[Spoilers] 7.3 Quest Puzzles (Feedback)

Just wanted to say I *love* the direction CS3 has taken with these new quests. Admittedly the puzzles are sort of linear/easy but I strongly encourage them to give us more in the future! It makes the MSQ much more engaging and I really felt like I was uncovering secrets running around unlocking things (even if the puzzles were really really easy).

I admit I sort of got my hopes up for the circuit puzzle that we'd see something using tethers, like the paradox puzzles in FFXIII-2, but that's just me recognizing that 13-2 and Dawntrail share many themes and pattern-matching a bit.

What types of puzzle mechanics would you like to see in FF14?

I got VERY excited when I realized that we had a genuine puzzle section, but I think they were a little too easy, even just to introduce us to them.

I also encourage them to continue with them. Go ham, even. This is the stuff we want!

I just finished this part myself, it definitely is a step in the right direction. Please give us more little gameplay bits like these and expand on them, they are actually interesting and fun.

It was nice and the story was really good this patch

/signed
If it fits the narrative like it certainly did in the current MSQ then yeah, all for it!

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Originally Posted by Darty123

It was nice and the story was really good this patch

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agreed! if the story and engaging gameplay continues to be this good or improve, I am feeling very confident about the future of the game

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Originally Posted by Sorimachi87

/signed
If it fits the narrative like it certainly did in the current MSQ then yeah, all for it!

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Agreed, I definitely wouldn’t want them to try and force stuff in like this just for its own sake. But I was delighted with the puzzles and searches for clues. I’d love to see more of these, and maybe next time be a little more challenging, and never see a “follow this person without being seen” again. lol

I was very pleasantly surprised by this section of the MSQ. I was expecting more of the usual talk to this guy, pick up this thing, but the puzzle segments were a wonderful change of pace. They weren't brain busters or anything but anything that gets you thinking is great in my book.

Oh yes, I also enjoyed this part of the MSQ a lot! I love it when they try something new and it just...works. :o
Like many already mentioned, the puzzles were very easy and quickly solved, but I understand why they did it like that. If they had made them any harder, people would have quickly complained about being stuck and not being able to progress.

Personally, I'd love to see more like this in the future and some harder ones as well. But for people who hate sections like this, maybe make it optional, let the player chose riddle difficulty or maybe make it possible to skip the puzzle after too many failed answers. This way, people will not be stuck and can still continue with the MSQ, while people who love puzzles will have something interesting to do. :o

The puzzle rooms were great! Would definitely like to see more puzzles be woven into the narrative experience. They were easy, but I think that's fine. I think well designed puzzles should actually tell you how to seek out necessary information for their solutions as well as clearly communicate their rules.

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Originally Posted by jadeharley

Just wanted to say I *love* the direction CS3 has taken with these new quests. Admittedly the puzzles are sort of linear/easy but I strongly encourage them to give us more in the future! It makes the MSQ much more engaging and I really felt like I was uncovering secrets running around unlocking things (even if the puzzles were really really easy).

I admit I sort of got my hopes up for the circuit puzzle that we'd see something using tethers, like the paradox puzzles in FFXIII-2, but that's just me recognizing that 13-2 and Dawntrail share many themes and pattern-matching a bit.

What types of puzzle mechanics would you like to see in FF14?

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More stuff like this and more gameplay in general for the msq please
at least i have to use my brain a little bit it helps keep me engaged instead of just a endless visual novel

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Originally Posted by Khryseis_Astra

Agreed, I definitely wouldn’t want them to try and force stuff in like this just for its own sake. But I was delighted with the puzzles and searches for clues. I’d love to see more of these, and maybe next time be a little more challenging, and never see a “follow this person without being seen” again. lol

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I dont mind following a person in stealth really tbh, but everyone has their own opinions so i respect that. As mentioned "If it fits the narrative and doesnt look forced" :3

I really enjoyed that section and specifically the fact that it wasn't just click the shiny thing, but you actually had to interact with the NPCs to get info or get something going.

I also really enjoy this section of 7.3's MSQ! While I agree it was easy, I think it was suitable for the introduction of a information-based puzzle in the game. I would love if they added more puzzles like this, and including the option to skip it if for those who don't enjoy that type of gameplay. It's a fun way to include one-off bits (i.e. investigating the locker in the director's office), adding comedy and character to the MSQ as a "reward" for going off the beaten path.

I'm not sure how well it would work within FFXIV's game engine, but an environment-based puzzle where you have to adjust a room's layout in order to progress would be a fun addition to this. Think the Water Temples from Zelda, but not as notoriously difficult. :p

I also loved it.

I would certainly like to have more of a challenge to the puzzles. I was writing everything down, and sometimes it was a little too easy, like the first wave of 3-digit, 5-digit, and 6-digit passwords in a 5-digit password system. Duh.

Not like "escape room" hard, but something a little more punishing if you got the security codes wrong -- like the room had to be reset.

I'm reminded of some of the Chrono Trigger puzzles and would like that level of difficulty. Not hard, but requires some thinking.

Also that one unlocked locker? 10/10 creepy when you consider the kid's age when he stopped aging.

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Originally Posted by RedLolly

I got VERY excited when I realized that we had a genuine puzzle section, but I think they were a little too easy, even just to introduce us to them.

I also encourage them to continue with them. Go ham, even. This is the stuff we want!

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They were easy, but then again not an hour after the patch came out you had thread on reddit (and here too I think) of people asking for the locker code solution, which was written in-game in bold red letters. So I think it's fair of them to go at it on the easier side to see where the player base is at.

I really enjoyed this section of the MSQ. I hope the devs continue to experiment with gameplay elements like this when it fits into the story.

A needed addition to MSQ that I hope we'll see more often, but honestly doubt it'll be used that much- besides maybe checking if you're actually paying attention to quest dialogue to stop story skippers or something.
Can you imagine having to accurately report what you found out from talking to 3 npcs? lol.

Also want to give a thumbs up here.
Really enjoyed the puzzles and gameplay interactions there overall.
It reminded me a bit of Zelda and especially of escape room puzzles.

Really want to encourage the devs here to continue it and go even further.
You can make them harder while giving optional tips if someone really struggles.
That would also be in line of "content for everyone" and it's how escape room games handle it but even if it stays on simple Zelda level I would be happy already.

For the first time I really felt like the correct feedback was heard instead of only what they want to hear.

Great job.
Now include auch things in the gold saucer as well.

Personally I don't like that sort of stuff.
But although I did it shortly after patch release, there was already a step by step guide on the web, so I just followed that and finished the riddles in 0 time.
Insofar it's great to have some variations in questing for those that like it, and everybody else can just look it up and continue.

I don't like that 2 of them involved scrolling your chat window up several paragraphs but otherwise I enjoyed them.

I agree. These puzzles are an example of what video games are supposed to be. I think they were too easy, but I'm sure this is because of they complaints they got about In From the Cold. It can be solved by just having an easy mode or a "give up and assign this task to Alphinaud" option, which gamer types will obviously not click.

The vast majority of it was still lots of cutscenes though, so it's still far from a gameplay-oriented story.

I'd love to see more puzzles in the MSQ, going forward. Even though these puzzles were very easy, it felt like a major step up from the way the MSQ is usually handled.

I agree. More puzzles please! It reminds me of the 90's/00's FFs.

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Originally Posted by jomas_45

I agree. More puzzles please! It reminds me of the 90's/00's FFs.

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I was about to say "hey, final fantasy 13 had puzzles"

... i can't believe that game came out 16 years ago

More interactive elements like this, please.

God it was nice not having quest markers on top of the correct answer. Actually having to think a little bit was a good change of pace.

Loved the puzzles. Definitely too easy, but hopefully we'll get more difficult ones later. This is significantly better than boring ass tour/escort quests that they've been clinging to.
For people that don't want to do the puzzle themselves, I'm sure like this time there will be posts telling you exactly what to do, so you don't have to fret too much.

I liked the puzzles and stuff too. I can’t help but wonder if it was their attempts to address the feedback that the WoL felt far too passive throughout Dawntrail; too much ‘standing around and nodding’. It was simple enough to solve, but I feel like they at least made you engage a tiny little bit by not giving you the answer outright (even if it is blatantly telegraphed by dialogue. But then, is that such a bad thing?)

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Originally Posted by Connor

I liked the puzzles and stuff too. I can’t help but wonder if it was their attempts to address the feedback that the WoL felt far too passive throughout Dawntrail; too much ‘standing around and nodding’. It was simple enough to solve, but I feel like they at least made you engage a tiny little bit by not giving you the answer outright (even if it is blatantly telegraphed by dialogue. But then, is that such a bad thing?)

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I really hope so. There was also a significant increase in dialogue options in all the cutscenes this patch, which I also hope is due to feedback. Suddenly feeling less like a pocket nuke people can manipulate and more like an actual person again.

I logged in JUST to say that I loved the puzzles and hope they do more things like this in the future. I felt so much more engaged than I would have otherwise.

I loved the puzzle section.
While not overly challenging, it was a nice way of making the MSQ more engaging, without relying just on cutscenes and combat.
It felt more like a game than usual, without sacrificing the story experience.
I would love to see more stuff like this in the future, maybe even with more inspiration from Point and Click Adventure Games?

+1 for loving the puzzle games! I loved the interaction, finally it wasn't another "go talk to x number of persons then trigger cutscene"!

I loved the investigation portions before it as well, where we have to check certain spots to proceed. It reminded me a little of Phoenix Wright. ������

A bit of UI for potential puzzle mechanics I would love to see in the future is one were you can tilt, and rotate 3D props to examine them.

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Originally Posted by Aniise

Personally, I'd love to see more like this in the future and some harder ones as well. But for people who hate sections like this, maybe make it optional, let the player chose riddle difficulty or maybe make it possible to skip the puzzle after too many failed answers. This way, people will not be stuck and can still continue with the MSQ, while people who love puzzles will have something interesting to do. :o

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Minor branching questlines could help alleviate the question of difficulty. Instead of having a puzzle or combat as the one and only solution at a given point in the story, we could be given options. A WoL more inclined to solving problems could go for the puzzle while one more accustomed to using brute force would search for a weakness in the opposition or obstacle in the way and try to break through. We'd have more avenues for expressing both character and player personality while SE wouldn't have to keep the challenge to the absolute minimum.

i've honestly been waiting for more of this since SHB. every time they hinted we were getting it in MSQ to just not

but they lowered the difficulty a heck of a lot. i remember being stuck in rak tika a good ten minutes trying to work out the statues

still least they added it back in.

I'm not going to lie I just put them all into Google if I got lost with them. I Googled the keypad. I did the floor puzzle and I Googled the jewel answers. Mainly because I just wanted to get past it faster.

I agree! I loved the puzzles even when they were easy and simple. They're a nice break from simply "Go talk to NPC" quests. I hope they take the hint and continue giving us more MSQs like these, because I really enjoyed it!
Story was also pretty good IMO