Letter from the Producer, XXX (06/21/2012)

[Krausus]

was also designed to work on about any non ancient PC as well which opened it up to a lot of people.

[Airget]

They caught the train at the right time in terms of MMOs. MMOs always existed, but with more use of the internet, liittle kids growing up and poking around, plaster ads everywhere and on TV you'll make a killing.

This is the only reason WoW was successful, you couldn't go to one website without seeing a WoW ad, much like Maplestory, you couldn't browse without seeing the cutesy characters telling you to join. Fyi, Maplestory was and still is one of the most popular MMOs to date as well. Like I've said before, WoW is the FFVII of MMOs: Came at the right place at the right time, VII was inferior to most FF games yet still acclaimed as one of the best simply because it was many people's first FF game as well as the first "next-gen" FF game even though we can all agree earlier and later FF games are much better and more polished.

While I"ll agree with some I"ll say that FF7 wasn't a fluke when it came out. Just look at FF13 it came out at a time in which a lot of RPGs weren't out for the ps3 and even then people were disappointed with how linear the game felt. Then look at FF7 the world was just so big and alive, had so much to do that to say it's a fluke it did so well is somewhat mistaken. It's nothing like WoW release, it's not the fact that it came out at the right time but it came out during a time when mmo players were more forgiving. Even FFXI had the same handicap as WoW when it came out. If I'm not mistaken, when XI was first released within those first few months they made tweaks to the magics certain jobs had and such. Also there was no concept such as Skillchain and magic bursting so players pretty much had to use the strategy which is used now and that's the beatdown of just spamming WS. Though at that time players didn't wield strong weaponskills like they do now so you can imagine how long it must have taken to fell foes.

Within those 10yrs though a lot has changed an mmo like swtor would have worked and maybe even been a bigger hit then WoW if it was released in the same year but now developers have to think more before they act. People are less forgiving in this age and will gladly toss aside an p2p mmo to play a random cheap and dinky f2p mmo. It's tough but ya, in order for MMOs to survive in this age they not only need to have decent coding and limited bugs upon release but they also need enough content to keep a wide range of players interested and challenged. But that's where the issue comes in, as you add in more content you risk the chance of adding more bugs, and if those bugs are game breaking people will leave. On the otherhand if you have less content then you lower your chances of having bugs in a game but increase the odds of players becoming bored and having nothing to do so they just leave.

[Hyrist]

Hmm about the Odin Speculation.

Wonder what would happen if White Raven and Black Wolf got melded together by Meteor and became Odin... The armor certainly does look like an unnatural mixing of the two.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

meh.
actually, i think the "master" Darnus refear could be really odin

[Elexia]

Hmm about the Odin Speculation.

Wonder what would happen if White Raven and Black Wolf got melded together by Meteor and became Odin... The armor certainly does look like an unnatural mixing of the two.

You know, for someone trying to get rid of Primals (and one trying to cleanse Eorzea), I don't see why people expect them to become one xD

[Elexia]

While I"ll agree with some I"ll say that FF7 wasn't a fluke when it came out. Just look at FF13 it came out at a time in which a lot of RPGs weren't out for the ps3 and even then people were disappointed with how linear the game felt. Then look at FF7 the world was just so big and alive, had so much to do that to say it's a fluke it did so well is somewhat mistaken. It's nothing like WoW release, it's not the fact that it came out at the right time but it came out during a time when mmo players were more forgiving. Even FFXI had the same handicap as WoW when it came out. If I'm not mistaken, when XI was first released within those first few months they made tweaks to the magics certain jobs had and such. Also there was no concept such as Skillchain and magic bursting so players pretty much had to use the strategy which is used now and that's the beatdown of just spamming WS. Though at that time players didn't wield strong weaponskills like they do now so you can imagine how long it must have taken to fell foes.

Within those 10yrs though a lot has changed an mmo like swtor would have worked and maybe even been a bigger hit then WoW if it was released in the same year but now developers have to think more before they act. People are less forgiving in this age and will gladly toss aside an p2p mmo to play a random cheap and dinky f2p mmo. It's tough but ya, in order for MMOs to survive in this age they not only need to have decent coding and limited bugs upon release but they also need enough content to keep a wide range of players interested and challenged. But that's where the issue comes in, as you add in more content you risk the chance of adding more bugs, and if those bugs are game breaking people will leave. On the otherhand if you have less content then you lower your chances of having bugs in a game but increase the odds of players becoming bored and having nothing to do so they just leave.

Indeed, it wasn't a complete fluke, but it also had a lot of advantages given release time. MMO wise yeah people are less forgiving but also a lot more picky and impatient overall, so this is the main reason new MMOs fail or go under the radar no matter how good or bad, people expect a lot out of it and also expect to be able to do everything and get everything right off the bat which no MMO can realistically keep up with those expectations without allowing an ending to it and simply offering a "replay" option (i.e D3.)

MMO market today is oversaturated which is why people can easily skip around MMOs in one doesn't sate their tastes for too long. Tera for example didn't do as well as it could in it's asian markets, but outwest since it's "new" from the typical MMO, people are eating it up just like they did Rift, but even Rift tapered off simply because it's almost impossible to meet expectations these days, this is why WoW was at the right place in the right period of the transition of MMOs becoming more mainstream.

[Hulan]

Hmm about the Odin Speculation.

Wonder what would happen if White Raven and Black Wolf got melded together by Meteor and became Odin... The armor certainly does look like an unnatural mixing of the two.

I'm getting much more of an "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" vibe from the Black Wolf. I suspect that while he might not help us kill the White Raven, he may be on the sidelines quietly rooting for us. It's a fun little twist that Square Enix quite likes, as I recall. The villain who isn't really that bad, just different principles and even helps out from time to time when it comes to the "true evil".

[Starlord]

You know, for someone trying to get rid of Primals (and one trying to cleanse Eorzea), I don't see why people expect them to become one xD

But if he's the one that IS a Primal.. then it will meet his vision Because he just after Domination, if becoming a Primal meets that goal then soo be it.

[Krausus]

doesn't being a primal entail being aligned with an element and being worshiped by a beastman tribe, wouldn't Odin be much more than a primal and thus not necessarily what the empire is trying to destroy.

[Alerith]

doesn't being a primal entail being aligned with an element and being worshiped by a beastman tribe, wouldn't Odin be much more than a primal and thus not necessarily what the empire is trying to destroy.

I think being worshiped by a beastmen tribe is a perk more than a requirement. The Amal'jaa hail Ifrit because they're fire aligned, the Ixal hail Garuda because they are wind aligned. I wouldn't say it's necessary for a Primal to have a tribe to align to.

And Odin is the/an "Elder Primal", so he is a Primal regardless of his function.

That being said, I do not believe Darnus was speaking of Odin. I'm almost convinced it was Ultima/Omega, as the appearance of Ultima/Omega's armor is a near match to Darnus's.

If anything, during the reign of the Allag Empire, Odin could have been the Empire's Primal while Omega was laying waste to the land. Allag summoned Odin and Odin fought with Omega in a huge battle that laid waste to the Empire. The remnants of the Empire would seal both Odin and Omega in Dalamud and throw their asses into space.