Honesty Time - How do you feel about FFXIV?

[Theplatter]

Ok to start this thread should not turn into a flame war, what it should be is a person's personal opinion of FFXIV. There are no right or wrong answers it is just how you feel and I would be very disappointed if people started criticising another person's personal opinion.

With that I shall begin:

*casts Barfira*

FFXI-2!!! I admit it, that is what I expected and that is what I wanted when I first heard about a new Final Fantasy MMO. I expected them to take the great things that they had learnt over the years from FFXI and build on them. I expected an evolution of FFXI something that had got rid of all the things that were wrong with FFXI and developed something new on top of it. I do not feel like FFXIV is any of that, I feel as though they took everything they had learnt and put it in a box labelled "DO NOT USE".

Once FFXIV had been announced and rapid changes and new systems start popping up in FFXI, things like Level Sync, custom armour and weapons through the Magian Trials, Campaign, Fields Of Valor and much much more, I believed that they were using FFXI to test systems that they were going to be implementing into FFXIV. So I started getting very excited as I thought I was getting a taster of things to come.

Then FFXIV arrived and I admit, I was very disappointed with what I got, it seemed like they had taken nothing from FFXI not even the new system's which I thought they were testing.

I don't like the Armoury System as I believe it creates unbalance and doesn't create uniqueness, I feel it just makes everyone the same. I fear that down the line someone will have figured out the best combination for a tank, a DD and a healer and then everyone will be expected to have that setup. The problem is to get that expected and favourable setup instead of levelling one class to cap and a few half way like in FFXI, I may have to level multiple classes to cap just to have that optimal build that people expect for end game.

The Physical Level system which was supposed to allow you to freely distribute you stats has meant that they have had to tone down the effectiveness of them as people can have a difference of over 100+ points in them. If stats worked properly then people with DD's that just threw everything into STR and DEX would be hitting for huge amounts of DMG over anyone else. So they toned them down but doing so have also reduced the effectiveness of gear and food. If they didn't then again that person with everything in STR and DEX could pile on even more STR gear and hit even harder.

I can't connect with the classes, they just feel like a complete mish mash of what I was expecting. I wanted my WHM, BLM, WAR, THF, PLD and so on. I know you can spec your CON to be a WHM but it still feels like a CON and not a WHM to me. I don't like the whole weapon=class thing they have going on. I wanted to have a selection of weapons to choose from without it completely changing my class. I feel like I will be stuck with a Great Axe forever on my MRD ; ;

I don't feel any sense of achievement in FFXIV even when I hit R50 with MRD it was meh because I realised that I had nothing I could really do with it at R50, so had to start levelling something else.

In FFXI there was always some milestone, something to look forward to. At level 10 you went to the dunes to party for the first time, at 18 you unlocked your sub job, at 20 off to Jeuno to get your Chocobo Licence, at 24 your Airship ride to Kahzam, at 30 all the quests to unlock advanced jobs and so on there was always something. Even gear wise you would always be thinking oh a couple more levels and I can get that weapon or that armour, in FFXIV you can have that armour and weapon from rank 1 if you wanted to. Even the boat ride was more exciting than the one in FFXIV, you never knew if someone would fish up a Sea Horror or Pirates would attack. I don't get that feeling at all in FFXIV everything is just there handed to you on a plate.

Yes FFXI did have some huge time sinks but I was hoping that in FFXIV they would have fixed all that and come up with better ways to do things so they weren't so time consuming but still would provide a challenge of some sort.

I just feel that FFXIV is the opposite of FFXI and not in a good way ; ;

How do you feel about FFXIV has it lived up to your expectations?

My thoughts exactly. I've got two jobs to 50 now: marauder then archer, and naturally, my marauder gear is now gathering dust. Killed every nm available, gotten most of the nodes, completed all of the new sidequests; big friggin deal. Ironically, I am missing it now while the servers are down, but I'm missing the social aspect a lot more than the gameplay. I really wish this game was more of an FFXI-2, as FFXI was a great game, yet they're wasting time in making a part 2 out of their last (rotten) console game. Can you say @$$-backwards?

[Shelia]

Looks like I'll be playing the devil's advocate... -braces herself-

I've been playing this game since Alpha, which is roughly mid-February of last year. Maybe it's because the game isn't fresh or exciting for me as it is with other players... but this game lacks so much in my eyes. I was highly disappointed when I bought the game and much to my dismay it was in the EXACT state as Beta 3. No changes. No nothing.

Yes... I know. "This game is still new", blahblah... but you don't really understand. The things they're implementing now were suggestions made during CB phase ONE, maybe even as far back as Alpha. SP Regen (in particular), leve adjustments, synthesis changes, ward changes, UI changes... everything they're doing now was a complaint in alpha/beta. They haven't even gotten around to fundamental MMO things until JUST this month, like NPC side quests.

Nothing feels engaging... It's just the same routine every day or two.
Pick up battle leves.
Grind.
Out of combat leves, do local leves.
Grind.
Rinse, repeat.

You know? =\
This game lacks so much substance, and it could be so much more... I want nation rank missions like they had in XI. I want more story arcs. Anything that has something INTERESTING other than grindgrindgrindgrindfreakingrind. Where are my companies? Where are my battleships, airships and group crafting? Hell... where are my CHOCOBOS?

As far as "nitpicks" go... I'd love more options for character customization, and for the other genders to be implemented. I was extremely disappointed by the limited character customization (especially for lalafells... four hairstyles? Not even eight? Are you serious?) These were all things that were supposed to be in vanilla but never happened, and quite frankly I find that extremely disappointing.

There is one thing I like about FFXIV, though; it doesn't play like any MMO I've ever experienced. The combat is a little slower than I'd like, but it's nice and unusual. The graphics are really smooth and the facial expressions on character models are really well done.

Even with that said, I hardly feel motivated to log on at all anymore. Until they do something fairly drastic to completely alter the drabness of the game, I probably won't be on much (as much as I love my adorable character).


-EDIT-
Oh and..

LACK OF COOPERATION.

While I appreciate the soloability of the content... this has created a very anti-social environment. Even though I'm in a fairly big LS, I still feel isolated. Everybody's off doing their own thing all the time. Nobody really talks or cooperates.

[Zenaku]

These things exist, you just have to read the actual quest text >.>

Talking about at release and yes i read the text there not that much Mission/quest like FFXI. If they had more time you would have more quest. I don't know anything about my city and i read my main storyline and now am on other city.

Job quest for Pugs is about getting gil from others o.o how does that help me understand about my class? So am a person who go out and get money because they forget to pay?

[Arcell]

Talking about at release and yes i read the text there not that much Mission/quest like FFXI. If they had more time you would have more quest. I don't know anything about my city and i read my main storyline and now am on other city.

Job quest for Pugs is about getting gil from others o.o how does that help me understand about my class? So am a person who go out and get money because they forget to pay?

Well the Pugilist's guild is run out of a gambling den by loan sharks, so yes.

[Kam]

I wanted a new FF mmorpg, thats what we apparently got. Its was dissapointing, but has some gems for alot of the current players. Just hope they can sort the game out over the next year.

[Malakhim]

Well the Pugilist's guild is run out of a gambling den by loan sharks, so yes.

There's also a bit more to it once you see some more of the pugilist story too.

[notebene]

I really enjoy it as a sand box. I hear things about the armory system, and making people have to wear things that belong with their class, and class tress and sub jobs and all that and while I don't entirely understand it all (having no FF experience prior to this at all) it sounds a lot like not what I'm playing now.

But I'll reserve judgement until I see it all, I guess. I really like my character, and was looking forward to her getting to be everything she wants to be, and wear a puglist's shorts, and a canvas top and some leather boots, if that's what I felt like wearing (not much of a min/max type of person myself), or go play a Conjurer with whatever matching of skills I left like putting together. If it's not much of a sand box down the road, and it gets too close to something I've already done, then I'd probably not stick around very long, though I'm confident I'm come visit for a month ever year

[Quoc]

It feels really good to me. During my first few hours of playing the game, I felt something I haven't felt in a long time from an MMO, a sense of accomplishment and familiarity. When I finished my first level and heard that battle fanfare, it made it all worth it. Plus the world of Eorza is just beautiful in general.

[Arcell]

Looks like I'll be playing the devil's advocate... -braces herself-

I've been playing this game since Alpha, which is roughly mid-February of last year. Maybe it's because the game isn't fresh or exciting for me as it is with other players... but this game lacks so much in my eyes. I was highly disappointed when I bought the game and much to my dismay it was in the EXACT state as Beta 3. No changes. No nothing.

Yes... I know. "This game is still new", blahblah... but you don't really understand. The things they're implementing now were suggestions made during CB phase ONE, maybe even as far back as Alpha. SP Regen (in particular), leve adjustments, synthesis changes, ward changes, UI changes... everything they're doing now was a complaint in alpha/beta. They haven't even gotten around to fundamental MMO things until JUST this month, like NPC side quests.

Nothing feels engaging... It's just the same routine every day or two.
Pick up battle leves.
Grind.
Out of combat leves, do local leves.
Grind.
Rinse, repeat.

You know? =\
This game lacks so much substance, and it could be so much more... I want nation rank missions like they had in XI. I want more story arcs. Anything that has something INTERESTING other than grindgrindgrindgrindfreakingrind. Where are my companies? Where are my battleships, airships and group crafting? Hell... where are my CHOCOBOS?

As far as "nitpicks" go... I'd love more options for character customization, and for the other genders to be implemented. I was extremely disappointed by the limited character customization (especially for lalafells... four hairstyles? Not even eight? Are you serious?) These were all things that were supposed to be in vanilla but never happened, and quite frankly I find that extremely disappointing.

There is one thing I like about FFXIV, though; it doesn't play like any MMO I've ever experienced. The combat is a little slower than I'd like, but it's nice and unusual. The graphics are really smooth and the facial expressions on character models are really well done.

Even with that said, I hardly feel motivated to log on at all anymore. Until they do something fairly drastic to completely alter the drabness of the game, I probably won't be on much (as much as I love my adorable character).


-EDIT-
Oh and..

LACK OF COOPERATION.

While I appreciate the soloability of the content... this has created a very anti-social environment. Even though I'm in a fairly big LS, I still feel isolated. Everybody's off doing their own thing all the time. Nobody really talks or cooperates.

Yes most of the stuff they're doing now should have been done at launch but it wasn't, nothing that can be done about it now. At least it's finally getting done, the game is finally making some decent progress.

There are quite a few story arcs in the game, they're just not fully developed yet. Each and every class has one but they're a bit short at the moment but I'm almost 100% certain they'll make them longer.

If you've been keeping up with the "Letters from the Producer" you'd know, like all of us, that they're getting to the content that's not just grindgrindgrind. Yes it's taken them a while but they've also gone through a change in management. The new team had to go through everything the old team was doing, re-evaluate it based on the their thoughts and the player surveys and then implement it. We also know companies are coming soon, Yoshida even mentioned wanting to talk about them after GDC the week before Japan's current situation came up.

Not gonna argue on the character customization. It's better than some games (Guild Wars) but it's lacking compared to many others I've seen. Lack of race/gender combos still baffles me but oh well.

The cooperation bit sounds like a lack of people in your LS trying. In the LS I'm in anyone could ask for a group of any kind and generally get at least a few people together for it. We schedule nights for leves, we schedule crafting fairs to help people get properly outfitted, we're starting to get the ball rolling on NMs as a LS. I've found no lack of cooperation in my group.

[Wolfie]

What I expected:

After seeing the same races, I expected something similar in terms of world design as FFXI. Expected a game with excellent gameplay, after the original dev team swore up and down that they learned their lesson from FFXI, and what MMOs are all about.

What I got:

Well the world is similar. The gameplay the most abysmal thing I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing. Everything in the game felt like it was made to be as obtuse as possible, in order to deter RMT and botters. Gameplay is STILL lacking in a major way, but props to Yoshi for making giant strides forward.

The good:

Graphics sans copy/paste environment. Monster design. Emote animations. Sounds. Concept that crafting classes can progress through the storyline. Retainers sans market wards.

The bad:

Everything else is completely unenjoyable. Things that are REALLY bad: no alt-tab, config menu is a separate program, market wards (even now), combat, the Black Shroud.