Yoshida Naoki Interview with VG247Follow

Hope you guys enjoy!^^

http://www.vg247.com/2013/03/14/from-the-ashes-ff14%E2%80%99s-director-on-failure-redemption/

Interesting interview.. read the comments at the bottom and sort of got miffed. Pretty much every time I read comments about the game I hear people QQing about how the subscription model will kill the game and everything needs to be F2P. I've played a fair share of F2P games and other than League of Legends, I have never stuck with them more than a month or two. Hell, I played GW2 a couple weeks and it got so boring I have barely touched it since. I guess it's the aura of the word "free" and the state of the economy that have gotten everyone on the bandwagon for F2P. Not every gaming model can use F2P properly, which is why many F2P MMOs are Pay to win. F2P is where an MMORPG goes to die a slow, horrible death. Even though GW2 was/is successful there is literally no incentive to level up past 5 so you can get into pvp. If EA can't even figure out a decent F2P plan for SW:ToR Altana knows SE would probably blow up two thirds of the world attempting to come up with one.

I guess it's good that those people probably won't bother playing the game anyway, they seem akin to those that wanted the welfare epics in WoW >.>.

Just got off from work late, back and head hurt, and didn't get to talk to his love muffin today. Sorry if b****y.

Very nice read, thanks for sharing.

Why, because it disproves your assertion that the only way XIV can succeed is if it goes F2P?

Who said I'm offended? Frankly I'd rather have a subscription based game with a lower overall population than a F2P game where any moron with a keyboard can get in, but that's just me. Quality over quantity.

I would rather pay to have full access to everything than have to nickle and dime my way into a complete game.

I'm shocked you actually replied to me this time btw.

Edited, Mar 19th 2013 9:29pm by Wint

Honestly I hate F2P.. Every F2P game I have played just seemed.. Like they were low end games/mmos.. I know the argument can be made that P2P takes advantage of you in that you feel you have to play so much a month to get your money worth but everytime I play a F2P game I always feel cheated paying for the little transactions.. seems like you pay more to experience the game but if you decide not to pay for the transactions it takes you 100 times longer to progress through the game.. I personally feel like P2P has a more noble feel to it. Again thats just me.. Probably because I came from FFXI and it is what I am use to. Also just because P2P isnt as popular doesnt mean FFXIV should forsake it.. However, my dislike for F2P isnt why I think FFXIV shouldnt make F2P their model for FFXIV. While I agree that some change, innovation, and the next hot new thing is good.. I feel like everyone rushing to it and always trying to be ahead is silly. Stop and enjoy your roots/beginings. Grab firmly to what you began with and stand the test of time. Final Fantasy in general has always held to its own traditions and brought those same traditions forward. That is why they have such a strong unyielding fan base that is not quick to give up. When i look at SE it seems as though the road started getting bumpy when they tried to be TOO innovative. Its ok to change and adapt to some extint but as presented with FFXIV 1.0 (and to some even ff13) trying to create something so distant from what made you popular in the first place has damaged you several times now. Dont get me wrong I respect innovation and change. But I have a greater respect for a classic (such as final fantasy) that continues to build on a foundation that has already been established and withstands the test of time. My main reason for FFXIV NOT going f2p is that SE established the foundation and trend for the ff mmo as p2p.. Keep the P2P as you have already established but make the MMO in such a way that regardless of what the times are saying ("oh P2P is dying you need to switch F2P") people still flock to it. Dont just submit and say, "Well the general standard for MMOs these days is F2P so we will start there!" Nah.. Keep what has been established and let loose your swagg in such a way that you defy the times, current trends, and future trends with the old school foundation but better bells and whistles than the compitetion. I.E Turn based battle but better graphics/story..which accounts for several final fantasies. Again.. Holding on to your foundation (turn based) but build on it (better graphics/story the addition of mini games etc). Thats why I respect SE.. In most cases they stick with what they started with. Yeah they dont always do it but when they do they are loved for it. Anyways thats my two cents..

lol yeah... but they might not expect F2P can get pretty bad. Free to play is not free!

F2P could be worse than P2P in terms of "money spend per month" and in most cases they are worse, i've played an expensive jp game that is P2P with official real money store (like you paid 980yen for exp bonus, 980yen better items drop etc.), most of the time the money i've spent with the official real money store is way more than the monthly fee. like people said before, it's nickel and dime here and there, u dun feel pain at the beginning, but u will feel the pain when your bill comes at the end of month.

There is no such thing as "Free to Play".
There is "Free to Try"
and "Pay to Win"
and "Buy to Play"
and "Free to Play as a second class citizen of the world unless you pay a lot more than you would in a subscription-based game".

But I guess the last line was too long for tha average FtP gamer to understand.

League of Legends is pretty much the only one that has gotten it right in recent years. Completely F2P and nothing you buy with real money gives you an advantage over other players. Real money is used to buy champions you don't feel like grinding the free currency on, cosmetic skins for champions, and limited use EXP/"money" boosts (which seem pretty worthless unless you're leveling up a 2nd account). You are only able to buy Runes with the free currency you get from playing matches. This is the only "power" you can really buy and everyone has access to it. Even additional rune pages can be bought with this currency, although you can buy more of them in a bundle if you pay a little bit of money.

They really hit the nail on the head and after putting many hours into the game I finally bought some skins and a champion or two for real money. However I have a friend that has played longer than I have and is avidly against spending a dime on it. He has everything I have (well, minus the skins of course), if not more and is still probably a better player in some aspects than me.

Edited, Mar 20th 2013 6:45am by DamienSScott