FFXIV: A Classic Experience

[DPZ2]

For a simple example, it could be that the overworld monsters are very strong and therefore, would require players to form parties to level up. That would be a classic experience. Another idea would be that quests only reward gil and some basic gear but no experience points. Crafting would play an important part in providing decent gear and so on...

You are, unfortunately, describing another game entirely, not a return to some 'classic' version of this game. I understand you can still play EverQuest, and I know you can play Final Fantasy XI. These are closer to what you consider a 'classic MMO', primarily because they were designed almost 20 years ago.

When people are waxing nostalgic for the good old days, they actually have some reason behind it. WoW, for example, changed many systems completely between Burning Crusade and Lich King, and again after Cataclysm. The original non-expansion WoW had some charm and entire systems for character personalization that do not exist today.

The only things in FFXIV that changed much are primarily quality-of-life improvements. What got removed that one could be nostalgic about? A number of quests in the ARR storyline, which many will tell you still needs to be shortened further (not that I agree). The world still looks the same, because the major changes occurred off-screen between FFXIV 1.x and FFXIV ARR. The dungeon instances haven't changed. There has been some change in cross-class skills (now called Role skills). This change made sense, in that, for example, if you are a Tank you wanted to get the paladin-specific or warrior-specific abilities anyway.

[Krotoan]

"Classic" apparently in your mind meaning doing things the old and frustrating way which was designed so as to artificially limit your participation and progression to draw out the experience and make you pay for a longer period.


Lots of that out there, not much of it is doing as well as FFXIV.


I don't want content from other MMORPG's. I like the way FFXIV has been working and how it's been developing. Every "throwback" system they've done: Diadem , Eureka, Bozjan has been flash in the pan and done, grindy, and mostly unpopular.

[Kes13a]

memory is never as good as what we think, we tend to gloss over the bad and remember little good things that gave us warm fuzzies.

"Classic" is good for a lark, but as much as people say they "want" it, they really dont. the experience pales quickly when you realize all the little additions and changes to QoL over the years have made the game much better.

it is not, and never will be, worth the resources and development time to create. so my thoughts are.. NO in favour of time and money being spent on the future of the game... not the past

[Solebound]

I wouldn't want a classic server per se, but would find it neat if we can experience the 1.0 story in New game +.
I never had the opportunity to experience that story before and really don't understand the impact it had on 2.0. I would actually like to revisit and see the character development of louisoix and minfillia. If they put in something like that i would appreciate it

[KDSilver]

I would like to get this once. But not for the 1.0.
2.0 - 3.0.
But only because of replaying the old SCH i must admit.

[DPZ2]

I wouldn't want a classic server per se, but would find it neat if we can experience the 1.0 story in New game +.
I never had the opportunity to experience that story before and really don't understand the impact it had on 2.0. I would actually like to revisit and see the character development of louisoix and minfillia. If they put in something like that i would appreciate it

FFXIV 1.0 was a different game entirely, with a different battle system and different mechanics. It would require several years of effort to emulate it using the current gaming system. Simply won't happen.

The easiest way to understand the storyline would be to search through the Youtube archives of 1.0 material. Use the search term "Final Fantasy XIV 1.0". There are a number of videos from Speakers Network (good for descriptions of the world and what used to be in-game), any number of Cutscenes, a story retrospective from Ethys Asher, Trueblade Seeker's FFXIV 1.0 in a Nutshell, and the Noclip multi-video documentary about the game.

[kaynide]

Solid no thanks from me.

If they have extra time in development land to do anything, it would be a huge quality of life update, it some k8nda of quasi concurrent game that also needs balancing and/or updates catered to it.

No offense to op, mind you. Just my opinion.

[Rowde]

yah i'd be completely uninterested in this purely based on the loss of all the QoL adjustments that trickled in across all the expansions...

like y'all seriously want TP back? Remember when sprint consumed all your TP?!

[Lunalepsy]

Final Fantasy XIV is one of the most actively played MMORPG for the past few years and has had a lot of updates to improve its content by which offers a huge amount of stuff to do for many players. I personally love and appreciate this game. Unfortunately, though for me, the concept design of this game has increasingly become less to what I usually enjoy, or I am looking for today, but nonetheless, I do enjoy the game.

For a while now, I have been wondering about whether this game would be more interesting (to me) if it had a classic server, something that offered an old school (vintage) experience. I know some may contend that the idea of a ‘classic’ server would be a tedious and unrewarding experience for the modern gamer. Some might say that the tasks we had a decade ago like quests were too lengthy or repetitive and that simply killing thousands of monsters to level up a character is not satisfying or considerate of the player’s time.


What do the veterans think? Let’s discuss alternatives.

As a collective opinion, what do you think to SE creating a classic experience?
What would you imagine the server to be like?
What levelling methods would you like the server to acquire?
Would you want the levelling process to be fast, slow or like the game is currently?
Would you remove the duty finder in-game?
Would you bring anything back from FFXIV 1.x or 2.0?
Would you want more open world group content?
Which content from other MMORGs would you want to see?

If it's 1.0, then by all means!

[TheMightyMollusk]

The problem with "classic" servers is that they have an end point. Once the initial rush subsides and people have reached that end point, the server dies. Look at WoW Classic (and even moreso TBC Classic).

Also, a lot of the "good ol' days" actually sucked if you take off the rose-tinted glasses. A full rollback doesn't just give you the good parts, it means all the bad parts, too. Do you want dragoons getting killed by animation lock? Having to level multiple classes to unlock a job, then level other jobs you'll never play again to get the cross-class skills you need to do your job? Bow mage?