Time for a public test server?

[Jeycht]

Not public but some people have test it. They probably have some informations from that, to see how people have react, number, blabla.

[Kazrah]

Not public but some people have test it. They probably have some informations from that, to see how people have react, number, blabla.

From how I've come to understand it, it's mostly devs testing it and then having a VERY minor number of players beta test it under incredibly strict circumstances. The end result is situations which result in massive backlash among the playerbase (i.e. 4.0 White Mage information) as well as elements which have been proven by players checking the numbers to show a lack of overall testing (i.e. Wanderer's Minuet/Gauss Barrel on Heavensward launch).

Why is there no PTS? Part of me thinks there might be something against showing incomplete products, either cultural or something more business-oriented. The primary reason is I think from a more an anti-spoiler mindset; a desire for players to explore the vast realms created within the game free of any real knowledge beforehand, but just enough to keep that hype drip going. Although it's a worthwhile mentality for something like XV or any single-player or small-group game, it's not exactly a realistic mentality when it's something like the ever-changing world of an MMORPG.

WoW actually gave a really good solution to this with its level boost system. Single-player trial/tutorial which would show players the inner workings of whatever they're playing, ending with a transition into the start of the current expansion. Applying it to FFXIV would allow not only the means of allowing players to test a job in an environment free of anything related to any of the stories in the game, but it would also give that Jump Potion a better reason to be a thing.