Final Fantasy XIV Director Talks Shadowbringers, Features, Rating Regulations, and More

During the celebrations for the Final Fantasy XIV FanFest in Paris, Square Enix hosted a segment titled “Eorzean Question Time,” in which Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida answered questions from the fans.

Below you can read a summary of the most relevant among Yoshida-san’s answers:

• Yoshida-san is the one who decides directly to kill off a character. The team puts a lot of effort in the story, so characters aren’t killed off lightly. It’s a decision taken very seriously. A lot of effort is also put into creating dialogue that will honor their memories.
• Mahjong doesn’t give MGP, because the possibility exists that it could actually be considered gambling in some regions. Poker isn’t in the game because simply its addition would be gambling for some regions’ legislation. This would violate the rating descriptors on the packaging on the game.
• As a side note, Yoshida mentioned that rating regulations for gaming have become very strict, even worse than movies. In the famous scene in which Yotsuyu steps on Gosetsu’s head, you can’t see Gosetsu’s fully because that would be against the descriptors for the game and cause issues. The team wanted to have a battle scene in which Imperial and Resistance forces clashed and some arrows pierced imperial soldiers. The rating authority prevented that and said that if the arrows had suction cups it would be acceptable. The scene in which Raubhan loses his arm had to be redone over and over due to these restrictions.
• The team tried to increase the friend list size but it didn’t work due to server restrictions. They have thought of a system that saves the friend list locally on the player’s machine, and of reevaluating the way friend data is recording. Turns out that a lot of the data is unnecessary, so the team is working on trying to clean up the data and increase the friend list limits. They’re not sure on whether it’ll be ready for 5.0.
• Just adding more HP to hunt mobs wouldn’t work. One way to make them last longer could be to use FATE mechanics like level sync, or simply make the battles a FATE. However, the current FATE system doesn’t have mechanics to make a FATE pop in certain conditions. The team would need to change the system, but all resources are allocated to the expansion, so this should come after that.
• Azys Lla’s theme might come as an orchestrion roll when Composer Masayoshi Soken has time to work on it.
• The team is considering Eureka-type content for 5.0.
• The next GATE for the Gold Saucer is already being worked on. The team hopes to make it in time for 5.0, but it could take some more time.
• Shadowbringers will include new Ultimate fights, and the first is already being planned.
• Placing minions in housing is possible. Yet having it move around will require a redesign for collision. For some great estates created by players, which are very complex, this would require a lot of testing. Yoshida-san couldn’t go into details, but he teased some form of minion farm content currently into planning.
• There is a “very very very” interesting dungeon in Shadowbringers. Even Yoshida-san was surprised when he checked it.
• “Maybe” there might be a Deep Dungeon in Shadowbringers. It’s probable, but the team hasn’t decided a target patch for that.
• Yoshida-san will plan the next two years for the game during the rest of this month.
• Implementing Yotsuyu’s outfit and hair for players would be difficult, but the team will try.
• The team is testing the ability for players to go through the balcony door in their housing. Yet there are issues with the fact that the inside and outside are different instances. That being said, Yoshida-san just had a good idea that might make it work.
• The team gets a lot of requests for emotes that involve two different characters. Yet, because of the extreme size differences, this is difficult. A new type of system would need to be created for this.

If you want to see more about Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Shadowbringers, you can check out the official trailer and Gunbreaker job, and the reveal of the new areas, Viera race, YorHa raid, and more, some official screenshots and art pieces released after the keynote, and some fantastic new artwork.

The expansion will officially launch on July 2 for PS4 and PC.

If you want to get ready before it releases, Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood is currently available for PS4 and PC, and a few more updates are coming, including a Final Fantasy XV crossover.