Why punish players who just want to play DoL DoH?

[Adire]

Not to be rude but I have to agree with FoxyAkeru.
Something like Harvest Moon or Rune Factory [Single player games mind you.]
may be more to your liking. This games core is battles. The crafting is the most amazing in any MMO
I've come across and easier though...I'm just lazy to do it lol. I wouldn't be oppose to adding more
neat things for gathers and crafters!

If Foomerang is like I used to be (and still am to a degree really), they probably enjoy being part of a living economy. That's what crafting and gathering used to appeal to me for in MMOs specifically.

[HakuroDK]

I am torn on this topic.

On the one hand, this game shouldn't have expansion content gated because it severely inhibits people whose sole focus in the game isn't combat.

On the other hand, like many people have said, combat is the primary focus of the game.

I am a crafter myself. But I do the combat content as well.

[Cyrus-Wallace]

Well, you have 2 level 50 DoW/M jobs, you can easily catch up. As you are a crafter, make some ilvl 110 gear and use it. Within 1 week you'll be done, or even less if you don't care about the storyline... you can skip all the things. You'll gain access to the expansion's gates. Now if you'll be required to level up to level 60 to gain full access to everything, that remains as a mystery. And yeah, I other people stated, sadly you're a minority... I'm sure they won't do anything to "fix" this. So that's why I'm giving you a solution instead.

[Illya]

They uhm tried to make it possible to complete the story as a DoL/DoH in FFXIV 1.0. It was an unmitigated disaster. Having learned that lesson in 1.0, when they got to ARR they made the game like every other MMO ever made where story is completed by fighting as a combat class and crafting/gathering are side jobs.

[Slirith]

Go play farmville then

[MilesSaintboroguh]

If Square were to start catering to people who just want to craft/gather and do nothing else, they'd have to sacrifice other content in the game to make it happen, so I rather have them not do that.

[kyuven]

First off, this is a combat centric game where you're an adventurer. You start as an adventuring class. You can't even do crafting or gathering at all til lvl 10. Pretty sure it, alone with the armoury system, is also locked behind an MSQ.

Let's look at the lore reasons:
Up until now, absolutely no one that isn't already Ishgardian has been permitted into Ishgard for any reason. Even the merchants that do trade do so at the gates only.
They do not like you. They do not want to like you. This was established as far back as the very first MSQs that take place in Coerthas.
However, the story quest changes that. You seriously pull their fat out of the fire during the MSQ, so you, Alphinaud, Cid, and Tataru alone are permitted entry into Ishgard at the behest of one of its nobles.
These nobles, including the nice one, wouldn't care if you're the world's best digger or weaver, they do not want you in their country. This is what isolationism is. Even if you invented a potion that could kill dragons, they'd STILL do all their business with you in Coerthas.

In short, crafting and gathering are and always will be SECONDARY to your accomplishments as a DoW/M, and it's been like that since the day you started the game. If you don't like that, then maybe this isn't the game for you.

They uhm tried to make it possible to complete the story as a DoL/DoH in FFXIV 1.0. It was an unmitigated disaster.

Hoo boy was this true. Did you know this is one of the reasons you can technically clobber things with a fishing pole or weaver's needle?

[dice137]

Not every MMO can cater to every play style, and FFXIV (like the majority of MMORPGs) is combat-centric. If you want a game where crafting, gathering, gardening, and/or mini-games is the focus and main attraction... FFXIV won't ever meet that desire.

[SakuraMidori]

Crafting is very fun but gearing up and helping others fight the good fight is also very fun. Why not just beat the story and go back to craft? my guess they want everyone to know the story so they lock ppl out so there's no skip stuff going on

[Swordphobic]

I'm siding with OP on this, the attunement for heavensward is HUUUUUUUGE and will make most newbies abandon the game. At least the open areas and some of the dungeons should be available without those long long hours going back and forth to complete the main quest.