Can we start getting serious about having ARR restructured?

[The_Last_Dragoon]

The only reason why people think of ARR as a slog now is simply because it's too easy to level from 1-50. You used to actually have to do the side quests of the areas that Minfilia sends you to in order to keep your level up, but now the XP you gain from dungeons is enough for you to completely ignore them most of the time. ARR still stands as a good basic introduction to the game's mechanics to where even a person new to both MMOs and RPGs can get a handle on how combat works in the game, and I would personally prefer the development team to focus their efforts on new content and polishing things such as Viera/Hrothgar hairstyles and headgear.

[Shurrikhan]

Well, don't take it the wrong way but if certain people are complaining about not being to just skip straight to endgame quickly, then this game probably is not for them.

"I don't suppose Minfilia could just tell us she wants over our linkpearl?" and "There sure are an awful lot of fetch-quests..." =/= "Give me endgame now!!!"

[Drayos]

Well, don't take it the wrong way but if certain people are complaining about not being to just skip straight to endgame quickly, then this game probably is not for them. The fact is, FFXIV is a FF game first and a MMO second, and FF games are always story focused, even the MMOs. Here normal MMO trappings of everything being about endgame raiding and stuff for 'shinez' and streetcred is only one part of the package (and is really only a minor part, if Yoshi's comments in the past about the amount of players really doing endgame content, let alone completing it, is any indication).

The story is an important part of that, and is meant to guide players gradually into the action, not just dumping everything into their lap at once and leaving it at that. Those who state that the game really is about endgame are sadly mistaken, and they're the ones who usually end up most disappointed and bored.

There is much more to this game than running Savage and Ultimate raids and trials. The game is a journey, not a spectacle, and the journey to get to endgame is just as important, if not more so, than the destination.

I boosted to 60 on my first char, before even completion of the first ARR quest and im still here playing

Just because FF is story heavy doesn’t mean someone who is less into story can’t enjoy it, some people will play this game because it’s a mmorpg

And while I did enjoy SB and SHB MSQ it’s not really the main reason I play this game, I played WoW for 15 years and I don’t even know most of the lore to it I’m not a lore/story heavy person.

It’s a mmorpg, which has been a genre of game I’ve always been on, and the job design are very enjoyable , WoW wrecked class design which was the major moment I left.

[Rilifane]

The post-ARR needs some serious pruning.
I'm a big story fan and I wouldn't support any sort of mindless skipping without paying up for it.
But A LOT of post-ARR quests could and by all means, should be turned into side quests. Sniffing chocobos, getting tea leaves, etc. I know the story is meant to convey the feeling of the calm after a monumental battle and a time where a change has been long overdue can finally be accomplished because for once, you don't have one primal after another knocking on your door.
But they can get that point across without having players to repair earrings, collect tea leaves or helping Tataru acknowledge that a desk job is actually just her thing.
I read a subred thread where someone posted a detailed list of "must-go", "should-go" and "can stay" quests, everything with really good reasoning behind it. In the end it came to around 30ish quests, rest turned into sidequests. And it still made for a good, comprehensible story.

Also the fact that you're so overleveled since the change to the two last ARR dungeons is a turn off aswell. Most people step into Ishgard at 52-42 and then have a bunch of 50 quests waiting for them. It tends to give off the feeling of needing to catch up with a story that has already happened instead of something that is yet ahead and waiting to be uncovered.
Being overleveled for quests has always been a problem and turn-off for many players.
I wish they would make those two dungeons solo instances... in the long run, major changes and pruning to the post-ARR story, will likely help them to get new players hooked.

[Hezzlocks]

Also the fact that you're so overleveled since the change to the two last ARR dungeons is a turn off aswell. Most people step into Ishgard at 52-42 and then have a bunch of 50 quests waiting for them. It tends to give off the feeling of needing to catch up with a story that has already happened instead of something that is yet ahead and waiting to be uncovered.
Being overleveled for quests has always been a problem and turn-off for many players.
I wish they would make those two dungeons solo instances... in the long run, major changes and pruning to the post-ARR story, will likely help them to get new players hooked.

My first character, just after Stormblood launched, I got sidetracked doing various side-content a lot, and by doing my daily roulettes as well, I was at level 60 already by the time I got to Ishgard, and was already 70 by the time I finally reached Stormblood. I literally entered SB and smashed out my entire 60-70 WHM questline, which conveniantly all took place in the Fringe, before getting to the Reach. Yeah, I faffed about a lot, but that post-ARR section is heavily to blame for my substantial level lead there.

My 2nd character I knuckled down and smashed out the MSQ, wasn't nearly as bad doing it that way, but given I still did my daily roulettes I still came out a few levels ahead before reaching Ishgard.

[Rilifane]

My first character, just after Stormblood launched, I got sidetracked doing various side-content a lot, and by doing my daily roulettes as well, I was at level 60 already by the time I got to Ishgard, and was already 70 by the time I finally reached Stormblood. I literally entered SB and smashed out my entire 60-70 WHM questline, which conveniantly all took place in the Fringe, before getting to the Reach. Yeah, I faffed about a lot, but that post-ARR section is heavily to blame for my substantial level lead there.

My 2nd character I knuckled down and smashed out the MSQ, wasn't nearly as bad doing it that way, but given I still did my daily roulettes I still came out a few levels ahead before reaching Ishgard.

With my first character during ARR, I not only ran dungeons multiple times but also did side quests to reach the level neccessary für MSQ progression. I remember neverending fate trains in Coerthas with strings of 20-30 people all in their late 30s speeding from one fate to the next. I could skip entire quest hubs very ~10 levels with the hunting log and new guildhests, but all in all I was on par with MSQ at best but usually had to catch up through other means.
When I reached Ishgard I was 50 with around 30% or so iirc. It felt really nice during HW, I was neither speeding ahead of the MSQ level-wise nor lagging behind too much because sidequests had to be done for currents anyway and the whole quest hub thing was well done imo.
But now, still being 52 is basically "best case" and only applies to people who really only did the bare minimum to progress through the MSQ and didn't spread the post-ARR story over several days with doing roulettes every day. So being 54 is probably more common. But I've also seen 58+ people attune in Ishgard. Most of it is definitely on the post-ARR story.

Technically it's not bad to be overleveled but it still feels wrong for many people. Feels like more and more "work" piles up until getting to the point where it feels relevant again.
And running a 51+ dungeon at 56 or so means all the drops someone might be happy to get otherwise are just turned into GC seals straight away.

On the other hand you have that time at around 47-49 where you're suddenly scraping for exp because barely anything is going on MSQ-wise which is a large exp source and you have this "eh..okay... now what?" moment. At least new players do because most don't look too much into side content as it's not needed with MSQ giving out so much exp.

[JWag12787]

When I came back with a new character, I was in and out of ARR pretty quickly and painlessly. If I really didn't want to do it, there's a story skip potion for that. But I don't believe ARR is the problem, but rather, impatience with the slow growth of the overall story, or simply lack of interest in the story.

[AnakhaSilver]

A lot of people cite the Titan lead up quest, but that's a huge block of lore and worldbuilding. Heck, those guys test you because regular Scion non-Echo recruits and even Flames actually take down Ifrit he's summoned so frequently. So they can't be sure that was just some fluke, but they can't let you know you're being tested, either.

Like, people miss that the way they beat Titan was to throw people at him until he went down, meanwhile having to kill their own tempered comrades. That's how they beat Titan. On a mountain of bodies.

[Jirah]

Sadley yoship philosophy is never looking back, which I’d agree if we weren’t constantly playing their dungeons and raids

[DJMau]

The only reason why people think of ARR as a slog now is simply because it's too easy to level from 1-50. You used to actually have to do the side quests of the areas that Minfilia sends you to in order to keep your level up, but now the XP you gain from dungeons is enough for you to completely ignore them most of the time. ARR still stands as a good basic introduction to the game's mechanics to where even a person new to both MMOs and RPGs can get a handle on how combat works in the game, and I would personally prefer the development team to focus their efforts on new content and polishing things such as Viera/Hrothgar hairstyles and headgear.

I was playing 2.0 when it was fresh. It was a slog then too. Easy or not there were so many pointless fetch quests and just general faffing about it's a wonder Frey didnt come sooner to tell every one of those lazy time wasting sods off.