It Would be Nice If Duty Mechanics are Explained by In-Game Tool-tips

[Morningstar1337]

Though it does make me wonder why there was never any stackable damage down debuffs?

[Gothicshark]

I started playing FFXIV a while ago and I have played for a few months now, but I haven't got to end game yet because the contents just get more and more frustrating to do and it feels really discouraging. What I feel really frustrated about is how dungeons and trials get more difficult but they never explain what you are supposed to do.

Let's be real no MMO gives you what you are asking, not really. WOW has a simple explanation in the UI but those are hardly helpful. The best way to learn a fight in any MMO is to find the Youtube guide. See: https://youtu.be/smVixrNXdVo

Honestly, for FFXIV her guides are perfect, however even with a perfect guide experience is still the best way to win.

[Dawn_FF14]

I think it would be a really good improvement for new players if the duties tell you what you are supposed to do. Like the example I just give, if I move my mouse over the debuff, instead of saying something useless like "the power of A color shines on you", it could say "the power of A color shines on you, it will kill you in N seconds, absorb the power of B color to dispel this debuff". This would be very nice and clear!

I understand where the OP comes from. Being used to the details provided by tool tips, dungeon journals, and combat logs in WoW, I feel the FF14 tool tips are vague in general. This is the reason that I checked out the guide on Google or Youtube before I queue for a new dungeon in Duty Finder. When I run something solo, like with squadron or Trust, I'd go in blind and learn from my death. The contents are months or years old. It is not practical to learn as you progress, when others are just running their daily roulettes for the chore. If I die, the next time to try it would be queuing for the same dungeon again, assuming I can find out why I died.

[Arngrim_Greyashe]

People seem to think that talking to their party and asking them what went wrong is taboo or something. I don't want the game to start holding people's hands. It's really not that difficult to see a mechanic a few times and figure it out, in normal content. If you're having difficulty, ask your party members. They're a resource for you right there in the moment. If it's new content, everyone is in the same boat of not knowing so there's trial and error. It seems like this player base is just asking for handouts more and more instead of actually willing to work for the rewards or willing to plan ahead with a party.

I can guarantee you that if, at the beginning of a dungeon, you tell the group you're new and ask for pointers that they'll offer it.

TLDR: No need to change anything. Just try to learn mechanics and utilize the party that's there with you. There's a well of knowledge there to utilize if you're having difficulty.

[Genz]

Vuln Ups are also better than instant deaths,

Vuln up and instant KO share the stupid trait of making "healing" irrelevant, and are the source of the problems regarding healer jobs.

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Duty mechanics explained IG may seem to be the next logical step for what's the game is currently doing, but it's still sold as a "RPG", and the suggestion, if implemented, would cement FFXIV as a glorified "Simon's says".

As an aside, Selenomancy is indeed a blatant design error (as often with instant KO). It would be already a little more intuitive if it was an increasing DoT for example.

[MsMisato]

Honestly, raiding, trails, and even dungeon bosses are really the only place you die at for the most part if you start messing up mechanics and think this is true for most other MMOs. Kind of hope it stays that way but that is me and with that being said

It's always good to try to run trails and such in DF or in PF (don't unsync them because you're not going to learn anything running unsynced). Reason being alot of mechanics from previous dungeons and raids like to show up in some form or another that is why it's bad to be carried through. Also, don't be afraid to speak up and ask for what to watch out for. Find an FC that has no qualms in running older content as well there are lot of them out there. Join up with learning parties in PF.

If you are not wanting a video guide maybe a text base guide to give you a quick rundown on things. Usually, the text guides just give a detail on the mechanic and the casting name so you can make a mental note, sticky note, and what not. Personally, if you are still in stormblood and below content, I like this one personally https://www.ffxivpocketguide.com/. Its far from complete but it quick and easy reference on the older content in what to look out for.

[Awha]

Personally I wish the game had more instant death mechanics that did not overly show that they would kill instantly.

Debuffs are cool, and I like a mix of both but the focus on debuffs just means with gear it becomes even more of a snooze fest. At the very least with instant death mechanics it is more Zzzzz instead of Zzzzzzzzz.

[Quintessa]

Oh wow.

When a mob is about to do a paralyze move or whatever, there is a big reddish(purple?) EYE BALL that flashes on the screen, but I still see people not turning around.

Come to think of it, it doesn't really tell you what to do, just that something bad is gonna happen REAL SOON.

[Gothicshark]

I can guarantee you that if, at the beginning of a dungeon, you tell the group you're new and ask for pointers that they'll offer it.

This should be reiterated a bunch. The death of WOW was the lack of social interaction, FFXIV has a very open and social community, feel free to talk, and ask questions. You'll get hugs and help more than "Shut up Newb" like in WOW. Honestly, be glad that they haven't dumbed the game down, it helps keep the community cohesion.

[Yue_Amariyo]

I understand if it's max level end-game content like big raids and big bosses where you need to plan and work with your team to clear stuff, but the lack of help on filler contents really makes progression just plain irritating. Why should I even bother trying in these contents if I would just be dead most of the time anyway because the game doesn't tell you what you are supposed to do?

Learn from each death.

This is what my fc mate told me when i started playing: keep calm and do your best. If a wipe happens, it happen just get up and try again. Learn from your mistakes.

At some point a game needs to take off the training wheels and you need to figure things out, research and/or ask questions. From my experience this has been the most forgiving mmo i have played, the penalty for a wipe is just time. You loose no exp, gil, loot, levels. Ive been gaming a long time, and games i was playing since i was little did not hold your hand at all. You got a sword and told to explore, kill enemies, and save the princess.

Part of playing a video game, more so a rpg/mmorpg, is figuring things out on your own. The game is not going to present you with an I win button, nor should it as that will get very boring.

If the game told me everything i needed to know, and all I had to do was play simon says, id be very bored. Ill say this... if you took that attitude to a DnD game, they would not want you at the table. Mmorpgs did stem off the DnD framework.