Gamer Escape Interviews FFXI Dev Team Post VanaFest 2012

[Karbuncle]

For Seekers of Adoulin, we didn’t create a map for an ocean route, so we’re planning to make the main mode of transportation a teleport-like warp. We are planning to make this extremely convenient, and as players progress further with pioneering, the number of areas that they’ll be able to warp to will increase. We can’t say too much, but yes, there will be a quest requirement similar to the one to use the boat to travel to Aht Urhgan.

I think this answer upsets me a very miniscule amount, I understand "Main Streaming" THe process, But... Going to Adoulin is going to be as exciting as Warping into Abyssea.

Warp > Loading > WELCOME...

I guess i'm the only one who felt the excitement of boarding the boat to Aht Urghan, Seeing the sights... actually feeling like i was traveling to a far off new land... Not just.. Warp > Done. That 10-20 Minute boat ride to aht urghan gave you excitement, build up, anticipation.. You knew you were going to a far off and new land... Warpin > Done is going to kill and or/eliminate almost all the excitement for most players, as it will be as mundane and routine as warping to a VW Battlefield, or an Abyssea zone.

Boat ride doesn't need to be mandatory every single time, BUt having that first venture, knowing you're going really far, seeing the terrain changes, the structures in the horizon... I guess I'm getting old, I loved the build up.

Whatever though, very minor complaint, Can't say I'm disappointed overall

[Twille]

the last thing this game needs is ANOTHER set of job-specific gear.

[Teraniku]

Here's an idea: there's this thing called the Test Server? Why not do a field test that allows restricted jobs on the weapons access to those items? Then the players can provide testing, feedback and SE can look at the parse list to see if the weapons are overpowered for the job or not. Even make it a series of BCNMs where they can only be used. That way you have your control data and the BCNM acts as your "Laboratory controlled conditions" for testing. Probably won't happen, but it could be done on the test server.

They can design a fight with the Heroines but can't do something like this?

[Finuve]

you just got BALANCED!

[Winrie]

So much cry

[Kitkat]

I'll admit that some of the mythic weapons are "decent" in that they enhance certain aspects of the job, but at the same time they aren't anything more than decent. WS are generally "meh" aside from a small few even with the 40% boost in damage. The aftermaths aren't generally desired aside from AM3 because it acts like Double/triple attack instead of normal occasionally attacks twice/thrice (by this I mean it procs in WS) making them the best choice for Merited WS in some cases.

I'm just questioning how they expect RUN to keep hate over current DD's. If it has access to use Resolution that is helpful, but it also seems that currently the job will not be a heavy armor wearing job (looks more like medium grade armor so possibly limitation of gear similar to drg/rdm/blu). Guess what I'm trying to say is by stating this before releasing more info about the actual build of the job you have people worried RUN will suffer in the VE department against DD that already pull out 2~4k dmg on current endgame content. What little we have been told is this:

Rune fencer, as stated in vana-fest, is meant to be a 2nd tank option
They will use Runes, in the form of abilities, to enhance Defense and offense (namely magical defense and offense also)
They will have MP and access to Enhancing magic
They are not meant to have similar damage output as standard DD as it is meant to be a tank.
They will not have access to any currently existing relic, mythic, emp weapon.
You do not plan to give them a relic or emp type weapon, but do plan on a mythic weapon
They will use Great sword and Sword as primary weapons.

Geo is meant to be a new type of enfeebler/buffer for enfeebles/buffs that currently do not exist or are not very long lasting/potent.
Geo is not meant to be overly powerful, but instead serve as secondary support by enhancing other types of effects/enfeeble options.
Will utilize bells?

And that is the extent of what I know about Geo...I'm sure more info was said but I wasn't all the interested in a mage type so much as new tank type.

Other reasons I don't understand the weapon limitation is that pld is also a tank, but has access to DD oriented weapons/gear that can help it with VE in situations where a pld is needed/wanted. Currently Runic Fencer sounds like the bastard child of a pld and rdm union. One dictates it is a tank by use of Runes to enhance survivability and create enmity (I'm assuming), the other states it will melee while using supplemental means to fill otherwise lack luster melee output. I would hope you plan to at least give it temper if some of the assumptions of the job turn out to be correct.

[Karbuncle]

why wouldn't they just add that to Dynamis/Abyssea as it is?

Sorry for the late reply to this.

But probably for the exact same reasons SCH, DNC, BLU, PUP, COR all have Relic Armor, and no Relic weapons.

Or, If you're asking "Why would they not just add their Relic and Empyrean Armor to Those areas" - They probably will... Just like they did with COR, PUP, BLU, DNC, and SCH!

I'm just guessing at this point, But so far the pattern shows they'll add the armor to be obtained the same way everyone else obtains theirs.

[Kaisha]

If we're not going to have a dedicated transportation boat/airship to Adoulin, I'd at least appreciate an intro cutscene showing us taking a traditional means there, even if it means repurposing the existing airship/boat zone data for the cutscene to take place in.

[saevel]

So ... basically SE wants to create more time sinks. Remember "balance" isn't about jobs being powerful / overpowered, it's about how long it takes you to completely content.

If they allow the new jobs on the older legendary weapons then players who already have those weapons won't need to make another one. If SE creates new "legendary weapons" with different requirements and added time sinks then players who want to play those new jobs will waste more time.

Not to bad for geo as it's going to be in the "mage" category, absolutely devastating for RNF. Without access to the OaT GSWD RNG is going to fall way behind everyone else in damage output. It will be a GS using WAR without a Rag.

[SpankWustler]

Not to bad for geo as it's going to be in the "mage" category, absolutely devastating for RNF.

The Development Bros could always play the "we are less sane than a mouse trapped in a 6x6x6 drawer with nothing to eat but psychotropic mushrooms and nothing to drink but Four Loko" card and not add Geomancer to the affinity line of staves.

I was a happier man before I knew such a card existed. Now I'm just happier than that poor mouse.