Option to unlock content without mandatory MSQ

[Xeronia]

As I saw WoW brought up I may as well take this from WoWhead about the next expansion, Shadowlands. If you are a totally new player you will be put in a starting zone from 1-10 to teach you the game and then forced for 40 levels into Battle for Azeroth. That sounds a lot like a semi-forced storyline new players will have to go through to me.

From WoWhead-

New Players:

1-10: Exile's Reach (new newbie zone for all players)
10-50: Battle for Azeroth
50-60: Shadowlands

Experienced Players:

10-50: Any choice of the 8 expansions
50-60: Shadowlands

[ElciaDeiLinus]

Pretty much every MMO has a form of gating- as in you have to do something in order to proceed to something else. Usually that involves a considerable amount of grinding to hit end level, another considerable amount of grinding to get geared, and often another set for attunements or necessary items to do the only part of the game that matters (raiding).

I feel like the MSQ is an alternative to forced grind, and a really good one. It also feels like the MSQ, crafting, early dungeons/eikons/raids aren't just meant to be barriers to the real part of the game (end game raiding), but are meant to be part of the game itself.

Perhaps if this was the typical 'endgame content is all that matters' game I could see all the other content as something that needs to be skipped, but to me the MSQ feels like an important part of the game not just a grind meant to slow you down like most levelling systems in MMOs.

[SamRF]

As someone who originally came from WoW, I don't think it's a good idea. People who skip available content are usually the most vocal about how the game lacks content because development time is being spent on content outside of their personal narrow focus. It's already a problem here even with MSQ being mandatory (unless a player buys the skip potion for their character). It would be even worse under your idea.

Hmmmm sure, but it's not like the MSQ will be gone. They can always play it whenever they want and thus have a shit ton of content readily available whenever they are ready for it. This way they can for example get into raiding at endgame while going through ARR MSQ at their own pace.

[SamRF]

Perhaps if this was the typical 'endgame content is all that matters' game I could see all the other content as something that needs to be skipped, but to me the MSQ feels like an important part of the game not just a grind meant to slow you down like most levelling systems in MMOs.

Tbh that is kind of a good point. I'm not sure actually how my relationship with MSQ would change if this option is implemented. While I'm pretty sure I would never use this option, it could be that I'd enjoy MSQ less because I'm seeing it as something redundant instead of a mandatory/crucial part of the game.

[LaylaTsarra]

Sorry but not happening and shouldn't. There is by the way lots of content that is optional apart from main story but I suspect you know that already.

[linay]

Would it be feasible to add an option to unlock instances without making it mandatory to do MSQ?

Most MMOs don't have such a (long) main mandatory questline to unlock content and allow players to journey through the game however they like. People who don't care much for story will have a terrible time in FFXIV.

People who still want to unlock stuff through MSQ can continue to do so and unlock content that way. People who don't care for the MSQ can unlock the instances with this option and decide to perhaps do the MSQ another time.

I'm pretty sure this option would open up the game to (quite a lot) of new players who are for example only interested in combat/crafting/instances/raids/art and don't want to experience forced visual novel.

I would personally never use this option because I greatly enjoy the MSQ but I think this game is missing out on a lot of new players because of the MSQ barrier. Even with an MSQ skip they have to go through lots of quests (towards and at endgame) before unlocking content/instances and have to do so again with each patch.

Why would you be for or against this option? What needs to be taken into consideration?

Several reasons why I don't want to support this (even though I don't have issues with how others like to play):

1. My only main form of comparison is WoW, and with the way they make the story optional in that game, I feel like continuity suffers and it's why WoW has no problem with removing story quests because it's all optional anyway (even story quests that were just added in the previous patch). By having mandatory MSQ, I think the writers would be more incentivized to care more about continuity and it's why I'm somewhat nervous about the 5.3 change, hopefully it will be good.

2. If it's optional, there is more pressure to skip it. Just look at raiders who are racing to clear a raid. If it's not optional, there is less pressure (sure you can still rush through it and skip cutscenes, but that's because they're optional, so it still fits my point). It's why cutscenes became mandatory in Praetorium and Castrum Meridianum.

3. Speaking of skipping, again comparing it to WoW, it might make questing harder as you get lost in what quests you need to do if you want to go back. Of course, WoW has more branching quests, so that adds to the complexity.

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Edit:
My response to argument concerning players at endgame who will have no idea about what they're doing and thus worsen DF experience:

Mandatory solo instance won't work since they've gone the route of fail once and immediately try with echo aka "easy" and "very easy" modes. (I wish this forum supports nested quotations.)

[Raltar]

So like, while it can be enjoyable the first few times, the gameplay(dungeons, raids, trials, ect) is pretty lackluster in this game. The only thing that keeps me playing is the story. And I'm sure it is the same with most people that play this game.

[Darkpaw]

Well you misunderstood what I meant with "true WoW competitor" and I also didn't clarify enough what I meant with it so my bad on that one. Elder Scrolls Online is also considered top 3 but it's not really a WoW competitor how I see it because it attracts a different playerbase than WoW. Players who like WoW won't be attracted to ESO combat and class system I think.

FFXIV seems to me almost a "true WoW competitor" because it's pretty similar in terms of combat. Still quite different but I'm sure players from each game will recognize enough and enjoy combat in both games. The only big difference that doesn't allow FFXIV being an easy and welcome alternative for WoW players is the fact that content is locked behind MSQ barrier.

For that reason I doubt FFXIV will ever surpass WoW in amount of players. Having such dedication towards MSQ however does probably provide much more stable community for FFXIV because of the Final Fantasy fans, so it's for sure a good thing for the game, but I wondered if there could be a compromise that would please both the Final Fantasy fans as well as players like WoW refugees.

Edit: also you should allow me to acknowledge your point and clarify myself before calling me a troll, a matter of respect.

There really isn’t a good compromise. Because it’s a matter of tearing the heart and soul out of this game to give us another bland, empty, MMO experience or stay true to what the devs created.

Sure this game is not for everyone. Every last one of us I’m sure has friends they wish they could play this game with but their friends just aren’t into it, and you know what. That’s okay.

Giving the option to skip the story any more than what is already available. Is a disservice to the community and the following this game has already created, and is a good way to alienate those who stuck with this game even after the 1.x disaster. It’s a sell out corporate move that would doom this game.

Much like Activision is killing Blizzard, or EA killed Bioware.

[Vahlnir]

Dont feed the troll´s

I don't even care about the topic itself. This...THIS is an amazing pic.

[SamRF]

There really isn’t a good compromise. Because it’s a matter of tearing the heart and soul out of this game to give us another bland, empty, MMO experience or stay true to what the devs created.

Sure this game is not for everyone. Every last one of us I’m sure has friends they wish they could play this game with but their friends just aren’t into it, and you know what. That’s okay.

Giving the option to skip the story any more than what is already available. Is a disservice to the community and the following this game has already created, and is a good way to alienate those who stuck with this game even after the 1.x disaster. It’s a sell out corporate move that would doom this game.

Much like Activision is killing Blizzard, or EA killed Bioware.

Yeah I understand now what you mean with "heart and soul" of the game and how the game would indeed perhaps start feeling like an empty MMO experience with implementation of this option. Having mandatory MSQ kind of forces you to play the game as intended so you will have to experience the quality of a worthy main series FF title, bringing justice to the series' reputation and becoming a more memorable experience when the story eventually ends. Good, I'm convinced.