RPGsite Interviews Yoshi P.

I stumbled on this article on Google news, there are questions regarding the future of XIV. The interview also hints that Square Enix is still in talks with Microsoft, and the possible PSV port of XIV in the future.

RPGsite Interview

in before Xbox 360 limitations.

said it first.

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Originally Posted by Andrien

in before Xbox 360 limitations.

said it first.

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Couldn't be much worse than PS3 RAM limitations.

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Originally Posted by Andrien

in before Xbox 360 limitations.

said it first.

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Smart Phone limitations

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RPGSite: Last question… what core mechanics—if any—are being drawn from western MMO developers? Such as the option to do things like swimming and jumping?
Yoshida: I’m a very hardcore gamer, and one of the first things when I got onto FFXIV was that I wanted to add a jump feature. When I threw that out to the community, what surprised me was that a lot of players were against that idea. Their complaint was that you shouldn’t be able to jump in a FINAL FANTASY game!
Just because it’s in all the other MMOs, does it fit with the image of FINAL FANTASY? For example, people didn’t want to see Lalafells jumping all around.
Personally, I don’t like the fact that my character is bound to the ground, so I definitely want to add a jump feature.

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Lol <3 Also interesting he is considering FFXIV applications for the Vita!

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Originally Posted by AdvancedWind

Smart Phone limitations

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I think you read that wrong. I think he wants to brings features of the game to phones and vita like chocobo raising. Not the entire game itself.

i lol'ed at the comment by yoshi about jumping and swimming xD

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Originally Posted by JackDaniels

I think you read that wrong. I think he wants to brings features of the game to phones and vita like chocobo raising. Not the entire game itself.

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I think you read his sarcasm wrong.

For some unfathomable reason people are actually against jumping. I don't get it. Do you honestly like being stuck to the ground? Maybe you enjoy getting stuck on objects or terrain that should be easily clearable? Or perhaps you just like sliding up and down the side of a hill. Well I don't, and if the world's leading MMOs are anything to go by (and they are) neither do the majority of MMO gamers.

While I understand the "but I don't want to watch everyone spam jump!" argument, it's really a silly one. So because you don't want to see people freely moving their character as they please you're on the side of the argument that uses dated concepts and limits the overall gameplay?

It's time to come out of your shells and realize these things simply make a game better. Being able to freely move is a standard, and rightly so, that shouldn't even need to be discussed.

Fact is: in today's MMO, there's a need for jumping and swimming. Jumping not only adds to a free moving fluid gameplay experience, it can also be used in in-game PvE mechanics, instantly adding a new layer to be developed upon. Swimming should also be added for the same reasons, to promote a free, open and fluid world. Jumping or swimming out of bounds? Take damage over time. Others have done it and it worked out well.

Long gone should be the days of static cling and invisible wall.

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Originally Posted by Alerion

For some unfathomable reason people are actually against jumping. I don't get it. Do you honestly like being stuck to the ground?

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Problem is, jump is only an animation in the majority of MMOs that have it. It doesn't even let you bypass obstacles or explore more areas (which btw, the game has to be designed to be explorable via jump/swimming.) So all it would be is just adding an animation.

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it can also be used in in-game PvE mechanics

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Yet most MMOs it's not, which is why there are many that don't see the need for it. If this MMO was an Ys game, you better believe there better be a proper jump feature implemented.

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Swimming should also be added for the same reasons, to promote a free, open and fluid world

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Game has to be designed for it, it wouldn't promote anything really if it's just a feature slapped in (which it generally is in most games, notice how swimming segments are all generally the same?)

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Originally Posted by Jennestia

Problem is, jump is only an animation in the majority of MMOs that have it. It doesn't even let you bypass obstacles or explore more areas (which btw, the game has to be designed to be explorable via jump/swimming.) So all it would be is just adding an animation.

Yet most MMOs it's not, which is why there are many that don't see the need for it. If this MMO was an Ys game, you better believe there better be a proper jump feature implemented.

Game has to be designed for it, it wouldn't promote anything really if it's just a feature slapped in (which it generally is in most games, notice how swimming segments are all generally the same?)

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Jen o Jen, :< i have to say you are wrong about Jump being an animation only...

During my days in WoW, especially Burning Crusade period, Jump is needed to avoid several laser beams and many skills that burns the floor that i need to evade, so yes, jump has it purpose in most games even MMOs.

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The quality of graphics will be the same across all three, but depending on your system, it’ll be about how many characters can you display… how many effects can you display, draw distance.

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You know i thought they was not going to limit the PC on graphic and allow us to have the best graphic by the look of this seem we going to be limit to PS3 graphic wise? or maybe i'm reading it wrong.

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Originally Posted by Zenaku

You know i thought they was not going to limit the PC on graphic and allow us to have the best graphic by the look of this seem we going to be limit to PS3 graphic wise? or maybe i'm reading it wrong.

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You can have the highest quality graphic you can get for your PC, but for the PS3, it will go to the Medium as it's max. because of somehow resolution perhaps?

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Originally Posted by Seirra_Lanzce

Jen o Jen, :< i have to say you are wrong about Jump being an animation only...

During my days in WoW, especially Burning Crusade period, Jump is needed to avoid several laser beams and many skills that burns the floor that i need to evade, so yes, jump has it purpose in most games even MMOs.

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I didn't say all games, most games it's just an animation, because the game's engine still acts as if you're walking which means what you can't bypass by walking/running, you won't be able to while "jumping". This is why when people refer to Jump people go straight to WoW, because it's one of the few that actually made use of the jump feature. Even in Rift it's still kind of clunky because the engine doesn't know how to react at times. It's also a little weird in Tera as well, but that's more of a latency problem.

Most MMOs didn't use it beyond giving you the illusion you're not glued down. Some even let you jump twice to do a flip, which served no purpose at all because monsters could still hit you. So yeah, only a select few MMOs actually made jump an important mechanic, it's generally an afterthought in most implementations.

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[...]I wanted to add a jump feature.
[...] a lot of players were against that idea.
[...] I definitely want to add a jump feature.

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http://k.minus.com/jet6yG1cYfEZ1.png

Why must you say these things.

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RPGSite: Last question… what core mechanics—if any—are being drawn from western MMO developers? Such as the option to do things like swimming and jumping?
Yoshida: I’m a very hardcore gamer, and one of the first things when I got onto FFXIV was that I wanted to add a jump feature. When I threw that out to the community, what surprised me was that a lot of players were against that idea. Their complaint was that you shouldn’t be able to jump in a FINAL FANTASY game!
Just because it’s in all the other MMOs, does it fit with the image of FINAL FANTASY? For example, people didn’t want to see Lalafells jumping all around.
Personally, I don’t like the fact that my character is bound to the ground, so I definitely want to add a jump feature.

RPGSite: That’s interesting because they added a jump option to XIII-2, and I haven’t seen much negative reaction to that.
Yoshida: Everyone probably wouldn’t mind if their character could jump, but maybe there’s a lot of people who just don’t want to see everyone else jumping!
A lot of the Japanese players of XIV that only know about that game as well as FFXI, so they’re used to having a character that can’t jump. They don’t realize that you can jump in every other MMO in the world, so they have that aversion to it.

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This is why I really dislike the FF mmo community sometimes. They are so against change that even adding something that would be fun like Jump and would add to the game they have to sit there and complain about it. Stuff like jumping and flying mounts are pretty standard in any MMOs now.

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Originally Posted by Jennestia

I didn't say all games, most games it's just an animation, because the game's engine still acts as if you're walking which means what you can't bypass by walking/running, you won't be able to while "jumping". This is why when people refer to Jump people go straight to WoW, because it's one of the few that actually made use of the jump feature. Even in Rift it's still kind of clunky because the engine doesn't know how to react at times. It's also a little weird in Tera as well, but that's more of a latency problem.

Most MMOs didn't use it beyond giving you the illusion you're not glued down. Some even let you jump twice to do a flip, which served no purpose at all because monsters could still hit you. So yeah, only a select few MMOs actually made jump an important mechanic, it's generally an afterthought in most implementations.

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So if Yoshi actually make the jump to be more a featured base (dodge ground spell like quake or something) then jump going to be valid for a reason :| don't you think so? They are Square Enix you know

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Originally Posted by Gramul

http://k.minus.com/jet6yG1cYfEZ1.png

Why must you say these things.

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Because Yoshi P knows better then the majority of the FF online community that Jump would be a good feature.

Jumping should not be added i thought SE listening to there player base? just because it's in other game does not mean it have to be in this one and Jumping in the other FF is not really jumping like in wow and such.

@Zumi: give me 3 reason we need jump in FFXIV? the only type of jump i would allow is There flying rocks and you have to jump to each one to get to a flying city or jump to one side to other but jumping like in wow? there no point and it look dumb.

In all due respect, i do not want jump in FFXIV, unless is just to get over to another terrain.

:| kind of tired to just play with what we have now, having jump added to the battle... ima gonna give up playing as it is too much for me to handle! xD

Jumping in MMO is fun! I like too how some MMO make it interact with the game like you need to jump to avoid damage and such. I would love to jump and swim in FFXIV ^^ I mean its not a deal breaker or something for me but it is a nice feature imho :)

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Originally Posted by Zumi

This is why I really dislike the FF mmo community sometimes. They are so against change that even adding something that would be fun like Jump and would add to the game they have to sit there and complain about it. Stuff like jumping and flying mounts are pretty standard in any MMOs now.

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Agreed Jennestia is a good example :S

Hopefully when 2.0 comes out this game will pick up some real steam with casual gamers and ex FF11 players will no longer be the majority playing this game, because as you say they are really stopping the game from progressing, that being said Yoshi doesn't seem to paying them much heed.

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Originally Posted by Zumi

This is why I really dislike the FF mmo community sometimes. They are so against change that even adding something that would be fun like Jump and would add to the game they have to sit there and complain about it. Stuff like jumping and flying mounts are pretty standard in any MMOs now.

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It's not that we against wow stuff it just we know a lot of things made wow lame and killed it dungeon finder,Jump and many other stuff. I just see no point in jump not if it jumping that you only use to get over stuff and thing within the game then that fine by me.

I think on one of the new maps, there are stones in the water that you may have to "jump" across to get to the temple. I may be wrong though. I am neither for or against jumping, but there should be an option in the display settings to turn the animation on-off.

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Originally Posted by Nuru

I think on one of the new maps, there are stones in the water that you may have to "jump" across to get to the temple. I may be wrong though. I am neither for or against jumping, but there should be an option in the display settings to turn the animation on-off.

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I agree or don't allow jumping within town or only jumping while in battle or something.

nothing is wrong with jumping. if they implement it right from getting to point A to B it'll be even better.

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Originally Posted by Andrien

nothing is wrong with jumping. if they implement it right it'll be even better.

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Ya i agree with that but most wow players going to be mad the fact they cant go up top of stuff and jump down lol. But w/e i don't mind jumping i just hope they find room for it in a controller lol.

Jump is uneccisary. Just like all this ridiculos whinning for fancy spell graphics.

The best part is clueless posers want to sit here and tell us how it will take nothing to add, and yada yada yada, showing there lack of general logic by speaking about it when they clearly have no idea what it would require.

The problem with everyone asking for all these little "shinnies" like jump/swim/spell graphics is that as soon as they see another shinny spot or object in the distance they wonder towards it, head down and unfocused like a small distracted child.

Once the children all wonder off after new shinnies, the reast of us who are here to actually enjoy the game, are left dealing with the distracting useless crap all the children whinned about until they got it. Squeeky wheel gets the grease, and all that.

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Originally Posted by Zumi

Because Yoshi P knows better then the majority of the FF online community that Jump would be a good feature.

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Sure, but you don't TELL them that.

You never admit to your audience there input is invalid.

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Originally Posted by Jennestia

Problem is, jump is only an animation in the majority of MMOs that have it. It doesn't even let you bypass obstacles or explore more areas (which btw, the game has to be designed to be explorable via jump/swimming.) So all it would be is just adding an animation.

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It certainly isn't only an animation in a certain genre leading title. This is what I'd like to see and honestly I'll be sad if those in the stone age convince Yoshida otherwise.

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Originally Posted by Jennestia

Game has to be designed for it, it wouldn't promote anything really if it's just a feature slapped in (which it generally is in most games, notice how swimming segments are all generally the same?)

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Slapped in or not, specific purpose or not, it needs to be added. Yoshida said it himself. He's aiming to be number one. It'll never happen with invisible walls everywhere and being chained to the ground.

He has this chance to do it right and I certainly hope he does.

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Originally Posted by Coglin

Jump is uneccisary. Just like all this ridiculos whinning for fancy spell graphics.

The best part is clueless posers want to sit here and tell us how it will take nothing to add, and yada yada yada, showing there lack of general logic by speaking about it when they clearly have no idea what it would require.

The problem with everyone asking for all these little "shinnies" like jump/swim/spell graphics is that as soon as they see another shinny spot or object in the distance they wonder towards it, head down and unfocused like a small distracted child.

Once the children all wonder off after new shinnies, the reast of us who are here to actually enjoy the game, are left dealing with the distracting useless crap all the children whinned about until they got it. Squeeky wheel gets the grease, and all that.

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That the issue and why other don't understand but whatever FFXIV never going to be as big as they want it players going to quit and play the new blizzard game or play something else and a big % would always be FF fans and FFXI players with a mix of some new people who never play a mmo or got sick of wow type games.

I think most of the reason why a lot of people on these forums are against it is because most of us here are FFXI veterans. If you haven't seen the clues yet, FFXIV is becoming a more "modernized" MMORPG, not really a western or WoW-clone. In fact, any MMORPG released after WoW can be called a WoW-clone because WoW bumrushed the genre and set the standard. Most of the new MMORPGs out are the same system but with different twists.

See how unfair that sounds? You can't keep saying WoW-clone this and WoW-clone that. Just because they add jumping to FFXIV doesn't mean it is going to be a WoW-clone. You know why? OH NOES it already is! Because it is online and it is an RPG!

If jumping is implemented I am sure it wont just be an animation, there will actually be a use for it whether or not that content is introduced with jumping or later on. The main point here is that it wont hurt the game at all, nor will it benefit the game all too much. It is a feature that is common in most other MMORPGs, and I am sure Yoshida will consider the cost of this feature before implementing it.

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Originally Posted by Zenaku

Ya i agree with that but most wow players going to be mad the fact they cant go up top of stuff and jump down lol. But w/e i don't mind jumping i just hope they find room for it in a controller lol.

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lol all i have to say is i look for your sig every time because we have polar opposite opinions.
also, regardless of which country your from, your absolute obsessive hatred for anything WoW and your grammar brighten my day.
Jump wouldnt ruin the game and is used in a few other FF titles, its just too much of a "jump" from what FFXI and current FFXIV have that the community freaks out over the very thought of it. Yoshi P even said it himself according to FFXI and FFXIV, its change, most people dont like change. your definitely one of those people.

another thing is, people complain about jumpings aesthetic yet they fail to realize SE doesnt normally half ass an animation or a feature. i know FFXIV isnt a good example but i doubt they would add the horrible jumping animations that WoW has.

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The one thing that we can do, no matter how many people decide to pay or not to pay—we have to continue showing how serious we are about keeping the promises we broke. Getting back the trust, showing them we’re serious, and that means some will come back for the PC version, and the PS3 launch. Perhaps if they see we’re working hard on it, maybe they’ll want to try it before the PS3 launch. We’re not going to change anything based on the numbers, we’re going to do what we’ve promised.

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I really liked this response. He does an excellent job of being both confident in the work they're doing and humble in the face of what people will choose to do with their subscription fees. As someone who has always been worried of "what if Wada just decides it's a white elephant one day and cans the whole thing" this statement gives me more confidence in sticking with the game.

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Originally Posted by Alerion

For some unfathomable reason people are actually against jumping. I don't get it. Do you honestly like being stuck to the ground? Maybe you enjoy getting stuck on objects or terrain that should be easily clearable? Or perhaps you just like sliding up and down the side of a hill. Well I don't, and if the world's leading MMOs are anything to go by (and they are) neither do the majority of MMO gamers.

While I understand the "but I don't want to watch everyone spam jump!" argument, it's really a silly one. So because you don't want to see people freely moving their character as they please you're on the side of the argument that uses dated concepts and limits the overall gameplay?

It's time to come out of your shells and realize these things simply make a game better. Being able to freely move is a standard, and rightly so, that shouldn't even need to be discussed.

Fact is: in today's MMO, there's a need for jumping and swimming. Jumping not only adds to a free moving fluid gameplay experience, it can also be used in in-game PvE mechanics, instantly adding a new layer to be developed upon. Swimming should also be added for the same reasons, to promote a free, open and fluid world. Jumping or swimming out of bounds? Take damage over time. Others have done it and it worked out well.

Long gone should be the days of static cling and invisible wall.

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Jumping looks stupid. The only obstacle anyone would probably even think of jumping to clear would be a gap with a massive fall (or maybe a moving obstacle like a jump rope). Jumping in robes is difficult, while jumping in full plate mail is all but impossible.

As mentioned, most (practically all) MMOs that have a jump button don't even use it for anything. It basically exists entirely because players are used to pressing it and having their character not feel "stuck" against all logic. I'd much rather see a kind of contextual climbing, where our characters would take a bigger, slower step against some rocky terrain, or use their hands to climb up a small hill or cliff. You could even jump a couple feet up to reach for a ledge to pull yourself up onto. All logical actions that would at least be somewhat plausible, instead of jumping five feet in the air while wearing 150 pounds of steel to accomplish nothing.

Now, if there were some more reasons to jump, that would also be somewhat OK, making the game more action-based in some ways. If they actually did add areas with floating platforms or gaps that needed to be traversed by jumping, or bosses like some in WoW currently where jumping is one of the things you actually need to do, or perhaps if it can help shake off a status ailment like being caught on fire, then it might be worth adding. If it's just so people can "feel" like they do in other MMOs because their character model can leap their full height in place, then it should stay out of the game. It's just like Yoshida said in the same interview - it's pointless to add swimming if you can't do anything with it but cross a random pond or swim 10 yards out on the coast.

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Originally Posted by Dreadnought

lol all i have to say is i look for your sig every time because we have polar opposite opinions.
also, regardless of which country your from, your absolute obsessive hatred for anything WoW and your grammar brighten my day.
Jump wouldnt ruin the game and is used in a few other FF titles, its just too much of a "jump" from what FFXI and current FFXIV have that the community freaks out over the very thought of it. Yoshi P even said it himself according to FFXI and FFXIV, its change, most people dont like change. your definitely one of those people.

another thing is, people complain about jumpings aesthetic yet they fail to realize SE doesnt normally half ass an animation or a feature. i know FFXIV isnt a good example but i doubt they would add the horrible jumping animations that WoW has.

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i'm not saying jump would ruin the game now did i? i'm just saying it not needed if it's jump to jump on flying rocks or do other stuff then i agree go for it. Also i'm LD so sorry about my grammar and i live in NA and i hate WoW because i dislike that type of game i have played wow i enjoy it but it's not enough for me to just stay in the game more then a few months at best.

I don't mind change i just don't want change that is not needed if there a reason for it then go for it but if it just so you can have jump so people who play game that have jump can jump around then no thanks.

My head hurts....

People don't want this game to become like other MMOs....yet when it comes time to implement or not implement an idea they like, they parade the "But that game has it!"

I can only imagine the threads that would pop up saying "They added a jump feature! WoW clooooone!"

Personally, I'm against a jumping and swimming feature, simply because it doesn't have a purpose in this particular game. If the game was designed with platforming elements, then I could see it, to a degree.

They could just as easily add a reaction command to make you jump off cliffs and such, rather than a one button to let you jump whenever.

Swimming is moot point, because where are you going to get any benefit from swimming unless they add a water dungeon? Also, if you think water dungeons are a good idea, please play the third temple in Ocarina of Time.

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Originally Posted by Tsukino

Jumping looks stupid. The only obstacle anyone would probably even think of jumping to clear would be a gap with a massive fall (or maybe a moving obstacle like a jump rope). Jumping in robes is difficult, while jumping in full plate mail is all but impossible.

As mentioned, most (practically all) MMOs that have a jump button don't even use it for anything. It basically exists entirely because players are used to pressing it and having their character not feel "stuck" against all logic. I'd much rather see a kind of contextual climbing, where our characters would take a bigger, slower step against some rocky terrain, or use their hands to climb up a small hill or cliff. You could even jump a couple feet up to reach for a ledge to pull yourself up onto. All logical actions that would at least be somewhat plausible, instead of jumping five feet in the air while wearing 150 pounds of steel to accomplish nothing.

Now, if there were some more reasons to jump, that would also be somewhat OK, making the game more action-based in some ways. If they actually did add areas with floating platforms or gaps that needed to be traversed by jumping, or bosses like some in WoW currently where jumping is one of the things you actually need to do, or perhaps if it can help shake off a status ailment like being caught on fire, then it might be worth adding. If it's just so people can "feel" like they do in other MMOs because their character model can leap their full height in place, then it should stay out of the game. It's just like Yoshida said in the same interview - it's pointless to add swimming if you can't do anything with it but cross a random pond or swim 10 yards out on the coast.

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First off, your opinion of what "looks stupid" isn't excuse enough to not implement it. Secondly not everyone roleplays to the extent you apparently do. Third, you seem to have missed the point of my post. Lastly your "practically all" statement means little due to the highly successful WoW proving it functional in many different settings.

If you want to be stuck to the ground and walk into non-existent walls, FFXI still has it's servers up. I want a game that understands and pushes through genre standards, not mind numbingly walks backwards.

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Originally Posted by Alerith

Swimming is moot point, because where are you going to get any benefit from swimming unless they add a water dungeon? Also, if you think water dungeons are a good idea, please play the third temple in Ocarina of Time.

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Now MY head hurts.. ;-; I hated that temple. >.>

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Originally Posted by Alerion

First off, your opinion of what "looks stupid" isn't excuse enough to not implement it. Secondly not everyone roleplays to the extent you apparently do. Third, you seem to have missed the point of my post. Lastly your "practically all" statement means little due to the highly successful WoW proving it functional in many different settings.

If you want to be stuck to the ground and walk into non-existent walls, FFXI still has it's servers up. I want a game that understands and pushes through genre standards, not mind numbingly walks backwards.

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You asked why people would not want jumping. I gave three reasons, four if you count the possibility of it only being an animation. I don't ever "role play," I was just giving logical reasons why people shouldn't be given the ability to freely jump straight in the air and saying it would be better for the game aesthetically if they performed more logical actions like climbing or stepping up. Then I went on to agree that if it does do something useful (preferably multiple things), it would be fine.

As for the "point of [your] post," it seems to largely be that "everyone else is doing it so therefore it's more modern and FFXIV should do it too." Well here's some news for you - Donkey Kong had jumping. It's not a modern feature, it's a design choice. There are many games still being made today that do not have a jump button because jumping is not a necessary element of gameplay and levels are designed to match whatever they've created. RPGs are among the most common examples, including the entire Final Fantasy series, although there are even some sandbox games that have eliminated it as a single function (Assassin's Creed comes to mind). It's not just "FFXI didn't have it."

You seem to think there's no reason not to add it, but that's really poor game design practice. Everything implemented into a game should have a purpose and a use for gameplay. Again, if they want to add obstacles/bosses/whatever that require it, then great, they should definitely put it in. I'd love to have an area comprised entirely of rocks suspended in midair where you have to jump from platform to platform to get places or to evade earthbound enemies. I'd not love to have the team waste their time adding it and then continually making adjustments to the area design to prevent jump-created bugs or players getting where they're not supposed to just so some people can jump around like idiots. If they go to the trouble of adding and adjusting for it, then it needs to have a point.

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Originally Posted by Tsukino

As for the "point of [your] post," it seems to largely be that "everyone else is doing it so therefore it's more modern and FFXIV should do it too." Well here's some news for you - Donkey Kong had jumping. It's not a modern feature, it's a design choice. There are many games still being made today that do not have a jump button because jumping is not a necessary element of gameplay and levels are designed to match whatever they've created. RPGs are among the most common examples, including the entire Final Fantasy series, although there are even some sandbox games that have eliminated it as a single function (Assassin's Creed comes to mind). It's not just "FFXI didn't have it."

You seem to think there's no reason not to add it, but that's really poor game design practice.

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See, the point was missed. My point was always that it would loosen up the world to produce a much more fluid game. As I mentioned being stuck to the ground and having invisible walls is a dated idea. There's a reason "everyone else is doing it". It's simply good game design. We've been shown more and better and, like it or not, it has changed the genre.

You fail to recognize that jumping, in itself is it's own purpose. The feeling of free motion in any direction is incredibly appealing. You may not feel this way, but obviously quite a few do. Sure, things to jump on, through, over and across are necessities and Yoshida likely already knows that, based on his desire to add it.

So yes I do feel there's no reason not to add it, because being able to move my character is it's own reward.