Final Fantasy XIV has really good graphics and animations compared to many other MMO games on the market. This really contributes to its immersion (just like in all other Final Fantasys, which utilizes good storytelling and graphics to trick players into feeling like they're inside the game world just like effects and storytelling do in a movie)
Movies employ all sorts of things that should break you out of immersion but they don't. Like screen cuts. A human can't really view a series of events in the same way. Should we advocate that movies only be shot in one take?. But I'm afraid that the game might be moving in a direction that sacrifices one of its main appeals
What is this main appeal. If you say immersion, you're wrong. That's subjective and you decide how much you are immersed into any medium. They can craft a game particularly for you, but they can craft an environment that you can choose to delve deeper into. They need to take a wide range of viewpoints into account when creating an MMO and travel time is the least possible immersive factor, especially with how superficially people are looking at travel. to make the game accessible even to the guy who is using free wifi in the McDonalds drive through so that he can play while grabbing a cup of coffee on his way to work.
That's an absolute exaggeration. You can't even log into the game and start controlling your character in that amount of time let alone do anything meaningful. That statement is disingenuous.
Like the airship argument that I'd hate you all to forget.
Oh don't worry, we wont'. A possible blight that could forever taint this game if left instant.
It's fine if they leave it instant. They need to add a longer option as well though. An example where game aesthetics and content
Waiting is not content. You want content suggest actual content. Look for the "Future Airship Content Ideas" thread. That actually provides content. is being sacrificed for an unnecessary amount of convenience.
What's unnecessary to you is completely necessary for the weekend warrior, person with a job wife/husband/kids, a life. I think we all agree that three to five minutes is not so much time that it would eliminate any chance of getting something done in your time to play
It's not so much time, it's just a waste of time. I don't need to see a guy sleeping for "just 3 minutes" in a movie when it could just as easily fade out during the night then fade back in during the day. I'm still immersed. (unless perhaps you're the person in the drive through at McDonalds).
Obviously not. Some of you may say that this is a logical fallacy
Wanting it is not a logical fallacy. Making certain argumentative errors would be a logical fallacy. but I would argue that this is a good point: If you really think that airships should be made instant, then it would also make sense to make any fight instant as well.
Oh yep, that is a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies are almost never "good points" by their very nature. Both are forms of content
Two very different forms of content. I also don't consider travel from one place to another content. Give me something to do from one place to another and then we're talking, but just the act in and of itself is filler and is a poor excuse for content., whilst some may prefer combat to riding an airship (it's a matter of opinion, why ruin a form content when at least SOMEONE is enjoying it)
Because you can actually add legitimate content to that airship ride. The alternative is that some people just want to "look at the flowers" and they're precious immersion will be trampled if someone else is given the option to skip that. That's tyrannical in it's suggestion.. An ending result of combat may be completely obvious to me, I've killed Tarbh Uisge many times and the fight is about six times as long as what I'd expect the airship ride to be.
You're comparing apples and oranges here, especially when you consider that the instant option is still an option and you don't have to take it. Why should I have to do it again
You shouldn't, that's the thing. It's entirely up to you., isn't there a skip button?
You're now talking about content that effects other people. No there should not be a skip button for a battle that requires team work to complete. Your logic is flawed. Severely flawed. But that's not how the real world, or video games work.
You're right. You don't skip content, you add content. Traveling can be content if they put make quest objectives en route from one place to another. Travel is not content in and of itself. Rewards are given to those who wade through the context and content given by the developers.
Rewards are given to those who complete objectives. If the developers choose to make content
Content is not skippable. Cutscenes are skippable, travel with a resource management mechanic, is skippable. skip-able and everything easily gained, even people who do not see immersion as a value in a game will find the game boring.
Immersion is subjective. The person chooses how immersed they become into their given activity from an individual level. If you lack immersion in a game that offers so much in such a beautifully crafted package, you're not doing your role as a consumer.
Enough inciting flame for the sake of an example still worth fighting for.
What is this? A demand? A proposal?
I know there are other immersive games coming to the world of gaming, for us looking for something that can pull away from this world and make it feel like we are the spirit of a hero in another realm.
Still don't see where you're going. There's games like Skyrim and Dark souls from developers that have done great things in making their games feel heroic in believable yet fantasy world.
Yes. They can vastly create content geared toward a solo individual. That makes things much easier. You've got to be flexible, especially from a consumer standpoint, to retain immersion in an MMO. But these games lack the scope of an MMO game.
So I ask the question, only in the case that this game DOES indeed go down the path that I fear. Are there any MMORPGs coming out or out already that can compete with Final Fantasy XIV for the most immersive and compelling world?
That's entirely subjective. That question is impossible to answer and whoever gives you a definitive one is wrong. They also can't say that XIV is more immersive that <insert title here>.
In the meantime, I still hope this game can be that game for me and I'll stick around to see where it goes.
You still have the option to not use the instant port. You're a literally choosing not to be immersed. I wish for the best, and there are many aspects of this game here already, and to come that I love.
For the sake of TL;DR
FFXIV is losing one of its main appeals: Immersion
To you. Immersion is vastly enhanced by engaging content. Sitting idle on an airship and walking for place to place isn't engaging. Making out of the way places to explore, an in depth storyline, intriguing characters, and engaging content all make for vastly more immersion than waiting to play the game.
Airship is an example
You can make the airship act as more than a transport device. So much more. Don't give the devs an easy hand out by not asking for more, they've done it for chocobos. Demand they create actual content for airships.
Any games that can replace it now? or in the future?
Whatever your heart desires.