Suggestion [remove Aether Currents as a catch up mechanic]

[SeverianLyonesse]

Just gonna throw my two cents in here but I do agree that aether currents should probably be removed. They weren't/aren't fun, and not every player has the foresight to do them in tandem with MSQ progression. More importantly, unlike other major barriers like MSQ and leveling, they will always be a barrier to new players because they aren't covered by story skips on the mogstation.

[Kes13a]

Just gonna throw my two cents in here but I do agree that aether currents should probably be removed. They weren't/aren't fun, and not every player has the foresight to do them in tandem with MSQ progression. More importantly, unlike other major barriers like MSQ and leveling, they will always be a barrier to new players because they aren't covered by story skips on the mogstation.

perhaps you prefer the system in WoW?

[SeverianLyonesse]

perhaps you prefer the system in WoW?

Seems like a false equivalence. I've never played WoW. But from what little I know about it, yeah they open up flight to everyone after a certain period of time and don't require weird search-and-find questing or limit new player mobility through swathes of content as much as FF (again, I could be wrong, never played it).

Not sure why you would presume I play or prefer WoW, though. Some of us come from having played no MMOs at all and are just trying to make the game more accessible for our other non-MMO playing friends who shouldn't need to wade through nine years of content to play with us.

[Kes13a]

Seems like a false equivalence. I've never played WoW. But from what little I know about it, yeah they open up flight to everyone after a certain period of time and don't require weird search-and-find questing or limit new player mobility through swathes of content as much as FF (again, I could be wrong, never played it).

Not sure why you would presume I play or prefer WoW, though. Some of us come from having played no MMOs at all and are just trying to make the game more accessible for our other non-MMO playing friends who shouldn't need to wade through nine years of content to play with us.

my apologies, I assumed you had some mmo experience, and WoW is a common one for many to have tried

they open up flight to everyone, sure... at max level.. after a huge grind. and thats for everyone... new.. old.. returned... everyone.

I only suggested WoW as well because it is a comparable mmo where you have to do something to gain flight. there however, its a LOT different than here. here is a breeze.


however, I doubt my words will have any effect since you and your friends would just prefer to be max level and not go through 9 years of content to get there. completely understandable in a way I guess.

[SeverianLyonesse]

however, I doubt my words will have any effect since you and your friends would just prefer to be max level and not go through 9 years of content to get there. completely understandable in a way I guess.

Lol. I *did* wade through nine years of content. It was mostly enjoyable--for me. But I also recognize that several of my friends simply do not have the patience to push past as much mandatory content as FF XIV has just to enjoy playing the game with me.

I don't think it is controversial at all to observe that, unlike other MMOs, FF is unusual in how much it requires players to grind through story just to unlock content. And I don't think it's unreasonable that some players don't want to have to play for 200-300 hours just to be able to participate at the current tier.

[Xirean]

Lol. I *did* wade through nine years of content. It was mostly enjoyable--for me. But I also recognize that several of my friends simply do not have the patience to push past as much mandatory content as FF XIV has just to enjoy playing the game with me.

I don't think it is controversial at all to observe that, unlike other MMOs, FF is unusual in how much it requires players to grind through story just to unlock content. And I don't think it's unreasonable that some players don't want to have to play for 200-300 hours just to be able to participate at the current tier.

Then buy a skip? The vast majority of the community doesn't see the story as a grind at all. That's primarily why discussions about removing stuff tends to get met with backlash.

[DPZ2]

Then buy a skip? The vast majority of the community doesn't see the story as a grind at all. That's primarily why discussions about removing stuff tends to get met with backlash.

And the fun part of buying a story skip? You get all of the flight currents through Stormblood without having to do a darn thing!

[Kes13a]

Lol. I *did* wade through nine years of content. It was mostly enjoyable--for me. But I also recognize that several of my friends simply do not have the patience to push past as much mandatory content as FF XIV has just to enjoy playing the game with me.

I don't think it is controversial at all to observe that, unlike other MMOs, FF is unusual in how much it requires players to grind through story just to unlock content. And I don't think it's unreasonable that some players don't want to have to play for 200-300 hours just to be able to participate at the current tier.

the point about aether currents is rather moot then since they can purchase a boost which will come with the currents unlocked.

as for FF being unusual, its unusual in NA... not everywhere.

[TaleraRistain]

I don't think it is controversial at all to observe that, unlike other MMOs, FF is unusual in how much it requires players to grind through story just to unlock content. And I don't think it's unreasonable that some players don't want to have to play for 200-300 hours just to be able to participate at the current tier.

It doesn't require players to grind through story to unlock content at all.

The story is the game. It's the catalyst for everything. Even the optional unlocks are tied into the story and have their own lore related to it. That's why those options aren't available until specific MSQ story points.

What the game does have is some extra unlocks along the journey of the story path. And these happens at regular intervals, so it's not just current tier that's relevant and important. XIV is not like other MMOs and that is one thing that makes many of us love it. The entire package is important, not just a handful of optional pieces of content at the highest level.

So, yes, in terms of how the design of the game is, it IS unreasonable that some players don't want to play the game to get access to some superfluous optional content.