Famitsu interview with Yoshida after NA's FanFest

[Stanelis]

Yes I know this is a FF game, story is important, yadda yadda, but from a business perspective locking new players behind nearly 400 quests (and this is just MSQ mind you: you'll still have to grind FATEs and dungeons to level up by yourself!) JUST to reach the new expansion, the place where everyone will play, it's anything but a good one.

Then maybe the progression time to reach the current expansion content must be fixed rather than a jump potion to be introduced ?

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Then maybe the progression time to reach the current expansion content must be fixed rather than a jump potion to be introduced ?

Culling the MSQ comes at a cost. They would need to rewrite and reanimate scenes, then Frankenstein them all back together-- on top of play testing everything to ensure any triggers weren't messed up along the way. All this takes time and money away from Stormblood for content we will never see. A skip simply allows the devs to bypass both substantial cost and time, thus focusing on actual content.

[Stanelis]

Culling the MSQ comes at a cost. They would need to rewrite and reanimate scenes, then Frankenstein them all back together-- on top of play testing everything to ensure any triggers weren't messed up along the way. All this takes time and money away from Stormblood for content we will never see. A skip simply allows the devs to bypass both substantial cost and time, thus focusing on actual content.

Then maybe stormblood MSQ shouldn't be tied to previous expansions MSQ ? You re seeing artificials problems tied to how the progression in FFXIV is made, but their solutions isn't a jump potion. If at some points developpers feels they must make people pay cash to skip the content of their games, then something is really wrong with that content. If at some point the players would want to skip whole portions of the game for whatever reasons, then something isn't right either.

The fact that the jump potions have been implemented in china (where quality standards are really low) so far, but not in the other regions show SE knows very well something isn't right with that feature.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Then maybe stormblood MSQ shouldn't be tied to previous expansions MSQ ? You re seeing artificials problems tied to how the progression in FFXIV is made, but their solutions isn't a jump potion. If at some points developpers feels they must make people pay cash to skip the content of their games, then something is really wrong with that content. If at some point the players would want to skip whole portions of the game for whatever reasons, then something isn't right either.

The fact that the jump potions have been implemented in china (where quality standards are really low) so far, but not in the other regions show SE knows very well something isn't right with that feature.

Those aren't artificial problems. If you cull the MSQ, it will come at a cost to Stormblood's budget. Even allowing access to Stormblood once completing ARR means the writes now have to adapt the story to suit an open-ended conclusion. Frankly, the MSQ is an issue. That's why few modern MMOs gate content the way FFXIV does. You'll inevitably reach a point where the requirement for new players becomes too daunting, and in as competitive an environment as the MMO genre, you cannot afford those new players opting into another game because yours demands they slug through hundreds of quests.

By implementing a skip option, the devs aren't forced to weave the story in a certain direction nor will those of us who enjoy it lose out because they need to keep it a reasonably length.

[Stanelis]

Those aren't artificial problems. If you cull the MSQ, it will come at a cost to Stormblood's budget. Even allowing access to Stormblood once completing ARR means the writes now have to adapt the story to suit an open-ended conclusion. Frankly, the MSQ is an issue. That's why few modern MMOs gate content the way FFXIV does. You'll inevitably reach a point where the requirement for new players becomes too daunting, and in as competitive an environment as the MMO genre, you cannot afford those new players opting into another game because yours demands they slug through hundreds of quests.

By implementing a skip option, the devs aren't forced to weave the story in a certain direction nor will those of us who enjoy it lose out because they need to keep it a reasonably length.

You re the only one talking about culling the MSQ.

Also, even if a solution to skip parts of the MSQ were to be added, there are no rules stating that it should come as an extra (cash) cost for the players.

[Velhart]

You re the only one talking about culling the MSQ.

Also, even if a solution to skip parts of the MSQ were to be added, there are no rules stating that it should come as an extra (cash) cost for the players.

It is actually a safety tactic to make sure the jump boost is not abused. Also, I wouldn't give a jump potion to someone for free. Either play the content like everyone else or pay up and then I will let you bypass everything.

[ErryK]

There are no rules stating that it should come as an extra (cash) cost for the players.

That's all fun and peachy-keen but SE is a business, they will charge for premiums, and to them, skipping the story and leveling is a premium, not a standard inclusion. Perhaps to those who pay more (Collector Editions) or those who have already spent so long (existing veteran customers), they may reward them for the extra money, and loyalty, respectively.

[Stanelis]

That's all fun and peachy-keen but SE is a business, they will charge for premiums, and to them, skipping the story and leveling is a premium, not a standard inclusion. Perhaps to those who pay more (Collector Editions) or those who have already spent so long (existing veteran customers), they may reward them for the extra money, and loyalty, respectively.

in what universe is skipping actual game content a premium ? If anything SE should give a discount to people wanting to skip stuff.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

You re the only one talking about culling the MSQ.

Also, even if a solution to skip parts of the MSQ were to be added, there are no rules stating that it should come as an extra (cash) cost for the players.

You mentioned progression time. I assumed that meant the MSQ's slew of fetch quests as those tend to be the primary complaint. Fair enough.

And the cost is to offset people who have actually done all the story. Basically, you're paying to skip stuff everyone else had to do. I think that's a fair trade off.