What most turns new players off from FFXIV?

[bass9020]

With SkS you go from 2.5 to maybe 2.4/2.3 sec, which is still REALLY REALLY slow. MNK/NIN get between 2.1 and 2.0 GCD and can get up to 1.9 if they have a SkS bloat (which is detrimental at this point because of TP-starving), and it's still slow. And for everything you listed after that, it doesn't make the gameplay feel faster nor harder in any way, shape or form. It just makes you do multiple things at once, which isn't really hard with a slow and very forgiving gameplay. I think that you're not really used to what faster paced games are and feel like.

As I said before: the game only starts to get a bit faster (but is still in the slow-paced category amongst other games) at level 50+, and it IS too late. Most players who are bored with the slow gameplay during the first few hours (level 1 to ~20 on your very first class while discovering the game) will leave before reaching that level and it's sad because even tho it's still slow, the combat gets a lot more interesting from level 40-50 onwards. Let's also not forget that the 2 weeks free trial only lasts until level 30 or 35, so someone who will want to try the game out for free before deciding if he wants to buy it and pay a subscription or not won't even get a small glimpse of what the gameplay really feels like at end-game and that's a problem. What they'll see is just a boring questing with a boring and slow battle system during the first 30 levels or so, and unless someone tells them, they won't know that it gets better at end-game, so they'll most likely stop playing.

Its meant to not be a super fast paced game. This isn't every other game. If people can't hold there attention because they can't click the keys faster that is there own issue with the game. Personally the GCD is a stupid mechanic for a FF game anyway

[Yeol]

I'll speak for myself. The only thing that turned me off was doing dugeons as part of the story (Only the first ones though) I got used to it after 4-5 dungeons. I loved the MSQ and enjoyed doing it (My friends advice was to follow MSQ). I believe not knowing what was waiting for me is the thing that kept me going. If I unclocked anything that I had issue understanding I'll ask my friends and FC. I understand how some people find it annoying to hide certain features behind MSQ, espicaly if they are doing everything all over again on their alts. But new players should be enjoying the stroy no? something they haven't seen before? Unless they want to catch up ASAP to the current content and raid. But if lets say.. there was a way to skip the MSQ to get to current raid and content. That player will have way less experiance on his job and how to play it. We already see many people lacking at playing their jobs and yet still people want to reach max level and latest content easily.

[Sandpark]

Leveling up to 1-20 and 50-60 needs to be faster it feels slow to get out of the boring entry and slow to reach max level.
Mounts need to obtainable 5-10 levels earlier.

[bass9020]

Leveling up to 1-20 and 50-60 needs to be faster it feels slow to get out of the boring entry and slow to reach max level.
Mounts need to obtainable 5-10 levels earlier.

Getting your mount is tied to the GC which is tied to the MSQ. You can rent/port until then its really not issue. They could make getting a GC more of a side story that you can do but its also tied to the Ifrit storyline.

[Heart-of-Asia]

Forced dungeoning. I hated they gated the MSQ behind dungeons.
The lack of communication. People really don't like to talk at all.
And I know commendations don't effect anything but I hate I barely get any on my DPS but on my WHM they get thrown at me.

[Cakekizyy]

Slow leveling whedn you run out of quests.

[Freyyy]

Your opinion, not mine. I think the game is plent fast enough as, it's not an action game. If that is the thing you want, this isn't that game. The point I was making is that there is plenty to keep up with after level 50, so the GCD is not, and should not be considerd 'slow'. Unless you have a need for twitch mechanics, which most certainly do not belong in FFXIV. You acknowledge that there is a lot going on but still focus on the GCD as if nothing else was happening.

Its meant to not be a super fast paced game. This isn't every other game.

Yes, I know that, and I'm still playing this game after nearly 3 years. My point was simply stating that it IS something that obviously turns a lot of new players off before they can even get a glimpse of what the game is really like at end-game. I was solely speaking about early levels (1 to 40-50), I think that the end-game is fine. The slower-paced gameplay is compensated by interesting mechanics and boss fights, but new players just can't know that without someone actually TELLING them, so a lot of them will stop playing after reaching level 20-30, assuming that the game will always be like that, and it's a completely normal reaction. New players shouldn't be expected to continue playing a boring game until end-game just to discover that it's actually interesting. It should be interesting during the first few hours of gameplay, which isn't the case with FFXIV. I know a lot of current active players who were really bored during the whole levelling experience but kept playing because they had friends doing end-game who were telling them "get to max level and you'll see that the gameplay will be much better !", and that's just bad. They still play today and enjoy the end-game content like they expected, but it's bad that if someone didn't tell them that end-game was better, they would just have stopped playing before even reaching level 30. It's a game that can potentially satisfy quite a lot of players but the game just fails to grab said potential players' attention just because of the poor levelling experience which gives you a bad feeling about the general combat gameplay.

[Jatoi]

Another point and even some personal experience on the matter:

Yes, that grind which starts at level 50 that people keep mentioning. THAT there is a huge problem, regardless of EXP you'd earn.

Someone close to me took their tank to 50 and they were a damned good tank. They enjoyed things until the 2.5 story and actually quit because of it. The grind, regardless of how much EXP it'd bring completely made him lose interest because it was so long. Because of this, a good tank was lost and he won't be the first or the last.

"But story!"

One of the key things in proper storytelling is to condense it so the reader/player doesn't lose interest and they're motivated in progressing to the next chapter. Wouldn't it be preferable to make it so a person goes "This is great, I can't wait to see what happens next!" instead of "This is taking too long, I don't like this anymore."?

[Aylis]

One of the key things in proper storytelling is to condense it so the reader/player doesn't lose interest and they're motivated in progressing to the next chapter. Wouldn't it be preferable to make it so a person goes "This is great, I can't wait to see what happens next!" instead of "This is taking too long, I don't like this anymore."?

Deffo agreed. A sense of urgency in a story is important to keep the pace going which keeps players engaged and interested in seeing what unfolds next. Its when that sense of urgency is stalled or padded down is when some quickly lose interest.

Player: *Excited after their last encounter runs to the one person in the world that knows all about the Ascions they just met!*

NPC: Ahoy! So you'd like to learn more about the Ascions that visited you? Well I know all about them! First, I'm thirsty and need me tea. Go gather three tea leaves from across the zone that you'll have to run to!

Player: *goes and gathers the leaves*

Npc: Oy! You're back! My these leaves are fragrant! Alas after your departure I broke my best tea spoon! We can't talk Ascions without tea can we?? Go and gather a block of wood from the other side of the map for me spoon!

Player: *goes and gathers the wood*

NPC: My what a stunning block of wood! If you'd kindly take it to the carpenters guild in Gridania to have it made into my spoon. We can talk!

Player: *Trudges across the world confusingly carrying a block of wood*

Carpernter: So its a spoon you want ey? Well its a shame for you were all out of tree sap! Go forth and slay three Treants for the sap!

Player *begins to hate life as they go out and slay Treants for sap*

Carpenter: Your spoon is made! May it bring you never ending spoony goodness for all your needs!

Player *Returns to NPC*

NPC: MY SPOON!!!! Let me show you a five minute cut scene of me making and drinking my tea that has nothing at all to do with the Ascions, but you won't skip it juuuuust in case if it does all while you sit awkwardly at the table!!

...
.....
.......

NPC: That sure was a long day wasn't it? Hm? Oh right Ascions! It was a long day so if you'll be a dear and go out and preen my five chocobos outside while I take me nap, we can get to talking!

Player *gfjkgnbherljngrkjerlnjerklgn!!!!!*

[Lokier]

And I know commendations don't effect anything but I hate I barely get any on my DPS but on my WHM they get thrown at me.

My face when my dps recieves commendations, lmao.

Then again, can't help making this face when I pretty much carry an entire dungeon group and don't get any at all;