Current State of End-Game Contents - A Blog Post from A Japanese Player

[Clavaat]

-snip-

I'm not sure I understand why people are against being in or finding a static. I basically always had one in FFXI just because it was easier to organize. Granted, PT sizes were much larger then (Alliance), but over all it was expected that you be available this day, this time, for this gear. And I would not consider what we were back then "hardcore". Instead of always having to ask around and hope people were on for specific things, you knew what you had to do and when. Time in between was yours to do whatever you wanted. Hell if you couldn't make it one week, it wasn't a big deal, they fill in the spot for the day and move on.

With FFXIV, my experience with statics has only made it more positive, imo. I've grown really close to the core 7 I run events with, but I'm still able to do other things and chat with other members not in the static or in another one. Does it exclude members in some way? Yes, I can agree with that. However, what I've noticed, is as one static gets further with BC, so do the others. Everyone is getting the experience, and afterward, we are able to join up on non-static days to try stuff between statics. Now, lockout does mess this up a bit, but we have a policy that after scheduled practice days, the rest of the week is free reign to try your hand at it with other statics, members or pickups. Sometimes we learn new things from this just by trying with different people.

Maybe I run it strangely, but really the forcing of statics has not been a bad experience for me at all. I can understand the impatience and the difficulty for people who like playing solo, but to seemingly treat the idea of a static as something you don't want just confuses me.

EDIT: To be clear, I'm not knocking the rest of your post, you make sense. I seriously haven't touched MMO's since FFXI and this is very similar to my experience there so I'm not sure if I'm just not understanding something.

[Rosy]

snip.

This is my first FF game....but have played mmos since UO and it's the first time I've ever come across "statics"...we are used to guilds and doing things with the guild (FC in this game), not having to find outsiders who we may or may not particularly like, to do content.

[Kiara]

I'm not sure I understand why people are against being in or finding a static.

I myself have a static, but I'm speaking for many friends that I know (and the one who's quitting) as well as FC mates who don't have statics. I'm glad you have found 7 other people who work w/ your schedule and can do things successfully together as a static.

Please just know that not everyone can do that. Whether it's inconsistent schedules (work, school, family), merging with 7 *other* people's schedules to find matching times, to then finding 7 other people who also can memorize the gimmicks as well as you can (and vice versa), to people quitting, or in finals, etc., not everyone is as fortunate to have 8 people all raiding and executing successfully at the same time each week.

One of the issues mentioned throughout this thread is that fundamental fact: That when you do party with players whom you don't know (DF / PF, temporary reps, helping FC / LS mates out, newbies) the way these fights are set up are not conducive to mistakes. It's so punitive in this way that it has a high chance of bringing down the entire raid party when someone makes a mistake (or you end up with not enough DPS to clear key stages which also leads to a fail).

Again, I have nothing against statics personally (I've had good statics since 1.0), but I see so many friends, FC/LS mates who struggle and who don't want to get in one for various reason, or can't get a consistent one to work. There are many factors at work here that might be "easy" for you, but not for many players. Thanks.

[Clavaat]

Please just know that not everyone can do that. Whether it's inconsistent schedules (work, school, family), merging with 7 *other* people's schedules to find matching times, to then finding 7 other people who also can memorize the gimmicks as well as you can (and vice versa), to people quitting, or in finals, etc., not everyone is as fortunate to have 8 people all raiding and executing successfully at the same time each week.

Thanks for the reply! I sort of went over this in another reply to someone else, but as far as scheduling is concerned, my goal has always been to find the best time for us. This doesn't mean perfect, as in we sometimes have to do fill-ins, but it doesn't prevent us from still trying that night. It is certainly difficult to find that sweet spot, but I think it's very possible. My LS currently has 3 statics, all at different points and paces with different schedules. I encourage people all the time to make one, with me assisting in the recruitment department to get everyone gathered. It requires some external work, but the result is really nice. Even though I've had some friends split from our static to run another, it's only helped us grow and make new friends. We also make it so you are not limited to your static and your static only by any means.

One of the issues mentioned throughout this thread is that fundamental fact: That when you do party with players whom you don't know (DF / PF, temporary reps, helping FC / LS mates out, newbies) the way these fights are set up are not conducive to mistakes. It's so punitive in this way that it has a high chance of bringing down the entire raid party when someone makes a mistake (or you end up with not enough DPS to clear key stages which also leads to a fail).

This I do agree with to some extent. The fact, that is. But can making mistakes or learning from mistakes be fun? To me, yes, it definitely can be. I'm not one to give up on people; I have never truly felt, "There is no way we are going to clear this ever." I'm sure that sounds silly, but seriously. I've had people who don't share that mentality and have left, but the people who stay will clear it eventually. And the feeling of completing after trying for a long time is a thousand times more satisfying

I think banking on the impatience of others will be something that will be ironed out over time. New content will be released, new players will still come on, older content will be made easier one way or another. It seems as though the dev team is already pushing toward more "horizontal" options, thus spreading people out to other things as opposed to keeping us all locked on "you must do BC, you must do EX, etc." I know it's already spawned the whole "Well how long is too long to wait?!" debate, but that's just personal opinion and very irrelevant.