While paying respect to the long-standing tradition of modding PC games, I ask that all players in turn respect our game by enjoying their fun within the confines of some basic rules.
- Producer & Director of Final Fantasy XIV, Naoki Yoshida
Has only a week passed since the operator of the highly popular mod Mare Synchronos shut down their servers due to legal pressure from Square Enix? I tried to come up with reasons why SE would consider the mod extremely problematic. When I woke up this morning I found that the Producer & Director of Final Fantasy XIV, Naoki Yoshida (aka Yoshi-P) had issued a statement on the Lodestone. I'm pretty sure Yoshi-P intends to bring the boiling pot down to a simmer, so let's jump in.
To read Yoshi-P's entire statement, CLICK HERE.
A lot of discussion has gone on about what Square Enix does and does not allow. That discussion has gone on for years. Yoshi-P spelled out his position.
Firstly, while I am in charge of FFXIV, I am also a PC gamer, and have been for many years. I've spoken about this multiple times in the past, but my own personal stance regarding mods─that I do tolerate them─has not changed.
In the past twenty or so years, I've seen numerous positive examples of games with fan-made mods that expand upon existing gameplay.
However, these mods are generally created with a vital premise in mind: they are for personal use only, and the individual player is responsible for the mods they use. Furthermore, the mods must not impact the core game, its services, or the intended game design in a negative manner. I personally feel that these rules should be followed by all mod creators and users.
That being said, if players continue to uphold the above premise of mods enhancing one's personal enjoyment of the game and acknowledge that they are taking responsibility for what they download, I personally see no reason to track down or investigate gamers for the general use of mods.
Yoshi-P basically established du's and don'ts for mod use.
- Do
- Install for personal use only
- Take responsibility for the consequences of downloading possibly sketchy files and apps
- Don't
- Infringe upon the gameplay of others
- Negatively impact the core game
- Negatively impact game services
- Negatively impact the intended design of the game
At this point Yoshi-P breaks what seems is an industry best practice - he fails to leave the guidance vague and actually provides examples. Excuse me if I break the section down into topics.
Stolen Valor - This is a common one across games although I usually hear it as a reason to oppose paid for dungeon runs and buying items off the black market. But the example Yoshi-P gives can be broken down between local mod use and that involving a mod like Mare Synchronos. First, just mods that appear on a player's client.
In FFXIV, we have several extremely high-end duties that challenge players to their limit, known as Ultimate raids. To defeat the enemies within these raids, players must dedicate a significant amount of time and effort. As their reward for clearing, they earn the title of "Legend," as well as job-specific weapons with specialized visual effects.
Let's say Player A loves Ultimate raids and is motivated to challenge them at every opportunity. After they clear, they proudly equip their new title and weapon as proof of their party's diligent efforts to earn them.
Meanwhile, we have Player B, who makes use of a specific mod. This mod allows them to bypass the conditions for obtaining in-game items, making it possible for them to equip any item in the game (including items that must be purchased with real money). Player B is busy with work, and although they have the motivation, their circumstances prevent them from progressing through any of the Ultimate raids. They decide instead to install a mod, so that they can at least see what it looks like to have their own character equipped with one of the Ultimate raid weapons.
Player B uses said mod to equip a set of items, which only displays on their client's screen. To other players, Player B's model is only wearing default gear, but on Player B's monitor, they're equipped with a dazzling Ultimate weapon. They take a screenshot of their character and decide to use it as their desktop background.
In this case, Player A has followed the rules of the game and worked hard with their party to clear the Ultimate raid, earning themselves a weapon and a title as evidence of their feat. When other players come across Player A using their title and Ultimate weapon, they see a “Legend” who has overcome one of the game’s most punishing duties. On the other hand, should they encounter Player B, they would simply see a character with their default gear.
Next, we have Yoshi-P's judgement of the situation if a mod user and a non-mod user meet.
Let’s imagine a scenario in which Player A and B cross paths in-game. On Player B’s screen, Player A appears with their brand-new title and Ultimate weapon─the same weapon that they appear to themselves as having equipped. Conversely, on Player A’s screen, Player A appears with their title and hard-won weapon, while Player B appears in their default gear.
In other words, Player A sees the rewards each player has earned fairly within the context of the game’s rules. Player B sees a modified version of the game, but these changes are visible only to Player B themselves, and thus fall within the realm of individual enjoyment. (Please note that this is not intended as a judgment on the virtue of one approach versus the other.)
Similarly, if a player chooses to install a mod, the risk of encountering a computer virus, for example, is borne by the individual. Additionally, mods that do not adversely affect other players, and which ensure visual changes are only visible to the individual user, can be said to narrowly maintain the integrity of the game’s design─although, of course, this is open to interpretation.
So in Yoshi-P's personal opinion the mods in this case are kind of acceptable, although the Producer & Director of the game part of him would like people to follow the rules and not use mods at all. Also, anyone who has seen FFXIV Twitter knows the phrase "ensure visual changes are only visible to the individual user" covers a lot more than what is occurring in the game client.
Now, let's use the same example, except Player A is using Mare Synchronos.
However, if a mod was updated and its changes became visible not just to the individual mod user, but to other players too, what would the implications be? Player A (with their title and gear earned from hours of concerted effort with their friends) and Player B (with their mod-derived gear), are now on a level playing field, so to speak. This development may not concern Player B, but for Player A, it considerably negates the cooperation, time, and effort invested, not to mention the pride they might have felt in their achievement. After all, their rewards are now available to anyone with the mod installed, albeit lacking the corresponding in-game attributes.
In this example, other players have been infringed upon, and the intended design of the game has been negatively impacted. Although Player B may have been unaware of the mod’s precise functionality, their usage has diminished other players’ motivation and circumvented the game’s systems. Even if the creator of the mod simply intended for players to readily access and enjoy their favorite gear, they have detrimentally affected both the game and the wider player community.
In response, our only options would be to ask that players cease using the mod, or to request that the mod creator removes the functionality causing the problem. Of course, we could also implement preventative measures in-game, but this would divert programming resources from other areas, potentially damaging the enjoyment of other players in the long run.
Don't touch my game files! Just as America gets very upset when you touch their boats the operators and designers of online games feel the same way about their game clients and other files. The attitude is apparent in Yoshi-P addressing the argument that only Mare users could see others using Mare.
The scenario outlined above is just one example, but I hope it helps clarify the differences between mod usage within the realm of individual enjoyment, and mod usage which is damaging to the game itself. Some players might ask “well, what about a mod which only makes changes visible to other users of the same mod?” The issue is that any mod which makes changes visible to others requires the manipulation or rewriting of game files, which is fundamentally even more problematic and destructive.
Even supposing that this theoretical mod provided generous improvements to the game and was well received by all players, the moment a problematic feature is introduced to said mod, we must insist that players stop using it.
Stolen Glamour - Many developers would avoid this argument as they want to avoid the charge of only caring about money. I don't know if its a Japanese thing or if Yoshi-Ps spirit animal is a honey badger. He does address the issue straight on.
Another example of such a feature: a mod that allows players to freely equip optional items and display them to others. What does that say to the players who go through the trouble of saving up to purchase these goods from the FFXIV Online Store? Are these players losing out by not using a mod?
Some may say that Square Enix is to blame for trying to make money by demanding that players spend extra on optional items. We operate our servers and data centers twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred-sixty-five days a year with the hope that our players can enjoy a reliable gaming experience. Currently, global inflation is taking its toll at a rapid pace, driving up server electricity costs, the cost of land, and even the price of servers themselves. We do not want to increase subscription fees for players, if at all possible─but keeping our game running requires sufficient income. If we start creating a deficit, FFXIV may no longer be able to operate. This is an example of damage dealt to the services we provide.
In these cases as well, we ask that players refrain from using such mods, or remove the offending function from the mod itself. I personally understand that modding culture is rooted in good intentions, but we are given no choice but to act if mods even incidentally threaten player motivation or the viability of our services.
The game's rating is supposed to be Teen for Teen/PEGI 16. Yes, we reached the point of getting to the age of which parents should think allowing their children to play FFXIV is safe. But perhaps more importantly, what various governments find acceptable. After all, the ESRB and PEGI are western organizations and the world has 7 continents, not just Europe and North America. Yoshi-P and Square Enix have to keep 195 countries happy, not to mention 50 states in the United States.
Let's consider another theoretical mod: one that displays your character entirely naked. If this presentation is displayed only on the user's screen, that might fall into the category of personal use and responsibility. (Bear in mind that this is my personal interpretation, and not a discussion of whether that behavior is right or wrong.) However, if the user posts a screenshot of their naked character publicly on social media, FFXIV itself may be subject to legal measures by regulators in certain countries.
Laws that regulate the content of video games grow stricter by the year. These laws are there to protect minors and for a variety of other reasons, but the fact remains that they are tangibly becoming stricter. We have a duty to provide our services in adherence to the laws of all countries where FFXIV is available, and if we are unable to do so, the distribution of our game can be prohibited. This is another example of damage dealt to our services.
Through many years of covering EVE Online I've come to think of the above example as "don't make us use our lawyers."
What can Yoshi-P do? Another way Yoshi-P breaks online video game operator best practices is he often comes up with ways that he and his team can further address the situation. In today's message he stated the following.
As always, we will do our utmost to keep creating a world which all players can enjoy. Even though it may take time to do so, it is my hope to incorporate player feedback and officially fulfill as many functionality requests as possible. I am also considering how to increase the freedom of choice players have in the gear they choose to equip.
Not really a promise to make any changes. But knowing Yoshi-P something may happen with the situation in the next expansion. Yes, I know that is still probably 18 months away. Yoshi-P might already have plans in place to make changes due to the continued changes in World of Warcraft. But if the guy in charge doesn't think a problem exists then nothing is guaranteed to change.
