Tutorials in FFXIV as offline videos

I know this is going to turn a lot of people off from the idea simply because we are all veterans that know how the game is played now. So reminisce to the time when you were a new player or how your friend that has never played would like to be introduced to the game.

While I love how Square dumps you right into the game and involves you by tying you into the story. I think the reading the more advanced nuances of the game in in-game text gets to be a bit much. What I mean by that is too long didn't read syndrome.

Game functions like, combat, combos, player attributes, crafting (because it's completely unique compared to other MMO's) etc. Need to have either an in-game tutorial or an offline website dedicated as a tutorial for the game. One that has videos that show examples of how the game is played.

I would like to see included in the popup help little camera icons to show related videos for the intended material the popup help was for.

I'm not talking about the simple stuff like, WASD is for movement. More like explaining how HP, MP, and TP is used for, what the positional icons and numbers on your abilities stand for. Strategic value for using certain abilities in combat, possibly even showing uses for when solo and when in groups.

All these videos can be laid out in a Table of Contents that can be browsed through by section. So Combat would have combos, abilities etc. and Player would have attributes, gear sets. etc. So while a total comprehensive in game tutorial can gloss over the simple stuff. This pop up videos could be dug into by player choice to find out the more advanced features of the game.

All I know, is I hated crafting for the longest time before I understood how to read the colored lights and my professions abilities. How to work Hamlet defense would be a nice tutorial too! You know something to send newbies to go watch before joining your party so they don't cause a wipe! lol

A nice example of website tutorial with videos like what I'm talking about is Mechwarrior online. http://mwomercs.com/game/training-grounds

Now I know it's not an MMO, but this game is very technical in nature and I like how it walks you through the classes and controls and how you will use them in game. I think something similar for FFXIV would be helpful to have on hand. Especially when we are throwing in Housing, getting your chocobo. etc.

Maybe this is to much like a strategy guide, but we need people to play the game. Not have people get frustrated and leave, because they are used to playing WoW. These players were adventurous enough to try a new MMO, yet since FFXIV was so unique they left frustrated not understanding how to play.

After all we don't want a WoW clone, we want FFXIV:ARR to remain unique without testing peoples patience on how the game works.

Well.. this would be a SPLENDID idea....for XI.

For me XIV was pretty straightforward. I didn't need to pull up a wiki to know where I needed to go.

Oh so, ppl running out of the instance that was the transition to the Adventurers guild or trying to leave the adventurers guild before talking to the Starting NPC for the story quests wasn't a problem for you eh? It's not so much now with the quest icons above their heads though. but man it was mast confusion at launch if I remember correctly lol

And I agree, it would fit XI better. but XIV still suffers from a huge amount of text reading over complex issues. And trying to get the gist of things in between story text is difficult at times. Where they give you story from the NPC, but in purple text show what you have to type or push on your keyboard.

Doing Guildleves and how to utilize Guildleve history was a chore to figure out by reading the text alone. :P

There was 1 example of a video tutorial someone released near launch. It was well designed, informative and memorable. If SE decided to release more like this, I would be wholly supportive.

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Originally Posted by Duuude007

There was 1 example of a video tutorial someone released near launch. It was well designed, informative and memorable. If SE decided to release more like this, I would be wholly supportive.

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I remember that video, it was a huge help in understanding the original Fatigue system. Fansites have done pretty good job of making up for the lack of a decent tutorial for advanced concepts in gameplay. However finding them is part of the difficulty in using them :P Plus, there is always the nagging feeling of... is this accurate information?

Synthesis success based on weather, direction and day of the week conspiracy from XI that leaked over to XIV anyone? Bleh, no thanks. Some ppl take joy in causing confusion for others! lol

OMG fatigue system remember that wow

While the fatigue video was nicely produced, the information in it was incorrect.

I agree that SE should make decent quality video tutorials. They did do it once in the very beginning to show the path from the adventurer's guild to the first Aetheryte, but other than that they haven't really done anything in regards to tutorial videos.

I'm surprised as well. I've been replaying some of the older games and their chock full of tutorial sequences. XIII and VII particularly have pretty long winded tutorials.

I don't get it... what was the issue in figuring out how XIV worked?

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Originally Posted by Vilhem

Well.. this would be a SPLENDID idea....for XI.

For me XIV was pretty straightforward. I didn't need to pull up a wiki to know where I needed to go.

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XIV had almost nothing though is the problem, and how do you think info got onto wiki in the first place? People figured it out for themselves like...you normally do in all MMOs :p

Tutorials are better left in-game regardless, the beginning tutorial for XIV goes over pretty much every basic nicely, the rest is actually pretty blatant to figure out since the first instances you go takes you to the hub of your adventure.

They're already making better tutorials for the game. it's useless to make tutorials right now though, because a lot of stuff is changing.

Honestly, videos like the one linked above should be taken down so people don't think that reflects the new game...

Honestly, I thought the 1.0 tutorials were fine, even before they revised them.

Oh man.. the first time I died in FFXIV...


WTF!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?


?!!?!?!??!?!?!?!!?!?!?

Even after I figured it out I raged a little in how poorly that was thought out.

Yes please to intro information offline and in game. Thankfully Yoshida said the same thing about the death and overall said there will be a tutorial in FFXIV ARR.

While the game is installing if they dont do a lore intro I'd appreciate a small tutorial as well. I always thought that was a good use of my time as I impatiently twiddled my thumbs at the install/updater.

The fact of the matter is that gameplay should be self explanatory. Game mechanics should become obvious as you progress throughout the game.

I think a video similar to the one they did for FFXI on their website would be great. It was incredibly helpful getting myself used to the controls and how the game worked.
Also, I remember them saying that they were adding a "Tutorial area" when you first join the game.

This highlights the stupidity of keeping the FFXIV name, so when new players are wanting to check out the gameplay, the graphics, peoples opinions etc not to mention actual up to date walkthroughs, they are going to have to trawl through a ton of useless and misleading crap.
People don't label vids properly and you can't expect new players to know what they are looking at 1.blah blah or 2.0/ARR. One big pile of poo waiting to happen.

Didn't Yoshi said the first 15 level in ARR is tutorial pure?
I think this is enough tutorial for every type of player ^^

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Originally Posted by Thebard

This highlights the stupidity of keeping the FFXIV name, so when new players are wanting to check out the gameplay, the graphics, peoples opinions etc not to mention actual up to date walkthroughs, they are going to have to trawl through a ton of useless and misleading crap.
People don't label vids properly and you can't expect new players to know what they are looking at 1.blah blah or 2.0/ARR. One big pile of poo waiting to happen.

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The moment they see the UI they should know there is something very different.

Keep in mind I'm not talking about video to explain the basics, I'm talking about the more advance parts of the game. Like explaining attributes and what to do with them and recommended ways to use them in game. However popup help went a long ways to resolving this.

I also agree that using return was not very obvious. Especially when we came from XI where it was a popup message in the middle of the screen! We shouldn't have to hunt for it in the action menu :P I mean seriously what else can you do but just stare at your lifeless corpse! lol

Another video I'd like to see is tactics to use in battle, How to read aggro, what the NPC text colors mean. etc. How to use /chatmode to set your default chat. What are Notorious Monsters and why they are listed as ??.

You know stuff that isn't normally covered in the basics.
A walkthrough tutorial video for synthesis, and harvesting, fishing and mining would be nice too!

Well you can see from the live letter than in XIV everything you do will have a in-game tutorial. Like the first time you die, you have a little pop up with an explanation of how to revive.

However, FFXI has a NEW PLAYER GUIDE full of videos on how to do the most trivial things and a bit of how the game works and what the hell you can do when you get online. Which is neat, kinda funny too and would be a nice thing to have in the official XIV site for new ppl.

PS: this new player guide doesn't seem to work on chrome lol