What has happened to my beloved FFXIV?

[Zephera]

But for the main overworld, I think it would have benefited from having the tougher mobs, and also the random NMs that you could spawn. Although I'd much rather see NMs be something that can be taken down individually or in small parties vs. requiring huge groups like the big Hunts and Eureka NMs. I did come from XI, and for the most part I really enjoyed NM hunting and so I may be a bit biased there

My personal take on the overworld is that there's just not much to do there once you've done all the quests aside from hunts that are on fairly predictable spawn timers and maybe some beast tribe quests. Gathering is just gathering and Fates are completely unrewarding even at level. There needs to be more incentive and more things to do per zone, like Fates influencing rare items in stock at shops or increase gathering rates for all in the area if successfully completed, monsters like hunts that spawn far more unpredictably and actually give something more than just tomes and hunt seals. There's a great many things that could be done to give players something to sink their teeth into in the overworld but there seems to be a lot of hesitation in actually offering significant rewards for effort put in outside of raiding.

EDIT: Good examples of things I'm talking about are like the Odin or Ixion Fates, and occasionally the Foxy Lady one too, still get quite a few people turning up for them if they get announced at a good time. The Coeurlregina and Proto Ultima Fates aren't as good because Coeurlregina takes ages to do the full chain (can potentially have to wait up to 16 hours if I recall rightly) and Proto Ultima is stuck in Azys Lla which is the number 1 zone for wasted potential.

[Skivvy]

If you haven't noticed, NMs have always spawned in the rest of Eorzea. They're the basis for S-rank hunts ...

XIVs current overworld has always been one of my delights. Those that consider it boring or safe are really looking for a different MMO than the one they're playing -- perhaps Conan Exiles would fit the bill better.

Probably just a timing thing, but a couple of posts up I mentioned I would prefer to see NMs be something that can be spawned and killed either individually or with a small party (more like XI's system).

And you're probably right. I've already admitted on these forums that XIV is probably not the game for me. Took a long time to come to that realization, but I still play now and then out of habit/familiarity.

[tdb]

I personally feel OP is being to vague - what exactly are you missing from HW? Could you put things in direct comparison of what you liked in HW vs what you miss / what went different in Stormblood?

Because at this point I can't even tell if your post is about eureka at all.

The OP mentions some Eureka-specific aspects but it could also apply to SB as a whole. HW started off with the Scions being exiled to Ishgard following the betrayal in Ul'dah, it had Ysayle's character development from villain to hero and eventual sacrifice, all the political turmoil in Ishgard, Estinien's battle of wills against Nidhogg and treating with the dragons who were at best reluctant to help humans. Compared to all that depth SB is a much more traditional "let's liberate a country or two" story. It seems the focus was more on the varied and exotic environments. I think it's picking up again in the recent patches though.

Still, I was sufficiently entertained by the 4.0 story, even with all the running around it had. The Naadam was completely epic even if a little predictable. The scene with Lyse attending to dying Conrad after the destruction of Specula Imperatoris made me feel genuine sadness. Fordola seems to be somewhat of this expansion's Ysayle, although we didn't interact with her all that much. I'm really hoping we see some kind of conclusion to her story, if not in 4.5 then in the next expansion.

[tdb]

I actually like the idea of Eureka as the overworld. XIV's current overworld has always been one of my complaints. It's just so damn boring. And safe. I've not played extensively in Eureka, but it seems like mobs trail you a lot longer (do they ever de-aggro?) and hit quite a bit harder at level.

Eureka is horribly tedious though, at least as a solo healer. I recently went there for the first time and it took around a minute for my ilvl synced WHM to kill a single enemy. On the other hand I couldn't really die as long as I kept regen up and took care to not aggro too many enemies (two enemies of my own level was still manageable, third I had to run away from). I suppose a DPS class might encounter more danger and less tedium.

The monsters in Eureka do de-aggro, but the distance they follow you is maybe five times as long as in the rest of the game.

If you haven't noticed, NMs have always spawned in the rest of Eorzea. They're the basis for S-rank hunts ...

I have to agree with Skivvy that it would be nice to have some more personal encounters. S-ranks have horribly long respawn times so it's necessary to use a hunt tracker to check if they're available (most of the time they aren't). When one does spawn they tend to attract several tens of players, which bogs the game down enough that following any kind of mechanics becomes a serious challenge. Lv70 S-ranks are not even reasonably possible to kill with a small party.

I'm largely just ignoring A- and S-rank hunts these days because they're uninteresting zerg fests and I hardly need anything from them either.

[Skivvy]

Eureka is horribly tedious though, at least as a solo healer. I recently went there for the first time and it took around a minute for my ilvl synced WHM to kill a single enemy. On the other hand I couldn't really die as long as I kept regen up and took care to not aggro too many enemies (two enemies of my own level was still manageable, third I had to run away from). I suppose a DPS class might encounter more danger and less tedium.

The monsters in Eureka do de-aggro, but the distance they follow you is maybe five times as long as in the rest of the game.

I just have so many wishes for the open world but I don't think I'm doing a good job here at all for explaining that. D: More danger is part of it, but that by itself would just add annoyance for no real reason if that's all they did.

I think Zephera had some good points and ideas. Better incentives for fates would help,and having fates/activity affect vendors or zone bonuses could be interesting as well. I personally would enjoy smaller NMs (I really do love me some ol NM hunting). I think anything at this point would help liven things up a bit. X:

Also, thank you for confirming the de-aggro info! I had this bloody raptor chase me for what felt like ages before it finally got me. lol ><

[Awful]

The issue we're at right now is a content drought, now there is new content (Eureka) but it's so bad and so much negativity about it that it's put a sour taste in the communities mouths which I understand, outside of EX Trials and weekly raiding with Savage and Ultimate there's not much. Ultimate and Savage aren't run enough as they're harder content most of the playerbase caps their tomes and do their Alpha normal raids and call it a week unless you farm Eureka but that's all you have there's no alternative to gearing up or anything.

I wish there was something more that was endgame content rather than doing Normal raids or Eureka or even Savage, I'd be doing Savage if all my friends didn't quit but yeah there's nothing but running dungeons and capping tomes which in 1-2 months there'll be no cap. Eureka should have been that gear that you got that was better than normal Alpha but competitive with Savage but it fails in that regard since the ilvls reflect that of Suzaku EX which devalues the gear, in other words Eureka isn't a great goal to get endgame gear it's slower and less rewarding.

SE needs to create something new and fresh with their endgame and not lock it behind RNG and ilvls that are dated before the gear comes out like c'mon SE relic armor and weapons are supposed to be powerful this isn't powerful nor does it feel like the player has achieved any kind of it either.

[tdb]

I just have so many wishes for the open world but I don't think I'm doing a good job here at all for explaining that. D: More danger is part of it, but that by itself would just add annoyance for no real reason if that's all they did.

Sure, having an actual challenge is interesting, but Eureka added "challenge" by simply multiplying monster health and damage. I would rather see the sort of challenge that requires situational awareness to overcome. More special mechanics which are utlized more often. More mobile enemies, including roving bands of monsters which wander in a large area. Ambushes from hidden enemies, with enough randomization that you can't simply learn their locations (enemies dropping down from trees or appearing from underwater would be a nice touch). Ranged enemies that actually make use of their range (but take care to not overdo it or melee classes will have a bad time).

Adding meaningful rewards to fates would be nice too, though it can easily result in the fates getting crowded, much like S-ranks or the few special fates are now. I like it best when there's a small number (like 3-5) people doing a fate. It's extremely hard to maintain that kind of balance over a long period of time with incentives alone.

[Gun-Cat]

The thing that disappointed me most was how bad the story felt after HW. It was a complete mess pacing wise and the only memorable parts were the Steppes, both the one in the 4.0 and 4.4 chapters. Probably doesn't help that Zenos absolutely didn't work for me and took me out of the game whenever he showed his mug. Up to this day I can't understand his fan following just because of one throwaway line he had at the end.

Here is hoping that 5.0 will be a lot better. Rumor has it that the dude who wrote HW will be in charge again, so here is hoping.

[Iscah]

XIVs current overworld has always been one of my delights. Those that consider it boring or safe are really looking for a different MMO than the one they're playing -- perhaps Conan Exiles would fit the bill better.

I agree - I love the overworld as it is, and would hate for it to be made "more challenging".

In fact I'd really like to see a return of more non-aggressive wildlife, as in the ARR zones. There was actually some logic to it, rather than being viciously attacked by every single creature in the area.

(One of my long-term favourite games for world design is Shadow of the Colossus. There isn't a single enemy besides the bosses - just a few collectibles and a really beautiful land to explore. I've spent hours in it.)

There needs to be more incentive and more things to do per zone, like Fates influencing rare items in stock at shops or increase gathering rates for all in the area if successfully completed, monsters like hunts that spawn far more unpredictably and actually give something more than just tomes and hunt seals.

Some of these things exist, to a degree, but they mostly go ignored.

A few FATE chains do unlock special shops - all in ARR to my knowledge.

• "Attack on Highbridge" - I think you have to clear the whole chain of defending of the bridge, and not just the 'alternate ending' of rescuing the captured villagers from the Qiqirn camp after a failed event, which is what is normally active. The shop that normally just sells junk has decent stock afterwards. Can purchase an orchestrion roll (the Burning Wall BGM if I remember right) and Tiny Rat minion.
• Poor Maid's Mill - a Qiqirn merchant arrives sometimes, I think after beating the couerl pack. Probably need to clear the other FATEs to trigger it? Sells the Baby Bat minion.
• Redbelly Hive raid - to do it solo you need to be there right at the start, so you can keep the NPCs alive. After beating the Hive leader, you can access a shop in the upper area. Sells the Baby Raptor minion.

Also some of the 'big boss' FATEs (that you can't do alone) drop minions or orchestrion rolls. I know Gorgimera (northern Thanalan) drops the Infant Imp minion, the Dzu (western Coerthas) drops some kind of earring, and the two Stormblood FATEs that drop orchestrion rolls... which even as "current content" are still unlikely to get done. Not being able to do it alone makes it a lot harder.

The HoH story was quite frankly appalling.

That was seriously the best they could do for the giant shifting mystery tower that reaches up to the heavens?

It was very disappointing.

I also really disliked how it was made out as such an emotional scene, but we have zero connection to those characters and it just wasn't engaging at all.



(I'm enjoying the MSQ storytelling though. I disliked a lot of Stormblood and much prefer Heavensward, but the patch stories have been good lately.)

[Zephera]

Some of these things exist, to a degree, but they mostly go ignored.

A few FATE chains do unlock special shops - all in ARR to my knowledge.

• "Attack on Highbridge" - I think you have to clear the whole chain of defending of the bridge, and not just the 'alternate ending' of rescuing the captured villagers from the Qiqirn camp after a failed event, which is what is normally active. The shop that normally just sells junk has decent stock afterwards. Can purchase an orchestrion roll (the Burning Wall BGM if I remember right) and Tiny Rat minion.
• Poor Maid's Mill - a Qiqirn merchant arrives sometimes, I think after beating the couerl pack. Probably need to clear the other FATEs to trigger it? Sells the Baby Bat minion.
• Redbelly Hive raid - to do it solo you need to be there right at the start, so you can keep the NPCs alive. After beating the Hive leader, you can access a shop in the upper area. Sells the Baby Raptor minion.

Also some of the 'big boss' FATEs (that you can't do alone) drop minions or orchestrion rolls. I know Gorgimera (northern Thanalan) drops the Infant Imp minion, the Dzu (western Coerthas) drops some kind of earring, and the two Stormblood FATEs that drop orchestrion rolls... which even as "current content" are still unlikely to get done. Not being able to do it alone makes it a lot harder.

These are good examples of attempts made, but the rewards aren't quite good enough to have people coming back for them, they're all really one and done rewards. Minions from fates tend to be quite basic and unpopular in comparison to ones like Fat Cat or Odder Otter, orchestrion rolls are only worth showing off in a player or FC house which is another aspect the game struggles in, the earrings aren't very noticeable as glamour and Triple Triad doesn't have many people interested in it for the fates that award them unfortunately. If you don't get the rewards from these fates in the first week of an expansion you have to practically beg for assistance at them, a stark contrast to how Odin still gets enough people to down him every now and then when he shows up.

When it comes to rewards for Fates I was more thinking along the lines of having vendors sell rare and unique crafting mats for successful completion of some, or provide a timed zone wide bonus to all players when beaten such as items gathered are doubled or a damage bonus.