FFXIV has lost it's magic

[PSxpert2011]

Kinda but not really, I don't really like roleplaying and thinking I'm my character, I just miss those particular things mostly. I hated taking almost an hour of real time walking from Bastok to Jeuno when I played XI for just a month and walking slowly everywhere in general, so there you go.

So really just the sense of danger some places had and exploring big open (and in 1.0 admittedly empty and copypasted) areas you really shouldn't be in alone, now everything is so small and cramped full of NPCs and civilization everywhere you go, you'd think the Calamity spawned more people and buildings than it wiped.

Table-tops were free once you buy it, with MMOs the subscription helps pay for Customer Support & Maintenance but IDK, it's like milking a cash-cow. Maybe a lot more ppl would feel less pressure playing a "Buy to Play" version other than "subscription" base. There just needs to be content to sink some quality time on and willingness to come back to for better enjoyment and emersion. GW is known for Buy to Play and some FFXIV concepts are from there.

[Gramul]

Alright. So to expand on my idea:
/!\ WARNING: /!\ I will be referencing XI. This does not mean I think this game should have the long grinds, cumbersome mechanics, or frustrating gaps in things to do.

Everything in XIV goes by so quickly. Every event and quest just flashes by leaving no time for anything to sink in. The reason I bring this up is because in XIV, there's also a distinct lack of secrecy to the land. No mysterious grottos, or deep ruins. Everything is right there on the overworld waiting for you to reach the point in the story where you enter its designated cutscene and battle. XI masked those mechanics in a way that felt natural, not from a checklist of events.

One sidequest in XI had you sneak into an abandoned mine (only the name was given, you had to check your map to read where it was, making the experience of the world itself little more engaging), finding specific sets of beastman gear from various ranked monsters, some of which where hidden deeper in the maze, beyond much stronger monsters you could either sneak around or team up with friends. You could go at your own pace and approach the problem as you liked, braving the actual dangers of getting caught by a much stronger beast. Hell, if you wanted you could chicken out and just BUY the the stuff from the AH and give it to the quest dude.

In XIV, you're told to go to the mark on your mini map and kill whatever pops up, maybe after touching a shiny spot or two along the way. It just comes off as segmented and mechanical, almost bureaucratic in how it's presented. I'm looking for a more natural and open ended experience and I hope that's something they can offer down the line.

This game has a very formal approach to content. To me, that's not very engaging. It feels like the gameplay is divorced from the world and lore.

[Arkista]

One thing FFXIV should have had that FFXI did was JP midnight waits.

[Blarp]

One thing FFXIV should have had that FFXI did was JP midnight waits.

I'd like that. Also, it'd be cool if when I played bad Tanaka's fist could come shooting out of the monitor and bitch slap me off my chair. Please SE, make it happen.

[Ri_ri]

And then soon after it started the sharp decline its currently in if i remember . Its great at first, then it goes stale annd nosedive

Started the sharp decline as soon as Cataclysm launched, with its "hardcore content" and complete exclusion of anyone remotely casual.

[Moontide]

I can't click like on the first post enough times.

I guess there's something about the bit that Yoshi said about the MMO = theme park here. (I'm sure someone mentioned it earlier on this thread already by now.) ARR is safe and fun for whole family, both Magic Carpet Ride and the Winter Wonderland being within a few minutes' distance from each other at maximum. There are haunted houses and rollercoasters. Plenty of thrills that work really well at least once, but nothing that makes it feel like this is something of your own. You can pretty much take a ride on every device with a single wristband and that's it.

While it's nice to see that I can achieve great things in FFXIV ARR without needing to devote a lot of my time to it, I'm starting to see the end on one of my characters already even at the slow pace I'm having. Nowadays it feels like convenience is achieved at the expense of making the MMO feel like an immersive virtual world. Killers and Achievers often remain happy in these environments, but Socializers and especially Explorers get less and less of what they would enjoy. Makes me sad, especially since I tend to lean heavily towards the two latter types.

[Ishmachiah]

Quit a few people arguing about time sink not being challenging, just tedious. It is true some activities in FF11 were a boring time sink with minimal challenge but tell me how you felt when you finally equipped your Rajas ring?

The same as I felt after I completed my Samurai AF. One task down, hundred more left to do.

[Mihael_Longclaw]

I feel like I should do everyone in this thread a favour and direct you to Dark Souls 2... or even Demon's/ Dark souls 1, it has everything most of you talked about in spades.

- Danger, Atmosphere, Exploration, Secrets, Non-linear gear progressions, Online community that stays together but also tears at erachothers throats (*literally ), action RPG gameplay but with amazing strategic and tactical cooridnation and patience involved

[Jinrya-Geki]

I feel like I should do everyone in this thread a favour and direct you to Dark Souls 2... or even Demon's/ Dark souls 1, it has everything most of you talked about in spades.

- Danger, Atmosphere, Exploration, Secrets, Non-linear gear progressions, Online community that stays together but also tears at erachothers throats (*literally ), action RPG gameplay but with amazing strategic and tactical cooridnation and patience involved

Can't wait for Dark Souls 2! I need conclusion!

[Gramul]

I feel like I should do everyone in this thread a favour and direct you to Dark Souls 2... or even Demon's/ Dark souls 1, it has everything most of you talked about in spades.

- Danger, Atmosphere, Exploration, Secrets, Non-linear gear progressions, Online community that stays together but also tears at erachothers throats (*literally ), action RPG gameplay but with amazing strategic and tactical cooridnation and patience involved

I freaking adore that series.