Letter from the Producer, XV (07/27/2011)

[Murugan]

We all 'saw' different things in that letter. Some saw 'Our enmity calculations, and absolutely everything else, were perfect, and will never change!', others say 'Changes weren't perfect, and I will decline to state all of those imperfections at this time, as there are too many to list in one letter'.

IMO opinion not even the dungeons were perfect. I'd rather have a dungeon where you couldn't sleep and run passed everything to the damn boss... In a real 'Raid' the trash hits harder than crap outside of it.

Who said anything was perfect, but there is a difference between balancing being needed, and a "failed patch". No where in this letter does it hint that the changes/additions in 1.18 are going anywhere.

Of course he acknowledged criticisms they stopped simply ignoring people about 8-9 months ago. Many people came back to the game though, or finally bought it, because of 1.18. I'm sure that point has been made too. There is a lot that many (most?) people like about 1.18, I doubt that we are going to lose any of that moving forward.

[RabidSquirrel]

You know...just the fact that they have acknowledged they went overboard on some stuff says a lot more than you might originally think. Imagine if the FFXI team told red mages that they feel they've gone overboard with focusing only on their magic and not melee abilities? I know some red mages would fall to the ground, sobbing tears of joy to a statement like that.

[Reika]

Who said anything was perfect, but there is a difference between balancing being needed, and a "failed patch". No where in this letter does it hint that the changes/additions in 1.18 are going anywhere.

Of course he acknowledged criticisms they stopped simply ignoring people about 8-9 months ago. Many people came back to the game though, or finally bought it, because of 1.18. I'm sure that point has been made too. There is a lot that many (most?) people like about 1.18, I doubt that we are going to lose any of that moving forward.

How bout all the 'OMG I love 1.18 patch, its perfect!' threads.... they said it was perfect... not being able to find A SINGLE bug or issue with anything. I'm not saying it was a failed patch, but there were still issues some people who do think it was all perfection refuse to see. And he didnt hint that there would be no changes to anything either. It can be interpreted in many ways, depending on your desires and perception of the patch and the letter.

I feel from reading that there will be some adjustments, obviously something will be adjusted. But since he didn't say what, it is only assumptions as to what. Maybe they are currently re-testing things due to all the criticism, and to check and see if things really are or aren't as buggy and flawed as people have claimed them to be? Would be good if they were.

[Ronan]

Nah he said nothing particularly when he introduces things with "I decided to write a letter addressing some 1.18 topics. Direct replies to forum posts would be quicker, sure, but with an official letter I can see to it word gets to all regions at the same time," and then goes on to basically say yep we got problems, talk to you later! At least giv us your point of view as to your justififying these changes to counter the criticism. Like you gotta feel for him alright, with everyone pulling him this way and that but this only highlights the fact that they gotta just find a workable set of game mechanics and stick with it. Emphasising STICK WITH IT. A game thats constantly in flux, and talking about changing major things every patch is actually as much part of the problem as the things that are actually physically wrong with the game. We just want the dust to settle and get on with it. I've stuck with the game since the beginning as a mid serious player and have never thought it deserved the kind of criticism it got at lauch and since; and yes i've had fun with it! But after this patch....wow never been this frustrated with it before. I played ffxi and play ffxiv this for the very reason it stands apart from the rest, but clearly with enix on 14 wanting to get a bigger slice of the market and attract those who were terrified of ffxi and the kind of devotion it required, they simply made a game thats trying to be everything to everyone and ends up pleasing no one in the end! They need to have the insight to seperate the genuinely useful comentary from those that are screaming the loudest and depmanding everything under the sun, and use it to seal the game finally. Its still not even a year into its life, which is very short in an mmo's life. They need to stop worrying about those who've been exploiting the numerous issues with the leveling system to fly ahead in the game, and focus on building a game that stands on its own and will attract plenty of new players into the future. This patch has felt like we've all been punished simply because enix is trying wrestle back control and slow everything down.

[Reika]

tl;dr, wall'o'text.

what I saw... was a wall of HEART

'Interpretation'

[Davorok]

Yoshi probably didn't address any one particular issue because they want MORE feedback as to what things need further tweaks (like MP cost for example), so basically everyone who cares about any particular issue needs to go "Like", "Bump", "Rate Up" they're favorite topics or start new ones.

The "Like" Button is all powerful. You don't even need to argue really. Just "Like" the posts you agree with and ignore the ones you don't.

[Reika]

Yoshi probably didn't address any one particular issue because they want MORE feedback as to what things need further tweaks (like MP cost for example), so basically everyone who cares about any particular issue needs to go "Like", "Bump", "Rate Up" they're favorite topics or start new ones.

The "Like" Button is all powerful. You don't even need to argue really. Just "Like" the posts you agree with and ignore the ones you don't.

So if they make a new change that makes provoke cost 100mp, and I suggest that it is going way overboard, and no one presses the like button, we're all screwed?!

Seriously though, I hope they aren't making changes based on the number of 'likes' a suggestion gets, rather than the actual discussion and compromises made to the suggestion, Or just submitting a suggestion whether replied or liked or neither.

[Davorok]

So if they make a new change that makes provoke cost 100mp, and I suggest that it is going way overboard, and no one presses the like button, we're all screwed?!

No one person speaks for everyone but if a suggestion gets lots of "Likes", then Yes, many people are speaking in unison.

If no one agrees with a particular suggestion (like most of mine) then why would it get implemented?

In any case, I am breaking my own rule about arguing so I'll let it go but with this suggestion. If someone has what they think is a great idea but it gets no responses (topics do get lost especially on busy Forum days) make your suggestion again in another and/or similar thread (esp. if it has gotten a lot of responses). If you still get no likes it wasn't as great as you thought it was...sorry.

p.s. (Everyone) Please stop complaining about "Multiple Threads" and saying things like "...this has been discussed already. /thread".
That is extremely rude. Not everyone reads every single post on a daily basis (except folks with no life like me) and posts often get buried and forgotten, esp. after a major patch/news.

[Reinheart]

This was said in JP thread but the Dev/Rep responses only should have "Dislike!" button, I understand Like shows how many people like the idea but what if there was 80 dislike vs 20 like. Make it so you can only press one of them or cancel one and choose other if your decision changed later due to dev response giving more information what they posted earlier.

For regular members post I'm against the dislike button... you know it's going to be abused so much...lol

[DemonFury]

If your issues were r20-30 guildleve rewards, and whatever "further balancing" entails then maybe you got some validation. What of this is news though? Because they said prior to 1.18's release that 1.19 would largely balance abilities and XP methods (which will also be balanced in 1.2).

I didn't see anything in there about how:

• ARC/ARC/ARC/ARC/CON/CON/GLA/GLA is the only possible, or intended setup to kill the ogre.
• Or about how XP is totally broken now and impossible to level.
• That Enmity system is BROKEN!!!!!!
• Or about how a certain class was completely useless and would need to receive an emergency balance fix just so someone, anyone would actually play it!

I saw him saying he didn't want to make direct responses to all the complaints but that balancing would be examined in the coming patches. I think it is pretty safe to say that leve-linking/solo guildleves probably won't be returning as the primary form of leveling, that the enmity system and MP changes (while they may be adjusted) are here to stay, that Darkhold will stay the same, and that they haven't rethought adding auto-attack to the game.

I'd hold off before proclaiming that everyone who complained about the patch was "right".

WEVE KILLED IT WITH 6 CONS, NO GLADS AND SO ON SO YOUR ASSUMPTION IS DEAD WRONG