Expansion is only temporarily enjoyable. Fails to fix all main flaws.

[Aqua_Amaiyo]

We should also take into account, when ARR was 1st released we ran into these same issues. The game was at least a decent challenge back then (Titan Hard Mode anyone?) But perhaps, it'd be best that we sit and be patient, being that the clock has been reset, we're in 3.0 now, meaning the next piece of the puzzle is being brought in for all to see. Give it a game update or 2, and then judge it. Hell, I'm still trying to hit 60 on at least ONE class (work is murder), but, I do and can see some of your points. The most i can say is just let us judge most/all of this once the next actual game update comes out. (3.1, 3.2 etc)

[Xairos]

Oh and tougher mobs

[Sove92]

- Linear Gear Progression. Back to mindless tome grinding and hunts. Repeat easy dungeons over and over again. How about actual challenge in dungeons and have a sense of progression from the start? There are many MMO's that get this right by making Hard Mode dungeons actually "Hard" and make their gear necessary to obtain in order to start progression in raids. Or have raid attunement, world bosses, rep grinds, open world drops, etc to provide different options for gearing. FFXIV has taken the most boring path possible and it only hurts it further when the gear resets every six months.

Normal from modern MMOs. Lack of special effects, which while wanted, would need to be something balanced to prevent "have weapon x or kick".

- Second flaw, still no challenge anywhere to be found. Raids for example, they're planning "one real raid" every 6 months like before and only 4 bosses. Are you kidding me? We have so many classes/jobs now, but still only 4 bosses to farm to hope for your gear piece. I know this from personal experience as a hardcore raider before, it kept many people unsubbed for months. Raiders get tired of farming same old content for six months straight and only four bosses.

Instead of releasing one billion easy dungeons, how about transfer some of that effort for creating more raids instead? And I don't mean 24 man raids, they're a joke. Typically, MMO's release with couple of raids for progression. One higher tier than the other. Here, we don't have our first raid yet. The last one came out in 2.4, which was October of last year. It's been almost a year. That's too damn long for an active and profitable MMO like this.

Now we have two difficulties. Yoshi-P said we could get more raid content at once, but then the patch delays are longer. XIV is still far from the absurdity Wow is now fond of doing.

- Third major flaw, still no such thing as character builds. The new 51-60 skills only add to your existing rotations, but they haven't done anything to have a variety of character builds. It's an MMO after all. Like the gear progression, the depth in classes are so bland and linear. The rotations are still 1 > 2 > 3. Think about it. If they continue like this till level cap 100, you would need all hotbars you can get to run all available skills. Because a character build makes only certain skills viable, but here everyone is running on same gear and rotation. Speaking of gear, the gear stats are still as bland as they can get. Where are the special powers or pieces that could help with different skills? There are no thoughts invested.

Dropped in favor of accessibility, this happens to be modern times.

- Fourth flaw, glamour and inventory systems are still a mess. Instead of giving us some more storage to gather all new crafting materials, glamour etc like MMO expansions normally do, here we have more retainers to "purchase". Are they so desperate for money that they have to nickle and dime on every opportunity? Glamours are a huge mess. It will clutter up your retainers like crafting mats do. Why couldn't they do come up with a transmog system like Blizzard does? Then there are other issues like crafting still can't take materials directly from your bank/retainer. Can't manage multiple retainer storage at once to search and manage items. Everything is so archaic here.

The space issue has been commented on by Yoshi-P multiple times already. Glamours aren't the best implementation and craft from retainer is missing indeed.

- Fifth flaw, too much recycling/re-skins. New jobs were a huge disappointment.

Welcome to Final Fantasy.

It started with 2.4 when the raid bosses were re-skinned mobs, crappy Bahamut fight and the efforts seemed lazier compared to 2.2. Now in expansion, majority of enemies are recycled from original including even raid bosses. Same old recycled mechanics, nothing refreshing as seen on new Extreme primals. Again, it makes me question where their efforts were spent.

Balancing takes most of the work, it's easy to make an absurdly difficult boss fight, but balancing it is not. Mechanic recycle isn't even bad in this game.

Then to make it worse, the new jobs were pretty much copy/pasta of another job with their silly gimmick thrown in.
Take AST for example, re-skinned WHM skills with the card gimmick. I really expected better thoughts put into new jobs.

You can't design a job to be required for a certain fight. You mention AST as example, when it actually has something to give, when you should look at DRK, that gives absolutely nothing a PLD/WAR combination doesn't already do better. Yes, WHM/SCH works better, but AST still gives something.

[FedeMax]

That is why SE has not wasted the time and create a complicated character build system. Your average player will go and research BIS for the class/job and use that instead of ding the research them self. Plus the other side of the coin, just like in XI, many parties will start discriminating if you don't have the build they want to have mass dps number etc, etc, etc.

In the current MMO system, having too many options on the build of stats or rotation is just a waste of time. Every dps class will look for the best rotation for maximum damage and nothing else. Same way with healers difference in WHM Determination and SCH Crict, each change their gear stats for best output.

[Cirgellon]

You lost me as soon as you claimed to be speaking for everyone and pretending that they were actually losing subs...

[Saccharin]

As I said in 2.x this isn't a hardcore raiding game. If you're looking for that try WoW, Rift, or Wildstar. Maybe others that I don't know of.

[StrejdaTom]

I loved the story and some things they fixed according to feedback but you are right. They brought absolutely nothing new which is in my opinion a huge problem after almost 2 years.. we should be definitely moving forward.. not staying on the same place with a bit different textures and mobs..

[Altijacek]

This. There is always one correct choice. The only thing builds give you is the illusion of choice.

Exactly. Here you actually HAVE TONS of choces. It's called changing your job.

[Thyranne]

Instead of releasing one billion easy dungeons, how about transfer some of that effort for creating more raids instead? And I don't mean 24 man raids, they're a joke. Typically, MMO's release with couple of raids for progression. One higher tier than the other. Here, we don't have our first raid yet. The last one came out in 2.4, which was October of last year. It's been almost a year. That's too damn long for an active and profitable MMO like this.

WoW did this. Go to any WoW forum and ask them what they think about it.

Also, most players in this game don't raid, they do dungeons so it's not a bad idea to make more content for them.

[MageBlack]

Sounds like you will be leaving. May I have your stuff please? I could really use the Gil.