Make FFXIV a 'Sandbox' game. No way it can compete against upcoming 'Themeparks'.

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Originally Posted by Rhianu

Yes, and part of that "particular way" includes making them single player games. Most of the FF fanbase absolutely hated FFXI.

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I don't think they hated it outright for existing as much as they hated the idea of paying a monthly fee for it.

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Originally Posted by gifthorse

You could wait and try ArcheAge before you lose all hope. SWTOR might not be too great, by the looks.

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Or wait after the coming 2012 for WH40k DMO. I, for one, can't wait to shoot sissy space Elves with mini rocket-propelled grenade machine gun.

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Originally Posted by Mishakai

Pardon me for being chatty... (I'm Irish, it's Friday and yesterday was St. Patrick's day.. 'nuff said)... ANYWAY...

I don't think I could have said it better myself. Doom and gloom does not loom for XIV (say that 10 times fast), but they do need to be prepared to take a couple hits late in the year, especially if the big titles can do what big titles have failed to do in recent history, deliver.

I don't think anybody here would disagree that this genre is full of players chomping at the bit for the next big thing.

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Not sure that they will take hits at all, I am not yet convinced that they will have a game worth paying for by the forth quarter 2011, so technically there will be no hits to take.

Neither FFXIV or any of these other "themepark MMOs" can compete with THIS Theme Park.

http://www.neoseeker.com/Games/Products/PC/themepark/ :)

I haven't looked into all of the games the OP mentioned, but as far as Star Wars and Rift goes, I'd never play Star Wars really because I'm just not big into it, never have been, never really will be and I'm not sure but there are probably alot of other people that feel this way?

As far as Rift goes IMO its a mix of Wow and Guild Wars, there were alot of people saying this during the beta and on the forums and all the fanboys were like "screw off" "go away" and maybe I'm wrong and they're right but I sticked with it for my beta key and it just didn't seem to pull me in.

All that said and I'm sure this has been mentioned at some point before, I think FFXIV basically shot itself in the foot when it went F2P. I'm not sure how many people are playing it now, 1000 a server? 2000? And I know the general idea is for them to go P2P when they release it on PS3, but IMO they will likely lose alot of current players when they go P2P - "well fun while it lasted, not paying for it though".

Unless they go with some sort of micropayment plan, but I know alot of people are against that.

Haven't read the entire thread, so bear with me.

One of the reasons that I currently do enjoy Final Fantasy XIV is because it strikes me as a 'Sandbox' game. For example, I choose to go out and chop trees so I can sell the lumber, which then goes through crafting and eventually possibly made into weapons or tools - the long term/large scale of the server infrastructure entertains me far more than saving the world. Again.

The last MMO I truly enjoyed was also of this style (Star Wars Galaxies, which also received such warm reviews from critics), before they mangled it to try and 'beat' (or perhaps just become) World of Warcraft. I'm currently playing DCUniverse (A month) and World of Warcraft (Since EU launch), and was interested in Star Wars : The Old Republic, but having seen gameplay from it as we get closer to launch, all my excitement and interest has dried up. Same as when I play World of Warcraft and DCUniverse.

Don't get me wrong, they are great fun...but the burn out from constant being pushed - Do this, now this, now this - leads me to get bored very quickly. On the other hand, I can happily wander around Treespeak in the Black Shroud and cut trees for hours on end (or at least until I start to fail) then go and either pick something else up, or wander about. I don't feel pressurised, and it lets me do what *I* want too with my character.

Another game I'm playing at the moment is Pokemon White on the DS, and I enjoy that so much more. Not only can I follow a general main storyline, but if I decide to level up some lower level Pokemon, or maybe I want to catch something else, or just take part in those show things, I can do so. I'm not limited to only following the main path without a choice.

So basically, I'm all for 'Sandbox', as long as there is a decent amount of things to choose from to do, be it scurry around in dark, dingy caves with your friends, or clearing the forest for lumber so I can make lots more Gil. Or things like Chocobo racing, skinny dipping in a river and so on! It should be pretty obvious to everyone who plays that the layout of the world is 'sandbox' oriented also. The comments for example that "the newbie areas are dangerous" when in reality, they have wandered into a high level area *within* that particular region (For example, Western Black Shroud has areas of basically everyconceivable Rank if you wander about).

One thing Sandbox games can be particularly good for is world events/storylines - since you don't 'worry' about if new players get to experience it or not, you can actually have things happen, that longer term players will remember and be able to tell to those who perhaps join when the Black Shroud burns and is under Garlean Control. Much more freedom, and much less limits - but it does appeal to a more niche crowd I believe.

*Edit* I see a lot of complaints (not in this thread, just in general) about no obvious way to go after the opening, but I loved being dropped in the game, and left immediately to my own devices. That isn't to say I don't think Quests and such should be around for folks to do, nor do I believe there shouldn't be a tutorial for those who wish it (minor quest chain, like when I first joined FFXI in my brief stay - it wasn't invasive, and it gave me the choice), but I don't want to *have* to do them to progress - seems currently I'll get my wish, with the Side and Main quests giving no Skill. I'll always remember being dropped into Star Wars Galaxies with nothing but a crappy blaster and a melon. Good times.