Isn't it a bit disheartening whats on the Horizon to all Hw content?

[Jijifli]

Look for like minded people who want to explore the content synced. Across the entire data center, there will be people who don't mind doing it synced to let someone experience the content.

I mean, some of the earlier primal fights are faceroll anyways, so...

[LineageRazor]

I don't think anything will change. What you're describing happening to Heavensward has already happened to ARR, and it is very unlikely that SE is going to make any kind of exception in the case of the HW content.

You can take heart, though, in the fact that sufficiently determined individuals WILL still have the option of challenging the old stuff synced. It's happening right now, due to the magic of Mentor Roulette. Queue times are still wretched, but as a Mentor I have done many, many of the old Ex primal fights, and successfully completed most of them, so these old fights DO still happen synced. And while it's true that most or all participants will be doing the fight at maximum item level, they do still present a legitimate challenge since many of the players are new to the fight. Victory is definitely satisfying, and even defeat typically leaves folks feeling like they learned something and participated in something interesting.

This will undoubtedly be the fate of the Heavensward fights, as well. Patient and persistent players will still be able to experience them synced through duty finder, with the aid of Mentors doing Mentor Roulette.

It IS sad to see the older content fall victim to unsync - but, on the other hand, it also opens up a NEW kind of challenge, trying to see how FEW players you can do the old content with. Depending on the jobs you go in with, fights like Coil 9, 12, and 13 still have some teeth once you attempt them with four players or less. Even Moggle Mog can be harrowing with three, as there's no one to save folks from the poison pool, and only a well-timed top-off of HP is likely to prevent a wipe.

The current content will become obsolete eventually; there's really no stopping it. But that doesn't mean the fun has to end!

[Whocareswhatmynameis]

Unsync really just diminishes the game in general. Why farm any of the primal birds, when you know you can come back in June and do it at level 70 and ignore all of the mechanics. It really just takes the game part out of the game and turns into mashing buttons which makes people get bored and leave... Maybe a 5 year old has fun mashing buttons but most people like to strategize and stuff when playing games. It's no wonder why subs are down so much lately...

[CGMidlander]

Yeah, well, too bad.

[Welsper59]

Unsync really just diminishes the game in general. Why farm any of the primal birds, when you know you can come back in June and do it at level 70 and ignore all of the mechanics. It really just takes the game part out of the game and turns into mashing buttons which makes people get bored and leave... Maybe a 5 year old has fun mashing buttons but most people like to strategize and stuff when playing games. It's no wonder why subs are down so much lately...

You still strategize for Ravana and the like? Even after all this time? Including for things like Garuda and Ifrit? Wow... that's really all that needs to be said for that point, if that's the case.

Subs are down because there's a lot going on elsewhere, not just for any faults. MMORPGs are grander mobile games these days, as far as continued play goes and how players treat it. You play for a few months, then when something else catches your eye, you stop. Maybe you'll come back when updates happen, maybe you won't. That is today's market, largely due to such a vast amount of entertainment options. It's foolish to remain ignorant of what else is out there, after all. If someone chooses to stick with FFXIV for years, then good for them. They found something to commit to.

[bswpayton]

Oh, please. You think it's running stuff unsynced that makes bad players in this game? Don't make me laugh. Bad players are everywhere in this game for a few reasons.

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I see reference to it all the time , that mechanics are rehashed all the time in this game so you tell me where exactly if someone runs most stuff unsync up to storm blood when they wana participate in the new stuff that everyone says to do , where is that person gona see these mechanics. remember when Id hated getting aurum vale in df now its nothing, I remember when I coudlnt do a big pull as a tank at all now its nothing, so its all a matter of learning and experiencing. And when storm blood comes this will be two whole expansions where you basically have to skip everything unless you go out of your way , that makes a huge difference to me I dont see how you could see it any other way.

Like with the new primal now people are sayin its nothing we havent seen before well for newer people they havent seen it because when they ran the content they killed that instance in five mins. So if people want everyone to only do whats new then dont complain when someone is just tryin to keep track with everyone else , when they have had zero legit experience with any challenge. Or dont get made when SE nerfs content because its to hard for some players that didnt get any legit practice in on anything. So now its post up about dont learn how to fight a primal on this new one well where else are they gona learn if you cant even get a que for the old stuff so they are in the right place according to community standards. And to say that all players will be bad regardless is just not true , I personally have come a long way from when I first started this game. I

[Anarnee]

I wouldn't say disheartening. Bittersweet maybe~

I like doing stuff unsynced, I like doing stuff synced, but that is why I always play when stuff is relevant, so I can experience it as it was.

I like that it also gives access to people that would otherwise not do it, and honestly If I'm gonna carry people, I'd rather do it in a much easier fashion.

[Thunda_Cat_SMASH]

I don't see an issue. Things get easier as time passes, the same way that happens with every other game. It just seems like the normal cycle.

[Jas710]

I hate the whole unsynced crap from an idealistic perspective, but what's interesting is everything that people praise and criticize about it is all true.

MMOs are a special case compared to non-mmos since they keep adding content. They have to make concessions to keep bringing in new players, keep current player frustrations down, and satisfying the end game crowd.

Unsynced mode would have happened eventually. If it hadn't been implemented, I think we'd probably have seen a lot of threads in the forum asking for it at this point to speed up the process. Just like how POTD is another route to accelerate progression.

Gotta always remember that this game is ridiculously MASSIVE for a new player nowadays.

[Altanas]

I agree, raising the ilvl so its easy but not face roll would be a better option than purely unsyncing content completely.

The newer players or returning players who watch guides on youtube must wonder whats happening as there is little to no mechanic awareness necessary unsynced.
Also, a lot of newer players are leaving instances when tanks are pulling half the dungeon or being shouted out of duty finder extreme primals, they just dont know how to speed run, and also newer players are just going to have longer lists of unfinished duties and never get to extreme's speed farming. It will lead to a greater division in elite/new/casual.

It also gives a really bad impression to the MMO community as a whole when they are told endgame daily activities revolve around 1-2 minute facerolling, they will just jump to other MMOs with worthwhile challenge with accomplishment.

It would be nice if there was a solo/chocobo duo version of every 8 man trial/raid, and of dungeons, simply so everyone can enjoy the content, the mechanics, and learn mechanics before stepping into extremes etc

I would much rather have had a solo version of a trial/raid than Stone Sky Sea. Its mechanics not DPS most need to train.