Japanese dev posts today (April the 21st)

[Sigmakan]

I always thought the Anima system would be removed completely once legit transportation modes were introduced. Perhaps keep the Anima for Aethryte>Aehryte Gate traveling.

[AlexiaKidd]

Well I have been doing a lot of exploring in Coethas today and found an airship dock near Falcons Nest. They are airship docks for sure as an NPC in falcons nest confirmed it and also said that Dragons from Dravania are attacking them much more frequently now. Guess when they do come we will have Dragon attacks like Sea Horrors on the boats from FFXI.

[Verecund]

I think they should keep anima when other travel means are released, but do something a little different with it.

Maybe they could limit it to teleporting to capital cities and aetherial gates (not aethyrite crystals), making its function similar to what it is now, but placing more emphasis on using anima to ease population overflow from popular behest camps. Or they could place a cooldown on how often you can use anima when porting to certain places.

[Ayerc]

I think they should keep anima when other travel means are released, but do something a little different with it.

Maybe they could limit it to teleporting to capital cities and aetherial gates (not aethyrite crystals), making its function similar to what it is now, but placing more emphasis on using anima to ease population overflow from popular behest camps. Or they could place a cooldown on how often you can use anima when porting to certain places.

This is what I was thinking as well. Some of the runs between Crystal Camp and Gate take time, perfect for a chocobo. Cut the ability to teleport to the Gates, and chocobos can take us from camps.

They could also limit the number of Camps in new areas yet to be released, once we're well into expansions, the areas Anima can access could be significantly limited, compared to what we have now. The lore being that some of those areas are less developed/more wilderness, since they're further away from the developed cities, and the infrastructure isn't there. For areas surrounding Ala Mihgo (also possibly Limsa/Ul'dah/Gridania) maybe the Empire destroyed some of the Camps in their attacks, rendering them useless. It'd be pretty awesome to come across a few damaged camps, with the Crystals broken in pieces on the ground. Airships could be used to take us into these areas, a la Kazham Airship, or perhaps we could make the long trek via Chocobo.

I also think Airships should be used for much more than just transportation between the 3 main cities. Usage for deep expedition (like mentioned above) and air-based combat events (similar to the Ferry in XI) could make their presence in the face of the Anima system both practical and popular.

[Rydin]

They could always just raise anima costs... surprised no one mentioned that

[Rentahamster]

They could always just raise anima costs... surprised no one mentioned that

Or have an anima penalty upon using return while dead.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...ll=1#post33989

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...ll=1#post61696

[Kailok]

If they do raise anima costs it won't be until after those vehicles are introduced. They used to be more expensive but a couple of months ago they reduced the cost of them, as I'm sure you know about.

I personally think they need to change the system to some sort of crystal system or something along the likes. Seems to fit the game more with the whole Aethryte theme. They don't really explain why you're able to use Anima to go practically anywhere you've already been. Also I think they should make it so you have to hit level 10 or something before you can use it and then introduce it as a "special ability" of sorts so that new players will know it's there and how to use it.

Could use the crystal as some sort of resonance stone which allows you to set it to the frequency of the stone in the place you want to go and allows you to teleport there. I feel like there should be lore behind an ability to teleport >.>

[Kailok]

As for battling the problem of making other transportation obsolete, they could just make it a timer ability. Instead of using anime, you use the "Resonance Stone" or whatever you want to call it and use it like once every half hour. Lets it take you anywhere. Then people could make the decision whether to use that or choco or ships.

[Holy_Dragoon]

Even with Anima the way it is, I would still spend gil to take airhsips from city to city. I hate spending it to jump between he other cities. In fact I would probably spend more time in them as saving the 4 Anima takes a while.

[Physic]

anima was meant to speed things for low playtime. And it would still serve that purpose, the reason people dont run out of anima is they dont play that much, you only get like what, 6? anima a day. thats one big teleport or 3 small teleports, the fact that is enough for most people suggests they arent traveling much. I would welcome chocobos and airships as forms of travel, because anima aint all that.