Yoshi Interview at PGS

[Mature]

I'm not really fussed about character customisation tbh not a priority.

But I'm actually pretty excited about getting new gatherers! Sounds fun!

[Kallera]

I'm getting really tired of the server limitations excuse every time the player base asks for something to be implemented. How the heck is it so difficult to make one or two new faces for each race/gender? At this point, I think they are just being stubborn or lazy. 'Doesn't look like FF anymore' is the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life.

Didn't you know that Final Fantasy games are known for their lack of customization and restrictive fashions?

[DeaconMoore]

I'm getting really tired of the server limitations excuse every time the player base asks for something to be implemented. How the heck is it so difficult to make one or two new faces for each race/gender? At this point, I think they are just being stubborn or lazy. 'Doesn't look like FF anymore' is the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life.

I don't know, using server limitations is worse than just saying they don't want to put in the time to add more options.

Every time they say server limitations prevent x, y, z, they remind us all that they opted to not put more forethought into the games core, didn't plan for the future and rushed the game out the door. Basically the core programmers and management that signed off dropped the ball hardcore and the game continues to suffer for it.

[Lewtskie]

I don't know, using server limitations is worse than just saying they don't want to put in the time to add more options.

Every time they say server limitations prevent x, y, z, they remind us all that they opted to not put more forethought into the games core, didn't plan for the future and rushed the game out the door. Basically the core programmers and management that signed off dropped the ball hardcore and the game continues to suffer for it.

Such all can be thanked for the first director, who saw fit to put a bleeding edge core to work to make the most beautiful game possible, that would eventually cave in on itself as actual infrastructure was terrible. ARR and beyond was never planned, it was improvised; used what they could to keep things going, and here we are. If the game was shutdown to develop an actual functional core, it would never have come back, XIV wouldn't exist anymore.

So yes, this is what we have, and possibly always will have. Maybe someday we could see a Sequel-ish on better hardware, but not soon I imagine. Perhaps in the next console generation or after that.

[Mikki]

Because Square uses their own Engine for this - Crystal Tools. Released in 2007, it has been used for all FF13 titles, FF14 and Dragon Quest X, with FF14 being the last title to having the said engine.

That could mean the FF14 deveopment team is hitting the limit of they can do with Crystal Tools and they carefully try to squeeze every bit out of it nowadays, therefore they might not be able to push the graphics to the current level you see at FFXV, as they use a completely new engine for it (Luminos Studio).

The reason you see other games have better details is usually that they license themselves an existing engine and work with that; mostly going with Unreal Engine 3 or 4 that brings a lot of things for the graphic hungry masses.
And that works usually well on character details and outfits, as you can think.

Interesting. Thanks for the explanation.
Though if the engine is already lagging behind then I think they need to look into switching over to a new engine. That would definitely be a lot of work, of course.... but if they don't do it then they are forcing the lifespan of XIV to have a pretty early expiration date I think. I guess if that's the case, we'll have to look forward to the next FF online experience.

To be honest though, I think it would be interesting to see... if the same team could front it, using everything they've learned from the experience of working on 14, what it would end up looking like.

[reiichi]

FFXIV 1.0 was Crystal Tools. A Realm Reborn and later are on a newer engine which is more similar to the Luminous Engine used for FFXV. It's not a graphics engine issue. (well, on the PS3, it might've been, but certainly not on PC/PS4).

It's a network design and infrastructure issue. When your character data (appearance, items, currency, achievments, quest flags, etc) have to get passed through server after server, that bandwidth adds up. It has serious computational and bandwidth costs. Is FFXIV optimized for this? Probably not. Like, it's -really- not. But making changes to accommodate for that would basically require them to recode the game's server and client interactions all over. And we're not going to see that. Especially if they don't think it's worth the development costs to render additional models and them test for for quality assurance in all the old content.

[Naunet]

If we increase more face options in the current customization it would become too real and lose the Final fantasy appeal

LOL WHAT

I just... don't even... what.

His next sentence elaborates that when they add more customization options, the amount of character data that needs to be pulled when entering instances would explode and affect gameplay negatively

Then they are very poor programmers.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Seems we're getting a lot more too in 4.2

From Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme..._housing_plan/

Big glamour system changes planned for 4.2 Mobile app will let you chat with FC and friend, check MB and manage items and retainers. Second omega raid will have surprising content ( when asked about adding more contents from old FF à la Rabanastre and Omega )

I sincerely hope this doesn't involve changing list prices or markets will drop so fast. All day undercutting while bored at work!

[LaylaTsarra]

I sincerely hope this doesn't involve changing list prices or markets will drop so fast. All day undercutting while bored at work!

I don't think it'll be good for the markets personally. Yes full time undercutting and lower prices for sure in my view. I don't see how that can't be a result of giving people access to the markets 24/7. If you don't have low price you generally don't sell much. Better make your money before 4.2, lol.

Only thing is that many might just not want to be bothered with it on their phone or spend the access fee but that would surprise me if hardcore gatherers and crafters won't be all over it.

[SenorPatty]

I guess our new memes for the next couple of years are going to be:
-Server stress

-Loading limitations.

This is going to look sad as time goes on.