MSQ Difficulty and Exclusion

[Banriikku]

I think OP we don't need more difficulty but more engagement. Hear me out:
The dungeons stopped teaching mechanics and asking the player to do them and even when a mechanic happens it is without consequence or meaning AND worse many times without proper telegraphing that something happened.
Let the trash Mobs teach the boss and its theme. Then in the boss arena get a last brief show of with consequences. Let the bosses be bosses and make mechanics that need movement or a specific behavior a normal thing with easy to see indicators and teach them early on.

Let the player or the whole gropup interact with the boss and the arena. Also STOP MAKING SQUARES/CIRCLES FOR THE BOSS ARENA. Involve the lore make it so we think it is alive and in the world aka part of the world (smoke and mirrors). Nothing what i propose needs a difficult increase.
That would be fun and enganging. In the end its MSQ and should be easy but not void of interaction or consequences.

[Illmaeran]

Oddly enough, that was my third computer, the Apple II+ being the second.

This was my first computer, hand built from a kit, back in my days in the Navy:

My first computer was a Tandy keyboard that we had to hook up to the TV then type in all the code each time we wanted to play something.

[VelKallor]

This might have changed. With Bethesda (a month after this Q & A) and soon Activision Blizzard now owned by Microsoft. It would be sweet if it could get 3 MMOs, but it would be a little weird especially since the Eidos Montreal's founder stated Sony is interest in buying Square Enix to counter the acquisition of Activision Blizzard and Bethesda.

I truly dont know.

The XBOX platform is its own entity ( so to speak ), and it would not surprise me if, maybe not immediately, but some time down the line, we will see updates on this process. Certainly, as you so correctly point out, Microsoft have DO have huge changes coming..this kind of project is always long, not short, term evolution.

One may not be a factor in the other..but thats conjecture and little else.

On the plus side, i can DEFINITELY see Microsoft taking a keen interest in the FF 14 XBOX port, they have a lot to gain and very little to lose long term. Given this game's success over the last few years, from their viewpoint it would absolutely be seen as a profit making venture.

The devil, as always, will be in the details.

We will have to wait and see what they decide to do.

[GeminiReed]

Look at games like Wildstar that tried to be a game for a more hardcore group.

Wildstar died because Carbine was utterly incompetent. They eventually dialed back on some of the pointlessly punishing aspects and did introduce some really fun casual content. Unfortunately that old Blizzard DNA remained. Fixed factions with a population so imbalanced they had to retcon the story and then attempt to gaslight the playerbase that it was always intended that way. Older content was continually invalidated. Gearing was a disaster. Crafting was made irrelevant.

I firmly believe that had they had a bit more adult supervision to keep the egos in check Wildstar would have enjoyed some modest success and still be running today. Sadly NCSoft had no choice but to shutter the studio because Carbine continued to fail. Yes NCSoft made some boneheaded decisions like using Level5 in EU and absorbing WS's customer support but the bulk of the blame lies squarely on Carbine management.

[VelKallor]

That..looks a lot like my first attempt at creating a doorbell using one of those DIY circuit kits for schools ( remember those? ). It worked.

Sort of.

[SannaR]

Don't get too attached to this game, OP, because when you get too old for your ideal target demographic you'll need to uninstall. Don't hold back the generations behind you! Despite, you know, this game relying heavily on nostalgia by rehashing a franchise that began in what, 1987? With a successful spinoff TV series about a father bonding with his son over the game. And a director that's pushing 50. In fact, I'd be willing to bet gil that the majority of the people who actually make FFXIV don't fit your ideal target demographic.

So it might not be they're accommodating at all. It might just be they're making what they find fun as older players themselves. Time to hand out those pink slips!

While the mental image of Yoshida doing the "How do you do, fellow kids?" scene gave me a chuckle, why are there always younger fans of older series who are like this. smh.

If you really need some spice in your MSQ, maybe unequip some gear or even your job stone for that real FromSoftware experience? I still fondly remember running into Girtab as a sprout in the Shroud, wearing nothing but starter gear.

I mean one of the founders of Square and developer of the 1st game in the series is playing the game and enjoying it. Age alone would disqualify him if we went with the age demographic.

[Illmaeran]

That..looks a lot like my first attempt at creating a doorbell using one of those DIY circuit kits for schools ( remember those? ). It worked.

Sort of.

As in someone hit the button, got a shock, and screamed so you knew they were there?

[Eraden]

ah yes my own emotions are a fabrication.

Your hurt emotions are a self inflicted wound because you continue to insist that I am referring to ALL people with disabilities. I will repeat one last time, SOME people who are aged and/or disabled will find the MSQs to be too difficult to complete if they are made harder. I am glad you are not having any such difficulties with the game but I am NOT REFERRING TO YOU. Your abilities are clearly not impaired enough to make MSQs difficult for you if you are able to clear Savage Tier content. I am talking about those people like myself who ARE having difficulties due to their conditions. People who are disabled are not a monobloc. Some are more capable than others. This is just another attempt by you to point the focus away from the fact that making the MSQs more difficult WILL end up excluding some people from being able to play the game.

[Puksi]

The Final Fantasy franchise is older than the demographic this OP wants Square to cater to exclusively, lmao.

I'm not against difficulty options in the MSQ, but there are ~other games~ for tryhard flexing, if Savage Ultimate Unreal Good King Moggle Mog isn't adequate.

[AmiableApkallu]

The question I ask is, who determines the skill cap for the MSQ?

Let's get down to the nitty gritty. FFXIV's MSQ does already have a difficulty curve. You cannot say Sastasha is the same difficulty as The Keeper of the Lake, to give an extreme example. You can start comparing to other endgame dungeons, Baelsar's Wall, Ghimlyt Dark, Pagalth'an, The Dead Ends or any other dungeon you want really. While there might be some anomalies, the general trend is that the difficulty rises, it might not be by much, but it does.

…

As with everything, there is a balancing act that needs to be achieved and you are not going to balance it to everyone's tastes. The difficulty curve needs to keep rising, even if it is a very shallow incline but at some point, you are going to leave someone behind.

I might argue that "difficulty" and "skill cap" are two separate things.

The difficulty of the MSQ has gone up in as much that you have to pay increasing attention to the environment and not just wait for an orange puddle to show up on the ground.

The skill cap for the MSQ, however, has remained more or less constant. If your reaction times and ability to push buttons got you through ARR, they'll get you through to the end of EW; the pace of combat hasn't really changed.