Hardcore, easy mode and the XI veteran

[Burn]

Dear freaking god that OP was beautiful. Now lets watch the "hardcores" froth at the mouth because the truth hurts so good.

The truth does hurt because anyone who was anybody back during the beginning of FFXI knows how bad the endgame really was or how only the popularity of the job you were leveling at the time determined how fast you leveled.

Doing x amount of time sinks isn't challenging, the OP hit every nail on the head.

[Haibel]

Great post OP. I feel the same way as you.

[ReapKarmah]

Bottom line, Final Fantasy never required grinding for the player to progress through the game. It was always just play through the game and you're bound to be at least close to the needed level. Why should XIV be any different? Just because it's an MMO?

I'm sorry, but FFXIV shouldn't have to take on level grinding just because it's an MMO and they can't think of any other way to go about it. I feel this is one of the biggest drawbacks to the entire game, and it certainly keeps me from playing.

OP, thank you. That was very well said!

[Raagnar]

Don't forget.. difficulty is also a matter of opinion. The only challenge that come to mind in any FF was Ozma in FF9 but that was also a time sink earning the right to fight him. Otherwise ALL FF games are "easy mode" unless you purposely avoid fights to make it harder. To be honest i haven't played a truly difficult game since NES, so unless they make gameplay of FFXIV like streetfighter 2010 or battletoads i wouldnt hold my breath for a true challenge.

[Konachibi]

Don't forget.. difficulty is also a matter of opinion. The only challenge that come to mind in any FF was Ozma in FF9 but that was also a time sink earning the right to fight him. Otherwise ALL FF games are "easy mode" unless you purposely avoid fights to make it harder. To be honest i haven't played a truly difficult game since NES, so unless they make gameplay of FFXIV like streetfighter 2010 or battletoads i wouldnt hold my breath for a true challenge.

Battletoads?

Pah! Try Hawk-Eye on the Commodore 64! THAT's difficult.

[NoctisUmbra]

Battletoads?

Pah! Try Hawk-Eye on the Commodore 64! THAT's difficult.

Silver Surfer

[syntaxlies]

Battletoads?

Pah! Try Hawk-Eye on the Commodore 64! THAT's difficult.

i remember ghouls and ghost being crazy hard, but i was like 6 years old so i dont know.

[zaviermhigo]

Honestly it might be challenging to some, but its more annoying not challenging, was FFX Yunalesca fight, where you need to keeps zombie status on your people to survive the 2nd transformation. I always had Rukki steal those stamina tablets at first and beefed up there hp so they could zombie and take the hits more so. But I hated that fight more than the 10 (exaggerating) times I had to fight that Guado a$shole, Seymour BLEH!. So basically there's where I am on my ps3 playthrough of X, at the moment, that stupid Yunalesca b!tch, if anything SE made me racist against a made up race of people just by sheer annoying fights with them. (JOKE)

[Sypherblade]

Bottom line, Final Fantasy never required grinding for the player to progress through the game. It was always just play through the game and you're bound to be at least close to the needed level. Why should XIV be any different? Just because it's an MMO?

I'm sorry, but FFXIV shouldn't have to take on level grinding just because it's an MMO and they can't think of any other way to go about it. I feel this is one of the biggest drawbacks to the entire game, and it certainly keeps me from playing.

OP, thank you. That was very well said!

I agree with this ^

be nice if everyone was technically level 1 at all times...just only got stats from gear.

maybe learn abilities from gear like in FFT and FF9....just have to be the correct job to equip the item

[Konachibi]

Here's a few other timeless classics that had people smashing their joysticks to pieces with frustration -

Feud
The Newzealand Story
International Ninja Rabbits

and of course...
Spellbound Dizzy

Now everyone can scream till they're blue in the face that FFXIV isn't hard enough, but trust me, you don't EVER want them to be as hard as those games