What ruined the fun for me

[Satori22]

Since I purchased FFXIV I played through it intensively leveling up my character and making friends. I even convinced 4 real life friends to subscribe. While leveling my monk I realized that was the most fun I ever had playing an mmo (or any game in general for the past few years). I was having a blast. That is, until today…
When I got to lvl 50 I had to do those last dungeons from the original main scenario. With the so-called “full parties”.
As a long time Final Fantasy player and someone who play lots of RPG in general (and mostly story-driven games). The narrative was a great deal to me, some of the cutscenes were really well done and some of the characters were charismatic despite being a fairly simplistic plot.

(cont)

[Satori22]

So, you guys know where I going with this, right? Apparently, end game people farm these last dungeons like crazy so they rush incredibly fast. I can’t watch cutscenes and they keep telling me I can see them afterwards from the inn, but that’s really not ideal, it takes away from the experience. Think of any other final fantasy game. How fun would it be if someone forced you to fight the bosses without any context then watch the cutscenes later? Not to mention all the spoilers you get by fighting the bosses (i.e you already know who you’ll fight) which takes away from the experience of watching it all later.

(cont)

[Satori22]

The rushes were already a problem on earlier dungeons, but not as big. All the dungeons until now were fun to play, some of them were a blast really. People had to interact, teach each other tactics, congratulate each other, apologize when they mess up, etc.
Unfortunately, the last two dungeons were some of the worst experiences I had in online games. No one talked tactics, no interaction, just running and leaving the newbs behind. The Ultima weapon fight was no fun at all. I had no idea what I was doing. I tried to deal damage and dodge AOE, other than that I didn’t know what to do. I died a couple of times, they raised me, but I didn’t even know what I did wrong. They even cheered at the beginning of the dungeon because of the bonus I was bringing for being new. If they want to play with newbies so bad why don’t they just stop and teach tactics like people do in light party dungeons?

(cont)

[Satori22]

So bottom line is: I tried to watch cutscenes, but were each time greeted by a sealed boss room or left behind as the party progressed leaving me with unkilled mobs on the way. Halfway through it I gave up watching any cutscene, had no fun fighting bosses and came across the ending credits. Just like this. The story I was so invested on became just a mess. I half knew what would happen in the last dungeons and half knew what would happen to the characters.
I heard the other endgame dungeons are fun, tactical, and challenging. And I believe that, especially if there are no significant story elements to them.
But the main scenario finale was ultimately ruined for me. Not because of the dungeons it selves (I’m sure they could be fun if played right). But because of the community and maybe because of the way the matchmaking and cutscenes works.

(cont)

[Satori22]

Or maybe, and this is my suggestion to the dev team, there could be a improved cutscene system that when there is even one new player cutscenes are unskippable for everyone else, so only the new player(s) get to decide if they want to skip and rush. This could work similarly if player could skip but were unable to move or attack mobs unless the new players skip the scenes of finish viewing them.

So, that’s it, sorry for the long post, but I really had to get this out of my chest. This is a great game and it pains me to see so much potential wasted on those dungeons and I’m kinda worried all full party dungeons are going to be like this.

[Anubis_Nephthys]

First things first, you can bypass the 1000 character limit by editing your post.

Now, there aren't any more full-party dungeons like those. All the full-party content is a boss or 24-man "raids"
Most of the other level 50 dungeons aren't tied to the main story like that. Some of the early level 50 dungeons may be sped run, but that's purely because of the massive overgearing.
I think you'll be ok.

[Satori22]

Sorry, didn't know about the limit bypass trick. First post.

The think is, this really harmed my experience in the end. I was trying to think of a way it would't happen to other people. My friends for example (who are a few levels behind me) i know will be just as mad as i was about this.

But anyway it's a relief to hear this won't happen to future dungeons.

[Anubis_Nephthys]

Actualllyyy, now that I think of it, I believe the Binding Coil of Bahamut (the first set of 8-man raids, used to be endgame) contains what i consider to be significant story.
I'm unsure who does these old raids anymore, and how they would react to someone watching cutscenes.
I assume you would attempt these raids with your friends, so even if you get uppity people from the Duty Finder, a few of you will be watching cutscenes.
And it's not like a standard DF group could easily 4-5 man these fights anyway, so they would have to wait for you > .

[tocsin]

Sorry, didn't know about the limit bypass trick. First post.

The think is, this really harmed my experience in the end. I was trying to think of a way it would't happen to other people. My friends for example (who are a few levels behind me) i know will be just as mad as i was about this.

But anyway it's a relief to hear this won't happen to future dungeons.

Even on the smallest server, you can make a party finder, asking to do a main story run with no cutscene skipping (its an actual check box!) and find a party really quickly, especially if you have a newbie bonus.

That said, duty finder is a "majority rules" place, and if there is one newbie and 7 speedrunners, then "majority rules".

im sorry your experience was such, and there is a mechanic for avoiding this in the future, but if you go in through duty finder, unless you are queuing as both tanks and both healers, you are going to encounter this on these dungeons.

(im on jenova, which until 2 months ago was considered the smallest server in the game. I put up a party finder with a newbie bonus, and had a full party in under the time it took to use the bathroom.)

[QuinceTaru]

Actualllyyy, now that I think of it, I believe the Binding Coil of Bahamut (the first set of 8-man raids, used to be endgame) contains what i consider to be significant story.
I'm unsure who does these old raids anymore, and how they would react to someone watching cutscenes.
I assume you would attempt these raids with your friends, so even if you get uppity people from the Duty Finder, a few of you will be watching cutscenes.
And it's not like a standard DF group could easily 4-5 man these fights anyway, so they would have to wait for you > .

Most BCoB CS's happen before you enter or after you leave almost none happen during. Maybe a 30 second cs for the boss coming out but thats it