Count me amoung the skeptics ...

[Shiyo]

I feel pretty much the same the game lacks a complete sense of accomplishment, I don't feel I have earned anything in this game or have anything to look forward to no milestones or goals. In FFXI there was constant progression, first it was getting to 10/11 and partying in the Dunes, sub job at 18, then to 20 and the first trip to Jeuno and getting Chocobo License, then into Qufim, then getting an Airship Pass to Kahzam, at 30 unlock advanced Jobs and so on. Thats without the story missions as well.

You were always moving around to different location and that next milestone was just around the corner. Even being able to hit that rank to equip that new piece of gear or get that new weapon just everything, FFXIV has none of that for me. Being able to equip any piece of gear, at any rank just completely deflates actually getting that piece now. Sure I could wait until the proper rank to wear it myself but it still doesn't feel like an accomplishment if I have to impose the limit myself.

Agreed 100%, I feel the same way. I didn't even care I was 49 and almost 50 on archer, I didn't even care when I dinged 50. It was like "cool ._.". Dinging 20 on weaver, leatherworker, cooking, alchemy, fishing, botany. all the same. Don't care, nothing earned. The coolest thing I've done in this game is make my friends and girlfriend gear, I like creating useful stuff with weaving/leatherworking ^-^

[Aldwin]

I have to agree with pretty much everything the OP said as well.

The sad thing is, most of us agreeing with the OP, were XI players (I think). And what touched us most about what the OP said was the memories of XI this post stirred up. I have played many mmos, for long periods of time even (years), and XI is still my favorite to date, even though I quit almost 3 years ago. I'm not sure I will ever be able to find the "magic" XI offered in another game, I'm not even sure it's right to hope that I do.

One thing I do miss, and I think this game could do well to add. Was sneak/invis while moving through zones. I remember trying to get to camp the first time I hit 50 in kuftal tunnel. Trying to time my sneak just right so I could move passed all the crabs in the zone and not agro. And then trying to avoid the NM wyvern that roamed the zone (if he was up). Or climbing that mountain snow zone (i forget the name now), to get to the exp camp. There was many different types of mobs, that agro'd different types of ways, from sight, sound to even having true sight to avoid, and that made the trip seem like an adventure in itself.

[Mack]

As much as some people like to deny it I think we all would've been happy with an FFXI-2. Taking the main aspects of FFXI, what made it good, and fixing everything that made it monotonous and they'd have been golden. FFXIV steered so far clear off path for no good reason whatsoever.

[Preypacer]

Wow.

Extremely well put. Excellent read. Here's hoping SE is reading it and taking notes.

I found myself saying, "Yup" and "exactly" - out loud - more than a couple times reading through that.

Something else I really enjoyed about your post is that you clearly come across as someone who was really paying attention in XI. You noticed the landmarks, you acknowledged your surroundings and you recognized the brilliance and detail inherent in them. I have felt exactly the same way about XI's environments and, by comparison, XIV's lackluster environments so far.

I pulled out my Vana'diel Atlas last night and was just sitting there, flipping through the pages and "walking through" the dungeons and various environments with my eyes. I've been in each of them dozens of times - if not more in some cases - but I still am consistently impressed by the level of detail and care put into each and every one. Even the earlier areas, like King Ranperre's tomb, the Horutoto Ruins, Zeruhn Mines and so forth... each area is so carefully thought out and crafted... It never ceases to amaze me what the designers created in that game.

So far, nothing I've seen has come close in XIV to that level of brilliance. The cities I think they did a great job with. Each is unique, has its own style, "vibe" and sense of culture to it. The wilderness areas, though, just feel uninspired to me so far.

If it's true that having such large areas means there was a trade-off in how much variety they could use, then I would personally prefer regions to be smaller - as much as half (and they'd still be massive) - and and have more variety and detail.

One other point you bring up that rang extremely true with me... the feeling of progress you note when you went to Khazam at level 25 and how you felt you'd come so far. I felt that exact way upon returning to Windurst having finished mission 2-3 (The Three Kingdoms). I came back, a "weathered and mighty" level 24 or so, and I really felt like I'd come a long way. Seeing new players leveling on the level 1 and 2 mobs in Saruta made me feel like a vet. And yet I was only at the very beginning of a very long journey that would last for 7+ years. For almost all that time, FFXI never lost its magic or wonder for me. I could still go down into some of those low level dungeons today and get the same feeling of awe that I got from them the first time through.

XI's design just had this way of making everything feel so epic.

I don't know what muse inspired and drove XI's designers when they created Vana'diel... But I really hope it makes a return visit to hit XIV's designers with a jolt or two. I think XIV could really use it.

Again, excellent post.

[Shai]

I think they were talking about belgianrofl's topics and not the OP's I could be mistaken though.

Ah. GL with that, though. ^^

[Preypacer]

I am waiting for more group oriented activites are released or a incentive to actually group up for stuff at all levels instead of just at 40+. I loathe solo with the deepest passion a human being can muster up in his lifetime and in this game I have been forced to do nothing but that because my friends can't get into the game it lacks a emotional attachment of sorts.

Yes. You nail it here when you mention emotional attachment. This is something else XI had in spades... even if it was frustration at having lost to Maat for the 8th time... It got you "feeling".

Right from the opening movie for XI, SE was nailing it in the emotional aspect. I mean, I don't know about anyone else, but at the end of that opening movie, when Aldo is overlooking Lufaise Meadows toward Tavnazia, echoing the opening of the movie... I was genuinely moved. I was also ready to kick some serious Orc ass (though I started in Windurst, so I had to settle with the Yagudo first :-p).

By the time that movie ended and the Final Fantasy XI logo came up, you knew what was going on. You know why you were there. You knew what the score was.

So, another great point raised, Keith.

[Shai]

As much as some people like to deny it I think we all would've been happy with an FFXI-2. Taking the main aspects of FFXI, what made it good, and fixing everything that made it monotonous and they'd have been golden. FFXIV steered so far clear off path for no good reason whatsoever.

I played XI and I loved XI, but I wanted XIV. I like XIV. I just wish it was a finished product and not what we were given. I wanted new experiences, new battle systems, less "Fafnir/Nidhogg."

If they wanted to make a game called XI-2, though, I'm sure I'd like and play that. That would be different from what I wanted or expected of XIV, though.

[Preypacer]

Man, you captured my thoughts exactly. Every now and then in FFXI I'd stop and think "Wow, look how far I've come". The world was massive and you were stacked with goals to reach. Every new zone I discovered was exciting. Hell, I remember when I first walked into Ro'maeve and I was like "Whoah, better turn back this place looks dangerous", only to finally come back and get to Sky (which was amazing). In XIV I made it a point to check out the other cities since I assumed it would be like XI where walking from one city to another took you through a collection of different zones and completely new sights, but here it's simply [Ul'dah > walk through one zone > boat > Limsa]. I explored every zone in the game and all I could say was "That's it?".

Again! Another spot on post that captures my feelings exactly.

Here's a more visual way of expressing what XI had that XIV, so far, lacks...

In XI, this view - (Click Here) - had huge significance, in terms of progress, in terms of its relevance to the original storyline... and in terms of just being one of many beautiful examples of the care and detail that went into XI's environment design.

And there are many, many others I could share that represent that same idea.

[Jinko]

Such an awesome read, I laughed out loud at "but who really wants to storm the castle in wooden clogs?"

[Preypacer]

I played XI and I loved XI, but I wanted XIV. I like XIV. I just wish it was a finished product and not what we were given. I wanted new experiences, new battle systems, less "Fafnir/Nidhogg."

If they wanted to make a game called XI-2, though, I'm sure I'd like and play that. That would be different from what I wanted or expected of XIV, though.

I think what's important to note, though, is that no one's really talking about making a XI-2.

I think it's safe to say most everyone wants XIV to be its own game. The things that it's missing, really, aren't specific to XI, or any one game. They're things that can be implemented and provided in XIV in completely new ways... Just that they exist is what I think people are ultimately asking for.