1.18 Bittersweet.

So we are being forced to group again just like in XI. I got CON and THM to 20 these past couple of days to be able to solo decently and it was for nothing. Did you see that MP cost? Aside from mages I don't think we can solo anymore.

Also I want to say that I feel for THMs. You guys got nerfed to absurd levels. I understand SE is again forcing a healer in PTs and getting CON back into the picture but really this is the classical scenario were Devs go overboard and take a class from OP to below average in a single patch instead of gradually adjusting.

We'll see how this plays out when we get to try this but for now it's a bittersweet feeling.

i'm pumped about being forced to group.. sorry this isn't a single player game! I logged off many times because I had to solo everything and there was no option for group play..

I'm done now. After everything I've put up with, not being able to solo a single monster is just too much. This game is done for me, later everyone.

And sorry to all my friends on Besaid, I'm gonna miss you all.

Leves are for soloing.
You get your MP refreshed after every Leve.

+ Second Wind and Bloodbath, which are DoW healing skills got enhanced.
+ enemys got balanced too, so just wait, play and than complain.

people starting to quit now, without even trying how the game feels, is really kind of overdramatic...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Forbin

i'm pumped about being forced to group.. sorry this isn't a single player game! I logged off many times because I had to solo everything and there was no option for group play..

---

Sorry, this isn't correct! It's a hybrid. The concept behind FFXIV is that it can cater to group play via dungeons and solo play via leves--at least it is supposed to. Kensei may have a point thogh (we'll need to play the post-1.18 game to be sure): with the changes to the battle system, solo and casual play may be very difficult indeed.

I want to play when I want to play. I don't want to sit around all day scratching my butt and waiting for ls members to log in or random people to invite me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jabo

Leves are for soloing.
You get your MP refreshed after every Leve.

+ Second Wind and Bloodbath, which are DoW healing skills got enhanced.
+ enemys got balanced too, so just wait, play and than complain.

people starting to quit now, without even trying how the game feels, is really kind of overdramatic...

---

I like your optimism but you gotta read between thee lines. The game got a lot less solo friendly. You'd be right if we could do infinite amount of leves but that's not the case.

Also you are saying we should use Second Wind and Bloodbath? So we can't use WS because we gotta keep using Second Wind to heal? But wait a minute we needed the TP to use WS with Bloodbath to make the healing passable! Yep, good luck with that!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cidolphus

Sorry, this isn't correct! It's a hybrid. The concept behind FFXIV is that it can cater to group play via dungeons and solo play via leves--at least it is supposed to. Kensei may have a point thogh (we'll need to play the post-1.18 game to be sure): with the changes to the battle system, solo and casual play may be very difficult indeed.

---

I've played FFXI since jp launch and very casually for the past 5 years and have a Relic weapon.. You can play any game casually if you want. The casual group just thinks they need everything RIGHT NOW! because I don't wanna actually have to work for it.. I wanna blow through all the content and move on to the next Casual friendly game.. I myself actually like grouping up, making friends, enjoying the game for many years, and working towards something that feels REWARDING. Yes it took me close 5 years to get a relic weapon.. but so what, I had a blast making friends, helping out, and just playing casual.. On days I couldn't spend 2-3hrs I'd work on other stuff. It's an MMO, it is what FF fans have come to expect from SE MMO's there are plenty of other games out there that cater to the GIVE IT TO ME NOW! crowd.. go try em out. I hope they continue to make these kind of changes.. Signed a VERY casual player(i currently get an hour or two a day to play and some days none at all......)

did you guys try it out solo before posting in here? I'm solo/duo player myself but I'm not going to complain till I tried it out first so just wanted to see if the opinions in here are from trying the game after the patch out.

If it's really that bad... hope wife don't get disappointed lol.

Personally, I think things will go very well -- it may even feel like FFXI did back in the days of PLD tanking and proper SCs (although that kind of stuff is yet to come). I'm excited about a lot of the changes, especially to gathering jobs, which had been a pain in the butt to level before.

I remember him saying "leves are for solo/casual."

Also party grinding is making a comeback.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SuzakuCMX

I remember him saying "leves are for solo/casual."

Also party grinding is making a comeback.

---

So we can only solo 8 times every 36 hours? That's their alternative to forced groups? No, thanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Reinheart

did you guys try it out solo before posting in here? I'm solo/duo player myself but I'm not going to complain till I tried it out first so just wanted to see if the opinions in here are from trying the game after the patch out.

If it's really that bad... hope wife don't get disappointed lol.

---

I have tried it out, I'm seriously disappointed. You CAN solo things, but only one at a time and only if you're willing to sit around for 2 or 3 minutes between fights doing nothing.

I'm sorry but if I want to play a game that forces me to group just to kill things I'll go back to XI. At least that game has content worth grouping for.

I'm done with XIV, not going back to XI, and going to be a lot more critical of games I invest time into in the future.

I'm gonna go with Reinheart here and state people should actually give it a fair shake, and try it out, before we cry doom.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kensei

So we are being forced to group again just like in XI. I got CON and THM to 20 these past couple of days to be able to solo decently and it was for nothing. Did you see that MP cost? Aside from mages I don't think we can solo anymore.

Also I want to say that I feel for THMs. You guys got nerfed to absurd levels. I understand SE is again forcing a healer in PTs and getting CON back into the picture but really this is the classical scenario were Devs go overboard and take a class from OP to below average in a single patch instead of gradually adjusting.

We'll see how this plays out when we get to try this but for now it's a bittersweet feeling.

---

Without trying to get your heckles up, this IS an MMORPG. Part of the genre of this game is multiplayer. I do understand your frustration to some extent. Being someone who prefers to solo, alot has been taken away from you.

But I ask, why so shy with teaming up with other players? I'm sure even in your solo career you have bumped into the odd player or two? These are, like you, people behind a keyboard.

I imagine alot of it is to do with time limitations or frustrations on waiting for groups to for. I can understand that. No matter how "hardcore" someone is, they WILL get annoyed with waiting. But with that in mind, how would you like to make changes to the game to reduce group waiting time? They have changed the group findr somewhat. With luck, that will make things easier. I for one want to test this seach option to see if its any good. I truely hope it is.

Back to topic tho. when doing the odd leve quest, why not branch out and make a friend or two? soulds silly at first, but with a solid friends list, you will have no issues forming a group for larger tasks such as the newly released dungeons :)

I am about to create a caracter on Besaid, i hope to see you in world. Dont know what my name is yet, but ill drop you a line :)

x

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kiroh

I have tried it out, I'm seriously disappointed. You CAN solo things, but only one at a time and only if you're willing to sit around for 2 or 3 minutes between fights doing nothing.

I'm sorry but if I want to play a game that forces me to group just to kill things I'll go back to XI. At least that game has content worth grouping for.

I'm done with XIV, not going back to XI, and going to be a lot more critical of games I invest time into in the future.

---

This is exactly what it looked like it was going to be for me. All my friends quit XIV because it was so boring, so when I did on the rare rare time log on, it was nice to be able to at least solo a little bit.

The way they have ruined mages is pretty much it for me. I had high hopes for this patch and I am dissapoint.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kensei

I like your optimism but you gotta read between thee lines. The game got a lot less solo friendly. You'd be right if we could do infinite amount of leves but that's not the case.

Also you are saying we should use Second Wind and Bloodbath? So we can't use WS because we gotta keep using Second Wind to heal? But wait a minute we needed the TP to use WS with Bloodbath to make the healing passable! Yep, good luck with that!

---

1. You're still playing an MMO. It isn't supposed to be for solo playing.
It can be casual/solo friendly thou and this is what the leves are for. Solo grinding was never a decent way to level up in this game. Duo was twice as fast and linking leves was even way faster than that.

2.
Second Wind is like 250TP and it was even pre 1.18 better than Cure/Sacrifise (no casting time).
And I mean really? U can't use Bloodbath efficient because the 250TP won't let you use your WS anymore. Really?
I play for an eternity with Raging Strike, Ferocity, Bloodbath + WS Makro and you gain 1000tp way faster than in one minute, so you always have to wait for bloodbath.
If you can't generate 1250TP in 60 seconds you're doing something very wrong.

You level 50's realize there's people that aren't level 50, right? You realize some people aren't in linkshells or know ANYBODY in the game, right? You realize people prioritize their lives and get online for quick solo play, right? You realize that some people prefer solo play, and it's viable in many MMORPGs (but not to the level of being able to solo all content, that's stupid, and not what we're talking about), right?

The MP change is too much for solo players, especially those leveling up below level 30.

I really don't believe soloing is going to change all that much. Which, by the way, people who are posting about "MMOs mean grouping": 1. No they don't. 2. This game has always been about casual and solo friendly play. It is the game's backbone and as such it will always be a concern whether you like it or not.

And to defend Kensei, he groups a lot so please don't categorize him as a party hating soloer because that could not be further from the truth.

That being said, yes, the cost of the cures are high, but how many times do you honestly need to heal yourself while killing a mob? Two, maybe three times? Personally, I find I'm able to fight multiple leve mobs at once and get away with no cure or 1 cure before they all die. Maybe that's cause I'm an archer, I don't know, but I really think It is gonna be ok guys.

I think people are jumping the gun here a little bit. Now, I admit that I haven't played with the 1.18 patch yet because it's still downloading, and at the rate it's downloading I probably wont be able to play tonight. I usually play alone, it's rare for me to actually find a party to play with because when I'm on I always find people 10+ levels larger or smaller than me. I run 3 char all on separate servers all different starting cities, so I would doubt it's the "normal" excuse. Anyway, now I'll be restarting THIS char on the Besaid server starting in Gridania. If people want to join me, on weekdays I play between 8:00pm - 11:00pm on weekends I play most afternoons. Look for me, if you want to party let me know. but i'm going to keep playing solo until the same no longer lets me do so with ease.

Name: Nina Falcon
Server: *changing to Besaid server*
Starting City: Gridania

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DAOWAce

You level 50's realize there's people that aren't level 50, right? You realize some people aren't in linkshells or know ANYBODY in the game, right? You realize people prioritize their lives and get online for quick solo play, right? You realize that some people prefer solo play, and it's viable in many MMORPGs (but not to the level of being able to solo all content, that's stupid, and not what we're talking about), right?

The MP change is too much for solo players, especially those leveling up below level 30.

---

That is what the XBOX and PS3 are for.. SOLO PLAY.. not MMO's

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DAOWAce

You realize people prioritize their lives and get online for quick solo play, right?

---

And that's exactly what Guildleves are for.
What beeing Rank 50 has to do with it is beyond me thou.

As your other points. You can play "casual" and still be in a linkshell or do behests or play duo and you can still solo grind stuff. Only less efficient and as said: Solo grinding (not playing) isn't what a MMORPG is about. You can still do it, but it should be obvious that it can't be the part of the game which gets a lot of attention.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wynn

I really don't believe soloing is going to change all that much. Which, by the way, people who are posting about "MMOs mean grouping": 1. No they don't. 2. This game has always been about casual and solo friendly play. It is the game's backbone and as such it will always be a concern whether you like it or not.

And to defend Kensei, he groups a lot so please don't categorize him as a party hating soloer because that could not be further from the truth.

That being said, yes, the cost of the cures are high, but how many times do you honestly need to heal yourself while killing a mob? Two, maybe three times? Personally, I find I'm able to fight multiple leve mobs at once and get away with no cure or 1 cure before they all die. Maybe that's cause I'm an archer, I don't know, but I really think It is gonna be ok guys.

---

Hey Wynn, we'll discuss this in more detail with with the guys when we are both playing :)

Console Games = Solo player
MMOs = Group gameplay

It is what the genre is. People should be not surprised to find a party focus in mmos.

More people will return to the game because of GROUP PLAY than will quit because they can't solo.. I can't tell you how many of my FFXI friends who tried 14 quit because they said, "To solo for me".. and who will return because of these types of changes..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jabo

Leves are for soloing.
You get your MP refreshed after every Leve.

+ Second Wind and Bloodbath, which are DoW healing skills got enhanced.
+ enemys got balanced too, so just wait, play and than complain.

people starting to quit now, without even trying how the game feels, is really kind of overdramatic...

---

C'mon now, get into the spirit of things!

Being upset that change is inevitable is a MMO player's tradition.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DAOWAce

You level 50's realize there's people that aren't level 50, right? You realize some people aren't in linkshells or know ANYBODY in the game, right? You realize people prioritize their lives and get online for quick solo play, right? You realize that some people prefer solo play, and it's viable in many MMORPGs (but not to the level of being able to solo all content, that's stupid, and not what we're talking about), right?

The MP change is too much for solo players, especially those leveling up below level 30.

---

sooo you play an MMO ! to play by your self??
your gonna SOLO to lvl 50 ..and do nothing?
I don't get what you're trying to say!
Go play an RPG if you wanna be by your self.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kensei

So we are being forced to group again just like in XI. I got CON and THM to 20 these past couple of days to be able to solo decently and it was for nothing. Did you see that MP cost? Aside from mages I don't think we can solo anymore.

Also I want to say that I feel for THMs. You guys got nerfed to absurd levels. I understand SE is again forcing a healer in PTs and getting CON back into the picture but really this is the classical scenario were Devs go overboard and take a class from OP to below average in a single patch instead of gradually adjusting.

We'll see how this plays out when we get to try this but for now it's a bittersweet feeling.

---

you understand nothing.

The Guildleves are for soloing. They specifically stated that dungeons+field battles will be for parties, and guildleves for solo exping from here on out. More options may be added for both in the future, but as things are, thats how it goes.

Also certain quests will be for solo or party exp.

That's why there is a patch/update/maintenance. For fixing the game. Understand this or gtfo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kensei

So we can only solo 8 times every 36 hours? That's their alternative to forced groups? No, thanks.

---

Leves were intended as short-term "log in, get some stuff accomplished in an hour or two and log out" content. They're intended as short-term content for people who don't have a lot of time to play. That has been stated and re-stated on several occasions now.

Yoshi has stated that they are moving away from Leves as the game's main form of content. The idea of Leves comprising the core of XIV's content pretty much ended when Tanaka stepped down and Yoshi P stepped up and re-evaluated everything.

Other content is being shifted to be more group centric.

Some content will be added that can be scaled for either solo, small group or large group play...

None of this is news... or shouldn't be anyway.

There are also other tasks you can work on solo.. crafting, harvesting, storyline quests, etc.

In the brief time I was logged in earlier, I saw people soloing mobs in several spots in Black Shroud. I myself solo'd a few that were comparable in level to me... and they weren't leve mobs.

DoMs lost a ton of solo power, especially THMs. DoW shouldn't have been affected that much (save Archer which was brought down from god mode to mortal mode). Second Wind costs 250 TP which is nothing and Bloodbath is still the same but both are on a lower CD. Lancer still has it's OP class specific Surge skills and Gladiator is still pretty much indestructible.

It's getting there alright. Just that the UI is still junk (grr on targeting system) and the group system is still gibberish, which is still limited to LS speak or nothing.

It's true that the Battle system feels a lot better then spam, it's only skill spamming now. Hopefully when 1.19 comes along and kills Physical level, we can finally have people actually talking to another.

It's a lot more interesting now at least.

Well that was a huge disappointment as predicted.
Game is still boring and unrewarding, dont even want to do raids for the reskinned crappy gear, there's only like 2 quests for companies, settlements serve no purpose, worthless all around.

I thought people wanted the game to be harder.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cichy

Well that was a huge disappointment as predicted.
Game is still boring and unrewarding, dont even want to do raids for the reskinned crappy gear, there's only like 2 quests for companies, settlements serve no purpose, worthless all around.

---

the companies are mainly for the raids at this point. The settlements serve no purpose? Go look at the rest of them instead of seeing 1 and saying "Well that sucked." Unrewarding? Actually try the raids then. They aren't as easy as what you may think. Not all of the gear is reskinned...you need to look up some dat sites if you think it is. You're just another naysayer who doesn't want to actually try the game. Instead, you would rather just say "this sucks" and not deal with it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dubont

the companies are mainly for the raids at this point. The settlements serve no purpose? Go look at the rest of them instead of seeing 1 and saying "Well that sucked." Unrewarding? Actually try the raids then. They aren't as easy as what you may think. Not all of the gear is reskinned...you need to look up some dat sites if you think it is. You're just another naysayer who doesn't want to actually try the game. Instead, you would rather just say "this sucks" and not deal with it.

---

Does it still suck? Yes, Does it suck a lot less, yes also. Can't blame some people for having higher expectations.

It's getting there...hopefully soon.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Forbin

i'm pumped about being forced to group.. sorry this isn't a single player game! I logged off many times because I had to solo everything and there was no option for group play..

---

This right here. Solo content sure, but I WANT some form of increased group content.

I know this was here before and it wasnt accepted well by community. Game has some misleaks now from what I read - I didnt try yet. And I know it will be not perfect right now in the game.

Try how gameplay will invole in party. Wait for EXP links (they were mentioned for next udpates) and lets hope for fixes of things in the future.

Maybe you should restart using those MP refreshing skills, that you have been given for a reason. What about it?