Why does everyone complain about STORY based MMO's?

[VelKallor]

Really wish they would add more combat encounters to the MSQ, don't enjoy it being a glorified visual novel.

I find the combat sequences fine as is...this isnt another MMO that has you in combat all the damned time...it gets wearing.

[Supersnow845]

I find the combat sequences fine as is...this isnt another MMO that has you in combat all the damned time...it gets wearing.

In exchange this one has so few combat encounters it barely feels like an MMO

[Cilia]

Given my day to day interaction with the game consists of 6-7 Roulettes, 6-8 Crystalline Conflict matches (currently; it may go up when I hit the next tier to meet my goal of getting the Archfiend Attire before the season resets with 6.2), and a once weekly run of Aglaia... the MSQ being relatively combat-light outside of dungeons is perfectly fine in my book.

[Absurdity]

In exchange this one has so few combat encounters it barely feels like an MMO

It felt like a visual novel or a walking simulator.

[ZedxKayn]

In exchange this one has so few combat encounters it barely feels like an MMO

It barely feels like a video game period. The MSQ is more of a visual novel.

[vetch]

I find the combat sequences fine as is...this isnt another MMO that has you in combat all the damned time...it gets wearing.

Listening to NPCs talk all the time is likewise boring, and the scale tips far too far toward that at the moment for my taste.

[Lustre]

I find the combat sequences fine as is...this isnt another MMO that has you in combat all the damned time...it gets wearing.

Sitting in front of a visual novel when I signed up to play an MMO gets wearing

[Cach]

Sitting in front of a visual novel when I signed up to play an MMO gets wearing

EW is particularly egregious with this one.
And the scarce combat scenarios don't help, they last too long, break the pace, enemies are very bullet spongy and there's not a consistent checkpoint system. Also, I'm not fond of controlling anyone that's not my character (Notable exception: THIS IS THANCRED)
I acknowledge that they tried to add variety with the pseudo stealth/stalk missions, but boy did they turn unfun quickly.

On the other end of the spectrum, SWTOR pads the story bits with so much combat and busy work, I groan when I reach certain points of the story (which I mostly enjoy). What I'm saying is that games should strive for balance.

[Striker44]

In exchange this one has so few combat encounters it barely feels like an MMO

That's why there's a literal deluge of side-quests, roulettes, and other content as well. FFXIV has never been about racing through the MSQ to get to "endgame" - the journey itself is intended as the core experience. Mix up the MSQ with other things if you want more combat in the process. There's options for you. But the story approach is a core of what makes FFXIV the game it is. Changing that would alienate far more people.

[aveyond-dreams]

That's why there's a literal deluge of side-quests, roulettes, and other content as well. FFXIV has never been about racing through the MSQ to get to "endgame" - the journey itself is intended as the core experience. Mix up the MSQ with other things if you want more combat in the process. There's options for you. But the story approach is a core of what makes FFXIV the game it is. Changing that would alienate far more people.

Make a better story experience then. Instanced battles in the story already have an easy mode option so I don’t see what’s the big deal about including more of them.