Remember - you cannot review an MMO until 6 months after it's launch - which is today

Classes: 1/15
There is a lot of them, but why do we have 4 different melee classes if the big difference in them is which weapon they carry? 3 gathering classes is too many. The difference between the two casters is one is more spike and the other is condition/dot. And finally there are 50,000 crafting classes each with 1.2 million recipes (half of which are just reskins) and 173 million ingredients required per level per item. Also needs to cater to needs and playstyles more.

Races: -3/11
Been there done that. They are all just renamed old races. Elves are ugly. One of the human races has no females. Also no new races make moogles cry and lalafell go scene girl/boy. Also the hispanic name for the cat-girl race makes me want to rage. Everyone knows catgirls all hail from Japan. I can't even spell that all male races... the ryukenhaddoken or whatever they are.

Chocobos: 0/1
There are none to ride nor and mounted classes.

Yuri appeal: 0/69
There needs more hot human female on mithra female action.

Harem comedy appeal: 0/7
No harem comedy love sim pick all the girls to get the extra happy ending elements makes me sad.

Combat: 5/10
Gets the job done but meh.

Crafting: -100/10
Crafting makes me furious

Graphics: 8/10
Too much copy pasta plus the raytraced lighting is a bit overboard (and grainy).

Music: 10/10
The only competent dept. in the game.

Other Sound: 7/10
No complaints.

wow factor: below negative 9000
Graphics and sound are about it.

Gameplay: 0/infinity
This is a game?

Reviewer's Tilt: 1/an imaginary zero
Having just divided by an imaginary zero, I have just destroyed the mathematical systems of the world.



Final Score: Once Again You've Doomed Us All!
Technically it contains an MMO-like substance, but instead of the juicy steak we were hoping for, we got some off-brand imitation mystery meat.

Gath, I'm not sure I follow you. So basically, I have no business rating the game, but due to the lack of content, my rating is right on par with where you think it should be?

Winterclaw, your review made me roflcopter out loud! Great review!

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Originally Posted by BelgianRofl

Gath, I'm not sure I follow you. So basically, I have no business rating the game, but due to the lack of content, my rating is right on par with where you think it should be?

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I'm saying there should be more of a rating with what this new team is doing, the game is practically in beta still, we can only see what happens when they consider the game "done" enough for them to start charging, when they do release it for the PS3, then it would seem more logical (In a sense that the game was just released) after PS3, or whenever they start charging. If the game stays the same in that amount of time, then yes. There isn't much to do outside of get your character ready for the upcoming patches, but those people who are working to get everything up will be at an advantage when more and more stuff gets released.

Gath, you're completely missing the point of the thread... You need to read between the lines... There's a deeper, hidden meaning to all of this. It's not about the content of my review. Think about it.

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Originally Posted by viion

^ this is what drives me totally insane, i mean theres not a single big chance since beta lol. A years worth of development.

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I agree it's utterly ridiculous.

Problem is, MMOs are never done until there's no more expansions to be milked out of them (and in the case of GW, they are still adding stuff). At some point you have to man up, show some back bone, carpe diem, row row fight the power, and review whatever game you've got to play now. Waiting until some indeterminate date or reviewing on the fact that they've made progress isn't good enough.

SE has fumbled in the endzone, their starting QB tore his ACL in the process, and the other team recovered for a TD.

Yeah things might improve later, but in the meantime you've got to call it like it is, and this game released as a disaster.

OK, I'm going to spoil the point of the thread. I may have been a bit too subtle...

If you've been on any FFXIV forums around the time when all the bad reviews started coming out, the Brand Myopic Folks (aka fanboys) were infuriated that the game was being reviewed so poorly. Anyone who's been around the forums at that time knows that the common fanboyish theme was, it's not fair to review a video game until 6 months after its release.


Well, now that it's been 6 months, and the Brand Myopics know that they couldn't recommend this game to a friend with a clear conscience, they are saying that reviewing an MMO 6-months is still not fair (of course unless it is a favorable review).

The point of this thread is to expose the Fanpersons, and to convict them to reflect what they've been telling everyone for the last 6-months. These gentlemen will "find themselves", and ultimately they will make a choice...

To accept or reject reality....

They reject your reality and replace it with one of their own...

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Originally Posted by BelgianRofl

I knew I shouldn't have posted in the Show Yourself thread. :(

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I didn't see it. I was picking on your Roegadyn. :P

It is fair to review an MMO after release, after three months and after 6 months. What are you people smoking?

XIV wasn't a good game at the time of release. It isn't a good game now. It may be a good game in 6 months or not. All we can do is wait or not give a crap (like the most). Reasons for the slow dev cycle are simple, and clear. Not excusable, but all you can do is deal with it or move on.

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Originally Posted by Xquiel

I will rate the game when it's finished!!!!

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Same, I'll wait until Square Enix says it's ready.

Actually, for what it is I'd say FF14 is a pretty good game. Lets think about it... How many good free to play games are there out there? And what is there to do in them?

-Grind
-Craft
-Usually PvP

Those are pretty much the only three things you can do in any free game. Final Fantasy XIV has the grind, and the crafting, and a bit of story (yes, we know, it isn't complete yet and they are expanding on it. It's the same way FF11 went... It took what, 2 or 3 years for them to finish updating WoTG story?). It sacrifices PvP but it brings that story telling aspect to the table. The missions are crazy easy and lack any real excitement from start to finish so far, but we're not that far into the game yet. They did a really good job on the cinematics, imo though.

Comparing FFXIV to other F2P games, I'd give it an 8.5/10.
Comparing FFXIV to the best retail P2P games (WoW and FFXI), I'd give it a 5.5/10

You can say it's not F2P because you bought the disc, but all those "F2P" games have micro-transactions that ruin the game completely and promote spontaneous expenditures. At one point on Rappelz, the average player spent $57 a month on the game's cash shop.

Hmm...a sensible topic with a sensible OP. I applaud you, BelgianRofl. -claps-

Fanboys are oblivious to anything but their own realities...they're probably the reason how FFXIV landed on the shelves in this state. If the fans in Japan would shut up and stop demanding impossible things, perhaps XIV would have been in development longer, the developers will realise something was wrong, and not have to suffer the response it has. So for now, I blame two major parties for this: the developers themselves, and the fans.

I have to agree with Rofl's review this time, though lasting appeal was probably crapped down just a bit too much...the game is still not viable as a truly enjoyable game. At the current stage at most, I'll rate it a 7.5 out of 10, and that's pushing it a bit to the optimistic side...they haven't really changed much in terms of presentation nor graphics. It's mainly gameplay which got played around with, especially UI.

And I haven't heard of the 6-month review rule before...probably some fangroup acting up again.


Presentation - 5.5-6/10

Much like Rolf said, the back-bones there, the potential's there, though perhaps I'm more intrigued than the average person by the lore which pops up from time to time, hence the higher score. But too little content, general lack of classes (I'm was actually disappointed at the lack of mage classes...5 melee classes and 2 mage ones? Really?), lack of means to navigate the global world...definitely needs work.

Graphics - 8-8.5/10

I play on probably one of the combinations of low settings, seeing as my PC is comparatively old, however, from what I can see, the graphics already blow most of the other MMO's graphics into dust. Water - fine, but a bit of reflection around the puddle would be nice. What really bit me was the endless copy-paste (does that go into graphics? Need confirmation), especially in the BS. Otherwise, everything is fine.

Gameplay - 6.5-7/10

Sorry, Rofl, but I have to pull at your review a bit. Battles may feel like a 1-fest, but there's still some semblance of tactical battle - resisting the urge to mash enter/1 so you can place yourself away from the enemy during attacks or not miss a chance to use a TP move, Battle Regimen with a party which actually knows how to use it, buffs and nerfs at right times etc... This doesn't mean that the battle system is optimum; it can be fixed heavily, but it's not as bad as a 1-mash fest.

Crafting/gathering depends on the player; if you like crafting, then you'll find nothing wrong with 'banging on an anvil' all day long. As someone who finds crafting rather enjoyable, gathering a chance to run around, and finds a grim pleasure in clothes and leathers exploding in my hands or someone's face, it places highly in my standards.

Market Wards - fine, though a bit of socialising would be nice...it does what it's meant to do without too much fuss.

What brings it down is mainly user difficulty. I would like to toggle through my linkshells, crafting options, easy-access to repairing gear without having to equip the tool and go to the inventory and press 'repair'. Lag still isn't fully gone, glitches are amusing but not so much when you land in an area where you get 1-hit KOed, the camera still gets frozen at times. The list of things they could fix goes on, but suffice to say, it's not ready to be called 'playable in full'.

Sound - 9/10

Music tracks - love it; perhaps a touch too much on the bombastic side. Even without the orchestra, NU still managed to pull off marvelous pieces. The only qualm I have is that it doesn't fit well with some places aka. Thanalan. There's nothing that really pulls at the sighing quality of the track in the desolate wasteland.

Voices - good. Though there's one mi'qote laugh which really really scares me.

Lasting Appeal - 7/10

I don't know about others, but I feel myself drawn in; there's just something that compels me to play. Perhaps it's just my unknown fanboy side, perhaps it's just my appreciation of the game, but nonetheless, I don't find it easy to discard. The backbone's there, the potential to grow is huge, it's just up to SE to water it properly and draw more people in.

Final Verdict - 7.5/10

i'll go with this, here's my review.

Graphics: 7/10, there's real quality to the visuals, and when thrown into a good cutscene, there's some serious eyecandy to be had, however, minor graphical issues marr the experience a little bit. Not enough to really affect gameplay, but enough to be noted here.

Sound: 9/10, every footstep sounds solid, every clink of chain, and creak of leather, it cannot be said that FFXIV is not a very atmospheric game when it comes to it's soundtrack, the music is superb, though perhaps not particularly fitting to the game itself some times. A few more classical themes would go a long way compared to the guitar anthems put up for every fight.

Gameplay: 5/10, Whilst sitting on the groundwork of possibly one of those friendliest mmorpg combat systems, FFXIV falls short due to two simple matters, there is very little (currently) to do outside of increase your level, which can be said of many MMO games. However, with promised content patched carefully in, on a rather regular basis, it's getting toward the point where it could increase this score a little.

(important mmo scores next)

Community: 7/10, the community in FFXIV is amazing, people communicate, stop to aid you if they see you in trouble, help newer players with free items simply because they saw that they were a little under equipped, repair things without truly needing to be asked. Enhance this with a linkshell, your own personal family, you find people to be open and friendly with nearly every aspect. However, when they aren't helpful, boy are they ever hateful, your usual flavour of troll exists here, the person who will harrass you for existing just so they can cause trouble, complaining about every aspect of the game in order to aggrovate, even when they have no intent of quitting. This is not restricted to your standard 'not enough WoW' troll.

Interface: 5/10, could use some work, and some more points that take advantage of the PC platform, however, the interface works, it is usable, and since patches to adress it, quite responsive. Whilst not quite on par just yet with other titles, bear in mind this is build for the later PS3 release, and does definately make using a controller much easier than adding controller support to a mouse and keyboard centric UI.

Combat: 7/10, Combat is as interesting as you make it, you can just spam one attack all day and struggle through battles, however, with the battle regiment system, and an organised group, you can chain your abilities together to create interesting buffs and debuffs, increase damage potentional far beyond normal, and really shine at your various class roles. Many people refuse to get into the more complex nature of the battle system, as it is set out open enough for someone to jump in to and perform mediocre, and still come out on top.

Final Opinion: FFXIV is not a terrible game, it lacks substance currently, but has seen major improvements to it's basic groundwork since it's release last year, even if you don't immediately notice it, simple things like improved responsiveness in the interface, and consolidation of windows to make things easier to read through definately improve what was a very sluggish and infuriating system. It needs time to tune itself, and whilst people may complain, they still log in and play, and still give their opinions, showing people truly care about this game.

From me, Final Fantasy XIV, gains a generous, 6/10 rating. Which for me, is an above average rating. It's got a way to go, but if you give it a chance, and really explore it's systems with an open view, you'll find a lot of fun to be had here if you let it be had.

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Originally Posted by TheVedis

this still describes every mmo pretty much

1) Spam your strongest attacks in sequence until mob dies
2) If mob attacks a certain spot, dont stand there if it can be helped
3) Continue til it dies or you do.

There really isnt an MMo out there that doesnt follow this format. Even the most so called "complex" boss fights in some games are still the same thing.

Dont stand next to the mob or in the path of its attack on killer moves, otherwise, unload on it.

Yet people somehow complain every time a new game comes out for the same reason....when every other game does the same thing, and they justify it with the same excuse "because they do it, but its not the same" which is basicaly saying, that they cant explain it, but they wanna badmouth it anyway

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You obviously have not played too many mmo's. I could name a bunch that have complex rotations, priorities, self healing cooldowns, and heavy movement fights ontop of that. (World of warcraft) being one. Just becuase all you've played is games where you stand there and spam 1 till you geta buff or a long cooldown ready, doesn't mean all mmo's are like that.

Infact. Go watch a video of a boss fight like Yogg-saron on WoW, in player perspective. Come back, and compare which is more epic.

Actually, WOW fights pretty much follow the same formula. WoW is actually one of the biggest rotation-based games out there. You press 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 then repeat... Until you proc a skill then you get to press 6!

And the boss strategies? When they shit on the floor... don't stand in it. The end.

You always used the same tanks... You pretty much always got away with the same DPS members... At least in 11 you had to use different people for different things. Ninjas were better off tanking some things, paladins others... And the DPS strategies on each fight changed slightly as well. On WoW, any class could DPS on any fight... And paladin, warrior, or DK could tank any fight. You never needed any one specific class.

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Originally Posted by Abriael

If you think that the game is just 1 1 1 like he (very wrongly) stated, then I'm afraid you're not nearly performing as well as you should, especially in a group.

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This is so true. In wow I do 1 2 9 8 7 6 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 7 3 3 3 3 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 2 6 6 6 6 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 <dead boss!>

You see to have a good game you can't just spam 1.. you have to spam 3, after you press 2 9 8 7 & 6. Why can't you losers get that!

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Originally Posted by viion

Well im a mage so i dont even press 1 lol, I run to the tank then wait, when hes low I hit 3, hit enter, and cure him for 700+, then I wait a little more... and a little more, waiting is fun :D

I Also nuke, so I pressed 5 then pressed enter, then waited some more, had a sip of my tea, sometimes, every 5 minutes THINGS GET INSANE, because people want protect/shell/spikes, so unreal now, i press down, and press 1, 2,3. Woah the excitement is killing me, just thinking about it gives me shivers.

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lol .

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Originally Posted by NoMX

Actually, WOW fights pretty much follow the same formula. WoW is actually one of the biggest rotation-based games out there. You press 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 then repeat... Until you proc a skill then you get to press 6!

And the boss strategies? When they shit on the floor... don't stand in it. The end.

You always used the same tanks... You pretty much always got away with the same DPS members... At least in 11 you had to use different people for different things. Ninjas were better off tanking some things, paladins others... And the DPS strategies on each fight changed slightly as well. On WoW, any class could DPS on any fight... And paladin, warrior, or DK could tank any fight. You never needed any one specific class.

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How wrong you guys are is just crazy. Wow was more then 12345. there was dot timers, long and short cd's, usually a couple debuffs you had to keep up, depending on class about 1-3 different abilities you had to rotate etc, not to mention you had to manage 1-2 different resources depending on class. That along with heavier movement,and boss mechanics than ffxi. It just doesn't even compare.

And as for the requiring classes for certain situations, WoW actually used to be like that. But they dropped the idea of requiring classes simple cuase it was stupidly inconvenient when you had to build your group PER dungeon etc. They didn't want to break up groups over stupid shit like that. Although certain classes will be better on different fights. Like ranged will be better on a fight with a teleporting boss, or lots of aoe, and melee will be better on movement, and fights with adds you can cleave on the boss. Also certain tanks CAN be better on different bosses. Dk's and paladins still do the most aoe and solo tanking, whereas warriors and druid have the better oh shit buttons.

Oh and also, People have this thought that a game being more inconvenient, and take more time to be "Hard". Thats just CRUEL. NOT hard.

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Originally Posted by NoMX

Belgian, I have mixed feelings on whether or not I like or hate you. You're quite funny at times when you're trolling in Ul'dah... But I also dislike your face. I want to slam your head into a gelatin mold so i can make Halloween masks. The problem is, I'm not sure there is that big a market for Rosanne face molds. (Just kidding, lets have Roegadyn babies.)

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lol..

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Originally Posted by Coombah

LOL This was the best post I read today :D

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facerolling across the keyboard? lol yeah me too.

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Originally Posted by Winterclaw

Reviewer's Tilt: 1/an imaginary zero
Having just divided by an imaginary zero, I have just destroyed the mathematical systems of the world.

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lol..

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Originally Posted by Seif

I agree it's utterly ridiculous.

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Try not a single major change since Alpha.

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Originally Posted by BelgianRofl

OK, I'm going to spoil the point of the thread. I may have been a bit too subtle...

If you've been on any FFXIV forums around the time when all the bad reviews started coming out, the Brand Myopic Folks (aka fanboys) were infuriated that the game was being reviewed so poorly. Anyone who's been around the forums at that time knows that the common fanboyish theme was, it's not fair to review a video game until 6 months after its release.


Well, now that it's been 6 months, and the Brand Myopics know that they couldn't recommend this game to a friend with a clear conscience, they are saying that reviewing an MMO 6-months is still not fair (of course unless it is a favorable review).

The point of this thread is to expose the Fanpersons, and to convict them to reflect what they've been telling everyone for the last 6-months. These gentlemen will "find themselves", and ultimately they will make a choice...

To accept or reject reality....

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lmao.. never show your hand Belgian!!

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Originally Posted by OminousAnonymous

How wrong you guys are is just crazy. Wow was more then 12345. there was dot timers, long and short cd's, usually a couple debuffs you had to keep up, depending on class about 1-3 different abilities you had to rotate etc. That along with heavier movement than ffxi. It just doesn't even compare.

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No, they're right. If they were wrong you would have a game that made you think. That is what people want to see, a game that makes you think about what you have to do. In WoW all you do is spam a certain rotation 40,000 times in a row. Single target? Same exact rotation. AoE trash? Same rotation. Crazy boss? Wipe til you learn, then spam certain abilities. No thinking, just spam spam spam. The problem is that even the variety in wow is a set thing. You have to do it a certain way and that's it. The whole group can't adapt and think for themselves.

I actually think XIV breaks the mold on this. When I was challenging myself on Conjurer, I never knew for sure what abilities in what order I would use in any given fight. It is very situational and I like that. I think the game will continue to grow in that direction. Like gifthorse said, there is quite a bit of creativity when soloing.

The XIV defense force is out early today :)

Btw, Belgian, you're wrong! Launch date is clearly meant as PS3 launch date! D'uh!

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Originally Posted by Neptune

No, they're right. If they were wrong you would have a game that made you think. That is what people want to see, a game that makes you think about what you have to do. In WoW all you do is spam a certain rotation 40,000 times in a row. Single target? Same exact rotation. AoE trash? Same rotation. Crazy boss? Wipe til you learn, then spam certain abilities. No thinking, just spam spam spam. The problem is that even the variety in wow is a set thing. You have to do it a certain way and that's it. The whole group can't adapt and think for themselves.

I actually think XIV breaks the mold on this. When I was challenging myself on Conjurer, I never knew for sure what abilities in what order I would use in any given fight. It is very situational and I like that. I think the game will continue to grow in that direction. Like gifthorse said, there is quite a bit of creativity when soloing.

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K. Enjoy being that little box with the rest of ur naive little friends. Theres a big world out there, lemme know when you want out.

Obviously FFxiv is the only game that actually makes you "think". I didn't realize that all those Sponsored World of Warcraft Raid teams, and PVP teams that get paid clearing challenging content, didn't actually need skill or intellegence to get there. Man I should quit my job.

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Originally Posted by Naqaj

The XIV defense force is out early today :)

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Fanboys*

I mean, I love the FF series just asmuch as the fanboys. I've played them all, even in the japanese versions. But damn, this game needs a serious over-haul, and quick!

It has serious potential, but I don't feel it's going the way it shoud yet. Not even close.

give it another 6 months? or maybe til ps3 release? or wait, lets just review it when the first expansion comes out whenever that is.

i think ffxiv is on its way to becoming a decent game in 6 months; will people still play it in 6 months? thats a hard question to answer. we live in a generation of instant gratisfaction and "i want it now". why do you think so many kids now have A.D.D? they start at a young age using iphones and computers and when they go to school, u put a book in front of them and they lose interest so fast doctors think they need medication to keep them focused.

i honestly dont think anything that is released in the future is going to hold people's attention like it did 5 years ago. we're living in a new age. i want to try out tera, gw2, and blade and soul but im pretty sure i will find something wrong with it and not play it ever again

Yeah, the idea that it's not fair to review an MMO on launch day is ridiculous. If it's not ready, then it shouldn't be released.

Belgian Rofl's review would have been a fair assessment then, and is still a fair assessment now.

The fact that FFXI had a rocky start in Japan before it was released in NA should have meant that SE would learn from its prior mistakes and make sure that FFXIV was fully ready at release. Whoops.

Looking into my magic 8-ball, I wonder what the future PS3 release will look like...?

I want to play TERA :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neptune

No, they're right. If they were wrong you would have a game that made you think. That is what people want to see, a game that makes you think about what you have to do. In WoW all you do is spam a certain rotation 40,000 times in a row. Single target? Same exact rotation. AoE trash? Same rotation. Crazy boss? Wipe til you learn, then spam certain abilities. No thinking, just spam spam spam. The problem is that even the variety in wow is a set thing. You have to do it a certain way and that's it. The whole group can't adapt and think for themselves.

I actually think XIV breaks the mold on this. When I was challenging myself on Conjurer, I never knew for sure what abilities in what order I would use in any given fight. It is very situational and I like that. I think the game will continue to grow in that direction. Like gifthorse said, there is quite a bit of creativity when soloing.

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As a rogue player in WOW, i would like you to try and use the same rotation for single target dps on aoe and then cry as you are on the bottom of the DPS meter <.<

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Originally Posted by Gath

If you really want to put more into this, how about we wait 3-4 years with this newer team who took over the game from a fail squad of lols, and then after that 3-4 years, wait 6 more months, and then rate it.

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THIS JUST IN! NEW SOURCES INDICATE THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO WRITE ANY REVIEWS OR STATE ANY OPINIONS ABOUT FINAL FANTASY XIV UNTIL THE YEAR 2014! PREVIOUSLY IT WAS THOUGHT THAT WE HAD TO WAIT SIX MONTHS AFTER RELEASE BEFORE REVIEWING AN MMORPG, BUT NOW IT HAS BECOME CLEAR THAT WE MUST ACTUALLY WAIT FOUR YEARS! SO PLEASE, EVERYONE, STOP FORMING YOUR OPINIONS RIGHT NOW! IT IS NOT FAIR TO THE GAME OR TO THE DEVELOPERS TO GIVE A VERDICT UNTIL AFTER THE GAME HAS BEEN OUT FOR OVER FOUR YEARS!

I feel like I've just been raped by capslock...

Also, I think a fair estimate is one year before serious reviews. At least that's a little more in keeping with SE's dev schedule for, and I hesitate to use this term but for lack of a better one, "fixing" the game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GabbaGabba

i think ffxiv is on its way to becoming a decent game in 6 months; will people still play it in 6 months? thats a hard question to answer. we live in a generation of instant gratisfaction and "i want it now". why do you think so many kids now have A.D.D? they start at a young age using iphones and computers and when they go to school, u put a book in front of them and they lose interest so fast doctors think they need medication to keep them focused.

i honestly dont think anything that is released in the future is going to hold people's attention like it did 5 years ago. we're living in a new age. i want to try out tera, gw2, and blade and soul but im pretty sure i will find something wrong with it and not play it ever again

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I just recently bought a Retro Duo and have been playing through FFIII (aka FFVI), and I have to say that the argument that games are becoming faster paced A.D.D is a load of crock. FFIII/VI is hella fast compared to FFXI and FFXIV. Games in the past 10 years have been getting slower, not faster. Some of the slowest games ever conceived by man were released between the years 2000 and 2010, the decade of slow-ass games. Developers are just finally realizing that the slow trend was a bad idea, and now games are speeding back up again like they were in the 1980s and 1990s.

I never got to play FFXI when it first came out, i only got the US version, with the 1st expansion. Anyone know how good of a game it was before it's first expansion?

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Originally Posted by RockDustt

I never got to play FFXI when it first came out, i only got the US version, with the 1st expansion. Anyone know how good of a game it was before it's first expansion?

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The first three months were quite the disaster. SE actually waived the fee for the second month (besides the first free one). The first 6-8 months were pretty much a rollercoaster with rules changing pretty much overnight, party play being encouraged and discouraged repeatedly and so forth.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Abriael

The first three months were quite the disaster. SE actually waived the fee for the second month (besides the first free one). The first 6-8 months were pretty much a rollercoaster with rules changing pretty much overnight, party play being encouraged and discouraged repeatedly and so forth.

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This just makes me think of revising my 1 year estimate to something slightly different. 6 months after you start paying for the game is probably a better point at which to review it.

The entire first year of FFXI in Japan was pretty disasterrific. It wasn't until the Zilart expansion was released that SE finally turned it around.

That's why I'm expecting to see the first expansion pack happen before the PS3 release.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AngryNixon

This just makes me think of revising my 1 year estimate to something slightly different. 6 months after you start paying for the game is probably a better point at which to review it.

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I say an MMO should be reviewable on launch day. It's fine to change things and add new content and systems over time, but the game's underlying mechanics should be complete right from the start.

The fact that FFXI had a rough start does not mean having a rough start is permissible for other MMOs. The start should be smooth.

Bottom line. 6 months after i first opened my CE box and installed the game... it still feels the same as it was in open beta. Incomplete, boring, cumbersome and a huge letdown.

Review it then, review it now... not much has changed. Sure we can give them infinite time to make a good game and some of us might...

But really, if this was anything but SE with a FF title... it would of burned by now. This is like the release of tribes 2.

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Originally Posted by Rhianu

I say an MMO should be reviewable on launch day. It's fine to change things and add new content and systems over time, but the game's underlying mechanics should be complete right from the start.

The fact that FFXI had a rough start does not mean having a rough start is permissible for other MMOs. The start should be smooth.

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I agree in principle.

But the reality of this particular launch is that this was not the case. Given the particulars of this situation it is perhaps illogical to impose the general standard of review-ability at launch. Reviewing this game by that measure is simply reviewing it to come to your (general your) conclusion that it isn't up to par and therefore deserves a low mark. If you are seeking to give the game a bad review despite it's obviously incomplete state then you've achieved your goal and need go no further in the analysis.

A more accommodating time frame for review then should be adopted allowing them to present you with what they truly deem is a complete product (loosely determined by their willingness to charge the monthly fee for it). At the very least then you can come to a realistic rating of the game instead of one that is "doomed" to an inevitably negative conclusion from the start.

One might equate this to giving them a pass but slamming them from the word go doesn't accomplish much either.

A mitigating factor though about the unavoidably negative review from launch for this game is that it sets a benchmark from which to move forward from for future reviews.

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Originally Posted by Rjain

Something which discourages me about the state of this game is the following:

Closed Alpha
"The game only started testing phase guys shut up."

Closed Beta
"It's only a beta stop complaining so much the point is we need to test the problems."

Final Closed Beta
"Open beta will open up a lot more content and most of the problems will be fixed."

Open Beta
"It's still only open beta and a lot of the content is closed off and there are still bugs to work out."

Collector's Release
"Some of the content is probably being held off until standard release."

Main Release
"Let's give it a few months."

December
"The development team is being restructured. I bet they have a lot of content done already and it will probably be released around the time the PS3 release was supposed to come out, which is in March. I'm gonna wait until then to make an opinion."

Now
"Let's wait about 6 more months."

The game will never be "finished" as it's an MMO. As for when it'll be in a completely better state than it is now, don't be hopeful that it's going to happen anytime soon.

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WOW you nailed that one! Props! :D

But honestly this shows how much this game has just stalled for like a year and SE is still asking us to wait and wait....