YukiOnna
Member
Yoshi-P reiterates again he wants to renew the graphics at some point. His full response in the JP interview seems to indicate they've already begun preparation for it.
https://twinfinite.net/2021/02/final-fantasy-xiv-new-graphics-engine/
Yoshida: No. We're working on the rendering for PS5, so you'll be able to play with higher quality, but the graphics engine itself will remain the same. The graphics engine itself will remain the same, but we'd like to revamp the graphics engine at some point. There are a lot of assets, and the volume of work we've done over the past 10 years is unbelievable. There is a folder structure of data, a way to access it, and that will all have to be rebuilt. Even at this point, we have to support 4K textures, and we need to change the way we make things.
For example, if you want a fluttering cloak, you have to replace the concept of bones with a rig, install a physics engine, adjust the physics for each character, and because that eats up too much performance, if you turn off the physics of other players, the cloaks of other characters will be crushed.
I didn't do it this time because I wanted to focus on the game experience, the last part of the Hydaelyn & Zordiark Arc. However, we are doing research and making the preparations for it. We always plan things out over several years. Like the data center travel, we'd like to revamp the graphics engine at some point. However, that's not going to happen with Endwalker. In a sense, the specs will remain the same, and you can rest assured that you'll be able to go on exciting adventures. I can tell you that Yoshida says he wants to do it someday. However, I'd like you to also tell him that it's going to be a tremendous challenge (laughs).
Japanese if people want to give more accurate response:
https://twinfinite.net/2021/02/final-fantasy-xiv-new-graphics-engine/
Yoshida: No. We're working on the rendering for PS5, so you'll be able to play with higher quality, but the graphics engine itself will remain the same. The graphics engine itself will remain the same, but we'd like to revamp the graphics engine at some point. There are a lot of assets, and the volume of work we've done over the past 10 years is unbelievable. There is a folder structure of data, a way to access it, and that will all have to be rebuilt. Even at this point, we have to support 4K textures, and we need to change the way we make things.
For example, if you want a fluttering cloak, you have to replace the concept of bones with a rig, install a physics engine, adjust the physics for each character, and because that eats up too much performance, if you turn off the physics of other players, the cloaks of other characters will be crushed.
I didn't do it this time because I wanted to focus on the game experience, the last part of the Hydaelyn & Zordiark Arc. However, we are doing research and making the preparations for it. We always plan things out over several years. Like the data center travel, we'd like to revamp the graphics engine at some point. However, that's not going to happen with Endwalker. In a sense, the specs will remain the same, and you can rest assured that you'll be able to go on exciting adventures. I can tell you that Yoshida says he wants to do it someday. However, I'd like you to also tell him that it's going to be a tremendous challenge (laughs).
Japanese if people want to give more accurate response:
いいえ。PS5に向けて描画に手を入れていてもっと高品質で遊べるようにはなるが、グラフィックスエンジン自体はそのまま。ただ、グラフィックスエンジンの一新はいつかやりたいことではある。アセット数が多くて、これまで10年間作ってきたボリュームが信じられない量になっている。データのフォルダ構成、アクセス方法があるが、それも全部再構築になる。現時点ですら4Kテクスチャー対応をしなきゃいけないし、そろそろ作り方そのものを変えなきゃいけない。
たとえば、ひらひらしたマントを出してあげたいという場合は、ボーンという概念をリグにかえて、物理エンジンを搭載して、キャラ個別の物理調整をして、それだとパフォーマンスを食い過ぎるので、他のプレーヤーの物理をオフにすると、他のキャラのマントがバキバキになるといった具合に全部詰め直さないといけない。
今回はハイデリン・ゾディアーク編のラストという、ゲーム体験に重きを置きたかったのでやらない。ただ、調査というか、下準備はしている。常に僕らは数年間単位で計画して物事を進めている。データセンタートラベルもそうだが、グラフィックスエンジンの刷新もいつかやりたいと思っている。ただし、それは今回ではない。ある意味スペック変わらず、ワクワクした冒険に出られるのでそこは安心していただければ。吉田はいつかやりたいといってるとは伝えて良い。ただ、途方もなく大変ということも合わせて伝えて貰いたい(笑)