with access to Spharai wont suddenly outparse a MNK that has Spharai too.

The logic makes no sense. Especially since some of the Empy weapons were more "Broken" to begin with...

Didnt you say you create Weapons around jobs, yet 2 Empy weapons had to be nerfed, because they were too powerfull? Guess building weapons around jobs failed hardcore... That excuse is totaly invalid in my eyes

[Demon6324236]

By the way, rereading Camate's post I will assume they will not actually be giving the new jobs Relic/Emp gear at all. Rather it will be something very similar for the same levels but gotten diffrently from this single line...

As an additional note, when we release content for these new jobs in Seekers of Adoulin, they will be able to earn the equivalent of Relic equipment, Empyrean equipment, and Mythic weapons. We simply used these terms to make it clearer and we haven't officially decided on what names these types of equipment will take.

If they have not chosen a name for the type of equipment then I would assume it will not be Relic or Emp gear, rather it will be something else that is much the same except its being obtained. Which if that is the case it will make people sad that NMs in Aby will likely be getting no extra +2s.

[Kojo]

Greetings,

To answer the question about "why can't these new jobs also use relics?"

The main reason why rune fencers and geomancers will be unable to equip Relic and Empyrean weapons is because those weapons were created and balanced around the jobs that existed at the time. This is also the reason that blue mage, corsair, puppetmaster, dancer and scholar were never given access to relic weapons.

However, as Mythic weapons are job-specific, it won't be a problem to design a weapon that is best suited specifically for rune fencers or geomancers.

As an additional note, when we release content for these new jobs in Seekers of Adoulin, they will be able to earn the equivalent of Relic equipment, Empyrean equipment, and Mythic weapons. We simply used these terms to make it clearer and we haven't officially decided on what names these types of equipment will take.

Giving any of those jobs Relic (and espescially Emp) access wouldn't be imbalanced. No one really gets lv 99 Emps due to the horrible drop rate of Plates, which leaves us caring about Relics. Relics seem to have become just another weapon, they just have high dmg and a chance to do double or triple damage, y'know, like....magnus weapons. I didn't have my heart set on RNF getting Ragnarok or GEO getting Mjollnir, but I had assumed they's get Emps. Regardless, I'd probably want an OAT Greatsword, but one person's wants shouldn't cause the rest of the FF community to lose out on their Caladbolg, as I HAVE seen a few lv 99's. Mythics... Untill Salvage and all the events surrounding the Mythic weapons are nerfed like Dynamis, Mythics are hardly an option, not impossible, but takes enough time to be damn near deemed pointless. I also feel that adding a new wave of "epic" weapons is a horrible idea, Emps were done badly and it created an entire wave of stupidity and arrogance. Trust me, I've seen a few people point out that they "have 2 Emp weapons" and that that makes them better than you", which is pathetic in a funny sort of way.

Lastly, stop using the word 'balance'. Please. Giving DNC a Mandau....gives DNC a Mandau. Nothing else, life goes on, FFXI is no more imbalanced than it is now. Same with the other jobs and other relics. If giving the newer jobs relics is considered an issue of balance, you're basically telling up that these jobs simply can't have a high damage weapon.

Please, Camate, forward some of these posts to the dev team. Not just mine, but the others that make sense, too.

[Kalilla]

Camate, could you also ask why they decided to go with using a teleport npc?

When ToAU came out we were given the option to go by boat and teleport, but we aren't given that option for Adoulin. This also takes away fishing routes with large ocean fish, which was my greatest disappointment when reading the interview.

I would of loved having a boat to travel on, and I think Port Sandy has locations which are acceptable to have a ferry. I would like to know why they decided to remove this experience for players when there are already trading routes between sandy and adoulin.

Edit: I understand that there will be fishing opportunities while visiting Adoulin, but unless they are making a type of Manaclipper we will not have access to fishing new large ocean fish.

[Chrisstreb]

I can understand not being on Relics, but Empyreans should still be a plauseable option. What if Neo-Salvage fails to increase the potential # of Mythics out there? I think SE shouldn't be too hasty on saying that GEO and RNF aren't going to be on Empyrean Weapons. Course thats just my own personal opinion anyways. 20k an Alexandrite is still a huge turnoff at this stage of the game

[Luvbunny]

I mean really, seriously, "balanced" is the main factor??? of a 10 years old content???? A Dagger is a dagger is a dagger.... end of story, there is nothing special about any of these so endgame weapons except their weapon skills which exclusive to each, the stats are comparable. The means to get these weapons however NEED TO BE BALANCED!!! across the boards and stop creating a non sensical time sink for the sake of time sink. Focus on creating fun accessible content, learn from Abyssea greatest strength and stop doing crappy contents that are unwinnable without cheat for the sake of creating a cheap time sink. Let's hope that the change of guard at the team will bring a breath of fresh air that sorely needed, similar how the change of guard at FFXIV is saving the game from being destroyed by a crappy vision of "BARANCE" of the previous team.

[Tamarsamar]

With all due respect, the balance of Relic Weapons was thrown out the window with Empyrean Weapons (introduced post-WotG jobs, might I add) . . .

I also (dis)like how not only the original interview specifies Relic and Empyrean "Equipment" rather than "Weapons," but how Camate further muddles things with the phrase "the equivalent of" . . .