Middleground between normal/ hard content + coils of bahamut rework

[caffe_macchiato]

A lot of people are fine with the content as-is and are perfectly happy with Extremes serving as the “middle ground”.

That is, until they leave the game to play something else because hardcore raiding doesn’t interest them.

Extremes don’t have a lot of rewards. We get one per patch. And once you’re done, you’re done. Farming is only needed for the mount. And there’s just ONE per patch. It’s not a proper game mode. It’s not a replacement for playing other games. As it stands, raiding in FFXIV is not a serious endeavor unless you are “hardcore”—and, even then, only for half the year. Extremes are a pittance. Sure, it’s content—technically. But it lasts for ten minutes and you’re paying $13 a month to do the same 10-minute fight and over again for no rewards. That’s not how gaming is supposed to be.

Suffice to say, FFXIV isn’t the most popular (or second or third-most popular) MMO for a reason. It’s not a good “easy” game—as the MSQ is basically a visual novel. It’s not a good “mid core” game, as extremes are as shallow as a puddle. And it’s not even a good “hardcore” game, as the annual cycle doesn’t keep people entertained all year long.

So what exactly are we good for?

[Jeeqbit]

It’s not a good “easy” game—as the MSQ is basically a visual novel. It’s not a good “mid core” game, as extremes are as shallow as a puddle. And it’s not even a good “hardcore” game, as the annual cycle doesn’t keep people entertained all year long.

It's a good easy game for some people and not others.

It's a good hardcore game depending on what you define as hardcore. Hardcore in the sense of spending all your time playing often involves collecting (mounts, achievements, or something else) and most people I see doing that are busy all year grinding one thing or another.

Hardcore in the sense of doing the hardest content, sure, that doesn't last all year because no developer is really going to be able to make enough content that you aren't repeating the same thing a lot. It takes them months to make something that you play for 10 minutes. Imagine the resources it would take for them to make a fight that lasts 365 days.

But when I think of midcore, I'm blanking so you probably have a point about that.

[Gemina]

Extremes don’t have a lot of rewards. We get one per patch. And once you’re done, you’re done. Farming is only needed for the mount. And there’s just ONE per patch. It’s not a proper game mode.

I think perspective accounts for a lot here. The drop rates for the mounts are abysmal, and the crafting mat which typically sales pretty high on its own also has a low drop rate. Weapon drops are great for desynthesis skill ups if they are not desired and provide a chance to obtain the crafting mat, and the most recent EX releases provide respectable weapons that are slightly better than the weapons acquired by tomes, and slightly less good from those acquired through savage raiding. Then there is also the music, and TT card, and some even drop furnishings or other misc items.

Replay factor is also there for those who simply love the fight. This is on the dev team, as if they design a fight that is fun, players will do it because it is fun. Some players also like to teach the fight to others, and will join prog groups even after obtaining all the rewards the duty has to offer.

Unreal trials also should be included. They are old fights, but many if not most players never got a chance to do these fights on release day, and it provides an interesting challenge for them. For the vets, they might enjoy revisiting an old foe, but at the current level cap. Faux Tales rewards are also very plentiful, and provides another mini game to play. Luck and skill are required to obtain these rewards, and I think that is an awesome system to have in the game.