Another Yoshida interview (aka another episode of Yoshida flailing and completely missing the point of why people hated Dawntrail) just dropped:
This interview feels like it was given by the most bluest of the blue hairs, just based on the question lines and the way they were structuring it. I'm glad Yoshi P didn't just chalk it up to 'the chuds' or whatever and acknowledged that there is valid criticism out there.
>The Warrior of Light is indeed still the main hero of FFXIV but is just in a supporter role in Dawntrail
>He asks fans to please not make any personal attacks to Wuk Lamat's voice actress(es) or localization team members; they are just doing their best to deliver a great product
This is childish of me, but only if Wuk Lamat's VA doesn't make any personal attacks.
>The slow pacing of Dawntrail is due to having to learn about new environments and cultures, so it was necessary but did indeed make the first half feel very slow
One thing he also said that you didn't include is that WL is a 'very Japanese' character.
Which is strange, because the Japanese aren't fond of trooncat, either, largely because she's seen as boorish and un-Japanese. Maybe he meant in terms of like a stock character, but, ehhhhhh.
I also disagree wholeheartedly that you have to have slow pacing in order to learn about new environments and cultures. Shadowbringers was exactly that and it flowed just fine, even as we were learning about shit as we progressed through the MSQ. I'm sick of this 'respecting cultures' excuse that keeps getting trotted out here. You can have engaging gameplay that doesn't move at a glacial pace while also incorporating/introducing new cultures and ideas. Especially if your 'deep' exploration of these cultures is 'LOL ALPACAS, *holds up spork*' nonsense.
>He believes those who did not warm up to Wuk Lamat probably feel this way because she was introduced in a negative light with a complex compared to her siblings, which he thinks players might have found frustrating
It's a bad character who is grossly overexposed compounded by shite writing. There's no reprieve and you're along for the ride no matter what, with the added bonus of yet another world-ending threat being introduced and two popular characters being sidelined.
Why does no one ask Yoshi P about Erenville and Krile getting put on the sidelines?
>He understands the negative reaction to Dawntrail's slow pacing and Wuk Lamat's character and says this is something the team will need to improve on moving forward, so they will take all this feedback into account.
Thoughts?
I honestly think he's being diplomatic here because he's just as liable for Dawntrail's shitty reception as the underlings working beneath him are, so it makes sense to be diplomatic and non-committal with his answers. Plus, it's just generally unprofessional to throw your team under the bus because of some bad press.
I think that he's had more of a time to digest the full game and see the feedback coming out and the fact that he's acknowledged that there are significant issues (and it's not just the evil TERFs trying to genocide the heckin' wholesome culture respecter Wuk Lamat or whatever) is important.
I just find it bizarre some of the arguments he's bringing up or making.
The WoL isn't the focus. Okay, sure, but maybe you could acknowledge that this way of attempting things didn't quite work and that the dev team are looking at different ways, moving forward.
We're introducing new cultures and that's why it's so slow. No, it was a conscious decision to structure things the way that they did. It's molasses in January levels of slow because that was the intention, it wasn't a byproduct of the subject matter and an inescapable conclusion.
I don't think it's helped with people who are desperately trying to salvage trooncat (like I feel whoever did this interview was) asking the questions they are asking.
I fucking hate games journalists because they rarely ask anything thought provoking or interesting. Preach's interview with Yoshi P was actually interesting because it went beyond 'are we going to see Blitzball?!??!'-tier questions and talked about broader game design shit.
Instead of asking 'are you aware people dislike Wuk Lamat?' ask shit like 'What lessons have you learnt from Dawntrail in terms of narrative design?', or 'How much exploration is the team doing on different ways of conveying the story?'