The 18th LL in Fukuoka was held for more than two hours. If the eternal bond system as well as a special guest were the known themes, the LL also addressed, through the many questions asked, job balancing as well as the Heavensward extension. Let's go to make you relive the event!
The LL opens with the video presenting the system Eternal bond. We follow a couple through their adventures, the adventurous life they share on a daily basis, then we find them in ceremonial dress in a dedicated place (the sanctuary of the twelve in the Darkshroud Forest). We attend the procession, the exchange of rings and of course the kiss!
The show begins in earnest, Yoshida and Foxclon greet us and invite us to ask questions about the Eternal Link system.
We will first discuss the balancing of classes, in particular with the Dragon Knight which is currently being debated. For DRG, Yoshi explains that there are two ways to do this: increasing DPS directly is one of them. You will see a lot of Dragon Knights die, sometimes multiple times in the same fight. Doesn't sound like fun for Yosh!
There are fights that are more difficult in Black Magus than for other classes, but nothing insurmountable. For the Dragon Knight, it seems that some fights make them excluded. Adjustments will be made.
Before adding the Ninja, Moine was clearly the best DPS (the sentence is followed by a "but" which I can't understand. Yoshi may say "the best DPS but requires good skill to get it"). We'll have to wait and see how the Dragon Knight is improved, the team will do their best to make it fit in the high level content. Its damage will therefore be increased but readjustment will be done so that there is no big difference in DPS either.
The Ninjas seem to do too much damage from remarks. Yoshi explains that when developing a job they have a rotation in mind but players are better at finding the combinations that are most effective and have implemented a rotation that offers more DPS than expected. The skills of the players are so good! The current spin will not be changed but the TP hit and damage that comes out will be changed. We can talk about a nerve.
We go to White Mage. We will have Breastplate II allowing to cast Breastplate on the whole group. Yoshida apologizes for making us wait so long to get her. This is planned for 2.45.
This update will also contain in addition to Breastplate II, the Eternal Link system and the sequel to the Zodiac saga.
The design of weapons will change with this new quest. The ilvl has not yet been decided.
A new system for 2.45 will be added where players can help others in the Abyss of Bahamut after being "locked". It's made for players who don't want another shot at earning loot but just helping their friends. This is where you'll see who you can count on, hin hin.
Update 2.45 will be released on December 9.
We go back to Ninja. Players complain about latency when using Ninjutstu. Yoshida explains that it all depends on your system, lost packets from your ISP. The problem is not always with Square Enix so it is not easy for the team to solve them. There are things that affect all online games.
Based on player feedback, statistics Speed and Liveliness are useless. Can we hope for an improvement?
Yoshida gives his opinion: there will always be equipment and stats more desired than others. If Celerity becomes as effective as Determination or Criticism, there will no longer be a need to choose your pieces of equipment. However, there is something planned for Celerity.
Requested a long time ago, the animation of the Transcendence job specific will be available in 3.0. Level 3 Transcendences will all have a unique style.
We keep talking about 3.0, we learn that there will be a new Benchmark. As the maximum level will increase to 60, there will be new job quests but also those of the main scenario!
A remark mentions the lack of content for players who can do the Crystal Tower but not Bahamut. Yoshi asks if players want content that is in between the difficulty. The expansion will contain something that the LCs can do together. The difficulty is between the Tower and Bahamut.
The content will also be divided into normal and hard mode so that it is accessible to all.
For a while now, it has been suggested that you can enter dungeons that are intended for 4 players on your own. The team wants to introduce something in this style. For example, Yoshida thinks that you could lead your own unit of combat NPCs from a Great Company and go there alone with them. Maybe you should even give them some experience points.
The ALEAS related to the daily quests of the Beastman Tribes take a long time to appear. There will be changes to 2.5.
Some fights in 2.4 are a lot of fun. Yoshi details who worked on it and then explains that the ideas are focused on "what role the boss plays in the story? What are the thematic and mechanical elements in this fight?". The team then works on the mechanisms, the phases and their durations. This is Gondai's job. It is then sent to Yoshi who checks everything and says "it's too hard" or on the contrary. Adjustments are made until the content is released. This is how everything is created.
The new rules for the front will be introduced in 2.5, the map will be the same.
There will be a daily quest to do in PvP via the mission tool as well as a new map at there 3.0. Maybe new types of part too.
Currently, harvested ingredients are inexpensive because they are easy to obtain. Is there something planned? Yoshi responds: If any harvest items are to bring in more, it must be decided who can and who cannot harvest them. The strong point of ARR is that one character can do anything. No changes a priori on this side!
It is difficult for disciples of the Hand more casuals to get better equipment. After 2.45 it will be a bit easier to increase your crafting gear, but the team want to make sure that the hardest gear to get still takes a lot of time and gil to be able to design.
The demi-matters are difficult to obtain when the recipes demand a lot. The next recipes will be adjusted accordingly.
I did not understand everything then, the subject being the quests Ixalus which I haven't started yet: Xelphatol / Sealant will cost less because the demand for items made from it is priced far too high. Hope this remains understandable to you! Please feel free to correct me.
We keep moving from one subject to another. L'UI can currently be customized via in-game options. The team is developing a API but it is very difficult to find a balance so that it is not used for cheating. But an API will be available so that we can further modify our UI, that's for sure!
The version DirectX 11 will be available at the same time as the extension. At the next FanFest in Tokyo, the Dx9 and Dx11 versions will be compared side by side to see the difference. An option will be added in order to be able to choose between DX9 and DX11 in the Benchmark.
The version Poppy is under development and should be released after March 2015.
The team tries to add new hairstyles, beards, face paintings as updates are made, but there is already a choice! Maybe they will add fake mustaches. Afro cuts are also in great demand ...
Equipment used in recipes that are obtained in dungeons are not obtainable by everyone, "Need" being grayed out if you do not have the correct class. Suddenly, it is asked if it would be possible to have objects where everyone could do "need"?
Yoshi details that it is a long tradition in FF: the magic type equipment can only be put on by mages for example. The loot system relies on that. The rules are simple to be easily understood.
The producer-director adds in passing and vaguely that content for the Free Companies is planned.
It is then requested to be able to add more objects in the houses. If the limit is increased too quickly, problems may appear. The housing team is working on the Gold Saucer for the moment. You won't be able to move to Ishgard either. Ishgard has been at war with the dragons for 1000 years. These enemies are swooping down on the roofs of houses! It is a place where it is very difficult to live ... But we will know more about it in 3.0.
The PS3 is still supported for the moment. A free trial period will be available for PS4 players with PSN +. After Christmas, all PSN accounts will be able to take advantage of the offer.
The future content is substantial: new jobs, zones, it's a bit like a new FFXIV is coming out. That's why it was decided to release this as an extension, a DVD. After it is released, players who haven't purchased it will still be able to play the previous content.
The producer-director gives us an example: if Foxclon buys 3.0 quickly because he wants to play Dark Knight but Yoshi doesn't have it, he will still see the Morbol in play, will be able to play with him and access the old content but it will not be able to access new features.
The story of 2.0 will end, much like it's a season 1 and Heavensward would be season 2.
Yoshi shows pictures very quickly. it's about the craft station where all the disciples of the Hand of the same free company can work together. This will be available after 2.5. Another thing in great demand, a Japanese-style decoration with Tatamis, kotatsus, etc:
As expected, we move to the Eternal Link system. You will have to go through the Mog Station to start the procedure.
You will then receive a special in-game quest. With this quest, you will obtain alliances and outfit. It will then be necessary to choose the type of the ceremony then to reserve a date and to send the invitations.
There will be special hairstyles, we can decide if we want a mog to preside over the ceremony and we will have two choices: a free standard plan and a paid gold. The difference between the two will be detailed in the patch notes. We are talking about ceremonial dress, mounts, mascots.
A dedicated site is currently in development.
The show pauses and meanwhile a new video Eorzea Collection is broadcast.
The second part of the Live Letter begins with a guest: the president of Level 5, Akihiro Hino, friend of Yoshi who also plays FFXIV.
And there, it starts in many bursts of laughter. Yoshida balances that when he manages to complete a piece of content, Akihiro tells everyone in the office. The latter is justified by saying that it is normal, we are happy when we get there!
He talks about ARR: for him, it is an honor to be considered a close associate of Yoshida and her team. He did not come empty-handed and shows a drawing made by Nagano, the chief chara-designer.
Hino plays Paladin for high level content. He brought back something else ... The lion mount he got quickly.
Lack of a helmet ...
Yoshi doesn't understand why the cat has a seal on its head. Hino isn't quite sure either. Yoshida asks if the emote / visor is working. Akihiro says yes, and that there is a big file on Allagan coins and seals ...
Yoshida believes viewers should be thinking "how can this guy be president of a company?" It's impossible ".
We resume a tone a little more serious, well almost for the rest.
Hino explains to Yoshi that he often plays late at night, when most people are asleep. He uses the mission tool to find a group, but despite the group looking in the data center, there are not many people. Hino wonders if there might not be a way to regroup players in these lows. He thinks that many are facing this problem.
Yoshi thinks about an answer that has a hard time coming. It is true that for this situation, it would be good to have a mission tool a little "larger" but it would be too difficult to do a global research. This is a thorny problem.
Foxclon talks to Akihiro "nobody comes to your house". Yoshi retorts that it's because he doesn't have any friends! The President of Level 5 believes that this is because other players cannot teleport to his house, take care of his plants. There is no real reason to visit his friends.
Yoshida adds that players want the Eternal Bond system to be able to share a house.
Hino moves on to another point that annoys him: some decorations placed in the free companion house cannot be taken back and moved to your personal house. Yoshi says it's going to be changed. If the objects were linked, it was to prevent them from being sold.
We attend a great moment then ... Hino explains his concern with his craft macro. When he throws it, and needs to greet someone, he presses the "button to greet" and it interrupts his crafting macro.
Yoshida replies, "But why do you need a button to say hello?" Akihiro retorts that Yoshi only has to look at the default macros and he will see one to greet.
Yoshida explains to him that this macro is made for new players, it's an example that explains how it works. He adds that he does not use a macro to say at the end of each dungeon "thank you that was great". It would be a little weird and too visible for it to be a macro!
Hino continues: he just wishes the timer macros weren't interrupted because of other macros. Yoshida understands the problem and will think about it again. But won't use the macro of greetings for all that!
We move on to another section, Akihiko Hino's memories in Eorzea.
Three memories particularly marked him: Alea de Gorgimera at the Ceruleum Factory in Northern Thanalan, a tonberry that wounds an NPC and obtaining Ullikummi Supra. The saw will have cost him a million gil.
Yoshida recalls that the best craftsman equipment comes at the cost of hard work. Luminary and Supra are unique and he wanted the players to flaunt them, showing that they had achieved the achievement. But maybe this system is not really working out.
As with Relic Weapons, Supra were to be a project that players work on at length.
The 3.0 officially announced at FanFest in Las Vegas has since seen some of its content unveiled as it goes. Here is a summary of what we currently know (They copied my schedule!?):
- new story: The Dragonsong War
- level increase to 60
- new playable race
- new dungeons
- high level raids
- new equipment and recipes
- new jobs including the Dark Knight
Le Fan Festival in Tokyo will take place on December 20 and 21. The schedule promises to be busy over two days with many broadcasts such as the essential Live Letter but also Dev panels, two concerts ....
The answer of Veteran of 630 will contain a Nanamo mascot and a big chocobo head.
A new OST will be available on December 17th. In the form of Blu-ray Disc Music, From Astral To Umbral will contain covers made by the group and accompanied on the piano by the most popular music from Final Fantasy XIV.
Seasonal events star party and the transition party will be back, the dates will be communicated shortly.
Hakihiro Hino is promoting his game which will be released on December 13 in Japan followed by a film on the 20.
The Live Letter comes to an end, Yoshida thanks everyone for the warm welcome in Fukuoka but also for all his unforgettable trips around the world. See you in December at the Tokyo FanFest for the next LL!
