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[orthodoxy1095]

Siliconera posted a translation of this interview from the Korean site Game Focus.

Some highlights:

Are MMORPGs dead?

Yoshi-P’s personal opinion is that MMORPGs aren’t dead but they’re just taking a break.

Yoshi-P says that playing video games is more common with his generation than it was for the generation before that. He believes that when he gets old, we’ll be in an era where playing games will become more of a natural thing.

Final Fantasy XIV, the MMORPG for Beginners

Final Fantasy XIV has strong characteristics going on, but it’s also important to make it into a game that puts consideration into casual gamers.

It’s often said that Final Fantasy XIV has a lot of female players, but they never made it with the thought of adding more female players.

Final Fantasy XIV doesn’t have many things that would leave a sour taste to female players.

Yoshi-P, who was once a core gamer, never cared for equipment that shows too much skin.

He says that since people have an image that online games are dominated by male players, there are many that think adding sexy female characters and a bunch of risqué equipment would make it popular.

He feels that this is something that the makers just assume on their own, and believes that if female gamers see some of these equipment, some of them might think “what the heck is this?”

MMORPGs are enjoyed by people of various age and gender, so he feels that they need to do the opposite of catering it towards just a specific category of players.

Are there any new games you’d like to make?

Yoshi-P works both as a producer and director, but he would like to quit being a producer as soon as possible.

One issue is that there isn’t anyone who would say “hey, I’ll be the producer, so you can switch out, Yoshida.” He also says that he has more motivation for Final Fantasy XIV than anyone else.

Forcing himself to work is what he considers a discourtesy to the players. He believes that since he’s the most motivated of all, he must work as the producer for now.

There are many games that switch out producers and directors for each new expansion pack, but Yoshi-P says that there’s still much more he’d like to do with Final Fantasy XIV.

And until he does everything he wants to do for Final Fantasy XIV, his motivation for it isn’t going anywhere.

Personally speaking, Yoshida has plans for about four games that he’d like to make, but he’ll work on those once he gets a little older.

Read the rest here: http://www.siliconera.com/2016/12/0...-decline-mmorpgs-female-players-future-plans/

Reboot me if old.

 

[Evil Monkey DTT]

Yoshi-P is clearly the best thing that could have happened to square. Beyond making a massively profitable game, he made a game people honestly care about. I paid 60 bucks for a lore book, which I have never done for any game in my life. It's brilliant, I have so much more info about this world I care so much about. That world was a hot mess, now it's the most special game to me. When he does finally leave XIV I am following him where ever the hell he goes.

 

[Pappasman]

Yoshi-p seems like the best person working at square.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

This beautiful man gets it.

 

[Trojita]

Yoshi-P is the best person at Squenix right now.

 

[everyday math]

It's nice seeing someone who just gets it.

 

[rocketskates]

This man is pure dedication.

 

[Permanently A]

I haven't really been following XIV since I don't play MMOs, all I know is that it was panned when it came out and apparently did a huge 180 and is now pretty popular. What is it about the new game that people like so much?

 

[Slightly Live]

Whatever he works on in future, I will blindly and faithfully follow. Dude has earned it.

 

[FlutterPuffs]

I haven't really been following XIV since I don't play MMOs, all I know is that it was panned when it came out and apparently did a huge 180 and is now pretty popular. What is it about the new game that people like so much?

Its fun and it has a pretty good lore/story to boot.

 

[mrlion]

I'm glad they chose Yoshi-P to fix up FFXIV he has done it beautifully and its only the beginning..

 

[kennyamr]

This is really one of my fav FF games to date. it's the only modern FF where I can actually be a black mage like it's supposed to be. He's a great director, I love the game.

 

[Trojita]

This is really one of my fav FF games to date. it's the only modern FF where I can actually be a black mage like it's supposed to be. He's a great director, I love the game.

I like FFXIV, but wut.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

I haven't really been following XIV since I don't play MMOs, all I know is that it was panned when it came out and apparently did a huge 180 and is now pretty popular. What is it about the new game that people like so much?

A basic answer would be that the team really did a lot to figure out what makes an MMO fun and how to let the lore/story shine through.

This probably isn't quite what you were looking for, but if you want a better look into what happened with the reboot, this Gamasutra article "Understanding the successful relaunch of Final Fantasy XIV" is pretty great.

Also contains a screenshot of this imminently reusable slide from his GDC presentation:

 

[KyanMehwulfe]

I haven't really been following XIV since I don't play MMOs, all I know is that it was panned when it came out and apparently did a huge 180 and is now pretty popular. What is it about the new game that people like so much?

I've been playing it off and on since release... mostly always solo. Usually a couple or few times a year when it has a free log-in weekend or event or something. And what keeps bringing me back is just that it's a really well polished and fun classic 2.0 style MMO, if you think of EQ as a 1.0 style 'mob camp' game, with FF XI being an example of that, while a 2.0 style game is basically like WoW or FF XIV. I suppose WoW is still 'the' MMO around but if there is an alternative, that also has great flash, polish, and production values, it's definitely XIV. Highly dedicated team and tremendous content updates.

I don't think someone who necessarily dislikes MMORPGs while find FF XIV especially different, but even then the great FF fan service (and I mean that in a positive way... the Magitek-esque mechs, the chocobo racing, airships, Black Mages, etc) could be enough to make someone who is indifferent or even somewhat biased against MMORPGs still enjoy the great world, setting, art, and music that's probably the most 'classically' FF game since maybe IX (or obviously XI). And if MMOs are your thing at all, it'd probably be hard not to at least thoroughly enjoy XIV up through Level 30 or so. I found it really fun to solo quest in up through about 30 or so, and then do group event leveling up to 45 or so (where my character is slowly still leveling up haha).

 

[CaviarMeths]

Yoshi-P is a godsend and I think Final Fantasy would be in good hands going forward if he was given a sort of brand manager position after he's done all he wants to do with XIV.

 

[Einhander]

He has been a great director for Final Fantasy XIV, but it's unknown how he would perform as a director of a single-player RPG, and especially a mainline Final Fantasy game. I feel that the unsung hero of Square will always be Hiroyuki Ito. The man created the Active Time Battle system, for crying out loud, and yet he's always been in the background, usually unheard of. He better be the director of Final Fantasy XVI.

 

[DarkKyo]

Yoshi-P is the fucking man. He has such genuine enthusiasm for producing his game and you can tell he really adores his fans/the community. It's a joy to see him at PAX East every year.

 

[Newtype-001]

Yoshi-P, who was once a core gamer, never cared for equipment that shows too much skin.

Bless him with everything good possible.

 

[NeOak]

Yoshi-P really turned FFXIV. My time there is memorable.

I often have the urge to resub and continue the story.

 

[Baliis]

Most of the actual armor is pretty nice,but probably a good 60% of female miqo'tes and au ras I see are wearing nothing but a bathing suit or night gown or something similar. There's definitely things like that in mind with FFXIV.

 

[Augemitbutter]

yea, the story is the only good thing left in this game. i had to drop out because it made me sleepy. way too casual.

 

[DarkKyo]

Most of the actual armor is pretty nice,but probably a good 60% of female miqo'tes and au ras I see are wearing nothing but a bathing suit or night gown or something similar. There's definitely things like that in mind with FFXIV.

What's your point? Males can glamour revealing, objectified costumes together as well. While 99% of new armor sets aren't overtly sexual or revealing, in the end it comes down to giving players choices. I find that most females playing females make pretty tasteful glamour choices, but I can't speak for every case.

 

[klee123]

Am very impressed with HW. Been playing it almost every day and it's becoming an obsession.

It's interesting to note that in terms of clothing, FFXIV have skimpy options to both genders.

Sure, females have more options overall, but males have some pretty skimpy stuff too and I see plenty of people taking advantage of that too glamour wise.

 

[Twiforce]

Yeah, I really hope going forward the Final Fantasy series treats women more like how Yoshi-P does than Tabata does...

A Realm Reborn is fantastic too. It's the return to form for Final Fantasy that so many people didn't notice because it's an MMO.

 

[Seloth]

Only good MMORPG is WoW

 

[Pachinko]

Poor guy is going to be making FFXIV for the rest of his days at square enix at this rate. It's good for players of FFXIV I suppose and but I feel like he can probably leave a roadmap for the next couple expansions and updates and move on to something else ... like maybe a Final Fantasy XVI ? I want to see this man direct an offline title in the series is what I'm saying.

If that sounds a bit negative, it's not meant too - FFXIV:ARR is my favorite MMO , the only one I've come close to getting to end game content with and it's a genuine blast to play.

The really selfish side of me wants Yoshi-P to just run the entire brand going forward, like a Sakaguchi replacement. Nomura and Toriyama have dug around in the mud for too long with it , it's time for some fresh blood. Thing is, I don't think Yoshi would want that job and I can't fault him for that.

 

[ChrisMahoney]

Is there anyone who still plays FFXIV that can fill me in on how content has progressed since launch? Are players generally happy?

 

[SkyOdin]

Most of the actual armor is pretty nice,but probably a good 60% of female miqo'tes and au ras I see are wearing nothing but a bathing suit or night gown or something similar. There's definitely things like that in mind with FFXIV.

The important aspect of how armor designs in FFXIV work is that, save one or two exceptions, all armor that isn't glamor fodder looks identical on both male and female characters. Unlike in a surprising number of games, female characters aren't forced to wear gear that is skimpy or sexualized in design. The only reason someone would wear that sort of thing is if they choose to. That element of equality and choice is subtle yet important.

 

[PK Gaming]

Great game, great perspective, great GUY

 

[Trojita]

One of the only embarrassments was keeping the original 1.0 female armor for Dragoons.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

The important aspect of how armor designs in FFXIV work is that, save one or two exceptions, all armor that isn't glamor fodder looks identical on both male and female characters. Unlike in a surprising number of games, female characters aren't forced to wear gear that is skimpy or sexualized in design. The only reason someone would wear that sort of thing is if they choose to. That element of equality and choice is subtle yet important.

hubba hubba yes

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Only good MMORPG is WoW

Now that's just dumb.

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

I have to admit, FFXIV surprised me when I realize my male character was wearing hot pants and navel revealing clothes as a reward from an early quest.

Well played developers lol.

 

[Bebpo]

The line about how he's a producer and director and really can't wait to quit being a producer is pretty funny. You don't often see people who really want to get out of their jobs in the game industry. Sounds like producer on a game like this is even more work than a director!

 

[Orochinagis]

Final Fantasy XIV, the MMORPG for Beginners

heh, hahaahahaha, ok maybe I am just burnt of of open world games but yeah it have a MMORPG quest like WoW but boring .

 

[Unknown Soldier]

He's given the best years of his life for this game. That's a level of dedication most of us will never comprehend.

 

[Holundrian]

Has the guy ever answered a question of what he things of the prospect of directing a mainline offline title at some point?

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Has the guy ever answered a question of what he things of the prospect of directing a mainline offline title at some point?

I don't recall ever having seen that.

This interview does mention that he has some plans for his own stuff he'd like to make:

Personally speaking, Yoshida has plans for about four games that he’d like to make, but he’ll work on those once he gets a little older.

Dunno if those four game ideas are Final Fantasy titles, new IPs or other old IPs. If he was given freedom to really make an offline FF title his own and pursue ideas he's passionate about I think he would definitely consider it.

 

[zoobzone]

Only good MMORPG is WoW

Not sure why you would come here only to troll, if you like WoW so much why don't you look up at patch 7.15 where almost everyone universally hate the class design?

FF14 is a great game, its keeping to the root of Final Fantasy, for a modern FF game it is alot more FF than FF13 or 15.

 

[Holundrian]

I don't recall ever having seen that.

This interview does mention that he has some plans for his own stuff he'd like to make:

Dunno if those four game ideas are Final Fantasy titles, new IPs or other old IPs. If he was given freedom to really make an FF title his own, I think he might go for it.

That's cool too, hope he gets lots of support and leeway given how much he seems to be rocking on FFXIV.

I was just curious given that I see many say that he should be given the reigns. Surprised actually nobody seems to have asked him that question yet. Probably all the people that think he should direct the next offline mainline title secretly don't want him to leave XIV

 

[Vashetti]

I'll never forget him getting visibly upset when responding to people's insults when ARR first launched and the servers were fucked.

He's a great guy.

 

[Sesuadra]

Only good MMORPG is WoW

I've shit a lot on FFXIV. But this is absolutely false. FFXIV is a great MMORPG, even if I personally think that it shit the bed hard after 3.2 release. But after playing since the beta in 2010 non-stop I'm also just sick of running after the next big item level number/new weapon quests. What kept me in the past in such a time, the great community of friends I build, is also mostly gone.

So yeah, still. It is a well made MMORPG and a great game, especially for new starters.. It just needs a update for its graphics especially butts and textures..and some new forms of progress for your character.

 

[Lunafreya Nox Fleuret]

FFXIV is a damn great game but there's nothing much once you do all the stuff from the latest patch. It just becomes incredibly boring at times but that might be on me cause I played it way too much. I have finally cut down on it a lot though. My favourite thing about the game has to be the story though because it is incredible for an mmorpg and sometimes I can even call it one of my favourite FF stories ever. Is it casual? Yes and no. Savage is hard to progress sometimes but not overly hard. Some mechanics just take awhile to learn and the steep difficulty of Gordias is dead now so I think ANYONE is capable of clearing the latest tier but it will still take a lot of practice. The rest of the game is very much casual.

 

[oSoLucky]

Great game, I just wish it didn't have to be catered to pad players. The 2.5s GCD and seemingly slow server tickrate really bring the combat down. If that was more in line with "standard" MMOs, it would probably be in my top 10 favorite games of all time.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Great game, I just wish it didn't have to be catered to pad players. The 2.5s GCD and seemingly slow server tickrate really bring the combat down. If that was more in line with "standard" MMOs, it would probably be in my top 10 favorite games of all time.

Being so controller friendly is a huge part of its success imo. That and it's aesthetics are the main reasons I even picked it up so many years ago.

A huge portion of the pc players I know all use some controller surprisingly.

 

[Squishy3]

hubba hubba yes

Or you've got stuff like the Hellfire set, where this is the chestpiece on males and females:

 

[Kudo]

Yoshi-P seems like a great guy, and I really hope he gets a chance to work on his other ideas, he deserves it.

 

[oSoLucky]

Being so controller friendly is a huge part of its success imo. That and it's aesthetics are the main reasons I even picked it up so many years ago.

A huge portion of the pc players I know all use some controller surprisingly.

Absolutely. I would say probably 1/3 of all players I know on PC use a pad also. I get it, but on a personal level it's what's really holding the game back to me. There's too much of a reliance on oGCD abilities and fights like Seph EX and Nidhogg make it so you're constantly moving, exacerbating the problem. It's an interesting game in how it's very casual on the surface but the endgame is pretty hardcore.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

This beautiful man gets it.