Famitsu interview translation up on BG's forums by Slycer
Quote:I'm translating the Famitsu interview first. Some interesting details here (nothing mind-blowing, but some interesting discussion points anyway). Full translation is complete and I'll look at the other sites to see if any other significant information is present that isn't here.
Source: http://www.famitsu.com/news/201511/05092257.html
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FFXIV Pre-Patch 3.1 Interview with Naoki Yoshida! Patches 3.15 and 3.2 also Discussed
The first large patch for Heavensward will be implemented on November 10, 2015 and bring new growth to Final Fantasy XIV. With the development work in its final stage, we sat down with Naoki Yoshida, producer and director of Final Fantasy XIV, to discuss the highlights and his current impressions.
New information about patches 3.15 and beyond!
About four months have passed since the launch of Final Fantasy XIV's first expansion, Heavensward, in which many players enjoyed a variety of new elements in the new areas. In the 25th live producer letter which was held on October 25, the announcement was made that patch 3.1 would be released on November 10, 2015. The content to be added includes exploration content in which a large number of people can visit a vast area of floating islands, a 24 person raid dungeon which will follow up the Crystal Tower series, and a number of other new play elements.
We spoke with producer and director Naoki Yoshida about the highlights of the new content debuting in patch 3.1 as well as the future of Heavensward. In addition, the content and release timing for patch 3.15 was revealed, as well as some discussion about the contents of patch 3.2, so please read on for the details.
Many of the topics discussed in this interview will overlap with the content from the live producer letter on October 25, but reviewing the details of both will lead to a better understanding of patch 3.1 content.
(Interview held on October 21, 2015)
Determining the direction of updates with an eye on 4.0
Have you set a specific release date for the patch?
Yoshida: We'll be formally announcing this at the live producer letter on October 25, but it will be on November 10. Compared to the normal pacing of patches, we've spent about three or four extra weeks on this one.
Although the patches up until now have been published about every three months, you spent about four months on this one. Did this lead to any changes with the development?
Yoshida: As far as whether patch 3.1 will seem larger than previous patches, it probably won't be a huge difference. In addition to the new content, a lot of the modifications will be convenience and system changes where we focused on addressing many items which needed attention. Since we had about four months, we were able to make many of these system changes in addition to adding the new content.
Did you do anything special before or after the 20th, like having the day off?
Yoshida: After Heavensward was released, we gave the team about a week of holiday. I think everyone needed a week off to take a mental break. That said, for some of the core team, including myself, it was business as usual
(Laughs). No rest for you.
Yoshida: We were working on setting up the content and story for the whole patch 3.X series and determining the direction of the next expansion 4.0. Heavensward continued on from the 2.X series and we had it crammed with content. Looking back on that, we decided to adjust the scale for the future releases.
What will the effects of this be?
Yoshida: As we progress through the 3.X series in the future, the advance preparation will become more clear. We have some larger content which will deliberately span multiple patches rather than one patch. With that, we've worked to allocate the staff ahead of schedule as much as possible so that we can smooth out the peaks in the development pace and avoid fatigue. With that, we hope to improve the quality of the patches so that all of the players will keep coming back.
Patch note reading will be held the day before release.
Can you talk more specifically about any of the system renovations which you touched on earlier?
Yoshida: As one example, right now when party members are scattered across a wide area, you can't accurately get their position from the mini-map so you need to open the larger map. To refine this, we'll be adding directional indicators for other party members on the mini-map.
That should be helpful.
Yoshida: There are a lot of features like that we'll be adding this time. Another one is that we'll be adding experience to level 50 instanced dungeons, and we'll also be adding a clear timer so you can do something like a Time Attack. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to implement rankings, but it will make doing Time Attacks more convenient.
I've heard that it can be very difficult to go into extreme primals with the setting for item levels at their minimum requirement.
Yoshida: That's another system similar to something like a Time Attack. I know some players were looking forward to having something like an official timer.
Will you be discussing all of these system enhancements in the patch notes?
Yoshida: They'll all be written out. The patch notes will be extremely long so the reading might take a while... (laughs).
When will you be holding the reading and publication for the patch notes?
Yoshida: The reading will be held on November 9. We're planning to be able to publish the preliminary patch notes as early as November 6.
Three main meanings were included in the title
What direction did you give the staff for developing the logo of patch 3.1?
Yoshida: The 2.X series logos were made similar to rock albums or action movie titles. This time, I asked for a more mysterious or suspenseful tone with a calmer design.
Will future 3.X series patches follow with this style?
Yoshida: I'm not sure (laughs). In the patch 2.X series, for example, we knew we wanted to squeeze the word "maelstrom" into patch 2.2, and that's what I told the staff to give them an image. Now, we've only had a short time to think abotu the image so we'll be working on it (laughs). However, since we've finished the plot for the whole 3.X series, we can start working on the future graphics develop the titles and logos.
With the title "As Goes Light, So Goes Darkness" it seems there are a number of different meanings - can you talk about any in particular?
Yoshida: It has three meanings. In the main story of Heavensward at release, the true history about how the Dragonsong War began between dragons and humans was revealed. Although a milestone was celebrated at the end of the storyline, there is still a grudge held between dragons and humans, but now the boundary isn't as clearly defined. The future of this will be told as part of the main story, and this is the first meaning.
The second?
Yoshida: On the topic of airships, there's a contrast with two of the new piece of content. The magic vessel "Void Ark" is a vehicle of darkness, while your explorations in the Diadem portion of Sea of Clouds will be much brighter.
And the third is?
Yoshida: Clearly we've had a discussion about "light and darkness" before with the Warrior of Light and Warrior of Darkness mentioned. There are some other meanings you might infer as well, but these are the three that are most easily understood right now.
Krile will play an active role in one of the storylines.
What will become of the new character Krile who just recently appeared?
Yoshida: Of course, they will be an important character in the story. Looking back on the 2.X series, we believe that there was too much focus on the main characters, so based on that, we've divided the story of the 3.X series into several storylines and the content and main story will develop in parallel paths. Krile is a key player in one of the storylines and will play an important role.
So you've learned from past mistakes.
Yoshida: In the 2.X series, there were the problems with the three nations, the primals, and the Crystal Braves which were all incorporated into the main storyline. As a result, while players did look forward to the storyline content, if they wanted to unlock the playable content quickly, they would skip through the scenario to unlock the content. In the 3.X series, rather than having a single main storyline which also unlocks the content, we've decided to have multiple parallel paths so that players can start wherever they like. For example, you start the primal quest and unlock it right away without being forced to skip through the main scenario.
If that storyline is split, are you saying that Krile won't be part of the main scenario?
Yoshida: Since it will be their first appearance, they will be introduced in the main scenario of patch 3.1. The role of Krile will become more clear starting from patch 3.2.
Will any news about other members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn besides Y'shtola become clear in the main scenario?
Yoshida: Whether they'll come back or not... you might have heard someone's voice in the trailer video (laughs).
I was expecting them to return one by one in each patch throughout this expansion.
Yoshida: I can see why you would think that, and that may be what happens (laughs). Please play through it to actually confirm, but we've already decided all of their fates.
The Sixth Calamity is key in the Void Ark story
In the magic vessel Void Ark, it seems that Cait Sith will be a character who meets up with the adventurers.
Yoshida: There will be many mysteries which emerge in this patch, but the story will be developed to a point where players should be able to imagine what the future will hold. Cait Sith won't necessarily be there right from the start of the Void Ark related quests. Things will become more intriguing as the scenario develops.
Is the Hyuran man who appeared in the trailer the captain of the ship?
Yoshida: From the adventurer's perspective he's an ally to humans, but further details are secret. Like NOAH with Crystal Tower, there will be a new group who appears related to Void Ark and he is the leader of that group.
Will we find out any more in the Void Ark story about how the Fifth Astral Era ended with the Sixth Calamity (the flood)?
Yoshida: The history and end of that era will be one of the main parts of the story. Why the Sixth Calamity occurred and its outcome will be one of the themes. By the way, Crystal Tower was created to be a single building with primarily interior areas. This time we are also trying to use outdoor areas, and the raid dungeon will change throughout the series, so you won't necessarily be fighting inside the Void Ark throughout.
So the Void Ark will set the stage this first time, but it may not for the second?
Yoshida: Although that was the original plan, I thought to myself, after retreating once, why would you go back to ride it again? (laughs) Since it would be hard to change the appearance, we decided not to go with that idea.
Perhaps it won't only be the vessel itself, but also the surrounding areas which become the stage?
Yoshida: It's still a bit early to talk about it, but the next part of the series we publish won't be named for the Void Ark ship. For example, it may be better to think of this as Chapter 1 of the "Sixth Calamity" series instead of "Void Ark." That would better represent the content to come.
In the lower left corner of the Void Ark artwork that was published with the 24th producer letter, there was a castle illustrated - will that be part of the stage for adventurers?
Yoshida: That's a common thought... it's still a secret for now (laughs).
Esoterics upgrade materials to be choices among the rewards!
What will the item level of equipment you can obtain on Void Ark be?
Yoshida: As usual, it will be a secret until the patch notes are pubslihed (laughs). That said, since you can only obtain Esoterics gear for a limited number of jobs, we know it's difficult to obtain equipment for alternate jobs, so we've made the item level high enough to be practical.
How will you be able to obtain the items to upgrade Esoterics equipment?
Yoshida: First off, the Void Ark equipment will drop directly from treasure chests after bosses are defeated. Instead of the upgrade items also being in treasure chests, players will individually obtain items called "Ancient Coins." Ancient Coins will be exchangeable for items equipment upgrade materials. The coins will be obtained after clearing Void Ark once a week. You'll be able to exchange these for the items needed to strengthen either Esoterics accessories or Esoterics equipment.
So you can only pick one each week.
Yoshida: Since the Ancient Coins will go directly to individual players, you're guaranteed to get one without lotting, and you can choose which material to receive when you go to exchange it.
Will any materials used in crafting be available as drops?
Yoshida: As far as that goes, please look back to Crystal Tower to get an idea (laughs).
Will the availability of upgrade items for Esoterics gear increase over time like with the Crystal Tower series?
Yoshida: Yeah, you guessed it. The item needed to upgrade weapons will not be available for exchange at the time of patch 3.1. This will be added in one of the future updates. However, strong weapons will drop from the extreme Knights of the Round primal battle, so those who are currently struggling with the third and fourth areas of savage Alexander should start there.
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"Extreme Knights" will be like Nael from the fourth turn of Second Coil!
How difficult do you expect the extreme Knights of the Round primal battle to be?
Yoshida: We have the battle positioned as an extreme primal battle, but it may be more difficult than the past extreme primal battles.
So its likely to require a lot of skill?
Yoshida: To some extent. In patch 3.1, we have content like the field exploration in the Sea of Clouds area and Void Ark which you can do fairly casually with 24 people. This content will be positioned more like a step lower than the challenge of the third and fourth area of savage Alexander. People who have already cleared the first and second area of savage Alexander shouldn't have much problem clearing this. However, if you're able to clear the extreme Ravana battle, you should be OK to attempt this.
That's a little comforting (laughs).
Yoshida: We wanted to make something that was slightly easier than the raid content. The initial idea behind it was to create something for players stuck on the third area of savage Alexander.
Since Good King Moggle Mog XII there have been many extreme primals.
Yoshida: Good King Moggle Mog XII has just three phases if you count the end - extreme Knights of the Round has 10 phases. We initially wanted to do 13 phases, but we decided that was too much so we settled on 10. The DPS check is not extremely high, but it will be difficult without proper coordination. For comparison, I think it's along the lines of the Nael van Darnus fight in the fourth turn of Second Coil.
When you mention the fourth turn of Second Coil I immediately think about the mechanics with the dragons.
Yoshida: There will be a number of mechanics returning from primal battles in the 2.X series. You'll get a feeling that the gimmicks from before are back, but remixed. It might initially be a struggle, but I think it will turn out to be a fun fight.
I'm getting the idea of something along the lines of the hard Ultima Weapon battle.
Yoshida: Yeah (laughs). For those who have just been collecting Esoterics gear, you will be able to try out the extreme Bismarck and Ravana battles in Duty Finder starting in patch 3.1. If you haven't already cleared the normal version of Alexander Gordias or the two extreme primals, please do so. The Knights of the Round extreme battle is designed to be a step up from those in terms of item level balance, so if you play through the content step-by-step, it will be more efficient.
High-performance equipment will be available from the Diadem
How strong will you need to be to try the exploration content in the Diadem? At a minimum, you'll need level 60?
Yoshida: It won't be set too high. You can perform gathering activities in a fairly carefree manner. You should be successful with gathering from around level 57. You'll be able to obtain special items in addition to normal materials, and those items can be delivered to House Haillenarte in Ishgard to exchange for items of your choosing. The goal was to expand and make gathering more enjoyable.
So you'll be able to gather items without any issues even if you don't have the so-called red scrip gear?
Yoshida: You'll be okay without it. The equipment you're wearing when you turn level 60 should be enough, so it should be casually enjoyable for everyone.
So it won't be like you're obtaining items in this field to directly make money?
Yoshida: Right, it won't be like that, but it will be possible to sell the items you exchange for after you deliver them.
Will there be unspoiled or ephemeral nodes that gatherers will find more difficult to gather from?
Yoshida: The nodes will all be common nodes across the general field area. There won't be any timed or restricted nodes so please feel free to gather at any point.
How frequently will item level 210 gear drop?
Yoshida: It will depend on luck, but you should see several over the course of a full 90 minute hunt.
Will players need to repeatedly collect equipment to get the best configuration of parameters?
Yoshida: Based on the item level, a certain minimum strength will be guaranteed. For example, you won't get a piece of item level 210 gear which has an actual strength lower than a piece of level 180 gear. To prevent this from happening, the main parameters are guaranteed for the item level. The rest of the stats and secondary parameters are random, so they will vary each time an item drops.
So what might happen if you're not lucky?
Yoshida: You may obtain a piece of spell speed gear for monk (laughs).
How is the Aetherial equipment distributed?
Yoshida: It will be a lotting system. If you participate solo from the airship landing in Ishgard at House Haillenarte, only the "Greed" and "Pass" options will be available. Alternatively, if you take part in the content with eight person parties from a Free Company, the normal distribution system, as well as the lootmaster option, will be available for selection.
Why can't you select "need" when participating solo?
Yoshida: It's possible to change jobs freely in the Diadem. For example, you may be after caster gear but decide to change to a tank to help out your party's organization which would cause trouble when caster gear drops. Based on that, we decided to implement the "greed only" rule.
How do we apply to participate at House Haillenarte?
Yoshida: You'll need to talk to a NPC there to register, but the system function will be the same as with the normal Duty Finder.
Additional benefits to repeatedly challenging the lower difficulties
Will you be able to exchange unnecessary Aetherial gear for company credits?
Yoshida: No. When you deliver items that you've obtained from the exploration content back to House Haillenarte, you'll obtain a new type of points which can then be exchanged for your choice among a list of available items.
What can you get?
Yoshida: There will be a new flying mount, various kinds of materia... to see the rest, please take a look for yourself (laughs).
Can you arbitrarily select the difficulty for the exploration?
Yoshida: You can choose from three levels - easy, normal, and hard. However, you can only participate in hard with a Free Company. If you don't belong to a Free Company but still want to participate in hard, you should be able to find groups through Party Finder. Additionally, in order to challenge on hard, you need to discover the island through airship voyages in advance.
Do the rewards vary with the difficulty?
Yoshida: If you mean will better stats be available on Aetherial gear at the higher difficulty, it won't be like that. It will simply be a change in the drop rate of the golden treasure boxes. Since the only difference will be the strength and the drop rate from monsters, there are still plenty of reasons to try the lower difficulty exploration.
Can you give a specific example?
Yoshida: The easy monsters are weak, so although the rate of obtaining chests is lower, you'll be able to defeat more monsters in the time you have. On hard, there are a lot of strong monsters, and the probability of getting the better treasure boxes is increased. However, since the monsters are strong, if your party isn't well-equipped to put out the needed damage, you won't be able to defeat as many monsters in the available time. Since the treasure box drop rate is just a chance, you may still get a lower tier treasure box after a battle that you struggle through. You should look at the strength and skill of your party and decide what will be the most efficient.
Will you be changing or adding anything to the existing airship voyages?
Yoshida: We'll be making it so that everyone in the workshop sees the cutscene when an airship is deployed, and various other adjustments to improve convenience. Also, we'll be increasing the number of islands that you can dispatch to. Since this time we're focused on the exploration content, there haven't been an extremely high amount of changes to the voyage content. That said, the available items will continue to grow.
Tell us about your future plans for Sea of Clouds exploration and the Diadem.
Yoshida: We're already done with planning and I've looked into the needed resources to get it done, but we want to make final decisions based on the reception to the content, so we've halted work on it for the moment.
So the player interest in certain parts of the content will determine the path forward?
Yoshida: That will be the policy defining the basis of teh future content. We already have the main ideas set, but haven't started the work yet. The next update to it is planned for patch 3.3, while patch 3.2 will mainly contain adjustments to it. Please try it out and give us your feedback.
Pharos Sirius (Hard) will progress differently from before.
Will either of the two new instanced dungeons have anything to do with progression through the main scenario?
Yoshida: You will need to have completed the main scenario of 3.0, but it won't be involved with the latest main quests. However, this doesn't mean this will be the same for dungeons added in the future, it just happens to be the case for these. We may still decide to use instanced dungeons as a way to liven up the main scenario in the future.
Unlike with the normal version of Pharos Sirius, it looks like you'll be descending from the top floor of the tower this time.
Yoshida: It might appear that the goal is to get to the first floor, but it isn't. The lighthouse part will be disconnected compared to the previous battle.
You'll be rushing in from the lighthouse portion?
Yoshida: That's how the first half will be handled.
So tell us a bit about the gardens of St. Mocianne's Arboretum.
Yoshida: When we were doing the adjustments the other day it felt like it might have been as difficult as a raid. We toned it down from what felt like a four person raid to something more manageable. There will be new elements with the mechanics of the bosses along the way, so I hope you enjoy it.
What were the contents like before you made those changes?
Yoshida: There were too many mechanics incorporated that made it tough. We sorted through it all and left only what was necessary.
Personally, I think you should release the raid version of St. Mocianne's Arboretum as a "savage" mode.
Yoshida: It might be fun to play, but that we might have a difficult problem with the rewards. Either way, it was four person content.
That would be fun. As far as duration goes, will these be about as long as usual?
Yoshida: It'll be the same, but they'll have some variety compared to others.
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Adding a level adjust function to the new beast tribe quests
Will there be anything unique for the Vanu Vanu beast tribe quests which will be added?
Yoshida: We'll be applying a new mechanism to beast tribe daily quests which will allow you to adjust the level. Previously, the quests issued from beast tribes had been at fixed levels which would increase with the reputation. This time, the level will vary automatically depending on the level of the player. This will be useful to leveling up a second job, and will make it easier to come back and do the beast tribe quests every day.
How many levels will this span?
Yoshida: You'll be able to use it as early as level 50. There will also be a story with several characters appearing and a pretty neat ending, so please check it out.
Will you need to have cleared past beast tribe quests to try these?
Yoshida: No, as long as you can visit the new Heavensward areas, there won't be any other restrictions.
Experience in instanced dungeons will depend on the required time
With experience being added to level 50 instanced dungeons, will the amount of experience obtained be determined based on the player's average item level?
Yoshida: We adjusted it so that the instanced dungeons that take longer to clear yield higher amounts of experience. We decided to allocate the experience based on clear time with item level synced to 115. To maintain some balance, we did not have experience points available in these dungeons before. We could have included a small experience value from the beginning, but that could have created other challenges.
Yeah.
Yoshida: Rather than forcing it in at the time, we decided that it would be better for players to check out the new instanced dungeons in Heavensward as a fresh experience - it wasn't that we just procrastinated on adding EXP until patch 3.1.
Are there any plans to increase the armoury bonus for leveling up a second and additional jobs?
Yoshida: Since we're just now adding experience values to level 50 dungeons, I think it's too early to consider that. Certainly once you get to around level 57 you need to repeat certain content to level up. But by doing Duty Roulette for experience and repeating each instanced dungeon about once, you should still be able to reach level 60 in about 10 days. In fact, I leveled up five different jobs like that. With the daily quests from the Vanu Vanu, you should be able to do it even faster, so as of now, there are no plans to strengthen the Armoury Bonus. Since the Armoury Bonus has a wide range of influence, we'd have to carefully consider any changes to it.
The new weapon development content will be called "Anima Weapons"
What kind of content will the Endalim Scholasticate have?
Yoshida: This is a new set of side quests separate from the Hildibrand story. It will be a completely new story, but that doesn't mean familiar characters won't appear.
Since the school is the stage, I wonder if this has any correspondence to the Beginner's Hall?
Yoshida: No, this is a side story, a school story, but not so much comedy. We'll have something else which will take the comedy role.... (laughs). The Beginner's Hall is something separate that we're aiming at having ready for patch 3.2.
Will the Scholasticate quests be published in patch 3.1?
Yoshida: It will be included in patch 3.15.
When will patch 3.15 be released?
Yoshida: It will be in December (laughs). You'll be able to enjoy it before the end of the year.
I think the new Zodiac Weapon story was also planned for patch 3.15?
Yoshida: This will also start in patch 3.15. The official name for the series is "Anima Weapon." Additionally, players who have already completed a Zodiac Weapon Zeta will be able to pass the first stage of Anima Weapon creation.
Oh, that's nice.
Yoshida: Also, if you have a Zodiac Weapon Zeta, you can choose one type of anima weapon you want to make and pass the first stage. For example, a black mage who previously completed Lilith Rod Zeta and has since changed to dark knight will be able to pass the first stage of the dark knight challenge utilizing the Lilith Rod Zeta. That said, we are balancing it so that with the amount of work it takes to complete a Zodiac Weapon Zeta, if you are starting fresh, you'd be better off just focusing on the Anima Weapon.
So it's a pretty large scale from the start.
Yoshida: There will be large scale with individual differences (laughs).
Materia can be attached to future Allagan Tomestone equipment
How are you changing the advanced melding rules for crafter-fabricated accessories?
Yoshida: There will be no new accessories added in patch 3.1. The reason for this is that the specifications for forbidden materia melding will be changed in patch 3.2.
What kind of change?
Yoshida: You will not be able to attach STR / VIT / DEX / INT / MND / PIE materia in forbidden slots. It will be possible to attach other materia as in the past, but main parameters will not be attachable in those slots.
What happens in the case of the first slot?
Yoshida: For equipment with one open slot, you'll be able to attach the first materia as a main parameter as before, but you won't be able to attach any additional materia with main parameters. We won't be changing things which have been melded with main parameter forbidden materia in the past, but it will no longer be possible with new accessories starting in patch 3.2.
So the accessory situation will change considerably.
Yoshida: Instead, we'll be changing the performance of equipment added in patches 3.2 and later to be higher than before. Additionally, in patch 3.2, we're also planning to add materia slots to armor which you exchange for Allagan Tomestones. In the future, many things will be able to be equipped with materia and we're also playing around with new formulas for forbidden melding.
So the future won't be as it is now where only certain roles need to have forbidden materia melded.
Yoshida: The intent of these specification changes is to address feedback from those who work on completing raids earlier. The main feedback is that for tanks in particular, the cost to obtain and need for forbidden melded accessories was high. Additionally, after going to great lengths to obtain that accessory, it would quickly become inferior to new accessories obtained from the content. We decided that it would be better to even the playing field for everyone in this regard.
So it will be something all players can think about rather than just individual roles.
Yoshida: As a result of this, we'll also be able to increase the strength of armor created by crafters for which we previously needed to suppress the performance. Withese these changes in patch 3.2, the demand for materia should increase, and to that end you'll be able to take advantage of exploration in the Diadem.
The current "Savage" situation
Do you have any plans to make adjustments to savage Alexander Gordias with patch 3.1? There should be a growing interest as players take advantage of the Diadem.
Yoshida: Because it is still the most difficult challenge, at least at the time of patch 3.1 we won't be making any adjustments. We'll be considering whether to make any changes starting from patch 3.15. Since you'll be able to obtain upgrade materials by completing Void Ark, we'll take a look at the number of people clearing savage at that time. If it's steadily increasing, we may not make any changes during the patch 3.1 series.
So right now you're just observing the situation.
Yoshida: With the new content in Knights of the Round extreme, The Diadem exploration, and Void Ark filling in the gap between normal and savage Alexander, we decided not to make any adjustments at this time.
How do you feel about the current clear methods and progress for savage Alexander Gordias?
Yoshida: Since normal Alexander helps you get into Savage, let's talk about both. First, for normal, the number of players clearing is far more than we expected, which is really good. As of late October, at least about 50% of players who are actively playing battle classes have completed all four parts of normal Alexander Gordias. It was also satisfying to watch players make adjustments to compensate for the shortfall in obtained Esoterics tomestones. We also paid a lot of attention to the world's first fights in Alexander savage and we were surprised by how quickly some groups got through it.
So you were able to satisfy those who asked for a more difficult battle.
Yoshida: On the other hand, unlike with the coils of Bahamut, we know there are many people who are stuck without having cleared the third area of Savage. Unlike normal, it's difficult to get a group of people who can clear the savage version of the third area. It really takes eight skilled players to overcome the difficulty.
So you're thinking of a difficulty between the normal and savage versions.
Yoshida: As of now, it's difficult to clear the savage version if the players don't all have good command of their jobs. Previously with the coils of Bahamut if you had six highly skilled players in a full party, even if the other two made mistakes or had item levels that were too low, it was possible to overcome that elsewhere. However, even at the maximum item level right now, a small mistake in battle or mechanics can be difficult to overcome in the third and fourth areas of savage. We know that it can be a really difficult problem to recruit a group of highly skilled players only within one world.
How many people have cleared?
Yoshida: The number of people who have cleared savage is about what we expected. As esoterics gear became more available, we expected more players to break through the third section little by little, but it looks like many run into a bad stretch there. We're looking to see whether groups stop trying there or whether less groups are trying in general.
It will be helpful to understand the current situation so you can take advantage of that knowledge in the next update.
Yoshida: The next update for Alexander will be in patch 3.2. Right now, we're working on the savage version and trying to decide whether to make it satisfying for the top players or whether to adjust it for a wider range of people. Given the cost of development, I'd lean towards a lower difficulty savage, but then some players may come back and say it isn't difficult enough...
By the way, will you be making job adjustments in patch 3.1?
Yoshida: There will be some, but nothing on a large scale. The biggest adjustment will be to rebuild the underlying mechanism behind ninjutsu to reduce the effect of lag and better connect mudra. We've also adjusted TP for Paladin and Ninja. We hear the player feedback about wanting to raise the DPS of Paladin, but we need to consider the offensive and defensive characteristics together, so it would be difficult to just raise the DPS with their current defensive ability.
A lot of those voices are probably from players in savage Alexander where there is a high reliance on tank DPS.
Yoshida: We'll be making effort to eliminate that as much as possible. Within the content, there are strong and weak points to each job. For example, in the second area of savage, a paladin main tank should have higher stability than a dark knight. Depending on the player and their skill level, each party will see different results, but we'd like to reduce the difference. We can't just make adjustments to jobs based on whether they are strong or weak in particular content as that would break the jobs, so we'll work to eliminate disadvantages to certain jobs as much as possible in the content. That doesn't mean we won't be making any adjustments to jobs in the future, but we'd like to also hear feedback after playing through the different content in patch 3.1.
Patch 3.1 will "scratch the itches" within reach.
What do you find most enjoyable in the new content?
Yoshida: Players who are looking for a challenge between normal and savage Alexander will find it with the extreme Knights of the Round. Those who have found it too difficult to try savage due to a lack of equipment can participate in Void Ark once a week to increase their equipment performance. And for those who want to play around with a lot of people or are perhaps aiming for fortunes, they can explore The Diadem.
The exploration in the Sea of Clouds is a totally new style of play.
Yoshida: In a sense, the exploration content in Sea of Clouds is not like content you'll find in other modern MMORPGs, but it's one direction in which we'd like to evolve play in FFXIV in the future. As it's possible to change from non-combat to combat classes, we'll be eliminating the recast time penalty except for strong abilities. Since there's a lot of freedom in the content, some problems may arise, which we'll try to remedy immediately with hot fixes. In particular, we'd like people to group up with other members, try it out, and give us your feedback.
Feedback is important.
Yoshida: Players enjoyed the story and leveling in 3.0, and patch 3.1 will aim to cover up many of the holes which became apparent. The main scenario will also begin to proceed towards 4.0, so please stay tuned.
Thank you very much!
