/r/ffxivdiscussion: XIV is becoming too big MSQ wise?

[Carin-Eri]

The importance of MSQ goes far beyond being a film, which some extreme fanboys/fangirls would defend at all costs.

1° It keeps some players away from the game. The fact that the FF community is relatively pleasant (not perfect; pleasant) doesn't come from nowhere. Among various things that impact this aspect, MSQ plays a non-negligible role because it discourages wannabe pro-players (< this is not an insult to the HL community. I'm talking about nervous players, ultra-competitive even in lambda content... And who have medium skills, in general).

2° The length of MSQ staggers players because of its duration. An MMORPG isn't just endgame, contrary to what you seem to imply with your last sentence. That's a focus inherited from a more contemporary vision of MMORPGs (... a greedier vision, too), but the fact that everyone concentrates on the last few levels is a huge problem: it causes the loss of potentially endless content; forces the accelerated release of patches that are half-finished because of the pressure of a playerbase chomping at the bit after months of polishing endgame content; and generates a false sense of urgency for new players who rush to the endgame dead end which, if we're honest, is nothing more than a hamster wheel. Interesting when tackling the extreme, sadistic and ultimate; but a hamster wheel nonetheless.

Instead, we should focus on the old content, bring it up to date, and fix the synchronization problem that allows you to drive on CT as if the mobs were straight out of Adibu (the game, for youngsters ).

Totally agree. I don't understand getting to Endgame being.... well, the endgame.

Whether some like it or not, the game is - first and foremost - the MSQ.

[Remolia]

Totally agree. I don't understand getting to Endgame being.... well, the endgame.

Whether some like it or not, the game is - first and foremost - the MSQ.

Sure, thats why Story skip always in the top 4-5 selling categories.

[Carin-Eri]

Sure, thats why Story skip always in the top 4-5 selling categories.

And its mostly likely bored Vets who just made their fifth alt buying those.

[Merrigan]

Sure, thats why Story skip always in the top 4-5 selling categories.

People tend to favour the easy way out, and at the moment there are a lot of things that could be done to make MSQ truly valuable as content in its own right (for example, making it easier to group during the narration; or upgrading low-level content). So I doubt that these purchases are really indicative. In any case, let's not kid ourselves: if leaving the msq as it is can bring in money because it encourages people to go and look in the shop, then the SE committee will push for it to stay as it is, despite all the changes that would be necessary (a restart at DT as many people are proposing, or an overhaul to make the MSQ valid as content in its own right, a solution I'd much prefer).

[Eastwall]

People tend to favour the easy way out, and at the moment there are a lot of things that could be done to make MSQ truly valuable as content in its own right (for example, making it easier to group during the narration; or upgrading low-level content). So I doubt that these purchases are really indicative. In any case, let's not kid ourselves: if leaving the msq as it is can bring in money because it encourages people to go and look in the shop, then the SE committee will push for it to stay as it is, despite all the changes that would be necessary (a restart at DT as many people are proposing, or an overhaul to make the MSQ valid as content in its own right, a solution I'd much prefer).

I know a guy that made a bunch of alts then just story skip So he can play 5v5 right away. The story will be a deterrence to someone that's not in this game for pvp. Yes, l ran into a new player that plays this game for pvp. So he can enjoy the game and be in arr forever. He has become a quite formidable dragoon over the month.

[ReynTime]

Totally agree. I don't understand getting to Endgame being.... well, the endgame.

Whether some like it or not, the game is - first and foremost - the MSQ.

Because the "journey" to endgame through MSQ deviates very little from 400 hours of:
Talk to NPC, go there, talk to NPC, go back, talk to NPC, go there, kill monsters that die in 3 seconds, go talk to another NPC, rinse and repeat. And that's nowhere near as engaging as endgame duties.