Yoshi-P on changes in next expansion: “I don’t want to take a conservative approach”

In a recent interview, Yoshi-P said:

"So moving forward with the next expansion, I want to incorporate more changes. I don’t want to take a conservative approach, but rather, I want to provide an experience that contemporary gamers can enjoy. To that end, I would like to incorporate various changes. I will also protect things that need to be protected. But we would very much like to try out new things, and we are discussing various possibilities right now in the team, so I’m really excited about that."

Source:
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-...in-the-future/

Since the dev team is supposedly “right now” discussing possible changes for the next expansion, let’s give our input on what changes they should make!

For me, it would be to change how predictable and scripted PVE battle content is by introducing more unpredictability/random variations. I miss the sense of exploration and discovery FFXIV used to have in the early days and FFXI had at its peak (yes, I’m that old).

Currently, every dungeon/trial/raid has the same basic structure with the same unvarying attack patterns and phases. (Speaking as someone who doesn’t do Savage level content, though, so maybe things are different at that level).

Once you learn and memorize the script, the content experience is the same every time so eventually you’re just going on autopilot. I guess this makes programming Trust AI easier, but I find it quickly makes content boring. Especially when the game is built on running the same content repeatedly for weeks on end.

I get that FFXIV is often likened to a theme park, but modern theme park ride design incorporates small variations so that the ride experience isn’t the exact same every time. Like Rise of the Resistance at Disney or Bowser’s Challenge at Universal.

So I’d like to see dungeons with even small variations. Such as type and number of trash mobs and when/where they spawn, chest placements etc. Give players variable bonus rewards for clearing optional objectives like downing a boss in a certain amount of time or finding x# of hidden treasures that aren’t always in the same place. Basically take what they learned from Variant Dungeons, and tone it down so it’s applicable to mainstream content rather than just making it side content.

Maybe have trial/raid bosses be more unpredictable by not doing the same attack pattern every time but mixing it up from a set of predefined attacks.

Idk, I just feel like something needs to change to make the game feel a little less like a static game world and more like a living fantasy world.

What changes do you want to see in 8.0?

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Originally Posted by kiotsukete

So I’d like to see dungeons with even small variations. Such as type and number of trash mobs and when/where they spawn, chest placements etc. Give players variable bonus rewards for clearing optional objectives like downing a boss in a certain amount of time or finding x# of hidden treasures that aren’t always in the same place. Basically take what they learned from Variant Dungeons, and tone it down so it’s applicable to mainstream content rather than just making it side content.

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Variant dungeons were definitely an experiment in that, and I think they learned the wrong lessons. Dungeons could/should be branching (even somewhat random) with different mobs, bosses, and mechanics. The issue with Variants is they were side content with boring rewards. If dungeons had some variety (heaven forbid we actually have to CC occasionally), they could keep the current reward scheme for the most part.

Unfortunately, after DT, I'm convinced Yoshi's idea of innovative design is the same streamlined content with a slightly different veneer and slightly tuned difficulty which is completely blown out by the end of the patch its introduced.

8.0 is when I believe they mentioned wanting to tackle job identity so it would be interesting to see what they do.
There are two changes that come to mind atm but I think one is probably not a good fit into an MMO

Dark Knight is a job that has always used its HP for dealing big attacks
So it could be fun to manage HP by using these attacks and having the necessary self sustain to keep yourself alive along with being healed by the healer

It could be fun risk vs reward as you may expend a lot of health to deal damage during a part of the fight you are confident you can survive
I know the bloodgauge is most likely meant to represent this concept, but it isn't how I imagine it
However as a tank it might be somewhat difficult to pull off

One other thing had to do with Gunbreaker, and it's a minor change but I thought it'd be a nice touch if they made it where every cartridge you spent would result in a crit.
Because in final fantasy 8 if you press the trigger at the correct time with Squall your gunblade would go off and you would deal a critical hit

The last time they weren't conservative I lost my favorite job so this fills me with dread more than anything else.

Prior to 7.0, they also said we are starting a brand new, low-stakes story with a different approach and promised the most content any expansion has had yet. They also touted a new approach to battle content instead of fixing jobs.

We ended up with the same 'genocidal doomer trying to destroy the Source for the sake of his people who turns out to be kinda nice and we shake hands at the end" NUMBER 5 IN A ROW!!!! (Emet, Elidibus, Meteion, Golbez, now Sphene). And the change in approach was simply us not being the main character anymore in favour of Wuk. Also, none of the promised content was out at launch and it looks like it will be at least 5 months post-release we get anything. Lastly the battle content, while fun at first, is already overgeared and is boring due to following the same old formulae and predetermined script.

I'm a bit jaded by what we've gotten in DT so far and now I take Yoshi-P's words with a grain of salt, as the goal post for improvements seems to constantly be moving. If he deems jobs/content not up to snuff and wants to change them in 8.0, why not now? And why should we pay for, according to him, a subpar product for the next 2-3 years?

My hope for the future of the game is to return to the previously masterful storytelling of Ishikawa (or someone else of her calibre), but this time let her have full reign in designing a story, unbound by the typical leveling formula of x-number of zones and dungeons/trials at level y.
With a world crafted, I'd fill the zones with new types of open world content, from racing, to little secrets, to town defense, to epic zone bosses (plenty of MMOs and regular RPGs to draw inspiration from).

I'd completely scrap their dungeon and raid design and start fresh. Their boss fights are usually great and just need more random occurrences to keep them evergreen longer. What truly bothers me is the square arenas and the corridors of trash - I don't want to know exactly what to expect when I zone into an instance, every time.

For more casual content, their house decorating system is quite good and leaves lots of room for creativity. Problem is, the way you acquire one is ridiculous - they need instanced housing at the very least.

Lastly, for the love of God, make an infinite glamour dresser. It's 2024. And make it (and mounts) account-wide. Come on.

My problem with expecting anything out of the job reworks is that it’s not so much they have always been overly conservative but more they honestly don’t seem to actually know what to do. Like the changes made from EW->DT you could read as just conservative and not really actually a lack of knowledge (but how empty VPR is isn’t really filling me with hope and both DRG and AST fell flat) but let’s look further back

Changes from ShB->EW and internal EW changes didn’t paint really any jobs in a positive light. AST got nuked again, SMN got lobotomised for a promised “foundation” they did literally nothing with in DT, healers lost more complexity, PLD got a rework that amounted to “we can’t balance non burst jobs” and the “melee or bad” got solidified

Like when was the last time a job got a change that legit made everyone go “wow this is a fantastic change that fits the job and adds a layer of complexity that I genuinely didn’t expect”? I guess maybe EW MNK (which is dead again)

Like their job design has been rotting for years and it doesn’t feel like it’s caused by being conservative so much as being inept

They should give us a mid expansion rework of a job or two to give us a preview of their new direction.

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Originally Posted by Supersnow845

My problem with expecting anything out of the job reworks is that it’s not so much they have always been overly conservative but more they honestly don’t seem to actually know what to do. Like the changes made from EW->DT you could read as just conservative and not really actually a lack of knowledge (but how empty VPR is isn’t really filling me with hope and both DRG and AST fell flat) but let’s look further back

Changes from ShB->EW and internal EW changes didn’t paint really any jobs in a positive light. AST got nuked again, SMN got lobotomised for a promised “foundation” they did literally nothing with in DT, healers lost more complexity, PLD got a rework that amounted to “we can’t balance non burst jobs” and the “melee or bad” got solidified

Like when was the last time a job got a change that legit made everyone go “wow this is a fantastic change that fits the job and adds a layer of complexity that I genuinely didn’t expect”? I guess maybe EW MNK (which is dead again)

Like their job design has been rotting for years and it doesn’t feel like it’s caused by being conservative so much as being inept

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Also don't expect 'reverts to previous expansion' because wanting to 'go back' is about as conservative as it gets.

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Originally Posted by CVXIV

8.0 is when I believe they mentioned wanting to tackle job identity so it would be interesting to see what they do.
There are two changes that come to mind atm but I think one is probably not a good fit into an MMO

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people have also blown his one comment on job identity as a whole rework. people should really just expect a new skills or something that is closer to inline with the jobs theme. there has no zero mention of a total rework or something big just that they saw players feedback on job identity.

on average SE has only been able to rework 2 jobs per expansion and players are expecting a rework for 21 jobs with 2 new ones coming plus they are currently working on beastmaster.

Giving us eureka/bozja in 8.0 or 8.1 instead of 8.3 would be a good start. Running rouletes every day for 4.5 months isn't exactly the idea of fun.

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Originally Posted by Musashidon

people have also blown his one comment on job identity as a whole rework. people should really just expect a new skills or something that is closer to inline with the jobs theme. there has no zero mention of a total rework or something big just that they saw players feedback on job identity.

on average SE has only been able to rework 2 jobs per expansion and players are expecting a rework for 21 jobs with 2 new ones coming plus they are currently working on beastmaster.

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I agree, and I'm not expecting a complete job overhaul for every job in the game. I just like sharing the thoughts I personally think would be cool to see implemented, even if it's never going to happen. Final Fantasy is a series I really enjoy, so when I found out they had an MMO I was really excited

You are right that we'll likely just get a few new skills and it'll be business as usual