Why does the world suck?

[Grey_Cain]

I did like that aspect from XI(i know this isn't XI, wKnighters). The danger of exploring a far off place cannot be replaced unfortunately. The dev team would say that's too hardcore though and that the 'casual' players wouldn't be able to progress through it... >.>

The problem with using XI as an example is that XI didn't do things any better. It was a LOT easier to wander around in that game randomly through areas of tightly packed max level mobs, sitting in the middle of them waiting for a coffer to spawn, because Invisible and Sneak were too effective even at level 1. You can't do that in this game unless you're a level 38+ gatherer.

[Parodine]

So you enjoy the fact that you can run through and explore every place in the entire game on a level one character? There is no excitement to explore. Yea the areas look great, but the world sucks overall. Once you get past white knighting SE you will realize this.

I think it would be pretty cool if you cool tactfully avoid every mob in every zone on a level 1 character. Even on a mount, I'd find that to be a challenge. Cause getting hit even once by a lvl 30+ mob, and you're probably dead. Maybe even lower. You could explore EVERY zone on a lvl 1 character on FFXI if you really wanted to and had prism powders and silent oils for sticky situations.

There is excitement to explore for me because it gives me a decent amount of exp for every new area I discover and every new fate I run across in the open world. New quests and beautiful views also come with that too. Excitement to explore comes from within me - my personal goals for what I want out of the video game. I think it's more personal than you give it credit for. Exploring dungeons is excitement to me.

You're asking SE to make it a challenge to explore the world...exploring the world should be the foundation level of content. If you're going to make that a challenge in itself, then you're fundamentally increasing the challenge for everything else and that hurts a lot of people's goals.

I don't see how running a zone with 6 people vs. exploring things yourself makes the same views more beautiful? If you want to experience things with more people - do so. You don't need SE to vamp up the difficult for that.

Edit: Also, this is the launch of a game and of COURSE there will be more zones added in the future. If that's also part of your argument, then that's silly. Adding to the base-world is what expansions are for.

[Shiyo]

I too wish there was open world "dungeons" worth exploring with a light or full party with super hard bosses(use fate tagging system for them) that aren't on insane respawn timers that reward everyone with a "token" for tagging them and generating enough enmiity equal to gold in a fate. Tokens could be used to by minions and some cool looking gear and even useful gear ivl equal to the current tier of gear. As well as coffers, and maybe other unique things, it's a new game, let's have some new ideas to reward players for adventuring through these scary open world "dungeons". I don't like that I can mount through the beastmen strongholds and run from one end of it to the other end with zero worry in the world and no danger.

I also do not like that 99% of my playtime at level 50 will consist of fate zergs and queueing into dungeons from whatever town I decide to AFK in. Such a fantastic beautiful world, yet it will go to waste because there's no reason to leave town.

[Kewhi]

Why is it that when anyone agrees with the way Square-Enix runs things, they are referred to as a "White Knight"? I like that groups are not mandatory for exploration and advancement (aside from dungeons). And it has nothing to do with running to the aid of SE, but rather it's because I work full time and am engaged to a non-gamer which both make my play style pretty casual these days (maybe 1-2 hours a day, more on Saturdays). I'd rather not spend most of that time looking for a group.

I like being able to progress at my own pace on my own terms. If you wish to explore Eorzea as a group, there is nothing stopping you. I have played several MMO games over the course of over a decade, and I believe that not everything in an MMO, least of all exploration, needs to be measured by a challenge of epic proportions. That is what end game is for.

[jmdatcs]

No, this makes the world more realistic.

I have always had a problem in games when all areas are gated by mob level. You go to these areas, they have villages with regular people walking around. I assume these regular people have to go into the fields to farm, go into the woods to hunt, gather, cut down trees, travel to nearby towns to trade etc. Yet you have to be high-level, a famous adventurer, and the focus of the entire story to take two steps without getting your ass handed to you.

The way it is now, it feels more like a world that real people can live and work in.

TLDR; Just because you have to be a bad-ass to kill a grizzly bear with a bowie knife doesn't mean you can't walk around Yellowstone armed with nothing but a water bottle and trail mix.

[SonSmasher]

The problem with using XI as an example is that XI didn't do things any better. It was a LOT easier to wander around in that game randomly through areas of tightly packed max level mobs, sitting in the middle of them waiting for a coffer to spawn, because Invisible and Sneak were too effective even at level 1. You can't do that in this game unless you're a level 38+ gatherer.

I can actually effectively use any MMO as an example even down to dark age of camelot up to KOTOR or Terra, as long as there are areas with harder mobs that make it a challenge to move around in and explore. I have yet to enter an area by that description in ARR, but I hope I do!

[Ironhelix]

I can't believe how many people are against this. The excitement of gathering a group of intrepid adventurers for the purpose of hacking your way into a monster-controlled area that was otherwise inaccessible was AMAZING. It's a shame that the kidz these days just want to spam the auto group-finder for a dungeon that they already know how to beat from watching youtube videos. I guess the good old days aren't coming back. Makes me want to quit MMOs altogether.

[SonSmasher]

I can't believe how many people are against this. The excitement of gathering a group of intrepid adventurers for the purpose of hacking your way into a monster-controlled area that was otherwise inaccessible was AMAZING. It's a shame that the kidz these days just want to spam the auto group-finder for a dungeon that they already know how to beat from watching youtube videos. I guess the good old days aren't coming back. Makes me want to quit MMOs altogether.

Don't do it, It will happen one day!

[Daniel_Hatcher]

Since the OP is clearly talking about FFXI... Hate to burst it to you but I was doing this at level one on that game as well, it's called dodging.

[Mijin]

I thought in this thread we were going to have a philosophical debate about why the real world sucks. I actually came prepared with a theory, but in regards to the actual topic... I have no response.