Letter from the Producer, I (1/21/2010)




Greetings adventurers! I hope you are all enjoying your time in Eorzea.

Well, after a brief spell of users on
Japan's most frequented forum referring to me as "The Duck," I'm happy
to say things have settled down and it seems that "Yoshi-P" is the
current nickname of choice.

I apologize for the amount of time I've let
pass since my last post. Today I'd like to take the time to thank all of
you for the overwhelming number of responses we received to our recent
FINAL FANTASY XIV Players' Poll the First!

This post marks the beginning of my new Letters from the Producer
series, which I will continue to post regularly on the Lodestone up
until the launch of our official FINAL FANTASY XIV forums. Together with
this first letter, I have also decided to make public the results of
the first player poll, as well as include information concerning future
plans for the game. The post is a bit lengthy, but I hope you all take
the time to read it.






FINAL FANTASY XIV Players' Poll the First — Results & Anaylsis






The recent players' poll was available only
to users possessing a Square Enix account. We received a large number
of completed questionnaires from players in all regions—Japan, North
America, and Europe. Here I would like to take some time to go over each
of the questions and their responses, and attempt to explain what the
results may mean.


1. Which online games have you played before? (Multiple answers accepted)

There is a large amount of data to go over here, so I suggest opening it in "another window"
for ease of viewing. The majority of FINAL FANTASY XIV players polled
have a history of playing FINAL FANTASY XI, which is a result we here at
Square Enix were certainly happy to see. To us, this serves to
illustrate the loyalty and passion of FINAL FANTASY fans, and both the
development and management teams were truly moved by this result!

This also tells us that the majority of
responses to questions dealing with gameplay (from 5 onward) are the
opinions of players with experience playing FINAL FANTASY XI. And so it
will be operating under that premise that we will be examining the poll
responses.

By the way, questions 2 and 4 were included
to provide referential data to the management team, and I will not post
their results here. Suffice it to say, we are hardly in a position to
be providing this kind of useful information to any would-be
rivals...^^;

As for the third question, the most common
answer was fourteen titles, with roughly 2% of pollees having played
over twenty FINAL FANTASY titles. There isn't much to say here other
than thank you!



5. How do you spend most of your time in Eorzea? (Choose only one)

	JP	NA	GB	FR	DE
Battle (including levequests and behests)	47.5%	64.2%	65.1%	69.4%	71.8%
Gathering (Including levequests)	6.7%	4.9%	5.4%	2.8%	3.9%
Synthesis (including levequests)	35.6%	22.9%	20.1%	21.1%	18.3%
Socializing	6.4%	3.1%	3.4%	2.7%	2.2%
Other	3.8%	4.8%	5.9%	4.0%	3.9%

Much as we expected, the vast majority of
players are spending most of their play time engaged in battle-oriented
content, with synthesis activities coming in second. I cannot help but
be concerned over the 4.6% result for socializing. This leads me to
believe that in its current state, the game is lacking group-oriented
goals and means of communication. Rest assured we will be addressing
this issue together with the battle system.



6. What is your biggest expectation for the newly restructured development team?

	JP	NA	GB	FR	DE
An overhaul to fundamental gameplay aspects	73.7%	72.0%	72.6%	67.3%	57.5%
An accelerated version update schedule	15.0%	16.6%	16.3%	23.6%	29.9%
Increased communication with the players	11.3%	11.4%	11.1%	9.1%	12.6%

7. Which of the following issues you would like to see addressed first? (Choose only one)

	JP	NA	GB	FR	DE
The Armoury system	6.0%	3.8%	4.0%	1.9%	3.6%
The combat system	34.0%	15.3%	16.5%	17.2%	13.3%
The user interface	7.4%	9.7%	10.6%	8.9%	6.9%
Server response times	6.8%	5.6%	7.4%	9.2%	13.8%
The markets system	7.2%	14.4%	11.3%	3.4%	9.3%
Maps	3.3%	0.4%	0.7%	0.8%	0.5%
Guildleves	3.0%	3.7%	4.5%	4.4%	4.0%
Lack of in-game content	28.3%	44.5%	41.7%	50.9%	46.8%
Other	4.1%	2.6%	3.3%	3.3%	1.9%

8. Which of the following would you like to see implemented first? (Choose only one)

	JP	NA	GB	FR	DE
More story-based quests/mini-quests	43.7%	37.0%	40.1%	42.2%	39.5%
More notorious monsters (NMs)	2.0%	2.1%	1.9%	2.9%	2.7%
More levequests (including new varieties)	4.2%	7.3%	7.8%	1.9%	2.8%
Player vs. player content (PvP)	4.6%	3.0%	4.2%	3.7%	3.5%
Large-scale player vs. environment content (PvE)	9.3%	11.0%	11.3%	21.2%	14.5%
Expanded tutorials	1.2%	1.3%	2.8%	2.3%	3.5%
Auction House	22.7%	26.3%	22.0%	17.2%	19.8%
Other	12.3%	12.0%	9.9%	8.4%	13.8%

Let's take a look at questions 6 through 8 together.

An overhaul to fundamental aspects of
gameplay was by far and away the most common response. But an
accelerated version update schedule and increased player communication
are certainly not to be discounted, as each comprises over 10% of the
total results. The responses to these questions have left quite an
impression on us, and we will continue to be making numerous
improvements to these areas in accordance with your continued feedback.

The issue that players would first like to
see addressed is a general lack of game content, followed by changes to
the battle system. Looking further, it seems that the type of content
most strongly desired is quests and miniquests, accounting for about 40%
of the responses. The auction house has also made a solid showing among
the responses, no doubt due in part to the fact that, as previously
mentioned, many of the pollees are or were FFXI players. My initial
reaction was to interpret this as players stating that they want more adventures in Eorzea! More gil and loot!

In line with this, I believe that
significant changes to the battle system are necessary to create a style
of combat that lends itself to the enjoyment of quests and miniquests.
Following that logic one step further, it is equally necessary to bring
about significant changes to the user interface to create a UI that
lends itself to the enjoyment of the battle system. After all, there is
no point in making thorough improvements to battle if the response and
usability of the interface isn't capable of conveying those improvements
to players.

In line with the above results, we will be
bringing quests and miniquests to Eorzea sometime after the beginning of
February. Along with this, all of the changes being worked on during
the end of last year and the beginning of this year to improve the games
playability and user-friendliness will also be released around the same
time.

Though the next version update will
introduce a relatively small number of changes, preparations are already
underway to bring further improvements in the near future via a number
of smaller-scale patches, including the release of quests and
system-side adjustments. At present, we intend for something new to be
released about twice a month. Overhauls to the battle system and user
interface will also be ongoing, which will make it easier for the
players to enjoy the new quests and content being released. The
small-scale, system-oriented updates that will be carried out can best
be thought of as the necessary groundwork for the battle system
revisions.

We will also be looking in earnest at the
possibility of implementing an auction house, as well as continuing to
improve the functionality of the item search feature. Once prioritized
changes to the battle system have been made, we will continue to balance
and adjust guildleve and behest rewards, as well as improve overall
user-friendliness. I realize there are many things, but for me the first
order of business is to create the FINAL FANTASY feeling. To have
players take part in engaging quests that place them in a struggle
against an impending crisis that threatens their world. To have those
players combine their strength and fight alongside one another. I still
can't help but wonder what that ominous four-line poem might portend for
Eorzea in the coming year...



9. What do you find most appealing about FINAL FANTASY XIV? (Choose only one)

	JP	NA	GB	FR	DE
World & lore	22.7%	26.4%	27.6%	33.2%	24.5%
Graphics	49.2%	35.5%	32.3%	15.6%	44.2%
Gameplay	3.4%	10.3%	8.9%	7.3%	0.7%
Cutscenes	1.2%	5.3%	7.1%	2.8%	13.3%
Sound	1.8%	1.2%	1.7%	1.0%	6.1%
Online services	0.5%	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%	0.6%
The FINAL FANTASY name	9.1%	13.0%	15.6%	35.6%	4.6%
Other	12.1%	8.1%	6.8%	4.4%	6.1%

I'm personally of the opinion that the two
most popular responses, graphics and the game world, are the main
attraction for all FINAL FANTASY titles. I also believe that the number
of players who chose the game world option is a strong reason for the
aforementioned demand for additional quests and miniquests.



10. Which of the following would you like to see implemented into the Lodestone? (Choose only one)

	JP	NA	GB	FR	DE
Official forums	20.8%	29.8%	30.2%	22.7%	29.1%
Posts by the development and operations teams	36.4%	28.4%	28.0%	22.2%	24.6%
More in-depth Q&A posts	8.4%	7.8%	6.3%	10.5%	2.6%
More in-depth play guides	12.7%	17.6%	19.0%	22.6%	29.3%
More features for individual and linkshell/company pages	12.4%	11.9%	11.6%	15.0%	7.7%
Other	9.2%	4.5%	4.9%	6.9%	6.7%

I'm very grateful for the fact that posts
by the development and operations teams was the number one response to
this question. In fact, this Letters from the Producer series is a
direct result of this. In addition, we will begin a beta phase for the
official FFXIV forums in all four languages (Japanese, English, French,
and German) around the beginning of March. If all goes well, the forums
should be up and ready for public use sometime in early April. I hope
you are all looking forward to the forums as much as you are the changes
to the game!



11. Would you welcome changes to FINAL FANTASY XIV that would drastically alter the rules already set in Eorzea?

	JP	NA	GB	FR	DE
Yes	82.0%	91.1%	89.5%	55.0%	65.5%
No	18.0%	8.9%	10.5%	45.0%	34.5%

It seems this question started a wave of
panic among players about whether or not character data would
potentially be wiped. For the definitive answer on that, please see my
response to a player's letter below. As for the results, 85% of players
answered in the affirmative. This is something that will be in the
forefront of my mind when making decisions concerning future updates to
the game. I promise to do everything in my power to address as many of
the players' demands and desires as I can.



Thank you again to all those players who
took the time to complete our poll. I hope that I've been able to
appease those of you thinking, "Come on, Yoshi-P. Give us some
specifics!" (Sorry, the fact that I haven't up until now is probably
more a personality issue than anything else...^^;) Below is a list of
changes and additions, some of them already underway, that will be
introduced to the game in future version updates. And for those of you
who might have been wondering, this list is by no means comprehensive.

Category	Planned	Current Tasks	Future Tasks
Quests	Tutorials for new players	Planning and implementation of tutorial quests	Introduction of additional quests
	Quests revolving around the danger facing Eorzea	Planning and implementation of quests	Introduction of additional quests
	Public company quests	Planning of public companies and related quests in Limsa Lominsa, Ul'dah, and Gridania	Introduction of additional quests
User Interface (UI)	Improvements to the log	Changes to behavior of windows when moused over  Removal of auto-log activation, addition of ablitity to target behind log	-
		Automated show/hide feature  Log hidden after certain period of inactivity	-
		Revision of text colors by message type  Brighter system messages for easier reading	Increased log tabs Increased color customization by type
	Improvement of dialog windows (ex. market area selection)	Changes to increase the amount of on-screen data to reduce the need for multiple pages	Revisions to page advancing Conversion to specialized windows
	Improvements to journal usability	Changes to consolidate all current quests and levequests on one screen	Ongoing changes Additional list entries
		Changes to speed up text scrolling, increased further for prolonged scrolling	Addition of a feature to change pages using a gamepad
		Adjustments to window size and scrolling position  Consolidation of levequest details on one screen	—
	Character jump feature	Examination of the implementation of jumping	Implementation following completion of a favorable examination
	Increased visibility of combat damage display	Use of distinct colors for player and enemy damage	—
		Adjustments to prevent overlapping of combat text  FINAL FANTASY-esque changes to number pop-up animations	—
	Increased usability of maps	Examination of increased refresh rates for more responsive maps	Implementation of chages Subsequent increase in the number of points and icons pictured on maps
	Improved minimap usability	Addition of PC field-of-view display on the minimap	Quest NPC directional indicator
	Improvements to camera usability	Changes to prevent random reset of camera distance settings	Changes to allow camera distance settings via gamepad
	Changes to notification windows	Changes to window placement Reduced intrusion of windows when engaged in combat	Changes to increase the specialization of windows
	Improvements to targeting mechanics	Changes to allow targeting by type (PC or NPC) when targeting with a gamepad	Examination of target indicator customization
Guildleves	Improvements to guildleve-related information	Command-based display of time remaining until guildleve renewals	—
		Additional information when exchanging guildleves	—
		Revision and balancing of local leve issuing conditions	Ongoing revision and balacing
	Balancing of guildleve rewards	Changes to less popular guildleves in line with reward balances	Further release of new guildleves following balancing
Items, Synthesis, and Gathering	Adjustments to item condition values	Adjustments to lower the rate at which item condition deteriorates	Ongoing balances in line with player feedback
	Higher visibility of the optimal rank of items	Changes to the color of item names to convey the disparity between optimal rank and a player's current rank  Currently assessing costs of implementation	Color categorization of item names
	Reassessment of the gear affinities	Introduction of gear with rank requirements to create player-oriented goals	Further changes to gear affinities
	Revision of battle loot and quest rewards	Ability to obtain weapons and armor via battle loot and quest rewards	Implementation in line with quests
	Changes to item stack sizes	Examination of increased stack sizes from 12 to 99	Implementation of increased item sizes after finalization
	Increased pace of gathering actions	Changes to the frame rates of action animations to speed up gathering	—
Market Areas	Improvement of market area connectivity and stability	Reduction in the frequency of market area crashes	Ongoing improvements to market area stability
	Improved usability of the item search feature	Addition of prices displayed together with search results	Examination of ability to search by specific item names
	Examination of an auction house system	Final examination of retainer and auction house systems	Initial planning following final decision
Battle System	Ability to toggle display of head gear	Ability to toggle head gear to allow display of character faces	-
	Revisions to party-based skill point acquisition in parties	Improvements to skill point acquisition for parties	—
	Changes to enmity calculations	Revisions to enmity algorithms	Ongoing revisions to enmity algorithms
	Revision of crowd control actions	Revision of crowd control actions for each class to improve party-based play	Implementation of changes after finalization
	Changes to enemy group dynamics	Introduction of enemy group variability, as well as enemy group highlighting to enhance combat visibility	—
	Changes to claiming/engaging enemies	Examination and implementation of changes to claiming and engaging enemies	Ongoing balancing of skill point acquisition following initial changes
	Balancing of enemy attributes	Changes to enemy attributes and drops	Ongoing balancing as necessary
	Addition of beast tribes	Release of beast tribe monsters as both roaming and quest-related enemies	Further implementation in line with new quests
	Revision of enemy sizes	Optimization of enemy size for ease of play	—
	Design and release of notorious monsters	Release of notorious monsters	Further implementation in line with new quests
		Conversion of roaming monsters to notorious monsters	Implementation after finalization
Armoury System	Changes to actions for Disciplines of War & Magic classes	Further changes to enhance class uniqueness	Initial implementation of partial changes
	Changes to class names	Possible introduction of traditional names such as paladin, monk, white mage, etc.	Announcement of further changes as they arise
Company System	Introduction of public companies	Introduction of public company leaders in each city-state	Announcement of further changes as they arise
		Introduction of public companies in Limsa Lominsa, Ul'dah, and Gridania to combat the threat to Eorzea	Announcement of further changes as they arise

Currently, the above changes, together with
other adjustments and additions I have planned, are at about a 30%
state of completion. There is still quite a lot to be done, especially
when considering that more things will be added to the list. These posts
that I will be making will continue to contain a list of planned
changes, as well as updates on their current status.

Items on the above list will be removed
once implemented, with dated notifications being given in separate
posts. Changes that have been newly planned or are currently undergoing
testing will be added as they arise.

By no means have the changes announced by
the team up through the end of 2010, including planned adjustments and
additions to the Lodestone, been abandoned. I will personally be
determining which of these are necessary, and when an implementation
schedule becomes clear, I will add it to the list above. I'll have to
ask you all to make due with these posts of mine until the official
forums are up and running. I'd very much like to be able to put the
official forums and further community-based changes on the list by the
time of my next post...

As I mentioned previously in the poll
analysis, examination and planning of changes to the battle system, and
related changes to the Armoury system, are proceeding at a very rapid
rate, as we would like to implement them as soon as possible. In
particular, I would very much like to continue incorporating player
feedback into the adjustments being made to the claiming/engaging
system, and finalize it it the near future.

Also, please look forward to further news
regarding the public company system (not the official name...), as I
will be releasing more details on it soon!


I realize that this is already a lot of
text, but bear with me just a bit longer... Putting aside any news of
changes to the game, I'd like to share with you a bit of an update on
the FFXIV team. Enjoy!

I'll begin with a recounting of a visit we paid to Sensouji in Asakusa to offer our first prayers of the new year.






Somebody needs to learn to focus a
camera... I made an offering of ¥10,000 (roughly $122 at the current
rate), but whoever was snapping the photos at the moment I placed it in
the collection box managed to take an even blurrier photo than this one.
I know it looks like I roll with a somewhat unsavory crowd, but the
entire FFXIV team numbers about four times the people shown here, are
there are plenty of good and gentle souls. The unsavory ones are just
those pictured in the front here.

And, partaking in the Japanese new year tradition of drawing paper fortunes, the gods saw fit to grant me a daikichi! That literally translates as "big luck," and is the best fortune possible for the coming year. Well, I didn't draw it per se... Actually, Suzuki-san spotted it crumpled up on the ground, so I grabbed it. No sense in letting a perfectly good daikichi go to waste!

But the true treasure of the evening is this masterpiece...






I like to call this, "Now this is
the new FFXIV!" Pictured are lead developers Akihiko Matsui (left) and
Nobuaki Koumoto (right), and the expressions on their faces are simply priceless! Don't worry, they are actually very close fiends...really.

Again, I apologize for the long post, but
thank you to those of you who have stuck with me this far. I'd like to
close by making a response to an inspiring piece of fan mail I received
from a certain player.


Dear Kenneth,

I received your air mail, all the way from
California. Your letter made me extremely happy and I would like to
thank you for encouraging the development team in our efforts.

You expressed concern over whether one of the four keywords I introduced at the beginning of the year, namely reboot,
meant that we would be wiping character data. I apologize for any
confusion that this choice of terminology may have caused, but rest
assured that character data will not be wiped.

This decision was in no way influenced by
your letter, but is something that I have been adamant about from the
onset. As a personal policy, I would simply never allow it.

Our characters are us, complex collections of memories and emotions, and nobody has the right to take them away from us.

I will be more careful in the future when
choosing my words, and regret any anxiety I may have caused among
players fearing for their characters' safety.

Please tell everyone on the Kashuan World that Yoshi-P says hello!


I'm already looking forward to writing my next letter! Until then!


Naoki Yoshida, FINAL FANTASY XIV Producer/Director