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1. Thank you for this interview. Please introduce yourself.
Hiromichi Tanaka - Producer/ Executive Producer
Nobuaki Komoto - Director/ Scenario & Events Planners
Akihiko Matsui - Chief Battle Data Planner
Atsushi Okada - Monster AI
Yusuke Kigoshi - Scenario & Events Planners/ Ballista & Conquests
Toshio Murouchi - European Online Producer
2. How many users Worldwide are playing FFXI now?
There are over 500,000 subscribers world wide. Also the number of active FINAL FANTASY XI (FFXI) characters total over 1.6 million, so on average, each player has 3 characters.
3. What kind of Servers are you using in background?
Each FFXI world has about 20 multi-core processor front-end machines (Solaris OS). As we now have 32 live worlds, there’re totally over 640 servers. In addition to those servers, there’re huge backend servers including DB servers, file servers, and log servers as well as billing servers, PlayOnline type servers, and monitoring facilities, using large-scaled data centre.
4. The FFXI Graphical Engine is now 3 years old. Will you update the engine for PC users after the release of Xbox360?
We keep upgrading not only the graphic engine, but also all program systems. However, we’re very careful to keep compatibility with the required environment going back to 3 years ago. As our policy, as long as it is the same title, we don’t want to force existing players to upgrade their environment such as purchasing new high-end machines. We will keep working hard to improve and expand the game’s quality as much as possible, but we’re very careful to choose what to do regarding upgrading at the same time, as this might affect our development speed sometimes. Until now, we’ve improved our engine to accept wide-screen displays, 3D display function, options for upper spec PCs on the Windows version. But currently we do not have any plans to use next-generation technologies which may require re-creating all graphic data. If we chose to do this with FFXI, it would take a few years to complete upgrading. So we’ve decided to use our development powers to create a new, next-generation MMORPG. Until then, we will keep having version-updates and expansion packs for FFXI as we’ve always done.
5. We know that in 2006, Fantasy Earth will be available. We heard from somewhere, maybe only faked news, that SE will stop the support of FFXI. Can you please tell us is that true or not? If yes, that means there will be no more updates for FFXI anymore?
That is just a rumour which will never happen. The development teams for FFXI and Fantasy Earth, FINAL FANTASY VII: Dirge of Cerberus or Front Mission Online are completely different.
The development cycle of version-updates and expansion packs as well as core developers in the team for FFXI have not changed much since its launch. As announced, we’re now working hard to finalize the next version-update which will happen early October 2005. Also, the development for the next expansion pack is ongoing. Hopefully, we will have an announcement very soon, so keep your eyes on us! The very basic concept for PlayOnline is to have not only FFXI but also more titles like Fantasy Earth or Front Mission Online, and to have an ever-more massive community within PlayOnline. To allow players of different games on PlayOnline to communicate with each other and enjoy together, FFXI will keep growing as the main content for PlayOnline.
6. Lot of players know, that there’re some hidden Spells like CureVI, Phalanx II, Gravity II, Protect VI, Freeze II etc. which are installed with the game but not useable now in game. Will these Spells soon be implemented into the game? If yes, means there will be a raise of the level caped from 75 to 80 or maybe 100? Something like Level up if the player got enough Merritpoints?
Currently, we have no plans to raise level cap. After reaching level 75, characters will be able to grow using the Merit Point system. We can’t say which spell or when the spell becomes available at the moment, but we’re actually working to provide some of the spells.
7. (If the second answer of nr.5 is yes) What will happened to most important jobs e.g. RDM after the raising of the level caped? I think every mages will sub RDM then cause of refresh and convert. Will there be more powerful spells available for RDM like refresh II or will refresh and convert not useable if RDM is used for sub job?
As mentioned in the previous answer, we have no plans to raise current level cap.
8. As most of people know from Tanaka, there will be one or more new jobs available soon. Can you tell us the secret which kind of Jobs will be available this or next year and what are the abilities of those jobs?
We can’t make comment on this. Tanaka has never mentioned that in the past. He only said “We have always carefully considered the possibility of new jobs for the last few years”. There must have been some misunderstanding with the source of your information. However, we are continuously considering our options, so we would like to say look forward to some good news!
9. Will there be new areas available if the add-ons (can it be Treasures of Aht Urhgan?) released?
One of the main reasons to release expansion packs is adding huge date such as new areas or streaming data, which is too big to download at version-updates. Thus, we will have new areas within the next expansion pack. Other changes like system upgrades or addition of items, quests, or characters can be done with normal (downloading) version-updates.
10. What was the reason to cause that such of Server Down within the last few weeks? (All developers and supporter are on the holiday?) Is there a hacker around who is trying to shut down the servers? If yes, how save are the logins and paying information of the players?
There were various reasons, but the main one was caused by DDoS attack from an unknown third party. We’ve added some solutions which include expanding and strengthening our data centre. While those solutions work fine, the attacker also changes the method of attacks. So we’re in a vicious circle. Our technical team is working hard to eliminate all attacks, therefore we need to ask for your understanding and cooperation.
By the way, DDoS attacks are done indirectly from outside of the network. Hacking into our servers is impossible, and no data discharge happens. Please feel safe about all of your personal information stored into our servers.
11. Do you think SE will ever be able to stop Gil, Item and Account Seller and Buyer? Do you think it’ll be possible to stop them or will you go the way like Sony EQ2?
We don’t think it’s illegal to trade virtual data when there’re buyers and sellers. However, we think the problem is that there’re many criminal acts happening in the real world during those transactions. Also, FFXI is not created based on real money trading (RMT), thus, we believe this will make our title less enjoyable. This is why we forbid RMT with FFXI by user agreement. It will be easy to eliminate RMT completely when we remove economics from the game, meaning removing trade functions and making all items non-tradable. But this will also remove amusement from the game itself. As SOE has done with EverQuest II, there is a way to create a game considering trading virtual currency or items with real money. However, FFXI chooses a different way. Even by choosing different ways, we believe both EverQuest II and FFXI have the same purpose of protecting users from crimes in the real world such as fraud or scamming.
12. In Europe, Credit Card is not always popular and sometimes e-passport seems not be the right solution. Will there soon be another Methods of Payment for FFXI?
We’re now working hard to implement the new PlayOnline billing system before the release of the Xbox 360 version to retail. In addition to the current payment options (Visa and MasterCard), we will add more options such as debit cards which should be more familiar to European territories. Also, the currency for the monthly subscription will be changed from US dollars to Euros. We believe these changes will make our service clearer and easier to use. Of course, as well as our current production, we will try to keep improving ourselves by studying users’ feedback.
13. Since the last huge update, lot of rangers left FFXI cause they got pissed off. The Ranger can only deals damage with the right distance it’s what we know about. What else exactly did you changed with the rangers? Before the update, you can find more than 80-100 rangers with /sea all rng. But now, you find about 30 rangers a day. Will SE ever change it again to get back the players who left the game cause of the last update?
We’ve added some changes on distant attacks to have differences by level such as for melee attacks, as well as adding new concepts of ideal distance depending on the weapon used. Our intention is to make each job unique and using different techniques depending on the job. Regarding Rangers, we’ve limited their advantages which previously overcame other jobs in too many situations, and made it a bit more technical so the players need to think more tactically.
It is not because we intend to get back those Rangers we are supposed to have lost according to your question, but we are going to restore the power of Eagle Eye that have been revised unexpectedly.
14. Will there be any new emotion added into FFXI soon? Some of our portal users want to know, if there’ll be a possibility to use a emotion like dancing etc with nice moves, without to set it into a macro.
Although, we do not have actual plans at the moment, we have in the past added some new emotes based on users’ feedbacks. Please let us know what kind of new emote you would like to see!
15. If FFXI version of Xbox360 released, will the player be possible to use their current PC or PS account on Xbox360 version of FFXI? Known issue is, that people with US Account can’t play on EU version of FFXI.
There seems to be some misunderstandings. Actually you can’t use “registration codes” which came with US (North American) version packages when you are using the EU version of the PlayOnline client. However, once you create and receive your PlayOnline ID, you can definitely play regardless of platform or region. North American players can play with the Japanese version of the client, and can login to FFXI if they want. You can play FFXI with the EU Windows version, even when you have created your PlayOnline account with the North American PlayStation 2 version.
The same rules apply to the Xbox 360 version. The registration codes only work with each package with which the codes came, but you can play from anywhere and on any platform once you’ve finished creating your account.
Please note that we will use some Test worlds dedicated to beta test for the Xbox 360 version. During the beta period, you can only access those worlds with your beta account and only the Xbox 360 is allowed to connect to those worlds.
16. Will there are new Races and Summon Magic be available after the next Add-On? If yes, can you tell us how many?
Unfortunately, we can’t comment on anything regarding the next expansion pack yet. Regarding new Summons, we’re considering to add it as one of the topics for version-updates in the near future.
17. Will there be able to send more than 8 items with delivery service? At least to different people at the same time? And will there be possible to put more than 7 items onto the AH? 7 items is just too less, if you do crafting in FFXI and need to sell the result quickly.
Currently we do not have plans to expand those slots since we don’t believe this will bring better results to economics in Vana’diel.
18. Is there’s a plan to create some special areas only for PvP mode, which the players are possible to fight in PvP areas anytime with any level? It will be very great if there will be something like that because not everybody are always online at the right time for Ballista and not everybody have the right Level to do Ballista Fights.
Actually, we added an area just like the concept of you question called "Diorama Abdhaljs-Ghelsba" with the version-update in April 2005.
To be exact, one of the members must have played in the official Ballista and earned some Ballista points to use this area. But this is because we think there should be at least one player who has experience to make the most out of the area.
Often we hear users saying that even though they don’t usually play Ballista, they enjoyed holding an event at “Diorama Abdhaljs-Ghelsba” with their Linkshell. If you haven’t used this area yet, please have a go and enjoy it. If you have requests about using this area, please let us know.
19. Will there be any possibility to connect different world so different players can do PvP together? I have, e.g. friends on Odin and Asura and I really wish I can play with them sometimes or do some PvP fights with them but I don’t want to create a new character and start with Rank1 and lvl1 again without any quest done.
In the event called “Ballista Royale” which we held in Japan, selected teams from each world gathered in Atomos and contested a tournament.
If we use the same system as we did in “Ballista Royale”, it might be difficult to provide an environment where you can play on a daily basis because of the cost and the game world.
However, we will keep considering providing more opportunities for players to communicate with other worlds.
20. The AF Armors are very nice. But I think some of the status of the Armor must be adjust. E.g. Warrior AF has too much Enmity and PLD AF too less Enmity and it made a Warrior with full AF and a PLD with full AF not able to party together, because the warrior, who supposed to be a damage dealer at lvl50+, will get too many hates and PLD is not able to get the hate back. Maybe after an adjust of the AF gears, the chance for PLD to get a Party at lvl60+ will be much more easier.
When concentrating only on Enmity, the Warrior’s Artifacts has the best quality. But we can say that Paladins have advantages to earn Enmity by actions. Depending on the situation, it’s fair to say that it must be difficult for tanks to fulfil their roles when attackers attack as much as they want without considering the tanks. You will be able to bring better performance in battles when each job in your party fully cooperates.
21. The last question is… we all know that you tried to set some NM drops to R/Ex. Will there be more of those items be R/Ex soon? As we saw in game, lot of people are telling people to camp the NM and get the drop for a mount of gils. What will be the solution to let this not to happen?
We will keep adding both R/Ex items and non-R/Ex items in the future, and there are no plans to change existing item names and grant them R/Ex status.
It is your choice to stay and wait for NMs. We will not prevent players from doing so as long as there is free competition. However, if any unfair activities are found there, we will find solutions and deal with each case as we have always done.
Thank you for this interview!
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| Was haltet ihr von "Die Flügel der Göttin" |
Super:
32.8% (21) |
Ich habe mir das Add-On nicht gekauft:
29.7% (19) |
Umfangreiche Updates sind nötig:
21.9% (14) |
recht geringer Umfang:
15.6% (10) |
Stimmen: 64
Umfrage beendet! |
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