Brian from Work 2 Game is leaving FFXIV

[Deveryn]

I am sad to see him go. What I think XIV lacks is exploration content. Island Sanctuary actually felt a bit refreshing when I first discovered the island. I wish XIVs world would open up and allow explorers to explore. Everything feels so on rails and "on demand" that it takes some flavor out of the game. Its like a mcdonalds, convenient, but hardly noteworthy.

I can essentially play this game from my inn and never come out basically once ive done all the unlocks (doesn't take too long). Maybe a few teleports here and there, but definitely no need to actually travel.

Meanwhile I have more and more mounts piling up in my list for no reason really.

I'm glad travel is optional, though it's something I find myself doing now and again because the zones are actually worth exploring and wandering through. MMO Travel used to be time consuming and as the audience has come to include more people the older side, there are many that just don't want to be forced to waste time travelling. The same goes for socializing. Being able to "play from the inn" is also a wonderful thing. Look at how much noise is in those cities from all the mindless bs and advertisements. I know I'm not alone in appreciating the quiet time. I told some folks about my FC where no one talks and it didn't sound strange to them, actually quite welcoming.

[Ath192]

I'm glad travel is optional, though it's something I find myself doing now and again because the zones are actually worth exploring and wandering through. MMO Travel used to be time consuming and as the audience has come to include more people the older side, there are many that just don't want to be forced to waste time travelling. The same goes for socializing. Being able to "play from the inn" is also a wonderful thing. Look at how much noise is in those cities from all the mindless bs and advertisements. I know I'm not alone in appreciating the quiet time. I told some folks about my FC where no one talks and it didn't sound strange to them, actually quite welcoming.

Why dont you just play a solo game though? Like the purpose of MMOs is to be with other people playing the game at the same time. All I'm reading is you're thankful you dont have to talk or do anything that takes any patience or effort. I'm not dimissing you, its a genuine question, feel free to play this game, but MMO - Massive Multiplayer Online is a genre where players would presumably play to socialize, and cooperate in. The hubbub of the cities with spams and chatter is... exactly what you would expect in a fantasy world, especially one set loosely around the imperial age with some futurism.

Nothing about logging on, telporting everywhere, queuing into everything I need to from my inn, and logging out, pretending anyone else is an NPC sounds fun or appealing. And in your case, even logging in to a dead FC.

Forgive me but it just doesnt sound like you want to play in an open world about "adventuring" (Ironically) where you play with others, so these are things solo games excel at.

All these conveniences come with a trade off, and IMO its not good, all it teaches people is to expect instant gratification and get super toxic the moment someone messes up. The game still has enough to keep me playing but they've truly taken the adventuring feel out of it and buried it 10 miles deep. I really wish people didn't keep pushing it into even more convenience and solitude.

[Ralphe2449]

Why dont you just play a solo game though? Like the purpose of MMOs is to be with other people playing the game at the same time.

Where in that description does it say "you should be forced to socialize and organize with other people you dont like"?

Having other people in the world is important, it gives a sense of real world, it adds competition both in pve and even the economy of the came which is fun and exciting, pvp also requires all those people as well.

Yet nowhere does it require "socialize and group up with those people manually" to enjoy content.

That is why so many hardcore games like new world failed, they though people would love socialization because a bunch of loud hardcores keep screaming "I miss my old social mmos " and some are now devs and decide to force their design on everyone, then they wonder why casuals dont bother with their games and choose to leave rather than socialize just do content.

New world had a number of leveling dungeons, the vast majority didnt touch those because there was no auto group finder like FF14.

FF14 even has more high end raid participation due to its accessibility, when people are allowed to do easy versions of high end content without the need for socialization they are far more likely to try out harder content in the future compared to a game that tells you "to do this content you need to socialize, otherwise you cant do it" which is the point me and many casuals just outright leave


MMO does not mean socialization, it means people running around the world.

[BaconBits]

Where in that description does it say "you should be forced to socialize and organize with other people you dont like"?

Having other people in the world is important, it gives a sense of real world, it adds competition both in pve and even the economy of the came which is fun and exciting, pvp also requires all those people as well.

Yet nowhere does it require "socialize and group up with those people manually" to enjoy content.

That is why so many hardcore games like new world failed, they though people would love socialization because a bunch of loud hardcores keep screaming "I miss my old social mmos " and some are now devs and decide to force their design on everyone, then they wonder why casuals dont bother with their games and choose to leave rather than socialize just do content.

New world had a number of leveling dungeons, the vast majority didnt touch those because there was no auto group finder like FF14


MMO does not mean socialization, it means people running around the world.

My brother in Christ I'm beginning to think you have a kink for elitists. Nearly every post you make is to take some potshots at the elitist boogieman and I gotta say, it's pretty weird fam.

Genuinely can't be healthy to have this much of a hate-boner for so long.

[Ralphe2449]

No where, do you like... not like anyone? or Have you already come to the conclusion you won't like anyone you meet in game already? Kinda jaded.

Maybe, maybe not most likely, the fact remains that the moment you put socialization as an OBSTACLE to doing content, you have screwed your game for casuals because it is a lot easier to quit a game rather than be forced to socialize just to do group content, hence why auto group finder was such a success when introduced in WoW and why it is such a success in FF14, because it is ACCESSIBLE, no chatting, no socialization, you press a button, wait for a que and play the content.


If you need to socialize, make manual groups just to do a single group activity most casuals wont bother and instead leave your game, which is what happened to new world and countless other "hardcore" mmos which listened to the loud hardcore crowd or the devs themselves were part of said crowd and then had a pikachu face reaction when casuals left their game in droves xd

My brother in Christ I'm beginning to think you have a kink for elitists. Nearly every post you make is to take some potshots at the elitist boogieman and I gotta say, it's pretty weird fam.

Genuinely can't be healthy to have this much of a hate-boner for so long.

Wont somebody think of the poor elitist hardcores who keep advocating for the destruction of casual systems and rewards in games just to coddle their fragile ego D:

[SaberMaxwell]

Wont somebody think of the poor elitist hardcores who keep advocating for the destruction of casual systems and rewards in games just to coddle their fragile ego D:

At least we know the casuals have you defending them

[BaconBits]

Wont somebody think of the poor elitist hardcores who keep advocating for the destruction of casual systems and rewards in games just to coddle their fragile ego D:

That's it? That's your gimmick? Yadda yadda I HATE ELITISTS repeated ad nauseam until the cows come home?

God I miss Titanmen.

[Shurrikhan]

That's it? That's your gimmick? Yadda yadda I HATE ELITISTS repeated ad nauseam until the cows come home?

Well, that and just sheer misanthropy, apparently? There's a hell of a lot of conflation going on there between "I actually like having other people to talk to out in the world, and reason to speak to them (including by having chill but rewarding things to do outside of silently run instances and solo-play alone)" and 'vile, casual-slaying, conspiratorial elitists.'

[Ath192]

Where in that description does it say "you should be forced to socialize and organize with other people you dont like"?

No where, do you like... not like anyone? or Have you already come to the conclusion you won't like anyone you meet in game already? Kinda jaded.

[Deveryn]

Why dont you just play a solo game though? Like the purpose of MMOs is to be with other people playing the game at the same time. All I'm reading is you're thankful you dont have to talk or do anything that takes any patience or effort. I'm not dimissing you, its a genuine question, feel free to play this game, but MMO - Massive Multiplayer Online is a genre where players would presumably play to socialize, and cooperate in. The hubbub of the cities with spams and chatter is... exactly what you would expect in a fantasy world, especially one set loosely around the imperial age with some futurism.

Nothing about logging on, telporting everywhere, queuing into everything I need to from my inn, and logging out, pretending anyone else is an NPC sounds fun or appealing. And in your case, even logging in to a dead FC.

Forgive me but it just doesnt sound like you want to play in an open world about "adventuring" (Ironically) where you play with others, so these are things solo games excel at.

All these conveniences come with a trade off, and IMO its not good, all it teaches people is to expect instant gratification and get super toxic the moment someone messes up. The game still has enough to keep me playing but they've truly taken the adventuring feel out of it and buried it 10 miles deep. I really wish people didn't keep pushing it into even more convenience and solitude.

I was only touching on a couple of aspects, but my main point was responding to your travel comment.

I like the social game, but I also like my peace. I do plenty of adventuring. I can and do interact with a lot of people in XIV. I've made friends in this and other games and engaged in a lot of group activities. You can knock my dead FC preference all you want, but I can tell you I've had my fill of drama in other groups. This quiet is a blessing and people actually stick around for it.

Socializing is encouraged and certainly optimal, but it's not mandatory. That's one of the great things about this games. Even the less social can come together with everyone to have some fun and clear some content. Not having to spend the time spamming an LFG channel is the best.

The toxicity you speak of has little to do with the game and everything to do with our culture and the society we live in (That's a whole other deep conversation for another time.)