For the second part of the letter, a new guest joins Yoshi and Foxclon: the lead programmer, Kasuga who worked on PlayOnline and Final Fantasy XI.
What does the chief programmer do? First of all, he is responsible for many things, like assigning tasks to the team, establishing the schedule, investigating bugs, etc.
For Yoshi, Kasuga's most difficult part of the job is making sure everything fits together: making sure the graphics engine and servers are working properly together, planning updates ...
This year Kasuga was particularly marked by the problems that arose in North America during the early access period. The programmer couldn't get home for days.
In play, Kasuga plays a Roegadyn Paladin. But given his job, he finally changed jobs. He often had to abandon an ongoing dungeon when called for an emergency!
Yoshi points out that they are currently working on individual housing. Kasuga explains that it takes a while to get this feature up and running, but Naoki confirms that housing will be available for 2.38.
The version DirectX11 is still under development. The version Poppy is under consideration. The producer-director explains that there are difficulties in developing a Mac version. We must already see if it would be profitable to do so: would its production cost be ensured by its sale? Yoshi believes that the majority of Mac users don't have their own Macs to play with. Macs are primarily used for work or study, not gaming. The team then wondered how many users would buy ARR on Mac. If they decide it's financially worth doing it, then they will.
Kasuga would like to offer open dungeons, but Yoshi says it's hard to have that kind of content in place, given the server population. The team has received numerous requests for raids requiring an alliance larger than 24 players.
We move on to a question about the input on PS4. The question suggests being able to use your smartphone rather than a keyboard for example. Kasuga liked the idea, Yoshi would like players to express themselves on this.
The questions are linked:
- Rank S targets still pose display concerns. This will be fixed soon.
- It will soon be possible to transfer his character to Shinryu.
- There are no plans to implement the 2nd screen function of the PS4. But if there are many requests on this subject, the team could study this option.
The show is coming to an end, the usual announcements are made. We first learn that the Japanese community team is looking for a Community Planner. In play the commemoration feast will take place from August 27 to September 8.
Le Tokyo Game Show will take place in Chiba from September 20-21. There will be a Battle challenge, the Front, a Live Letter, and the Eorzea census.
The letter is over, but the live continues with the guest of Naoki # 2!
Naoki's guest # 2
It is Mr. Wada, the former CEO of Square Enix who is the second guest of Naoki Yoshida. They talk about pressure from fans to get confidential information and working on FFXIV.
Yoshi reveals that since working on FFXIV, there aren't many privacy issues. The team members are loyal. Wada adds that they have classified documents on their desks but they never end up in the wrong hands.
They continue to discuss: Wada returns to the notion of producer and director. When we hear director, we think of someone who wants things to be done the way they want. As a producer, it's different: you think about what others want, what investors want. To be both, Wada tells Yoshi it's one hell of a task! The latter has the impression that he is more director than director.
Wada continues: FFXIV is different from previous games. MMORPGs, by their nature, have a longer lifespan. FF fans always revert to the license. They remember that FF is at the forefront of what is done artistically (visually, musically, etc ...) and even if this XIVth opus is of a different genre, it was important to stay in the FF spirit. No matter his number, each FF has his role to play.
The discussion ends, we will take a look at Takai who is farming atma while eating.
The echo is strength will start. Before that, Merlwyb appears on the screen, repeating the Memoirs of the 7th Scourge.
The challenge will be to follow on another channel. The volunteer translating the show live understands that around 2000 players have completed the T9 of the Meanders of Bahamut.
Round table with special guests
The guest of this first round table and Tanaka Rie, the way of Kan-E-Senna. She tells a bit about what she did: play, use the mission tool to interact with other players, she even tried the Bahamut Labyrinth which she found difficult.
Yoshi notices Tanaka Rie's nails. Her nail art is in the colors of Gridania and the Order of the Two Vipers.
It’s the voice of the voice actor to ask questions! She would like to have more settings to customize entry fees to individual rooms, such as "friends only", "free company members" rather than public and private.
Yoshida explains that if the CI leaders decide to allow only members to enter the house, only they will be able to enter the room as well. As for friends, he didn't think about it.
We can see Tanaka Rie's room, which has a very Gridanian vibe!
With each update the team thinks about new furniture to add. Suggestions in this regard are welcome. If you have an idea for a piece of furniture or an object, don't hesitate!
Tanaka is excited to see Shiva. She takes the opportunity to say that against Ramuh Extrême, she has trouble seeing the blue areas. Finally, she would like to play with the team sometimes. Yoshida jumps at the chance and takes her to do some PvP at the Front.
Yoshida will die 8 times, Tanaka 5.
FFFXIV Channel
In order to launch FFFXIV Channel on Niconico, goodies are to be won. There is a USB key in ARR colors, maps. The young ladies invited on the set humorously answer a few questions, mimic the game's emotes, in short, it's a lot of fun.
Round table with special guests # 2
The second guest of the roundtable is Nakamura Yuichi, the way of Thancred. He talks about his job: compared to a businessman, his life is quieter. Some weeks, he will only work 3 hours and therefore has more free time than if he were working in another profession. Even if some weeks are much busier.
They then talk about the Labyrinth and Meanders of Bahamut which require a good level of play, then about the possibility of dyeing your chocobo which will take 6 hours.
The conversation turns to the Mirage system. Certain combinations of outfits leave Yoshida perplexed, but "to each his own". It reminds Yoshi of the game's launch: there has been a lot of criticism about the identity of the classes, that they weren't loyal to other FFs.
Thancred's voice actor then tries to figure out what job we'll get. It evokes the Beastmaster from Final Fantasy XI. Yoshi comes back to the fact that the Blue Mage was mentioned in the LL. A job that would be fun but difficult to implement. Nakamura imagines if we should learn an action from Gemelia. Yoshi replies that that would be a problem. In solo it could be good, but in a group it would hurt the balance. However, it seems interesting to have, unlike other MMOs, a playable class but not in a group ...
And the Ninja, wasn't it difficult to add taking into account the content to come but also that already present? You must first be sure that the arrival of the Ninja will not kill the desire to play the other damage classes. Its gameplay is different from other melee classes. Rather than managing your position, you will have to deal with "mudras".
Nakamura is ready to play the Echo is strength and will face Titan Ex. Meanwhile Takai is in his seventh atma. When he gets one, he eats a dish reminiscent of the name of the atma.
Then we are entitled to a video of the Ninja.
The translation of the event proposed by a player stops with a few sentences from Soken, reminding us that composing music is not done in three hours, but in a good week!
Finally, a few pictures of the dishes at Eorzea Café, enough to make you hungry!
What did you think of these 14 hours of live?
Sources
- The Lodestone
- Swans' Live Translation
- Dualshockers
