The following videos couldnt be embedded on the news page, so here they are instead:

Final Fantasy XIV Official E3 Trailer 2010




Official E3 Live Report Video!

I will be using this thread to provide Day Two updates as they happen. I may end up changing the name to include all E3 info as this unfolds (feel free to comment). First off we have this exclusive interview from FFXIVCore:

Exclusive Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV, FF14) Information & Interview for FFXIVCore.com

Note that Square Enix were very busy, we're going to try get more questions answered, and if that's the case we'll update you right away.

Character customization is very detailed in FFXIV. There are many different clans you can choose after choosing what race you want to be and after you choose your clan, there are even more options. Once you choose your race and clan, you can customize you character's looks. You can detail hair style and color, skin tone, and eye color. You can choose to have your character's hair to have highlights, give them jewelry, scars, and many other things to make your character stand out from others in the game.

The battle system is similar to that of Final Fantasy XI, but there are several new things about it. For instance, before you can even go into the battle mode, you have to draw your weapon. Once you sheath your weapon, you will begin to regenerate health.

Once you're in battle, there are many different things you can do. For the beta test portion that I was in, I played a class that was much like a tank with a sword and a shield. There was a standard melee attack and a few others like shield bash. An improvement from the alpha test that they made is the stamina bar. It regenerate much faster so you can attack more often. There are also special attacks you can use that cost a certain number of TP. An example of one of these attacks is called Red Lotus, which is a very powerful melee attack with a little bit of fire.

The overall graphics of the game seemed very good. Movement was smooth and animations were very unique. Characters also have a list of emotes they can perform and they animations are different for every race and gender. The creators of the game really want you to have a sense of uniqueness in this game and it shows!

Final Fantasy XIV Interview with Hiromichi Tanaka, Senior Vice President and Software Development Corporate Exec. - Square Enix and Yasu Surosawa, North American Online Producer and Senior Director - Square Enix

Q. Will end game content contain more open area boss fights or will there be more focus on dungeons?

A. We do know the ending of the first story but of course we can't tell you what the ending of the story is. The story that will lead you to a secret area, but we can't reveal anything about that right now.

Q. Will classes have their own special sets of armor?

A. Yes, there will be because in FFXIV the equipment itself is going to be meaning more for the class the player is being. There will be high end equipments for that class.

Q. Is there going to be chocobo breeding and chocobo racing in this game?

A. For this Final Fantasy, chocobo have a unique place but we can't tell you anymore about them at this time. There will be more information closer to release.

Q. About how many classes do you plan on releasing in this game?

A. We will be introducing more classes even after the launch of the game, so it will be continuously increasing. It will depend on how development goes and how the users react to see how far we go. We already have tens of thousands and we should be able to impliment them at any time.

Q. Will there be player-owned land?

A. We will be making announcements shortly, so look forward to that. We are trying to impliment that so players can have something that they own.

Q. Do you intend to have things like guilds and guild banks for people to share?

A. For FFXI there was Linkshells and for FFXIV we will have Linkshells as well along with something like a higher level Linkshell system called a Company. In this Company, things you do will affect things you own in the game. Also, larger Companies will be able to have something like a community website that is more personallized that will display stats. There will be more information about this Company later on in development.

Q. Is there anything unique in this game? Anything that makes it stand out?

A. There are a few points about this game: The armory system and the guild link system. In the armory system you will be able to change you class or even create your own class and even learn your own abilities, which is something unique, we believe. The Guild Link system will allow people to play on their own or in a group if they want. We think it's a really good system.

Q. What kind of measures are you taking to prevent the RMT (Real Money Trade)?

A. We will not accept any real currency in exchange for in-game currency, we will forbid it by agreements. We all contiuously work with operations teams to help prevent it.

Q. Will there any type of achievements or trophies to show off defeated bosses or special things done?

A. Yes, we do have a lot of plans. For example, for some quests there will be special rewards. You might be able to get special title depending on what you do, there will be several different things you can get to show off what you've done.

Q. Is there anything else you would like to tell the players and fans about the game?

A. We are pleased to announce the beta verson coming out soon. In this beta version, there is a new system called a Retainer, which means players will be able to leave their character or avatar so they will be able to enjoy the game while their offline and people will be able to see them.

Also from a community standpoint, comments and suggestions we've recieved from the alpha were very helpful and we want the players know that the game has evolved a lot and we will continue to look forward to comments and suggestions in the beta. We also plan to open the beta window much wider so we can have more people try the game and test it.

Official E3 Live Report Video - #2



Looks like they have a 3D version.

Everything seems to be shaping up very nicely.

I wanted to comment on this:

Q. Do you intend to have things like guilds and guild banks for people to share?

A. For FFXI there was Linkshells and for FFXIV we will have Linkshells as well along with something like a higher level Linkshell system called a Company. In this Company, things you do will affect things you own in the game. Also, larger Companies will be able to have something like a community website that is more personallized that will display stats. There will be more information about this Company later on in development.

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

So on a basic level, it sounds like the guild system will be pretty similar to FFXI - a glorified chat system. However, if we can take it to the next level, and become a company, we get enhanced guild mechanics, possibly even in-game guild property.

Very interesting.

Really liking what I've seen thus far...and the 3d video cracked me up!

LOL! I loved the 3-D reactions!

While I'm glad to hear more info on the guild system, this still doesn't tell me for sure if we need to call ourselves a linkshell, yet.

I wants details! >.<

New Movie:

Final Fantasy XIV Video Interview - Destructoid

Day Two has been updated. Read it at our site, or at FFXIVCore.

Newly added info includes:

Translated Quote from Tanaka

Tanaka: The beta version we're showing at E3 is nearly complete and should be ready to be made public soon. Currently, we're still debugging. Once alpha tests finish this week and we return to Japan, we will begin preparations for the start of beta testing. It's not set in stone, but I think I'll need to make everyone wait for one more month.


Highlanders and a Look at the New Battle System

Square Enix unleashed the to-be beta version of FFXIV at E3 this week. Because it was shown on an appointment-only basis, we were able to sit down with the staff for a while and get a walkthrough of our very own.

As the beta release fast approaches, we can’t help but wonder how fights and graphics might’ve changed in this new version.

In the booth FFXIV was set up on a three-panel 3-D display.

Testing the New Character Creation screen with the Male-only Highland Clan

(above are headers for pics, again view them here)

You can already see a video detailing the new system on the official Youtube channel, but we wanted to experience it firsthand. In beta, you’ll have access to all the races and clans, such as Miqo’te and Highland Hyurs that didn’t make an appearance in alpha. Since the official video showed the making of a Miqo’te, we thought we’d take a crack at putting together a barbarous highlander.

You’ll still be using a basic pull-down menu system but is much easier to navigate in the now. The whole appearance of the character creation process has been cleaned up and feels like it is getting closer and closer to the finished product.

When making a new character, first you’ll select your race. In the case of a highlander, this would be Hyur. We were made conscious of loading when changing a lot of on-screen elements.

Once you choose your race and clan, four unique character models will be displayed. These preset models are for those players who want to just make a random character and get straight to the action. For those with attention to details, you can customize as much as you like no matter which preset you pick.

Customizable features are body, skin tone, face pattern, eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, chin, hair style, hair color, higlights, and facial decorations. Customizing the body allows you to adjust your character’s size but not musculature. You can select skin, hair and highlight color from a palette of sixteen colors. Your selections will immediately be displayed on your character, so feel free to try out different combinations.

Depending on what you choose, you can come up with a whole variety of characters. Yet, it seems like without a tattoo or a beard, something’s missing. There are still only four hair styles to choose from, but this might change in the future.

A Faster Battle System and Easier Interface

Battles, too, have changed much since alpha, which made use of both the Action Gauge and Effect Gauge.

(caption) Graphics have greatly improved, especially with rocky surfaces.

Brandishing a weapon and targeting an enemy are still the same, but attack speed has seen a pretty big speed boost. In alpha you would wait for your Action Gauge to fill and then time your attack with the Effect Gauge, but the new system starts you off with a full tank. As long as you have some of your gauge filled, you can repeat an action continuously.

Interface changes have also been included, gathering HP, MP and TP meters at the bottom of the screen. The main menu has also been moved to a slender window on the right. These changes seem to be temporary, but perhaps the actual beta version will use something similar. The equipment and status screen has also been changed quite a bit.

Scenery has been dramatically altered, as well. Depth perception and aerial perspective have been introduced to the game, so far-off views will seem to blur. Now the rocky visage of La Noscea blends in perfectly with its surroundings. Sceneries of vibrant colors now appear to blend seamlessly among halftones, making for exponentially more stunning landscapes. Those graphics aficionados out there should have something to look forward to.

We were only able to play for a short amount of time, but we could really notices how much beta has improved from alpha. Afterwards, we had the chance to ask producer Tanaka Hiromichi about things such as the tentative launch, other changes in beta as well as the development of the PS3 version. We’ll be posting that interview soon, so don’t miss it!

FFXIVCore just reposted an interview by Massively:

Massively FFXIV Interview

Massively just now published their interview with Mr Tanaka. You can view their interview below.


Massively: Will Final Fantasy XIV retain the same difficulty as Final Fantasy XI? Will we be seeing the same sort of complexity as FFXI?

Tanaka: In terms of the amount of content we will have for FFXIV, probably FFXI will have more at launch, just because it's been in service for eight years. We'll make sure that we'll introduce the same amount of content as exists in FFXI, and we'll make sure that we go from there.

As for the difficulty -- your main question -- it's slightly different, because we will be focusing on solo players also. So you can be yourself and be very flexible -- in a short period of time, by yourself, you can level up by experience points, then customize yourself for higher levels. In terms of how difficult this is? We introduce [the game] as a very entry-level experience, so that a lot of people can enjoy it, but at the same time we'll be making sure that all the endgame players have enough content, and it will be as competitive for them [as FFXI].

Of course, one of the most popular elements of the series are the chocobos. Will there be chocobos at launch? Chocobo racing? Will they be mounts?

Yes, chocobos will be there. It may be further introduced toward a later time, but there will be something. Of course, chocobos are something for you to ride on, but any more than that? Yes, we are planning to introduce that later. Chocobos as mounts will be there.

The skill system is very unique. How quickly can players switch between the disciplines?

Aside from during a battle, you can switch any time you want. It's instant. There's no timer. However, if you just keep switching back and forth, you're low on everything. So if you want to be good at something to start with, you probably want to stick with one thing.

The skill bar on the UI only has so many slots -- is that all a player can have at once, or are there multiple bars?

We have points that you will be using to set your abilities. They're slotted so that depending on your abilities, you'll be consuming more points, so they will run out. In terms of number of abilities, it's 30 abilities at most.

We've had so many wonderful and memorable stories from the Final Fantasy series, including FFXI. Will that be continued in FFXIV? Will the player continued to be involved heavily?

Not only that -- we will be introducing more gradual storylines, more involved, so yes plus more.

Will story progress be similar to what Star Wars: The Old Republic is promising, with heavy player choice, or will it be more linear like traditional games?

In terms of FFXIV storyline involvement -- it's pretty much the same as other Final Fantasy games or other MMOs. You talk to NPCs to start it and then you continue. As for the uniqueness, we are introducing more grand-scale voice acting and lip synching. In the concept of how we introduce the storyline, it will be pretty similar to a standard MMO.

Will the guild system be more involved this time around than linkshells were in FFXI? Will there be more features and incentives?

We have a system called "company," a little bit larger than a linkshell. At this moment we can only say that there is a gameplay element to grow a company, but we'll be announcing full details of the company shortly, so stay tuned.

Can you clarify the guildleve system a bit?

The cards are called guildleves and the quests that you obtain are called levequests. You go to a place to obtain a card, a guildleve. The levequest is in there, and it's reusable. Currently, it's set to a two-day period to reset, but it may change. The point of this is that not only can you use the levequest, but you can also have other party members join your levequest without them having to have the guildleve. It's very flexible and convenient, and if you don't have time to go get the levequest, you can join in with other people.

We've noticed during character creation that there are places to select a guardian spirit and some sort of horoscope. Can you expand on that?

We still haven't started disclosing the full detail of what happens, but yes, something will change depending on what you choose.

A lot of players have felt that FFXIV takes more influence from World of Warcraft and similar games. Have these games influenced your design?

Not any other MMO specifically, but we got a lot of feedback from players from FFXI. At the same time, they were playing other MMOs too. They found elements they liked in those games and gave us feedback, and if they felt that something was good, then we'll try to introduce that in FFXIV as well.

One of the things that we adopted is to get more feedback from players, so we created the temporary alpha version purposely, quite different from the beta. It was just to get feedback from players, and a lot of people, especially North American players, are giving a lot of feedback.

Players have been worried about the future of FFXI in the face of the new game. Is it going away when FFXIV comes out?

We will continue support of FFXI. It will not go away as long as people enjoy it.

Can we look forward to more boxed expansions for the game?

We will continue to do version updates. As for expansions, we've already started with Abyssea -- we consider that as an expansion pack. We'll introduce more of those as well.

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

They also posted three new non-YouTube videos which I cant embed, so view them at FFXIVCore.

I wanted to comment on this:

The skill bar on the UI only has so many slots -- is that all a player can have at once, or are there multiple bars?

We have points that you will be using to set your abilities. They're slotted so that depending on your abilities, you'll be consuming more points, so they will run out. In terms of number of abilities, it's 30 abilities at most.

I really like the sound of this - they are borrowing a page from guild wars and letting you choose your abilities while limiting the number of active ones. This adds a lot of strategy and "complexity" to the game.

Below is a pic that illustrates the system:


_KUNENA_BBCODE_HIDEIMG

So it looks like guilds will be known as "companies".

I think it starts off as a Linkshell and if you become large enough then you get listed or ranked up to Company. I also believe you get some sort of "Company Hall", which might be some kind of instanced building you can zone into and we can decorate as we see fit, where only our Company/Linkshell members can enter and see. Maybe some kind of "Company" bank in there as well. Again, this is all just my guess and wish to be honest. I would love to help decorate a guild hall or even my own Mog House again (if we end up getting one).

We should know more soon. So if we become a large company, does that make us part of the "Corporate" establishment, and thus evil?

I think you mean "corporate" evil. =)

Heh I editted to say just that before I read your response.

I have no problem with being evil as long as no douche baggery is involved. Lol.

Sonadon wrote:
I have no problem with being evil as long as no douche baggery is involved. Lol.

So wait, does that mean we have to remove you and Teckis from the guild?

I speak for all of you concerning Mr. Teckis and his removal from this committee, and I have rightfully so asked Tony Hayward to be our new corporate leader. Maybe now I can get my life back.

LMFAO!!! Nope, no removal. You know you love the straight up no BS style.

More stuff from FFXIVCore:

1Up FFXIV Preview confirms that companies will have shared housing

Check out the full preview here. Highlights are:

Beyond these broad statements, some news was made: Mr. Tanaka mentioned that players would be able to create and join groups called "Companies." Similar to player guilds in other games, Companies can themselves "level up," presumably offering additional benefits to the members therein. When asked if Companies would have shared housing or other group-owned assets, they smiled and said that players would have real-estate to call their own, but "weren't ready to announce anything more at this time" - sounds like a "yes" to me!

I have learmed with SE that if they dont say no its usually a yes

Interview with producer Tanaka: Beta Info and More!

Translation by Savalithos.

We had a chance to sit down with FFXIV producer Hiromich Tanaka (T) and North American producer Yasushi Kurosawa (K).

-Is the E3 version basically beta?
T: It's pretty close. We're still in the final stage of debugging and balancing, so it's about one step down from the beta version.

-Why did you decide to show it now?
T: For a long time we were thinking we had to have beta ready around now, but alpha testing took more time than expected.

-Character Creation really received a face lift this time around...
T: And it's almost finished. You still can't choose the color of a Miqo'te's tail or ear shape for Elezens and so on, but we will be adding those by the time the finished product rolls out.

-Tell us some more about the battle Effect Gauge changes.
T: Even before alpha, developers already knew that there was a problem with battle speed, but we decided to let players try it out and give their input. Indeed, many agreed that the tempo needed to be increased. The results so far are things such as starting a battle with a full Action Gauge, which will be depleted as you fight. Changes were finished just in time for E3, and back in Japan debugging and balancing is already underway.

-What else has changed?
T: We increased the number of slots on the action bar from 20 to 30, so players should have a bit more freedom in where they set their skills. We've also made HP/MP scale with level automatically, as well as given resistances their own category, Elemental Bonus, separate of Physical Bonuses.

-About that 3-D version...
T: That's still being tested. This time we tried out the 3-D Surround (three screens) version with help from nVidia.

-Graphics have greatly improved in beta. Will recommened computer specs see a change as well?
T: Things such as blurring of far-off scenery and ambient occlusion (a method of shading backgrounds) can be a bit taxing, so they are optional. Everything else should actually have a lighter load than it did in alpha. Also, we've replaced the projection shadowing used in alpha with depth buffer shadowing.

-So we'll be able to adjust and customize our graphics settings from beta onward?
T: There will be some things you can set via the main menu. If you're on a PC, there are also some you can adjust before booting the game. And now that we have released the official benchmark software, everyone can check and make sure their specs are up to par.

-We had a look at the PC version, but what can you tell us about PS3's?
T: It is currently under development. We have been working with SCE and making progress. Though the PS3 environment is fairly pre-defined, we would like to add a variety of optional setting for players. It's similar to the direction we took with FFXI's PS2 version.

-When can we expect beta to actually start?
T: The beta version we're showing at E3 is nearly complete and should be ready to be made public soon. Currently, we're still debugging. Once alpha tests finish this week and we return to Japan, we will begin preparations for the start of beta testing. It's not set in stone, but I think I'll need to make everyone wait for one more month.

-Mr. Kurosawa, as North American producer, what can you tell us about alpha on that side of things?
K: We collect North American players’ comments on a regular basis, and there are quite a lot to compile. We hand those over to the development team, provide feedback to the players, etc. Things have been gradually improving.
T: We receive weekly reports from not only Japan, but Europe and North America as well, and we are always looking at those comments throughout the development process.

-So you are saying North American players have more to say than Japanese players?
K: Thankfully. It’s really helped us out.
T: Overseas players provide us with about ten times as many comments as Japanese players do.

-What kind of communities do you plan to implement in Japan, Europe, and North America?
K: Just like FFXI, people from all over the world will be playing on the same servers. It will be something that can bridge that gap.
T: We plan to release a community tool for individual players sometime mid-beta. This “player site” will provide each player with a template page specifically for them with a message board and so on.

-What other communication elements do you have planned?
T: There will be an auto-translate feature similar to FFXI’s as well as larger-scale groups resembling linkshells, called Companies. We are still in the preparation stage for those, but we will be making further announcements soon.

-Are there any plans for voice chat?
T: At this time, no. It would be difficult to develop a voice chat system that works on both PS3 and PC. Also, it is unrealistic to hope to have any sort of real-time translation system in place for international voice chatting. There we think a text-based system would be much more manageable.

-Anything else you would like to tell players?
T: Beta will be starting shortly, and we hope you are as excited as we are. Komoto and crew have been hard at work and were unable to join us at E3, so I wanted to pass that on for them.

Final Fantasy XIV Gameplay by Steparu

The video of the Lancer is fairly cool. You get to see a few abilities and normal attacks. I can't wait to see a Pugilist or a Gladiator.

Day Three has been added to the news page. If you have been following this thread, then there is nothing new, just the two interviews already posted earlier today. Dont forget, I couldnt embed all the videos, so check them out at FFXIVCore (bottom of the page, day three).

So at least one more month for beta to start.

More stuff from FFXIVCore:


Dengeki E3 2010 Interview

Translation by Savalithos. Source.

*Dengeki’s interview with Mr. Tanaka tells us a fair amount of things we already know, but toward the end it tosses some fresh information out there. For the sake of brevity, I’ve excluded anything rehashed.

I imagine there were many requests regarding the user interface. Have there been any changes made?
Tanaka: Aside from a revamped main menu, we’ve added a chat filter and changed the log system. We are also testing out being able to have multiple chat windows open.

Are there other means of communication aside from chatting?
Tanaka: We have plans to include a macro palette, which you could use to combine skills and messages to make communication a little easier. Beyond that, we are working on a system where party members can tell which enemy their leader is attacking.

Would that be something like highlighting the monster’s name or putting a number above its head, etc.; something that stands out?
Tanaka: You’ll have to wait and see! We are currently testing various methods of communication to prevent party members from splitting up during battle.

Are there any battle system elements that will be upgraded from beta onward?
Tanaka: Some of it has been included in alpha, but there is the Battle Regimen skill chain system. We are preparing a bagful of situations where well-coordinated party play using this along with the aforementioned communication tool will be integral to success.

So will group vs. group battles be more frequent than not?
Tanaka: Many monsters act on their own right now, but there were plans for group situations such as one male beast among a harem of females, for example. The majority of guildleve fights, in particular, will probably have monsters in parties together.

Crafting, Bazaars, and Community Systems

Are there any new systems planned for beta?
Tanaka: Weapons and items will lose durability. You will not lose a weapon because of it, but its battle potential will drop to the point where it will probably be useless. Since repairs will be necessary, we have increased the number of gathering and crafting classes. The next big planned addition would be retainers, hirable NPCs. For example, in FFXI you could not run your bazaar if you logged out. In FFXIV if you hand your items over to your retainer and set them up in the marketplace, you will be able to sell your goods even if you log off. Other than that, we have plans for linkshells but are unsure of when they will be ready for implementation.

The Start of Beta

Will beta bring with it more areas to explore?
Tanaka: If we add even more, we are not sure how large the size of the beta download will become. We will test it, but it might be difficult.

So the main hub will still be Limsa Lominsa?
Tanaka: We might have to test other areas as necessary, but currently we plan to conduct beta only around there.

How large will the finished product be?
Tanaka: We have yet to confirm anything and are still adjusting things.

What will the recommended specifications for the finished Windows version be?
Tanaka: First we will announce specs for beta. Right now graphics boards, as opposed to CPUs, are causing bottlenecking, so we would like to optimize that more.

Then beta will start…?
Tanaka: We would like to start it in July at the latest. We will make separate announcements regarding the PS3 version.

You had said that cross-regional servers would be implemented mid-beta. When, exactly?
Tanaka: Alpha servers are technically already cross-regional but are segregated only by time. If everything is stable, we would like to have them running nearly around the clock from the start of beta.

Are there plans to increase the number of testers in beta on a large-scale?
Tanaka: There are already ten alpha servers, and testers number in the tens of thousands. For beta, first we would like to move all those players over. If all is well after that, we plan to add more testers. The improvements that make beta what it is would not have been possible without the voices of our alpha testers. Therefore, I would like everyone to experience beta and provide feedback in hopes that the game will improve even more. Of course we will continue to make adjustments after the official release, so do not hesitate to tell us what you think.

Official E3 Live Report Video - #3




Character Creation by Steparu Part 1 & 2

I would like to comment on this:

What will the recommended specifications for the finished Windows version be?
Tanaka: First we will announce specs for beta. Right now graphics boards, as opposed to CPUs, are causing bottlenecking, so we would like to optimize that more.

If you're upgrading your rig, take note of that. Currently the video card is the weakest/strongest link.

Then beta will start…?
Tanaka: We would like to start it in July at the latest. We will make separate announcements regarding the PS3 version.

Anyone want to speculate on a release date? I was thinking December is not impossible for a Japanese company, since they are less likely to be concerned with releasing near a holiday.

I would guess they prefer a November release, but early December is entirely possible. Either way, since they dont plan to test the entire game, only a single region, then a July beta is probably plenty of time.

Oh and that last video shows the Hyur hair color menu which includes several bluish colors and highlights that should work fine with my character lore. So that settles it, I will be playing a Hyur.

ZAM has provided the following E3 Summary:

E3 News Compilation by Elmer

E3 has wrapped up, and it was a huge event for Final Fantasy XIV fans. A ton of new information was spread across multiple interviews and special insider videos, and the promised beta is set to arrive in just a few weeks! While you rev up your computers for the jump to Eorzea, here is a compilation of what we know about the direction of Square Enix's newest MMO.

These facts and tidbits were collected from a variety of gaming sites, which are linked below.

ZAM - ZAM Interviews Hiromichi Tanaka

* Jumping will not be included as it is not considered to be an important or necessary function.
* The Action Gauge does not need to be full to use skills. However, the amount in the Action Gauge will determine what skills can be used. (Think Final Fantasy XIII, where higher level skills and spells required more of your gauge)
* There will be Guildleves geared towards high-level and low-level players, both in groups and for solo.
* There may be official support for certain plug-ins created by users.

Core - FFXIV Core's E3 News

* Expect class-specific equipment sets.
* Most classes in the release version will be available by beta. More classes will continue to be added, even after release.
* The "Company" will be the Linkshell of FFXIV, with more support from Square Enix for things like a community site and tracking group statistics.
* The beta will introduce a "Retainer" system, which allows a character to be active in the game world while the player is offline.

Eorzeapedia - E3 Interview with Hiromichi Tanaka and Yasu Kurosawa

* A community site provided by Square Enix will allow players to track their Company and individual character stats.
* Surnames are required when creating a character. However, players can designate a player to whom they can send /tells using only the first name. (e.g. /tell Saori → List of players with the first name "Saori" appears → select "Saori Hill" → Now "Saori Hill" can be contacted as "Saori" for your player.)
* There will be "tens of classes" in the game, but not all available at launch. Some will be added through version updates.

Famitsu - Interview with Final Fantasy XIV Producer Hiromichi Tanaka

* The final version of the character creator will allow for details such as Miqo'te tail and ear shape.
* Developers initially knew that battle speed was too slow, but decided to let players give their ideas on how to improve it.
* Some stats have been adjusted for the beta. The Action Bar has been increased to 30 slots, HP/MP scale with character growth and Elemental Resistance has been given its own category, separate from Physical Resistance.
* A "community tool" is planned for release during the beta, which provides players with a site just for them where they can a message board and such.
* There will be an Auto-Translate Function similar to FFXI with simple words and phrases.
* There are no plans for supporting voice chat at this time due to the difficulties of having a single system work between PC and PS3.

Dengeki - Hiromichi Tanaka Interview

* The character creation system has been overhauled for the beta, as well as the game's rendering of light and shadow.
* Female Highlanders were scrapped for various unknown reasons. Male Miqo'te may appears as NPCs, but will not be selectable by players.
* The battle system was changed a lot to remove unnecessary waiting time. The Action Gauge now determines what actions you can perform based on how full it is. (Again, similar to Final Fantasy XIII. The fuller the bar, the more powerful action you can perform. Or, you can do several less powerful actions in quick succession.)
* There are various communication tools planned to help aid in managing a party during battle. For instance, there will be a way to easily show which monster the leader is attacking.
* The equipment decay system will be implemented for the beta. Weapons will not break and disappear, but will become essentially useless and in need of repair. This should start to boost the popularity of crafting classes.
* The beta is expected to begin sometime in July.

The previous summary re-introduced me to another fansite, Eorzeapedia, which I have have added to my list of info sources. Below are several recent articles they have posted which provide some additional insight into FFXIV.

First, Eorzeapedia analyzes the new combat system and 3D capabilities in this article:

The top bar is his “Stamina Gauge.” This bar fills automatically, constantly, and pretty rapidly. I’d estimate that the full bar fills in maybe 30 seconds, but since it is constantly filling you’re never waiting nearly that long. You start a fight with full stamina, and every time you use an action it decreases by a preset (but undisclosed) amount. The box around the left portion of the stamina bar shows the minimum amount of stamina to activate the action. Note that this is not the amount that the action “costs” in stamina. So if Tanaka uses “Rousing Provoke” right when the small box is full, the stamina gauge doesn’t necessarily drop to empty. Since it starts full, you can spam your basic attacks quite a few times in a row very rapidly before you approach the box. Also, for the standard attacks, the box is smaller, meaning that less stamina is needed to activate the action. This leads to a very fluid system in which you are balancing spamming basic attacks, building TP from those attacks and then conserving stamina so that you can launch a more advanced attack requiring TP and more of a base stamina level. The more advanced attacks still had cool-down timers, but I could bounce back and forth between two advanced attacks without running into the cool-down timers. Also, each of the icons in the action bar shows the amount of TP or MP it requires (curiously not shown in the Tanaka video) – so there is a very fast requirements reference. This value changes to a cool-down timer once used.

Next, they disect the new E3 trailer in this article (picture heavy). The city state 'Gridania', the existance of moogles, and a horned Hyur are all discussed.

In this article, they take a look at the UI interface. (also picture heavy)

Check out a few pics from the character creation interface in this article.

Here, they informed us that FFXIV has been added to the PS3 'Greatest Hits' which raises the possibility that PS3 owners can buy the game for 30 bucks.

The Famitsu Interview:

Famitsu Interviews Tanaka and Kurosawa at E3
Posted By Corinth on June 17, 2010

(This appears to be the same interview I posted earlier, only translated better. It has fuller answers and states the beta will take less then a month, as opposed to the earlier translation which said at least a month. - Jonn)

Like many media outlets, Famitsu had their interview with Final Fantasy XIV Producer Tanaka Hiromichi (left) and North American Producer/Senior Manager of NA Operations Kurosawa Yasu (right) today. Topics included the upcoming start of beta testing, possible 3D effects, and community reactions about the ongoing alpha build testing.

You can find a copy of the original interview in Japanese on Famitsu’s website or our translated version below the break.

–Is the version people are trying out at E3 this week the actual beta build?

Tanaka: It’s very close to it. You could say it’s one step prior to the beta build. We are still working on balance issues and haven’t finished our final round of debugging.


–Why put out the beta now?

Tanaka: Awhile back we knew we had to start beta testing around this time of year. However, I do have to say that alpha build testing has taken more time than we originally thought it would.


–Has the character creation process changed a lot with this new version?

Tanaka: It’s close to how it will be in the final release. There are a few things planned that aren’t included though, like the ability to change the color of a Miqo’te’s tail or change the shape of an Elezen’s ears. Those things will be added in by the final release.


–There were also changes made to the battle system like how you got rid of “effect” gauges. (Translation note: The interviewer referred to them as effect gauges.)

Tanaka: Even before alpha testing began, the developers already felt that the battle tempo was poor and had decided to start working on something new. However, just to make sure, we decided to ask players for their opinions on the system which is why we started alpha testing with that particular system in place. As expected, there were a lot of complaints from the alpha testers as well that the battle tempo should be quicker so we continued development on the new system with a faster battle pace.

The action gauge was also part of the problem. If you have to wait for the gauge to fill before you can attack, that ruins the tempo, so we switched to a system where you have an action gauge that is completely full when you start and it depletes while you attack. The developers really worked to the last minute to get us this in time to show off at E3 and they are still working on further debugging and balance issues back in Japan.


–Are there any other big changes?

Tanaka: We’ve increased the number of abilities you can set on your action bar to 30 from 20. We’ve made it so that players will have an even easier time placing their actions on the bar in the way they want. There are other changes as well. HP and MP will now grow as part of the system itself, elemental bonuses will be put into play, and the physical bonuses will be separate from that. I think it will be a much simpler system than what players saw in the alpha build.


–You have a 3D version on display at E3 as well.

Tanaka: We are still looking into using 3D. For E3, we cooperated with nVidia to make the demo display using their 3D Vision Surround Technology.


–The graphics have also greatly improved with the beta build. Will this have an effect on the required specs for the PC version?

Tanaka: You do need a bit more processing power to use ambient occlusion or see the shadings on the backgrounds, so we’ve made them optional. However, a lot of things now require less processing power than they did in the alpha version. We also used projection shadowing for the alpha build but have now switched to something called depth buffer shadows which creates a much more distinct shadowing effect.


–So is it safe to say that players will be able to start customizing the graphic settings to some extent when the beta is released?

Tanaka: That’s correct. There are settings you will be able to access and adjust from the main menu. For people on the PC version, there will also be a way to adjust your settings before you load the game. Players will be able to judge how their computer will be able to handle FFXIV by using the benchmark software that we recently released.


–At E3, you’ve been showing off the PC version. Any comments on the PlayStation 3 version?

Tanaka: We are still hard at work on it, continuing development in cooperation with Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). Also, while it’s true that individual users can’t make adjustments to their PS3s, we do plan on adding a lot of setting options within the game for players to adjust to their liking. As an example, you can see what we did with the PlayStation 2 version of FFXI. Players can expect something similar for the PlayStation 3 version of FFXIV.


–When will beta testing actually begin?

Tanaka: We’ve finished putting in almost all the necessary systems into the version here at E3 so it will probably take place soon. Right now we are still working on debugging and things. We’re going to stop the alpha test after this week. Once we return to Japan, we’ll immediately get to work on preparing for the start of beta testing. There will probably be a bit of a break before we start up testing again but I don’t think people will be waiting a whole month before beta testing will start.


–Mr. Kurosawa, you’re the North American Operations Manager and Producer. What have North American player reactions been like?

Kurosawa: We received quite a lot of feedback from players and we’ve been gathering up all the comments to send back to the Japanese developers on a regular basis. After they get it, they give us additional feedback to pass on to the players. Then we get more feedback from players and it just continues in a big circle. That has allowed us to improve game play.

Tanaka: Every week a report is made based on feedback from the three regions: Japan, North America, and Europe. We continue development while watching what kind of feedback is coming in.


–Do North American players give a lot more feedback than the Japanese ones?

Kurosawa: Well, the feedback just keeps rolling in and that really helps us out.

Tanaka: I’d say that the number of comments from North America and Europe is about 10 times that of Japan.


– What kind of community features are you planning for Japan, North America, and Europe?

Kurosawa: Following in the footsteps of FFXI, we will be using global servers so we’ll be building community tools that can be used by players all over the world.

Tanaka: At some point during beta testing we will start introducing some community tools that players can take advantage of. One of these is something you could call player sites. Each player will be able to have their own website. We also plan on adding a bulletin board function and other tools that any player can use.


–What other communication tools do you plan on adding?

Tanaka: We want to add a simple translate function like we have in FFXI. We will also have something like the linkshells in FFXI, but on an even larger scale, we are introducing an organizational concept called “Companies”. That system is currently still in development so we’ll give out more details at a later date.


–Do you plan on adding voice chat?

Tanaka: That’s not something we are looking at right now. It is difficult to create something that works for both PC and PlayStation 3 players. It would also be incredibly difficult to add in something that would interpret for players in real time when playing with people from other countries. When you consider that, it is much easier to work with a text based system.


–Finally, can we get any parting comments for the players?

Tanaka: We’ll be starting the beta test soon so please look forward to it. I’d like to pass those sentiments on on behalf of the Development Team and director Komoto who wasn’t able to make it to E3 since he’s hard at work.

Kurosawa: We are passing all kinds of opinions on to the developers to make this game a fun one for players all over the world. Please look forward to it!

Continuing the Eozeapedia coverage, here is their interview:


Eorzeapedia E3 Interview with Hiromichi Tanaka and Yasu Kurosawa
Posted By Ganiman on June 17, 2010

On Wednesday at E3, we were able to sit down with Hiromichi Tanaka and Yasu Kurosawa and ask them a few questions about FINAL FANTASY XIV. Things were crazy, and you could see the Square Enix PR people scrambling to try and keep interview appointments. It seemed like everyone wanted a piece of Tanaka, from Fox Business News, to the New York Times, to Eorzeapedia. Video camera crews were coming and going. We waited patiently in the Square Enix VIP area outside of the interview room for our chance to see what we could learn. Saori Hill did the translation work while sporting an Eorzeapedia tee shirt. A reporter from the New York Times joined us at the last minute as well.


Eorzeapedia: Will you be optimizing the FINAL FANTASY XIV client to take advantage of 4 or more cores for next generation processors with 64 bit architectures?

Tanaka: We will guarantee that it will work (in terms of the 64 bit technology). We don’t think it will have much benefit for the users, so we would like to stick to the 32 bit. It is compatible, but we will be using 32 bit. We are working very close with Intel for optimization.

New York Times: I have a broader question. In terms of your general approach to the project, how do you want this game to fit into the overall MMO landscape, what advances you are trying to bring with this game over FINAL FANTASY XI, and in general how you see this game fitting into the MMO market and how do you want this project to be special?

Square Enix: FINAL FANTASY XIV is going to support cross region and cross platform. We will have the translation functions in the game so people will be able to communicate with people in other regions.

New York Times: What weaknesses do you see in other MMOs that you want to solve in FINAL FANTASY XIV?

Square Enix: One thing we are making sure FINAL FANTASY XIV has is time efficiency so people will be able to play the game even if they only have a short play time. To allow them to do that, we are introducing the guildleve system, which players can play even if they are solo players or even if they only have a small group. It will be more flexible for the players. And also with have the armoury system, which will allow people to change classes anytime they like. And they will be able to combine abilities to customize their characters. This is going to be very unique for FINAL FANTASY XIV.

Yasu: More unique, more flexible. It’s not so much as what we saw as a weakness of other MMOs, we want to make sure we do the right thing instead of learning from negative feedback.

New York Times: Each class levels separately, is that right?

Yasu: We have the weapon skill, and also we have the physical level. It’s not like experience point levelling, but you will be growing. As you switch classes, you are not a totally new class. Even if you change your weapon or change your class to a totally different one, the abilities that you earned with your other classes can be utilized as well. You will be a unique character which can be different from everyone else.

Eorzeapedia: Will there be any kind of new tools available for linkshells such as a common storage area, ability to select a linkshell emblem/logo, member ranks or banks?

Tanaka: This time we have the company system which is like an advanced system of linkshell which you will be able to level up as a group. We will let you know more information shortly. We can’t disclose too much information at the moment. Also, as a community tool, we will have this community website, which you can check out company status and your own character status. You will be able to enjoy the game even if you are offline.

Eorzeapedia: Will surnames be optional? If not, how will you make it easier to send /tells to other players?

Tanaka: It’s going to be mandatory. You have to have a surname. The surname and the name will be unique. There will only be one person on the server who has that name. However, you will have a sort of short version – a nickname of the full name. So for example, Saori Hill will be my full name, but if you make it remember “Saori”, then you only have to use “Saori” to /tell someone.

Eorzeapedia: Is that nickname chosen by the player during the character creation?

Tanaka: When you make a /tell for the first time, if you type in “Saori”, you will have every Saori in every world appearing in the results. So you select which one is going to be Saori for yourself. The user will decide what the nickname is going to be for the other person.

Eorzeapedia: There is a growing group in the community who would like to see the implementation of Male Miqo’te and Female Roegadyn in FINAL FANTASY XIV. Are there plans to make these yet to be seen gender and race combination playable? If not, what made you decide not to work them into FINAL FANTASY XIV.

Tanaka: Actually all of the design is ready, so we were planning to implement them into the game, however during the development process we had to put priority with what to put into the game, and due to the man power issue we had to give up implementing them into the beginning of the game. You will see them as an NPC, but it is not a race that you can choose at the beginning. We’ll see how it goes in the future, it might be a possiblity. We are still looking into it.

Eorzeapedia: How many classes will be available at launch, and do you plan to add more post-launch?

Tanaka: We haven’t confirmed how many will be available at launch, but in the beta version you will see many of the classes which you can find in the launch version. Also, even after we release the game we will add more classes as version updates, so there will be tens-of classes which you can enjoy in the game.

New York Times: Do you have to do anything special in terms of game balance in order to make it inter-operable between PC and console users? There is often a presumption that PC users will have an advantage over console users. What did you have to do in terms of design of the game to make it equally enjoyable for PC and console users?

Tanaka: It’s fair for both sides regardless of the platform because everything is based on the server side and has nothing to do with the platform side. So what the player is experiencing on the platform has nothing to do with the platform, you are just seeing what is based on the server.

Eorzeapedia: Will there be a way to group up certain pieces of gear so that when you change disciplines you don’t have to re-equip all your gear?

Tanaka: That was the initial plan actually, but after trying it out we found there were quite a few demerits by doing so, so at the moment we decided not to implement that into the game, but if that’s what the players want then definitely there is something we can do.

Eorzeapedia: TP seems to be abundant while fighting monsters in FINAL FANTASY XIV, however MP seems to be lacking. Will there be alternative methods of MP regeneration to assist casting classes without having to rely on an Aetheryte or a 30 minute abilities to replenish it?

Yasu: Very specific questions!

Tanaka: That is the game design at the moment, so on purpose MP does not recover automatically so you have to do some sort of action to make it recover.

Eorzeapedia: And real quick, is that character designed after Yasu? (see below)

Yasu: I kind of made the same hair style (laughing)


Given that the interview lasted only about 20 minutes, you have the back-and-forth translation time, and the NYT took time asking questions, the answers to which were known 9 months ago, a few nice tidbits were learned. Tanaka and Yasu each got their own Eorzeapedia t-shirts, and if history is any indication, they’ll be donning them in style. Hope you all enjoyed our E3 coverage. We’ll work on posting the video of the demo and interview soon, as well as a broader E3 FFXIV interview round-up, over the coming days.

Finally, to wrap up the Eorzeapedia coverage they posted the following E3 follow up:

E3 is now behind us. FFXIV Producer Tanaka Hiromichi is back in Japan, working on the latest version update for FFXI and the FFXIV beta. However, that doesn’t mean we are through looking at all the exciting information to come out of the event!

Expect a number of articles to pop up on Eorzeapedia this week and next as we go through the Japanese media interviews and some of the interesting reporting they’ve been doing after the event.

For starters, we have a very lengthy interview from Dengeki. I have to wonder how many times Tanaka answered variants of the “where are the male Miqo’tes?” question. Who knows. Maybe it’s not too late for them to go back and add them for us? We can hope right? Most of the interview covers things we’ve already seen in other interviews so it makes a nice review for people who haven’t been following every little piece of news to hit the site. However, there are a couple things that might be interesting for even the most up-to-date fans out there.

As always, you can read our translated version below or check out the original interview with pictures on Dengeki’s website.

(the Dengeki interview has already been posted earlier, but check out Eozeapedia's translation here - Jonn)

FFXIVCore posted a weekly wrap up (E3 Edition) here.

ZAM released a new E3 video covering character creation and gameplay (sorry cant embed).

From FFXIVCore:

Another Hiromichi Tanaka Interview & Two New Videos

Recently the website Nowgamer published an interview they had with Hiromichi Tanaka which they conducted during E3. You can view it below.

Also after the interview below there's two new videos which has surfaced from E3 by the gaming site Gophn.


Another Hiromichi Tanaka Interview

What is the idea behind Final Fantasy XIV? What are you looking to achieve and what will the player experience be like?

There are two unique points to Final Fantasy XIV. The first is ‘guildleve’, a system that allows people to get rewards or learn certain skills in a short time, like 30 minutes. So even if you are a solid player or part of a smaller group you can still manage your time very efficiently and level up your character any way you like. We also have the armoury system, which allows players to change class by holding different equipment, so this allows more flexibility to players. They can learn abilities during this process and by combining different abilities you can customise and create your character. Also, because it’s Final Fantasy, you can expect a huge storyline.


From the mission I played it was difficult to get a handle on the size of the world as we were fighting in a cave setting. How expansive is the in-game world?

So what we have in the beta version is 20 per cent of the actual game content, so it’s like 5 kilometres across.


It was an unexpected pleasure to play the game in 3D and I understand that’s just an experiment. What do you find exciting about 3D from a game designer’s perspective and why was it important to try that here?

Because it’s an MMO we feel it’s very important to be ‘in the game’ and 3D really adds that aspect to your gaming experience. We believe it’s very suitable for MMOs. It feels like this year is a 3D year for every company in the industry so we thought we’d try it out and experiment to see how it goes.


Can you tell us more about the different character classes and how they relate to Final Fantasy games that we already know?

This time there are four different categories; Disciples of War, Disciples of Magic, Disciples of Land and Disciples of Hand. Within each are many different classes. By changing your equipment you can customise your character, so there are several characters in the game. By learning different abilities you can make your own class and actually this time, we purposely decided not to use job names we used in previous Final Fantasy titles, so you really have to make sure you combine the exact skills you need to become say, a white mage in the future. So it really is up to you how you develop your character.


You mentioned before an epic storyline running throughout the entire game. That’s quite difficult to do in an MMO because you’re either going on a secondary mission or, - the way Warcraft does it – is to have the story going on around the player, rather than through the player. I wanted to see how you’ve made the player feel very much a part of that storyline and to still give them a sense of freedom?

The main idea is the same as the package titles of the Final Fantasy series. NPCs will be the key trigger of the game, so by talking to NPCs they will give you the storyline and you will experience it in this way. The key points of the Final Fantasy XIV storyline are that you will be experiencing what happened in the past. By doing that you will discover the secrets of the world. If it’s a package title, sometimes by following the story you can’t do anything else, you just have to keep following the story. But because it’s an MMO, you can stop the story at certain points when you like and try out a different quest. So you have much more freedom and also by trying the quests that might help you experience the storyline, the character will feel a part of the main story. We managed to do that as we have a lot of experience from Final Fantasy XI so we have the know-how to do that.


This is the second time the Final Fantasy series has gone into the online MMO space. How do you feel about the MMO genre as a whole and because, to an extent, it’s younger than RPGs, do you feel that it’s still coming of age? Do you feel there are a lot of places for it still to go, or has it reached a point where it’s maturing?

Final Fantasy XI has been out for eight years now, when you think about how long the new game has been in development, it’s been about ten years now. My experience in the games industry has been about 27 years, so about a third of my life in the games industry has been spent on online titles. So I believe that MMOs are much more established now, however, it will evolve in the future, it will keep on changing as Final Fantasy XI did. Thanks to version updates, the game can change drastically, so there are a lot of possibilities for change.


What’s the business model? Is it going to be subscription based?

It’s going to be a 30 days subscription model and for the price we are currently unable to confirm, but we should be announcing details shortly.

When I pick up a new MMO and I really like it, I pretty much play it to the exclusivity of every other game in my collection and that ends up being the only game I play. I was wondering if there has been any resistance at all from platform holders like Sony, because obviously if you bring out something like Final Fantasy XIV, let’s say a million people play it and they don’t want to play anything else, how does this affect the relationship with the platform holder?

That’s a very good point and also a concern. With the PS3, you will have to log in to PSN to enjoy the game so that’s an aspect we ask for.


In terms of where the MMO space can go. Do you feel we could ever see a Final Fantasy MMO on handhelds? Could that work?

Yes I believe so. It’s definitely possible. Both DS and PSP both have networks so it’s definitely possible, but The CPU of these mobile consoles are much lower spec when compared to home consoles or PC so that could be the aspect that causes difficulty when you want to transfer a console MMO to handheld. If you want to make one custom built for the technology, this is more possible.


Two new videos with FFXIV gameplay from E3:

I found this very interesting:

By learning different abilities you can make your own class and actually this time, we purposely decided not to use job names we used in previous Final Fantasy titles, so you really have to make sure you combine the exact skills you need to become say, a white mage in the future. So it really is up to you how you develop your character.

So basically they took all the old FFXI jobs, broke up their abilities, and scattered them among all the new FFXIV jobs, forcing us to play several classes to gather all the abilities we need for our own hybrid class. I figured it was this way, but this spells it out plainly. I love options!

This could be interesting...super tank time!

Jonn wrote:
I found this very interesting:

By learning different abilities you can make your own class and actually this time, we purposely decided not to use job names we used in previous Final Fantasy titles, so you really have to make sure you combine the exact skills you need to become say, a white mage in the future. So it really is up to you how you develop your character.

So basically they took all the old FFXI jobs, broke up their abilities, and scattered them among all the new FFXIV jobs, forcing us to play several classes to gather all the abilities we need for our own hybrid class. I figured it was this way, but this spells it out plainly. I love options!

Holy smokes! This game just gets more and more customizable! Dare I say even more than WoW!

I suspected that classes and abilities would evolve into something more specialized, but this wasn't the way I was thinking. I thought they'd do it like Final Fantasy I did, where in the end of the game the jobs would 'upgrade'.

Warrior --> Knight
Monk --> Master
Thief --> Ninja
White Mage --> White Wizard
Black Mage --> Black Wizard
Red Mage --> Red Wizard

I was speculating that perhaps at some point in the game, they would do it like Aion when you ascend. You would hit a certain level or a certain skill point, and then your base class would evolve and fork off into a specialty. For example, a Conjurer could then choose to specialize in being a White Mage or a Black Mage.

However, it sounds like FFXIV won't be limiting you!

My wacky imagination conjures up an amusing cross-universe scenario. Someone from Hydaelyn journeys to Vana'diel.

"Hey, can I join your party?"
"Sure, what's your subjob?"
"All of them."

LOL

Eorzeapedia released two new interviews. They mostly rehash existing info, but there are a few tidbits of new information. I will just link them for you rather then posting the entire interview:

4Gamer E3 Interview

Game Watch E3 Interview

Finally Eorzepedia created a E3 compilation with pics here.

I will post a few quotes below:

–There have been a lot of changes made for this build like the graphics, character creation screens, the battle system, etc. The most striking change is the adjustments made to the battle tempo. Is this the speed you originally planned on for FFXIV?

Tanaka: Even before alpha testing started, we already knew we would probably be changing the battle system. However, we still went ahead with the alpha test, knowing that the system in place was poor, because we wanted to get feedback directly from the players. A lot of testers wrote in to say that the battle tempo was slow which pretty much confirmed what we already felt. We started to think about how to improve the battle tempo and that led to getting away from the system we had before where people would store up their power and after some point, release it into their attack. Now, we have a system where your gauge regenerates over time and your attacks will use up a portion of that bar.

(Talking about the PS3 version - Jonn) –When you get right down to it, the background drawing distance and the number of characters you can have on the screen at the same time are going to be less than a high spec PC, right?

Tanaka: Yeah. But we are making it so that you really won’t notice a difference when you look at it. It doesn’t affect game play in any way.

–For the meantime, would it be ok to think of companies in the same way guilds are used in other games?

Tanaka: Well, yes, they are close to guilds but at the same time, they are also much broader in scope. For example… oh wait, I can’t tell you yet! (laughs)

–Is it fair to say that development is coming along smoothly? After all, you still plan on releasing the game this year, beta testing will start in the near future, and even PS3 testing won’t be too far behind that.

Tanaka: We don’t really know how things will go until after we start beta testing and read the feedback sent in from the testers. However, the general game play mechanics are pretty well set so we hope people look forward to the game. We want to put as many things as possible into the beta build. Once things are more stable, we can transition into the official release.

–Was there any there (alpha test) feedback that you really felt was critical?

Tanaka: I’d have to say the feedback on the battle tempo. That was really prominent in the feedback from the American testers. I think it is because they are used to the tempo in World of Warcraft.

–Were players not receptive to the battle tempo of the alpha build?

Tanaka: How should I put this… You see, in FFXI, we used an auto-battle system and people are used to that. It allowed people to chat during battle. With the system in FFXIV, you pretty much are forced to give up that ability to chat.

(Concerning equipment screens - Jonn) –Then what will the final screens look like?

Tanaka: You’ll just have to look forward to them after the beta starts. For the alpha, we had a layout where you would open an item menu for each equipment slot and then choose a piece from there. However, a lot of the players with experience playing FFXI said it wasn’t very user friendly. When they got a new item and didn’t know what it was used for, they wanted to be able to check if they could equip it or not by selecting it from the item screen. That’s why for the beta version, we are making it possible to equip things straight from the item list.

(Concerning weapon repair - Jonn) –Will they disappear if they are broken?

Tanaka: They won’t disappear but they will get to the point where they are near useless until they are repaired. A market will also be added to Limsa Lominsa. Along with that we will see the addition of “retainers” who are NPCs for hire. They can sell your items for you in the market place while you are logged out. The retainers will also have an effect on companies and there will be a lot of different ways to use them. I hope people look forward to them.

A purty pic:


_KUNENA_BBCODE_HIDEIMG

(Spam links removed - Jonn)

(User tamethignait deleted - Selyne)

Argh, they found us...

<-- Web spammers, I fart in your general direction...

hmm i like the idea of retainers could bring about some interesting possibilities.