Three Years On, Chatting FFXIV With Yoshi-P - Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Interviews

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Three Years On, Chatting FFXIV With Yoshi-P - Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Interviews

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn’s 3rd Anniversary is here, and it’s time we counted our blessings for having one of the best MMORPGs in years come out of one of the more notorious launches (and subsequent relaunches). We caught up with Square Enix’s own Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P) to talk about the milestone, and what’s to come with the game’s future.

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dasX82

Good graphics don't mean good game. I tried to like it, some people said it will be better after level 30, so I made my way to that point I felt It lack of everything, as I was with a first month included I decided to look forward because I read somewhere that after level 40 it will be better. No, it was the same thing since level 1 just with some new flashing skills and that awful gcd, someone said after level 50 is much even better, I don't know because I left it at 40 I'm not interested to buy that expansion if I didn't find anything enjoyable for 50 levels.

Albatroes

At least you guys put ARR, SE doesn't lol. They seem to think that just FFXIV is 3 years old and 1.0 didn't happen.

Warlyx

Albatroes said:

At least you guys put ARR, SE doesn't lol. They seem to think that just FFXIV is 3 years old and 1.0 didn't happen.

NY: Since this is an MMORPG, I believe that it’s imperative to engage and expand the community. Where I believe we evolved the most is allowing players from around the world play with their friends and building that strong community because FFXIV 1.0 and its failure led many to feel isolated and very lonely. In terms of game design and operation, there isn’t much that is unexpected because we have been very thorough in our updates and worked off of a very long-term schedule.

zanfire

Hasnt the whole "how great are you for turning around a failed game?" question (not even really a question) been played out by now? We get it, they took something that was bad, made it into a run of the mill MMO with pretty graphics and it sold well.

nhat

dasX82 said:

Good graphics don't mean good game. I tried to like it, some people said it will be better after level 30, so I made my way to that point I felt It lack of everything, as I was with a first month included I decided to look forward because I read somewhere that after level 40 it will be better. No, it was the same thing since level 1 just with some new flashing skills and that awful gcd, someone said after level 50 is much even better, I don't know because I left it at 40 I'm not interested to buy that expansion if I didn't find anything enjoyable for 50 levels.

My issue was the class, I picked lancer and didn't enjoy the game at all. Almost quit. Once I picked arcanist, I had a lot more fun and its one of my favorite MMOs now

GeezerGamer

Best MMO on the market. I don't feel like I am competing against a cash shop

TaishiFox

Wow its actually been 3 years already? didn't realise

Asch126

I played through the entire FFXIV content and a good portion of Heavensward during its launch.

The game is great honestly, it plays well, it looks gorgeous, the music is amazing, but right now, it just feels....off. I don't know why i just can't get back into it. I stopped playing the game for a while fully intending to return and i still haven't.

nhat

Asch126 said:

I played through the entire FFXIV content and a good portion of Heavensward during its launch.



The game is great honestly, it plays well, it looks gorgeous, the music is amazing, but right now, it just feels....off. I don't know why i just can't get back into it. I stopped playing the game for a while fully intending to return and i still haven't.

What class you picked? Some aren't fun (IMO) and some are

Sainguin

I held off getting into FFXIV for the last couple of years. I'm really glad I gave in and started playing it. By far the best MMO I've played in years.

Pretty amazing what Yoshi and his team did.

Asch126

nhat said:

Asch126 said:

I played through the entire FFXIV content and a good portion of Heavensward during its launch.





The game is great honestly, it plays well, it looks gorgeous, the music is amazing, but right now, it just feels....off. I don't know why i just can't get back into it. I stopped playing the game for a while fully intending to return and i still haven't.

What class you picked? Some aren't fun (IMO) and some are

Before Heavensward i was a Ninja and then Dragoon when i saw how much the focus is on them in Heavensward. After it came out, i did Dragoon, Machinist and Bard.

zanfire

GeezerGamer said:

Best MMO on the market. I don't feel like I am competing against a cash shop

If your paying a monthly sub i hope not.

Viper482

I will never understand the allure of this game. It feels so claustrophobic and strange.

vandal5627

Viper482 said:

I will never understand the allure of this game. It feels so claustrophobic and strange.

It's pretty simple. People like different things from you. Go figure.

McGamer

I used to enjoy FFXIV for a long time. Unfortunately the end-game progression is so gated behind in-game currency that it is impossible to upgrade gear at that point unless your character is filthy rich.

zanfire

Deekins said:

I go back every once in a while because friends from FFXI play there. I try my hardest to like it, but I just can't. It gets boring to me fast. I just hate running the same dungeon over and over for some tokens to spend on gear just so those can go obsolete after the next update with new gear. The game just doesn't have that spark to hold me there like other MMO's do. To me it is a WoW clone with FF elements and name thrown in. To me, why play the clone when the original is so much better.

It is just a run of the mill MMO with pretty graphics and the Final Fantasy name behind it. All this is my opinion of course.

Pretty much this.

mgilbrtsn

I enjoyed it 'somewhat'  I really liked some of the crafting mechanics and the ability to change classes.  However, the biggest downside for me was the combat.  It felt almost slow motion to me.  I'm not sure why, but it just isn't exciting combat.

JudgeUK

For me, simply the best mmo around.

Warlyx

McGamer said:

I used to enjoy FFXIV for a long time. Unfortunately the end-game progression is so gated behind in-game currency that it is impossible to upgrade gear at that point unless your character is filthy rich.

what? atm u can upgrade doing Void Ark (raid 24 man) or if u raid HC Alexander Savage....

u dont buy anything with gil for armor upgrades Oo , hell even now u can gain materias IV with dailys and V with a weekly (+ Deep dungeon that is repatable for materias V)

Kajidourden

My wife and I are picking up the expansion and getting back into it (first with the free login campaign).  I think if you treat this game like a job it will get boring, but if you aren't rushing to get the best gear on the day it's released and instead maybe wait for the catchup patch or something it's much more enjoyable.
I'm approaching it with that attitude this time around, we shall see.  Doesn't hurt that theyve implemented so many more ways to get good gear since the expansion.

QuarterStack

People need to stop dragging out the "you saved a failed MMO! How does it feel to be a hero?!" type questions already.

That was 3 years ago. It's old news. It's time to stop dwelling on past glories and start asking *challenging*, and insightful questions about where the game is now, and where it will be going forward.

So, where is FFXIV now? What's the "pulse" of the community? Well, a recent thread on the official forums had people actually debating about whether glamour/fluff is as important as gameplay content. Think about that.

Further, a surprising number of people in that thread argued that fluff is more important, or at least equal. One person said they're okay with resources going to more gameplay content, as long as it doesn't cut into their glamour/fluff items. Another said, to paraphrase, that fluff is more important "because it lasts longer, while gameplay content becomes obsolete very quickly".

Now, as silly as that might sound on its face - it's actually 100% true. Glamour items *are* actually the only things that remain relevant in this game. And this is by Yoshida's design. After all, he's the Director and Producer. He calls the shots, and this is the environment he's fostering.

It's as common, even more so at times, to see threads talking about wanting some glamour item available in another region, or for more hair styles/clothing/mounts/minions to be added to the Mog Station, than it is to see people discussing actual story/combat/adventure type content.

It's a damning indictment of how Yoshida and his team have been slipping with XIV's development, especially since 3.0. I've never seen a MMORPG so aggressively driven by designed obsolescence as FFXIV. Most of the the content is burned through within days, if not hours, of release, including the high-end/end-game content. Then it's all rendered obsolete with the next update.

Where actual content is concerned, the goodwill earned in the 2.0 days has been depleting more with every lackluster and/or short-lived content update. Not that you'd know it reading interviews or articles, which just keep regurgitating how "Yoshida saved FFXIV", and other softball topics.

But here's another sign which, I think, is even more telling...

People are beginning to leave FFXIV for FFXI, seeking a deeper, more engaging and lasting MMORPG experience still focused on a sense of grand Adventure in a vast, dangerous world. It's not just veterans who are returning, either. New players picking it up for the first time, as well.

Let me reiterate that. Players are leaving a 3 year-old (not including 1.x) "modern MMORPG" still in its first expansion cycle, to play one that's effectively in an extended maintenance mode - and are finding it more enjoyable.

Just chew on that for a moment, because it's poignant.

*That* is the state of FFXIV at the moment. And *that* is how it will continue going forward if Yoshida doesn't get his head out of the clouds (or where ever he has it), and get back into that frame of mind he had with 2.0, where he actually acted like someone with something to prove.

I'd love to see an interviewer, for once, ask some tougher questions, and knock it off with these softball questions, asking Yoshida to reflect - yet again - on how he "saved FFXIV".

Solar_Prophet

MitovoGames said:

People need to stop dragging out the "you saved a failed MMO! How does it feel to be a hero?!" type questions already.



That was 3 years ago. It's old news. It's time to stop dwelling on past glories and start asking *challenging*, and insightful questions about where the game is now, and where it will be going forward.



So, where is FFXIV now? What's the "pulse" of the community? Well, a recent thread on the official forums had people actually debating about whether glamour/fluff is as important as gameplay content. Think about that.



Further, a surprising number of people in that thread argued that fluff is more important, or at least equal. One person said they're okay with resources going to more gameplay content, as long as it doesn't cut into their glamour/fluff items. Another said, to paraphrase, that fluff is more important "because it lasts longer, while gameplay content becomes obsolete very quickly". Now, as silly as that might sound on its face - it's actually 100% true. Glamour items *are* actually the only things that remain relevant in this game.


It's as common, even more so at times, to see threads talking about wanting some glamour item available in another region, or for more hair styles/clothing/mounts/minions to be added to the Mog Station, than it is to see people discussing actual story/combat/adventure type content.



It's a damning indictment of how Yoshida and his team have been slipping with XIV's development, especially since 3.0. I've never seen a MMORPG so aggressively driven by designed obsolescence as FFXIV. Most of the the content is burned through within days, if not hours, of release, including the high-end/end-game content. Then it's all rendered obsolete with the next update.



In all my time playing MMOs, and across all those I've played, I've never seen so many people more interested in playing dress-up, than in actual gameplay-related content.



That is, when someone isn't starting a new thread to suggest yet another way to segregate and divide the community "to keep "bads" out of "their" duty finder groups". That's a whole other can of toxic worms.





Where actual content is concerned, the goodwill earned in the 2.0 days has been depleting more with every lackluster and/or short-lived content update. Not that you'd know it reading interviews like this, since people just want to keep regurgitating how "Yoshida saved FFXIV", or other softball topics.



A surprising number of people are beginning to leave FFXIV for FFXI, to find a deeper, more engaging and lasting MMORPG experience that still focuses on Adventure, and Story and Combat. It's not just veterans who are returning, either. New players picking it up for the first time, as well.


Let me reiterate that. Players are leaving a 3 year-old (not including 1.x) "modern MMORPG" still in its first expansion cycle, to play one that's effectively in an extended maintenance mode - and are finding it more enjoyable.



Just chew on that for a moment.



*That* is the state of FFXIV at the moment. And *that* is how it will continue going forward if Yoshida doesn't get his head out of the clouds (or where ever he has it), and start acting like he cares as much about the game as he claims to.



I'd love to see an interviewer, for once, ask some tougher questions, and knock it off with these softball questions, asking Yoshida to reflect - yet again - on how he "saved FFXIV".

You know, I had a nice long response planned out, but why waste words which will fall on deaf ears? Especially when I can say what I want in one sentence: I play the game, and you're full of shit because you obviously haven't.

Yeah, think I'll leave it at that. Have a wonderful day.

QuarterStack

Solar_Prophet said:

You know, I had a nice long response planned out, but why waste words which will fall on deaf ears? Especially when I can say what I want in one sentence: I play the game, and you're full of shit because you obviously haven't.

Yeah, think I'll leave it at that. Have a wonderful day.

Ahh yes, the standard "I don't like what you said, so I'll accuse you of not playing" retort. Totally not over-used at all.

Good thing you didn't write more. You know what they say about "assuming".

As a matter of fact, I have played FFXIV. Quite a lot. Specifically, I started in Alpha 1.0, played on-and-off up to about 1.18, and then full-time up to 1.23b. I was in ARR for Alpha, Beta and Launch (when I could actually log in anyway). I played up into HW, where I've missed exactly one update cycle. I'm a Legacy member, have the mark of Hydalaen tattoo, a Legacy chocobo, a 1.x exclusive Goobue, and my character's name in the 2.0 credits.

I've been with the game since the beginning, and I've seen how it's changed over time. So I feel I have plenty of context to opine on where I see the game now and, unless something changes radically with 4.0 (or sooner), where it could  be heading.

And you know what? For as harsh as my words about the game might be, I would *love* to see it turn around and have my opinion changed. I put a lot of time into that character, and that world. It brings me no joy to feel the way I do about it. I'm not gloating about the state of FFXIV. If anything, I'm mourning it.

I'd love to return, and have it be a game whose future I can actually feel good about, rather than cynical and disappointed. Maybe it'll happen. Maybe it won't. Time will tell.

For your edification...
Watching some folks take on Nael Van Darnus in the final days of 1.23b.
Welcoming the end of the world in Coerthas.
Showing off my newly completed DRG AF set.
Chilling out in the Shroud on my Legacy Chocobo.

Note the Copyright date on those pics.

So, anything else you want to accuse me of "obviously" not doing? No?

Then, a wonderful day/weekend to you as well

eruexe

Lol, they just shit on their EU players because of the stupid magazine promotion instead of just doing it almost as easy as JP and NA players.

jetomev

Asch126 said:

I played through the entire FFXIV content and a good portion of Heavensward during its launch.



The game is great honestly, it plays well, it looks gorgeous, the music is amazing, but right now, it just feels....off. I don't know why i just can't get back into it. I stopped playing the game for a while fully intending to return and i still haven't.

Same here. Played for a year and so. Story line game was fine (very FF, since I am a fan of the series felt great), enjoyed playing and developing several classes at the same time. Got in the middle of A Real Reborn and Heavenswarth, so came smooth to go all the way. After that, grinding for gear and dungeons again and again felt completely off. Found grinding and redoing the same, again and again, very boring. The only thing that got me going back was my friends. After some time had to stop playing and after trying other games ended up playing Black Desert Online.... felt like I was playing again.

FF14 is a good game, one of the best out there today for certain people and certain tastes. Pretty graphics, good music, game play in general is good and let you connect to people very easy, is very social (coming from me that love to play solo is something). But, again, I guess is not for everybody like any other game.