Make FFXIV a 'Sandbox' game. No way it can compete against upcoming 'Themeparks'.

[Corpse]

Despite this game having it's shortcomings, it does have a unique feel to it. A lot of MMORPG's these days play similarly to one another and I have played quite a bunch. Should FFXIV take the right steps to fix the game and add content, this game will have massive potential.

[Winterclaw]

So what kind of sand box are we talking here?

A sandbox game needs things to do like build towns/castles/whatever(can't do that in FF14), keep PvP in mind (FF14 doesn't), things to keep you occupied (GLs don't count), an AH (missing), and ways to socialize (you have to be in a LS and even then there are limits). Plus you have to remember this is a FF game and keep that in your designs.

[Rowyne]

I have seen a video of Rift. That MMO wreaks of WoW. Nothing different besides the characters and graphics.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking that. A group of my friends left FFXIV and went to Rift. Ironic thing is that these are the same people that insult WoW left and right.

Rift looks like WoW with prettier graphics and weaker boss-fight strategies, to me.

[Siatdiat]

I want to toss it out there to those that focus on the fact that its an FF game and downplay the MMO side, I want to say I know for a fact MANY FF FANS STAYED THE FUCK AWAY FROM 11! I know many who tried it and quit very quickly. All FF fans will not automatically be playing an FF MMO because they don't care for the MMO aspect. Now, many people enjoy MMO games in general, additionally the size of the group who play MMOs in general is huge in comparison to the group of people who are a fan of one game franchise.

People saying the focus should be on making FF fans happy rather than all gamers who might be interested in a new MMO, whatever its franchise might be, are basically saying... here let me replace variables in the statement and make it as clear as possible.

What is being said, many times, in this thread:
FF fans are more important to consider than MMO fans when making an FF MMO.

Replaced with different but similar variables:
Resident Evil fans are more important to consider than RPG fans when making a RE RPG.

Does this make sense to you all? SE cannot and will not I am sure ignore the millions of players looking for a fresh MMO game in order to keep a small fanboy user base that they will keep no matter what they do anyway. Noone who is playing this game in its current horrible state are going anywhere so to act like you will is just lol.

[sharky]

Despite this game having it's shortcomings, it does have a unique feel to it. A lot of MMORPG's these days play similarly to one another and I have played quite a bunch. Should FFXIV take the right steps to fix the game and add content, this game will have massive potential.

Agreed. FF14 is already unique, but just needs more content.

Correct me if I'm mistaken boards, but isn't FF14 already a 'Sandbox' game. That's the main reason I enjoy playing it, is because of the openness and scale of the maps. I wasn't even doing levequests in the game, I was just exploring the map and grinding levels. Sure the game is in need of a tutorial for n00bs, but I like that I can leave my starting city on the get go and make my own journey as I see fit.

We don't need to have every NPC with lame '!' exclamation marks over their heads telling us what to do. Nor do we need a list with check boxes reminding us that we still have things to do. Nor do we want the developers to remake the game so that the game is always pestering us with things to do. You can go and play WOW and Rift if you want that, but I don't want that here.

If they're gonna borrow anything from Rift, it's those real time events that go on in the middle of the map where all the players, regardless of whether they're in a party or not, band together to battle big enemies, then go back to grinding.

If they're gonna borrow from WOW, borrow mounts. We should be able to mount dragons like in FF5, or those robot walker thingies from FF6. I know I've seen Air ships in FF14.

I think the game is fine the way it is. Nice and open and free. It would benefit to add more content (i.e. monsters) and events, and mounts (i.e. chocobo racing god dammit). Please stop requesting the developers to add lame '!' exclamation marks every where. You can get those in 'World of Exclamation Marks' and 'R!FT'.

[Siatdiat]

Agreed. FF14 is already unique, but just needs more content.

Correct me if I'm mistaken boards, but isn't FF14 already a 'Sandbox' game. That's the main reason I enjoy playing it, is because of the openness and scale of the maps. I wasn't even doing levequests in the game, I was just exploring the map and grinding levels. Sure the game is in need of a tutorial for n00bs, but I like that I can leave my starting city on the get go and make my own journey as I see fit.

We don't need to have every NPC with lame '!' exclamation marks over their heads telling us what to do. Nor do we need a list with check boxes reminding us that we still have things to do. Nor do we want the developers to remake the game so that the game is always pestering us with things to do. You can go and play WOW and Rift if you want that, but I don't want that here.

If they're gonna borrow anything from Rift, it's those real time events that go on in the middle of the map where all the players, regardless of whether they're in a party or not, band together to battle big enemies, then go back to grinding.

If they're gonna borrow from WOW, borrow mounts. We should be able to mount dragons like in FF5, or those robot walker thingies from FF6. I know I've seen Air ships in FF14.

I think the game is fine the way it is. Nice and open and free. It would benefit to add more content (i.e. monsters) and events, and mounts (i.e. chocobo racing god dammit). Please stop requesting the developers to add lame '!' exclamation marks every where. You can get those in 'World of Exclamation Marks' and 'R!FT'.

In the most basic way I agree, but at the same time I don't go to extremes. If I see a popular feature from WoW or another game added to 14, I am not going to grab my pitchfork and start screaming WOW CLONE WAAAHHHHHH!!!!

The bottom line is though I understand why people think some of the features mentioned are lame, there are valid reasons why they were implemented or being considered for implementation. The symbols to notify you of a quest npc seems to do a lot of work for you. However, most of the people whining that its a bad idea are the same people who lived by FFXI sites playing it to find out where they could get quests at, and additionally where to go and what to do for the rest of the quest. In WoW it is truly tedious to basically be led all over to do quests. Each step of the way the game points you to the next area, and on until you complete it. It really isnt so much doing a quest as it is just leading you around like a built in strategy guide.

If this was what was being implemented into 14 I'd be there with you, pissed off and annoyed that I am not getting the option to use or not use the strategy guide. However, that isn't the case. If you go and reread what was suggested, it is pretty clear that this will assist people in getting the inital quests, but not babysit you the rest of the way through it.

Ironically, I believe the majority of you whining about this will still be online searching for what to do and where to go to complete the quest. Looking shit up on wiki is gameplay....

[sharky]

In the most basic way I agree, but at the same time I don't go to extremes. If I see a popular feature from WoW or another game added to 14, I am not going to grab my pitchfork and start screaming WOW CLONE WAAAHHHHHH!!!!

The bottom line is though I understand why people think some of the features mentioned are lame, there are valid reasons why they were implemented or being considered for implementation. The symbols to notify you of a quest npc seems to do a lot of work for you. However, most of the people whining that its a bad idea are the same people who lived by FFXI sites playing it to find out where they could get quests at, and additionally where to go and what to do for the rest of the quest. In WoW it is truly tedious to basically be led all over to do quests. Each step of the way the game points you to the next area, and on until you complete it. It really isnt so much doing a quest as it is just leading you around like a built in strategy guide.

If this was what was being implemented into 14 I'd be there with you, pissed off and annoyed that I am not getting the option to use or not use the strategy guide. However, that isn't the case. If you go and reread what was suggested, it is pretty clear that this will assist people in getting the inital quests, but not babysit you the rest of the way through it.

Ironically, I believe the majority of you whining about this will still be online searching for what to do and where to go to complete the quest. Looking shit up on wiki is gameplay....

But did they have to go and use an '!' exclamation mark symbol? They could have personalized the symbol and made it more in line with the FF theme/world. Come up with something new. I believe that FF11 used 'floating books' for battle quests and designated 'NPC's' gave you all your story game quests. When you were sent out into the field to look for story NPCs you were given a vague idea about where in the field to find them, but you actually had to explore the map to find them, and it was not difficult IMO. I could be wrong though.

I don't mind a system being implemented to 'hook n00bs by the mouth and be pulled a long' through the game, but I forsee ppl loggin in, going around the map adding '!' Exclamation marks to a quest list, then systematically completing them, and logging out. If ppl get used to doing this for 40+ levels, why would they ever bother partying or collaborating? It's an MMO after all? And the developers would be focusing resources to make this happen. Guildleves are already a form of '!' exclamation mark system, except now there will be more of them.

I don't think this classifies as "whining". If you pay for and play an MMO, you want to play with other people and you expect MMO content. If the developers are trying to keep single players happy as a priority, they shouldn't encourage single player game play in an MMO? Otherwise why would they ever attempt to make the jump into and actually play the game as an MMO, the way it was intended to be played?

[Phrozen]

I don't know how FFXIV can possibly survive the impending disaster that is TERA, Blade&Soul, Star Wars, Rift, Guild Wars 2 and so on, without doing something that those games aren't doing. But, currently, all of those games do everything FFXIV does, and they do it better (apart from crafting, which is FFXIV's only strong suit at the moment).

FFXIV needs to differentiate itself and tap into the almost untapped market potential of Sandbox gaming if it wants to survive.

you wanna lay down?

[gifthorse]

So what kind of sand box are we talking here?

A sandbox game needs things to do like build towns/castles/whatever(can't do that in FF14), keep PvP in mind (FF14 doesn't), things to keep you occupied (GLs don't count), an AH (missing), and ways to socialize (you have to be in a LS and even then there are limits). Plus you have to remember this is a FF game and keep that in your designs.

Yeah, i'm not going to say it would be an easy transition: SE would have to make drastic changes to the fundamentals of the game design to make it more of a sandbox.

Obviously to be a successful sandbox game, they would need to incorporate PvP in some form and House-building... basically anything that gives more freedom to players. Of course, I realise as I am saying this that many FFXI veterans and current FFXIV players might resist such changes, but in the long term it could expand SE's potential subscriber-base to a point where keeping the game the way it is might not.

I just don't know what market they intend to attract when there is TERA and GW2 in the same scene. There's only so much that the atmosphere of FFXIV can do, afterall.

[gifthorse]

And btw, do you guys mind staying on topic.