Crafting and Gathering for Everyone: Complete CHANGE to Make it More FUN?

[Bulwarkz]

Dissagree. "Cooking Mama" sold over 1.6 million copies in its addictive gameplay and appeal. Mario Party DS sold over 5.85 million and the series is still going on strong with its 11th release TBA of the series. The same styles of gaming could be implemented in FFXIV.

This outdated view that crafting has to be dull and tedious because its crafting is outdated.

Dissagreess with you too. Well excuse me for agreeing with different ideas and point of views. Your "statistics" on games are so irrelevant and dumbfounding it's baffling. If you got all hung up on me saying crafting is just crafting and interpreted that as me saying it's dull and tedious, way to jump the gun and be wrong. I happen to enjoy it myself and see nothing wrong with some of the suggestions mentioned thus far. I simply meant it's always gonna be a 'side note' / mini-game in a MMO and there's only so many ways it can be done and implemented.

[Kiara]

Hello, Kiara.

I'll take some time to write my thoughts here, as it's a matter dear to me, being my main Classes in Eorzea.

I go against the tide by saying that after 15 months in Eorzea I still enjoy crafting and gathering as they're now.
For crafting, it's not simply “Hitting Enter”, for me (yeah, I know that's the tendency...). I never do “craft grinding” or else I'd probably get bored, too; I take my Local Levequests at the Adventurers' Guild and then go somewhere, varying the place where I craft, be it the clearing outside the Drowning Wench, the Milvaneth Sacrarium or Arrzaneth Ossuary, a cliff with a good view... It depends on the day. For instance, now I'm in the Sil'dih Aqueducts, I did some fishing before and now I feel like crafting those fares.
And I relax in doing it, I think if I've to hit “Wait” or use one of the 4 abilities I've equipped (I use only 4). Now that I'm level 48, it's much easier than in the past, so I don't think or “Wait” so often anymore, but I always enjoyed that part and doing one local leve still takes me a good 10 minutes.

If crafting would change too drastically... Hmm, I don't know... Improvements are always welcome, sure. And your suggestions on Blacksmith, Carpenter and Weaver are Great, but I'd see them well as additional mini-games to vary among the usual mini-game for those who don't like it. So you can choose what to do and how to grow as a crafter. Yes, I think more interaction with the craftsman environment would be a good addition.
So far I only know that Yoshida is planning to make us use special facilities inside beast tribe strongholds to create special equipment. Also, for much future content, I remember he spoke (found the post) of an underground facility in your house, where you could create airships and your own boat (!), something I'm really looking forward to.


While for gathering, I'm always part of the minority that likes the way it is. Unfortunately, I know some adventurers who “do it for the money and not for fun”, and I always advise against doing something you don't like to do in Eorzea, but also I know many who enjoy it (mostly japanese).
Therefore, I wouldn't like drastical changes for gathering, either, but again, improvements and new features are always welcome, like the new mini-games you suggested (I myself thought in the past about mending damaged trees, and there could also be some story behind it, if the setting is the Twelveswood and the trees felled by the Ixal).
For instance, the first thing I'm looking forward to in 2.0 are the new areas *Explorer Inside* , but right after there's the personal housing and I can't wait to take care of my own garden.
Generally, since I like it so much, I'm sure I'd be glad with any kind of new gathering content added.


But again, take this post as only the personal feelings of one of the few adventurers of Eorzea who actually enjoys being a Disciple of the Hand & Land.

Hi Onizuka,

Thanks for your thoughts.

Re: Crafting, don't get me wrong. Of course I realize it's more than just "hitting Enter" to do a good synth. (When I try to HQ, I pick my favorite skills to use like Perfection, etc.) And I also try and set up in a more scenic place at times (if I'm not short on time - the bridge outside the Leatherworker Guild is nice).

But as someone who really liked wanting to develop my Carpenter Class to 50 early on, who didn't remember the horrible, monotonous GRIND of thousands of Masks (Walnut Masks, Yew Halfmasks, etc.)? :shudder:

That's why I proposed some of those ideas in the Original Post:

I'd rather do a more involved, *interesting* Crafting Challenge (that grants MORE EXP PER SYNTH (and it may take longer)), instead of Grinding Thousands of Masks.

If the more involved Mini-Game (that had "Crafting Combos" or more interesting steps in crafting) was equal to about, say, ~5 Synths of a Walnut Mask, I'd take doing ONE of the more involved, engaging New Crafting Mini-Games to get the same amount of EXP as 5 Walnut Mask Synths on Carpenter.

Re: Gathering - I definitely enjoy Botanist and meant that the "Restoration" Mini-Game be *in addition* to the current stuff we have now. Just one more interesting way to get EXP without SE worrying about the issue of Gatherer's Fatigue, or the influx / quantity of Raw Materials being introduced to Market, etc. (when we get more players online for 2.0).

Overall, though, I hope the Crafting Revamp fixes some of the ridiculous Randomness that happens right now (like on a White Orb, 100% Repaired Gear, Food, Support attempt, using Standard, it will result in an Elemental Destabilization, etc.) .

[Kiara]

In addition to all great advices given above, I think crafting/gathering should use ideas from cooking/gardening mama. LOL.

Simple, cheesy, yet it's fun and addicting.

Hi Venice,

I never played Cooking Mama, but I've heard from friends who love that game! I think Culinarian Class could gain some interesting ideas from stuff like Cooking Mama. There are many interesting steps to Cooking in general, I think it'd be great to delve into that, so that you could Fry, Boil, Bake, Sous Vide, Garnish, etc.

[Matsume]

THIS IS WHAT FISHING SHOULD BE LIKE

Sorry if they could make fishing this awesome in a single player game... how many years ago? It can make it into FFXIV.

Awesome...

[Riv]

I like your restoration ideas for the gatherers, particularaly Botanist. The other gathering restorations sound a little flaky though, but i do like the idea.

[Avraym]

Dissagreess with you too. Well excuse me for agreeing with different ideas and point of views. Your "statistics" on games are so irrelevant and dumbfounding it's baffling. If you got all hung up on me saying crafting is just crafting and interpreted that as me saying it's dull and tedious, way to jump the gun and be wrong. I happen to enjoy it myself and see nothing wrong with some of the suggestions mentioned thus far. I simply meant it's always gonna be a 'side note' / mini-game in a MMO and there's only so many ways it can be done and implemented.

Disagree again. Yoshida and Tanaka both had the same vision that crafting was an essential part of the game, and wanted them to be have just as much involvement in FFXIV as Disciples of War / Magic.

Given that vision, Crafting/Gathering is a massive part of FFXIV wether we like it or not.

I'd like to think that statistics are relevant. A game selling that many copies obviously has broad appeal (particularly in japan in this case). So lets take a look at what made those games successful (All Cooking mama is, is minigames of crafting / gathering ) and see if we can't make FFXIV's more fun.

OF course you think the current FFXIV minigames are fun, your highest gathering/craft is level 20.

Wait til you hit 50 on one of them before you voice how they aren't dull and tedious.

[Kiara]

THIS IS WHAT FISHING SHOULD BE LIKE

Sorry if they could make fishing this awesome in a single player game... how many years ago? It can make it into FFXIV.

Hi Roaran,

Nice memories! Yah, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Fishing was really fun.

If they made a Fishing Mini-Game that was more interactive like that, I'd level my Fishing Class to 50. One can hope.

[JustMy2Cents]

The highest level I got was a level 26 weaver by just grinding without a purpose. One day, I said to myself, "what the hell am I doing...?", and that was the end of crafting for me.

Bottom line, I think crafting/gathering needs a major overhaul; I honestly don't think these simple "tweaks" provided by patches will change anything. SE needs to make it more engaging so people don't always look at the experience bar every 30 seconds.

Right now crafting/gathering is just too boring for me... I'd rather go outside and climb a tree...

[darkstarpoet1]

Wait til you hit 50 on one of them before you voice how they aren't dull and tedious.

ok since you want to use levels as a requirement for someone stating they like something. i am 50 in every crafting and gathering class and enjoy them. just because you do not enjoy something does not mean nobody else likes it.

[Avraym]

ok since you want to use levels as a requirement for someone stating they like something. i am 50 in every crafting and gathering class and enjoy them. just because you do not enjoy something does not mean nobody else likes it.

Please, describe in lengthy detail what you enjoy about it.

I'm genuinely curious as to the mindset of someone who thought the current minigame was "enjoyable".