Final Fantasy XIV Dengeki Games Interview(Jan 2010)

An interview was released this week in the most recent issue of Dengeki Games.  It turned out to be a nice read, so I won't waste your time padding this intro.

Check it out below!

Discuss in the ZAM forums!

Ｑ：How much of the game will players be able to experience in the beta? 
Ａ：We started at about 10% of the final product with the playable Alpha version and are ultimately trying to perfect the underlying game system.  The bulk of the game won't be made public until the retail version is out.

Ｑ：Will the servers be named after summons like in FFXI?
Ａ：There's no doubt we'll use names familiar to any FF fan, but the scheme will be a little different than FFXI.

Ｑ：What can you tell us about the transition from the Beta to the final version or about world transfers in general?
Ａ：Once service starts, we want to make it so you can move along with the friends you make during the Beta to the same world.  As for world transfers, that may be a possibility in the future, with some limitations probably.

Ｑ：Does the main story concern the Eorzeans and Garleans battling over the continent of Aldenard?
Ａ：At first, the story will open in Eorzea, that is, the continent of Aldenard and its surrounding islands.  However, the Garlean Empire is based on another, larger continent.

Ｑ：What part does the mysterious power (Echo) or the crystals play in the story?
Ａ：They serve as the basis for the whole story.  We want you to discover the truth behind this as the story unfolds during play.

Ｑ：Will Chocobos make an appearance? 
Ａ：Of course!  However, we are still exploring ways for us to use them in a unique way compared with FFXI.

Ｑ：We've only seen airships being as army warships so far, but will there be any that adventurers can ride?
Ａ：Of course there will be vehicles to transport adventurers around, but you'll have to wait a little longer for the details.

Ｑ：Give us the highlights on character creation. 
Ａ：We've focused on really allowing the player the freedom to make any kind of character they would like, and designed them to be a much more natural fit with the game world.  Depending on your class, even your starting equipment will be different.

Ｑ：Can you change the age of your character?
Ａ：There are no age settings, but to some extent you can alter their appearance to look more experienced.

Ｑ：So, your starting equipment changes based on the class you choose?
Ａ：Starting equipment does change based on your class?  However, the equipment you wear from then on is completely the choice of the player.

Ｑ：How is the magic system?
Ａ：Magic is classified by levels and by the school the spell is from.  For example, spells that serve the same function (e.g. heal HP) might have a different level of potency, an area of effect, longer casting time or higher MP cost depending on the school of magic the spell is from.

**Translator's note: The answer used very general terminology, but it appears to reference how a healing spell can be classified as Cure I, Cure II, Cure III under White Magic, or at the same time, Pollen under Blue Magic.  So there are different levels and different schools that refer to the same function.

Ｑ：Will there be any familiar spells that didn't make their way into FFXI?
Ａ：While there will be familiar spells from the Final Fantasy series, a lot of the magic that didn't make it into FFXI simply can't be used in an MMO.  If it's too difficult to work in an MMO environment, we can't say it'll appear.

Ｑ：Can classes other than Disciples of Magic use magic?  Also, can Disciples of Magic use swords or other weapons? 
Ａ：Classes are somewhat pre-defined, but that isn't to say there won't be the possibility as you continue to level and grow your character.

Ｑ：Does magic use up TP?
Ａ：At this time there are still many things yet to be fully examined.

Ｑ：Are there times when you have to light your way through a dungeon?
Ａ：There are places that will be very dark, but at this time we are considering the need for any torches or illumination magic.

Ｑ：Will there be seamless movement between dungeons and fields?
Ａ：Yes.  Adventurers can travel seamlessly from bright, sun-bathed fields to the deepest and darkest of dungeons.

Ｑ：Will monsters behave similarly to FFXI, with Active and Passive types, different ways to sense players, linking, and all that? 
Ａ：Of course, there will be many monsters romping around in field zones.  The behavior elements from FFXI will be used again, but there will also be other unique elements the can determine a monster's behavior, like herd mentality or environmental factors.

Ｑ：Will Banzoku simply attack any and all humanoid characters without prejudice?
Ａ：They are human as well, so naturally there are some who wish for peace, or some who are traitors to their kind.  There are some who may even be willing to do business with players.

Ｑ：Are there monsters that will fight each other? 
Ａ：In the beginning, we came up with something like a food chain system, and it may end up in the game in some form or another. 

Ｑ：When you think Final Fantasy, you think summons, so...
Ａ：They'll make an appearance.  However, they take on a role closer to that of being gods.  There will be more than a few hurdles to get over before you can secure their aid.

Ｑ：Do the Banzoku have classes as well?
Ａ：Just like humans, they have a unique culture and society, and they will have classes they excel at.

Ｑ：Will we see popular monsters such as the Mandragora?
Ａ：You can look forward to seeing more than a few of your favorites from FFXI in the game.

I can't wait to play Final Fantasy XIV

My copy of Dengeki Games volume 5 was delivered to me a couple days ago, so here is what they had on Final Fantasy XIV! Still working with the same screenshots Square Enix released a while ago, but I like the characterization of the two speculators. Also, you know you never get tired of looking at the Hyur female underwear shots.

Translation by me and Aya, scans resized and watermarked by Draconix. Thanks, Drax!

Page 1

Is this an empire airship?
This sky-filling airship seems to be one of the Garlean Empire’s, used in its invasion 15 years ago. This war probably holds some key to the adventurers’ quests.

Clues in the map
The backwards E in this map could hold clues to how to decipher the rest of the map. Perhaps someone could study this and figure out where everything is?

(Note: They already have, and we posted it shortly after the screenshots were released last year. Here again, for your viewing pleasure, is that map. –Manly)



Page 2

Introducing our two speculators!

Fortune Teller P: In a previous life, he was known as “Speculator Bean” and was a legendary fortune teller that gave many predictions. However, none of them ever came true.

Forecaster O: In a previous life, he was a Roegadyn that predicted the weather in another world. His weather forecasts are spot-on, but that doesn’t mean his game predictions are…

System Speculation 1: World
Fortune Teller P: Well, various fields have been released! What I can tell from these is… Eorzea is huge.
Forecaster O: That’s not really from fortune telling, but I am pretty sure the field is very big. The beginning of adventures should be greatly influenced by which city you choose to start from, like FFXI.
P: Now that you said that, I am interested in the time needed to move around. There may be several ways to move around other than with Aetheryte.
O: Well, but adventurers have to walk in the beginning after all, I guess. Since the scenery is gorgeous, it would be nice to just walk around, taking in the sights. Maybe later, players would be able to move around with airships or chocobos!

A mark behind the crabs
This dungeon looks to be located close to Limsa Lominsa, the water city, and is overrun by crab-like marine beasties. What is this mark behind them? Could it be similar to the beast men flags in FFXI?




Attack of the giant ants!
This area looks like it’s used for mining and was obviously carved by human hands, but the inside is overrun by giant ant monsters. They are act and attack in groups. When they attack, it’s sure to be a rough battle.

System Speculation 2: Monsters
P: The beast tribes are like beast men in FFXI, so they are….. enemies!
O: Hey, that’s not fortunetelling, either. Well, they seem to be main enemies. They say there would be several beast tribes, so maybe different beast tribes live in each state nation. Maybe they are the first strong enemies at each city.
P: That is possible. So, then what are Primals?
O: The gods of the beast tribes, I think. Maybe summons. At the very least, you can’t fight them at an early stage.
P: Sounds like it will be related to the story itself. Maybe they will be the first goal adventurers set out to defeat, like the Shadow Lord in FFXI

Battle with pugilist beast tribesmen
This burly beast tribesman is holding hand-to-hand weaponry. His armor is also finely crafted, suggesting they have advanced crafting skills.

Is this a Primal?
This appears to be a ritual to call forth a Primal. Could this ominous being be the summons for this game?

Take on the dangerous beast tribes
This beast tribesman doesn’t even flinch at the gladiator’s cross-body sword blow!




Page 3

System Speculation 3 : Character Making
P: Look at the Hyuran on the right. I can’t take my eyes off her body line. They seem to have different sized busts…. Does this mean we can change the size of breasts?
O: Beside breasts, there are differences in fabric. Fabric and materials seem to make difference on what kind of garment they are made into. Customizing will be more fun!
P: There seem to be a lot of options for faces. I’m excited that there are faces which look like aged and experienced!
O: I wonder if you can change options later. For example, having bandages on for years is kind of strange. It’d be fun if we can add scars as we go fighting!

Silky drawers
Taking a closer look, we can see that the patterns, not just the colors, of the underwear differ, as well. Is underwear also a creatable item?!




Page 4

In last year’s Dengeki Playstation Volume 463, we had a few sections called “Creator’s Check,” which were comments from the development staff. Here is the full interview those answers come from!

Beta Test

Q: How much percentage you can play in beta test compared to the real product?
A: The alpha test will start before the beta, and will start from about 10 percent of the finished product. We’d like to check the entire system before release, but the majority of in-game content won’t be released until the final product.

Q: Will the servers be named after summons, like in FFXI?
A: It’ll be a bit different from FFXI, but it’ll be something familiar to FF fans. By the way, the FFXI beta server had a different name than the final game servers (BLATANT SPECULATION: I’m thinking they’re trying to hint that they might follow the theme for the FFXI beta server name, does anyone know what it was? Either that or they’re trying to say that the beta server name and regular service servers names will be different)

Q: How many servers will there be in the beta test?
A: We’re going to start the alpha with one server and gradually expand during the beta to an environment that can hold hundreds of thousands of players.

Q: What about world transfer service? Can we continue what we did in Beta version in the official version?
A: I’d like to make it possible that users played together in Beta version can start in the same world, when the official service is started. As for the world transfer service, there is a possibility in the future, and some kind of regulation would be needed.

World

Q: Are the beast tribes the same sort of existence as the beast men in FFXI?
A: “Beast tribe” is a name given to these people from the government. They look different from the people living in the cities and have different philosophies and religions, but they have their own culture and knowledge.

Q: So is there a triangular relationship between the beast tribes, the empire and the adventurers?
A: I don’t know about that. It’s a three-way deadlock with irreconcilable forces right now, but as the saying goes, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” We’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Q: What exactly is this power that adventurer’s have to change the world by reliving the past?
A: As things stand, it is just the ability to live past experiences as they were your own, nothing more.

Q: So is the world split into two worlds, the past and the future?
A: At this point, all we can say is that reliving the past is not the same as travelling into the past.

Q: The fight with the empire really stood out. Is this a “people vs. people” war? (Translator’s note: Human vs. Human. The interviewer means humans as in non-beast-tribesmen. They do not mean PVP: player vs. player –Manly) Does this mean the adventurers will be taking part in this war?
A: At this point, we can’t explain what that battle is, or answer if it’s even real or an illusion. What we can say is that in Hydaelyn, beast tribesmen are people, and the empire are also people. In this way, a war of the peoples will play itself out naturally, and the adventurer may get caught up in it.

Q: The name of the region is Eorzea, but is it also called the Garlean Empire?
A: Strictly speaking, they’re not the same. Eorzea is the name of the region, but Garlean is the name of the political power that controls it. When comparing it to the real world, it’s like Greece, which includes cities like Athens and Sparta in its cultural region, and the Persian empire, which controlled the region.

Q: The confliction between Eorzea and Garlean Empire means war in the Aldenard Continent?
A: The story begins in Eorzea, which include the Aldenard Continent and its surrounding islands. However, the main base of the Garlean Empire seems to be in some bigger Continent.

Q: How the ability to relive the past and crystals are related?
A: This gets into the main setting of the story. Play by yourself and find it out.

Q: Will we see chocobos?
A: For sure! However, we’re trying to come up with different ways to use chocobos than FFXI.

Q: We only know that there are flying boats for military. Are there flying boats like ocean liners?
A: There are some flying boats that adventurers can use as transportation, I think, but I will give you details another time.

Character

Q: What do you want players to enjoy about character making?
A: Rather than being able to create characters at your will, the emphasis is on having more distinctive features for each race according to the worldview. We’re sure the player will be able to create a character according to their tastes. Starting gear will also be different according to the class you choose, so it’s something you can look forward.

Q: Is it possible to change characters age visually?
A: There is no factor like age, but you can make your characters look like more experienced to some extent.

A: So, first Gear would be decided by the class you choose?
Q: Yes, class decides your first gear. However, what you wear later is up to the player.

Magic

Q: How is the system of Magic?

A: Magic in FFXIV has two properties: "directional property" and "school of magic." This means, even HP curative magic spells can be different in the amount, area, time and MP cost for the spell depending on the school it’s from.

Q: How about magic in FF series which are not in FFXI?
A: There are famous spells from the FF series which are not used in FFXI since they were not suitable for MMOs. Those spells are difficult to apply in FFXIV, also, but we won’t yet say that we are not going to use them. Moreover, even if they have same names as FFXI, there are some spells which have been dramatically changed in FFXIV. Please check them out.

Q: Can only disciples of magic use magic? Is there disciple of magic that can use swords?
A: It is more dependent on how adventurers raise their character rather than being hard-defined by classes.

Q: Will magic use TP, too?
A: We are still considering, but it is quite possible.

Dungeon

Q: Is there any situation that we go through dungeons where we’ll need a torch?
A: Some places are quite dark, but at the moment we are not planning to have systems that you need lighting or illumination magic.

Q: Can you go into dungeons seamlessly?
A: Yes. You can go into dim dungeon from the sunny field seamlessly.

Monster

Q: As far as active-passive, perception, and linking behaviors, are monsters the same as in FFXI?
A: Of course monsters are wandering around in fields. There are same factors as FFXI, but they have some original factors which are special to their environments and herds.

Q: Do the beast tribes attack humans on sight?
A: Beast tribes are also human. Some are pacifists and others are betrayers. Maybe some of them would even try to make deals with you.

Q: Do monsters fight each other?
A: Something like a food chain relationship has been planned since the beginning, so there will be something along those line.

Q: What about summons?
A: There are summons. These summons are closer to god-like existences, and in order to gain their help, even higher hurdles must be overcome.

Q: Are there other races for beast tribes? Will they have classes?
A: There will be other beast tribes besides the ones we have released. They’re also human with their own culture and way of living, so they will most likely have classes that they specialize in.

Q: Can we see our favorite monsters like Mandragora?
A: There are a number of monsters which are in FFXI appearing in FFXIV. You can count on that.

System Speculation 4: Conclusion
P: I am relieved that there are favorites of FF series such as chocobos and airships.
O: Now I am interested in standard NPCs, such as Cid and Gilgamesh. I hear popular monsters would be in FFXIV, too.
P: I hope Mandragora will be there! They were in FFXII, after all.
O: I’m sure there are a lot of things FFXI veterans are hoping to see in FFXIV. However, the story and settings will be something new, I think.
P: I hope we find out about crystals soon!


credit: www.ffxivcore.com
Apparently i'm not allowed to post the image in other sites due to their rights and weird stuff i'm not sure