Final Fantasy XIV Online Q&A @ E3 2009

I found three more old interviews. I will keep them in chronological order by including all three in this post. First Square Enix President brags that FFXIV will be a serious contender to WOW (12/16/2009).

From Develop-Online.net:

Final Fantasy XIV a serious WoW rival, says Wada

Square Enix president outlines move to outplay Blizzard’s dominant MMO

Square Enix is positioning Final Fantasy XIV as a serious rival to Blizzard’s World of Warcraft series, company president Yoichi Wada has revealed.

In an interview with Develop, Wada disclosed the full extent of Square Enix’s ambitions for the upcoming Final Fantasy MMO, and indicated that Blizzard’s need to – eventually – build a full World of Warcraft sequel could be a real test for the studio.

“WoW is a tough competitor, but whether you are talking about EverQuest, Ultima or Lineage there has never been a company that has a continuously successful number one and two MMO,” he said, speaking of that transition to a full sequel.

Asked if he thought Final Fantasy XIV was a serious rival to World of Warcraft’s throne, Wada said “yes, but the flipside is that they are a tough competition.”

With the MMO set for release on PC and PS3, Wada touched on the impact the Final Fantasy brand will have on consumer choice.

“We believe there is a number of people that will stay attached to each title, but we are optimistic in that sense for Final Fantasy,” he said.

Wada went on to outline the subscription and microtransaction models that FFXIV will employ, adding the company is looking to improve on the Final Fantasy XI system.

“The basic model hasn't changed,” he said. “It's a monthly flat rate service with additional charges for items that users want to buy.

“For FFXI we didn't initially set up the item transaction model that well – although the demand for it was high. We thought that it would be a benefit for users, but that we wouldn't be able to charge.

“We soon learnt that there are a lot of people who want that kind of model, so we would like to introduce more pay-as-you-use items into the game. But there were too few items in FFXI – however we don't want to take it to the other extreme entirely for FFXIV.

“And also with regards the game design, FFXI was based on parties and playing in groups – but of course that means the advantage is players cannot play alone. So to formulate a party you needed to find a player with a similar skillset, yet it's not always easy to find those kinds of players. In FFXIV we have made that part much easier - so people can enjoy much more on their own. We've made it easier in that way.”

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Next we have a class/battle system interview posted on March 10th, 2010.

From ZAM:

Lots of information this time around! Famitsu has a giant spread for Final Fantasy XIV this week that featured a number of job classes, complete with Abilities and Weapon Skills! They also found the time to grab three developers for an interview: Atsushi Okada 岡田厚志, FFXIV Battle Planner; Sei Sato 佐藤制, FFXIV Planner; and Kenichi Iwao 岩尾賢一, FFXIV Planner.

Let's jump into the interview first, and then see what the developers had to say about each job!

Battles in Final Fantasy XIV

- First, give us an overall image of battles in FFXIV.
Okada: Players can fight in parties or go solo in FFXIV, but the monsters can be in parties as well. There will be battles where it is "party vs. party." Battles won't be fought by pulling enemies back to a set camp, but rather we are envisioning players moving about as they fight. [Elmer Point: think nomad camp style]

- So the feeling is you rotate from enemy spawn point to spawn point with some healing in-between?
Okada: Yes. But, one of the aspects of FFXIV is that you don't recover MP. Of course, that isn't to say there is no way to do so; there will be abilities players can learn to recover MP, Aetheryte will heal both HP and MP, among other methods.
Iwao: Don't think of it as individual encounters, but as managing your MP over the course of a one, prolonged battle comprised of a number of fights.
Sato: When everyone goes to a certain place to accomplish some goal, it is important to manage your MP in a way that allows it to last until you achieve that final goal. There will also be classes that serve as "MP controllers" that can help manage the MP of the party.

- Looking at this chart, is it safe to say each class has their own specific range from which they attack?
Sato: Yes. In FFXIV, one's position, as well as the position and orientation of the enemy, has a large effect on battles. Following that line of reasoning, there will be appropriate distances for classes that maximize their effectiveness.
Iwao: We plan to have enemy classes follow these rules as well, and also include some techniques they can use in conjunction with each other. The idea is a battle where you are constantly moving, trying to attain the best position. So when it's party vs. party, this can get really exciting. It's not about sitting in one spot and striking away at an enemy; the player needs to consider the enemy's position and act accordingly.
Sato: It's not an action game, but there's a little taste of action in there.

- So if players need to move around during battle looking for the sweet spot, wouldn't this make close-combat classes much easier to play?
Iwao: Close combat classes need to be more aware of their orientation, while ranged classes must pay particular attention to distance.
Sato: When fighting close combat, your orientation will have different effects. I wouldn't say fighting close up is any easier than fighting at a distance.
Iwao: Also, there is the important factor of "area of effect." This mostly comes into play with magic, but there are many techniques utilized by classes outside the Disciples of Magic that have areas of effect.
Sato: We want you to think of the area in which you do battle as really your party's space -- a place where you work together. To that end, attacks with an area of effect will be even more important this time around.
Iwao: There are several aspects to areas of effect, such as spreading benefits across party members, or blasting through a bunch of enemies from within. We hope that this, combined with distance and orientation, will make for fun, tactical battles that players will enjoy.

- Can you give us anymore information on how the elements come into play in FFXIV?
Okada: In the world of FFXIV, there are 6 elements: Fire, Ice, Wind, Earth, Thunder and Water. They will all have their characteristics as well, such as Water being strong against Fire, but weak against Thunder.
Iwao: Both players and enemies will be affected by their affinity with the elements. Also, there exist forces aligned to these 6 elements called "Star Poles" and "Spirit Poles." They are like the magnetic poles of our Earth, attracting different energies.
[Elmer Point: The poles are called 星極 (sei-kyoku) and 霊極 (rei-kyoku). The first means Star Pole and second means Spirit Pole. As Iwao said, "pole" refers to a magnetic pole, such as the North and South poles of Earth. These sound like Protocrystals, in that they serve as focus points for the energy of a particular element. The official names will most likely be different, though.]

- What kind of effect will these elements have on the player?
Okada: Each player will have their own strengths and weaknesses regarding each element. For example, one person could be particularly strong against Fire.

- Is this decided upon during Character Creation?
Sato: No, this aspect of the player will improve along with other stats, like HP, as they grow. Depending on how you raise your character, you could be a specialist against a certain type of element.
Okada: If you are strong against Water, an enemy's water-based attacks won't hurt you so much.
Iwao: Two Conjuerers also could specialize in separate elements. One could excel at Ice magic and the other at Fire, thus serving two separate roles.

- This really heightens the individuality of players!
Iwao: One could even decide to improve all elemental resistances equally, which would make them somewhat effective against all elements at the expense of specializing in none.

- It would be funny to see cliques form between people who specialize in the same element.
Sato: Like an Association of Fire-based Players (laughs). That just might happen.


Developer Comments

Gladiator

Iwao: This is a class that can really excel at defense. They can equip a wide range of defensive equipment and even large shields! They will be called upon to protect party members by drawing the enemy attack towards themselves.
Okada: As a class that excels with a shield, the Gladiator is like a "defender" job that is good at absorbing damage.
Sato: Gladitor is offense and defense rolled into one -- a class that is good at taking hits and dishing out the damage. Because of its versatility, I see it becoming a popular class.
Okada: One can choose between making slicing attacks or piercing attacks and that lets them employ some strategy towards giving their strikes the maximum effect.
Iwao: You could say this is a class with an abundance of fighting styles.

Lancer

Iwao: This class can use spears and lances to attack from a longer range and in a wider variety of styles. Besides normal attacks, Lancers can disrupt an enemy's movements and utilize other special attacks.
Sato: Lancer attacks from a farther range than most melee classes and has a wider sphere of influence. They can easily adjust their position to help out back-end members that get into trouble.
Iwao: Lancer is a class that receives a great effect from maintaining their sweet spot. They must always be checking their position relative to the enemy, as well as other party members. Strategicially, this is a class that is always on the move.
Sato: This is a class that needs to consider many factors in a battle besides just what the enemy is doing.

Pugilist

Iwao: Despite their short reach and low defense, the Pugilist is a class that can really turn the tide of a battle with their tricky techniques. They will also employ a number of "stances" that will prove effective based on the condition of the enemy and the party.
Sato: Stances will have a number of effects in battle. Offensive or Defensive -- the player has to assess the battle situation and decide which one they should select.
Iwao: The more you maintain a single stance, the more that stance improves, opening up new things you can do with it. You can change your stance at whim, but if you do so, its strength reverts to normal. The player must consider when it is appropriate to maintain a stance and strengthen it, and when they must give up that power and switch for the benefit of the party.
[Elmer Point: An assumption on my part, but I don't think this refers to giving up character growth, but rather temporary growth. As they mentioned before, they want you to consider your overall objective over individual encounters. So it's a question of "Can I maintain offensive stance and have it super buff for the boss? Or should I switch to defensive here so we can survive?" The stance improvement mentioned here sound temporary and independent from raising one's character.]

Marauder

Iwao: This is a class that can really deal out massive damage. However, if there are many enemies to deal with, they can forgo storing up that power in order to strike more often.
Sato: Marauders use battle axes, which give them more attack power than any other class at the expense of some accuracy.
Okada: While their special attacks are powerful, some require that the Marauder be stantionary while they activate. Due to this, a Marauder must be adept at reading an enemy's movements.

Archer

Iwao: More than anything, the Archer is a long-distance striker. From a range, they have to decide where to stand and what archery techniques to employ. Their defense is low, so if they catch the attention of the enemy, they could be in trouble. A good Archer needs to keep watch over the entire battle and adapt to the situation by firing off the most effective shots possible without incurring the wrath of the enemy.
Sato: Archers have a variety of abilities that are effective at various distances from the enemy. Their job is to work out how they can best contribute to the battle.
Iwao: Arrow selection is also key. It's more than just choosing the arrow with the most damage, an Archer can also use arrows to effect the status of the enemy or even support their allies.

Conjurer

Iwao: A Conjurer is a Disciple of Magic who excels at manipulating the elements.
Okada: This is a class that starts by assessing the condition of the party and the enemy and using that to consider which element to utilize in battle.
Iwao: Attack magic, defense magic, healing magic -- a Conjurer has many different lines of spells to choose from. It's safe to say it's like an almighty magic-user that can serve as attack or support. Conjurers can also place magical effects on themselves that affect the area around them.
[Elmer Point: This sounds like an AoE spell that follows the Conjurer around, as in everyone in range of the Conjurer gets a bonus while in range. Whether that's true or not wasn't specified.]

Okada: By the way, actions you take in battle in FFXIV all accumulate TP, magic included.
Sato: That's why there are some strong TP abilities prepared for Conjurer as well.

Thaumaturge

Iwao: Thaumaturgy is filled with spells that can cause status effects on the enemy as well as your party members. Their area of effect is fan-shaped [cone-shaped for you D&D'ers] and attack power high, so when compared with Conjurers, this class needs to get relatively close to the enemy for maximum effect.
Sato: Basically, Thaumaturges have magic that does powerful damage. However, there also are great risks to balance this out. This is one particular area where we are waiting to hear feedback from the players.
Iwao: The Thaumaturge also has several spells that can steal abilities from the enemy. The key is reading the flow of a battle and deciding what kind of spell would most effectively turn the tide in your favor.
[Elmer Point: I would assume the Thaumaturge can cause *good* status effects on party member, though after reading about the "risks" involved, I'm not so sure.]

Blacksmith

Miner

Iwao: Blacksmiths are Disciples of the Hand who use metals to create and repair weapons and armor. Miners are Disciples of the Land who dig up ore. These classes will have very limited battle-related abilities, but may receive other things to compensate. For example, a Blacksmith may get an ability that enfeebles a gold-based enemy or one that increases the chances of having treasure drop.

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And now for a giant interview posted on March 12th, 2010.

From ZAM:

This post may look the same -- but it's not! Dengeki magazine also put together an interview with the developers from Final Fantasy XIV, and got their comments on each class as well! The editors over there love to publish their comments whenever possible, so you can see them interspersed throughout the interview. They are centered and marked with a 電 for Dengeki. Keep in mind, their comments are pure speculation.

Alright, let's check it out!

Special Q&A with the Developers!

BETA TEST

- How long is the beta test set to last?
A: That has not been determined yet. It will be adjusted as we go along.

- How much of the game can players enjoy during the beta test?
A: Our goal is to start out with the bare essentials and maintain game balance as we build, so less than half of what you'll find in the final game will be available. Starting with the alpha version, which is the very first step, it's safe to say almost no content will be in the game yet. Starting there, we are hoping it will be easier to take in and apply user feedback and suggestions.

- Can you tell us the recommended specs for the alpha/beta and Windows versions?
A: At this stage, we are still optimizing everything, so the alpha test may actually require a more powerful CPU than the final version. The graphics card must support DirectX9, so even cards that are a few years old should be alright. If you have over 512MB of VRAM, you'll be OK. We will give you more details regarding this on the beta tester site.

- Will the beta test begin on PS3 and Windows simultaneously?
A: First, the alpha test will be Windows only. The time period for the beta test hasn't been set yet.

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電Editor: It's starting soon!

電Writer: I wonder if the alpha will be done in a month.

電Editor: If the alpha test finishes in a month, then I predict the beta will last about half a year. I wonder if the Windows version will be easy to play with a controller?
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- How exactly will FFXI players be able to transfer their Friend Lists and other aspects of their community to FFXIV?
A: We have no details on that at this time. We want to make it so friends from FFXI can move to the same world/server and adventure together.

- Will we be able to play as the 9 classes that were presented this week? When starting the beta test, will we be able to choose from a set of different classes?
A: Yes, that's right. While all the aspects of each class may not be available at first, you will be able to play as them.

- Will there be classes in the beta that have not been announced yet?
A: As of right now, that is undetermined.

- What type of players are these 9 classes geared towards?
A: The basic ideas each class encompasses are as follows:

Gladiator: The hero who wants to protect the weak. The party's great protector. The all-purpose melee.

Pugilist: The fighter on the front lines. The thrill of thinking on your feet and switching stances. The vanguard attacker. For players who love paying attention to the details of battle.

Lancer: Using range to your advantage. Requires good judgment of battle conditions. The party's last resort in a pinch. For people who enjoy the tactical side of battles.

Marauder: A macho attacker with massive power. The party's trump card. For people who love waiting for the perfect opening to strike.

Archer: A sniper who plays it cool, aiming for the perfect shot. The party's shortstop. The lone wolf.

Conjurer: Party support that can change between attack, defense and healing based on the situation. For players who want to do it all.

Thaumaturge: The party strategist, who controls the battlefield through manipulation of status effects. For people who enjoy deep strategy.

Miner: A Disciple of the Land, who deals in metals but cannot wear most equipment. For those who want to get rich quick, and enjoy the labor it takes to do so.

Blacksmith: Uses metals to craft weapons and armor. Requires training. For those who enjoy doing business and dealing with customers.

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電Writer: I'll be so happy if you can choose between those 9 classes from the beginning!

電Editor: The Disciples of War have close combat and ranged attackers. Think the starting weapon will just be a short sword?

電Writer: I think they'll sell weapons for other classes at stores!

電Editor: I bet you'll see different weapons sold in different city-states.
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CHARACTER CREATION

- Will players be able to choose between different tribes, such at the Miq'ote with Sunseekers and Moonseekers?
A: In the beta test, you will be able to choose between a limited number of tribes.

- What kind of characteristics will different tribes have? Will it be something like Sunseekers having brownish skin, but Moonseekers, being nocturnal, having whiter skin tones to select from?
A: Yes, like that. But more than just skin tones, there will be a theme or style distinct to each tribe, and from within that you will also have a wide variety of skin tones to select from.

- Will that level of customization in character creation be available in the beta test?
A: There will be a limited number of faces and hair styles to choose and beyond that, only hair, skin and eye colors will be selectable. More detailed changes to the face will not be available yet.

- Are there bonuses based on one's selected race and city-state? And if so, will tribe selection also affect them in any way?
A: At this stage, we haven't planned any such bonuses, but we will consider it if the many players ask for them.

電Writer: He said only a limited amount of tribes, but I'd be thrilled if they got them all in. We know we'll be able to select our tribe, at least.

電Editor: As someone who likes character creation, I'm hung up on the "limited amount" for customization. The final version could take me 2 hours just to get my character the way I want. I hope my name isn't taken in the meantime...

電Writer: You probably can't use a name if someone on the same world/server has it. Why not just slap together a character to hold it for you while you make your main one?

CLASSES

- Out of the weapons and classes presented so far, there are still some weapons from FFXI (great sword, scythe, staff) which we haven not seen yet. Will they appear in FFXIV? If so, what classes might they be added to (e.g. great sword on Gladiator?) Will all weapons be on separate classes?

A: I cannot tell you when, but those weapons will definitely appear in FFXIV. As for which classes they will be associated with, I'll have to ask you to wait and see.

- Before heading out on an adventure, you can change your class at whim, but are there any limitations to this? For example, only being able to carry 3 weapons, and thus change between 3 classes, at once.
A: At this stage, there are no limitations in place. However, there is the possibility we may adjust this as we go forward.

- Can you change classes in battle? If it's only possible when not in "battle mode," could one just sheathe their weapon and then change classes?
A: In FFXIV, there is a Passive Mode, wherein you recover HP as you move, and Active Mode, which is when your weapon is in-hand and you are poised to fight. Players can only switch classes while they are in Passive Mode.

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電Writer: So, you can recover HP while moving, huh.

電Editor: I wonder if the recovery rate improves in you are standing still, sitting or otherwise relaxing?
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- Generally, how many members should a party consist of? Will there be Alliances?

A: Basically, we're thinking 6-8 people. However, we also plan to make the game flexible, so you could have a little more, a little less, or even go solo and still be able to adventure when you like. Of course, we are also planning challenges that will require the strength of an Alliance, as well as party vs. party elements. Essentially, we're look to add aspects to battle beyond simply the exchange of damage.

First, you secure a distance from the enemy based on your method of attack; maintaining this is an important element of battle. Its effect on damage and accuracy are a given, but there will also be additional effects that have a chance of going off at the proper distance (for example, with a lance, stopping the enemy's movements temporarily). For Disciples of Magic especially, there are areas of effect to consider with their magic. Conjurers have a circle shape and Thaumaturges have a cone shape. You always have to consider where you are focusing your attack. In addition to all this, you are keeping track of the enemy's movements and where they are facing.

In other words, the 3 main factors in battle for FFXIV are distance, area of effect and orientation. An expert player must always consider these things during a fight.

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電Writer: FFXI was mainly just one monster versus a party, but for FFXIV, it sounds like the basic structure is party vs. party.

電Editor: I wonder if having a Disciple of the Hand, or other non-battle focused class, still increases your party count?

電Writer: With all the focus on positioning and maneuvering, it almost feels like a real-time simulation game.
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- One of the Gladiator's abilities says it "gets the enemy's attention." Is this similar to instantly generating enmity?
A: In FFXIV, we call it the "hostility factor" and the ability you mentioned raises this value. [Elmer Point: I'm sure they'll have a nice term for this. It's 敵視率 (teki-shi-ritsu), lit. viewing as hostile (敵視) + ratio/factor (率)]

- Do the Gladiator's Roaring Sword and Pugilist's Whistle generate different amounts of this?
A: Similar techniques may have different ways of working. For example, even the same technique may generate different amounts of hostility depending on a variety of factors. Effectively controlling hostility is an aspect of the game all players need to think about. We hope you enjoy testing out these abilities in and figuring out what works the best in which situations.

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電Editor: Ah, could it be provoking from a higher elevation could generate more hostility?! It sounds like provoking right after a weapon skill could heighten the effect as well.

電Writer: Sounds like a fighting game (laughs)
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- Can players use Guard or some other defensive command? Or will this activate randomly?
A: Actually, both are true. There will be a Defend command that lets you actively defend yourself, and also players with a shield equipped will automatically block some attacks provided they have improved their skill with a shield to an extent. [Elmer Point: The command is called 防盾 (bou-jun), which is defense(防) + shield(盾). Will non-shield carrying classes get something else?]

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電Writer: There will be a Defend command! I can't wait!

電Editor: Sounds pretty effective to be able to manually guard yourself right before an enemy weaponskill goes off.
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- What's the difference between Hand-to-hand range and Extra close Range?
A: They are largely the same. We more wanted to show the difference in style between the two classes. For example, consider defense. Extra close range is about protecting yourself with a shield, heavy armor and maxing out physical defense. Hand-to-hand range focuses more on parrying and evading attacks. Offensively, they have different styles as well.

- Do enemies have TP?
A: They do. Enemies have various different ways of building TP, and there will be types that if you cannot put them down quick, will become very dangerous.

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電Editor: Ooh... I wonder what those different ways of building TP could be. What is there besides hitting or being hit?

電Writer: It could mean enemies will have abilities to instantly gain or lower TP.
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- Do you still have to remain still while casting spells?
A: We are planning to include a number of spells that can be cast while moving.

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Editor: In FFXI you couldn't move an inch while casting, but now there will be spells that let you move and cast! Beautiful!

Writer: Hmm, I bet it will be impossible with some of the more powerful spells, though. Sounds like it will be possible with stuff that enhances movement or other lighter cantrips.
---

Developer Comments

Gladiator

- How does a Gladiator differ between when they have a shield equipped and when they do not?
A: When a Gladiator does not have a shield equipped, they forgo their defensive power in exchange for a better offense. Also, there are certain abilities and weaponskills that require a shield to be equipped.

- Please tell us the difference between slashing and piercing.
A: Depending on the enemy type, different attacks will be more effective. We are still adjusting this aspect of the game but generally, big, muscle-bound enemies are weak to slashing, and enemies equipped with armor or a shell are weak to piercing. Also, slashing does better damage while piercing has better accuracy.

- Gladitors have three options: piercing, slashing and guarding. Does this mean there will be something like a piercing button, slashing button and defense button that you select each turn?
A: You can select a new command each time.

- It seems most classes have some kind of ranged attack, but will Gladiators get one?
A: We're considering a way for Gladiators to throw their sword.

Lancer

- Lancers have piercing, slashing and blunt attacks, but does this depend on the weapon they are using? Will it be a command you can freely select like with Gladiator?
A: The idea is that at first, you can only do piercing attacks. As you grow and improve, techniques that allow for slashing and blunt attack will become available.

- You say by "bringing the enemy close" a Lancer can strike both at once. Is there some way to physically bring the enemies together in such a way.
A: We just mean that if two enemies happen to be close enough together, a Lancer can use that to their advantage and strike them both with the same thrust.

- The weaponskill Overrun says if you don't incur any enmity, you get extra high-speed strikes added to the attack. Does this mean you can always attain the added effect by attacking from behind the enemy?
A: It's more like a Sneak Attack that procs when the enemy is not in battle mode.

Pugilist

- With Offensive Stance and Defensive Stance, does the stance change based on the abilities you use?
A: When you select a command, you can decide upon either one based on the position of the Effect Gauge. Moving it towards Offensive is good for attacks and moving it towards Defensive is good for defending. Once a stance is deepened to its maximum point, there will be other abilities that become available.

- Chakra says it consumes TP to heal one's HP, but can the effect be changed by the amount of TP it consumes?
A: The effect does change based on the amount of TP it uses. You cannot choose the amount yourself, but there will be levels to its effectiveness.

- Why does Pugilist have Steal?
A: We wanted to prepare several different avenues for each class to grow. Think of it as a way to put one's skills to a more sinister use.

- Will the damage from Tackle improve the farther away from the enemy you start?
A: Yes, having a running start increases the damage.

Marauder

- Marauders can store up power to unleash an AoE attack. Can they do this with regular melee attacks, or is it only reserved for weaponskills?
A: Basically, storing up power will make regular melee attacks into AoE attacks. Storing up power will have other special effects on weaponskills.

- While storing up power, is it impossible to perform any actions that require movement?
A: Moving cancels the act of storing power.

- The ability Disorient uses the axe to stir up dust or sand to lower enemy evasion. Can this be used in places with no sand, like on a boat?
A: You can still use the ability, but the effect may be altered.

- The weaponskill Fracture makes an enemy weaponskill unusable. Is this a continuous effect or is it more like Stun?
A: It's a continuous effect.

- Brandish and Iron Tempest (both are circular AoE weaponskills) seem to have similar effects, but are the damage types different?
A: The type of damage they do is different, as well as the shape and size of their areas of effect.

Archer

- There's a shortbow and longbow, but will there be a crossbow?
A: There currently isn't one, and if it's added, it may actually be given to a different class.

- How many arrows can one carry around on their character?
A: We're still adjusting that, but there will be measures to help you deal with running out of arrows.

- Can Archers make arrows by themselves?
A: Only Disciples of the Hand will be able to make arrows. However, in the future, by putting abilities from a Disciple of the Hand on an Archer, they could attain some limited crafting ability.

- Do abilities like Replenish (fires multiple arrows at once) actually consume multiple arrows?
A: Yes, it consumes multiple arrows. For example, Quick Draw shoots multiple arrows amongst the enemies. If there are three enemies, and you use 10 arrows, the enemies take 3, 3 and 4 hits, respectively.

- Does the weaponskill Shrieker cause any enemy to run away? Or is this only possible during battle?
A: Of course it won't be completely effective against every enemy, but it will work against enemies in Passive Mode.

Conjurer

- Conjurers are able to produce magical effects for the area around their person, but how exactly does this work? To what extent can they boost party members? Are there detrimental effects they can put on enemies?
A: We're still adjusting this currently.

- Besides Shock Spikes, most of the spells have an area of effect. Can these spells hit multiple enemies at once?
A: Most spells do have an area of effect, and they can hit multiple enemies at once. Generally, this makes it very effective to gather all the enemies together within the area. That's how this class was designed.

- So in the same vein, can Protect be cast on all party members at once?
A: Yes, it can be cast upon everyone inside the area of effect.

- Are monsters are associated with different elements?
A: Monsters will again be associated with different elements. So this will certainly play a role in the effects spells have on them.

Thaumaturge

- The Thaumaturge is said to boast the highest attack power of all classes. What kind of spells will have this power?
A: I'm going to have to keep that under my hat for now. I will tell you that spells are not only based on MP, but there are some that consume TP.

- Does the ability Initiation (shares magical effects on yourself with party) affect all party members?
A: No, only one member whom you select.

- Does the spell Gravity lower evasion?
A: We're still putting it together, but we do plan to have it lower evasion.

- The spell Siphon Magic (absorbs MP from enemies) says it only works on enemies that are unable to take an action. What exactly does this mean?
A: This means their HP has been depleted, and they are defeated.

- Will the spell Siphon Magic work against enemies with no TP?
A: No, it will not have an effect on enemies with no MP.

Blacksmith

- Can you keep an eye on the status of party members' weapons during battle?
A: The current plan is only between battles.

- Will a Blacksmith be able to check the status of an ally's weapon whenever they want, or will they need the other player's approval?
A: Requiring the player to confirm every single time the Blacksmith needs to check would be too much, but we can't overlook the importance of player privacy either. We think the best way is to require initial approval from the player, which then allows the Blacksmith to examine them whenever they need to.

Miner

- In a party, a Miner can "let fly some pebbles." Does this mean that pebbles will be their only weapon?
A: Currently, that is the case, but we may prepare something else for them to use as well.

- Can they only use pebbles to weaken ore-based enemies?
A: We are investigating ways for them to use items instead of weapons -- for example, using aqua regia (a corrosive compound that dissolves gold) on a gold-based enemy to weaken it.

- You say a Miner can bring "additional income" to the party. Does this mean a single Miner will benefit all members?
A: Yes, that's right. It will add to the treasure pool, and we are still discussing this, but we want to make it so more Miners increases the benefits. However, the trade-off is that battles will be more difficult.

- Can only Miners see mining points?
A: The current plan is to make it that way.

To further chronicle the most important interviews over the last year, here is a pre-alpha dev interview (4/19/2010).

From ZAM:

Waiting anxiously for the Final Fantasy XIV alpha to begin? Dengeki Games hit bookstores today with a little extra information to tide everyone over.

Let's take a look!

Battle Q&A

Q: Above the chat log, there are two tabs: General and Battle. What's the difference?
A: General displays the entire Chat Log, while Battle acts as a filter and shows only what is relevant to the battle. For the final release version, we are thinking of putting in even more tabs to let you control what you want to see in the log and even allow you to have 2 separate log windows.

Q: How much can you move around the different parts of the on-screen user interface?
A: Anything that needs to be displayed on the screen, the HP/MP gauges, mini-map or chat log, can all be moved around freely.

Q: What is that red mark next to the target's name? (ペイスト, on the lower right, above red bar)
A: It's the strength of the enemy's party. It's like in FFXI, when you would check an enemy and have its strength displayed in the chat log. However, in FFXIV there are many cases where you fight parties of monsters, so that mark is used to indicate the relative strength of the enemy party.

Class Q&A

[These were essentially the same questions as the previous Dengeki interview]

Q: Out of the weapons and classes presented so far, there are still some weapons from FFXI (great sword, scythe) which we haven not seen yet. Will they appear in FFXIV? If so, what classes might they be added to (e.g. great sword on Gladiator?) Will all weapons be on separate classes?
A: I cannot tell you when, but those weapons will definitely appear in FFXIV. As for which classes they will be associated with, I'll have to ask you to wait and see.

Q: Before heading out on an adventure, you can change your class at whim, but are there any limitations to this? For example, only being able to carry 3 weapons, and thus change between 3 classes, at once.
A: At this stage, there are no limitations in place. However, there is the possibility we may adjust this as we go forward.

Q: Can you change classes in battle? If it's only possible when not in "battle mode," could one just sheathe their weapon and then change classes?
A: In FFXIV, there is a Passive Mode, wherein you recover HP as you move, and Active Mode, which is when your weapon is in-hand and you are poised to fight. Players can only switch classes while they are in Passive Mode.

Q: Can you switch between these two modes at will?
A: Yes, you can change modes anywhere you like.

Beta Test Q&A

Q: Do you plan to let players transfer their character name, etc, from the beta test into the final release version of the game? [For people unhappy with the notion of beta testers getting a head start, they seem to only be referring to name/appearance, though it is not fully specified.]
A: We do plan to allow that, but when official service starts we will have to add new worlds and players may have to transfer. We need to put some rule in place in the event a new player chooses the same first and last name as a beta player before the beta player is transferred over.

Q: Will beta testers on both the PS3 version and Windows version be playing on the same worlds?
A: We don't have any specific plan to separate the different platforms, but it may turn out that one world leans towards having more of one platform. However, like with FFXI, we intend to let people login from any platform they choose with a single account.

Q: For the beta test, are you planning to separate worlds by language? Also, will there be some kind of Auto-Translate Function available in the beta?
A: Whether or not we implement language-specific worlds or an Auto-Translate Function is something that hasn't been fully decided yet. For the alpha, testing times will be separated by region (Japan, America and Europe.)

Next we have this one from the beginning of alpha test (5/8/2010).

From FFXIVCore:

Developer Q&A session

Q. How long do you expect the alpha and beta tests to last?
A. The alpha test is a low-population test that we’re running on one server only. The server’s name is “Shadowlord.” The test will last for four hours in each region (Japan, Europe and North America) and take place three days a week. After we’ve tested the stability and the load the servers can take, we will be moving into Beta test phase one (B1 –Manly). B1 will be the same as alpha, but take place on multiple servers. Since we’ll also be testing different speeds of character growth, we’ll be going through a few data wipes, as well. After that, we’ll start Beta test phase two (B2), which will reflect the feedback we received from our testers. From B2, servers will run 24 hours a day and the product will be much closer to the finished version. The PS3 testing will also start from this version. From B2 we plan on increasing the number of world servers used and increase the servers’ load slowly to a few hundred thousand people to get ready for normal service. Finally, the few weeks right before we begin service, we’ll hold an open beta test, but only Limsa Lominsa and its surrounding region will be playable. This is under a fifth of what will be playable in the final version.

Q. Why did you give characters last names?
A. The two same names are impossible, but having the same first name or last name as someone is possible. This way, the probability that your name will be taken by someone else is greatly lowered, and players coming from FFXI will be able to use the names they’ve grown to love. We’re working on a way to use the /tell private message command without having to type the full name each time.

Q. Are there differences between the starting city-states?
A. The story starts in different ways in each starting area. The buildings and stores each have their own flavor and the user-friendliness of the opening may differ from starting area to starting area depending on each player’s play style.

Q. Instanced areas were used everywhere (they are automatically created during things like cut scenes). Why was this done?
A. We wanted to give players the freedom to play when they want to play instead of having to wait in line. This concept also lead us to create guildleves. The first thing we decided was to try to use instances as often as we could.

Since the scenario planner, Ms. Satou, came up with the idea of “reliving the past,” we thought this would also go well with instanced areas and went ahead with the idea from there. Personally, I like the concept which also appears in FFXI, that we’re all in the same world but no one sees it the same way. The only problem is, in FFXI, you only get that feeling during the cut scenes, and that was a little disappointing. We felt that instances would make up for this really well. Finally, one of the main concepts of the FF series is that each new numbered game needs to produce a new feel, like an entirely new “grammar.” We’re hoping to achieve that through instances.

Q. Are there aggressive monsters that will attack you without being provoked? How about powerful enemies with no relation to the story that the players can hunt?
A. Of course! However, in the alpha test, to keep from obstructing the testers, there are only a few aggressive monsters in place.

Q. Is there no concept of “level” for the player characters?
A. There is a “physical level” that is related to the stats such as HP, MP, strength, intelligence, and so on, but your main skill’s rank is going to be more important. We wanted the armory system, the special system where players chance their weapons or tools to change their class, to stand out.

Q. The battle is command-oriented, but will the time it takes to use a command differ from weapon to weapon?
A. Yes. Furthermore, we will be adjusting this timing based on the alpha testers’ feedback.

Finally this one was released on May 13th, 2010.

From FFXIVCore:

Famitsu released its magazine a day early to get ready for Golden Week, possibly Japan’s biggest holiday week. Apologies for its lateness, but Aya and I have been working at every moment we can to bring you Famitsu’s interview with Hiromichi Tanaka and Nobuaki Komoto. In it, they discuss many things alpha, as well as their plans from here on out.

Source is Famitsu’s May 13th/20th 2010 issue. Scans will be up when I get back home to my scanner (which will be a while, so I may include them in a later news).

Translation by Aya and Yours Manly.

Enjoy!

Connections beyond expectations

Famitsu (F): Final Fantasy XIV has finally made it past the development floor and onto the consumer test phase with the alpha test. How do you think that’s going so far, and what do you expect to happen after this?
Tanaka (HT): Right now, the alpha tests are taking place during three separate four-hour slots in three regions: Japan, Europe, and North America. Right now, the servers aren’t as stable as we’d like, and a lot of people haven’t been able to play to the fullest. We’re sorry about the burden this has put on the testers, but we’ll be upgrading bit by bit, and we’re sure the situation is going to get better.

F: What’s the problem with the servers?
HT: Each region has the same number of testers, and from our experience with the FFXI beta test, we were expecting around half of those players to log in at the same time. However, the amount of players that logged in exceeded expectations, and we believe this is because the testers were selected from devoted Final Fantasy XI players. The North American and European tests didn’t put as much strain on the servers and bring them down as much as the Japanese tests, though. With the version update on April 15th, we added a mechanism that will show you what number you are in the login queue when the server is crowded, and increased the time you can stay in that queue without retrying your login to 10 minutes. This made it easier for players to know when they’d be able to log in, and we feel it also relieved some of the traffic congestion.
Komoto (NK): We sincerely regret that most players haven’t been able to have a satisfying testing experience. We’re extremely thankful that we’ve been able to receive a lot of feedback despite the current testing situation.

F: How do you feel about the feedback you’ve read so far?
NK: There were a lot of things we didn’t notice since we’re always looking at the game from a developer’s standpoint. There were a lot of things that players focused on that surprised us. On top of that, it was interesting to see some opinions unique to their regions. Since I’ve been away from FFXI for so long to focus on developing FFXIV, I’ve been feeling a bit distant from the players. Now that players are logging in (albeit at an alpha test level) and I’m going back and forth between the management and development floors for the first time in a long time, I really feel like I’ve come home.

”Azagba Tanaka” has logged in.
F: Do the developers log into the tests, too?
NK: We’d like to, but since the servers are still limited, we’re restraining ourselves (he laughs). We’d like to get in as many testers as we can, so we’re keeping developer logins to a minimum.
HT: I was the only one sitting at my PC from the very moment the test began, fervently competing with other players at a game of “Login Online.” (He laughs.) (He doesn’t actually say “Login Online,” but I thought this would be a nice place to introduce the terminology the Japanese were using for alpha test’s login-retry sessions –Manly)

F: Did you? (Interviewer laughs) Players weren’t able to tell it was you just by looking at your character though, were they?
HT: With a name like “Azagba Tanaka,” I’d hope they would! (He laughs) I can read the log of player chat and actions from the developers’ side, but that doesn’t give you a really good feel for how the players are experiencing the game. I logged in as a representative for the developers to see what was going on in the game.

F: So the producer himself was checking the game, then! (Interviewer laughs) Was there any feedback that stood out?
NK: Since the alpha is focused on tweaking movement and controls, there were a lot of responses saying control response was bad, and many responses that confirmed some misgivings we had ourselves. We mentioned on the site before the test, “There’s no tutorial, so let us know if the controls are confusing,” so people told us: “The controls are confusing.” We’re going to try to work that out for the final release.
HT: There was a huge difference in the number of feedback we received from each region. There were about 5000 comments from the Japanese testers, but there were about 19000 from Europe and 25000 from America. Even though each region has the same number of players, for every one comment the Japanese write, the American players write five. It’s probably a difference in culture. A lot of American users wrote comments asking for their ideas to be put in the game, too. They’re all like, “Hey! Listen to my idea! (He laughs)

F: In that sense, I guess Japanese players are just more modest?
NK: Well, a lot of the game isn’t working properly yet, so it’s hard to tell. We expected a lot of angry responses, but we didn’t get that many. Actually, we feel like the players are warmly encouraging us through this process.

F: Doesn’t sound like you have a lot of time to sit back and enjoy that feeling, though.
NK: Things have been really busy and it doesn’t really feel like I’ve gotten much done (He laughs). Now that the game is running, though, I’ve been able to enjoy the nostalgia of managing the game.
HT: There’s still a lot to do (he laughs). We’re only releasing a little bit of the game at the alpha stage, so we’re trying to see what we need to change right now. Even so, after release we’re going to be working on the next content for the game, so we’ll probably never get a sense that we’ve completed it.

F: Well, one of the unique things about MMORPGs is that there’s never really a “completed” version.
NK: At fan events, we feel a sort of sense of accomplishment, but as of right now… (He laughs.)
HT: I usually feel that sense of accomplishment when I can enter the game and play alongside the players and see how they enjoy it. We’re still not quite there in the alpha version, so we’re going to work real hard to get to that point.

We would like to hear users’ opinions

F: You guys have been saying that it would be great to reflect the opinions of users who took parts in the test into the game since FFXIV was announced. Do you still feel this way?
NK: Yes, and that won’t change even after the official service has started. There are so many things we would like to change; however, we will not be able to start the official service if we keep trying to fix every single thing, so we would like to know what is wanted the most at this point. Of course, we’ll not only be fixing the problems, but also strengthening the parts the players like. We’d like to know the users’ opinions and think about what to do.

F: Then, it is better that alpha and beta testers give you honest opinions, however trivial they are.
HT: Of course.
NK: As I said earlier, there are many surprising things we, the developers, may miss if not for the users’ opinions. For instance, we already got some opinions on the manual for the tester’s site before the alpha started. Developers also agreed with some of the opinions about the manual.
HT: Even reading opinions that match our own serve to reassure us.
NK: Yes, there are two purposes for collecting users’ opinions: to alert us to problems or ideas and reassure us about existing problems or ideas we’ve had. Therefore, every single opinion is important.

Where do we go from here?

F: You plan on increasing the number and scale of the tests as testing goes on, correct?
HT: For now, the first step is to conduct three tests a week without problems.
NK: To let users play without problems, the first goal is stability for now.
HT: We think that maybe the time of tests should be changed at some point, since there are some people who can’t play at that time.

F: How long will the current alpha test run?
NK: There are some problems in stability of the server, so it is getting longer than it was planned at the beginning. We will think about it when users finish raising their characters to some extent.
HT: In fact, there are two patterns planned for the speed of characters’ growth, and we are planning to do a data wipe sometime during the alpha test. After collecting enough data from the current pattern, we’d like to switch it into the other one.

F: So at some point, things will be started over again.
NK: Right. It is not just for the alpha, we’ll do it over and over till the official service after the beta gets stable.

F: Does that mean you will switch to the beta test after adjusting the speed of character growth?
HT: The current alpha test is done on a single world server, but for the next step, we’d like to have several world servers and increase the number of testers. We may call it beta one or alpha two.

F: So the schedule will change depending on the situation.
HT: During that time, we will work on opinions we got and start the version which looks closer to the official service at some point. I guess that will be what we call the beta version.

F: At this point in the test, users log in depending on region. When can users all over the world play together?
HT: Most likely, it will be when world servers become playable around the clock. We are currently working on it.

65 percent is completed so far

F: Please tell us how development is coming.
HT: The graphics are almost done. We are working on the final arrangements for planners and programmers, but it is hard to express in percentage. (He laughs). Even though the graphics are almost done, we’ve just started adjusting them. For instance, lighting in the city of Limsa Lominsa will be totally changed.

F: Then the basic frame of the world is done now?
HT: The basic parts are almost done. As I said before, a few little touch ups are needed (He laughs). We are still working on system, designs, user interface, and mass production tasks such as creating quests. Though you can say that the time between now and release is 10 percent if you think that we have been developing FFXIV for the last five years, the amount we develop during this short period can occupy 50 percent of the game.
NK: Though the alpha has started, if you think about the growth of characters and the expanse of the world and quests, only a small fraction is playable in the tests. The Eorzea you can see in the alpha test comprises less than 10 percent of the content in the actual game.
HT: As for the progress of development, I’d be modest and say about 65 percent.(Tanaka laughs)

F: The alpha test is for PC only. What about the PS3 version?
HT: We are working on it earnestly along with the PC version. We are trying to make them start service at the same time.

F: So that means PS3 users should be looking forward to it?
HT, NK: Yes, definitely.

To provide all the interviews in a single thread, here are the last two I posted previously:

Dengeki Alpha/Beta Interview

Posted May 28th, from the June 11th issue of Dengeki Magazine (leak).

From FFXIVCore:

Here's the first interview in the June 11th issue of Dengeki PlayStation. The second one will be up when the translation is finished. Enjoy!

Special Developer Interview

Part 1: Hiromichi Tanaka and Nobuaki Komoto

Servers slowly stabilizing

Dengeki PlayStation (DP): What’s the current status of the alpha test?
Komoto (NK): A lot of problems came up that we weren’t expecting, most of which were due to the load on the servers. It was a constant cycle; a problem would show up as soon as we fixed another problem. It caused a lot of problems for the players, and we’re really sorry about that.
Tanaka (HT): We found other problems hiding in the code and have done our best to CRUSH them.

DP: Have you been able to fix a lot of problems through the alpha tests up to this point?
NK: We haven’t been able to fix as much as we’d like. We wanted players to go even further into the game to find the problems in other places, but right now, even the basics aren’t complete, so it’s more like the players are helping us stabilize the servers.

DP: When will the players be able to play without time limits?
HT: Players will be able to log in freely by the time beta starts.

DP: Did the number of players that logged in exceed your expectations?
NK: It did at first, but now we announce the test times pretty close to when we start the test, so now there are actually a few less than we’d like.
HT: Right now we want to get one world server stabilized, so we’ll try to add enough people to it to test its stability. After that we’ll increase the number of world servers. Our aim is to let in about 50,000 people.

DP: When will you be adding more players?
HT: We’ll add them when alpha 2 starts, which is pretty soon. We already have the players chosen.
NK: Once we stabilize it on the alpha level, we’d like to add even more players.

DP: The alpha test started with the game at a rather unpolished state. How are the players taking this?
NK: A lot of players have been pointing out the poor tempo of battle and the lack of explanation for parts of the game. We are trying to decide how write the explanations for beta and commercial release, so these are really helpful comments.
HT: Komoto told the testers before alpha started that the tempo of battle is something we’re looking at. When beta test starts, we will be implementing a completely different battle system, practically remade from the ground up. We weren’t planning on using the current battle system in the first place, but we didn’t want players to wait until beta, so we explained the situation and opened the test.

DP: There were times when players couldn’t see the aetherite or times when character motion and attack timings were off. Were these caused by the heavy server load?
NK: Most likely. The play was smoothest in dungeons with no people in them, so it would be nice if we could have more players play in areas like that. The aetherite problem had other causes, and we’re in the middle of implementing solutions.

DP: How about the error messages that appear when attempting a battle regimen?
NK: When this happens, it’s caused by server load and a bug which we’re working on fixing.
HT: Right now, the battle is done through a time gauge system, which makes for a bad battle tempo. Once we’re in beta, the battle system will be completely different, and you’ll be able to use moves in more rapid succession.

DP: Apparently there’s also a problem people have been having with earning gil, and are unable to advance to try new things as a result.
NK: Guildleves are the best way to earn money, but due to the server problems, players were having problems finishing them. We are thinking of solutions to this problem, such as adding a way to retry failed guildleves. Furthermore, right now, the only person being rewarded for clearing a guildleve is the person who accepts the guildleve, so we’re looking into rewards for party members, as well.

Beta brings changes

DP: Will the number of playable races increase from alpha to beta?
NK: We plan on having all races included in the final version made playable in the beta. People seemed a little put off that they couldn’t use the Miqo’te (he laughs).

DP: Will there be any graphical changes?
HT: The character textures won’t change, but there will be a lot of lighting and wall-texture changes for Limsa Lominsa. Shadows will change a lot, like the way a shadow is cast based on the direction and distance of the light source causing it. We’ll also be implementing SSAO (Screen Space Ambient Occlusion, the shadow emulation method first used in the PC game Crysis), which should give the game a more three-dimensional feel. Also, we’re trying to make the way the camera focuses in the opening cut scene also useable in the play area.

DP: Do you plan on increasing the area of play in the beta test?
NK: We don’t have any plans to extend the play area that much, but many players are sticking to one area so we’re going to add the option to play in other places and increase the level cap. At the moment, the playable area isn’t being used to the extent that we’d like, so we’d like players to explore a bit more.
HT: There aren’t many players checking out the dungeons, but we’d like some players to go spelunking from time to time. Right now, monsters lose interest in players rather quickly when they run away, but when beta begins, monsters may start to agro. If players are going to go exploring, now would be the time to do it.

DP: The field has a very three-dimensional feel to it, with lots of highs and lows. It feels like a completely different world from FFXI.
HT: Limsa Lominsa is almost too three-dimensional, and many players are getting lost. Right now, the whole map is limited to one screen, but by beta we’ll split the map into higher- and lower-layer sections to make the city easier to navigate.

DP: Why is it that incoming battle log messages from party members come even when the party members are so far away?
NK: The chat and battle log system now is set up to show all the things within the player’s viewable range. FFXI prioritized listing actions by how close they happened to you, where FFXIV battle log focuses on things happening related to your party. We’re trying to make it so you can decide if only you will be able to see the monsters for your guildleve, or have control over other things you want to show or not to show people.

DP: There are also an excessive amount of battle messages coming from people fighting in the vicinity. What about those?
NK: We’d like to add a filter players can use to block the messages they don’t want to see. The filter didn’t see completion by the start of the alpha test, so we’d like to adjust it from here on out.

DP: There’s nothing like FFXI’s mog house in the current test, but will players see something like this later in the game?
NK: In FFXI, the mog house’s role was to act as storage space for the adventurers’ items and a place for job changing, but those won’t be needed this time since jobs are changed by changing weapons and adventurers can hold a great number of items. We wanted to make it so adventurers wouldn’t have to travel back to the city, so we didn’t prepare anything like that for the test.
HT: We do have plans to make something large-scale, like a house, in the future.

DP: Will the bazaar and market system be different from the FFXI auction system?
NK: We wanted to present a system other than a standardized auction system, but this system would get pretty heavy on the server if everyone needed to be logged in at the same time to use it, so we’re trying to make something like a bazaar that can stay up even when you’re logged off.

DP: Do you have any words for your users?
NK: Even though we’ve not been able to show you what we’d like to have shown you by now, we’re very thankful for your positive attitudes while playing. We really want to hear from you, and we’re looking forward to the opinions of the incoming alpha testers and, when the time comes, the many opinions of the beta testers. We want to create this world with your help.
HT: Since this is only the alpha test, we’re able to collect a lot of data with every single login, and we thank you for that. The battle tempo and graphics are about to change drastically, so please look forward to it!

The second interview posted May 30th, from the June 11th issue of Dengeki Magazine (leak).

Dengeki Interview With Planner Iwao: THE WORLD

From FFXIVCore:

Sorry for the wait, here's the second part of the Dengeki Playsation interview in all its SteveManly/Aya translated glory! This time, Dengeki Playstation talks to Kenichi Iwao, a planner for FFXIV. Iwao talks about the feel of the world of Eorzea!

Wait, Eorzea's not a world, it's a landmass...

The feel of... the landmass of Eor... ah, ok, that just kind of sounds dumb. I'm sorry. Let's try this again.

Iwao says stuff! You read! You love it!

MANLY (translator)

Dengeki Interview Part 2: Planner Kenichi Iwao

It’s the little things that make a big world

DP: What are you in charge of for FFXIV?
KI: I have kind of a grab bag of responsibilities. (Iwao laughs.) I make the drafts for the characters, equipment, areas and setting and come up with names. I am in charge of items, guildleves, and other things and their circulation in the game, along with crafting and shops and a lot of other things… quite a wider range than in FFXI.

DP: As far as the world setting, what exactly are adventurers to the world of FFXIV?
KI: In FFXI, right from the beginning you’re sucked into belonging to a starting nation. “From this day forward, you work for us. Good luck.” In FFXIV, you choose which guild you want to belong to, so your freedom to choose your place in society is much broader this time around.

DP: Will these be guilds based on weapons?
KI: There are many guilds, like pugilist guilds and blacksmith guilds, all focused on bringing together the artisans of their trade like the true meaning of a guild, but the guilds for adventurers acts more like a support group, so it’s a bit unique.

DP: What exactly are crystals in the FFXIV world?
KI: In Hydaelyn, everything in the world is made of different balances and imbalances of the six elemental ethers. Crystals, however, are pure physical manifestations of one element. They are a unique existence in this world.

DP: Is aetherite natural or artificial?
KI: The aetherite everyone uses is processed from aetherite that occurs naturally in nature.

DP: What is the “sixth astral era?”
KI: The world’s history is split up into alternating eras of stability and turmoil. The eras of stability are called astral eras, and the eras of turmoil are called spirit disaster eras (Localization will probably call is something different/catchier –Manly). The current era is the sixth of these, called the Sixth Astral Era.

DP: What exactly are “The Twelve,” the guardian deities of the city-states and players?
KI: The Twelve in the Eorzean mythology act like those in Greek mythology and have their own personalities. Some of them are easily angered, some of them are caring and nurturing. The people of Eorzea are living in a polytheistic society in which many different values exist.

DP: Each deity has its own characteristics, but how is this reflected in the game?
KI: It appears in many different ways. Each of the twelve is related to an element, and that will most likely come into play. Whether or not you’ll be able to meet these deities is still under wraps (Iwao laughs).

DP: Does all of Hydaelyn believe in the Twelve?
KI: At the very least, the Garlean Empire does not. It is, after all, a faith that originated in Eorzea.

DP: You can choose your guardian deity during character creation, but can you switch during the course of the game?
KI: We’ll probably make it possible, since there are some SERIOUS revelations about the deities during the game (Iwao laughs). There will most likely be a penalty, though.

Eorzea’s map and the world

DP: This is the map of Eorzea, and not the complete world map, correct?
KI: Yes, this is not a map of Hydaelyn.

DP: Is FFXIV set solely in Eorzea, or will there be ways to communicate or travel to the world outside of Eorzea?
KI: For the moment, FFXIV is only in Eorzea, but like FFXI, other lands and worlds may be made available later.

DP: Will the war with the Garlean Empire, as seen in the opening movie and trailers, be appearing in FFXIV?
KI: Who knows? Anyway you look at it, this war affects a lot of things in the story (Iwao laughs).

DP: In the war with the Garlean Empire, will there be player versus player contents like the “Campaign” contents in Wings of the Goddess, where the Beastman Confederate and Allied Forces of Altana fought against each other?
KI: It’s definitely possible.

DP: Will this be a three-way battle including the adventurers, or will the adventurers be able to align themselves with the Empire?
KI: I wonder (Iwao laughs). Personally, I really think the concept of adventurers being able to choose their place in society is an interesting one… In FFXI, there was no guessing who the enemy was, but in FFXIV, there is a lot of chaos going on right before the beginning of the Crystal War.

DP: Chaos?
KI: There’s a lot going on under the surface that a lot of people aren’t aware of.

DP: Are the flags on the map the city-state flags?
KI: It’s probably best to imagine Eorzea as ancient Greece or medieval Italy, where many large, independent cities grew and thrived. Many cities in Eorzea have had problems with each other in the past, and their relationships now aren’t that great, either. The citizens get along with each other and handle intercity exchange well, though, and there are organizations that exist outside of city-state relations, such as the guilds.

DP: On the bottom left of the map, there are two flags slightly separated from the rest. Does this have something to do with the story?
KI: That’s still a secret (Iwao laughs). But there are a few city-states that have fallen since the map was made, as well as new city-states that have come about. This map still shows the old city-states.

DP: Will city-state territories change over the course of the game?
KI: We’d like to be able to do that, but there are a lot of complications involved. For example, if Ul’dah and Limsa Lominsa get into a territorial war, players who join later in the game won’t be able to enjoy the era of peace the other players could. We’d like to play around with social changes at some point, though.

DP: In the data included with the Eorzean map, the name Roddard Ironheart appears. Was there a reason for using this name? A lot of FFXI players are probably curious about it.
KI: It’s probably just a coincidence (Iwao laughs).

DP: Can you tell us the different special characteristics of the city-states?
KI: Limsa Lominsa is the marine capital like Venice. Ul’dah is a hub city like an oasis, like Palmyra. Gridania is a city surrounded by forests and is like a Mayan city.

DP: So the economy and culture of each city-state will have been cultivated and be unique to its city?
KI: Well, to an extent. There won’t be any drastic differences, since they’re all part of the same cultural sphere.

DP: Will the same guild be available in all city-states, or will the available guilds differ based on the city?
KI: Each guild has a certain city that houses its base of operations, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a presence in each of the cities. There will be things like branch offices. If you want to enjoy fishing in the streams of Gridania, it would be convenient if there were a fishing guild branch there, wouldn’t it? We’re working on addressing this.

DP: Will players be able to play in the gambling areas and fighting arenas of Ul’dah?
KI: It’s something we’re aiming for.

DP: Other than Aetherite, will there be other modes of transportation, like airships and chocobo?
KI: Of course.

DP: Will adventurers be able to use them?
KI: Yes. For how long and how much experience is needed to use them is still a secret. Chocobo, horse-drawn carriages, ships, and airships will all be in the game.

Monsters and Tribes in the World

DP: Are there NPC like male Miqo’te and female highlanders that you can’t choose as a player?
KI: Yeah, there are. They might appear in certain forms. At this point, I can’t declare that players can’t play as them forever.

DP: Do monsters like Puk and Dodo from FFXI appear in FFXIV? Is it because the familiarity to users is taken into consideration?
KI: Yes. There will be more monsters which have something to do with FFXI, I think, especially those from after Treasures of Aht Urhgan.

DP: I saw Qiqirn mutual-aid in Limsa Lominsa. Are there monsters that you can communicate with, like Goblins in FFXI?
KI: Oh, yeah, I was thinking about mentioning Qiqirn’s name, but you have already figured it out (Iwao laughs). By the way, there are Apkallus, too. I’d like to have those kinds of communication as much as possible.

DP: Do they appear as NPCs in town?
KI: Maybe in towns, or in fields, too. Moreover, this time, the beast tribes have their own skills, and I think there are things you can learn from them. They have their own opinions, and I’d like to treat them as humans with individuality, not just as humanoid enemies. It’d be fun if players can make and equip weapons which are influenced by their culture.

DP: So there would be more communication with humans/humanoids than in FFXI.
KI: You could say so. There could be some characters that seem to be enemies when they appear but are actually cooperative with humans. I’d like to be flexible about it. On the other hand, there may be humans (the same type of humans as adventurers) that are villanous, and you may have to fight them sometime.

DP: Are there any points you focus on when designing monsters’ appearances?
KI: In many cases, each monster has a concept, and it influences the design. For instance, Spriggans look like children with stones, right? That is the motif for its motions and the reason behind its name.

DP: From the point of view of Eorzeans, do they perceive the fields as dangerous?
KI: Not really. There are requests like seeking lost cattle. In the beginning of the game, there are very peaceful requests and guildleves. There are even monsters that make you wonder why you’d have to fight them.

DP: Are there Guildleves in which you would have to kill that kind of monsters?
KI: Yes, I think so. If you think that they are too cute to kill, don’t take that Guildleve (Iwao laughs).

Establishing a world to enchant adventurers

DP: Are there any points that you are careful about when working on the graphics or functions of equipment?
KI: This time, the aim is to have outfits which are a bit deviant from the style of games. Sorcerers in heavy armors, for instance. I can’t guarantee it would be useful though… The emphasis is put on customization, so that you can coordinate many types of equipment to a certain extent. For example, you can choose the color of your equipment.

DP: Seems like there are NPC with hats made of leather and suede. Can we customize fabrics and stuff?
KI: I am happy that you noticed! (Iwao laughs) This world is designed based on numerous material lists, and each thing is made of certain thing. If you are a crafting artisan, you should be able to tell what percentage of a piece of a person’s equipment is made up of what materials just by looking at it.

DP: Can you show others that you made them by yourself like inscriptions in FFXI?
KI: I’d like it to be so. I think it is also very important to show your contribution to the society.

DP: Why there are NPC without names like “exhausted adventurer?”
KI: Because of the intention to show the direct impression, not the name. That case would happen more often to NPCs which don’t really do anything.

DP: Were there any main points you focused on when you created the world view?
KI: The theme is to create the basis that users can spread their imagination freely. My final goal is to make worlds which can accept all the dramas and back-stories that users have created for themselves and are not described in the game itself.

DP: Are there any points that you want users to keep an eye out for or hear about?
KI: Opinions are welcome all the time. Severe, strict opinions are especially welcome. Well, they do bring me down, though… (Iwao laughs) However, games won’t get better without harsh opinions. So, I am waiting for your strict opinions!

I am finding more interviews with an occasional worthwhile quote. So I will share a few of the best along with links to read more.

From FFXIVCore, an exclusive interview with Producer Hiromichi Tanaka posted August 20th, 2009.

Exactly how much more casual will FF XIV be than FF XI? Is FF XIV designed to try to appeal to a new casual crowd and leave the hardcore group players in FF XI? Is FF XIV trying to attract both at the same time and try to become the first historical game that successfully combines hardcore and casual aspects?

The first question about the casual aspect. We will have a casual aspect, but we're not going to only target the casual players. Its really a users choice. We will be able to provide a variety of aspects to the game that casual players will enjoy but the hardcore players will enjoy it as well. And also for FFXI and FFXIV we aim to support both players, although FFXIV is using a new graphics engine, so we're providing current FFXI players with an option if they want to play FFXI of course that is fine, but they're also very welcome to play FFXIV.

Hiromichi Tanaka also says that it would be very nice if the players of other Final Fantasy games who never played FFXI would play FFXIV. So that is one of the goals.

So basically they're aiming at the Final Fantasy fans who haven't played MMO's due to having a casual aspect of FFXIV, but also at the same time giving the hardcore MMO players something to enjoy as well.

What about PVP?

We have the same stance on PVP as we had in FFXI, we're having a focus on PVE, but we may introduce some sort of sports-type that might be tied to PVP in the future. What we're worrying about is that we dont want to have any PK'ing or harassment types of activities in the game. So in order to provide a safe environment to everyone and a game to enjoy. So we're not focusing on PVP.

Is there going to be instanced content?

Guildleves itself is like instances. Other people will not be able to interfere with you. There will also be instanced raid content, its a type of guildleves as well. But we cannot tell you how many players it will be yet however. There's also going to be many different types of guildleves, if you want to play as a casual player it will be fine for instance.

Auto-run/Auto-follow and Macros saved A LOT of time in FFXI. Could we expect these things (or improved/altered versions) in FFXIV?

Yes it will be in the game.


Will there be Samurai's in the game, what about the free roaming? What about the freedom in the world, exploration?

We won't have the samurai as a job, because we don't have a job system. And we don't have a class like the Samurai. But it depends on how you're going to select your skills and developing your character. So when you reach a certain skill and/or gain certain skills, you will have a title for yourself. It may be Samurai or may not be - we cannot tell you that yet. So please look for an announcement in the future.


How large will the in-game world of Eorzea be in comparison to the in-game world of Vana'Diel? As in actual space the characters may move around in.

We can't really compare to the current world of Vana'Diel since it's been expanding a lot. But if we compare to the original Vana'Diel, this time it may be the same or slightly smaller, however as you can see there will be a much more detailed world, in terms of graphics and content. So it's unlikely you will notice that it might be slightly smaller than the original Vana'Diel world.

One thing to note is that FFXI used its own system, this time Final Fantasy XIV is going to be seamless. No zoning! Just like in World of Warcraft.

You'll be able to walk from the city to the battlefield without any zoning.

Can we expect exp loss?

We're still adjusting and discussing this. It may or may not be an exp-loss when you die in FFXIV. But it will be a lot less than it's in FFXI. However, as said we might not include an exp loss at all in FFXIV. In the alpha version we have exp loss currently, but this is still being adjusted, since it's an alpha version. So it's not decided on.

Will the Linkshell system still be called "Linkshell"?

We can't go into details on that just yet, but it's not going to be called Linkshell anymore. However, it's going to be something very interesting. You'll be able to join a kind of organization, but we can't say more on that right now, you'll be able to have different aims and focuses. It'll be very interesting.

Read the full interview here.

Another, from FFXIVCore on 8/20/2009:

FFXIV Producer Tanaka Hiromichi's Interview in Gamescom by Famitsu

Firstly, Mr. Tanaka himself plays a battle portion for us in Gamescom.

Tanaka: Then, I'm going to do the Continuous Damage of Puke's Guildleve.

Tanaka: Even though the Leve says that the Puku must be taken down, they aren't there yet. First we have to defeat the Dodo before the Puku will appear.

- Oh so it has some mystery sort of elements. But this field sure is large. Are we going to have to search for the monsters ourselves?

Tanaka: There's a locate feature inside the Guildleve that will mark the location of the monster on the map. Unfortunately, this is only the alpha version and that feature is yet to be implemented.

(The interview precedes to describe the combat system which is being replaced in Beta - Jonn)

- I can see from the presentation that the emotes are fairly powerful. Can they also be used in battle?

Tanaka: It's not possible in this early stage *laugh*.

- Going back to the interface topic, it's obvious that the resolution will be raised a lot in the release. Will it be easy to view information like chat and status? For example, party member status?

Tanaka: In the initial stages, they're displayed in the center right part of the screen. In reality, the screen layout is fully customizable by using the mouse to fix the windows. The number of lines in the chat window can be adjusted too. The layout can be customized to however the user wants it to be.

- How about the player perspective?

Tanaka: It's still in the alpha stage, who knows what it will be in the release. Right now it's the normal third person point of view. The camera would be over the shoulder. The subject's three views might be implemented.

(The Guildleve was accomplished. Mr. Tanaka uses the Guildleve warp point back to Eteraito. )

- Will Eteraito be the center of FFXIV?

Tanaka: The warp is only available upon clearing the Guildleve. Each adventure has its own necessity. It might be seen as a convenient method to move around, but it can't be used that frequently.

- Approximately how much of the game is completed right now? (as of last August - Jonn)

Tanaka: If I have to say the whole thing is, I think it's about 40-50% done. There are parts of the basis system that are still incomplete. The system is going to be more complete when the beta starts, modifying to make it work is difficult. I can say that it isn't at a solid state yet, it's better if you just take a look. It's unfinished still, some people that has expectations that it's finished say things like What? It's still not completely finished? But other than that, I think it's fine.

(skipping more battle discussion - Jonn)

- So that means FFXIV will also use macro for management?

Tanaka: That's about right.

- Topic change to the presentation, we're wondering a lot about the character facial expressions.

Tanaka: Character motion has its own motion capture, but the facial expressions are a bit difficult. Those would be developed by the facial experts.

Read the entire interview here.

Two more interviews released about the same time as the last provide a few insights.

From Dengeki/FFXIVCore we have the following bullet points (8/29/2009).

Dengeki recently posted a new interview with FFXIV producer Hiromichi Tanaka and Global Online Producer Sage Sundi.

Some information from the interview:

* Unlike in FFXI, the 4 different versions are being developed simulataneously to prep for worldwide launch of the game.
* Auto attack is removed.
* Even if a skill gap is present among party members, kiling a monster will still grant combat skill increase.
* Skill caps are equivalent to level caps.
* Short guild leves are developed for those who do not have much time.
* There are specific combat skill Guild Leves - uses sword as an example.
* Different nations will have different guild leves.
* Aetheryte system developed for convenience and focus on content outside of cities. Reduce travel time for groups meeting up and make the entire system more efficient.
* Aside from just items and money, NM(Notorious monsters) may present rare item drops in Guild leves.
* HNM guild leaves are being developed for large groups and are being considered to be implemented in the game at launch. (HNMs confirmed?!?!)
* There won't be any overlap between players killing monsters for guild leves since they are all instanced for the guild leve recipients.
* There is non fighting content for crafting classes, but for advanced dungeons fighting will be necessary.
* Weapons now have durability, working with a crafter or leveling a crafting job yourself will be crucial to progression.
* Economy will still be trade among players driven with an auction house possibility. Other options are still being considered.
* SE is attemping to create an economy and trading system that people who do not play often can use as well.
* Currently only the 3 starting nations exist.
* Main storylines are going to play a large role once again, this time with voice acting.
* English voice acting thus far, subtitles provided for other regions.
* The main aim or motivation for players in FFXIv will be "growth". You can develop your character and grow how you want to. Something a casual player and a hardcore player can share.
* Variation among armor progress more drastically than FFXI!
* Different armor will have different skill requirements. Each weapon has corresponding gear paths. There is general purpose gear and skill purposed gear, example is fencers for increased speed of sword skill leveling.
* SE would love to start the beta immediately, but more development work needs to be done. Tanaka wants some playable form of the game available to everyone like the 30 minute guild leve example at Gamescom.
* Tanaka wants a very large group of people to be able to test the game and provide feedback as early in the development as possible.
* Sundi wants to expand the GM team from FFXI to help with the beta of FFXIV.
* The Special Tast Force will be back for FFXIV, and use of SE security tokens may become required.

---------------------------------------

From Dengeki/FFXIVCore on 8/28/2009:

It's possible to progress in the game this time without battling!

We were able to interview Producer Tanaka Hiromichi and Global Online Producer Sage Sundi.

Dengeki: How many Guildleves are there this time?

Tanaka: There are a lot. The rewards are not limited to just money or items, it can also be something like "Sword skill level up leve".

Dengeki: Say, for tailors, are there leves set up for them to craft?

Tanaka: Yes, in those leves, there isn't any fighting so tailors can level up their crafting skills like smithing and tailoring.

Sage: This time around, because of the Guildleves, players can focus on crafting to level skills up. They can progress in the game this way.

Tanaka: It's possible to reach the highest level without even having to fight once! This is one of the concept for this game.

Sage: However to reach the deepest dungeons, it might be needed to enlist the help of fighting classes.

Tanaka: Since the weapons have durability this time around, you can't keep on fighting with the same weapon over and over. Crafting becomes an essential element of the game. The fighting class will either be asking help from crafters or level up a crafting skill on their own!

The following interview from FFXIVCore/Dengeki reveals the world is not seemless, that was a mistranslation. (9/11/2009)

DG: Is it true that movement between areas will be seamless?
NK: This information has often been mistranslated, saying things that no matter how far in the world you go, there will be no fade effect. This isn't the case. The areas are now wider (about the size of regions in FFXI), but there is a bit of loading between those areas. Even so, just because the areas are wider doesn't mean the monsters will chase you as far as you can go.

DG: But there's no difference between the residential areas and the battlefields?
NK: I guess the only real difference between those areas are whether there are enemies present or not. There are cities, of course, but just like the way Aetherite is placed everywhere, there will also be areas set up to gather and talk to other players outside of the cities.

DG: Can you unsheathe your weapons in cities?
NK: Yes. In FFXI, it was not possible to auto-attack in cities, so you couldn't draw weapons. In FFXIV, though, if you want to draw, you can.

DG: Will weather's effects on your character be portrayed realistically?
NK: We've aimed for realism with the weather, so even if you're excited to be in an area at first, after a while you may feel that you don't want to go there anymore. Consequently, weather will have an effect on your character, but it will be more of a game-related aspect. However, there will not be elemental weather like the kind seen in FFXI.

DG: Aetherite seems to be a very important structure in this game, but would it be best to think of this as a method of transportation?
NK: Its primary function is a gathering spot. It is where adventures begin and adventurers gather. Transportation is its secondary function. Since it's a warp point, people will naturally gather there. That's the image we're going for.

DG: So will players be able to use it for transportation between cities, transportation to battles, to guildleve starting points, and so on?
NK: That's right.

DG: I'm sure chocobos will also be a form of transportation, but then how would you separate when to use each of the two?
NK: We're still considering whether or not to use chocobos as transportation. Chocobos are, after all, a symbol of the franchise; we're trying to bring them into the game in a way the players will accept and enjoy.

DG: Weapons will deteriorate, but will characters age?
NK: We hadn't thought of that! (He laughs) They won't age, but you may be able to change their hairstyle.

DG: Having to learn how to take care of your weapon is a really interesting idea.
NK: Though I said that Aetherite existed as a meeting point, it is also a place where blacksmith and adventurers can meet up. It would be a burden to go back to the city to fix, but maybe there is somebody who can fix it at Aetherite. I'd like to offer users more places to meet other players.

DG:Can we fix in shops? I have image that fix is done by blacksmith players.
NK: I'd like to have something in place for when no blacksmiths are present. It would be horrible if there was never anyone there to fix you broken weapon (he laughs).

DG: Not only weapons, but do shields also break?
NK: Shields and armor all deteriorate.
HT:It'd be difficult to exchange items which are broken or deteriorated between users. The price of new and consumed ones will be of course different.
NK:Items may not be fixed depending on the skill of blacksmith. However, we have made it so that a failure to repair will not cause the item to break.

DG: Customizing colors of armament would be possible by craftsman?
NK: Yeah, craftsman can design colors to sell more. There will be more items which have same ability but are different colors. A lot of color variations already exist.

DG: Is there places like pubs where adventurers gather?
NK: Adventurer's Guild, where you can get Guildleve, would function like that. You can get many Guilleaves and go to Aetherite to play for days, or you can play at Guildleve with other uses.

DG: If someone has Guildleve, others can play with him?
NK:yes. You can join even if you don't have it. There are some special Guildleve that is only accessible when you cleared certain conditions.

DG: Is it possible to play the game without using Guildleve?
NK:Guildleve is like hunting in FFXI. So it would be very everyday thing like hunting monsters to level up. It is not, of course, mandatory though.

DG: Are there Guildleves to skill up like hunting MN in FFXI?
NK:Yes. You can brush your skill up by just playing Guildleves. Just heightening level has no end. That's why there are time limits and uses have to change with other users from Aetherite.

DG: How long does Guildleve for one player take?
NK:30 minutes for one Guildleve.

DG: Can you get Guildleve in many places or only at a certain place?
NK:Only in Adventurer's Guild. But as I said, you can play Guildleve even if you don't have it, so you can just log in an off the Aetherite too.

DG: What are Mikotte's ears parts (places hidden in hairs) like?
NK:Only upper ears, same as Misla.
HT:But the edge of eyeglasses are not on upper ears,lol oops, please don't ask me about it anymore.

DG: Can you change facial expression during game?
NK:Facial expression accompanies action.

Read the entire interview here.

I have a lot more interviews to go through before this topic is finished (make sure you read all the ones I added today, starting here). To aid readability I am locking this topic now. When I get completely finished I will open it for discussion.