Please grow the MMO part of the game. End game is lousy.

[Lauront]

With as many people as we have here on the forums alone complaining about other peoples' performance in dungeons/raids and asking for an update to the Trust system it doesn't surprise me that it's happening. Improving players' ability to get through the MSQ on their own via Trusts will only benefit the community.

I do wonder if this is the real motive here, to funnel off players who want what is in essence more of a visual novel where they're impervious to even the slightest negative comment (while the game waxes eloquent - but not very consistently - about the virtues of "suffering", when "bad" words are enough to dissolve some elements of this community), but I have my doubts that this is suddenly going to mean that the normal content is less simplified. Like Skiros said, business judgement is not infallible, particularly in SE's case, and XIV, in spite of its overall profitability, has had its share of blunders. So I'll wait to see with interest how they are going to pull this off, trying to please all and sundry, and how it will affect the game. Guess perfecting this as a 2nd gen MMO (as he put it) means removing any references to it being online...

I am holding out hope that these Criteon dungeon will be some sort of repeatable content that don't require you to form a big party. The end game feels pretty bad, especially when you've been struggling to find a raid static. I thought I would get into raiding Savages this expansion but nope, only group I raided with had their tank friend return so I got benched.

He had said they were giving thought to how to implement challenging forms of dungeon content, so it seems like this might be the answer to that, but as always, the devil will be in the details.

[Theodric]

I can't help but look at the impressive heights that WoW achieved during Wrath of the Lich King which is widely considered to be the game's golden era. Blizzard's attempts to chase a different set of demographics to those that brought such success failed and the game consistently began bleeding players over time as a consequence.

[Atelier-Bagur]

Just giving my 2 cents, I dont think allowing Trusts in all dungeons is going to negatively impact the group play of this game has at all. Big example is that at the end of the day I still prefer running group content with real players because you get it done much faster and efficient than with the AI even if I queue as a dps. Group content is still the more appealing option imo, this is just giving an extra choice for those who prefer playing solo and its never a bad thing to include more options for others.

I wont necessarily be using this new system often but Im still interested to see how they implement trusts and see whom among the npc will be picked for you to run them with. I hope we get to include our Adventure Squadron mates into it since I do love them too.

[LittleImp]

Aside from the Marvel Avengers debacle (in 2020), I haven't ready anything in particular about 'extremely bad games', or major losses. The HD Games division almost tripled net sales from FY2020 to FY2021 (due to that 'extremely bad' FFVII Remake?) and was still double FY2020 in FY2022 net sales. They must be doing somewhat ok.

It's a joke because it isn't entirely serious and exaggerates the situation. No one said Square Enix was a failing business, just that they were capable of making poor choices. I also never called FF7R 'extremely bad', it's another obvious cash-cow for SE.

Balan Wonderworld was so bad that Yuji Naka "left" Square Enix and might retire from game design entirely. Apparently it didn't even manage to sell 3000 physical copies on its release week in japan.

Marvel's Avengers needs no explanation.

Left Alive sold so few copies in its debut week that it's price was slashed to 60% within a week because they massively overstocked physical copies of the game.

The Quiet Man has a 28% on metacritic.

[Raoabolic]

I wont necessarily be using this new system often but Im still interested to see how they implement trusts and see whom among the npc will be picked for you to run them with. I hope we get to include our Adventure Squadron mates into it since I do love them too.

My dream scenario would be allowing your squad to mix with the trusts to attempt synced older content. No one wants to do that normally and it would allow those that want to practice a way at odd hours when people don't usually play. I know that's a bit of a stretch considering how you would have to create unique AI dependent on each fight but it's a nice thought.

[Tyjacon]

I can't help but look at the impressive heights that WoW achieved during Wrath of the Lich King which is widely considered to be the game's golden era. Blizzard's attempts to chase a different set of demographics to those that brought such success failed and the game consistently began bleeding players over time as a consequence.

I can't help but look at the difference between the games developers and game philosophy and wonder if in fact that is the reason.

[Atelier-Bagur]

My dream scenario would be allowing your squad to mix with the trusts to attempt synced older content. No one wants to do that normally and it would allow those that want to practice a way at odd hours when people don't usually play. I know that's a bit of a stretch considering how you would have to create unique AI dependent on each fight but it's a nice thought.

Indeed! I also will add to that wishlist to perhaps maaaaybe finally give our Retainers a more volatile use with their whole "you can give them any job you have" so that we can take them as open-world companions like with our chocobos as well as having them be another source for Trust npcs in dungeon and trial content?

[Poporito_Popoto]

This game will crash and burn like WoW after another few expansions, if it even lasts that long. They need to correct course soon!

But whose forums would you troll then?

[Illmaeran]

I do wonder if this is the real motive here, to funnel off players who want what is in essence more of a visual novel...

It's hard to make a full assessment based only on what was said in the LL. My take is that given the trend for people to play MMOs as an increasingly "Alone Among Many" experience rather than the early generation experience of needing to have people to progress, I wouldn't be surprised that they've decided beefing up the Trust system is a sort of future-proofing. When it comes to social interaction in general content, I hardly experience any; even when I'm in an all EN party. The only time I get any real interaction with non FC members is in RP or general "hang out" locations while waiting for queues and such. This has created a situation where, at least for me, DF groups are essentially glorified Trusts that get things done faster and earn more tomestones.

Making all MSQ duty content either solo/quest duties or doable 100% via Trusts is a good thing in my book. Leaving everything else to DF/PF isn't a bad thing, but if they make all dungeons etc available with an option to be Trusts with an Adventurer's Guild squad, I'd be down with that.

[Momo_Kozuki]

Just giving my 2 cents, I dont think allowing Trusts in all dungeons is going to negatively impact the group play of this game has at all. Big example is that at the end of the day I still prefer running group content with real players because you get it done much faster and efficient than with the AI even if I queue as a dps. Group content is still the more appealing option imo, this is just giving an extra choice for those who prefer playing solo and its never a bad thing to include more options for others.

I wont necessarily be using this new system often but Im still interested to see how they implement trusts and see whom among the npc will be picked for you to run them with. I hope we get to include our Adventure Squadron mates into it since I do love them too.

Agree with this. I feel people are making a mountain out of a molehill. Trust is not something will replace real players, cuz:
-In terms of efficiency, they are slow (25-30 minutes Trust vs 15 minutes player runs) and offer less rewards (not matter in ARR contents though).

-Trust cannot be used in Roulettes, which are people's common random-grouping method.

-If players want to grind rewards in low-level dungeon, they just unsynced and faceroll everything.


If anything, Trust actually helps improve players' experience

-Trust helps DPS solve the problem with queue by being an instant get-go, avoiding breaking the story's flow cuz long queue. But like I said, Trust is slow, so perhaps the time you queue and complete as a player-made group is as fast as you finish it as Trust. Trust possibly helps with healer/tanker queue too, in case of new tank/heal release.
-Trust teaches players' mech. Perhaps ARR mech is not matter much save for some optional dungeons, but you will want players who knows mech in HW and above. I learn all ShB/EW dungeon mech through trust, not just by standing where NPCs are, but also relate where they stand with the visual cues to understand what happens.