Gating the whole expansion

[Kaedan]

The point here is that this is a big problem. How can someone be OK with paying for an expansion and being the required level only to find out that they have to run through tons of stupid Pre-expansion bullcrap quests in order to access the main content that they paid for? The answer to me is it is NOT ok and a total stupid move on SE's part. I paid for the expansion and am the required level. Yet I am STUCK doing pre-expansion bullcrap.

It's actually perfectly ok in a story-based MMO. All content is unlocked through quests in FFXIV.

[Duuude007]

If you honestly think pre expansion story is, as you say, 'bullcrap', then you might as well not have paid for an expansion, because it literally 'expands' on what you get before 3.0...

[KarstenS]

I paid for an expansion I can not see AT ALL

What is completely wrong. You can see it, after you have done the other stuff before.


Expansion = Expanding an already existing game

Expansion ≠ Replacing an already existing game

[XxSliphxX]

I pre-ordered the expansion and am currently playing. However, I am sad to find out that there was No point in doing so.

I am on a quest called Into the heart of the Whorl. I was so excited to get in the game game and expac with my friends during this early access but can not due to the whole stupid thing being gated by this boring TOO LONG story quest.

Sad to say SE this is a big issue and one I think you need to address. I am level 50 and should be able to enter the new areas and continue on my way like it was in World of Warcraft, and every other MMORPG before this one. Had I known that this is how it would be, I would have never pre-ordered. I was under the impression that we would be able to get into the new areas at least but saddly that is not the case.

I feel you and i agree with you. I tried to argue this point but getting sympathy from people in this forum is not going to be easy believe me i know. I knew this was going to happen to people and im sorry it happened to you. The way they released this expansion as i've said before in another thread is a giant middle finger to newer players. Having people buy an expansion and then telling them they can't even access it is asinine and unless you follow this game religiously you would not have been aware of it.

[DreameR7g]

Having people buy an expansion and then telling them they can't even access it is asinine and unless you follow this game religiously you would not have been aware of it.

Incorrect. SE warned us well in advance the expansion would be a direct continuation of ARR's story. Hence why they have multiple warnings saying "You must have ARR installed on your computer and be past "Before the Fall" before you can access Heavensward content."

You also didn't have to follow the game religiously. Simply complete the story up to the current patch. After that point, it doesn't matter what you do and you can still access the expansion content.

At the end of the day, the expansion is *NOT* geared towards newer players. It is geared towards those already at end game with nothing else to do other than to master everything.

[Zephyranthes]

The expansion happens directly after the events of ARR. No time skip whatsoever. I don't see a problem with what SE did.

It's not like old content and areas have lower graphic settings or anything. The entire FF14 leveling process now just expanded from 1-60 instead of 1-50. No reason for it to be only 50-60.

[dekal]

snip

People don't understand that this is just an expansion. You are going to be required to be certain level or be in certain part of a story. It's like saying that you want to play in areas that are for level 80 and you are lvl 13, that's like wtf? It's just convenient that you can get level 50 on one class by just doing the main quest.

Players that just joined 1-2 weeks ago that did not do anything, BUT level like players that finished their main story are the one struggling. They are just doing FATE here and FATE there.

Another thing that surprises me is that they said that they got friends /online friends and rl friends/ in game, and they wanted to enjoy the game with their friends. Why didn't they ask their friends to help them. They are already level 50. If they didn't wan to help, then they are not really your friends....I am just saying.

[Juz10y0]

If you honestly can not enjoy a game because you can't get the most "new and improved" content, when you have not finished the old - then you would most likely jump right onto the next MMO that released in a month.

Square-Enix constantly said over and over time and time again , you need to finish 2.XX story to get into Ishgard, and play Heavensward. If people were really interested in this game, as much as EVERYONE claims to be that is pissed about the gate because it was "new news" to them, it wasn't.

If they cared about Heavensward or even remoted cared, they would have seen it and heard about it. If they cared and enjoyed the game, for what it is they would understand the creators of this game, want you to do to the story. It's that simple if that doesn't work for you, then you should most likely look for a new game.

Also, it isn't the 23rd yet, go cancel your pre-order and get your money back.

[Aethaeryn]

I don't really understand how it's a waste of money anyway... Even if you only play 30mins to an hour per day, you'll be in Ishgard in a week or so. The quests are supposed to give item level appropriate gear for doing all of the minimum requirements for the dungeons and trials now. You're also getting experience from these quests now when you wouldn't be without the expansion, so you'll jump into Ishgard closer to 51 than you would be normally and closer to getting cool new skills.

I'm probably sounding like a broken record, but it's really not nearly as big of a deal as it's being made out to be. Even if you cancel your preorder and buy it after you finish the 2.55 story to enter Heavensward, you're paying the same money and possibly losing preorder items and all of that potential exp. There are tons of return players right now that are trying to catch up on story, so it shouldn't be *that* hard to find a group to do the handful of trials/dungeons. If not through queue, shout around for it or make a party finder.

[lordoftheapes79]

So, I have to ask the whining newbs, you know you can skip the cutscenes ifyou don't want to watch the right?