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.

[Ryaz]

I basically log on to do my daily dungeon and that's it. There's very little left to keep me motivated to play as everything you do requires a time consuming, ultimately boring grind. There's only so much of that I can take before burn out. I'm mostly just biding my time until Fallout 4 comes out.

There are some MMOs that keep things interesting. The Secret World, for instance, not only has a ton of great lore, but mission variety is some of the best I've seen in MMOs and they're repeatable. Stealth missions and investigation missions (in which you actually use your brain and web browser to figure out) are combined with standard kill and fetch missions to provide a change of pace and not to mention there's usually actually story to every mission (and not just hunting down lost moogles). I have no clue why more game developers haven't taken a clue from that games mission structure.

[Gardes]

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.

Between E3, that france thing, actual gamescom, pax, china anniversary, korean launch, and eventually tgs, counting the tavelling to time, jet lag, setting up shop, the actual events, celebrating, resting up, sight seeing, travelling back, etc for each of them, I don't think yoship and the crew would have time to be depressed about that. Wouldn't even be surprised if they spent a month doing just the above in 2 months or so. Especially when their target market and they themselves think that the game is doing more than great. I don't think they would have time to put 100% effort into 3.1 either. Not that they have to..hell, I don't think yoship even needs to be in the office anymore, the rest can just make the odd and even patches all on their own. The template is already there.

[SpookyGhost]

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.

Something I've recently started to notice is that people think video game companies or video game producers/directors are their friends. Yoshi-P's so stressed! Think of this poor man! No. I pay real, actual money monthly to play this game he's responsible for - I expect my money's worth. And when people aren't satisfied with your product, they stop paying for it. Don't get me wrong, the expansion itself was worth the price tag, I enjoyed the story and the leveling - that was genuinely a lot of fun and reminded me of when I first started the game back in 2.0. However, if it weren't for raiding with my friends, I couldn't justify subbing to this game past 1 month. I'd sub the first month and then 1 month for every other subsequent patch (though I'd personally just stop until 3.5 and then catch up then). There's really, genuinely, no reason to be subbed right now.

Think about it, genuinely consider it for a second. Why do you currently play the game? What reason do you have for playing the game? A broad answer like "fun" is meaningless, you can spend the same money on any number of games and get full, fleshed out experiences that would factually be more entertaining to you. Even if you enjoy the community aspect... just talk to them out of the game. Literally everyone I've met in XIV that I like I have on FB or Skype, I could leave the game entirely and still stay in touch with everyone important I met. If you enjoy crafting, I have a free alternative you could try: http://orteil.dashnet.org/cookieclicker/

I just genuinely don't know why people would choose to spend 15$ a month to play this game after they've finished the MSQ. There are other, more enjoyable games out there that you could be spending that money on. Why choose to stay on this one? Why are you subbed right now? Do you pay for your sub? Admittedly I could be missing something that XIV offers you couldn't get elsewhere - I'm being pretty argumentative here but I've also been playing this game since 2.0 and haven't found this missing ingredient that makes XIV stand out and justify my subscription. I'd love to know what it is because I really enjoy the MSQ and would absolutely adore continuing that experience into endgame, but I'm just not seeing it atm.

[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.

[SasukeUchiha81]

/snip

I feel like I can give a sigh of relief however, that the NA community is not alone in being tired of the formula, yesterday I browsed the Japanese boards, and they are also unhappy and complaining about the same topics being discussed here recently, being tired of the content and how they are considering to stop playing. Hopefully, with the complains in both ends, they will revise the stratergy and planning for future patches.

Id never use the excuse that you have read. I do agree more needs to be done, I never said it did not, I just stated that what they have done so far is pretty good. But instead of making a topic that says, "what does the expansion bring to the table, blah blah blah" maybe stating what you like about the game, then what could improve, then making suggestions on how to improve it would be much better.. <3 Id just like to see more ideas about what to fix and ideas of how to do it on these forums.

[Evtrai]

Id never use the excuse that you have read. I do agree more needs to be done, I never said it did not, I just stated that what they have done so far is pretty good. But instead of making a topic that says, "what does the expansion bring to the table, blah blah blah" maybe stating what you like about the game, then what could improve, then making suggestions on how to improve it would be much better.. <3 Id just like to see more ideas about what to fix and ideas of how to do it on these forums.

A lot of ideas has already been posted by people here and in other threads that have spawned recently, for example, it's been already tried and said that crafting is crap but there seems no urgency into working it out, let's see if they leave it unchanged in 3.1 or hopefully have some tweaks underwraps.

It's not to me to think what a vendor should do to sell their product, I'm paying them, but they are not paying me, they are the designers, I'm a consumer and as a customer that I'm still partly interested in their product, I'm voicing my opinion, to like any other developer or company, that you are unsatisfied with what they are selling.

[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.