New Player, my thoughts

Hey all, wanted to just give the devs my thoughts so far on the game as a new player. I played the early beta/alpha stages of the earlier version of the game. Since the re-make of the game > A Realm Reborn, I didn't really stick with it, the MMO genre really took a nose dive for me where a lot of MMO games didn't grab me is as Warcraft did back in the old days.

I gave FFXIV a try, twice but never stuck with it for long. Until I decided a week or so ago to try again, and I am glad i did! Now level 17 I am really enjoying this, like I did playing WOW back in the old days.

I'm not sure what it is about the game that has won me over and made me enjoy playing an MMO again but it's great and I can't wait to level more and explore more content :)

As I love the FF world (FFX, Cloud and Lightening) here is my toon with Lightning's attire. It has made the game that much more fun!

Cheers Devs

http://i.imgur.com/dlrkNbu.jpg

I started recently and fell in love with the game as well.

There really isn't any one thing that wins me over. I love the FF world, and particularly the FF6 style on some of the art (like magitech armor!). The art overall is very appealing. I loved character creation, which is very important first impression for an MMO. I love how polished most systems are. I love how much there is to do, even if it is overwhelming at first. I love the freedom we get to experiment with every class without having to settle on one right away. I enjoy the new take on crafting where I'm fighting my materials. I like how group content gets tied into the main story and how involved the main story is. I love the glamour and dye customization. I love the Gold Saucer. I love the Palace of the Dead. I love the combat system and all the dancing around it entails.

I love the community especially. I still haven't had a bad group experience. I know there are some bad sorts out there, but everyone I've met has either been really nice or just quietly getting the job done. Any time I've needed information, great people in my FC, novice chat, and linkshells have been able to help out.

A recent high point for me was when my party wiped at around 70% on Palace of the Dead lv 50 boss Edda, except me. I managed to finish the fight! All that dancing around to avoid attacks, turning for Cold Feet, and tracking all my warrior self heals, made it a very tense fight and I don't think I've ever had so much fun in a single MMO battle before. I know people go down there and solo Edda all the time, but it was a big deal for me and I was glad I could pull through for my party.

You came to an amazing game I have gotten hooked my self starting this past summer enjoy the journey.

That was the problem with WOW the community is vile... I am yet to expereince groups and such in this game but from what I hear it sounds like my kinda place.

I'm loving the game as well.
Having a hard time getting into the story, just hit 2.2.
WoW on the other hand had me hooked from lv1, but that's because I've been in love with that world since Warcraft 1.
And the nosedive in story is what made me quit.
FFXIV on the other hand, seems to be getting better, so, I'm excited for the future.
Also, wife plays as well, so that helps too.

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Originally Posted by Khasar

That was the problem with WOW the community is vile... I am yet to expereince groups and such in this game but from what I hear it sounds like my kinda place.

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WoW wasn't always like that! I played WoW from launch up through cataclysm and then off and on since then. I'm sure experiences vary, but my early WoW experience was amazing. People were generally friendly and it was comparable to my experience here in FFXIV now. I didn't really see any community trouble until the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, when raids dropped form 40 to 25 man. Most large guilds were built and structured around 40 man raids. Cutting a team size to 25 was a tough blow and many guilds didn't survive it. My guild, which had been the #2 most progressed raid guild on Earthen Ring, broke up around Cataclysm launch, surviving a lot of strife with the new raid structure, but losing its heart. Part of the guild reformed into a new one, but it was never the same for me. Over those two expansions, grouping with random players went from pleasant to grating, but it happened gradually. That combined with my old guild family being more or less gone is what killed the game for me. I've been back a couple times to try and see if I could recapture the magic, but it hasn't worked out. I think I have too much history there to enjoy what it has become. I suspect my past experiences are tainting my perceptions too much. I'd be curious how new players react to WoW now, but it's so mainstream practically everyone has played it.

The game feels great because it's new. It still is to me because I only started taking it seriously again recently. It's also like a massive weight off my shoulders no more feeling horribly behind because I missed a weekly clear, no more having to fear which class blizzard "tunes" next making me go from a staple in every group to seeing a stream of "declined" every single time I sign for parties. Even if Summoner god forbid became terrible to the point of the playable, I could just pick up any of the other jobs, one of which I think I even share gear with (SCH?) and proceed. No more losing any connection to my main character because I decide to play something else.

Oh and christ, the storyline is amazing, I really feel like an influential part of it instead of someone who's just helping to kill/collect 10 of x for a pretty end of zone cutscene (that doesn't even involve me)

I envy people from FF14 who have never seriously played WoW before. It's actually extremely stressful.

done some dungeons as I leveled enjoyed it no one really said anything really but it went smoothly. Not the experience I had with WOW can't say it was bad all the time but for the most part I avoided doing any with the way players would talk to each other and leave when they got what they wanted. Not like that here (yet)

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Originally Posted by Khasar

done some dungeons as I leveled enjoyed it no one really said anything really but it went smoothly.

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People are usually down to business in dungeon finder groups and don't say much unless communication is required, and often not even then. I usually greet people at the start, give a run-down on boss mechanics for more complex fights, and give a farewell at the end. I crack a joke here and there if I have a moment and something interesting warrants it, but I don't want to slow things down. I've had conservations after the last boss, but mostly the DF players are from other servers, so you're unlikely to see them again... which kills any real friend-making experience. Pre-made groups from your own server are much more fun, as people are more willing to socialize.

I fell in love with this game as well.
Aesthetically pleasing (to me), I love the way the language is used, the characters all look very nice and I do not feel like the quests are tedious affairs.
All the little things I have come to unlock so far, such as the hunting log and the ability that you can play every class and job on one character make it even better.

The story itself is good enough for me to sit down and read (most) it, and the fact that it's Final Fantasy is great for me too.
One thing in particular I have to praise is - up to this point at least - the game really makes me feel like I am the hero, something alot of other games can really learn from in my opinion.

I started playing this on a trial basis on the 25th of this Januari, a day later I grabbed the full ARR game and the Heavensward expansion a day after.
Simply adore my Au Ra character.

Currently only level 15 THM and 7 CNJ, but I am literally excited to see what more the game has in store for me.
Also, Chocobo mounts? yes please!

im the same mate. spent 10 years+ playing a disc priest/resto shammy in wow & probably for the last 18 months, i just stopped enjoying it.
played aion for a while with my gf & got my cleric up to 60 & she got her songweaver to 60 also, but nothing comes close to FFXIV.
the storyline from the 1st quest until the current last is just a joy. the different emotions you get by getting really involved is hard to explain (sad, i know lol), playing a game with a proper storyline, this is what a game should be like.
i can honestly say, i wish i had picked this game up years ago & not just in the last 8 weeks, it really is that good.
im playing a lvl 60 WHM & really enjoying the whole quest/dungeon experience.

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Originally Posted by MysticWoolie

Also, Chocobo mounts? yes please!

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Not only that, but you can eventually train your chocobo to fight alongside you, filling in as either DPS, tank, or healer. It only works in world content, but is fairly useful, particularly if you want to take on a FATE boss alone. You can feed the chocobo foods to change its color and equip different bardings. This is all separate from racing chocobos that you can breed and race at the saucer.

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Originally Posted by imjustahealer

im playing a lvl 60 WHM & really enjoying the whole quest/dungeon experience.

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FFXIV is the first MMO where I've actually enjoyed dungeon content before max level. Most MMOs make it an optional chore you can engage in for better quest rewards, but few people want to do it. To maker matters worse, the low level dungeons tend to be annoying and maze-like as well! FFXIV fixes that by keeping the dungeon layouts relatively simple, making them required in the main quest, giving players incentives to do them, and giving new players some tutorials to get them started. I've really enjoyed the experience, although probably it does annoy some DPS that have to wait in a long que to get through story content.

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Originally Posted by Rinari

Not only that, but you can eventually train your chocobo to fight alongside you, filling in as either DPS, tank, or healer. It only works in world content, but is fairly useful, particularly if you want to take on a FATE boss alone. You can feed the chocobo foods to change its color and equip different bardings. This is all separate from racing chocobos that you can breed and race at the saucer.

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Holy Moogles!
Chocobo breeding? Feeding and changing colors and barding? FFVII vibe for me, that is!
Sounds like they implemented the minigames from my favorite FF single player title into FFXIV!

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Originally Posted by MysticWoolie

Sounds like they implemented the minigames from my favorite FF single player title into FFXIV!

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Have you visited the Gold Saucer casino yet? My first time there, I ran around wide eyed and ecstatic, playing all the games and joining in on special events. The chocobo racing is on the upper level (have to take elevator to it the first time), so don't miss that part.

If you haven't been yet, here is the info on unlocking it, which you can do shortly after unlocking airship travel;

To unlock Gold Saucer, player must complete the questline starting It Could Happen to You. Players can start the quest by talking to Well-heeled Youth in Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (x9,y9). Players must have completed the Main Scenario Quest: The Gridanian Envoy, The Ul'dahn Envoy or The Lominsan Envoy previously.

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Originally Posted by Rinari

To unlock Gold Saucer, player must complete the questline starting It Could Happen to You. Players can start the quest by talking to Well-heeled Youth in Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (x9,y9). Players must have completed the Main Scenario Quest: The Gridanian Envoy, The Ul'dahn Envoy or The Lominsan Envoy previously.

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Massive thanks, Rinari!

I unlocked and completed these quests last night, I'll be sure to get the Gold Saucer going!

I'm so pumped about this, it even has the Chocobo theme song during the races! <3

So it seems I wasn't the only one that didn't get hooked from day one haha. I first tried the trial a while back and only got to lvl 7 before moving to something else. But recently I figured I'd give it another shot with a different chara and this time, uh boy am I sold on it. At first I figured I'd miss the combat Tera or Blade&Soul had to offer, but after running my first dungeons I found I can live with this style as well.
I really like how there's a lot of stuff to do and lots of mechanics to learn, so at least with my first char I don't feel like the leveling is getting boring for now. And the story line seems really interesting, while in other games I kept skipping most if not all the text blocks, I can honestly say with ffxiv I enjoy reading the dialogue as I wanna know what happens next.
Money well spent, I'd say.

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Originally Posted by NielleWiseeli

I don't feel like the leveling is getting boring for now. And the story line seems really interesting, while in other games I kept skipping most if not all the text blocks, I can honestly say with ffxiv I enjoy reading the dialogue as I wanna know what happens next.

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I haven't been bored with leveling yet at all. If you do hit a slog though, jump into Palace of the Dead or do some dungeons. I have Warrior at 59 and Paladin at 51 without trying...and just now finished main quest up to Ishgard. I did get hooked on PotD for a while though, so that would do it. The main quest gets tedious when it starts throwing you around to random people for what seem like unimportant side-quests. There are hundreds of those and they eat up a lot of time. I wish they had streamlined the main quest more. I do enjoy the actual main story and most of the cutscene interactions. I could just do without the filler.

Combat is fun, particularly in dungeons in the 40+ range where it tends to keep you on your toes. It feels extremely active, even though we're really just making decisions around a 2.5s general cooldown.

Well level 50 now I didn't think I'd ever play an MMO again where I'd get this far and not get bored or burnt out and where I would enjoy the whole journey! Enjoyed the dungeons, I enjoyed most of the quests, the story-line is great but me being lazy I didn't want to read all the text :( But I kinda got an idea of what the story is about. I also liked the mini raid dungeon Castrum Meridianum, so now I am onto the next one which is The Praetorium I believe.

http://i.imgur.com/OvKDNFg.jpg?2

I'm just positively lost in all the things i can do.

Sometimes i do the MSQ, currently I am working hard on getting all crafts up to 15.
Loving the fact that even crafting comes with a bunch of skills you can use to improve results rather than <get ingredients - click craft>.
I throw in a dungeon here and there during my crafts, since - now that I reached my first goals (becoming a Scholar and Summoner) I want to practice healing.

Love it!

At the same time I frequent the Gold Saucer, play Chocobo races, also recently unlocked my Feisty little Chocobo, only to find out she can level up as well!
Not to mention you can play mini games using your minions!

So much to do and to see that I cannot imagine getting bored anytime soon.

I've got warrior at 60 and paladin at 51. I've finished up through HW MSQ (but not Dragonsong) and have been working hard to gear up for higher end content (up to gear ilvl 226 now). I cleared Palace of the Dead down to lv 100 and got my ilvl 255 kina weapon (a great boost for a fresh 60!). I've been working to unlock and play through dungeons, and I think I've maybe only been to about a fourth of what exists. I've got Armorsmith, Leatherworking, and Mining over 40 now. I have an apartment with modest decorations, including an orchestrion that I only have a handful of songs for. I've go 40 or 50ish triad cards, and trying to hunt down enough to hit the magic 60 mark. I hit the gold saucer sometimes to work up MGP for rewards... already bought a couple new dances and some cosmetic pieces. I burned through a bunch of timeworn dragonskin treasure maps with friends and made it to the end of aquapolis...what an adventure and such treasure!

With all that, it seems like I've barely dented the content in the game. I haven't touched pvp or raids yet. I'm just getting started in crafting. There are tons of lv 50 and 60 dungeons and trials I haven't visited yet. I haven't even tried a DPS or Healer job up to a significant level yet (though I love tanking). Someday I hope to acquire a house.

The best part of it all is that I've made a bunch of awesome friends along the way. I love the game more every day!