What does Heavensward actually bring to the table as an expansion?

[T2teddy]

If I was an SE dev reading all these threads constantly griping about how boring the game is that I've slaved over for possibly years, I'd be driven into a deep depression...I mean seriously.

[Kosmos992k]

If I was an SE dev reading all these threads constantly griping about how boring the game is that I've slaved over for possibly years, I'd be driven into a deep depression...I mean seriously.

Indeed. Personally I love the game.

[Kaurie]

If I was an SE dev reading all these threads constantly griping about how boring the game is that I've slaved over for possibly years, I'd be driven into a deep
depression...I mean seriously.

If I was that dev, I would suffer from massive reading comprehension problems.

Most complaints are coming from people who praise the game as very fun, and they have certain issues with how somethings are happening and providing feedback. They go on to add that they've become bored as they've run out of things to do. That doesn't mean everything that they have done was not fun, or was boring.

Ultimately, the biggest issue is that FFXIV released content in a way that encouraged you to speed by 90% of the content as fast as possible. Alex NM in 2 weeks, so you better be in full law so you don't miss out on one week's worth of lockouts, otherwise you'll be behind when savage launches 2 weeks later and esoterics. That's 2 weekly lockouts. So you better be up there if you want to not get left behind per se. I felt behind all of ARR, because I didn't start out right away, and I spent the entire 2.x catching up. I didn't want to feel that way in 3.x so I made sure to watch the timeline for launches to make sure I was ready.

The thing is, it doesn't have to work this way. Suggestions I've put forth, in this and other threads, which could alleviate this problem are:
1. replayable stories (I'd like to go back and experience some of the story arcs, similar to how I sometimes watch older episodes of TV shows on Netflix/dvd etc).
2. Caps on spending tomes rather than earning them. This game encourages you to have alternate jobs up until it comes to gearing, then it's one job or else. This really sucks if you need to swap jobs for savage (PLD to DRK for example or even cross roles, which is not uncommon as people try to optimize their teams). If I want to farm esoterics so I can gear my SCH in addition to my SMN, I don't see why I am prevented. However, I understand not wanting us to have full esoteric'd SMN on week 1, thus cap spending per job at 450 per week.
3. Add earning esoterics to things in the open world like fates, mix it up in what we're doing
4. Add more variety fun-stats to add horizontal progression and alternate ways to obtain different gear sets

I think I've said others, but you get the point. It's not that content is boring, it's that fun content has been made obsolete to fast leaving small amounts of fun content which is not fun to repeatedly do.

[T2teddy]

Ultimately, the biggest issue is that FFXIV released content in a way that encouraged you to speed by 90% of the content as fast as possible. [snip] So you better be up there if you want to not get left behind per se.

None of the people I know have felt the pressured to rush through the game for fear of being left behind. Cheers to having a new raid and it's big brother to challenge us...when we get around to them. We're having a good time and not stressing about keeping up with the Joneses.

This community would be much happier if they chilled out a bit. Hard core raiders exempt of course! XD

I felt behind all of ARR, because I didn't start out right away, and I spent the entire 2.x catching up.

This character was level 16 in May. I decided to ignore most stuff that was not MSQ just so he could start HW content with my other characters. But hey, now I'm going back and picking up the content I missed.

Everyone has a right to play as they wish. My choice is the slow and steady with my characters. I love the story so much I'm repeating it 4 times.

[Kaurie]

None of the people I know have felt the pressured to rush through the game for fear of being left behind. Cheers to having a new raid and it's big brother to challenge us...when we get around to them. We're having a good time and not stressing about keeping up with the Joneses.

This community would be much happier if they chilled out a bit. Hard core raiders exempt of course! XD

I feel you misunderstand my post. I was saying the design of the game encouraged you to rush through. I didn't mean to imply that everyone did or felt the need to.

[T2teddy]

I feel you misunderstand my post. I was saying the design of the game encouraged you to rush through. I didn't mean to imply that everyone did or felt the need to.

I misunderstood nothing. I simply do not feel the same way as you about the game design. People can rush through content if they so desire. Do they NEED to? No. That is their choice.
Alexander wasn't going to stand up and walk away to parts unknown if nobody entered it by a set point in time.

[Kaurie]

I misunderstood nothing. I simply do not feel the same way as you about the game design. People can rush through content if they so desire. Do they NEED to? No. That is their choice.
Alexander wasn't going to stand up and walk away to parts unknown if nobody entered it by a set point in time.

Again you are not understanding. I am saying, by design with lockouts, weekly caps, sources of currency and timing of releasing raids, encourage the behavior.

An analogy would be if you placed a carrot in front of a mule to have it walk forward, your design is to have it try to reach your carrot and move forward. If certain mules end up not liking the carrot or not caring as much as others, that doesn't matter. The point is that the carrot is there and by design it's in place to have you move forward and leave everything behind.

In my opinion, this is not bad design. However, it would be better if they had incentives/encouragements to replay older content (see old post).

[savarna]

I misunderstood nothing. I simply do not feel the same way as you about the game design. People can rush through content if they so desire. Do they NEED to? No. That is their choice.
Alexander wasn't going to stand up and walk away to parts unknown if nobody entered it by a set point in time.

That is the main problem! A lot of us do not rush trough the content lol. I only play 2 to 3 hours, 3 - 4 days a week and with little effort I have catched up with everything up to date, just to the point of logging in to do my Ex roulette and AS. Is this fun to you? I find it rather disappointing due to the lack of creativity at this stage of the game, as how they keep the same formula on every patch they release.

Yeah I can try something new as there is much you can still do in the game! I'll take my mount to fly across those beautiful and abandoned areas that no one revisits



Epic fun!

You might be thinking ''If it's so bad then why don't you quit?'' The answer is because the game mechanics, art, graphics, story, engine performance, stability, up time service and system in general are not bad, it's enjoyable! However, it they would listen to the community they could turn it out into a better experience. It has potential and reason why I haven't give up on this game...yet.

[Alipoprocks]

2. Caps on spending tomes rather than earning them. This game encourages you to have alternate jobs up until it comes to gearing, then it's one job or else. This really sucks if you need to swap jobs for savage (PLD to DRK for example or even cross roles, which is not uncommon as people try to optimize their teams). If I want to farm esoterics so I can gear my SCH in addition to my SMN, I don't see why I am prevented. However, I understand not wanting us to have full esoteric'd SMN on week 1, thus cap spending per job at 450 per week.
3. Add earning esoterics to things in the open world like fates, mix it up in what we're doing
4. . . . . and alternate ways to obtain different gear sets

Yes, yes, yes, please. Love the spending cap per job idea. Would love to see SE encourage people to play different jobs instead of hindering it. I mean yeah, we can level jobs to 60 right now but really can only do the two dungeons and Alex easy with them.