Gamerescape Interview: Summons, Chocobos, Train Tracks and Rocks

[Scratches]

Greetings,

We would like to gather your thoughts about jump and how you would like it to be used (In combat? Getting around obstacles?) so we can pass them along to development team. Please let us know what you think. Thanks!

I'm really liking Nakiamiie's ideas, especially regarding environmental exploration and an accuracy penalty. Such a penalty would still allow people to bunny hop around at will (as a chronic jumper (when bored/waiting), I would most emphatically be opposed to any sort of limitations or cooldowns on jumping), but still cause people to seriously consider whether they want to jump whilst in combat (so combat doesn't end up looking too ridiculous).

Regarding PvE: I would not be opposed to seeing jump used in pve combat, mechanically-speaking. Like using it to reduce damage taken from ground-based attacks (please don't let it completely negate damage, as then it turns into jump-at-the-right-time-or-fail), or some platforming during a boss encounter (for example, to get up to the right height so that you can attack a boss (that may or may not be in a weakened/"downed" state) during an encounter).

Regarding PvP: I don't feel jumping should have any positive, mechanical consequences in PvP, unlike in PvE. Jumping to reduce damage from other players, even with the jumper receiving an accuracy penalty, would result in lots and lots of jumping around.
By all means, create PvP maps/areas/locations (what are we calling XIV's PvP instances? Battlegrounds? Coliseumseses?) that offer uses for jumping (e.g., rocks that people can jump up on or, alternatively, use to block line-of-sight; small vantage points that players could get up to (with a little jumping), to give them an advantage in combat/set up ambushes; etc)... just don't let jumping affect damage received, as that could, in addition to being a pain to watch, potentially be hell to balance against :/ ("well, do we balance these ground attacks with the assumption that people are always going to be jumping, or..?").

^Related: Unless the new server-client infrastructure includes regional shards/servers -- or some equally magical technology (client-side prediction, if that would even work?) -- please disregard everything I said about PvE, as that would just be an absolute nightmare with current latencies...

Generally speaking: While I certainly adore the amount of detail that's put into all of the game's animations, I hope that jumping won't suffer from the same ailments that current movement does (i.e., have to stop, then perform action, then move again); that fluidity and the "joy of movement" is the new name of the game. Continuing with that, I hope that characters will all feel like they belong or have a sense of place in the world; like they have weight; and that they move/jump accordingly; that when I walk off an edge, the movement isn't just "straight down" (like it is right now), that my character still has some inertia, even though he didn't actively jump off.
I don't mind if every race has the same jump height (from a design view, that's the way it should be, imho), just as long as it looks relatively believable and it's, most importantly, fun.

Lastly, with jumping, you guys (Square) are effectively adding a 3rd axis of movement to the game... don't squander it because you're just adding the ability to jump for jump's sake. For example, you now have the opportunity (and the collective imagination, I'd bet) to make some really interesting, more-vertical-than-usual environments (and gameplay). I hope you take advantage... (especially with stuff like the forthcoming Crystal Tower).
(^Granted that's not solely contingent upon being able to jump, but implementing the ability certainly lays some groundwork.)

Oh, and chocobos will be able to jump, right?

RIIIIIIIGHT??? lol

[Alhanelem]

Now that you guys mention it, I actually like shades of purple a lot myself :3

No Alhanelem, it is seriously not something I'm just saying to annoy you. If I linked you to a desktop screenshot, you would see that basically everything that can be changed to purple is changed to purple. Winamp, Windows Aero, MSN, everything!

I don't have anything against purple specifically. I just prefer t hat text on a forum or chat be kept plain. My wallpaper has a lot of purple.

On topic, I'm pretty relieved to see most people being open minded on use of jumping. I really like the ideas that have come out so far.

you have some cool ideas about knock-back. Would be more exciting if we had to worry about being knocked off the edge of a cliff. (Also for some reason I pictured a boss battle on an island-like platform where we could be knocked off any side. ) And if they can fix lag/delay issues perhaps we could jump to avoid earthquake-like attacks that might knock us back. I wouldn't be to bothered by that I guess.

I totally agree with this, i just hope that they can improve network performance enough that we don't have to end up jumping way before something actually happens and then have it not look like it made sense.

[Zyph]

That's a good point, where is jump going to fit in on my controller?

[Nabiri]

That's a good point, where is jump going to fit in on my controller?

I was worried about that too, (as it already feel over-crowded), but I've heard they're remapping everything to make things work for controller.

[Scratches]

That's a good point, where is jump going to fit in on my controller?

With the coming release of Final Fantasy XIV verson 2.0, Square would like to take this time to introduce the all new Final Fantasy XIV Controller, version 2.0! Now with a jump button!!

And don't fret! If you don't like having yet another button to press, there'll also be a Premium version with a built-in gyroscope! With a Premium Final Fantasy XIV Controller, version 2.0...er, controller...all you'd have to do to jump in-game is violently shake the controller up and down for 3-seconds, and.... voila!! You jumped!! (once)

[Rane]

Generally speaking: While I certainly adore the amount of detail that's put into all of the game's animations, I hope that jumping won't suffer from the same ailments that current movement does (i.e., have to stop, then perform action, then move again); that fluidity and the "joy of movement" is the new name of the game. Continuing with that, I hope that characters will all feel like they belong or have a sense of place in the world; like they have weight; and that they move/jump accordingly; that when I walk off an edge, the movement isn't just "straight down" (like it is right now), that my character still has some inertia, even though he didn't actively jump off.
I don't mind if every race has the same jump height (from a design view, that's the way it should be, imho), just as long as it looks relatively believable and it's, most importantly, fun.

Lastly, with jumping, you guys (Square) are effectively adding a 3rd axis of movement to the game... don't squander it because you're just adding the ability to jump for jump's sake. For example, you now have the opportunity (and the collective imagination, I'd bet) to make some really interesting, more-vertical-than-usual environments (and gameplay). I hope you take advantage... (especially with stuff like the forthcoming Crystal Tower).
(^Granted that's not solely contingent upon being able to jump, but implementing the ability certainly lays some groundwork.)

Oh, and chocobos will be able to jump, right?

RIIIIIIIGHT??? lol

These are really, really great points. I agree completely.

[SuzakuCMX]

I would like platforming-type areas in dungeons. Would be really cool IMO. Like having to jump over lava and stuff, or jumping cliff-to-cliff to get to the boss.

[Coombah]

I think the idea of jumping up to grab on ledges , jumping over or on things would be awesome

[Felis]

I like jump for the environment. Jumping over a fence, jumping down a cliff or jumping from one stone to the next stone in a sea of lava.

But no combat jump, please.

[indira]

Up to one month to transfer data from 1.xx to 2.0 X.X, and we can't play while it's being done.

If it's taking that long they must of made some serious database structure changes

well 2.0 is a new game not just a patch so there gonna have everything different. that means mass data conversion.