Island Sanctuary is yet another data point in the trend of FF14's downhill spiral

You can tell this is a troll post because OP said that this is the "fifth major patch this expansion". We are literally in patch 6.2. I mean there is being hyperbolic for the sake of emphasis, and then there is just being superfluous.

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Originally Posted by LaylaTsarra

I thought Titanman was on vacation.

OP's posts are definitely on a downward spiral. Proceeds to add my second workshop and treehouse.

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Agreed, op's post are simple minded. Everyone loves Island and I have found no one who doesn't except this post. 50 million people love the island one dosen't and he posts his dislike? get out here boyyyy!! (Stands in treehouse looking at windmill in the distance)

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Originally Posted by Dartounet

For me the island is extremely basic. They could have done so much better. Look at Monster Hunter (especially Monster Hunter World), Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley etc.

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/rabble /rabble

Arrgg, SE should have built a full scale AAA game equal to Monster Hunter World into their side content for 1 patch inside their actual game. /sgfsdgdgfsgfsgfwOo

Devs must have a stroke reading this sorta post.

Ah yes, another "the game is dying, the end is nigh" thread based on some vague personal perception by a single person.

I’m actually enjoying this solo content more than all the dungeons stuff. I hope the devs continue to build upon it. Even though there are better farm sims out there. This is going in the right direction. To improve it I hope we see more upgrades and a fix to the gathering animations. I hope they make gathering a more active experience like combat. This would revolutionize the game itself.

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Originally Posted by Ranaku

What would be your alternative? Getting everything day one for free and then be done with it? I bet you would be also the first one that would cry that there is no content. There has to be a timesink obviously and this is completely and utterly optional content that works for itself if you put like one hour of work in every week. If that is too much for you, maybe you want to try one of these mobile games that play themselves for you, seems like the superior choice from your standpoint.

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Actually yes. If I want to invest all my time into getting my island progressed to max I don't see why I shouldn't be able to.

When people complain about there being no content they're usually talking about replayability.

They don't mean "I grinded for 3 days straight and now I'm done" but "I did this content once and now there's literally no reason for me to do it again"

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Originally Posted by Deveryn

It all starts with respecting your own time. Gather at your own pace. Build at your own pace. Don't get too many animals right away.

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This is where I'd have to disagree. The island does not let you progress at your own pace, once you've progressed past the first hour or so you have to wait for your passive marketplace, your timer for building upgrades, your crops, your animals and your expeditions.

Your only choice at this point is either to wait for the island to do it's thing or mindlessly grind 10 exp nodes, at which point it doesn't respect your time anymore.

It's basically telling you "You're going to play this casually and you'll like it...or suffer"


Besides, even if you wanted to grind by gathering the terrible exp nodes you would still hit a brick wall with the Seafarer's Cowrie which are needed for certain upgrades and the overwhelming majority of rewards from the vendor. Since those can only be generated passively you literally have no choice but to wait.

I was pretty sceptical about Island Sanctuaries compliments to falling for WoD's Garrison hype all those millions of years ago.

It is what it is, I suppose. I've tried it, saw that it's short lived - especially in that it seems to serve no purpose for the rest of the game at all - and now I'm done with it and will move on.

If others are into it, then all power to them. What drew me to FF14 in the first place was the mass amount of content for a player to choose to enjoy, rather than being pigeon holed into mundane content for the sake of outright progression.

That being said, this game still falls short in a lot of areas, and I really hope resources weren't pulled from addressing and solving those issues in order to build this, that'd leave a pretty bad taste in the mouth for me.

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Originally Posted by Absurdity

It's basically telling you "You're going to play this casually and you'll like it...or suffer"

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What's actually wrong with that? This is meant to be something completely on the side, allowing you to enjoy the regular content you stay subbed for. After the initial setup, you'll just be checking in with this periodically to eventually earn some rewards.

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Originally Posted by WhiteWitch

There doesn't seem to be any reward for feeding your animals as well.

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Slight correction here, animals drop materials that you can only get from them, depending on the animal it can drop 2 different materials. Feeding your animals keeps their mood from decreasing, or even improves it when you use the better quality feed, which increases the chance of them dropping both materials.

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Originally Posted by Deveryn

What's actually wrong with that? This is meant to be something completely on the side, allowing you to enjoy the regular content you stay subbed for. After the initial setup, you'll just be checking in with this periodically to eventually earn some rewards.

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I just don't think content that actively prevents you from playing it by timegating everything is good design, especially when it has cosmetic rewards locked behind it.
Island Sanctuary should allow you to play it at your own pace, be that only checking in once a day or grinding till you've had enough. Eureka, Bozja and even the Ishgard Restoration managed to do this, I don't see why this needs to be any different.

The way the currency is set up only compounds the issue.
Islander's Cowrie, the currency you can farm, is essentially worthless. All you get from it is materia, cordial and glamour prisms, all items which you can get from content that already existed prior and probably more easily as well.
Seafarer's Cowrie on the other hand can only be generated passively but has all the actually desirable rewards locked behind it and at the same time is required to progress your island in the first place.

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Originally Posted by Absurdity

I just don't think content that actively prevents you from playing it by timegating everything is good design, especially when it has cosmetic rewards locked behind it.
Island Sanctuary should allow you to play it at your own pace, be that only checking in once a day or grinding till you've had enough. Eureka, Bozja and even the Ishgard Restoration managed to do this, I don't see why this needs to be any different.

The way the currency is set up only compounds the issue.
Islander's Cowrie, the currency you can farm, is essentially worthless. All you get from it is materia, cordial and glamour prisms, all items which you can get from content that already existed prior and probably more easily as well.
Seafarer's Cowrie on the other hand can only be generated passively but has all the actually desirable rewards locked behind it and at the same time is required to progress your island in the first place.

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So, in good design, you get the nice rewards right away? That's what your argument sounds like and I have to disagree there.



Obtaining cosmetic rewards in this game is never without some manner of time investment and this is a different spin on it. You don't like it because it feels forced. I love it because it's not up to some RNG, like most of the other content. Effort is minimal and interaction is non-existent. Of course, I'm used to this type of game, as are other people. I would play this kind of stuff when I had less free time.

I feel like this is content I'll be done with next week and never touch again lol

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Originally Posted by Oizen

I feel like this is content I'll be done with next week and never touch again lol

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It'll likely be something I do every day, considering the amount of those tokens you need for the rewards, and the fact that easy gathering/crafting materia = big money when the new crafter/gatherer gear drops in 6.3.

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Originally Posted by Deveryn

So, in good design, you get the nice rewards right away? That's what your argument sounds like and I have to disagree there.



Obtaining cosmetic rewards in this game is never without some manner of time investment and this is a different spin on it. You don't like it because it feels forced. I love it because it's not up to some RNG, like most of the other content. Effort is minimal and interaction is non-existent. Of course, I'm used to this type of game, as are other people. I would play this kind of stuff when I had less free time.

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1. Depends on how much time and effort you invest, but if you want to simplify my point so much that it makes me look like I want things given to me for free then go ahead.

2. I'd hardly call this different spin on time investment when it literally prevents you from investing more time into it.

3. Yes exactly, it keeps me from actually engaging with the content by force. If I want to be forced to wait 12 hours to do anything I'll just play a mobile game.

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Originally Posted by Absurdity

3. Yes exactly, it keeps me from actually engaging with the content by force. If I want to be forced to wait 12 hours to do anything I'll just play a mobile game.

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Now you finally understand what this is!! A mobile game without the ads and other nonsense.

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Originally Posted by Absurdity

Seafarer's Cowrie on the other hand can only be generated passively but has all the actually desirable rewards locked behind it and at the same time is required to progress your island in the first place.

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But there's also a limited amount we're able to progress the island. Once progress is completed, cowries only go to mammet maintenance if you're using the mammets to automate material production. Do the gathering yourself (skipping those items at the workshop that require the materials only mammets can get) and it's all seafarer cowries for profit.

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Originally Posted by RyuDragnier

It'll likely be something I do every day, considering the amount of those tokens you need for the rewards, and the fact that easy gathering/crafting materia = big money when the new crafter/gatherer gear drops in 6.3.

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I was kinda hoping for the content to be worth it for the content's sake, not for more ways to make a worthless currency.

I am disappointed with Island Sanctuary but not gonna bother explaining my feelings cause I don't really feel like being raito'd by a bunch of people that clearly won't agree with me anyway. Kind of a lost cause conversation to be hand even mentioning it.

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Originally Posted by znushu

Honestly I kinda agree with OP on this.
FFXIV has been on a downward spiral and Square Enix knows this. Anyone been wondering why the company is making new online service games? or anyone wondering why Yoshi-p stated and I quote:
Even your-I mean our boy Yoshi-P doesn't believe that FFXIV is going to last and believes that online gaming are things of the past which means that this also includes FFXIV.
Anyone been wondering why the game has been turning into a more single player game? it's because Yoshi is planning on making 14 slowly into a single player game in order to keep it around.


you all are not seeing the writing on the wall right infront of you.
I understand many of us have a attachment to this product but the fact here is the game simply is heading in a direction you will not enjoy in the long-term. Now sure island sanctuaries are not a bad design but it's literally just WoWs Garrisons with less social features because again; the company is ultimately planning on making FFXIV into a offline game in the future.

we are losing our mmo in favor for making a single player game and you're all just cheering.
do any of you actually want to play FFXIV as a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game ten years from now? or do you simply not care and plan on leaving when Riots mmo releases?

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Hasn't the game been constantly growing? Oh and just story things have been getting single player support btw and not even all of it at that. It's nice to be on alts at 3am and being able to duty support stuff cause folks are sleep. We aren't losing our mmo at all so take your doom saying to 4chan or something xD

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Originally Posted by Nav_Fae

I am disappointed with Island Sanctuary but not gonna bother explaining my feelings cause I don't really feel like being raito'd by a bunch of people that clearly won't agree with me anyway. Kind of a lost cause conversation to be hand even mentioning it.

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Honestly sometimes I feel scared to be even a little critical of the game, most places online feel so toxic if you're disappointed with something in XIV

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Originally Posted by Minxxi

Honestly sometimes I feel scared to be even a little critical of the game, most places online feel so toxic if you're disappointed with something in XIV

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Yeah, sadly a lot of people go "omg you're all entitled brats who can't be thankful for anything and wants all to cater to them" as soon as someone maes a critique/negative feedback to anythign ffxiv.

https://i.imgur.com/Wg9fiLn.png

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Originally Posted by Tlamila

Yeah, sadly a lot of people go "omg you're all entitled brats who can't be thankful for anything and wants all to cater to them" as soon as someone maes a critique/negative feedback to anythign ffxiv.

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That counts for both sides.
U can see it in many different places, theres either 100% Yes, or 100% no...but nothin inbetween.
One of the many problems is that some ppl dont know how to criticize things.
Most negative feedback u read on the official forums is somethin like "I expected somethin else and thats why it sucks..." or just random whine that makes u wanna hand them some cheese to it.
Many ppl cant just stick with a topic but need to complicate things to the max, twist and turn things into some weird philosophical whatever, or start to over-simplify stuff.
I mean srsly...look at the Thread, its called "this and that another data point in the trend of FF14's downhill spiral".
A little pathetic, dont u think?

Another problem is that moderation is very very "polite", or maybe they just dont have enough moderators.
Usually moderators delete repetitive threads, so u dont get 5 times "Content X-Y sucks" with basically close to zero differences.

Tbh, the General Discussion is mostly trashtalk.
Ppl use it to meme stuff away or just go nuts.
That does not only count for FFXIV, it happens on Reddid every day.
So its nothin u have to worry about ^^

Greetz o/

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Originally Posted by Moerser

Another problem is that moderation is very very "polite", or maybe they just dont have enough moderators.
Usually moderators delete repetitive threads, so u dont get 5 times "Content X-Y sucks" with basically close to zero differences.

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Oh, these forums stopped being moderated many years ago. The only time stuff gets moderated is it's reported, otherwise there's not an active moderation.
This game doesn't even really have PR staff tbh. I remember in the old days there were staff members regularly posting on the forums, but now they're mostly abandoned.

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Originally Posted by Tlamila

Oh, these forums stopped being moderated many years ago. The only time stuff gets moderated is it's reported, otherwise there's not an active moderation.
This game doesn't even really have PR staff tbh. I remember in the old days there were staff members regularly posting on the forums, but now they're mostly abandoned.

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Yah, thats why the trash explodes right into our faces.

Greetz o/

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Originally Posted by Nav_Fae

I am disappointed with Island Sanctuary but not gonna bother explaining my feelings cause I don't really feel like being raito'd by a bunch of people that clearly won't agree with me anyway. Kind of a lost cause conversation to be hand even mentioning it.

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The people that play this game are some of the most closed minded people I've ever met.

I don't know why they bother having forums up at all when people are incapable of discussing anything civilly, much less discussing anything at all. I know someone out there is going to scream "You just don't like it when people disagree with you," but the issue isn't people disagreeing, it's that people just straight up go "you're wrong" and the whole discussion is immediately shut down. There's not even a single attempt to see where another person is coming from. Add in the trolls that just want to stir everything up and it's a whole cesspit.

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Originally Posted by NekoMataMata

There's not even a single attempt to see where another person is coming from.

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Well, the thread starts by claiming that this game is in some sort of a "downhill spiral" because op says it. Excuse if people don't take that very seriously. If anyone wants a serious discussion, they should learn how to state their points in a serious way first.

*looks at the cut content per expansions starting during HW*
*looks at the slowly creeping daily/weekly things the devs are adding in*
*looks at the cash shop with devs going "it's a side thing we are doing, it won't affect the game. :^)"*
*looks at SB gutting the classes*
*looks at ShB "streamlining" classes*
*looks at the level/story skip potion in the cash shop*
*looks at the rewrite/EW debacle*
Oh, but the IS is the issue. Glad we cleared that up, lmao.

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Originally Posted by Sotaris

I don't know what OP is smoking but I love Island Sanctuary and haven't seen a single person online complaining about it.

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^ this

Even if i wouldn't play it with all alts, it's cool content for 1 or 2 characters and... it's timeless?
You can play it now or in 1 year or whenever...
Really big optional minigame!

Would you look at that, Island Sanctuary is already dead one patch later, people only do it for 3 or 4 minutes a day at best.

cool.
Call me if you got something new.
I'm gonna farm more mats in my island

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Originally Posted by hunkygladiator

Would you look at that, Island Sanctuary is already dead one patch later, people only do it for 3 or 4 minutes a day at best.

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Just like tribes, the Doman donations, visiting the tomestone vender... So to that complaint, I say

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/GrimyAntiq...restricted.gif

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Originally Posted by RyuDragnier

Just like tribes, the Doman donations, visiting the tomestone vender... So to that complaint, I say

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/GrimyAntiq...restricted.gif

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Lmao, that literally proves the point

Island Sanctuary just seems half baked and directionless. There’s limited scope to customise it and at the same time, the gameplay is shallow that’s less interesting than decade old Facebook games. I’m truly baffled as to why it released in this state.

This system released the same time as housing drama and all we got was the ability to place a pre-determined set of buildings in the same locations. Behind that, we collected materials with a crafting and gathering system that didn’t link into the existing DoH and DoL jobs. This could’ve been a Diadem style system and instead we got a barebones system that drives a mission table mechanic.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, it’s the garrison from Warlords of Draenor with an inferior reward system. The system needs rebuilding from the ground up without any regard for existing progression, the replacement should be Island Sanctuary in name only.

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Originally Posted by RyuDragnier

Just like tribes, the Doman donations, visiting the tomestone vender... So to that complaint, I say

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/GrimyAntiq...restricted.gif

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To be entirely fair, Island Factory Sanctuary didn't need to be a replacement for housing, but could've shared at least some features, like growing seeds for people with no personal/FC house, or a chocobo stable, or even add old scrapped concepts like harvest crafting materials from farm animals and local ores - we already do that, but with the island's own resources and currencies that have no value whatsoever outside it.

It could've been a staple game feature that we update 'with us,' not a one-off instance that will be inevitably abandoned by 7.0.

The "Nobody Cares" was more of a statement that nobody cares it takes a few minutes to do, we're still gonna do it. That keeps the content living.

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Originally Posted by RyuDragnier

The "Nobody Cares" was more of a statement that nobody cares it takes a few minutes to do, we're still gonna do it. That keeps the content living.

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That's a poor argument. Island Sanctuary was a major selling point of Endwalker and partly why lost an Exploratory zone. For it to be relegated to an afterthought in the very patch cycle it released in is not a good look. For perspective sake, you wouldn't call sending out retainers content would you? That is essentially what Island Sanctuary becomes: a glorified retainer venture.

Brand new content meant to be a main feature of an expansion lasting for ten minutes a week after the initial setup while also relying on massive amounts of artificial time-gating just last longer than a couple days doesn't exactly scream, "success!"