The Tragedy about Manderville vs Brilliant Relics

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Originally Posted by Mostly_Raxus

you cant say the flu isn't bad because cancer exists.

your trying to stat this game is good or bad objectively when that is an impossible statement, its a matter of subjectivity..

if you play for 2 hours a week super casual you can definitely say this game is perfect for you..
but if you are a gamer that wants a game to put 60+ hours in to a month then this game will let you down wholeheartedly.

the defense of this game always boils down to "dont play it too much, go play other games" well we are not talking about other games, this is the one i PAID for. when square starts letting me pay for my sub in hours versus months we can talk that game, but there is not a month worth of content in this game at endgame.

sure you like it, mostlikely because you like to socialize with your friends in game, not the actual game its self, or you love the story that was 4 installments of 70$ plus base game cost..

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This is going a bit off topic, as we were specifically discussing relics. I don't want the thread to get derailed, but I don't mind giving a short answer. You seem reasonable.

Comparing XIV to barely functional games at a mere basic mechanical level (such as some of the ones I mentioned) makes very little sense to me. Same for comparing graphics, presentation, music and a few other things that are really good in XIV versus those games. As to the playable contents of the game itself... what each person likes matters a lot, and in that sense I try to don't tell people what to like or not like about the playable sections of XIV. I myself like stuff (a lot of stuff, not just the social aspect), and I dislike stuff. I'm currently trying to put a good word for the game in a thread I made about a problem I have with it. I hope that dichotomy speaks for itself. I try to think I'm a reasonable person, or at least I promise I try.

I don't really have a "defense" for the game as a whole. I love it, but I know there's things that could be better, so I think conversation about those things is always good. It's why I've mentioned frequent surveys would be nice as a way for the devs to directly talk to us and get specific feedback in return. I mentioned this in another post, but I've filled about 4 surveys in sixish months of playing Star Rail. The only survey for XIV I've ever answered was the 10th Anniversary one, because I don't remember them ever sending out any other. Correct me if I'm wrong.

That said, I think the vitriol from both sides in XIV goes a bit overboard for no reason way too often... people are either "haters" for bringing up criticism, or "shills" if they're genuinely having a good time and just bring up positive stuff. It's very hard to have a real convo if those are the only two extremes. In the same vein: Comparing XIV to Life of Black Tiger is just absurd. I get what you're saying with the flu comparison, but I don't think it works too well here.

Anyway, as I said: I don't wanna derail the topic. I respect your point of view, and I hope what I said made sense, even if you don't totally agree with me.

Cheers!

Ye I agree, it's pretty goddamn lame. Going from a journey to reforge/awaken a weapon bordering on the mythical to what feels like going to the store and paying 30 bucks is really underwhelming.

I was just expecting (hoping for, after seeing the 2nd step) something other than roulette/hunt spam, man, we already do that more than enough. How are you going to tie a relic to something as out there as Hildibrand and have its steps be some tacked on tomestone farming for 4 times in a row?

I've been doing a DoH step or two every week to not burn myself out, I'm the kinda person who will absolutely farm a few thousand mats and then sit and manually HQ them all so I'm trying to be kind to myself and spread them out lol DoL got done fully each time in an evening though.

As for engagement, this is purely my own feelings and of course everyone's experience is different, I enjoy the combat ones more even if they're not as "prestigous" in their method of acquisition. Even if it's just tome farming I enjoy combat more than parking my butt down and listening to a youtube vod while pushing roughly the same buttons in my FC. I will say I don't like the RNG in the expert recipes because it always struck me as artificial difficulty. It does add some spice to the crafting tedium but I'd rather have some other method of challenge beyond randomness (also can we have a cooler storyline for these tools please?)

I have pretty distinct memories of doing every relic grind prior to EW. I’m not going to lie and say every moment of those experiences was good, but damn I am thankful I have those memories.

It is pathetic that the only memory of a Manderville weapon will be that moment I randomly checked my currency tab and saw I was over 1500 tomes.

Just another example of the design philosophy I completely despise the most about Final Fantasy XIV since Shadowbringers.
Neuter any and everything possible for PvE content, the playable part of the game that SHOULD have been the deepest and most engaging, and make all the content that in any other Final Fantasy would be considered "extra" or "sidequest" the more involved and time-consuming part.
Optional dungeons? Exploratory Zones? Relics that target people who actually like grinding with their jobs? Nah, have... ocean fucking fishing, island sanctuary, gposer garbage and if you're lucky some content for crafters and gatherers instead.

Mao sees little difference between Brilliant gathering tools and Manderville weapons. Both took Mao abouts same amount time to complete a stage and both just required collectings lots of things. In the end, the only thing Mao cares abouts is if Mao can gets while tool or weapon still useful and how good weapon or tool looks because in the end, once 7.0 comes out, the first green gears that is gets will outclass relics easily.

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Originally Posted by SilverObi

I will say I don't like the RNG in the expert recipes because it always struck me as artifical difficulty.

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RNG has me a bit worried for last stage. RNG is one of the big reasons why I've never done a serious attempt at the fishing collection. Some fish require insane luck.

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Originally Posted by Eraden

Mao sees little difference between Brilliant gathering tools and Manderville weapons. Both took Mao abouts same amount time to complete a stage and both just required collectings lots of things. In the end, the only thing Mao cares abouts is if Mao can gets while tool or weapon still useful and how good weapon or tool looks because in the end, once 7.0 comes out, the first green gears that is gets will outclass relics easily.

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Always good to see Mao!
In all honesty seeing the more carefree approach is making me wish I just did that instead...

It's a case of "people asked for it" and now we have to suffer.

When I was forced to play through it (again) it dawned on me that the only character I like from the manderville quests is greg and without him this has been just the same single unfunny joke told again and again since before arr.

I don't care about the work required but I just go through these new quests and compared to eureka and bozja it's like... who cares. This isn't important or relevant. Nobody's here to save anyone and we're just here to watch an ancient engine make broken facial expressions like its a 2014 source film maker yt poop

"Look she mentioned the bombs again and his head is in the ground. Again. Please laugh."

Guessing you haven't done the fishing relic yet? Nothing difficult about it at all.

Not sure if I will do any others. Maybe gathering, but my maxed and melded crafters haven't been used since early in the expansion.