Square Enix had initially planned to introduce a Time Mage job role in Final Fantasy XIV, but the idea was ultimately scrapped. This decision stemmed from significant balancing fears and technical challenges associated with time manipulation spells. Naoki Yoshida revealed the complexities involved in creating such a role, stating:
“In an MMORPG, we can’t stop time, and another aspect is that it would overpower the job. What would be the point of a Time Mage that couldn’t manipulate time?”
Time Mages are known for their abilities to control time, with spells like Haste and Slow to adjust combat speed and even stop time completely. However, these mechanics posed substantial challenges in an MMORPG environment, leading to the abandonment of the concept.
As the game continues to expand with new classes, Yoshida faces increasing difficulty in designing jobs with unique mechanics. The upcoming Dawntrail expansion introduces the Pictomancer and Viper jobs. Pictomancer is a magic-focused DPS, while Viper is a melee, dual-wielding DPS. Despite these additions, Yoshida acknowledges the diminishing pool of recognizable jobs from the Final Fantasy series suitable for MMORPGs, prompting a shift towards more original concepts specific to FFXIV.
“There are two key points that we consider. The first is to have different mechanics from existing jobs so it will have a unique playing experience. And the second is that, as an MMORPG, it’s fun to play when playing in multiplayer content. Of course, there are a lot of jobs from the Final Fantasy franchise in previous titles thatare very unique, but in many cases they don’t fit into FFXIV."
Yoshida emphasized the importance of maintaining the legacy of the Final Fantasy franchise while introducing new jobs. This includes addressing the challenges in developing new weapons and ensuring they fit seamlessly into the game’s design. For example, the Sage healer job introduced in Endwalker features a unique weapon design, showcasing the team’s experimental approach to new additions.
“I remember that we went through many different ideas about which weapon to use. The worst idea was just holding a huge orb and fighting with that. The idea of Sages pondering their orb during battle is certainly very amusing, but I can appreciate why the team decided to leave it on the drawing board. I thought we could not possibly implement that.”
Despite the challenges, Yoshida and his team continue to push the boundaries of job design in FFXIV, ensuring that each new addition brings something unique and exciting to the game.
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