[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

First off, the link if you want to read the rest of the article from JP Button:

JPButton 電撃Playstation: Developer Interview (Feb. ‘09)

Thanks to Elmer the Pointy as always for the translation.

tl:dr version: We're planning to expand FoV, Treasure Caskets to new (non-ToA/WotG) areas. New Campaign battlegrounds in update (probably northlands). Talk of possibly expanding universal merit categories, rather than add a group 3 set. Mythic Weapon talk, MMM stuff and Ohlookjobadjustments.

Special tl;dr note: They want to add stuff more badass than AV and PW, mobs that really tests the mettle of players.

OK, so on to the job adjustment talk:

General

As for Job adjustments in general, we are looking to give jobs that are limited in their abilities more options and versatility. We think something like Samurai’s Hasso and Seigan, where play-style changes under the effect of one ability versus the other, would be a good route to take. That, and we are imagining ways that White Mages and other magic users can broaden their usage in a fight. This isn’t to say we want Jobs to break from their original design, but rather give them more options when faced with a variety of situations

SAM's Hasso/Seigan update did inspire some good future ideas. Not a bad thought to revisit the concept as it was also put toward SCH down the road, though in a different way.

Summoner

Originally Posted by Kendai

Currently, the adjustment closest to being implemented, one that has been widely asked for, is concerning the radius of Blood Pacts - what determines if a pact fails to activate... We think it’s possible to make it so that both MP consumption and the recast penalty don’t happen in the case of a failure.

Originally Posted by Matsu

Yes, that’s right. Now, if the Blood Pact is unable to activate upon being selected by the player, it’s easy enough to make it so it doesn’t consume MP. However, there are cases where the player selects the Blood Pact, but the enemy moves out of range and the pact ends in failure. We’re testing ways in which the lost MP can somehow be returned to the player in these cases

So they're addressing another long-standing issue with SMN, sounds good. As usual, regarding future summons:

Originally Posted by Kendai

[/b]As for new Avatars, if you ask us in a little bit, we may be able to tell you something.

So, like BST before it, SMN is getting adjustments in baby steps.

/cue Malacite bitching about something anyway

Beastmaster

Originally Posted by Matsu

we’re looking at exactly what we can do. As for the pet growth element, there’s many Call Beast pets to work with, so I’ll have to get back to you about that. Currently, the guy in charge of monsters is drawing up the plans, and there’s nothing concrete I can say at this time, but the adjustments are intended to add more fun to the Job. We’re busy thinking of any way we can make the Job more interesting for all Beastmasters.

Pet Growth would pose a problem since BST pets aren't a permanent deal. Its being looked at. Please add more fun to the job, though, particularly for party functions. We're fine on solo, kthx.

Puppetmaster

Possibly adjustment for spell scaling issues?

Dev Team evades!

Yeah, so no answer on that, but at least the issue is known to them.

White Mage

Answer in the form of the interviewer's question?

At Vana Fest 2008 in Kourakuen, you announced new Bar-spells for White Magic

I don't remember hearing that. Oh well.

But it made YM spaz anyway. Nothing we haven't heard before. You know, "blah blah after waiting 6 years blah yadda blah yaddity blah"

They didn't say that was for RDM, they specificially said WHM and RDM would get melee adjustments at the FanFests (apparently situational, by the comments in this interview). Heck, if they're adding barspells its possible they're also looking at thier effectiveness.

Anyway, that's all.

[Yellow Mage]

Originally Posted by Omgwtfbbqkitten

they specificially said WHM and RDM would get melee adjustments at the FanFests

You see, at the FanFest 2008 itself, the Dev Team themselves never ever ever specifically used the word "melee" when they announced they would be "adjusting" White Mage and Red Mage, who happen to be the only native jobs with barspells.

If all we have in store in that case are freaking barspells (not that barspells aren't practical . . . ), I'ma strangle somebody.

Give me a moment while I get what was said at FanFest verbatim . . .

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

You see, at the FanFest 2008 itself, the Dev Team themselves never ever ever specifically used the word "melee" when they announced they would be "adjusting" White Mage and Red Mage, who happen to be the only native jobs with barspells.

Bard gets them, too.

The word was actually "frontline" at FanFest I believe.

You guys (i.e. half of the RDMs out there) decided that meant "OMGwe'regonnagettomeleeallthetime."

What did the rest of us say?

Originally Posted by Rest of Us

Don't get your hopes up.

[Armando]

In the next adjustment:

WHM will get a new line of very potent barspells that are only active while the WHM is in the front lines meleeing the mob.

=P

[Mhurron]

Originally Posted by Yellow Mage

I'ma strangle somebody.

Please do. They don't allow internet access in prison.

[ShepardG]

Hmmmm pupdate please.

[Armando]

Since they don't have a problem with "copying" SAM's Hasso/Seigan design on other jobs they might as well implement something akin to maneuvers for BST if they're still anal about letting you choose Sic moves freely.

Maybe work in some stat boosts for pet foods so BSTs can buff jug pets. Or they could just make pet rolls hit the pets instead of their masters, that would be nice.

EDIT: Or perhaps even simpler to implement - just change pet rolls stop taking up buff slots so the player can receive his own buffs and his pet's at the same time.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Originally Posted by Armando

EDIT: Or perhaps even simpler to implement - just change pet rolls stop taking up buff slots so the player can receive his own buffs and his pet's at the same time.

Even then, it still would be a waste of time to buff the pet over the party member, not to mention it would throw off the buff cycles a bit for CORs. Phantom Rolls wear in five minutes. Six in my case with 3/5 Winning Streak merits, but still.

Granted. most CORs these days are fuckwits that only buff from the frontline and cheap both the front and backline out of an additional buff while full-timing Luzaf's ring because they think its created so they never have to move to the back line. Two buff cycle = Fail. At least we know some of our CORs here still strive for a four buff rotation.

2 melee/2 mage/2 pet buffs would mean SE would need to reduce Phantom Roll timers for that work. Given the duration Phantom Rolls presently have and being overwhelmingly superior to BRD buffs in duration, I just don't see that happening.

Plus then people would try to rotate CORs in endgame events. It doesn't work now and I prefer they keep it that way because I hate being tossed around. If I wanted to be passed around like a cheap slut, I'd still be a BRD.

Quick addition: I think the pet buffs were really meant for low-man functions, like duos and trios with BSTs, or PUPs. There you can make the sacrifice of not giving a melee buff since you'd have the advantage by lowering the level difference, but would still want the pet to tank at times anyway. I haven't done many duos or trios with BSTs, but pet roll + COR roll seems to be the preferred approach. BSTs want pets to tank, so upping pet performance helps to that end.

[Malacite]

So does this mean we're finally getting the Northlands and the Medals ranks for WotG? Those body pieces and the increased EXP/Minute cap better be good given the 9 month wait


Also, in their last interview they said their focus this year was making all 20 jobs fun to play, but at the end of this one they did not reiterate that;


In any event this was all very good info ^_^ Maybe WHM will finally get barlightra and bardarkra? It's annoying as hell that BRD is the only job that can provide resistance against those elements. Baramnesia would be nice as well.

The merit notion was also fairly note worthy; they're finally admitting the problems of the merit system for people with multiple 75's. While I'm somewhat sad they're not going to do a Group 3 (at least not yet) they are planning on something for people with multiple jobs... so yay! ^^ Though quite frankly I can't imagine what. Maybe adjusting hhp and hmp at long last?

[Yellow Mage]

Originally Posted by Omgwtfbbqkitten

Bard gets them, too.

No they don't, they get Carol. March is not Haste, remember?

Besides, the Dev Interview specifically mentioned White Magic, so . . . yeah . . .

The word was actually "frontline" at FanFest I believe.

Originally Posted by Exact Dev Panel Question

Last year at Fan Festival Red Mage was announced to have changes to make it a front line job. Is this still going to happen?

Originally Posted by Exact Translated Answer

So, yeah, there's, uh, there's a lot of job adjustments that are being considered for the, not this upcoming patch but the next one which will be, probably I guess planned slated for some time in March, and what he's working with right now/kicking around specifically are Red Mage and White Mage adjustments.

Originally Posted by Yellow Mage after going through the audio about 10 times

Dangit would this translator guy be more concise so I can get this whole verbatim thing down!

So, yeah, while "frontline" was, indeed, wistfully thrown around in the question, the answer, and this is key, only had the word "adjustments," and nothing more. That could mean anything, including barspells.

You guys (i.e. half of the RDMs out there) thought that meant "OMGwe'regonnagettomelee."

FTFY.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Originally Posted by Yellow Mage

No they don't, they get Carol. March is not Haste, remember?

Ugh, semantics again.

March is a form of Haste. Is a form of, meaning, for all intents and purposes, its meant to function like Haste. You're just making the annoying distinction that because it has a different status icon, its something totally different.

Except is not, it is a Haste. It wouldn't stack with Haste were it given the same status icon, not to mention the percentages and duration vary based on instrument the BRD uses. BRD plays by different rules than RDM and WHM.

With the exception of a status icon they play by the same rules and perform a similar fucntion, just at different rates.

Carols are BRD's elemental Barspells, and then they get a whole series of other bar-songs with weird names. They stack with the effects of existing barspells.

Different Icon, yet same intended function so they'll stack.

Originally Posted by Malacite

The merit notion was also fairly note worthy; they're finally admitting the problems of the merit system for people with multiple 75's. While I'm somewhat sad they're not going to do a Group 3 (at least not yet) they are planning on something for people with multiple jobs... so yay! ^^ Though quite frankly I can't imagine what. Maybe adjusting hhp and hmp at long last?

I see it as more of a natural expansion of merits, not a problem. But really, they need to pay more attention to expanding magic merit categories than melee ones. Combat skill merits can cross over to more than one job, but there are magic skills that are harder to justify putting merits into since things like Summoning Magic, Divine Magic, Dark Mage and Blue Magic skill don't really have a major application in other jobs.

If I merit dagger, that's good for THF, RDM, BRD, DNC, RNG and COR on various levels. If I merit Axe, that works for BST, DRK, WAR and RNG.

If I merit Blue Magic... well, just good for BLU. If we're gonna put that out there as a merit option, at least expand the category to justify meriting it for BLU rather than having to pull back and trying to cross over merits with another mage instead.

Combat Skills are actually fine as the are. Perhaps give them 4-8 more points to work with - I actually would like to keep my COR's sword merits and boost Archery for RNG, really. but this time make magic skill merits comparable to combat skill so those that want to level SMN or BLU don't really have to hold back. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that anal about my skill merits and it does keep some people from playing jobs they'd like to level.

If I could get a little more freedom in magic skills, I'd level Foobar as BLU and not even give RDM a second thought. More combat skill merits could mean good things for my DNC and THF, I'd like to play those as effectively as I do my COR and RNG.

Oh well, wait and see. I just hope SE is considering magic skill and not just catering to the majority of drooling melee players.

[Balfree]

I feel like banning the lot of you.

Yes yes, and then I'll say it was all a mistake.

But hopefully you guys will be all like "waaaaah sniff sniff" and won't come back.

[Taskmage]

They seemed to think of Mystic Boon being whm's melee update. Maybe Death Blossom was ours. Of course I'd still like to see Enspell IIs.

Baramnesia seems obligatory. Barlight and Bardarkness would be a surprise but could have a significant impact on certain battles. Beyond that is there anything else to bar that would be worth mentioning?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Mystic Boon and Death Blossom are certainly nice for certain situations, heck, even Omniscience has a nice effect and its a SCH WS. Still, you're not often going to find a place outside of campaign or low man groups/events for them.

I'm still hoping that SE will give RDM something, mainly just so they'll just shut up. If its just some dinky spells, there will be a shitstorm over it I'm sure. Of course, these RDMs brought it on themselves with the expectations they've been keeping. Nothing that comes will likely be good enough.

SE says they want to make all the jobs more fun to play and they seem to be steering the trend of T/VT EXP at all levels of the game.

The problem isn't exactly that all these jobs aren't fun at EXP levels, most of them are. The problem is these jobs can cease to be fun at endgame levels - support, tank and mage classes especially due to the high demands placed on them. BRD certainly lost its fun for me when it became a tool for merits and an endgame item. SE created a job so good, no one treats the player in it like a person and that makes nobody want to play it.

RDM has its perks, but I can never be happy if I'm always facing mobs that resist my specialization, there's not much thrill to it.. RoZ and CoP zones don't have anti-mage mobs, ToA is loaded with them and WotG is treated like CoP zones - zones that are for mission backdrops and endgame content, not EXP.

Fields of Valor and Treasure Caskets given some incentive to move off the beaten path, hopefully they'll expand it so that's even more incentive for doing so. Imagine a Field Manual out in Ule Range or Attowah Chasm and caskets with lucrative rewards out there.

Of course, I do kinda like some of these places being zones where BSTs can EXP undisturbed. I don't think any amount of caskets of field manuals could get somone out in Ifrit's Cauldron.

[Armando]

Beyond that is there anything else to bar that would be worth mentioning?

Barcurse and Barcharm could come in handy. Less important but still welcome would be Barstun and Barcharm.