They are catering ultimates to casuals like they did with Elden Ring.

[Faafetai]

Well, the jokes on them, because I've been playing souls games since kingsfield, the ancient city, and they've never been "hardcore games". I'm casual as hell in them, make all kinds of mistakes, can't dodge worth crap, and I've completed every souls game.

Hell, ultimates aren't really that hard (I only have experience it's Weapons Refrain: Ultima, I refuse to use the stupid moniker they came up with that ignores naming conventions), and while my group walled on titan, I never found the mechanics overwhelming or difficult, dps checks weren't even that bad.

That is always the misconception with poor souls games. It is what happens when other games use souls like and attempts to copy the formula but fall flat because they miss the mark on what actually makes the souls games fun. It's the learning your opponent, trying different builds. You can go in with max poise and bully around Artorias or you can fight him for hours just using fireballs to get his movement pattern down. The possible careful planning of how to go through an area, seeing what the vast lonely world has in store for your character, and what horror you may be fighting next. It is amazing, but not in the least as hard core as many people think it is usually many who have never touched the game. Either that or I am not giving myself enough credit, but dark souls is just so gosh darn fun. Sure I take time learning the patterns but do not feel like beating any of from soft games is some crazy skill level no one could ever achieve.

In short I completely agree with you unless somehow we are all gods and do not know it comparing the two (which seriously it always happens on these forums because people see dark souls as some crazy hardcore game for masochists) is always just silly to me. You could make dark souls games more challenging depending on the build you choose. I guess for more people playing anything on other than super easy beginner mode and not having the option to increase or decrease difficulty at face value in dark souls games is what is tripping people up. So they just assume because there is no starter difficulty option it is insanely hard. That and the stigma it has for being tough. Anything is when you first boot it up. You have to learn a new game. It could feel overwhelming in any game learning new systems and mechanics, but when you figure it out it is satisfying....well for some people at least.

[Ravor]

The dev do care enough for hardcore player by making ultimate once in a while and focus on making more varied content for more different type of player which is good since most player probably only watch the ultimate and waiting for the cool cinematic, then some of them complain the ultimate too easy or too hard, while most of them busy doing other casual and varied content

[IdowhatIwant]

erm... simply no? i means how many people really complet the ultimate? personally i don't do them... not because they are hard, simply because i don't have the will nor the group to do it. i did my share of hardcore content a few years ago... i simply want fun.... plus honestly i hate with passion the skin of the ultimate weapon.
i know not everyone will be ok with this viewpoint, but for me super bright weapon don't make cool weapon... same with weapon with sun attached to it... but i digress.

ultimate is not what define FF14 is one of the content and some people enjoy it, some don't even know it exist or care for them. some will prefer rp, other will prefer craft, fish, collect every mount, minion and such. saying it's a slap in the face of all FF14 is simply... funny and silly.

ps: and the true endgame.... is....glamour!!! i invite you to ask to people if they don't feel that the skin of them character is more important than most of the content of the game. people can spend ages for get access to some equipement for make the skin they want. and personally that was the biggest reason to not partake in ultimate.

You don't really have to do ultimate to see that it is a slap in the face towards that 1% that do enjoy that small slice of pie they get once or twice every 2 years. And this patch 6.11, was just ultimate, job changes, and pvp changes. So why are you even bringing in content that is not related to this patch? So it absolutely was a slap in the face, and some one ought to slap you in the face for bringing up things that have nothing to do with this patch. Also learn to read, they said it is a slap in the face in all of ffxiv not of all of ffxiv thats two different meanings.

[Colt47]

Are you guys actually doing this new ultimate or just waiting for someone to give you a guide or pov?

Naw I'm not a day one guy. Too much garbage cleanup with having to lead a static where everything possible went wrong. At least I'm personally almost done with the tier. Just have to clear p4s.

[MiaShino]

You have to learn a new game. It could feel overwhelming in any game learning new systems and mechanics, but when you figure it out it is satisfying....well for some people at least.

Neat thing about Dark Souls is that it is engaging from start to finish. You are introduced to all of the systems from the moment you load in then given entire rest of the game to master those systems. Nothing is gated beyond the weapon, perhaps spells, or heck even fashion souls items of desire.

The core gameplay loop though remains fairly static and the reward for mastering those early systems is easier progression.

So many on these here forums equate engaging with difficult when there is actually difference then reeee about Dark Souls and other "challenging" games. There is never moment where Fromsoft games become mind-numbingly easy. You can be slaughtered by torch hollows in first Dark Souls even at soul level 80+. Most intriguing that game with dodge role - heavy attack - light attack - parry - block manages to feel more complex then another game with twenty five different buttons per class.

Weapons can have unique move sets or weapon arts allowing for additional build flexibility too. You can still beat these games with a basic straight sword though.

Remove the engaging fights.
Remove the engaging job rotations.
Remove class expression.
Be left with mediocre visual novel with monthly subscription.

[Jin-]

I never liked how many checkpoints there are in the content

[Iscah]

Not knowing anything about any of this, is it possible that adding a checkpoint after the early phase means they can stretch the post-checkpoint parts further and harder, making it more "equal to other ultimates but with an extra pre-checkpoint phase tacked on the beginning"?

[Iscah]

Checkpoints imo are the lazy version of making an interesting dungeon. Instead of having us kill these two and then walk somewhere it's: Kill these two and we'll place you in the next room.

If people feel that the check point represents something else though then yeah I can see why you might be slightly worried.

You're describing a warp point, not a checkpoint.

[Oizen]

Wait...content that barely anyone will ever play being adjusted to be less tedious will kill the game.

o boy.

[YukikoKurosawa]

It's another "more time-consuming = more challenging" fallacy argument.