this game is NOT friendly for those who return after long absence

[Pulsahr]

I'm returning after a year of absence, eager to test new jobs, new areas, exp some jobs to 60, test flying mounts and all the new stuff. So I bought the expansion, early access, and got in, looking for new fun things to do.
But I can't.
I have to clear the main story to heavensward to access new content. A year of main story. I CAN'T enjoy anything new before clearing the story, with tons of hour of story.
I love the story, that's not the point. But I like to take my time to enjoy the story at my own pace.

It's like being interested in several tv shows, and being forced to fully finish one before trying anything else.

Not cool.


Edit : Part 2, after reaching Ishgard : http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post3070342

[Lemuel81]

the expansion is tied to the main story, so it makes sense that a person cannot access it until they are caught up with the story. Take your time and enjoy all the content you missed, than you can enjoy the new content in Heavensward..

[Zenaku]

This been said time and time again that you needed 2.0 story line done it even say it when you pre-order the game. You should have came back not got HW and do all the main story-line and enjoy it at your own time. Once you got to HW buy the expansion pack and do the main story for that and enjoy that.

I don't understand why people get so mad you did not need to buy the expansion yet.

[MXMoondoggie]

They told people this ages ago you had a long time to start playing and get to the end of the story quests. You can even skip a ton of optional content there was no reason for you to not have done it already except to save a month of sub. Beating the story up to Heavensward can be done in a couple of days at an average speed if you are skipping cutscenes. As a returning player you even had a head start. It should take you about 1 free Saturday to do it all.

[Delorean]

the expansion is tied to the main story, so it makes sense that a person cannot access it until they are caught up with the story. Take your time and enjoy all the content you missed, than you can enjoy the new content in Heavensward..

"take your time and enjoy watching all 48 hours of the collecting bear asses and cutscenes you missed"

i dont mean to knock the team because i really like the game a lot, but watching these scenes with these voice actors that are so terribly constructed most of the time is so painfully tedious to watch.

They told people this ages ago you had a long time to start playing and get to the end of the story quests.

and that is irrelevant; you play a game to be entertained, not to be frustrated and disappointed.

it is a huge turn off. it's enough to turn people away who haven't been playing FFXIV for the past couple of years.

[Madjames]

"take your time and enjoy watching all 48 hours of the collecting bear asses and cutscenes you missed"

i dont mean to knock the team because i really like the game a lot, but watching these scenes with these voice actors that are so terribly constructed most of the time is so painfully tedious to watch.



and that is irrelevant; you play a game to be entertained, not to be frustrated and disappointed.

it is a huge turn off. it's enough to turn people away who haven't been playing FFXIV for the past couple of years.

Exactly!!

I play this game to play with friends and to fight monsters and write my own story IRL about my character. He already has a 10 page backstory to him that I wrote when I first created him.

Anyway, your point is a good one. Weather or not they "told" people is not the issue. The problem lies with them telingl us "This is how you MUST play, this is how you MUST level, this is what you HAVE to do. If you have not done your MSQ up to the expansion, FORGET about your friends until you complete all 50+ HOURS of story BY YOURSELF with a few dungeons and primal battles thrown it. We are throwing out the MMO part of the game until you complete a SOLO story quest that is lackluster and boring at BEST. If you cant do that and you are coming into this game from the start, your screwed, we don't want your money for future development to keep the game afloat, we will just let you leave end of story" This is a BAD business model as every other mmorpg (Including the most story driven MMORPG on the market which is more so then this game SWTOR) does NOT lock our entire expansion behind a story.

It may not SEEM like a problem right now but over 15 people from my IRL friends, family, and Facebook downright REFUSE to play this game because of this requirement. Why would they play a game that forces a certain story hugger play-style on them when they would rather grind fates to level 50 and then go into ishgard because they have the required level cap like many other mmorpgs on the market do? Why would they play an MMORPG when the MMO part is completely left out and your on your own until you complete the MSQ?

I have mine completed. It took 20 HOURS total to complete Fireworks and Fish do not mix, to the start of the coming to ishgard quest. The time is horrible, FORCING us to do it 90% SOLO is beyond stupid. This is an MMORPG and should be played at ALL levels to have fun with friends as that is what an MMORPG is all about, Online gaming with friends to have fun!

SWTOR allows people to go through each others story as they are different. My wife and I saw TWO storys as we leveled together and did our storys together as that game allows it. The story's were great and fun and entertaining unlike this game. SE needs to consider making it optional is all I can say. It would be nice to give us the players the freedom to choose how we level and what we do with our $15 a month.

[Danieros]

Well, if you weren't playing it doesn't really matter how much they warned us that the story would need to be completed to access expansion content. I know FFXIV isn't doing anywhere close to bad subscriber-wise, but taking some steps to win the loyalty of returning players would only improve the player base.

I think the issue here that makes people complain about the 2.x story quests is the fact you do all of them at level 50 so you do not feel like you are progressing as you were when doing the MS pre-50, so for days you will feel like you are stuck and enjoying the story for the sake of story and no other progression is not a realistic expectation in a RPG game. It was fine when level 50 was the cap, but it is no longer the case. It's too late now, but perhaps a rebalancing of all MS levels should be in order to provide a more enjoyable experience, especially for new players as they would more than ever be able to level up with the main story quests.

[Eye_Gore]

Its like watching TV, but you only have one channel.

[Pulsahr]

I forgot to mention the fact that there is no mobs or zone above 50 in pre-HW content, so I can't really lvl up (craft, gathering and battle classes), or in a super slow way, which nobody enjoys.

[Velox]

Bad analogy. A better anology is like starting to watch a TV series on season 3 and skipping over 1 and 2. That's more akin to a story-centric MMO such as FFXIV.