Anyone else just feeling really disapointed this expansion?*vent*

[xenahawk]

Honestly overall i thoroughly enjoyed 6.0 story to the point of i played it as much as i could but different can understand how people have different tastes or expectations in the story. I have been slowly going through 6.1/6.2 msq. For me the pace difference of how im playing is only because endwalker was the conclusion so i wanted to finish the story post patches is progressing to the new story so i dont feel so compelled. As someone who has played mmo's for almost 2 decade, god i feel old now, there is nothing wrong with taking breaks.

[VelKallor]

Game licenses that are Windows, macOS and PlayStation specific (need to buy multiple Game subscription ) - same for other games and companies. WOW makes you buy a new license if you move nations.

Retainer service - is perfect as it is and IMO is a brilliant system.

Mobile app subscription - not all apps are free.

Mobile app currency - never used it. Never needed it. Optional.

Optional item store with more items, both raw number and categories, than other paid or free MMOs - none of it is "needed", all cosmetic, none game effective.

Paid in-game weddings - again optional.

Character services such as home world transfer - is the same as other games.

[magitekLuna]

You can't have everything given at the start of the "post expansion period". The entire point is to keep people playing with new/fresh things to do over the year+ between expansions.

Palace of the Dead was released in 3.35
Heaven-on-High was released in 4.35

Why are you surprised the 6.x deep dungeon would be anything but 6.35?

Well clearly,at what point I say give it all ?
But things make Sense at some point or don't. Things like the island you can give when ever as no one cares for it for real,you can make me believe any one that say they do are not just trolls.
As for important time based progressions like relic it's stupid to give it's first step this late.nsame for the new content like the new dungeon. Then over the expression life do the normal patch bs. Msq/dungeons/raids.

[Deveryn]

Final Fantasy XIV has to be one of the most monetised MMOs on the market though and I'm sick of people giving it a free pass, especially when the monetisation of other MMOs is mentioned. Let's break it down:

• Game licenses that are Windows, macOS and PlayStation specific (need to buy multiple
• Game subscription
• Retainer service
• Mobile app subscription
• Mobile app currency
• Optional item store with more items, both raw number and categories, than other paid or free MMOs
• Paid in-game weddings
• Character services such as home world transfer

Some of these monetisations are present in other games but FFXIV is the only paid MMO, at least that I'm aware of, that has a large player base and this excessive level of monetisation. The saving grace, if you can call it that, is not being able to buy optional cash store items directly from the game client... even if they do spam the launcher and social media feeds every time they add something.


Sure, I don't want a Genshin Impact in which a good game is grindy if you don't spend money but at the same time, I don't think XIV's level of monetisation is any better either.

FFXIV gets a free pass because everything on that list beyond the game and subscription is an optional luxury.

I've been playing with no extra retainers for most of the 3 years I've been on. I had about a month or two, where I was a little disorganized in getting crafting caught up. If they gave all that away for free, they'd lose money and we'd probably be losing servers from the broken game content that would be churned out because they can't afford to keep up the pace. It's also foolish not to cash in on people's desires for the nicer things. This is still a business, after all. People have their opinions about content and story direction, but the service has been stable and its expanding thanks to that monetization.

[Deveryn]

Except it's not. Quality in FFXIV has diminished severely over the 10 years I've been playing, and others have observed this as well. FFXIV also has never offered me all that much outside of the MSQ and some fun harder fights, vs something like ESO which offers me an endless amount of things to do in an active overworld full of places to explore.

I am truly happy you are still enjoying FFXIV, and please continue to do so! But realize some of us have been here for 10 years, and do not agree that this game is "the best we'll see for a while". I'd ask that people respect those who hold criticisms for the game, as much as some of us who are dissatisfied still respect those who do enjoy the game despite its glaring issues - so long as they aren't attempting to stifle genuine and valid critique or discussion of where the game can improve.

That said, I've already given up on trying to seek improvements in this game, and simply took my leave. Honestly, I feel I'm happier for it - if incredibly disappointed. But I still think people who are continuing to play but are dissatisfied with the game, have the right to voice their criticisms and hopes for improvement - without people constantly attempting to belittle their experiences or telling them to go play other games if they don't like it. That helps no one, least of all the very game you yourself are enjoying.

I've done some of these MMOs for longer stretches, so I know where you're coming from. It's a lot of change to go through over the years. If people haven't done so, a break would definitely be in order by this point. None of these games will ever be quite the same as when they started. If they are, they're as good as dead.

[Johners]

FFXIV gets a free pass because everything on that list beyond the game and subscription is an optional luxury.

I've been playing with no extra retainers for most of the 3 years I've been on. I had about a month or two, where I was a little disorganized in getting crafting caught up. If they gave all that away for free, they'd lose money and we'd probably be losing servers from the broken game content that would be churned out because they can't afford to keep up the pace. It's also foolish not to cash in on people's desires for the nicer things. This is still a business, after all. People have their opinions about content and story direction, but the service has been stable and its expanding thanks to that monetization.

All monetisation in a game needs to have value. In something like Genshin Impact, free-to-play users have to spend more time playing the game in order to progress than those who pay.


In the case of something like WoW or XIV, the monetisation still has value in it's micro-transactions. If you look at the mount models, for example, paid mounts often have some of the best models. Likewise in XIV, a number of paid mounts are from old seasonal events that instead of bringing back and providing more content to play on your subscription, they just make you buy it instead.


Then you get to things like the retainer service or level boosts. They might be optional but there still needs to be valueable. Levelling additional jobs in this game is mega boring and even with the XP increase, too slow... but fear not because you can boost a job to level 80. The retainer service also provides you with additional inventory and marketboard slots which you could argue is a form of pay-to-win as the in-game economy is somewhat important.


The illusion that it's fair and entirely optional will crumble instantly if they ever add the store to the game client... which could happen if some Square Enix executive decides they want more money.

[Ameela]

Optional item store with more items, both raw number and categories, than other paid or free MMOs - none of it is "needed", all cosmetic, none game effective.

This has always been a poor defense to me.
Think about it, what are you playing the game for? What is the constant carrot on the stick reward that the devs put in front of you so you'll do all the content? It's cosmetics. Whether they be mounts, hairstyles or proper glamour, that's always the constant incentive across all types of content in the game, from crafting related stuff like the Ishgard Restoration to hardcore combat challenges like Savage and Ultimate. There's always a cosmetic waiting for you at the end.
So, in this way, I'd argue that locking certain cosmetics behind a paywall IS predatory, since, whether we want to admit it or not, it's literally what the focus of the game is at the end of the day.
Glamour is endgame after all.

[Liam_Harper]

FFXIV gets a free pass because everything on that list beyond the game and subscription is an optional luxury.

Everything in any game is an "optional luxury".

Doesn't matter if it's vanity glamour and minions, or endgame gear and player power, it's virtual and you don't need any of it. To some players glamor and collecting is far more important to them anyway and they couldn't care less about gear.

If pay-to-win mobile games are considered being too heavy on monetization, then FF14 isn't an exception. Whether you're fine with it or not, they definitely monetize this game quite heavily.

[angienessyo]

Barbariccia is probably one of my favorite EX trials they've ever done, so I disagree on that part haha Aside from Endsinger, I've actually preferred this expac's EX trials over Shadowbringers'. The only EX trials I felt were great in Shb were Hades+SoS, with the rest being alright to bland. (hated the entire weapon series) Though my perspective might be different as I'm a crazy person that runs every new EX trial 99 times for my mount, so I prefer trials that keep me awake and on my toes.

I'm personally hoping that the new savage dungeons do more to keep people playing during content lulls. My group is done with savage reclears in 1-2 days so I don't have much reason to login besides check in on my island. I'm actually a little sad we aren't getting a Eureka/Bozja this time so I don't have any sort of grind to work on atm. Hoping the new deep dungeon comes soon so I'll have something else to do on top of the savage dungeons. I don't think the game should have anything to force people to login, but it'd be nice to have something new to spend a lot of time on until my group does another ultimate.

[Deveryn]

All monetisation in a game needs to have value. In something like Genshin Impact, free-to-play users have to spend more time playing the game in order to progress than those who pay.


In the case of something like WoW or XIV, the monetisation still has value in it's micro-transactions. If you look at the mount models, for example, paid mounts often have some of the best models. Likewise in XIV, a number of paid mounts are from old seasonal events that instead of bringing back and providing more content to play on your subscription, they just make you buy it instead.


Then you get to things like the retainer service or level boosts. They might be optional but there still needs to be valueable. Levelling additional jobs in this game is mega boring and even with the XP increase, too slow... but fear not because you can boost a job to level 80. The retainer service also provides you with additional inventory and marketboard slots which you could argue is a form of pay-to-win as the in-game economy is somewhat important.


The illusion that it's fair and entirely optional will crumble instantly if they ever add the store to the game client... which could happen if some Square Enix executive decides they want more money.

I don't see a store showing up in game. Even if they did that, it would just redirect to the real thing because they're not about to handle payment info directly through the game. Adding the store would require all the security and such that's already loaded on the site.

This has always been a poor defense to me.
Think about it, what are you playing the game for? What is the constant carrot on the stick reward that the devs put in front of you so you'll do all the content? It's cosmetics. Whether they be mounts, hairstyles or proper glamour, that's always the constant incentive across all types of content in the game, from crafting related stuff like the Ishgard Restoration to hardcore combat challenges like Savage and Ultimate. There's always a cosmetic waiting for you at the end.
So, in this way, I'd argue that locking certain cosmetics behind a paywall IS predatory, since, whether we want to admit it or not, it's literally what the focus of the game is at the end of the day.
Glamour is endgame after all.

You wanna talk predatory? Let's talk about the mobile games that start off free, but they run limited time events and offer all kinds of boosts and special sales for currency and special items to use in-game. Some MMOs are like that as well, FFXIV is not. It's 100% playable with full features for the price of sub and expacs only. This is just good business.