IMO - If this game is to stay relevant - the gameplay needs a massive overhaul

This game already had a massive overhaul, It was called 1.0 and it failed. hard. What you are asking for is a different game, and it seems like this game is not for you, May be time to move on?

Games like dark souls are known for it's crushing difficulty and being punished for making mistakes. That really isn't a good example, Also, it's not an MMO.

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Originally Posted by MilesSaintboroguh

So you want A Realm Reborn: Rebirth.

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/lore

decade-plus old gameplay is what a lot of people want.

They don't want stuff handed to them we want ladders to climb...

This game hits a nice balance between to many ladders and just enough.

Came across this on my google new feed yesterday. So many may disagree with you.
http://www.psu.com/feature/28361/13-...st-MMO-out-now

As someone who generally plays action games and originally didn't like the even slower than usual combat pace (at the beginning it feels like a snail's pace, much better later on) I'm not sure how I would feel about them turning this into an action game. Even supposing they could, alot of people have trouble barely functioning and moving out of circles as is. Can you imagine the majority of the DF groups that make you wonder how they found the power button to their computer being required to dodge attacks etc;? The game is fine as is and while I agree the combat is somewhat dated with all the new action games around, there's plenty of them on the market to choose from. You also aren't chained to one game only, you can play FFXIV and and action games you know.

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Originally Posted by Canadane

I won't say it needs a core element overhaul like you're suggesting.
But some darn horizontal gear progression would be lovely. Make me think about what I want to wear instead of telling me what I want to wear.

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Horizontal progression would make me SOOOO happy. :(

Wildstar and Destiny are the top examples of action MMOs. They have both gone F2P now due to bleeding subscribers.

You know that trying to innovate can also be the downfall right? This is why they don't want to take those risks. Just look at FFXIV in 1.0, the game it was incomplete at start without endgame but patch after patch and after yoshi-p took over game was improving a lot. When the jobs got implemented and later the new battle system introduced was nearly perfect and fun plus different.

2.0 came and they changed again, they put a faster pace fighting while still fun and works and is fluid so I can't be angry with them.

Now tell, me how many games tried to innovate and make something different and lasted long? I don't know but one thing I am sure, those guys try find it fun but tend to return to their old game because find the game to be a hassle, complicated, buggy or confusing. So to keep players in the game they need to have a system that players are used to it.

So you have it, if goes out of the norm won't attract many to the theme park. Is like a theme park without a roller coaster is not the same with one having.

You talk about monster detection right? 1.0 had it but removed in 2.0.
1.0 had elemental affinities where hitting fire on ice would do more dmg and so on, once again removed.
1.0 didn't have any mob attacks markers on floor making easy to avoid so you had to know how move was and find the right distance or place to avoid.
There was danger in the world and now not.
There was so many little things that they removed or altered to make it simpler for the masses and make a successful theme mark.

So yeah, it is very hard to find a innovate and yet successful game. And when one does it, all others adapt and copy to their game like Guild Wars with the real time encounters that FF transformed in FATES. The only innovation FFXIV made was the crosshotbar for gamepad. Genius I would say, so perfect and I bet many games will or are already adapting to their games.

The new FC exploration can be a start for a new endgame content and fun if done right and improve over the time. But we need to test ourselves once 3.1 get released. I hope won't I get disappointed since this can make FC's relevant again and making them work together instead everyone on their owns statics.

Destiny is not a F2P MMO, you still have to buy the game and the DLCs or just buy the bundle. I would not consider Destiny an MMO as it has about as much content as your average COD game with the DLCs adding story.

We need a content formula overhaul more than we need a combat overhaul. I never understand the praise this game gets because it gets so many updates when they're all the same. Same formula dungeons, same endgame(if you choose to call it that) type raid, more useless crafts, and really still no point in being in an FC when everything is freaking instanced with small party make-ups. Also of course the vertical gear progression.

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Originally Posted by Moonleg

Wildstar and Destiny are the top examples of action MMOs. They have both gone F2P now due to bleeding subscribers.

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The reason Wildstar went free to play was because they didn't create content for casuals so they left. It doesn't have anything to do with it being a action game, people enjoyed that aspect of the game. After Wildstar went free to play and they made dungeons a bit more accessible i am having much more fun there than i am in FF currently.

Also i can understand what OP is saying because i have played so many MMOS which uses the "WoW" formula when it comes to gameplay and i can say it has become stale. This is why when people ask for a MMO they generally want action because people are tired of tab target that time has passed now. There is only so much you can do with tab target gameplay. I can't see FFXIV changing into a action MMO, but it wouldn't surprise me if the next FF MMO is a action game. In my opinion i enjoy myself more in action mmos than i do in tab target mmos now because i have played so many games with that gameplay. You can't say people don't want action mmos because there have been numerous action mmos that have came out and people like the combat like that so it shows there is a demand for them.

I can say the next expansion won't change how we play. It will continue to be a tab target game.