What would you like to see (differently) in the next Final Fantasy MMO?

[Bright-Flower]

I'd like some sort of job customization akin to talents and specs from WoW. Not necessarily a 1 to 1 copy. Then again maybe that lack of cusotmization is why the game's able to add two of them per expansion as is.

[SamRF]

I'd like some sort of job customization akin to talents and specs from WoW. Not necessarily a 1 to 1 copy. Then again maybe that lack of cusotmization is why the game's able to add two of them per expansion as is.

What if they went the multiple job route? Where there's a base class which will have multiple jobs, just like Summoner and Scholar.

An interesting post from another thread:

I low key still wonder what the game would be like now if they had continued down the split class/job road. I think this could have opened up a lot of possibilities for jobs we don't have. White Mage and Geomancer, Summoner and Scholar, Astrologian and Time Mage, Warrior and Berserker, Bard and Ranger, Machinist and Medic/Chemist, Black Mage and Necromancer. If done correctly we could see similar themes with different sides from every job. I think it would have been a really interesting idea to expand on, however I know it will never happen, and probably for good reason. Though, I can't help but wonder what could have been.

These alternate job ideas sound so cool to me, I'd add "ninja and thief".

[Bright-Flower]

What if they went the multiple job route? Where there's a base class which will have multiple jobs, just like Summoner and Scholar.

An interesting post from another thread:


These alternate job ideas sound so cool to me, I'd add "ninja and thief".

Something like that could work. Depending on how it's implemented.

Personally I'm also not a fan of the specific weapon types that FFXIV has. Play paladin? You're using a sword. Warrior? Hope you like axes! there are occasional exceptions like the mine pick paladins can use in shb, but they're generally few and far between. Then again, the system has allowed some unique weapons like dancer thrown weapons and red mage rapiers + focuses so maybe I'd be okay with keeping it, but I miss the realative flexibilty of weapon types in WoW too, where a paladin could have an axe or a mace or a flail etc.

[SamRF]

Something like that could work. Depending on how it's implemented.

Personally I'm also not a fan of the specific weapon types that FFXIV has. Play paladin? You're using a sword. Warrior? Hope you like axes! there are occasional exceptions like the mine pick paladins can use in shb, but they're generally few and far between. Then again, the system has allowed some unique weapons like dancer thrown weapons and red mage rapiers + focuses so maybe I'd be okay with keeping it, but I miss the realative flexibilty of weapon types in WoW too, where a paladin could have an axe or a mace or a flail etc.

I really wish I could play Warrior fury berserker style with dual wielding weapons.

[Lauront]

What should be done differently?.

• Enhanced focus on the backgrounds of the playable races, e.g. having a home city or region, and strongly defined racial lore. Racial specialisations in lore, at the very least, even if not implemented mechanically.
• More unique races drawn from the FF series, with a good mix of human-like and more bestial ones. Elves which look good!
• Greater choice in character customisation; I wouldn't want the free for all BDO has, which can end up looking monstrous, but I'd like less constraints and more preset choices. More choice in body types, and more sliders (yes, including those sliders!)
• To avoid tying the protagonist to being the Good Guy (tm), and allow for branching options in the story writing, where your choices matter. I think the Ascian storyline could easily allow for this, but XIV as a game is not built to accommodate this kind of thing.
• Related to the above, allowing for some job choices which shatter boundaries a little in how morally "grey" they are.
• Important characters who aren't antagonists also facing the prospect of death. Less of the constant "hey, guess who's back!"
• Events in the game to result in changes to the game overworld/cities.
• Greater flexibility in job customisation. Strong job identity.
• WoW-style glamour system where the image of the item is abstracted and retained in memory.
• Instanced housing system. I think what would be cool would be to allow for house owners to choose whether they want to integrate their house into a specific neighborhood, allowing for control over what its overall appearance would be - no stupid looking houses to ruin the overall feel.
• Find a narrative way to make the ex/savage/whatever modes the canon ones. Eden is on the right track for this, i.e. you can attribute the differences to a foggy memory or w/e.
• Make official the fact that some jobs are intended as support and segregate this out as a role in its own right, to allow for jobs under this rubric to focus on this. In the same vein, more of a focus for healers on healing.
• More challenge modes besides ex, savage and ultimate. Basically, improve the content formula so there's challenging content outside of raiding as well.
• Don't bother with PVP if it's not going to be given the attention it needs to be fun - try focus on a format of it that suits the MMO genre.
• Better inventory management. Multiple jobs on a single character absolutely requires it.
• A good standard of graphics, with as much future-proofing as possible to allow for easy future upgrades.

What should remain the same?

• Multiple jobs on one character.
• Existing jobs.
• Same attention to detail with regards to crafters.
• Focus on awesome music.
• Trusts - it's a good mechanic.
• Focus on strong story writing. Really, these games are nothing without it.
• The epic cinematic fights.
• The existing playable races, albeit with modifications as appropriate to fit the setting.
• Keep with the instanced zone nature of cities and areas. It helps maintain a sense of scale, which is lost in games like WoW. Just avoid making big empty zones for the sake of flying... they should feel alive.

How should the game function?

Yoshi has given some comments on how he thinks a future MMO should be designed, which point towards the MOBA/BR genres... I can't say I'd be awfully interested in that, but as always it'd depend on the implementation. I'd be open to an action or tab target MMO, provided the game had enough depth for me and was fun (and contingent on it handling spellcasters properly); I'd also like something which stuck to the trinity (or trinity plus support), as I've yet to find an MMO which diverges from it, which I enjoy. That's what matters most to me in an RPG - a good story and fun combat mechanics with lots of choice/variety. I'd also like for them to consider, thematically, whether they want high fantasy, sci fi, or what. Personally I'd rather see a good high fantasy MMO, but the sci fi and steampunk fantasy genres have not yet been graced by a solid, successful MMO of this calibre, so they're possible avenues too.

What kind of (new) features do you want?

I think the "differently" part covers this, but I'll echo what Kalise said on PC voices and your job path affecting the MSQ cutscenes more.

What are your expectations? ......?

For it to get the (re)investment, manpower and love and attention a game of its secure profitability stream deserves.