"Open Style" vs "Rigid Structure" what do you want for the future of FFXIV

[tachikoma]

Seems like many threads argue over keeping things "Open Style" vs "Rigid". Most players who were part of FFXI were a custom to rigid class designs and structure. Hybrid builds came about by mixing sub jobs but you were always limited. FFXIV promoted "Open Style" where anyone can be any role in a party. Every job could tank/DD/CURE almost every skill was cross classable. The story quests were designed with this open aspect where you pretty much solo everything except the very last quest.

"Open Style" => massive failure! SE reports quarter losses in the billions, Yoshi is brought in the revamp and redesign FFXIV

People should stop resisting the changes to a more rigid design. The open feel was there from the start and it failed. Yes many things were wrong with FFXIV at launch but the core design was the heart of its failure. No job specific gear, no class specific traits, no job roles, no teamwork.

LVL caps: these are needed on content to make them interesting, i'm not suggest everything in game needs to be the epic struggle but when content is designed around an instanced model the ability to add a LVL cap is ripe for the taking.

AoE toggle: sloppy open style design element, sounds great on paper but in practice it creates a mushy soggy clunky end user experience.

I worry that as the team reveals more changes that are inevitably going to be more restrictive these forums will continue to get filled with "I want easy mode" "I want to cross class everything" "I want to wear whatever I want on any job!"

and my favorite "I dont' want SE to tell me how to play my game!"

I hope in the future the people who are resisting these changes can just try to remember that the game launched with these "Open Style" designs and it failed if we want FFXIV to be a long term success like FFXI was we need to embrace some of these rigid changes in hopes that we end up with a much better overall experience.

[Wolfie]

Rigid. "Open style" makes for homogeneous, boring classes.

[Neptune]

What you're really saying is you're a baby and you want to suck on your spoon. You can't play well with others when no one but you defines the roles of your party. Just like a little baby, you're completely helpless to feed yourself your liquified food.

I, however, am gifted enough in imagination to be able to create my own outcome from the choices laid in front of me and I welcome the freedom it gives. Square Enix must not neglect you players who are not having a good time and so they will redesign the game for you, but that doesn't mean I will ever respect your lack of spine.

The openness of this game did correlate with its failure but that doesn't mean it caused its failure. To your lack of spine, lack of imagination, and baby urges, you can add lack of critical thinking.

[AlexiaKidd]

I would prefer rigid, if I want to fulfil a certain role then I will go and level that class up. I loved the Job/Sub Job system and I believe it provided enough flexibility to allow you to do other things. It was only a few things that broke the system for the most part (I'm looking at you Utsusemi). If you wanted to go solo /DNC, if you wanted to smash out WS's /SAM and so on.

I don't know why SE is trying to shoehorn this Job system on top of an idea that no longer exists. The Class system was supposed to provide the building blocks to allow us to create our own Job. Now they are limiting Cross Classing further, removing Physical Leve and then adding the Job system on top of it all and it just makes no sense.

Just change the Classes to Jobs and be done with it. GLA to PLD, PUG to MNK and so on and then just add a little thing to weapons to say "can be equipped by". So you can have a Sword that can be equipped by PLD, WAR, THF, DRK and RDM and then a different sword might be RDM only.

[Arcell]

Either system done well could be fantastic. The problem was in the execution not in the freedom of the system.

Personally I'm all for any system done well as long as it does not permanently restrict me in any way.

Also AoE toggle was fine the way it was. Your arguments against it don't require its removal to remedy. Have fun with cluttered action bars!

[Physic]

lol all you min maxing haters. Id prefer open style with good design and rules. yoru opening post is full of fail. Guild wars 1 is the perfect example of a game that had an extremely open skill system and was highly sucessfull, even without subscriptions.

you equate rigid with sucess and open with fail, but fact is many more MMOs fail with rigid. its no indicator of success.

A lot of you people are unable to seperate the causes of fail. but whatevs

[Verecund]

The open style in FFXIV is good (conceptually), but it currently has no defining class characteristics / customizable variables built into it that prevent everyone from evolving into one giant watered-down pseudo class. Also, alot of classes currently have a great deal of overlap which helps contribute to this problem.

[Ashthra]

Open style could technically work, but it would be difficult to balance (even in "open style" games, a handful of specs/setups will wind up becoming the norm after a while). In this game, it's a wreck, because it eventually leads to everyone using largely the same abilities, with the only real difference being the gear you use.

[Validas]

The open style in FFXIV is good (conceptually), but it currently has no defining class characteristics / customizable variables built into it that prevent everyone from evolving into one giant watered-down pseudo class. Also, alot of classes currently have a great deal of overlap which helps contribute to this problem.

^ This exactly. I for one started as a LNC and recently moved to MRD (in anticipation of the possibility of DRK). As I'm moving through the ranks, I've found the two jobs to be almost identical. The problem intensifies by choosing abilities from LNC to use on MRD making it some kinda hybrid DD class with no defining characteristics.

[Enthy]

Rigid structure, yes please.

I'd rather level a bunch of exotic classes than a bunch of jack of all trades.

I think the point of being able to change class on the field without needing to go to the mog-house becomes moot with the lack of ability limitations. Why change class when you can just equip action X,Y,Z from classes X,Y,Z?