why during cutscene its always like this ... (small spoiler)

[Gaddes]

Claims like these aren't really definitive seeing as there is no easy to actually validate it. Not that I completely doubt it; it just doesn't contribute to the discussion in any way. So, just as a heads up, I'll be just ignoring this point in my reply.

This didn't even need to be said; you just clearly wanted to state it as if to undermine my statement. If you're "ignoring it" why bring it up at all? Thing is, it doesn't matter whether you believe it or not, it's my job and I can base my opinions off of work I've done in game cinematics. Literally means nothing to me if someone doubts my job or not, because I still do it.

As for the Ninja deal, you have to imagine; which is more time consuming? Animating one shuriken, or an entire NPC? More inclined to say the NPC would have needed to accomodate every single instance - the shortest possible Lalafell and the tallest possible Elezen are some examples. It's not whether or not they can do it (because they can), but whether or not they are able to implement things on time. Spending too much time on the one cutscene might not give them leeway to touch on other aspects of the game. Do remember that the development team isn't very big.

There are ways to do a scene like this efficiently and with minimal work time. They clearly use mocap in their more active cutscenes, and a brief skirmish (I'm talking maybe 5 seconds tops of dodging) would involve two mocap actors. Let's say they have access to a mocap studio that can give them body animation turnaround in about 2-3 days (that's approximately how long ours usually takes). They clearly hand-key the faces, and do so in a very limited manner, so that would barely take any time whatsoever.

So the thing that takes the most time is not the animation itself, it's actually the pacing, framing and camera angles. You can spend a day or two doing a short storyboard/animatic for the skirmish, get the cameras in in around the same time, and then plug in the rough body animation and polish it to match the angles used. If a single animator was tasked this, they could be able to do it in under a month total, and that's including scripters implementing it, revisions from supervisors, a sound pass etc. And that's being generous, and assuming it's only one person working on it.

But the other thing is that there's a value in setting aside the resources and time to doing this. It's a FF game, there should be value placed in the storytelling. Spending time on cutscenes is worthwhile. When people say it's not worth it, it's like basically saying having those extra moments with your character aren't worth it to you... in which case, why play a final fantasy game..?

[AdamFyi]

This didn't even need to be said; you just clearly wanted to state it as if to undermine my statement.

As I said, I don't doubt it. I'm pointing it out so you don't use that as an argument again.

In which case, why play a final fantasy game..?

This is the problem. You view it as a Final Fantasy game rather than it being just a different game. Don't be mistaken- FFXIV doesn't need to live up to their predecessors in terms of cinematics. Just because one person likes FF3, doesn't mean they'll necessarily like FF11. Same goes with FF14 and FF13.

Now then, assuming that the dev team follows the regular schedule of three months between patches, and assuming there is only a single animator taking a month for one cutscene, they lose one whole months worth of possible other implementations that require that animator just for one cutscene. So tell me, would you rather they sacrificed possible time for introducing new features just to accomodate one cutscene, or would you rather they extend the time between patches to more than four months?

---

If they can't make us more than a passive observer by cutscene, they should try involving the gameplay.

Gameplay would be very welcome in the form of an instanced fight. Just only in the right moments. However, instanced fights do not necessarily convey the kind of message that the writers want to convey to the players. Personally, I don't have much problems with the 3.1 cutscene. A flare to the face would definitely hurt and disorientate the WoL. :u

[Gaddes]

This is the problem. You view it as a Final Fantasy game rather than it being just a different game. Don't be mistaken- FFXIV doesn't need to live up to their predecessors in terms of cinematics. Just because one person likes FF3, doesn't mean they'll necessarily like FF11. Same goes with FF14 and FF13.

This game is bookended between 13 and 15, both incredibly cutscene/story intensive games. Even FFXI had a fair amount of cutscenes. Final Fantasy is a brand known for this sort of thing; you don't get to choose and say "eh just skip the cutscenes for this one." If they were going to go whole-hog on gameplay-only content then it shouldn't have been an FF title.

Now then, assuming that the dev team follows the regular schedule of three months between patches, and assuming there is only a single animator taking a month for one cutscene, they lose one whole months worth of possible other implementations that require that animator just for one cutscene. So tell me, would you rather they sacrificed possible time for introducing new features just to accomodate one cutscene, or would you rather they extend the time between patches to more than four months?

Again, a month is an overly generous estimate. Other thing is that that's not the sole thing that animator's going to be doing that month. The turnaround for the entire scene is a month (as I said, including sound, scripting etc etc), the animator's contribution is a portion of that, generally the first phase, since everyone else's work is based around it. When you're doing cinematics you often have to multitask and be prepping several scenes of this nature concurrently. Lot of spinning plates on sticks.

[AdamFyi]

Again, a month is an overly generous estimate.

Your estimation, not mine. Though this is a Final Fantasy game, it does not necessarily need to live up to their predecessors in any way or form. But I can't change expectations; It's not my decision nor it is yours as to what the devs do with the game. I think the cutscenes are fine as they are. If they aren't up to your expections; to each their own.

Meh, whatever floats your boat. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Gaddes]

It's not my decision nor it is yours as to what the devs do with the game.

On that we can agree. The ball's in their court. If the devs want to keep relegating our WoLs to second-rate status, there's not much that can be done.

[Kallera]

Gameplay would be very welcome in the form of an instanced fight. Just only in the right moments. However, instanced fights do not necessarily convey the kind of message that the writers want to convey to the players. Personally, I don't have much problems with the 3.1 cutscene. A flare to the face would definitely hurt and disorientate the WoL. :u

The message the writers want to convey to the players isn't very consistent to what gameplay demands. Personally, I do have a problem with the cutscene, as it is just the cutscene and us (in my case, me being DRK) being more passive than the mages getting creamed. Perhaps it was less blatant than the 2.55 cutscene, but my issue with it is the same. We just aren't the active participants such a scene would suggest we should be, and that causes disparity between us in gameplay and us in cutscenes, a disparity where we are by default, incompetent when we are not in player control.

Now SE can continue to not listen and keep working with two versions of our character, but I have no doubt that this discussion is going to keep coming up when action cutscenes keep resulting in viewers getting taken out of the story.