Thread by @Nova_Crystallis

Letter from the Producer Live LXIV has begun. Topics will include Patch 5.55 details and a Q&A session with main scenario writer Natsuko Ishikawa.

Patch 5.55 will release on Tuesday, May 25th.

Patch 5.55 "Death Unto Dawn - Part 2" will include the continuation of the main scenario, Save the Queen updates, YoRHa Dark Apocalypse epilogue quests, and rewards for collecting all Triple Triad cards.

Official service for the PlayStation 5 version of Final Fantasy XIV will begin alongside Patch 5.55 on May 25th. The PS5 version features faster load times, 4K resolution, high resolution UI, DualSense haptic feedback, new trophies, and 3D audio support.

In the 'Save the Queen' update, you will travel to a new battlefield named Zadnor. It's on the border with Imperial-occupied Dalmasca in the northeast of Bozja. There are sunken plateaus here and the location where the IVth legion lies in wait.

This is the final chapter of Save the Queen. The resistance rank cap will increase from 15 to 25. New skirmishes and critical engagements will be added. 'The Dalriada' is a new large-scale assault (max 48 players) will be added.

Yasumi Matsuno returns again for the final chapter. There will be an important and difficult decision that the Warrior of Light must make. There was a similar decision you made in the Baldesion Arsenal, featured in the Forbidden Land Eureka foray series.

When you make this decision, it will affect the outcome of subsequent events. You should "follow your heart" and make a decision.

New critical engagements and duels have been added. Some of them are pretty tough. (Peep that Basch outfit.)

Inside the Dialriada. This is the last part of the Save the Queen story. Matsuno wanted it to be perfect and the team has been working up the last minute to get it done.

Rewards for this content include new glamour and furnishings, and a two-seater airbike you may remember from Final Fantasy XII.

When you reach resistance rank 25, you will unlock "resistance honors" a new progression path. If you accumulate further mettle, you can trade it in for "proofs of mettle." The three types of honors increase max HP, damage dealt, & healing potency - and they can stack.

Yoshida advises not your burn yourself out grinding for proofs of mettle. Pace yourself as we have six months until Endwalker.

The final step in the Resistance weapon upgrades will be implemented when you unlock Zadnor in the Save the Queen storyline. The stats on these weapons are slightly better than the ones found in Eden's Promise (Savage). Once you complete one weapon, upgrading more will differ.

In Patch 5.55 adjustments will be made so that all gear obtained from Extreme trials will yield crafting materials. The plan was for 6.0, but they wanted to have people test this now - so it was implemented in 5.55. If there's issues Yoshida would like you report them.

Upcoming Schedule:
• May 25: Patch 5.55
• Jul: Make it Rain Campaign
• Jun-Jul: Patch 5.57
• Jul-Aug: Patch 5.58
• Aug: Moonfire Faire & The Rising
• Sep: FFXV collaboration returns
• Nov: Endwalker release

Main scenario writer Natsuko Ishikawa joins the stage for a Q&A session.

Ishikawa wrote the main scenario for Shadowbringers, amongst many other quests in Final Fantasy XIV.

"It's a story about the tragedy of the end of the world." She reviewed her notebook for story details and saw a note about a "hero that saves the world." She says that the theme is something you have to read into and that you enjoy it as entertainment. The answer is you.

"We don't need a tagline or a catchphrase for these types of stories."

Even though her title is a scenario writer, Ishikawa reviews and makes proposals for various cutscenes that take into account the cost of animations, etc. The level of involvement varies based on the staff, but Ishikawa plays it out in her head as she writes for feedback.

First they create a storyboard that's largely text-based. What you're seeing is a scene from 5.3 including the formation of the scene, dialogue, expressions and motions.

That information is then transposed into the cutscene spec document. It includes a lot of small details on what to do, such as the ID of the outfit that a character is wearing. Cutscene, VFX, and character leads get together to discuss the specifications.

These time-intensive meetings resolve a lot of important issues. Ishikawa says the document is Excel but she actually uses Notepad for her writing. She transposes her notes from Notepad into Excel. She checked the 6.0 version of the file about six months ago.

After that, they look at a rough draft of a cutscene where Ishikawa provides feedback on how to adjust its elements. She also decides what background music is used, even the timing with which it is used. Finally, she will review the finished cutscene and approve.

Ishikawa gives feedback and wants to shoutout the cutscene team for their hard work.

Yoshida does a final check after works, his "producer check" and offers further feedback. Usually there aren't huge changes at this point.

Ishikawa says its hard to calculate an amount of time to design a quest as her job involves other activities. She will start with voiced cutscenes which require more work, then un-voiced cutscenes, so it may be a "broken up" type of workflow.

Ishikawa says that, at her busiest, she has written two novels worth of content in about three months.

Ishikawa wants to resolve a misunderstanding: people ask her why did Thancred eyes get healed in Shadowbringers? She says it was a temporary injury. He didn't want to stand out on the first and out of consideration for Ryne he made himself look a bit neater.

When he returned to his body in the Source, where it had a different skin tone due to the events in Heavensward and Tataru would have cleaned him up a bit.

Ishikawa relaxes by bothering a co-worker Takeyanaki. She stares into the sky. She enjoys the dawn where the sky just starts turning blue and will stay up during all-nighters and enjoys the color of the sky.

Working at a previous developer she said she could work long hours because she was by the ocean and felt rested. She'll visit planetariums and observatories, etc.

Yoshida wants to respond to comments, and says that working super long hours is not a good thing. He himself feels that sometimes he wants to keep going and not be interrupted. However, HR at SE is strict and won't let them work those long hours.

Yoshida says his working hours get audited by SE HR once a month, and they will point out in red the long days he works. 10 years ago, he would have fought it, but today this attitude is less accepted.

Yoshida says he doesn't want to interrupt developers who are in the zone, but doesn't want them to work themselves sick.

Ishikawa says she doesn't focus on consuming media by specific creators. If she is at the doctor's office or train, and it something interests her she will research it - or if it pertains to her work.

Ishikawa is coy about why the Crystal Exarch came to the Crystarium, but she says maybe you can make him coffee with your campfire minion and he'll tell you.

Ishikawa said she voted for Omega in the NHK character poll

Favorite dialogue or scene? Ishikawa says there's an adventurer that used to take you around Idyllshire but as time went on he lost his purpose but returned to unlock Stone, Sky, Sea.

Some characters serve a very functional purpose, and Yoshida says what's great about the FFXIV team is that they will still try to implement a backstory and their place in the world.

Ishikawa reflects critically on some her past work - about what should could have done better or different. Yoshida says there are several people like that on the team that will ask for comments and feedback. She wants to hear the good and the bad.

Yoshida mentions that Ishikawa's happy and motivated even if Yoshida's feedback is positive or negative.

Regarding dialogue choices, she prefers the first being optimistic, second neutral, third pessimistic. Sometimes these are trimmed to two or a silly response is added.

Yoshida and Ishikawa both commute to the office, but she hears from coworkers that they're able to help more around the house. Yoshida says he needs the separation between work and home but are taking the necessary precautions during the pandemic.

During the last fan festival, Ishikawa asked players to complete the Crystal Tower series before Shadowbringers. No specific requirement this time, but there's a lot of things you'll pick up on if you play all the raid storylines, job quests, Save the Queen etc.

However, if she had to narrow it down, she suggests the Binding Coil of Bahamut to get a better idea of the family dynamics between Alphinaud and Alisaie - especially since Endwalker will have us travel to Old Sharlayan.

The second recommendation is the Omega raid series with possible connections to Midgardsormr's First Brood -- of which Vrtra is the youngest. We're travelling to the Moon , specifically Mare Lamentorum so there are connections there.

Final Fantasy XIV branded wristwatches made by Citizen -- light and darkness models. Yoshida shows off the darkness model. Ishikawa shows off the light version.

Light version. Two types of bands you can swap. A symbol of Azem appears on the crown and it features luminous bands.

You can start ordering them Sunday, May 16th and they will release on December 24th. NA/EU pricing information and shipping dates are pending for these regions and will be announced later.

Soken introduces a Fender Stratocaster guitar. It has a meteor mark, a neck made of a dark wood called rosewood. The body is has crystals embedded in it. Yoshida says Fender designed it with a theme of light and darkness and they came up with the crystals idea.

One this guitar, if you press the tone button, the sound "bursts" according to Soken. He calls it the "Limit Break Switch."

Soken says he will press the button during the band performance later on. Please look forward to it.

Ayumi Namae from the art team drew this artwork for the collaboration:

Sales are scheduled to begin in late October. Pre-orders start in Japan on May 25th. Fender will take pre-orders for Americas, EMEA, and Australia late this year with plans to ship in early 2022.

The guitars are hand made in Japan and Fender has promised that they could produce as long as they can but only a few dozen can be made per month so Yoshida asks that you pre-order quickly. There will also be an in-game guitar via the Performance feature.

The guitar can also be placed as a furnishing.

Assorted goods on sale for the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival. The artbook includes a redeemable Wind-up Runar. 🦁

Job crystal magnets. No one will know they're not real job crystals.

Foldable eyeglasses pouch.

Ascian wine glasses. Yasumi Matsuno already bought these and was upset it didn't come with wine. A vinyl LP box features artwork from each expansion.

In closing, Ishikawa says Endwalker is the finale; it's a curtain call where you get to say goodbye to some characters. She hopes you can greet them again, this final time, with all the love in your heart.

This concludes the Letter from the Producer Live segment. Thanks for following!