TIME: Interview with Yoshi

Hello,
I thought I would put this here as not everyone visits Reddit:
http://time.com/3817373/final-fantas.../?xid=tcoshare

Enjoooy.

That was actually a really cute little article. Thanks for sharing! :P

interesting

so things happen right now already been planned back in 2.1

Thanks for linking that, it was a nice read.

Also interesting to read the answer for the question about hybrid classes.

4 million accounts? I doubt that, maybe 4 million characters.

Edit I should have said 4 Million ACTIVE accounts? Who cares about Registered Accounts. Cause I know a lot of people who played the free trial and that was it for them. It says 4 million Registered account, Registered and Active accounts are two different things. There could be 10 million Registered accounts but if only 1 million are Active that's a big deal. I mean even with less than a million subs SE is still making enough money. SE is shady when it comes to releasing this info, I remember last year around this time there was only like 500k active subs.

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Originally Posted by Arkista

4 million accounts? I doubt that, maybe 4 million characters.

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Why? I literally see new players on my server every day. Not just a couple either, but packs of little green sprouts running around doing cute little n00b things.

Was actually in a Cape Westwind while I was farming lights and, excluding myself, it was everyone's first time.

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Originally Posted by Arkista

4 million accounts? I doubt that, maybe 4 million characters.

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They did have a free login event to celebrate 4 million registered accounts, so I'd say it's a pretty legit number.

With that being said, there is a huge difference between registered accounts and active accounts.

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Originally Posted by Arkista

4 million accounts? I doubt that, maybe 4 million characters.

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4 million registered accounts.

6 of which are mine. Weird people like me buy the game 6 times.

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Originally Posted by rina_inverse

interesting

so things happen right now already been planned back in 2.1

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they hinted at this in a few places. the Live Letter recently even made reference to all the equipment from 2.1 and onward being designed with Au Ra horns in mind.

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Originally Posted by kyuven

they hinted at this in a few places. the Live Letter recently even made reference to all the equipment from 2.1 and onward being designed with Au Ra horns in mind.

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Right, we were also basically told this back when they discussed the creation process for NIN. They had planned and been working on that job way before it was released.

The fact he mentioned Red Mage on his own, kinda like a teaser. Made me soooooooooo happy =)

I don't know if I'm happy or sad about the mention of the spec tree.

He mentions he is currently into Game of Thrones. Might explain the darker turn the main story took. And the big death and possibly deaths of other major characters. Blame GRRM for the deaths. He's not happy just killing off his own characters anymore.

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Originally Posted by Alipoprocks

I don't know if I'm happy or sad about the mention of the spec tree.

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I'm the same way. I read that and just paused a bit, trying to figure out how I would feel if that became a thing in this game. I'd really rather they just try and design the support/hybrid roles.

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Originally Posted by Acyd

The fact he mentioned Red Mage on his own, kinda like a teaser. Made me soooooooooo happy =)

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Ya all I saw in that whole article was Red Mage. If they bring it to XIV, I'm hanging up my other jobs! <3 RDM.

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Originally Posted by Alipoprocks

I don't know if I'm happy or sad about the mention of the spec tree.

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Final Fantasy XIV’s core concept is to have the freedom to play each role through the Armoury System, so we may explore new directions through a skill tree, in which the player’s job will be determined by what actions have been obtained.

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How I understood that is instead of choosing job X and getting Y skills, you choose Z number of skills and get job X based on that.

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Originally Posted by Arkista

4 million accounts? I doubt that, maybe 4 million characters.

Edit I should have said 4 Million ACTIVE accounts? Who cares about Registered Accounts. Cause I know a lot of people who played the free trial and that was it for them. It says 4 million Registered account, Registered and Active accounts are two different things. There could be 10 million Registered accounts but if only 1 million are Active that's a big deal. I mean even with less than a million subs SE is still making enough money. SE is shady when it comes to releasing this info, I remember last year around this time there was only like 500k active subs.

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While there probably isn't 4 million "active" subs. there is probably at the very least 1 million of those users active. Which is still great considering what Yoshi-P was aiming for 250-300k.

The game is a great success.

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Originally Posted by Alipoprocks

I don't know if I'm happy or sad about the mention of the spec tree.

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I honestly wouldn't worry about it too much. The way he describes how it could work sounded strikingly similar to the concept of having classes split off into two jobs; a concept that was abandoned pretty quickly. Personally I don't see it panning out. What might be more likely would be having a system similar to FFXI's Merit system which allowed minor customization with a handful of optional abilities catering to specific play styles.

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Originally Posted by Waliel

How I understood that is instead of choosing job X and getting Y skills, you choose Z number of skills and get job X based on that.

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That actually isn't far off from the original 1.0 concept which had a much stronger focus on the use of cross class abilities with the idea of having players "define their own class." I can't imagine they would ever go back to that considering classes are more or less ceasing to be developed further as of late. I took his response as more a hypothetical "if we were to do that it would probably work something like this" and not something that is actually being planned to happen.

Yoshida said RDM was his favorite job...haha

In the past he said DRK and Machinist were also his favorite..that is how I guessed and predicted the jobs ;) So..looks like, if it follows his trend..RDM will be next hehe hurray :D

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I look forward to seeing all of our players enter the land of Ishgard.

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with voice overs in many of the cut scenes.

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I take my hat off to our script writers, localization team, and sound team.

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we introduced non-combat-focused elements such as player housing (...) for players to enjoy.

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http://www.operatorchan.org/k/src/142561032767.jpg

I'll agree to disagree.

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Originally Posted by Waliel

How I understood that is instead of choosing job X and getting Y skills, you choose Z number of skills and get job X based on that.

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If you have ever played WoW before the spec changes that occurred in Mists of Pandaria I think (I only played during that expansion). You had your class, e.g. Warrior and as you leveled you spent points in your talent/skill tree. Skills and talents were broken up into 3-4 categories. What you chose determined the role you filled.

So you are still a warrior, but you might be a tank (protection), or DPS (arms, fury). Specs.

*picture of Derplander's drg outfit*
"a dragoon suits up in ffxiv:Heavensward"

Stupid reporter, that's not just a dragoon, that's Derplander! Get your facts straight

Honestly (I'm probably the few who say this) I loved 1.0 even though my wife wouldn't touch it because of how slow moving it was and that it looked too confusing she said. Now she's on 2.0 with me and loving every second of it. From running around 1.0 and barely seeing anyone online, to logging into 2.0 this long after the release still brings a smile. I still do fear a day where I log on and see less and less and less until there's about 20 people in limsa standing there in the market place and the party finder has 1 lonely guy trying to clear 2.0 content because they just bought the game for $4.99...

...BUT as a 1.0 player I do love this game. Yeah, there's aspects of 1.0 I miss (one being the fluid battle animations and how extensive my BLM spell library was) but in do time i feel I'll have more than I can bargain for. This game to me is a solid 8.5/10 reboot. Mad props to Yoshi for turning this into a great game. Now bring back all my BLM spells!

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Originally Posted by rina_inverse

interesting

so things happen right now already been planned back in 2.1

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Yeah im sure this is a thing with all MMO's. Bungie is planning Destiny out years ahead of time as well. I'm sure its to make sure they dont wait till later to come up with content that conflicts with older stuff they forgot about.
Either way, superb article and kept me entertained at work for about 15 minutes yay :D

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Originally Posted by HeavensSword

You had your class, e.g. Warrior and as you leveled you spent points in your talent/skill tree. Skills and talents were broken up into 3-4 categories. What you chose determined the role you filled.

So you are still a warrior, but you might be a tank (protection), or DPS (arms, fury). Specs.

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That wouldn't be bad provided that there are opportunities to re-spec when you want to. I just wouldn't want a character to be locked into one specialty.

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Originally Posted by HeavensSword

I'm the same way. I read that and just paused a bit, trying to figure out how I would feel if that became a thing in this game. I'd really rather they just try and design the support/hybrid roles.

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I totally agree. I mean the tree in other games is interesting, I guess. But you only have one class per character, so the tree helps create different style of play. But I personally prefer different jobs, instead of different specs. I do hope they create support jobs.

I'm glad Y mentioned Red Mage... so im guessing next jobs will be TANK-Samurai , MELEE DPS- Red Mage , and healer- im not sure yet

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Originally Posted by AzraelX

I'm glad Y mentioned Red Mage... so im guessing next jobs will be TANK-Samurai , MELEE DPS- Red Mage , and healer- im not sure yet

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I think Red Mage will be the "Ninja" of the 3.0 series because the setting just feels right for them, and there been some teasers in-game of magic fencers and Yoshi talking about them is a big hint, the same way he hinted at samurai.

If red mage enters the game as a melee DPS, then that will likely become my new main job, almost guaranteed. I'd keep paladin respectably leveled up though.

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Originally Posted by AzraelX

I'm glad Y mentioned Red Mage... so im guessing next jobs will be TANK-Samurai , MELEE DPS- Red Mage , and healer- im not sure yet

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@Bolded: Dancer. Dancer dancer dancer dancer! ... well, that's what I'd like to see as the next Healer anyway. :P

But yeah, I'm glad he personally mentioned Red Mage in there. Gives higher hopes that the next DPS role to be in will be Red Mage. I'm also all for the idea of Samurai being the next Tank after Dark Knight. Mostly for the sake of adding more diversity among what people can do if they decide to Tank a dungeon.

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Originally Posted by Thayos

If red mage enters the game as a melee DPS, then that will likely become my new main job, almost guaranteed. I'd keep paladin respectably leveled up though.

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Ditto. Been waiting for a melee DPS that I can stand playing for a long time. Fists, spears and daggers do nothing for me. Bring in the fencing swords and magic. :O

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Originally Posted by Niwashi

That wouldn't be bad provided that there are opportunities to re-spec when you want to. I just wouldn't want a character to be locked into one specialty.

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Respeccing is a double-edged sword. It opens the option of undoing choices but also makes it part of the routine. It wasn't that bad in WoW until dual specs came out, though.

To be honest, shifting the Armoury System back into focus like how it was in 1.0 is a bad idea. Hybrids are just a jack of all trades with nothing special about them. In 1.0 you cross classed the same skills regardless of what weapon you had equipped..

WoW, SWTOR, ESO, all use talents now and its so refreshing going deeper into a specific job with specialisations.

Having an advanced merit point system would be enough to go deeper. For example, talenting shields and heals for bigger heals, faster tics, or longer duration, that's enough to cover different play styles.

So im definitely becoming a samurai when it comes out. Red Mage sounds cool so my understanding is that a red mage uses magic- based physical attacks. My questions what weapon would red mages use? I feel we got every weapon in the book.

With samurai and red mage coming..i'll never be done with ff14...so much to do..which isn't a bad thing at all :)

"For hardcore MMORPG players, this may seem boring (and admittedly this is an actual piece of feedback we receive), but if we don’t attract new MMORPG players, then we can’t expect this genre to expand. Based on this concept, we took a story-driven approach, where the battle content becomes progressively harder while the story motivates the player to continue."

Lore. Lore. Lore. Look! This is why they're doing it!

Red Mage needs to happen. I can almost feel the upcoming mass nerdgasm already!!!

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Originally Posted by TruebladeNuke

@Bolded: Dancer. Dancer dancer dancer dancer! ... well, that's what I'd like to see as the next Healer anyway. :P

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Seconded. Dancer was such a fun class in FFXI, and is completely feasible ALMOST as-is for FFXIV (though they'd need to tweak a few things to make it more focused, as DNC in FFXI is very much a jack-of-all-trades job)

Was a nice read, up until the article beneath it showed up.... >.>

Congrats either way to Yoshida.

Rdm can't wait.

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Originally Posted by Lorielle

"For hardcore MMORPG players, this may seem boring (and admittedly this is an actual piece of feedback we receive), but if we don’t attract new MMORPG players, then we can’t expect this genre to expand. Based on this concept, we took a story-driven approach, where the battle content becomes progressively harder while the story motivates the player to continue."

Lore. Lore. Lore. Look! This is why they're doing it!

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This is pay to play game, Most of the player that used to be hardcore now all working and have a family but want to enjoy the game, Yoshi made a right decision.

And for the class tree I don't mind as long there is balance.
I move out from WoW because of the class balance, where the tank dps is so huge exceed DPS class itself.
And Imbalance stupid Nerf for Monk & Lock where the plate class is so overpowered in PVP arena.

If we have balance it will not force player to pick 1 class only because that class is overpowered and this can create the diversity among player to play what ever they want.

TIME - I'm happy for that. Rather big. And the fact that they chose to interview him is awesome.

On the flipside, I can't believe he actually mentioned housing. The availability of it is so abysmal that the whole thing might as well be swept under the rug, it's so insignificant. Especially in the context of 4mil accounts. And from all we hear, it's not even been on the active to-do list for a while now. That is just...wrong. Plain wrong.