Discussing your 'unpopular' opinions

[Bourne_Endeavor]

A smooth farm is a beautiful thing. It just amuses me when I've seen multiple complaints on how the content is not challenging enough, how the jobs are too powerful or too lacking and how the bad the general playerbase is and then anger over low scores and unsustainable pug farms. Are we really surprised? And you want to make this harder? L O L. I know that's not always the argument and there are legitimate concerns about some of the jobs but I'm sorry. Sometimes you can't have your cake and eat it too. What is really needed is better players. And well... the Mentor system is a whole different post (that I should have included with my original one :P)

This... doesn't make any sense. What does wanting efficiency have to do with complaints regarding how abysmal the average player is? You get better players through gradual difficulty progression. FFXIV has, instead, become progressively easier which only breeds complacency.

[HyoMinPark]

A smooth farm is a beautiful thing. It just amuses me when I've seen multiple complaints on how the content is not challenging enough, how the jobs are too powerful or too lacking and how the bad the general playerbase is and then anger over low scores and unsustainable pug farms. Are we really surprised? And you want to make this harder? L O L. I know that's not always the argument and there are legitimate concerns about some of the jobs but I'm sorry. Sometimes you can't have your cake and eat it too. What is really needed is better players. And well... the Mentor system is a whole different post (that I should have included with my original one :P)

I mean, I personally find that a lot of the higher-end content is getting progressively easier because the developers are trying to cater to the lowest common denominator in terms of the playerbase. I think that player skill could possibly improve if there were actual difficulty curves when it comes to leveling content (and inb4 someone says “rawr you cannot make leveling content savage-level difficulty”, that is NOT what I’m saying—I’m just saying there should be some sort of difficulty curve there as opposed to gameplay that does not punish you in the slightest for mistakes/failed mechanics). As it stands now, a lot of the original ARR content/dungeons are harder and more punishing on mistakes than the newer SB content/dungeons, and older tiers of Savage are harder than the current tiers (Deltascape was the easiest tier of Savage this game has seen thus far) and I don’t really see that as a good thing.

On the other hand, you cannot force someone to care. But to continue to water-down what supposed to be high-end content to cater to players who refuse to improve...I don’t really think that’s the answer.

In terms of job balance, there really are instances where the complaints are valid complaints. A lot of the complaints about BLM are extremely valid, for example—a selfish DPS that was being outDPS’d by a DPS with support-based skills (SMN) is not right, and it shows poor balancing on the part of the dev team. I honestly believe that the developers do not know how to balance these “selfish” DPS job. Think about why the current meta has been a thing since Creator—they cannot balance “selfish” jobs well enough to make them a “better option” or a “comparable option” than a job that brings raid-wide buff/support. The devs cannot make, for example, SAM competitive against taking a DRG, because the DRG gives a party more than enough DPS to “bridge the gap” between a DRG’s damage and a SAM’s damage, especially if there is a BRD and/or MCH in the group—DRG buffs a BRD’s damage by ~300 DPS alone with just Disembowel.

[ViolaCrossfire]

I think the obsession with parsers is making inexperienced players focus less on mechanics than they should. Run execution is far more beautiful to look at than arbitrary rushing the boss before X time.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Healers need that potency otherwise they couldn't fix mistakes.

Some hypothetical numbers. The tank takes 10k damage per auto attack, has 50k HP. Currently one healer heals for about 10k. Let's nerf them to 7.5k.

Now two DPS just ate a 24k damage hit from not dodging a mechanic. They can self heal 6.5k. lets say they suffer 15k damage total. That's 4 gcds healers would have to make up to get them back up. that means the tank will be down 10k damage if one healer still heals nonstop. And now the 40k tank buster is coming up.

You'd wind up making it so that DPS couldn't make any mistakes, or it would lead into a situation where the healer just couldn't keep up, and there'd be more deaths. Or say the tank screwed up a cooldown, and took 20k more damage, the healers can't fix that; it would eventually lead into a wipe. It's really hard to tune that without making each job self-contained and solely responsible for its own role, with no other way to compensate for it. It would also work in other ways; healers couldn;t help with DPS checks since we use more GCDs for healing, and tanks stay in tank stance more because without it they take too much damage.

The whole purpose of lowering potency would be to force healers to heal more. Right now, the vast majority of your time will be spent spamming Malefic III/Stone IV/Broil. If healing saw a decree like you've outlined, healers simply wouldn't be able to DPS 60% of the time.

[Connor]

Personally I also believe that the 'XIV players are bad' is largely attributable to individual complacency; when all a player does is expert roulettes and the occasional extreme trial, it can be easy to start thinking 'why strive to be the best when I don't need to?'. And I think it's an interesting question with no concrete answer; when you can get away with doing 'ok', at what point does doing 'well' become an impediment. You could try to hit every single proc, DoT every single enemy, use all your abilities a split second after they go off to ensure no procs are wasted and utilize your support abilities at the most opportune time. Or, you could just press buttons and still win. I know I'll get my throat slit for saying it, but I honestly believe that 'damage meters' have had at least some impact on this. Being able to see numerically the disparity between players give the impression that this large disparity is solely due to player skill level. In reality, there are countless extraneous variables that must be accounted for before conclusively saying 'this person is low skill and doesn't care'. A parser can't tell you what a person is thinking, their motivations or their limitations. And generally the player won't tell you either unless it's a friend or acquaintance (which doesn't help matters)

Imagine you've been playing FFXIV since ARR. You aren't familiar with what a 'parser' is (unlikely I know, but let's assume for the sake of argument) but you've managed to beat everything you've come across so far. You enter, say, expert roulette, and suddenly someone is calling you out for 'bad play', 'poor rotation', 'low dps', 'not enough APM'. You have no idea that this 'disparity' exists, and even if it does, if you've been able to beat things despite it then why are you doing bad?

The presence of damage meters has caused people to expect the disparity in dps to translate to disparity in skill at a 1:1 ratio. Furthermore, people generally seem to expect a much higher skill than necessary for most content because damage output can be converted into pure numerical data.

Does anyone even know what the absolute minimum amount of damage one can do before causing a wipe in non-savage content? If a Black Mage only does 2500 dps to your 5000, will it really matter when running Hells' Lid or The Fractal Continuum (HM)? I wouldn't imagine so.

Also, in an attempt to cast Palisade on myself, I'd like to point out that giving people friendly advice about more obvious mechanical mistakes (e.g Ice Mage, Healer Paladin, Bards with no songs, Summoner with Titan, etc) is completely fine. But saying things like 'you're doing 2000 dps but I'm doing 3000' does absolutely nothing to address the issue. You're literally just saying numbers with little context.

Unless parsers begin to access people's cameras to see how they're physically reacting to the game, the reality is that they don't give enough conclusive evidence to accurately state that there is a large disparity in player skill that is the result of lazy players who just don't care

[Reynhart]

I know I'll get my throat slit for saying it, but I honestly believe that 'damage meters' have had at least some impact on this.

I don't think so because parsers don't teach you anything. The content should pose a greater challenge way before doing the raids, so that you'd be forced to learn how to properly play. Right now, you can clear everything very easily and people have no shame skipping Savage because "It's for hardocre-toxic-elitist-woobies, anyway !".

Kick their ass in MSQ content and expert dungeons, they might make an effort to improve.

[ThirdChild_ZKI]

Unpopular opinions eh?

I dislike that people so largely hate/avoid this game's PvP without ever having tried it back when it was actually MORE solid than what we have now.
I dislike how easily both the playerbase and SE just turned their backs on the PvP community, after shunning and hating us for so long, and THEN embraced our content like it belongs to them and they're entitled to it.
I dislike that learning to play a scripted challenge well is somehow seen as having greater skill than someone who learns to play well against other players - which is generally far more dynamic and requires more adaptability on the fly. I say this being a raider as well as a PvPer.
I've resigned myself to simply not talking to people if I literally see the switch turn off behind their eyes (metaphorically speaking) if PvP is ever discussed, especially if they rattle off yet another tired, uninformed misconception about it. I belong to very few linkshells now.

Can I admit without judgement that - as a content creator who decided to focus on this game's PvP because I enjoy it - that I'm a bit irritated at some of the other created content that tends to err on the side of stupid/random humor? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it too, I laugh with everyone else, but it leaves me wondering why perhaps random emote spam, repeated raid wipes, satyrical takes on how to play a job right, or similar content is held in such high regard, yet highlights of skilled gameplay are lucky to get any attention at all?

MCH was never complicated. People expected "gun bard" then acted like they couldn't understand that it was different. Then called it weak (thanks for the overbuffing though). And now they call it "boring" and brainless. That's wrong too. But hell if it gets us overbuffed again, fine. Bring it on.

I like the story. It's not perfect, but with the perspective of a writer, I remain entertained and excited to see more. That says a lot.

Can't stand hunts. Don't really even remember why now. I just. . . don't like bothering with them. Will call them for others, but generally won't go out of my way for it.

I hate big pulls. Like, ridiculously big pulls. As a tank, healer, or DPS. 4 or 5 is whatever, even with damage reductions per extra mobs, but beyond 5, I've just never enjoyed it. Feels either brainless or like busy work for me. "Turn brain off, press this button til they're all dead."

I don't care about parses. Like at all really. I DO care about performing well, clearing content, and doing my best, but I just don't bloody care about parses. Maybe it's because I'm on console? Oh, speaking of, console players aren't handicapped, ignorant, or charity cases. Skill-wise, ability-wise, I've yet to run into any situation in game that I was incapable of or at a loss for being on console. It's all about how willing you are to push yourself and do well. And speaking of. . .

I VERY much disapprove of SE's attempts to make things foolproof or cater to the lowest common denominator. This doesn't mean I want things super hard at all, but in the case of PvP, it's my last remaining semblance of challenge in the game (at least it was. Hi 4.x PvP, and hello 4.2 Feast. . .) I have no issue with people wanting to take things easy or not feel like the game is work, but I can't stand watching the bar get lower and lower, knowing that so little is asked of players to meet the challenges already.

Every mount doesn't need to fly.

[NephthysVasudan]

I don't think so because parsers don't teach you anything.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

This is why i'm against their use. I don't mind them being used for self improvement...provided they don't breech ToS.

But when people start using them as their little fancy platforms... you will find me "less than amused". No numbers will save you from that.

what it comes down too are people are lazy...or they don't get taught right...and the greater audience I observe at the forums alone tells me that.
So many people are horribly bad....and they think they know better..when they know very little.

You Tube video guides that teach wrong......emphasis on the wrong points and cases.
It's scary how often I see VERY bad habits show up in-game these days...and to say anything gets your head blown off.

So I do what I can....but I'm not going openly yell at someone doing a poor job if we manage to clear the dungeon/raid/trial - because that alone in itself is a reward enough for me. Is it right? Debatable...but its not an excuse to go postal on someone or accuse them of being a bad player - even politely. This is a game after all...not a job....not a test.

If it was a serious party for a serious objective..that's different...compliance is expected.
But only under specific conditions. And if you think that's not good enough and that "ruins your fun" because someone is doing less DPS than they should...tough....you can live with it...or you can leave. They would say the same about you after all! Or..you can be friendly....and attempt to be helpful as opposed to being blunt. This is true mentor-ship....and some people refuse help. Then what? What would you do then? Have fun with that conundrum. No Parser will save you then. In truth - they are playing the game just like you....and they play differently than you do. They didn't break any rules at that rate....and that alone is thin ice in itself.

[Rosentretter]

I absolutely hate all the male Miqo'te (being gay dudes or females playing males or even some straight dudes) dressed like -a word I can't say in the forums because reasons-. I always wonder if they go irl dressed like that... if they are using anything at all. I mean, now as a cat I also have my swimsuit gear for when I'm at hotsprings, at the beach or in private, but I'm super against going dressed like -that word I can't say- around everywhere. If you don't wanna wear an armor or a robe at least get a casual glam and have dignity please.

Aymeric is overrated. Haurchefant too. I miss Papalymo. I liked Ilberd in the MSQ.

Parsers are one of the biggest reasons why I don't wanna try Savage.

[Skivvy]

Lastly, I really enjoy having Cure and Raise on Red Mage and I'd happily take a dps loss if it meant giving Red Mage more healing/support oriented spells and abilities.

I also really, really enjoy this. I mean, I'm not going to babysit the party list and toss out cures when everything is going smooth, but it's nice to have the option to help pull a party back from the brink of death if need be.

Rabanastre is where I get to make the use out of my raises/cures, and I almost always end up with one or two commendations (no easy feat for a DPS)- so it seems at least someone appreciates it

It annoys me to end when there is a RDM or SMN in party who just won't raise a person that's been laying there for awhile. Yes, of course, that should default to healers first - but at least try and be aware of what's going on in your party. Sometimes a healer may not have enough MP, or perhaps half the party is in the orange and can't focus on the dead person. Again, this is mainly based on my experiences in Rab :X Some groups are great! Some are far more...exciting :X