Will this game differentiate itself from other MMOs, post-changes?

[Horo]

The things they are changing are 'standard' yes but they make sense, they are foundational gameplay mechanisms which should not have been screwed around with in the first place. i.e. auto attack.

Let's also not forget that the game world, the way its graphics are rendered, the design of it is also a big source of 'uniqueness'.

Most MMO's out there are based on Lord of the Rings and a table top board game called Warhammer.
I.e. World of Warcraft, Rift, Even Everquest.

Final Fantasy XIV and FF XI are the only fantasy MMOs on the market that are not under the Lord of the Rings overall art direction and world design, other then Age of Conan.

This is uniqueness already and I dare say, enough for many of you whom are posting complaints on the forum to still hang on to hope.

Let's not complain about standardized mechanics and features that should have been in the game from the start.
Don't play with what is not broken (i.e. instanced dungeons, auto attack.) , and trust that the 'feel' of FFXIV's world is already unique.

Horo

[Physic]

The things they are changing are 'standard' yes but they make sense, they are foundational gameplay mechanisms which should not have been screwed around with in the first place. i.e. auto attack.

Let's also not forget that the game world, the way its graphics are rendered, the design of it is also a big source of 'uniqueness'.

Most MMO's out there are based on Lord of the Rings and a table top board game called Warhammer.
I.e. World of Warcraft, Rift, Even Everquest.

Final Fantasy XIV and FF XI are the only fantasy MMOs on the market that are not under the Lord of the Rings overall art direction and world design, other then Age of Conan.

This is uniqueness already and I dare say, enough for many of you whom are posting complaints on the forum to still hang on to hope.

Let's not complain about standardized mechanics and features that should have been in the game from the start.
Don't play with what is not broken (i.e. instanced dungeons, auto attack.) , and trust that the 'feel' of FFXIV's world is already unique.

Horo

AA is not a foundation of MMOs, it is just a mechanic, which is common, because people are biters in general. It never had to be a way of life. They could go with manual attacks, turn based attacks, or any other number of attack mechanics. I believe the manual/stamina type system was probably a good direction to go, i wont say evolution, because it is a seperate path from AA, leading in a different direction and with a different type of strategy.

Problem is they failed making this game in other ways, so they threw out the baby with the bathwater. Its clear that their plan is to make FFXIV a standard MMO with a few FF tweaks. They as much as said so in marketing speak in the battle reform. Their idea is people didnt like the game, so lets make it like other stuff they liked. Big mistake imo, it might have worked if it released like that, and was extremely polished, but it didnt, and its not, and it wont be extremely polished for a long long time.
By the time the game is polished enough to be well executed clone, they will have lost to more polished clones, and innovative new titles. They should have went the opposite direction, and tried to fix and expand on what they had. Because lets be honest, your not going to beat WoW at wowing, and your about 2 years behind rift in making a very polished standardized MMO.

If the game brought something unique, it could carve out a new niche, or attract different gamers, if its a standardized MMO it will be judged by standard MMOs


The only way i can see this standard MMO strat working, is if they standardize it in terms of MMO mechanics, and totally come new with heavy HEAVY offline jrpg level story/adventure charachter driven stuff.

Essentially the game needs something special about it, MMOs arent disposable, you cant just make a standard MMO and be successful, there is only room for like 2 of those at once, and they are already on the market.