7.0 MMO to a Single Player Game

[Renalt]

How many are actually doing things solo though? And they've only allowed trusts in trials once for narrative reasons. It made sense for all the Scion to fight that fight. The majority of the game will aways be more team based and its clear they design trusts to lag far behind actual players. I'm not worried

I've NG+ recently and I was able to do the entirety of ARR using AI with Duty Support. Think Trusts but instead of Scions it is random NPC adventurers.

[Hurlstone]

As someone who has played on-off since 2014 (I only mention that because I think its unfair to say this is just casuals or newbies from WoW wanting this) I have to say I actually do like and appreciate the attempts to make the game more solo friendly. I am someone who enjoys endgame roulettes and stuff, but very much enjoys solo activities too, especially in regards to story content, and have enjoyed the Trust system. Do I think it was a must-add necessary thing? Not really, but I have known players who have been put off the game by being forced to do dungeons with other players (Especially when wanting to play a job outside DPS) in the MSQ alone. One reason why I like it is the fact we can actually go in and fight with the Scions/story NPCs, over having to make an excuse why the WoL has to go somewhere alone. Makes playing the story a bit more engrossing. Also, I really like the chance to get to experience the mechanics by playing them, over having to look them up. I love being able to have a ‘practice’ session with NPCs before tacking it with other players. Thats not to say the system is prefect, I can understand the fear it would put people of doing endgame group content, and why some dislike the changing of mechanics (although that said I feel a lot of the ARR ones needed a shave/could have used with a bit more editing…) but I would rather the game offers support to all types of players, and like it or not, people who want to play MMOs solo will always exist.

As for NPCs in MSQ trials… I dunno if we will get that. I seem to recall reading that the Hydaelyn battle was a ‘test’ of if they could do it, and they found it too tricky to implement? Not sure. I would not say no to such a thing, but I would have thought the 6.x trials would have had that feature in, if it was something they wanted to bring forward.

[Heroman3003]

I've NG+ recently and I was able to do the entirety of ARR using AI with Duty Support. Think Trusts but instead of Scions it is random NPC adventurers.

It only works for main story of ARR. After that, all 8-man trials, not even mentioning mandatory Crystal Tower, require duty finder.

[Jeeqbit]

How many are actually doing things solo though?

A lot of people only play the single playersfinal fantasy games. Yet this is a great final fantasy game, so they want to make it possible to play it as a single player game. This is Square Enix opinion based on market research and polling of the public, and you can see it among the content creators who played FF16 that they didn't play the MMOs and avoid the MMOs or avoid mentioning the MMOs.

SE want to rebrand it from an MMORPG to just a game that can be played "alone or with friends", like GTA V for example. They told us this at the previous live letters regarding the future of the game.

And they've only allowed trusts in trials once for narrative reasons.

I don't buy that at all. There have been many times where it would make sense for narrative reasons, but they make all the scions get busy so you can't do it with them. Let's take Innocence. The scions conveniently get busy holding off Sin Eaters so that you have to do it with players. Or let's take Endsinger, where the scions conveniently get blown away and teleported onto the ship so that you have to do it with players. It would make more sense for those things not to have happened, and SE will most likely change it when adding trial support.

As for NPCs in MSQ trials… I dunno if we will get that. I seem to recall reading that the Hydaelyn battle was a ‘test’ of if they could do it, and they found it too tricky to implement?

It was a test, yes, but they never said it was too tricky. Just tricky. Their focus is making the MSQ dungeons have duty support. As this will be complete by 7.0, you can expect them to announce MSQ trials will get duty support in 7.x patches.

How can I be so confident in this? Because SE want to make it so you can play the game "alone or with friends." This is their 10-year goal, so it's almost certain they will announce this at the fan fest later this month, or just do it anyway.

[Heroman3003]

A lot of people only play the single playersfinal fantasy games. Yet this is a great final fantasy game, so they want to make it possible to play it as a single player game. This is Square Enix opinion based on market research and polling of the public, and you can see it among the content creators who played FF16 that they didn't play the MMOs and avoid the MMOs or avoid mentioning the MMOs.

SE want to rebrand it from an MMORPG to just a game that can be played "alone or with friends", like GTA V for example. They told us this at the previous live letters regarding the future of the game.

I don't buy that at all. There have been many times where it would make sense for narrative reasons, but they make all the scions get busy so you can't do it with them. Let's take Innocence. The scions conveniently get busy holding off Sin Eaters so that you have to do it with players. Or let's take Endsinger, where the scions conveniently get blown away and teleported onto the ship so that you have to do it with players. It would make more sense for those things not to have happened, and SE will most likely change it when adding trial support.

Imo, it works a lot better with both Endsinger and Zodiark narratively, because of themes and story. Rest of times before and after, yeah, there's no real reason. I can see them doing more trials with trusts in future, but also I doubt they will stop using a suddenly-very-convinient 'why are we 8-man here' tool that is Azem's crystal entirely.

[Hurlstone]

It was a test, yes, but they never said it was too tricky. Just tricky. Their focus is making the MSQ dungeons have duty support. As this will be complete by 7.0, you can expect them to announce MSQ trials will get duty support in 7.x patches.

How can I be so confident in this? Because SE want to make it so you can play the game "alone or with friends." This is their 10-year goal, so it's almost certain they will announce this at the fan fest later this month, or just do it anyway.

Ah I see! Thanks for the clarification. We shall see if its somthing that does get implamented, you seem to have more convidance in that then me haha.

I will say, one trial I think needs to be changed/made solo is Coils. I can understand if they want to keep most raids/trials and stuff duty-bound, but the way that fantastic/rather important story is more or less locked outside of soloing it at high levels or rarely seen PF groups is a right tragedy.

[Jeeqbit]

I will say, one trial I think needs to be changed/made solo is Coils. I can understand if they want to keep most raids/trials and stuff duty-bound, but the way that fantastic/rather important story is more or less locked outside of soloing it at high levels or rarely seen PF groups is a right tragedy.

I am sure this is on their mind about as much as Castrum Meridianum and Praetorium were (these used to be on their mind for many, many years but they never changed them because their focus is always new content).

Now their focus is on revamping old content as well, but I think their priority is content that is required for the MSQ.

Although it's possible they could do it sometime in 7.x, they will have more free resources in 8.0 when all the required content has Duty Support. It's possible they will use those resources on side content, such as making a story version of the coil raids and merging all the current ones into the (Savage) category.

[Elissar]

We are in a phase of transition. FFXIV will always be a MMO but they want to deliver both: decent solo RPG experience and multiple classic MMO stuff to do. We can't know how much time they are spending in solo RPG aspect but i guess it's easy when they don't have to adjust battles like happened with Hraesvelgr.

Right now, FFXIV structure as solo player is the best one available (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BM5ZRg962Q)

Optimistic perspective
They want to do more. Currently each expansion has their own endgame. FFXIV doens't have a unique and universal endgame and that is a plus. Such platform allow them to add features continuously without breaking anything meaningful or forcing us to play like/when they want.

Raiders always had their own endgame with savage and ultimates. Dungeon enjoyers may have a decent endgame soon when they expand variant/criterion dungeons. Housing enjoyers have their own endgame with Island. Crafter/Gathering always get an event or new mechanics. Even eRPs get items for their stuff.


Imagine the amount of content that we have on our duty finder now: trials, dungeons, guildhests (bloat), etc... they will leave most of it easy as possible for anyone to do and most of us will spend our time with something else unless we want to farm minion/glamours/rare mounts (e.g: Ala Mhigo)


Pessimistic perspective
FFXIV had enough. They want to make it easier and accessible for anyone to do. Sometimes they may deliver challenging content that won't last for 1 week. Low maintenance cost, low production cost. FFXIV is just like a single player RPG with some MMO elements. They will do little as possible just to keep subs numbers. Do not expect any job balance or rework, nothing. Cool and smooth animations? forget about it. Weird glitches everywhere and worse, multiple ways to cheat. No staff support.


To be honest, i did Endwalker with NPCs for everything that was possible. I liked it. MSQ is supposed to be immersive. Later on i tried to farm blue bird with some people, now i want to level up my trust system from 80 to 90 while i level my alts. In the future when/if they add more rewards to old content/dungeons, we will be glad that we can do with NPCs, unsync or carry someone, right now almost every dungeon of Endwalker drop minions.

When i want to play with someone or do challenging content, i open PF for savage/extreme. When i want to chill with someone, i open PF for Fate grind, relic or deep dungeon. When i don't want to see any action, i go to the gold saucer, fishing or island. Seems perfectly balanced.


That's my two cents tho, only the future knows (7.x+).

[RitsukoSonoda]

IMO the MSQ should have always been a solo experience with all the multiplayer duties and trials as optional side content. They could have then had far more creative freedom on that content instead of being forced to design a majority of it as a single player experience with extra player slots for the sake of "accessibility".

[Absurdity]

IMO the MSQ should have always been a solo experience with all the multiplayer duties and trials as optional side content. They could have then had far more creative freedom on that content instead of being forced to design a majority of it as a single player experience with extra player slots for the sake of "accessibility".

On the flip side however is has the exact opposite problem. If someone wants to play this game with friends they get slapped in the face by solo MSQ instances that force everyone split up.

If you plan to go through the game with friends then the supposeed main draw of XIV, the story, is an absolutely terrible experience because you are forced to play solo frequently until you finish it and reach the endgame.