With all of the limitations holding FFXIV back, why not make a new FF MMORPG?

[cicatriz313]

Lol, make a whole new game because we can't get male Viera? This is getting pretty ridiculous. The reason of course is because this game is doing well, and it takes too much money.

[Serenno]

Lol, make a whole new game because we can't get male Viera? This is getting pretty ridiculous. The reason of course is because this game is doing well, and it takes too much money.

That's not what they said though. I get the whole hyperbolic reactions regarding male Viera gets annoying but that's not what this thread is. I don't necessarily agree but I do recognize that they're constantly limited by the fact that they rebuilt FFXIV using the messy 1.0 engine, and it really does seem to put the devs in a tough spot from time to time. I don't think it's realistic for them to build a new MMO considering SE isn't even giving the existing team more resources.

[Vahlnir]

That's not what they said though. I get the whole hyperbolic reactions regarding male Viera gets annoying but that's not what this thread is. I don't necessarily agree but I do recognize that they're constantly limited by the fact that they rebuilt FFXIV using the messy 1.0 engine, and it really does seem to put the devs in a tough spot from time to time. I don't think it's realistic for them to build a new MMO considering SE isn't even giving the existing team more resources.

They use the excuse of "server limitations" but they could do a lot more than what they say they can. Retainers are a good example, and the companion app is another. People have been asking for more storage space, so they added it...for a price. There is a lot of problems that they could solve if they chose to. The only limitations are the ones they put on themselves, usually for monetary gain.

[storm]

That's not what they said though. I get the whole hyperbolic reactions regarding male Viera gets annoying but that's not what this thread is. I don't necessarily agree but I do recognize that they're constantly limited by the fact that they rebuilt FFXIV using the messy 1.0 engine, and it really does seem to put the devs in a tough spot from time to time. I don't think it's realistic for them to build a new MMO considering SE isn't even giving the existing team more resources.

They didn't build FFXIV 2.0 on 1.0's engine. They built a brand new engine to make 2.0. So any perceived limitations to the game based on it's framework is solely on Yoshi's dev team.

http://www.ffmages.com/new-graphics-...-realm-reborn/

[Shurrikhan]

They didn't build FFXIV 2.0 on 1.0's engine. They built a brand new engine to make 2.0. So any perceived limitations to the game based on it's framework is solely on Yoshi's dev team.

http://www.ffmages.com/new-graphics-...-realm-reborn/

They said that, but only a few months after that report they had already swapped back from "there are features missing because we didn't have time to make them, because we had to rebuild any and all code from scratch" to "we can't make that because we're held back by old code."

Let's be clear, though -- at least on the graphical end of things: Luminous in not a particularly great engine, by all accounts (including SE's own, as the FFVII remake devs expressed serious frustrations in regards to it before swapping to UE4), especially in regards to workflow or efficiency. It can do some amazing stuff, but at this point no much if any more so than UE4, and apparently comes at high costs.

[tdb]

When you say "why not make a new MMORPG" how do you imagine that endeavor would pan out? When would it be released? How would the amount of content and features compare to FFXIV?

Developing an MMORPG is a huge effort. Moreover it's an effort that doesn't end at the game's release. All games these days get patches and some get expansions, but MMORPG players in particular expect a continuous stream of new content. So when you look at the limitations of FFXIV and think "why not make a new game" don't forget that you'd be turning back the clock six years to ARR release. 2.0 didn't have alliance raids (added in 2.1), beast tribes (added in 2.1), PvP (added in 2.1), hunts (added in 2.3) or the gold saucer (added in 2.5).

The lesser amount of playable content can be excused because it would all be new content. But since a new game would require new graphical assets there would be a lot less different outfits and other cosmetic options. ARR didn't have glamours or player housing at release and the variety of emotes was much smaller. Would you be willing to (temporarily) give up those in exchange for better graphics?

Finally, there are all kinds of balance and quality of life adjustments that are applied over the game's lifetime. A new game will have new gameplay mechanics, and new mechanics will bring new balancing issues. Some lessons learned from previous games may be applicable, but more likely than not it would take a few major patches to polish everything.

[Shurrikhan]

Lol, make a whole new game because we can't get male Viera? This is getting pretty ridiculous. The reason of course is because this game is doing well, and it takes too much money.

Are you to strawmen what Batman is to bats? And is it Strawman or Strawmanman?

Be it customization, poll rates, particular mechanics, AI, or even simple QoL changes, there's almost always something that is "impossible from a technical standpoint" to add or improve upon due to the underlying engine of the game. Even the engine issues themselves are apparently not fixable due to other, baser parts of the engine. At that point, is it worth having flawed or unfinished addition after addition compared to ending in a couple expansions and starting fresh with a base game that isn't so problematic? That's all this is about.

[Daralii]

Are you to strawmen what Batman is to bats? And is it Strawman or Strawmanman?

Be it customization, poll rates, particular mechanics, AI, or even simple QoL changes, there's almost always something that is "impossible from a technical standpoint" to add or improve upon due to the underlying engine of the game. Even the engine issues themselves are apparently not fixable due to other, baser parts of the engine. At that point, is it worth having flawed or unfinished addition after addition compared to ending in a couple expansions and starting fresh with a base game that isn't so problematic? That's all this is about.

Considering XIV is profitable enough that Square's CEO said he wouldn't let Yoshida shut it down if he wanted to, I doubt he'd get permission to wind down development in the early 2020s to start a new engine and MMO from scratch that likely wouldn't see release until the mid-2030s.

[Shurrikhan]

Considering XIV is profitable enough that Square's CEO said he wouldn't let Yoshida shut it down if he wanted to, I doubt he'd get permission to wind down development in the early 2020s to start a new engine and MMO from scratch that likely wouldn't see release until the mid-2030s.

I'd assume the same, but it depends on whether another team starts handling it and simply whether or not SE finds it likely to be profitable. Just because another MMO in the same franchise is still ongoing doesn't mean the newer one won't start seriously into its development -- especially if they're aimed at different player types or to provide very different aspects from among those seen in the other.