Famitsu Interview - YoshiP 3 Year Anniversary Interview

[Freyyy]

Yea it actually did. Savage is dictated as the hardest mode they provide currently. Normal > Hard > Extreme > Savage.

Then why are most of the max level "hard mode" dungeons actually easier than their "normal" counterpart which are part of the levelling ? And why are the extreme primals' current difficulty more in-line with the old Ifrit, Garuda and Titan's hard modes back in 2.0 (before the massive overgearing) ? I think that the difficulty modes' names make absolutely no sense whatsoever in this game.

[StrejdaTom]

Then why are most of the max level "hard mode" dungeons actually easier than their "normal" counterpart which are part of the levelling ? And why are the extreme primals' current difficulty more in-line with the old Ifrit, Garuda and Titan's hard modes back in 2.0 (before the massive overgearing) ? I think that the difficulty modes' names make absolutely no sense whatsoever in this game.

Because the game became more popular and more weird people slipped in. Everything had to get easier except the raids.

[Velhart]

Then why are most of the max level "hard mode" dungeons actually easier than their "normal" counterpart which are part of the levelling ? And why are the extreme primals' current difficulty more in-line with the old Ifrit, Garuda and Titan's hard modes back in 2.0 (before the massive overgearing) ? I think that the difficulty modes' names make absolutely no sense whatsoever in this game.

I didn't say that developers used it right. Was only saying if it is called Savage, then it should be over the top hard. Their naming convention is pretty screwy and that itself needs to be fixed.

What do you suggest they do for the players that couldn't beat Coil, then? Them complaining about being roadblocked from the story was what gave us Alexander Faceroll Mode to begin with. The devs aren't going to renege on that decision; they're just going to nyerk Savage.

It's like you forgot everything that happened in 2.x.

Either offer three modes or wait for echo buffs/mechanic nerfs when the next tier is released. Worked out pretty well in 2.0.

[loreleidiangelo]

Either offer three modes or wait for echo buffs/mechanic nerfs when the next tier is released. Worked out pretty well in 2.0.

The devs have said that they don't have the budget (or the interest, can't remember which) in making three modes. If 2.0 worked out "so well", we wouldn't HAVE Alexander story mode. This is what you are not understanding. The dev team did NOT feel like Coil story was accessible to enough people, so they changed their raid structure. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean they're going to go back to "how it was".

If participation is the baseline for whether content is added, remains, or gets scrapped, then Savage mode raids are ABSOLUTELY going to be the thing that goes, if the devs can only afford, or only have the desire to create, two tiers of raiding.

[Velhart]

The devs have said that they don't have the budget (or the interest, can't remember which) in making three modes. If 2.0 worked out "so well", we wouldn't HAVE Alexander story mode. This is what you are not understanding. The dev team did NOT feel like Coil story was accessible to enough people, so they changed their raid structure. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean they're going to go back to "how it was".

If participation is the baseline for whether content is added, remains, or gets scrapped, then Savage mode raids are ABSOLUTELY going to be the thing that goes, if the devs can only afford, or only have the desire to create, two tiers of raiding.

It is a hard thing to argue because the mind set of many is fixated on "people need their story!" instead of trying to design a MMO. The developers do need to know when they are making a MMO, and when they are making a Final Fantasy game. It is pretty obvious SE won't go in the route I suggest, but it doesn't mean I will agree with it. It is pretty poor design when you are in the mindset of trying to balance casual/midcore/hardcore. Make a raid too hard, the midcore scene dies out. Make it too easy, the hardcore scene takes a dip. Making a FCoB level raid and a Savage mode to that puts those balances back in check. WoW knows this, or at least last I played it. They may of put a controversial easy mode in, but it was not in the expense of their midcore/hardcore scene by still having Normal/Heroic mode intact.

I will not completely dismiss a story mode, my main argument is that it shouldn't be in the expense the content was designed for. 95% of this game is already on the casual side, the exclusion of story mode would not kill the casual scene. A midcore/hardcore player will quit the game over the raiding scene before a casual player does.

But apparently I am just out of the loop on what people like now. Instant gratification content.

snip

I think we can agree the naming convention of difficulty in this game is just wonky overall.

No it didn't. Echo failed to ease difficult, and usually instant kill mechanics that were popular in SCoB. and people become just as impatient about having nothing to do and no parties to do it with. There was still terrible clear rates of Final Coil before going into Heavensward, and not a small amount of it was due to T9. Doing nothing would have been in fact far worse, as there would have been nothing to fall back on in the face of a tier as poorly made as Gordias. Waiting, is not playing, it is not enjoyment, and non raiders can get bored of the same old df, now made worse with 2 dungeons, just as easily as raiders do.

Then SE should simply nerf it more. Most people don't care if content gets nerfed hard after their the next tier is released. I remember T7 in Coils considered by some the worst fight in SCoB, but the nerf after the new tier came out, it became a joke of a fight after that.

[Kallera]

Then SE should simply nerf it more. Most people don't care if content gets nerfed hard after their the next tier is released. I remember T7 in Coils considered by some the worst fight in SCoB, but the nerf after the new tier came out, it became a joke of a fight after that.

You don't get it. You're giving those players nothing but bordem and seperation in the face of endgame. why should they try to improve when the game is punishing even on lag, and the players from the top deride them on content they already can do easily and feel stuck with doing? Heavensward has been resulting in player being taught that because they are unable, they should be unwilling to do it. When that happens, the pfs and player pool runs dry.

[Velhart]

You don't get it. You're giving those players nothing but bordem and seperation in the face of endgame.

And story mode that doesn't last past a month for many players is that solution? Most beat it within 1-2 days, then only reason to go back in is to get gear that will be replaced quickly by tomestone/crafted gear. Well then again that midas gear item. Only needed to do A8 for that though.

Casual players already have plenty to work off of. Relic quest, Palace of the Dead, Diadem(or at least when they fix it), primals, hunts, Aquapolis, various story side quests, card collecting, and much more. Midcore/Hardcore? EX primal and four raid bosses.

[TaranTatsuuchi]

I hope they don't get rid of some skills. HW dungeons are far easier than ARR, due to having those skills. SMN 60-70 skills are a godsend.

I hope his statement means they aren't adding new skills to the jobs.

Since you know the summoner skills we'll use them as an example.
Dreadwyrm Trance and Deathflare. (iirc the names correctly)

These could be trimmed down into a single skill.
Upon activation it places you in Dreadwyrm Trance.
Upon a second activation, it activates Deathflare.

Since Deathflare drops you out of Dreadwyrm anyway, once you get it there isn't a need to have Dreadwyrm able to just toggle itself.

You keep the same functionality, and trim up to have one less necessary hotbar slot in use.

[Sandpark]

And story mode that doesn't last past a month for many players is that solution? Most beat it within 1-2 days, then only reason to go back in is to get gear that will be replaced quickly by tomestone/crafted gear. Well then again that midas gear item. Only needed to do A8 for that though.

Casual players already have plenty to work off of. Relic quest, Palace of the Dead, Diadem(or at least when they fix it), primals, hunts, Aquapolis, various story side quests, card collecting, and much more. Midcore/Hardcore? EX primal and four raid bosses.

You can't really blend midcore with hardcore. Midcore don't have the schedule flexibility or practice times of a hardcore, so the statics mixing both don't work. That's why duty finder doesn't work for extremely difficult content.

Midcore need content that isn't faceroll easy, difficult but lenient mechanics, but still be puggable.

[Kallera]

Either offer three modes or wait for echo buffs/mechanic nerfs when the next tier is released. Worked out pretty well in 2.0.

No it didn't. Echo failed to ease difficult, and usually instant kill mechanics that were popular in SCoB. and people become just as impatient about having nothing to do and no parties to do it with. There was still terrible clear rates of Final Coil before going into Heavensward, and not a small amount of it was due to T9. Doing nothing would have been in fact far worse, as there would have been nothing to fall back on in the face of a tier as poorly made as Gordias. Waiting, is not playing, it is not enjoyment, and non raiders can get bored of the same old df, now made worse with 2 dungeons, just as easily as raiders do.