Letter from the Producer, XXVIII (05/28/2012)

[Delsus]

And therein lies the problem. While you're absolutely right about online viewership, this number is absolutely unidentifiable, which means that while it's definitely a factor, it's ultimately irrelevant as a valid source of information until we can fully measure it. It could be in the 100s of thousands, it can be as little as 14 thousand, which still doesn't add up to the 275k attendees of Gamescom. It's the case of a concrete vs. invisible number really. Keep in mind that this is a population with a specific knowledge set that can easily get their online info from any other source(like Gamescom streaming or say a promotional 2.0 site for example), AND said online viewership is limited to the coverage that people on the show floor will give. If 1up or IGN or Spike decide not to show any FFXIV stuff that was there, well then tough break to anyone looking online for FFXIV info.

E3 is the big papa on the street right now, but over the years it's lost a lot of its luster, and a lot of companies have decided to opt out(if I'm not mistaken, bungie has decided to opt out this year for example, along with Irrational). Gamescom, PAX, even CES are gaining more steam, and a lot of gaming companies are doing their own thing like Nintendo with their Nintendo Direct shtick(which also doesn't seem to have a huge online viewership dent just yet).

Its entirely possible to find out how many people watched online, cross referance the amount of hits the vids get, filter my unique IP address and you get the ratings for E3 online viewers, just the websites don't make that info publicly available.

[Malakhim]

Just the websites don't make that info publicly available.

Which makes the info unofficial, which makes it speculation on SE's part. It'd be much easier for online streamers to post the numbers themselves, which I'll admit should exist, otherwise they wouldn't see the value in offering the service year after year.

If you go to any of these sites on the day of Sony, MS and Nintendo conferences you can barely watch the streams due to bandwidth problems, its safe to say that the numbers are massive.

It could be bandwidth, but it could also be because they're having issues with their streaming on the floor, or maybe your ISP decided to suck that day.

I didn't say disregard the online viewership, I said that they're irrelevant as a measurable metric because the information isn't published or shared as far as I'm aware, and all of that has an effect on your measurements. We're talking about creating sound business strategy here. You don't rely on invisible numbers for that.

[Hycinthus]

I'm looking forward to gameplay trailer,showing new UI, new redesigned world.

But knowing the timeframe they had, it will probably be #1, only CGI....

But also keeping my expectation even lower again, there will probably be nothing, only an announcement that they're working on it.

I knew this was gonna happen, I called it first!

Anyway, even though I understand the part about releasing "a flood instead of a trickle", I think they should still show the trailer at E3 since it's done anyway. If marketing is all they're after, E3 is the place to do it. And then in August they can show more new things on top of that trailer.

[Delsus]

I knew this was gonna happen, I called it first!

Anyway, even though I understand the part about releasing "a flood instead of a trickle", I think they should still show the trailer at E3 since it's done anyway. If marketing is all they're after, E3 is the place to do it. And then in August they can show more new things on top of that trailer.

Or they can show the relevent gameplay that everyone wants to see, they can see how the UI will work, see how things look, then release the CGI trailer showing abilities we do not have (Fire Arrow) and things we will never see ingame (or anything like it) at a later date.

The 1.0 trailer/opening movie has very little to do with the game, there are the races, classes, leves and a flashback in Mor Dhona, who thought we would get the Magic arrows we saw in the trailer.

It shows nothing of how the game will play, its not even represetative of the graphics, just CGI and useless, this will be what the new trailer will be like, not showing the game, but other movies like gameplay have some use, they are just getting thier priorities straight, the first thing they need is to do something to pull players in and preorder 2.0, and ONLY gameplay will do that, a CGI trailer will do nothing.

[Colino]

Or they can show the relevent gameplay that everyone wants to see, they can see how the UI will work, see how things look, then release the CGI trailer showing abilities we do not have (Fire Arrow) and things we will never see ingame (or anything like it) at a later date.

The 1.0 trailer/opening movie has very little to do with the game, there are the races, classes, leves and a flashback in Mor Dhona, who thought we would get the Magic arrows we saw in the trailer.

It shows nothing of how the game will play, its not even represetative of the graphics, just CGI and useless, this will be what the new trailer will be like, not showing the game, but other movies like gameplay have some use, they are just getting thier priorities straight, the first thing they need is to do something to pull players in and preorder 2.0, and ONLY gameplay will do that, a CGI trailer will do nothing.

You are basing all of this off of the assumption that they will show gameplay footage at E3, but looking at the letter that's far from being certain.

[Delsus]

You are basing all of this off of the assumption that they will show gameplay footage at E3, but looking at the letter that's far from being certain.

And everyone else basing thier views on FFXIV WILL NOT BE AT E3 dispite this quote:

Well, the public release of version 2.0 is set to kickoff with this year’s E3 in Los Angeles. We also plan to unveil a brand new promotion site for version 2.0 soon after E3 ends.

Which means they will market the game at E3, ie they WILL be showing something.

[Colino]

Which means they will market the game at E3, ie they WILL be showing something.

First of all I already pointed out how poorly worded that sentence is. Second of all, just a few lines after he explicitly states how the roadmap has been updated to say that marketing will commence in AUGUST (so AFTER E3) and

But during our most recent global PR planning meeting, we came to the conclusion that the most effective way to introduce version 2.0 to the world would be with a flood of new material rather than just a trickle.

Which is in contradiction to the only one line where he says "public release of version 2.0" which again is EXTREMELY poorly worded.

[Onidemon]

Or they can show the relevent gameplay that everyone wants to see, they can see how the UI will work, see how things look, then release the CGI trailer showing abilities we do not have (Fire Arrow) and things we will never see ingame (or anything like it) at a later date.

The 1.0 trailer/opening movie has very little to do with the game, there are the races, classes, leves and a flashback in Mor Dhona, who thought we would get the Magic arrows we saw in the trailer.

It shows nothing of how the game will play, its not even represetative of the graphics, just CGI and useless, this will be what the new trailer will be like, not showing the game, but other movies like gameplay have some use, they are just getting thier priorities straight, the first thing they need is to do something to pull players in and preorder 2.0, and ONLY gameplay will do that, a CGI trailer will do nothing.

There is no gameplay at E3 period. The most you will see is interviews and artwork. If there was actual gameplay detailing how 2.0 will work and all then there would be no need to withdraw that trailer. Everyone has to understand that they are keeping the info under wraps for a longer time and not that they have something even bigger planned for E3.

[Starlord]

There is no gameplay at E3 period. The most you will see is interviews and artwork. If there was actual gameplay detailing how 2.0 will work and all then there would be no need to withdraw that trailer. Everyone has to understand that they are keeping the info under wraps for a longer time and not that they have something even bigger planned for E3.

You maybe surprised, "Things are not always as they appear to be" As I said Numerous of times, We will see. We all have opinions, and that's fine, but the best thing anyone can do, is wait till E3 comes to show or not show us stuff about FFXIV.. That's really the only Middle ground I can come up with atm.

[Jinko]

You maybe surprised, "Things are not always as they appear to be" As I said Numerous of times, We will see. We all have opinions, and that's fine, but the best thing anyone can do, is wait till E3 comes to show or not show us stuff about FFXIV.. That's really the only Middle ground I can come up with atm.

So what happens when you have convinced everyone to get their hopes up and there is nothing to show at E3 ? are we allowed to vote you off the island ?