The design formula and job difficulty segregation are on brand

[Tahmamo]

The job difficulty thing has always annoyed me. So they absolutely neutered summoner and the reward for long time summoner fans is that their job is now undertuned? And as you've already pointed out, this policy doesn't track because some jobs that are objectively simpler to play well do more damage than jobs with more intricacies and execution requirements.

SE neutering summoner in EW made me change my main to both red mage and monk after completing Asphodelos. I wanted to give the new summoner a chance back then, but the simplicity just took out all of the enjoyment and fun I had playing it.

[Valence]

I think this framing is misleading. This is the relevant section of the interview:



Now, there is certainly a process described here, but that process is about how the workflow functions across multiple departments on the way to putting out finished content. You could argue that parts of it are overly rigid, like that every fight seems to include a fixed timeline or that programmers are the ones making the initial decisions on raidwides and tankbusters so they might be less focused on having the fight feel unique than the creative professionals—I think those are valid points. It's not as you seem to imply though, that the whole of every encounter is working off some cookiecutter blueprint demanding a circular arena and a spread/stack mechanic at some point, etc. It actually sounds quite open-ended beyond the basic constraint of needing to operate on a timer, which I'll admit I wish they did more to change up both in fight and job design. It is kind of depressing to be able to map out the exact GCD you'll be on when a mechanic happens every single pull.

EDIT: I misread the quote at first; it is indeed the battle planners who lay out the initial timeline, which makes a lot more sense.

Alright, then if the process isn't to blame, then what is to blame for the cookie cutter rigid formulae and the copy pasted fight mechanics and gameplay everywhere?

[StarlessSky]

Who knows? The interview certainly doesn't tell us. That's the only point I'm making.

Feel free to speculate, but it is just speculation.