FF XVI - Crafting a New Type of Final Fantasy - Interview

Damiani sits down with several core team members from Final Fantasy XVI to discuss the story, music, combat, and more! Audio: Extended Cut: Read our earlier interview at Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, Localization Director Ryota Suzuki, Combat Director Kazutoyo Maehiro, Creative Director and Scenario Writer Masayoshi Soken, Composer 00:00 - Introductions 01:13 - How did the experience writing for XVI differ from A Realm Reborn and Heavensward? 02:07 - How did your experience working on XVI differ from your previous work? 03:13 - How has the experience of composing for XVI differed from your work on Final Fantasy XIV? 04:32 - What were some of the narrative challenges you faced by having the game set during 3 different periods of Clive’s life? 05:11 - What led you to the decision to include so many MMORPG style raid mechanics in the boss encounters? 06:50 - Given how many crazy renditions you’ve already crafted for Titan in Final Fantasy XIV, how challenging was it to come up with yet another unique take? 09:15 - How challenging is it to write in depth side quests that feel meaningful, yet could be completely missed by the player since they’re optional? 10:46 - Was it a challenge to capture the spirit of the iconic Final Fantasy jobs in a real-time action game? 12:23 - Did Soken include a few references to past works? 13:50 - Final Fantasy is no stranger to iconic siblings. Did you feel any pressure to live up to the series’ expectations with Clive and Joshua? 15:42 - What sort of challenges do you face in balancing the multiple Eikon abilities and allowing players to mix-and-match those skills as they progress? 18:20 - What led you to this decision to forgo the Chocobo theme? 21:17 - The concept of magic and crystals has always been central to Final Fantasy. However, unlike previous entries, they’re painted in a more negative light. What led you to go in this direction? 23:04 - Are you allowed to clarify the specifics of how Platinum Games and CBU I were involved in XVI? 24:17 - Did you consider allowing the player to have direct control over the few NPCs who join you in combat like Jill or Cid? 25:39 - Did composing for a single player game feel more restrictive than it does for Final Fantasy XIV? 26:32 - Will Soken and Koji Fox consider performing the Titan music at Fan Fest? 28:10 - Could we expect a follow up at some point in the future, either in the form of a sequel or a new project? 30:59 - Closing Messages Support us through Patreon: Merch: One-time donations: Schedule: Live streams - Stream archives - @easyallies #EasyAllies #Gaming #FinalFantasyXVI #FinalFantasy16