No wonder new players aren't that impressed

[Mamba]

One thing I will add, is that do you know what kind of rage was around because the tutorial they stick in your face at the start wasn't good enough/in-depth enough? :/

Yes I know, I have been around since Alpha and have been reading the forums since day 1.
I don't think the opening scenes are the place to have it though... but that's just my opinnion.

I had two friends start 14 few weeks ago, they tried the game on few occasions. I helped them out a bit, made them some gear... but both of them told me that to get over the learning curve in the beginning is too long, boring and without a feeling of any kind of a goal that most people would in their opinnion also just give up and go play other games.
They haven't been back since.

I am really looking forward to the 2.0 and the plan to revamp the involvment to a storyline a bit. We all have gotten used to the quirky little things you just have to get on with that 14 has, but it's not the same for a person who just begins the game.

[SuzakuCMX]

I still remember the day I created my Elvaan Male in Sandoria in XI back in '04. The music starting...the CS showing the city and then control to run around a begin exploring. I will never, ever forget the way that game made me feel. So freakin' nostalgic. Why XIV doesn't feel like that...I will never know. :/

Well I just started FFXI and I can tell you....

....I had to go look up the keyboard controls online. Why the heck is Numpad the default and - used to open up the main menu? Ridiculous control scheme in that game....also Windurst for the win. Tarutarus are #1.

[Mamba]

Well I just started FFXI and I can tell you....

....I had to go look up the keyboard controls online. Why the heck is Numpad the default and - used to open up the main menu? Ridiculous control scheme in that game....also Windurst for the win. Tarutarus are #1.

Lol I give you that one!
I remember when I started playing 11 I managed to have an argument with an NPC because I thought he was a real player dissing me because I was a noob...
It was some dude at Bastok Mines haha....

[Felis]

A "Want you the tutorial? Y/N" is missing in the beginning, I think. For people who just make a new char.

[viion]

This game is insanely anti-welcome to the new player. There is no goal and everythings the same up until about level fking 50 lol.

I dont think SE care because they plan on v2 being the relaunch for new players and have it planned out there, but who knows, we'll see.

I cant even stand to play on a low level class, let alone a new char.

[Seif]

I agree the main story and especially the way it's not integrated to the game is just simply not good, at all.

The writing is also all over the place with no characters that stand out and floods of text that is completely irrelevant to the player because they contain zero amount of required information to complete the tasks.

I know they're going to be stuck with this storyline until the end of XIV but it's in need of serious re-work.

I have to say that the cutscenes are absolutely spectacular but I can't help thinking when they're on that they were the reason why cutscenes were completely cut from npc-quests.

NPC quests have probably even worse storytelling than the main scenario because your actions have no effect on the NPC's lives or the world. Also the writing in NPC quests is made completely useless by slapping a leve screen on the player after wading through what can only be described as "flavor text".

What is the point of listening to an NPC giving me directions to find a place when SE forces a massive GPS system to take me everywhere anyway?

[Firon]

I don't get why this is even an argument why make an storyline for new people when they don't even expect people to buy it atm. right now everything they are making is being tailored for the people who has stuck around.

[HamHam]

Do you know how I would start the story? with a fully equipped warrior, the best gear in the game or something that resembles the best gear. Immense in a epic battle with the ultimate enemy, and when the final blow is about to be stricken, you wake up (as if it was a dream, but was it?). And start the ffxiv story from there. This will give the player an incentive to look forward to a great story and the potential about where you see your character at end game.

[Soralis]

the storyline was ok for me, i liked the ending as well, but the thing that i hated the most is that your char just stands there with his mouth half opened and eyes wide open ''frodo style'', for the entire sequencies, and other npc chars run around, cast spells, speak, and your char just faints a lot.

[Mamba]

I don't get why this is even an argument why make an storyline for new people when they don't even expect people to buy it atm. right now everything they are making is being tailored for the people who has stuck around.

Well I dunno why Square Enix has sent out emails that the game is back on online store to download if they aren't expecting new customers to buy it?

I think it is crucial that they find a balance between creating content for both new and old players.
The fact is, SE can't create content to lvl 50s as fast as it gets completed. People who have stuck around since the beginning have all missions completed, all jobs at 50 ... it doesn't take them long to complete 3 additional dungeons which are implemented every few months - they are chasing their own tail.

With new players (like for example all PS3 players in the future) there is an opportunity to do almost anything, but there won't be new players if the beginning of the game makes people turn away.

And unlike many people in this forum, I believe there are new people joining 14 (or coming back) all the time. Just in the past few weeks I met a couple, my friends from 11 are all talking about coming to 14 finally etc.