A serious discussion about abridging the story quest 1-50 (discouraging new players)

[VanPwn]

You don't need to do any extreme primals to advance the MSQ. Fail

omg thx so much

[Luvbunny]

So let me get this straight. You guys want to remove parts of the MSQ because it is gating new players from the expansion between 1 - 50. Just so you know the MSQ from 1- 50 is the fastest way to level to 50. It is the post 50 MSQ that should be made into a unabridged version to help people get through the gate faster. Most of the complaints on this thread are about the MSQ from 1 - 50 when the actual issue is the post 2.0 patch MSQ.

Yeah I don't get this either.... Trimming the fat in 2.1-2.55 is fine, and making some of those dumb quests optional is good idea. But making the entire 2.0 MSQ optional IS NOT OK. Because the entire 3.0 expansion is all about GATING CONTENT and ACCESS everywhere in the main game. In 2.0, you can level gathering to 50 without having to do MSQ, in 3.0, 100% of the areas you need are gated behind MSQ, so you MUST have fighting class to progress unless.

I think the other main beef is gating the new jobs behind MSQ 2.55.... because they can easily make that new jobs only accessible for players who already have any class at 50, and have completed ONLY 2.0 MSQ, heck they can make it to 2.3. But at this stage, it's moot point, you are better off finishing those and be done with it. ALSO, completing all dungeons in 2.1-2.55 is a good idea to get familiar with mechanics because those are repeated with some twist in 3.0.

Do EVERYONE a favor, be at least a decent players who have experienced many of the mechanics (and can read the battle flow) - so if you decide going blind, you are not a big hindrance to your other fellow players - and making a 25 minutes run dungeons turn into 60 minutes full run with 3-4 wipes on every bosses lol.

[RichardButte]

Just so you know the MSQ from 1- 50 is the fastest way to level to 50.

We're all perfectly aware of this, yes, which is why making the story optional shouldn't be a big deal because you are still amply rewarded for going through it.

But it should be up to the player to choose what they want to do in the game, be it sidequests, leves, fates or just grinding dungeons with friends.

Yeah I don't get this either.... Trimming the fat in 2.1-2.55 is fine, and making some of those dumb quests optional is good idea. But making the entire 2.0 MSQ optional IS NOT OK. Because the entire 3.0 expansion is all about GATING CONTENT and ACCESS everywhere in the main game.

And we're talking about removing that as well: If a person dings level 58, the level 58 dungeons become available in their DF.

And no, it's not going to break the game if they do this.

[Luvbunny]

If a person dings level 58, the level 58 dungeons become available in their DF. And no, it's not going to break the game if they do this.

LOL, uhm, just NO. You might as well don't play this game at all. Making some quests optional is fine, trimming fetch quests is fine, but making the entire MSQ in the entire game optional is NOT OK. This is not Skyrim, Elderscroll, World of Warcraft type of game, this is FINAL FANTASY, I mean, why beating a dead horse over this. This is never going to be a theme park game, at least not now. SE do release you after you complete the MSQ and let you roam free to do as you see fit once you hit level cap. Again, if any of your friends just want shoot and gun game with almost no story, there is Destiny. Also Elder Scroll Online is available as well. Maybe those are games that are more to their liking. Heck, FFXI is still up and running too, you can try it and compare - FF14 is already so much casual and newbie friendly.

[ThanMazus]

Snip

In other words, yet another "if you don't like it, quit" post?

[Luvbunny]

Well, this is SE games - and it is one of their FINAL FANTASY flagship which to their intended core audience must adhere to certain rules (as much as it does have the downfall of the staple JRPG inane fetch quest and corny story, peppered with OMG fantastic cutscene). Making FF turn into a theme park with Skyrim + Elderscroll flavor is not OK, since their core audience (those japanese players) would probably revolt. There is a reason you don't see Elderscroll games charting very high in Japan.

I don't tell people to quit, just bite the bullet, skip the CS, do the MSQ in between waiting for dungeons, and just get it done. But if you really really hate these quest driven game, why are you here? Since 3.0 is all about quest and MSQ, gating content and access everywhere, once you finish all of them, the actual "I do what I want when I want" can start. Again, if you don't like it, there are countless other online games that may suit your play style. I am suggesting Destiny because it lacks story, more action oriented, have smooth as butter control, and such a joy to play (kill everything). I have not play Elderscroll Online, and probably will not bother at all since this is not my kind of game.

[ThanMazus]

Again, if you don't like it, there are countless other online games that may suit your play style.

So you're not saying "quit" but instead "play a different game". I'm not sure that's functionally any different than telling someone to quit.

[Luvbunny]

So you're not saying "quit" but instead "play a different game". I'm not sure that's functionally any different than telling someone to quit.

Well you do have options, you can just bite the bullet, skip the dumb CS, do the MSQ ASAP (they are good to do while waiting for dungeons - at least it gives you XP and money). Or you can just drop it, and move on, because this is not going to change in 3.0, and it only get worse when flying access is also gated behind "optional quests", and areas are all gated behind MSQ. If you just want to level up your gatherer to 60, guess what, you can't!!! You have to complete MSQ...

I may not always agree with the way they do MSQ and those optional quest, but it is very consistent formula in JRPG, so I cannot say they try to do anything different or out of context from the old school flavor of typical FF story and gameplay. And yes, so I made peace with this, because I want to play FF online games that mix up World of Warcraft, Rift and Guild War, with a heavy dose of fantastic Fan Service from all past FF games. I do not want this game turns into Elderscroll Skyrim Fallout Grand Theft Auto of sandbox game, otherwise I would have play those games instead.

[RichardButte]

LOL, uhm, just NO. You might as well don't play this game at all.

See, it's this kind of attitude which makes me wonder if people like you understand their fellow players at ALL...

First of all, I must once again point out that experiencing the story has nothing to do with experiencing the raid content. There is LITERALLY no correlation between the two. Knowing why you're fighting a boss has no influence on the mechanics.

Second, what's the difference between a person who mashed esc to skip all the cutscenes before a raid and a person who had the raid unlocked by hitting level 60? Really, what's the difference?

And third, as I've said before but you keep evading the question, you DO realize there are people who play FFXIV, couldn't give less of a steaming crap about the story, but play exclusively to gather/craft stuff, right? FFXIV is actually an amazing economy simulator, easily the best I've seen in an MMO (though I've not played EVE Online...).

The endgame story will never mean anything to these people, yet they still pay SE $15 per month and that money goes toward developing more of the raid content and story that they'll never actually experience.

I don't understand why you can't wrap your head around the idea that people can play and enjoy FFXIV without having even one bit of care for the storyline, and I understand even less why you think YOUR insisting that they should have to do it constitutes an argument...

Yoshi-P already said that he's fine with people "fast forwarding" the story, and if that's the case, why make it mandatory at all?

Does knowing that people didn't have to do the story HARM you in some way? If that's the case, why doesn't it harm you to know that they just mashed esc throughout the whole thing and have no idea what anything in the game is about?

This is never going to be a theme park game, at least not now.

Um, this IS a themepark game. Any game where questlines send you to progressively harder zones is, by definition, a themepark game.

The opposite of this would be a sandbox, in which there are few to no quests and players have to go figure out things to do in the world without the game's help.

[ThanMazus]

Well you do have options, you can just bite the bullet, skip the dumb CS, do the MSQ ASAP (they are good to do while waiting for dungeons - at least it gives you XP and money). Or you can just drop it, and move on

In what way are you seriously not saying "If you don't like it, quit"?