Square Enix/May 2008 Interview

Development Team Q&A – May 2008
===Question 1 (Absolute Virtue)===
We thank you for holding your promise to release an Absolute Virtue video. Players tested and analyzed the developers’ videos, but they couldn’t find any real weaknesses. After careful inspection and comparison of the videos in different languages, we noticed that a few people used their two-hour abilities multiple times within two hours. 
Was this a circumvention of the game mechanics or is there some way to regain these abilities? We are assuming that the development team got around Manafont (meteor) and Benediction. Is this down to luck, or is there a way to "turn off" these abilities as well as the other two-hour abilities? We understand the importance of using elemental spells that match the day. Apart from this, we are in the dark.
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===Question 2 (Einherjar)===
Einherjar is a well thought-out idea. However, players are disappointed with the fact that the spectrum of possible outcomes is not as broad as was promised. Currently, there are little or no rewards for the amount of time and effort one puts into it. When we fail to achieve a goal in a Dynamis or Limbus zone, we still get a reward in the form of currency and other useful items. Could you adjust Einherjar to work in a similar fashion, so that, for example, we could receive a small number of Ampoules of Therion Ichor for clearing all the lesser monsters, even when we fail to defeat the boss? 
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===Question 3 (Repop time of ??? –Questionmarks-)===
Is it possible to reduce the time it takes for the forced-pop “???” NMs to respawn from fifteen minutes to something like five minutes? Spawning eight NMs results in a total of two hours being wasted. This is not only time-consuming but also causes any group after us to wait. 
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===Question 4+5 (End-game)===
In past interviews, you’ve often said that if there is enough demand, you will address any problem and try to act upon it. After two years of issues with users camping big NMs being continuously reported (for example with the 3 Kings, Tiamat, Cerberus etc.), is it possible for you to take action?
Most end-game Linkshells avoid camping these monsters because they do not stand a chance against people using third party software or people camping monsters like Tiamat, Cerberus, Khimaira for days (because of their long respawn times), evidently monopolising them. 
With more and more End-game Linkshells being formed, this problem keeps on growing and worsening (On Bahamut we often have five to seven Linkshells competing for three hours in Dragons Aery or 3+ Linkshells at Cerberus waiting for him to spawn).
We think that every player should have the opportunity to fight these monsters. Without using third party software or camping twenty-four hours a day, not everyone has that chance. Additionally, these monsters are no longer a challenge to most Linkshells as no one can fear them after fighting them for four years. Can you change the AI to make them more challenging again, especially 3 Kings?
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===Question 6 (Secrets/Latent effects)===
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===Question 7 (Dynamis)===
A major concern that has been brought to your attention many times has been Dynamis. We think that certain aspects of Dynamis could do with some small adjustments. Planning is quite difficult when the delay for re-entry is seventy-two hours. It would be desirable to reduce the seventy-two hour delay to seventy hours for Dynamis or any other similar content. The drop rate in the Northlands Zones causes many of the same players to farm for their relic gear after four years. We would like to move onto newer content. Players are no longer entering in the same numbers as before. Additionally, the current state of the economy makes the 1million gil entry fee unfeasible for even the largest groups. (Summary: Dynamis fee, re-entry time, drop rate)
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===Question 8 (Battle Music)===
With the recent change in battle music, can you consider making it optional? 
 
Many players do not want to hear the repetitive battle music. Some would rather hear the area music instead. Can you please give this option to those who want it? Most of the people I have spoken to do not like this new battle music and have now turned off their in-game music altogether, myself included.
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===Question 9 (Wing of the Goddess)===
What happened to some of the changes mentioned in the last interview which were to be implemented in Wings of the Goddess? Can you tell us now how monsters can become extinct? What can we further expect from this expansion? Will there be additional end-game zones like in Chains of Promathia and will there be new HNMs?
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===Question 10 (Switching Nations)===
I know this question has been asked several times without a definite answer, but many players would like the chance to explore the story-lines of other nations via their corresponding missions. However, the fact that outpost warp privileges are lost or reset upon changing allegiance is a huge hindrance to that. 
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===Question 11 (Windowed Mode)===
First of all, thank you for releasing this option. 
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===Question 12 (Food)===
Whereas there have been many new cooking recipes added, mages still have a limited choice of food. For example, a melee job can provide massive boosts to attack or accuracy through food, whereas mages will receive small amounts of MP or stats.
(This would resolve the issue of half of the food items not being desired simply because many people do not know the effects of most of the food bonuses in the game.)
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