So I'm not seeing how this is them changing things up from 2.0/3.0

[Vexander]

People are cranky or at least seem cranky. The expansions are glorified patches.

Or, you could say the patches are mini expansions.

I mean, we get a LOT of content with each new patch when you compare other MMOs. WoW takes up to 6 months to deliver a new patch (FFXIV does that in half the time), and you wind up with stuff like 6.1 featuring twitter integration, or 7.2 with its, "MORE CONTENT THAN ANY PATCH EVER," which is -1- new quest a week that amounts to, "Go pick up twelve fel boar rumps." Meanwhile when FFXIV launches a patch you get two new dungeons, new hairstyles, new MSQ, new side quests, new raids/trials, and other new stuff on top of that. We've gotten Verminion, Diadem, Stone-Sky-Sea, Palace of the Dead, Aquapolis, new PvP modes, etc...

I do NOT understand people who think FFXIV is not -overachieving- in the MMO market. There is so much content every new patch that each trailer video Square Enix puts out for them lasts between 8-10 minutes with each new thing given anywhere from 10 seconds to a full minute to showcase the preview. Assuming for a moment that even at the maximum minute focused on everything with the minimum 8 minute long trailer, that's still 8 new things over a wide array of interests (PvE, PvP, MSQ, Story, Raiding, etc...)

[Moonlite]

Or, you could say the patches are mini expansions.

While I do consider some patches of real high quality (a new job that isn't a cash shop add). You could also say they intentionally leave stuff out of the expansion to fluff up patches. 3.1 as long as the wait was should have been part of 3.0. Do you really think TWO max level dungeons and no RAID and no BG is an expansion.

[Ultimatecalibur]

3.1 as long as the wait was should have been part of 3.0. Do you really think TWO max level dungeons and no RAID and no BG is an expansion.

Gordias (NM) was added 2 weeks after release in 3.01 and both Gordias Savage and Frontlines: Sealed Rock were added in 3.05 alongside the Eso tomestones 2 weeks after that. They were slightly delayed in order to not make players rush to get to 60. The things you complain about 3.0 missing were actually there.

[Moonlite]

Gordias (NM) was added 2 weeks after release in 3.01 and both Gordias Savage and Frontlines: Sealed Rock were added in 3.05 alongside the Eso tomestones 2 weeks after that. They were slightly delayed in order to not make players rush to get to 60. The things you complain about 3.0 missing were actually there.

Two weeks plus two weeks they used to "VACATION" and put off 3.1. Hmm they were not in 3.0 or they would have been playable at launch. But keep defending the whole 3.0 to 3.1. Nothing says fun like Aether and Neverreap for almost 4 weeks.

[OcieKo]

Two weeks plus two weeks they used to "VACATION" and put off 3.1. Hmm they were not in 3.0 or they would have been playable at launch. But keep defending the whole 3.0 to 3.1. Nothing says fun like Aether and Neverreap for almost 4 weeks.

You mean two weeks to lvl and do some ex roulettes and get 1st tome set, then two weeks to Add in gordias norm and start towards weekly lockout 2nd tome set, then two weeks later to add gordias savage in. Honestly wasnt that painful, maybe if youre some purist who only plays one job, but i know in the head start + two weeks leadin up to gordias norm i lvld tank, healer, dps and geared them up. And unlike most who did the same i did the 3.0 MSQ thrice as well. It was a relatively good launch plan to avoid the rush to lvl cap and allow a good sized lvl 60 community in place for when harder content started.

[Moonlite]

You mean two weeks to lvl and do some ex roulettes and get 1st tome set, then two weeks to Add in gordias norm and start towards weekly lockout 2nd tome set, then two weeks later to add gordias savage in. Honestly wasnt that painful, maybe if youre some purist who only plays one job, but i know in the head start + two weeks leadin up to gordias norm i lvld tank, healer, dps and geared them up. And unlike most who did the same i did the 3.0 MSQ thrice as well. It was a relatively good launch plan to avoid the rush to lvl cap and allow a good sized lvl 60 community in place for when harder content started.

Yes that is how its remembered a magical time filled with overflowing game play. Not an empty wasteland of content after hitting 60.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

You mean two weeks to lvl and do some ex roulettes and get 1st tome set, then two weeks to Add in gordias norm and start towards weekly lockout 2nd tome set, then two weeks later to add gordias savage in. Honestly wasnt that painful, maybe if youre some purist who only plays one job, but i know in the head start + two weeks leadin up to gordias norm i lvld tank, healer, dps and geared them up. And unlike most who did the same i did the 3.0 MSQ thrice as well. It was a relatively good launch plan to avoid the rush to lvl cap and allow a good sized lvl 60 community in place for when harder content started.

Considering 3.1 is widely thought of as the worst patch since the 1.x era. I'd say... no, it wasn't a good launch plan. In fact, I would go one better and say that delay on top of Gordias being overtuned is what led to the substantial sub decline we saw. Looking back, 3.0 to 3.2 took eight months, releasing the following content:

- Alexander Gordias and its Savage Equivalent
- Four dungeons
- Void Ark
- Thordan EX
- Diadem
- Lord of Verminion
- Vanu Vanu Beast Tribe

That's... not much content to span eight months. Two were unanimous flops, one destroyed the raid scene and the devs later flatout admitted Void Ark was far too week. Full credit for the later recovery, but there's a big reason the devs have openly acknowledged they won't be taking an impromptu break this time around. And it's likely because their HW launch plan failed spectacularly.

[Ultimatecalibur]

Two weeks plus two weeks they used to "VACATION" and put off 3.1. Hmm they were not in 3.0 or they would have been playable at launch. But keep defending the whole 3.0 to 3.1. Nothing says fun like Aether and Neverreap for almost 4 weeks.

The Vacation happened after Gordias Savage and Sealed Rock were added. The two weeks then two week release pattern was for the playerbase's benefit not their own. They wanted players to enjoy the story and leveling experience rather than rush through it to grind endgame stuff. That would have happened had Gordias and Eso dropped on day 1.

Heck, 2.0 had a similar amount of content when (Adampor Keep and Wanderer's Palace were the only 2 "hard" mode dungeons until 2.1 dropped)

Yes that is how its remembered a magical time filled with overflowing game play. Not an empty wasteland of content after hitting 60.

I'm sorry you didn't level any other classes than Monk. 3.0 had plenty of gameplay. Most of it was not at Endgame. I spent most of those first few weeks leveling all 3 tanks to 60 and collecting the new gears sets.

The WoW "Only Endgame is important" mentality is an incredibly toxic.

[Moonlite]

Heck, 2.0 had a similar amount of content when (Adampor Keep and Wanderer's Palace were the only 2 "hard" mode dungeons until 2.1 dropped)

Most of it was not at Endgame. I spent most of those first few weeks leveling all 3 tanks to 60 and collecting the new gears sets.

The WoW "Only Endgame is important" mentality is an incredibly toxic.

First you are mistaken 2.0 had 2 dungeons but also had 2 8man dungeons. Literally double the amount of content. If I didn't say anything less then 4 before. Less then 4 is bad.

Second, I actually wanted to explore and loaf around gathering. Guess what, the gate to get into HW's wasn't the only MSQ gate. OK, I still have a couple zones to gather and craft from. Nope gathering with out flying is painful (put nicely). How hard can flying be to get? Do a couple quick quests and still fly around. Nope gated into MSQ and quest chains through out the zone. On day two of HW's I realized the development team was forcing us to do the zones.

It was simply faster to do all the MSQ and all the quests zone by zone. Gates open and flying open. They did plan the xp just right. If you did every quest you would hit 60 just as you got to gubal. So what did that exactly leave me? Zero quests in every zone right up to level 59. The fun of exploring lost because I was forced to quest to be able to go to zones. So I had fates and grind out the few dungeons. Maybe if the zones had twice the amount of quests or the whole flying didn't force me to try to do everyone. The game would have had more left.

When HW's launched I said it was an OK expansion. Between what we got on day one and what they added over eight months. I sadly find this the second worst expansion I had played. Other expansions have been bad. But I reserve the word hate for only two. Chains of Promathia which after I got to sea quit till Treasures (maybe my favorite or Lich king) and Heavensward.