[SteveManly]

This week's Famitsu included an article with interviews of 20 creators for some of the most highly anticipated games for 2010. Included in the article was a short interview with Hiromichi Tanaka, head of development for Final Fantasy XIV. In it, he talks about what last year was like for him and what he thinks is in store for the game industry in 2010. Translation by SteveManly and Aya.

Profile
Hiromichi Tanaka
Square Enix
Corporate-executive, head of online development

Let’s meet in Eorzea and Vana’diel!

Thoughts switching to Eorzea
Famitsu (F): What kind of year was 2009 for you?
Hiromichi Tanaka (HT): I’ve been working on online games since 2000, so 2009 was really more of the same. To be honest, I’ve been developing continuously for so long that my sense of time is shot (he laughs). We revealed a lot about FFXIV last year, but of course I’m also still working on FFXI, so I’ve been busy just as I have since 2000, except now I’d have to say that since the latter half of last year my attention has slowly shifted from XI to XIV.

F: What are your thoughts about 2009 for the rest of the gaming industry?
HT: I think 2009 was a big year for the iPodtouch and the iPhone. (The iPhone saw a later release in Japan and is only distributed by the smallest of the three main cell phone services, Softbank. Wide-spread iPhone use did not start until Softbank started offering some models for free and others for around fifteen American dollars with a new contract, so development for Japanese games for the iPhone just started picking up this year –Manly) An explosive amount of applications and games saw release last year and the iPhone is really starting to show its power as a multimedia device. Its integration with services like twitter make it easier to share information, and we’ll probably see this functionality broaden in the future. In Japan, a cell phone is a cell phone, not a portable game system like the DS or PSP, but if the iPhone sees a killer game app, it may cause some waves which could bring around the tides of change. The iPhone’s CPU isn’t made for games and it doesn’t have a lot of memory, but if it someday has similar specs to a DS or PSP, then the iPhone could be the next big handheld game system. If the rumored tablet device (I’m assuming he’s talking about the iPad –Manly) brings even more to the gaming scene, the mainstream consoles may be in danger. I’m still stuck with my Docomo phone, though (He laughs). (Docomo is the largest cell phone company in Japan, and the only one with service that reaches my house in the village –Manly)

Official service after efficient Beta test
F: What kind of year do you wish 2010 to be?
HT: First of all, I’d like to start the official service of Final Fantasy XIV, which took several years to create. I can’t make an official announcement, but I hope users can enjoy it within this year. For starters, I’d like to get the beta test up and running.

F: About the length of the Beta test, would you like users to play it for a long time?
HT: I am not going to define the period of the Beta test, but if it is almost completed, it may not be possible to reflect the opinions of the users. I wouldn’t like that, so I’d like users to play the Beta test of the game in its unfinished state, and would like to complete the game while taking users’ opinions into account. Therefore, I’d like to have the Beta test just before the master version, and want the game to reflect users’ ideas. However, this may be quite difficult, since there could be technical problems if the Beta test was started as the game is under construction. For instance, users may not be able to log into the server for a few days. As for the period of the Beta test, we can’t say anything yet.

F: What are you expecting from the game industry this year?
HT: This year I think we can look forward to interesting innovations in interface accessories like Project Natal. We were worried about whether or not we could get voice-chat to work with FFXIV, but like FFXI, FFXIV is a cross-platform game and the technology to get the systems voice technologies to work together are not completed yet. Because of this, we’re worried about the community being separated by game system, and there are other issues to worry about, like real-time translation and harassment prevention. It would be difficult get voice-chat up and running soon.

F: Please tell the readers what you would like to do this year.
HT: See you in Eorzea! We will work on starting the official service of FFXIV. Oh, and, of course, XI is also a very important title which has been going on over eight years. We’ll also continue working on it, so see you in Vana’diel, too!

Source is Weekly Famitsu, volume 1105, February 18th, 2010 (released February 4th).

[sanari]

Cheers! Nice job SteveAya! :3

[Zyuu]

"SteveAya" :D Yep, it was some interesting tidbits in this translation, however, we're still hungry for more ;)

[Forseti]

We're definitely hungry for more. But great work on the translation steve and aya!

[Mooga]

Good Stuff! And New WaterMark! :P

Thanks Steve and Aya! :P

[Requiem]

I'm afraid this (or this kind of info) will be all we get until after March 9th :(

Hold me!

Quote

the iPhone could be the next big handheld game system.

so could any device that provided the requisite/sufficient specs and marketing appeal.

Quote

Therefore, I’d like to have the Beta test just before the master version, and want the game to reflect users’ ideas.

but what about that extra time they were allegedly seeking for beta? does this mean release could be sooner than later?

This post has been edited by Requiem: 07 February 2010 - 09:59 AM

[Nikki]

oooo thankoo very much for that translation guys. Any info is good for me. :3 Hopefully the Beta will be sooner rather than later, I'm kinda glad to hear that they would like to do the Beta before the master version of the game too, that way they can really work on perfecting whatever bugs etc players might find. Also means it won't spoil the launch of the game either.

[sidion]

Thanks for your efforts on translation Steve and Aya!

I can see SE trying to juggle the dates/length for the beta as it's a tough decision for a game this big. Aion which was a title that came out of nowhere was really polished because it had been out in another market and extensively tested whereas Star Trek: Online, a major name title, had a relatively short beta and now many players are complaining of bugs and issues. Hopefully FFXIV gets the beta time it needs to make it a great game.

[Inuisonu]

Thanks for the translation Steven and Aya =)

[TheFatHousecat]

thanks for the translation, steveaya! this nickname makes you sound like a siamese superhero.

i pretty much agree with reqiem D: is this all we're gonna see for the month? i'm getting more and more impatient by the daaay.

come oooon se, don't make me tantrum ;;

This post has been edited by TheFatHousecat: 08 February 2010 - 01:46 AM

[Evicerator]

hoping that the in game voicechat is worth a damn. WoW did it and it sucked to the point that no one uses it.

Interesting that they're going the outside route of wanting to complete the game with the refinements from Beta players. Didn't work that way with FFXI.

HT talking about Beta being soon nice as well.

[HolyAp0c]

Thanks for the Translation Steve & Aya!

I kind of like the idea of them running beta in the pre "master" form and taking tips from beta testers, it shows that they're really thinking about what their players want.. I mean they should since were, you know... Paying for it and all lol. Hopefully if done this way they can still keep some surprises for final release! :)

[shiestykat]

These two quotes from Tanaka worry me very much:

"I’d like to start the official service of Final Fantasy XIV, which took several years to create. I can’t make an official announcement, but I hope users can enjoy it within this year."

And a few paragraphs down:

"We will work on starting the official service of FFXIV"

This is leaving me to believe they are softening the blow for the Inevitable "Spring 2011 release"

Think about this: If the Beta starts in March or April that would mean with a 6 month Beta the game would release in September or October. Putting FFXIV directly in line with the Launch of WoW: Cataclysm (the release date hasn't been confirmed but it has been highly rumored to be around Fall of this year). Absolute suicide. I think SE is going to delay the game and work out bugs till early to mid next year :/ Oh wells... looks like I'll have more time to catch up on all the games I've missed over the years!

[Quelil]

Thanks Steve, Always nice to come home from work and read something new, even if its not new info its a new interview and I am content.

[Requiem]

shiestykat, on 07 February 2010 - 08:41 PM, said:

These two quotes from Tanaka worry me very much:

"I’d like to start the official service of Final Fantasy XIV, which took several years to create. I can’t make an official announcement, but I hope users can enjoy it within this year."

And a few paragraphs down:

"We will work on starting the official service of FFXIV"

This is leaving me to believe they are softening the blow for the Inevitable "Spring 2011 release"

Think about this: If the Beta starts in March or April that would mean with a 6 month Beta the game would release in September or October. Putting FFXIV directly in line with the Launch of WoW: Cataclysm (the release date hasn't been confirmed but it has been highly rumored to be around Fall of this year). Absolute suicide. I think SE is going to delay the game and work out bugs till early to mid next year :/ Oh wells... looks like I'll have more time to catch up on all the games I've missed over the years!

!@#$ Cataclysm. People will flock to it and then realize how WoW has finally become an old person whose license needs to be taken away.

SE should drop their balls and release whenever XIV is ready--notwithstanding the competition. The greatness of the game (if it has it) will take care of the competition--not that the competition is much to be concerned about what with there being the same old crap since the beginning of the decade trying to regurgitate itself for the infinity'th time.

If they don't take a stand soon enough...that will hurt them more. The people are weary.

The MMO genre is in dire need of a stable and lasting product for the new generation.

The time is NAO

This post has been edited by Requiem: 08 February 2010 - 09:10 AM

[shiestykat]

Requiem, on 08 February 2010 - 03:08 PM, said:

!@#$ Cataclysm. People will flock to it and then realize how WoW has finally become an old person whose license needs to be taken away.

SE should drop their balls and release whenever XIV is ready--notwithstanding the competition. The greatness of the game (if it has it) will take care of the competition--not that the competition is much to be concerned about what with there being the same old crap since the beginning of the decade trying to regurgitate itself for the infinity'th time.

If they don't take a stand soon enough...that will hurt them more. The people are weary.

The MMO genre is in dire need of a stable and lasting product for the new generation.

The time is NAO

Your ignorance is appalling. I'm going tell you exactly what will happen if FFXIV releases at the same time Cataclysm. Ever stepped on a bug? Same effect. Sure there will players from WoW who are curious about trying out a new MMO, but after a few hours of "what I can't jump?" "Where's the PvP!?" "No talent trees lol?" they'll be back in WoW gobbling up all the fresh new content their tried and true MMO has for them.

Take a look at FFXI players. They're a stubborn bunch who refuse to see any other MMO other than theirs. You think that will be any different with the WoW players? Hell a lot of the FFXI vets that I know (who still play the game), refuse to even acknowledge FFXIV. Most WoW players don't even know or care about the Final Fantasy brand. I remember when the game was announced. I was playing WoW and trying to display my excitement for the game in my guild. You know what responses I got? "Who cares" "Final Fantasy sucks" "FFXI was crap so will FFXIV".

The WoW media blitz it will be so huge it will dwarf any release coming out close or near it's release. In my opinion SE has to distance themselves far enough away from Cataclysm so it can get the press and recognition it deserves. Only then will the masses give the game a fair chance.

[Stilla]

Quote

First of all, I’d like to start the official service of Final Fantasy XIV, which took several years to create. I can’t make an official announcement, but I hope users can enjoy it within this year. For starters, I’d like to get the beta test up and running.

This statement make me think that he has no control over the conditions of the beta and or when the game will be release. It appears as if things are not going as he planed.

Quote

I am not going to define the period of the Beta test, but if it is almost completed, it may not be possible to reflect the opinions of the users. I wouldn’t like that,

Yet again he states that his opinions by not become viable, as the game carries through development.

Quote

I’d like users to play the Beta test of the game in its unfinished state, and would like to complete the game while taking users’ opinions into account. Therefore, I’d like to have the Beta test just before the master version, and want the game to reflect users’ ideas.

He reaffirm his opinions about how the beta should operate.

Quote

However, this may be quite difficult, since there could be technical problems if the Beta test was started as the game is under construction. For instance, users may not be able to log into the server for a few days. As for the period of the Beta test, we can’t say anything yet.

Here he describes the opinions of his opposition. Who appear to have just as much control or more control of the games development.

Putting my words in their mouths:

If allowing users to beta test the game in its unfinished version, with the goal to create a game that contains user generated content, will we have a tough time releasing the game as planed? Is it in our best interest to extend the games development to obtain this goal? Will we obtain information that is useful? Is this information worth while to delay the games release?

This post has been edited by Stilla: 08 February 2010 - 01:29 PM

[Requiem]

shiestykat, on 08 February 2010 - 10:54 AM, said:

Your ignorance is appalling. I'm going tell you exactly what will happen if FFXIV releases at the same time Cataclysm. Ever stepped on a bug? Same effect. Sure there will players from WoW who are curious about trying out a new MMO, but after a few hours of "what I can't jump?" "Where's the PvP!?" "No talent trees lol?" they'll be back in WoW gobbling up all the fresh new content their tried and true MMO has for them.

Take a look at FFXI players. They're a stubborn bunch who refuse to see any other MMO other than theirs. You think that will be any different with the WoW players? Hell a lot of the FFXI vets that I know (who still play the game), refuse to even acknowledge FFXIV. Most WoW players don't even know or care about the Final Fantasy brand. I remember when the game was announced. I was playing WoW and trying to display my excitement for the game in my guild. You know what responses I got? "Who cares" "Final Fantasy sucks" "FFXI was crap so will FFXIV".

The WoW media blitz it will be so huge it will dwarf any release coming out close or near it's release. In my opinion SE has to distance themselves far enough away from Cataclysm so it can get the press and recognition it deserves. Only then will the masses give the game a fair chance.

it was just a perspective to add to the pile.

needless to say, FFXI didn't need the WoWers to succeed and neither should XIV, necessarily.

This post has been edited by Requiem: 08 February 2010 - 05:26 PM

[trep]

FFXiV can compete with WoW. I don't think they would delay the game to give WoW more ground on the possible FFXiV player base. Who knows what might happen if they delay because of Cataclysm, people might start playing WoW again (like me and a lot of old guildmates i know) and won't bother trying FFXiV at launch (why bother with a new game when you can play a polished game). I think they would lose much more subs postponing the release of FFXiV because of WoW than trying to compete with it. Are they even thinking about competing with it ? I don't think so, WoW has it's player base and FFXi has its player base (that will most likely move to 14).

[Requiem]

no doubt the resilient FFXIers will frolic out of the woodwork enough to see XIV through a successful launch independent of GrandpaCraft's new iteration.

This post has been edited by Requiem: 09 February 2010 - 11:11 AM