2019 Patch 4.5 Release Schedule FEEDBACK

[Bourne_Endeavor]

If for no other reason then to prevent being spoiled on stuff. Some people actually care about being spoiled, while many people won't keep their spoilers to themselves. Seeing as there is no real drawback to doing it...yeah.

If they didn't reveal this content earlier you wouldn't complain. If they'd reveal Blue Mage right after 4.50 saying that it will be released a week later you'd be praising them for releasing new content so often. It's all a matter of perception.

If you're that concerned with the possibility of being spoiled, then do the MSQ first. Even with their staggered release schedule of late, the MSQ always comes first. If they fronted loaded everything else, people more invested in the story could simply elect to do that first.

That being said, unless you go out of your way to find spoilers. They're generally easy enough to avoid. I still haven't done 4.4 yet frequent both here and reddit yet haven't been spoiled on the MSQ.

If all you're complaining about is the additional wait time...then you simply never bothered to do the math, because there's literally zero additional wait time.

It has nothing to do with the wait time. I simply dislike bit sized content releases. When newer things come out, I want to jump into it yet because of these staggered releases by the time I'm hyped up... there's nothing left. I am far from the only one who dislikes this change either as it has been a frequent complaint—even being brought up in one of their Q&A if I recall. There was zero reason to delay HoH six weeks like they did. It makes each patch feel increasingly more hollow, and in my opinion at least, really puts an emphasises on how stale their formulaic structure has become. This is especially true for the .5 patches, which used to be much larger. Now we have a bunch of little patches instead of a main patch and an additional one.

What it boils down to is trying to keep people subbed longer. I get it from a business perspective. It doesn't mean I like or agree with it.

[Arkdra]

I appreciate the staggering actually. I was considering taking off work to knock everything out but with blu pushed back a week that's enough where I don't feel compelled to bother.

[kikix12]

If you're that concerned with the possibility of being spoiled, then do the MSQ first. Even with their staggered release schedule of late, the MSQ always comes first.

First, I don't care about spoilers. In fact I often check whether this or that character dies in a movie or a game before trying it, and if they do, I tend to not touch it. Not because I was spoiled but because most deaths in media are shoehorned for easy drama and I just don't enjoy that. Final Fantasy VII was the cause of this habit being made, in fact.

That being said, I realize that I'm not the center of the world and that there are people that do care about being spoiled. But if me or others aren't actually hurt by it...why not give some leeway to those that care?!


Also, there's a MAJOR issue with what you said. Everything except PvP is a story. You can spoil the raid, you can spoil the Blue Mage story, you can spoil the Trials, you can spoil the side quests etc. If EVERYTHING can be spoiled, you're basically gambling on what to pick, hoping that people will focus on spoiling that piece of content instead of the rest.

That being said, unless you go out of your way to find spoilers. They're generally easy enough to avoid. I still haven't done 4.4 yet frequent both here and reddit yet haven't been spoiled on the MSQ.

Again, the problem is that it's not always the case. People can be spoiled individually in game. Especially really social people...You know, the ones that many others claim MMO's to be for. There are many people that in discussion after doing something they find exciting will just spill the beans.

It has nothing to do with the wait time. I simply dislike bit sized content releases. When newer things come out, I want to jump into it yet because of these staggered releases by the time I'm hyped up... there's nothing left.

Sorry, but here I can only suggest not hyping yourself up. As I said, it's a matter of presentation. If they never revealed all that extra content until it was next in line, you would never "hype yourself up". In that manner I agree that they are choosing a rather irksome marketing plan. Stuff shouldn't be revealed until it's next in line. Not third or fourth in line. Expansions, being the large chunks of paid content they are can be exceptions to it...but individual patches should not.

I am far from the only one who dislikes this change either as it has been a frequent complaint—even being brought up in one of their Q&A if I recall.

Many people complaining about it are the sort that want to burn through the content and then unsubscribe, but are too impatient to do so "at the end" rather than the "beginning". Others are like the original poster, they see a shiny and they want it now. They wouldn't see a difference if they never saw that shiny in the first place.

What it boils down to is trying to keep people subbed longer. I get it from a business perspective. It doesn't mean I like or agree with it.

Of course. The problem I have is with incorrect arguments though. Your post is literally the first in this thread that I can think of that gave an actually valid argument that is not just a matter of psychological conditioning that is always present (regardless of how they would be released). The argument about the bite-sized patches ending up just as the hype is building up. But hey, that too is known as a cliffhanger and is actually used throughout all fiction with more than one release per story.

All other arguments up till now were boiling down to either impatience or the humans natural habit of wanting the shiny stuff they see in front of them.


Some people don't like staggering releases?! Sure, I'm not telling you to like them. But they should at least be upfront with it and say that they're too impatient and they want everything that's revealed at once, not try to argue that the staggering release plan itself is some sort of problem, bad or whatever.

'Tonnes of people'

Tons is correct.

[Beckett]

I don't mind a week delay, especially in a patch that has this much content in the first week. MSQ and 24-man cutscenes are going to take a long time.

That said, I don't think I would have minded if BLU were released at the same time. I might not have gotten to leveling it until a week later, and in the mean time other people will have already grinded to 50, but who cares? Other people leveling the job before me doesn't effect me, and even if I probably wouldn't get to BLU for a week anyway, there's nothing wrong with having the option to do it immediately.

Also, while I don't mind the 1 week stagger, they delayed some content by 2 weeks once, and that was god awful.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Also, there's a MAJOR issue with what you said. Everything except PvP is a story. You can spoil the raid, you can spoil the Blue Mage story, you can spoil the Trials, you can spoil the side quests etc. If EVERYTHING can be spoiled, you're basically gambling on what to pick, hoping that people will focus on spoiling that piece of content instead of the rest.

Then prioritize the content you're more invested in. This wasn't an issue throughout Heavensward. At least one not vocalized. In fact, there have been more complaints about the staggered release schedule than there ever were about potential spoilers. That being said, they can still split some things up. Blue Mage being a week late isn't a huge deal by any means, however when this becomes a consistent trend with content like HoH, Eureka and etc. It gets more than a little annoying. Ironically, both have stories that were widely panned.

Again, the problem is that it's not always the case. People can be spoiled individually in game. Especially really social people...You know, the ones that many others claim MMO's to be for. There are many people that in discussion after doing something they find exciting will just spill the beans.

Sorry, but here I can only suggest not hyping yourself up. As I said, it's a matter of presentation. If they never revealed all that extra content until it was next in line, you would never "hype yourself up". In that manner I agree that they are choosing a rather irksome marketing plan. Stuff shouldn't be revealed until it's next in line. Not third or fourth in line. Expansions, being the large chunks of paid content they are can be exceptions to it...but individual patches should not.

That is terrible advice. Don't hype yourself up for the content because it'll be over with in less than five hours. Wow. Talk about building excitement for a new patch. It isn't a matter of people just wanting to devour everything immediately and unsub. I haven't unsubbed once in almost four years now yet I still dislike the staggered releases they've started doing for the reasons mentioned: I don't like bit-sized pieces nor do I like just sitting on new content until it builds enough of a backlog so I have more to do. I'll agree the fact they hype it in the Live Letters only adds to the annoyances since it feels like half the patch is missing—which, technically, it is. Put simply, I don't see an reason they couldn't go back to the Heavensward system. Let Eureak and whatever else stay in the .5 patches while the bulk is released in 4.5 proper. If some tweaks or whatnot causes a week delay. That happens. But the delays have mostly been intentional.

[Nihility]

Staggering is just a healthier way to release things.
Of all the MMO's I've played FFXIV has the most constant and usually largest content updates

Staggering them out also staggers out all the glitches and bug reports and criticisms and all that so the devs actually get focused feedback they can work on more easily and quickly

[Vahlnir]

Staggering is just a healthier way to release things.
Of all the MMO's I've played FFXIV has the most constant and usually largest content updates

Staggering them out also staggers out all the glitches and bug reports and criticisms and all that so the devs actually get focused feedback they can work on more easily and quickly

Yeah. WoW used to dish out a good bit every patch, but over the years they've settled with less and less per patch. Legion was the exception because there was almost too much to do. BfA sorta makes me feel like Blizzard's skimping on their product. I know they're not doing so hot otherwise. FF XIV at least gets updated regularly. Whether people enjoy the content or not may be another story (looking at you, Eureka) but...in the end I've got more to do daily than I have with WoW for awhile.

[SturmChurro]

Staggering is just a healthier way to release things.
Of all the MMO's I've played FFXIV has the most constant and usually largest content updates

Staggering them out also staggers out all the glitches and bug reports and criticisms and all that so the devs actually get focused feedback they can work on more easily and quickly

I played about the exact same thing for 2 years in SWTOR back in like.. 2015-2017ish. One New update a year or so, if I remember correctly. Cash shop was regularly updated though..

[Bonbori]

We

I don't have strong feelings on this subject one way or the other, but I don't appreciate someone else having a strong opinion one way or the other on MY behalf. There is no we, us or ours - your opinion is your own, please don't imply that you are speaking for anyone other than yourself.

[CrimzunAeoun]

Ok coming back after a couple days of work, sorry for the late replies.

Ignoring the persons that clearly only nit pick words and ignore the topic such as Bonbori.

A lot of statements that some of you are presenting is that the development team is staggering content to work out bugs, if any, as well as releasing the content make it better per se.

However, the issue remains that they are not creating a new patch to do these things. They are taking patch 4.5 and breaking it down in to 4.5a, 4.5b, 4.5c...etc, If blue mage was intended to be added in to patch 4.6 , for example, then there would be no complaint or issue from me as a player because now I know when to expect that content.

If for example the development team announces Blitzball as a gold saucer event for 5.0 but we do not actually get access to that piece of content until 5.1, for no other reason than "we dont want to burden you're time from doing the MSQ" . Then wouldn't you as a player, as a customer, feel cheated in any way?

The issue remains that staggering this content, seemingly last minute, without player approval or even input as if we want this particular content to be staggered is evidence of a
very disconnected development team and producer that have lost touch with part of their player base, and customers.

I do not wish to have content going forward into future patches staggered, especially battle-driven or focused content such as new jobs, raids(besides during expansion launches), or "unique battle systems(eureka, palace of the dead, heaven on high)". This type of content is the core of the game, and while it is optional other content such as Main scenario while mandatory would actually benefit from staggered release.

I personally feel parts of the MSQ should be staggered to make each MSQ event more poignant rather than being able to blow through that particular content. This can diminish the value of what you are doing story wise , lore wise if you can go through the Stormblood campaign and liberate two nations in a matter of days if not hours.