Note: The beta test phase 3 for PC and PS3 will begin June 14, 2013 (Friday), 2:00 a.m. (PDT) / June 14, 2013 (Friday), 9:00 (GMT)
Game Watch interview with Naoki Yoshida, FFXIV ARR Producer and Director.
Translation source from google docs.
Article dated 06/12/2013 - Interview made by Game Watch on 05/30/2013
Part 1:
On PS3, PS4 and Xbone.
Scholar reveal.
About E3.
PS3 version details.
Beta phase 3.
Game Watch interview with Naoki Yoshida, FFXIV ARR Producer and Director.
Translation source from google docs.
Article dated 06/12/2013 - Interview made by Game Watch on 05/30/2013
Part 1:
On PS3, PS4 and Xbone.
The trailer was deep and showed the beginning of new story, the PS4 version announcement at the end was a surprise, felt like we were tricked(laugh)
Y: we didn’t trick (laugh) At E3 we’ll have them announce the PS4 version. At the same time our message to PS3 FFXIV ARR owners and those who buy PS4 console can transfer their save data, we talked with SCE so that the players can start playing from the PS3 version.
Looks like there is something for the PS3 version
Y: Yes, you can play the PS3 version of FFXIV ARR without any worry, once the PS4 releases, and those who buy the console will be able to transfer easily.
2013 Release, so that means it’s not a launch title for the PS4 right?
Y: Yes. It will be bit off from launch (PS4 launch). But, it’s faster than you may think.
So first half of 2014?
Y: Right now we are in the final stages of the PS3 version and PC version, so please wait till next time for release information.
Is it alright to think that the PS4 version is the higher quality version of the PS3 with the same UI?
Y: Yes, but it also depends on how much we can do, if there is memory space we are thinking about adding the mouse & keyboard mode into the PS4 version.
Does it make a difference that the memory is 8GB?
Y: Of course (laugh).
What are you aiming for graphics?
Y: If you see the PC’s highest quality we should be able to do this normally.
For PC version you talked about higher settings than highest quality available, so you’re saying the PS4 version can achieve the current highest settings?
Y: Yes. After the official launch of the PS3 version and PC version, we’ll set up a team specifically for it and work hard to aim for high quality.
It’s of course going to support 1080p right?
Y: I hope so.
That’s something to look forward to. Personally I asked you several times in the past about possibility of future generation consoles such as PS4 and you mentioned “First is the PS3” so I was thinking even if it did exist it was going to be much later. So when I officially asked you those questions you already had talks about the PS4 version?
Y: I believe I answered this many times but we have the PC version, so to transfer it isn’t that hard. This time with the PS3 version we were able to challenge at PS3’s hardware limits so after this, the community playing PC game will increase and they will wish for higher quality. If that’s the case we want as much players around the world to play so we would like to prepare it for them.
In that case, bit curious about XBox One version
Y: It’s up to if we can get the community going.
Scholar reveal.
Talking about the community, they were talking about Scholar, what’s the story behind that one?
Y: Bit embarrassing, but we were planning to release the package illustration along with the release date announcement but the illustration got leaked a lot earlier than planned...... And the talk went on about the unannounced character that was in the illustration. Specially NA side were talking “Hey that’s Scholar right?” so we just said “It’s alright, no point in hiding” so during the 5/30’s producer letter live we announced that it was indeed Scholar and it will be released at launch. But, we’ll announce what type of Job Scholar is and the details of Scholars attack along with a video during E3.
Will Scholar hold some spot during E3?
Y: No, not like that, it’s just something we haven’t released yet.
Are there any other new jobs aside from Scholar?
Y: Just think of the jobs in the package illustration are all the jobs at launch timing.
About E3.
What are you planning to do during the E3’s live broadcast?
Y: FFXIV ARR is a global title but since we’re in Japan the hours ends up being for Japan. This time we’re going to NA so we would like to make the broadcast aimed for many NA players. During the E3 event we have a live broadcast program called SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS which will go on for 3 days straight. Unlike the SE’s image up until now, it will look more relaxed. We would appreciate if everyone can see SE’s is slowly changing.
Can you play the phase 3 at E3 booth?
Y: yes you can. For MMORPG you really can’t tell what’s fun about the game with just 10-15 minutes play so we are thinking of a event, or different type of play to participate.
Staff explaining and have them play for 20-30minutes fully?
Y: We’ll have them fight Ifrit. We have adjusted specifically for this event. If everyone can win then we’ll give them some goodies, that’s the event we’re thinking.
That seems like it’s going to get excited. So is this going to happen inside the SE booth?
Y: Yes, we’ll have a section for this.
Are you going to put this out on SCEA’s booth?
Y: No. It looks like they are going full out with the PS4, so we’ll have a trailer running at SCEA’s booth and the live demo will be at our companies booth.
Lets get the PS4 version out (laugh)
Y: Priority is to first release the PS3 version (laugh)
PS3 version details.
Regarding PS3 version, after looking at the 2nd walkthrough trailer, it looked like it’s turning up well.
Y: Alright, let me explain while running the PS3 version demo, this isn’t for debut but the actual PS3 is being used to run this.
(PS3’s Character Creation Demo Started)
Graphic option is pretty much fixed?
Y: Yes it’s fixed.
How much FPS were you able to get?
Y: We been saying max 30 so it’s 30.
Will the FPS drop where lots of players are?
Y: Yes it will drop somewhat, but if you ask if it will go down, then some.
The part that impressed me most about the PS3 version walkthrough trailer was how much details were put in for further distance. Really showed the memory process was worked into really hard.
Y: Yes, I also believe for the PS3 version it’s pushing over the hardwares limit.
The background in distance doesn’t fade off. What kind of technique did you use to make this possible?
Y: Although we dropped the texture resolution a little we carefully addressed it, and the big part is quickly swapping the low, middle, high texture resolution at really quick speed within the memory. In character creation, you are now able to change the background time from day and night, as well as choose colors.
There are more variations from hair and every other selections?
Y: It has increased.
For the PS3 version graphics, is this fixed (final) ?
Y: Pretty much fixed. I’ll talk about it since it was brought up during today’s live broadcast, in patch 2.1 we’re are going to release barber, also with this patch 2.1 the number of hair styles will increase a lot. So at launch just think of it as this much for now, and later on you can choose from more styles so it’s okay to freely choose one at first. It’s pretty hard on the system but even on the PS3 version we have applied differed lighting, and pushed the modifications to the lighting or shadow put on the face. There are more highlights and face paints as well, you can also reverse the facepaint now (reworded)
You can make detailed changes. Is this outputting in 720p?
Y: It’s 720p.
Looks beautiful. even with 720p, you can clearly read the text, and other than some icons being somewhat different from the PC version everything else looks the same
Y: Yes. If you’re just simply glancing at it, I think you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between PC version and PS3 version.
Does it address 576p or 480p also?
Y: That’s SCE’s regulation
I see, I was surprised when I was looking at the spec sheet and noticed FFXIV also works with SD resolution.
Y: There are SD TV in Europe so yes.
Talking extreme, you should be able to play FFXIV with analog TV also right?
Y: We have covered the minimum line.
How about the opposite 4K?
Y: Once it spreads, we’ll think about it
PV version is said to be optimized for full HD (1,920 x 1,080), so does that mean it won’t be optimized for the 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160)?
Y: Yes. But if we wanted to output more resolution we can. We may do a demo on it in the future.
Does remote play on PS Vita work for the PS3 version?
Y: At this time we are not thinking about doing this.
Can you download the PS3 version client through Play Station Store?
Y: Yes, phase 3 will be that way.
What is the download size?
Y: Actual product and phase 3 is little bit different, but I think the size will be over 5GB. I apologize but for this one we will need players to download this time.
The PS3 version client download isn’t split but done at once?
Y: It’s done at once. You download the launcher then download so even if it gets cut off in the middle, you will be able to resume.
(PS3 version field demo test started)
Wow! PS3 version is nice, there is no problem at all!
Y: If there was any problems I wouldn’t be showing it. You know it, don’t fool around (laugh) Even if you sprint around frame rate won’t drop much at all. I think it’s pretty miraculous. Really want to praise the development team for this one.
At last years point you told us that you couldn’t show us yet because when the UI was applied it dropped the performance.
Y: We have really worked into the UI’s response. Graphics looks beautiful but this also switches from low, middle and high.
I see, looks natural. For bad games when you move even a little it shows up on the background or flashes.
Y: Some parts of field, stuff that is far away or stuff that are automatically created such as the grass will disappear. We are making final adjustments on this aiming for the final product version. Other than that the rendering priority for characters and NPC will be tested during the beta, we would like to receive feedbacks and make final adjustments aiming for the final product.
Is the loading time similar to the PC?
Y: If you compare that to the PC version, the hardware’s performance is fundamentally different, and the speed of HDD process will vary.
WIll it create some delay?
Y: Yes. Well that’s same for FFXI, it takes some time to load the characters.
So, for example if you switch the PS3’s HDD to SSD would the PS3 version’s speed increase?
Y: It will (laugh) But, that’s not supported by SCE, and we can’t use that as optimal, but if you’re going to be peculiar with the speed, then it will be your own responsibility but if you change it will be much faster.
It will change that much?
Y: Yes. he seek error is pretty big, HDD is a physical disk so when it looks for the data it seeks for it and if seek error occurs it starts over from beginning again. For that reason, if the physical seek speed is slow, it delays in calculation. Other than that, compared to FFXI we have sprint so characters movement is faster, it tries to read the NPC but if you pass through them it ends up in a situation where it doesn’t need to load any more, then it tries to read the characters next, when it does that the input/output collides and reaches the capacity. We tried our best for the processing, and we'll continue making optimization for the final release but this HDD processing speed is very important.
Is the PS3 versions performance optimization finished?
Y: Yes. But like I said, for the reading data I believe we can do some more. Other than that is increasing the distance for bush, and increasing quality of water.
Regarding macro which can be placed inside the cross hot bar, is it now possible to save the macros on server side?
Y: We want to get this going by official start, but it might be through a patch.
So not far off, we should be able to use same macro’s between PC and PS3 version?
Y: Yes, we’ll do our best.
Regarding PS3 versions gamepad controls , it’s hard to control the direction key while moving the analog stick while holding the L2 button, how do you want us to play?
Y: It’s possible to control while auto running, also if it’s during battle and where you don’t need to move, you can use without any difficulty, so it’s something not to be used at all times but something that needs to be used at specific moments should be set on the direction key side.
So you’re saying the direction key side should be used as a sub?
Y: Yes. For those that will be used the most should be placed on the right side buttons, other than that, we have placed a toggle feature after receiving feedbacks. Up until beta phase 2 you have to hold down the L2/R2 key to use them, but starting phase 3 we have prepared this toggle mode where by pressing it once it will keep the hotbar in use state, pressing again will release.
That is useful. What does mix mean?
Y: Mix is a mode where it toggles on/off depending on how long you’re holding the button. If you set it on toggle mode, it works after pressing once and one more time to cancel. We received feedbacks saying it’s hard on their fingers to hold constantly so that’s why we addressed it.
I see. The config around this area is much more detailed now.
Y: Probably we may be number one in the world with the amount of detailed options that are available.
Beta phase 3.
At the point of phase 2 the options were worlds most detailed, so in phase 3 it got even more detailed.
Y: Yes, Minagawa (FFXIV ARR Lead UI Artist) and the UI team really put in all their effort into this. We don’t know any other MMO with this much amount of options in a MMO, and it supports both gamepad mode and mouse/keyboard so we want to take in the feedbacks and keep this momentum going till the end.
Every time the readers say they like how we keep on pushing on the questions, but for FFXIV ARR the features gets changed a lot so there isn’t much parts we can push on. We can’t do our business (laugh).
Y: People in the media check out many games so for you to be able to say that makes us happy.
Does this FFXIV’s engine have a name?
Y: There isn’t any, I will think of a name (laugh).
Next, regarding phase 3, the start timing was announced for June 14th, but you were actually planning for early June, was there a delay?
Y: We were targeting the 7th.
Thought so. It seemed that way, was thinking when E3 started we can already play phase 3 and be able to login at the booth.
Y: But think of it this way, we’re telling all the Media to please wait until E3 for new information and then starting the beta doesn’t seem right, also we are making final adjustments until the end.
So you haven’t given up on the 7th for the start date?
Y: No, it’s confirmed for the 14th. If we don’t decide on the date it puts more pressure on the dev team. They won’t know where the goal is, and to see how much they need to keep up, they also have a limit to their mental power.
14th in Japan would mean last day of E3.
Y: Yes, therefore I’ll be working remotely from there.
That’s pretty hard. Both PC and PS3 versions will start at same time right?
Y: Yes. That is the the plan unless something major occurs.
When will the client download start?
Y: Would like to start few days earlier. Should be able to download at the time E3 is going on.
Curious about the contents of phase 3, you wrote in the producer letter as well but there is too many things that can be played in phase 3 and it’s hard to talk about it, but can you let us know which parts you would like the players to concentrate on?
Y: The story. All the story is in there up till level 20.
So finally we’re getting the main quest for FFXIV ARR.
Y: We showed you the E3 trailer earlier but scenario up till where you defeat Ifrit is in there, so please start the beginning from the 3 nation and adventure off to other areas and once all come together you’ll start fighting against large enemies which are important to the world. It’s weird we have all this in place in a beta test (laugh).
Yes, knowing that I was surprised you were putting in the story in beta. What’s the reason in putting the main story in the beta test?
Y: Hmmm, this one is hard to explain but since the story this time is pretty straight forward (FF like) there is crystals, warriors of light, and viewing the past, these theme and keywords are in there. We wanted players to check out these classic FF parts.
I see. while watching the walkthrough trailer, toward the end there was an area that looked like a beach resort and the BGM was really up tempo, was thinking it was going to be more dark world but there were peaceful world so my viewpoint changed. You put in odd parts ahead of time for a reason?
Y: Yes, actually that location, far off from there stands a empire base, so it’s a small oasis (laugh) This time we put lots of features so for these ones we want players to try out and get them interested in continue on.
For the beta test, for normal MMO’s people stop logging in after a day or two since their data gets wiped, and that’s why they add more accounts to stress test, but with XIV this time we had lots of previous XIV players looking forward to playing we wanted to release the opening. But we really put in too much so I masked some of them (laugh)
I see. Since you all are confident with the story, you wanted players to try it out?
Y: Yes. If there isn’t enough story, testing won’t continue. Specially this time we have the PS3 players, so i believe if they say something like “tried it out but didn’t get it” it’s not good. I think PS3 customers will think of this as a demo version rather than a test to play. If there wasn’t the previous XIV I would’ve probably masked it, but I don’t want to make it where people say “I tried it but was only battle” or “I didn’t understand” so we made it where you can play all.
That’s pretty unique, you added the story in there which normally doesn’t happen since PS3 version players will think of this as trial version.
Y: That’s right. Even if I say “This is not trial version it’s beta test” the tester will still comment saying “This being trial version there wasn’t much” I can’t go around telling everyone that’s not the case. Specially the power of the community through SNS is really strong so we’re worried about that one.
In the E3 trailer, lots of major voice actors were talking. When voice is added it really changes the feeling of the game, voice isn’t being added in phase 3 right?
Y: It’s not going to have it. During testing there are issues such as rights.
It’s a bit sad hearing all those voice actors in the E3 trailer and not having them in phase 3.
Y: Yes. For that part I am going to explain ahead of time.
In the E3 trailer there was a scene fighting Garuda, can you fight in phase 3?
Y: You cannot. Garuda is far up in the scenario.
In phase 3, you can enjoy up to Ifrit battle?
Y: Yes you will be able to fight against Ifrit from the story
For Ifrit, you can get up to the primal battle?
Y: For previous XIV players they would know this, but the primal that comes up in scenario and the end content version is different. The one known as primal battle is the 2nd one, the scene you saw earlier are scenes which will come inside a story. You will be able to fight the Ifrit that comes up in the story in phase 3.
I see. So you won’t be able to fight primals as an end content yet then
Y: Yes. It’s very difficult content. But it’s alright to think of the primal battle as a hard mode of the scenario battle, so just imagine what the battle would be like at level 50.