New Difficulty Mode Suggestion: (Chaos)

[SieyaM]

Difficulty in XIV seems to equate to more instant death mechanics.

[DiaDeem]

Do I win?

[kaynide]

+1, but make bosses moves randomized within their move set. No A then B then C… unless it’s a raidwide/signature move/ boss “limit break” kinda thing.

Titan randomized would be a hoot.

I would also want the game to rework/remove the weird game mode monickers like Savage or Ex or Hard. Just make boss (story mode), then give them stars or whatnot to designate difficulty levels. This allows future proofing difficulty modes without a weird new system or name like “unreal”, and further allows (eventually) joining a fight or dungeon and selecting a difficulty with increased rewards.

One thing I really dislike about this game is the convoluted different systems with all these weird names that don’t really gel together.


Also, I like the idea of a boss rush mode that just doesn’t end. Like you get rewards sure, but an actual session just doesn’t end until you’re dead. Get a high score! Survive some amount of time! But there is no “you cleared it! You did everything! No reason to play this again!” Think Tetris, if it didn’t crash at a certain point.

Like old school arcade games.

[LianaThorne]

The only reason why I think players would be deterred to continue running the content is because they want to go down easy street to get the rewards. Eff that. And I mean that in the biggest way possible. I'm sick of it. This isn't like the current treasure dungeons where there is a ton of RNG involved. There would be with the bosses you face and the handicaps received, but not so much with the rewards. If players want the next long hairstyle, or glamours typically found only in the cash shop, they are simply going to have to git gud. There could be things they do keep such as gil and tomes that's rewarded after each encounter, but not what's in the loot box.

There simply must be a risk vs reward aspect to this content, or it will undoubtedly fail. We have this already with Faux Hallows. You only get to play the grid game if you beat the current unreal trial. If you don't. Then too bad. Get better. There needs to be more content like this, especially at the casual level to help players desire to get to higher ground.

Casual players aren't interested in hard content...that's why they're casual. Also, I'm confused about the cash shop comparison as Square wouldn't put anything that could be monetized well as a grindable reward, long hair especially would be paywalled imo because of how desired it is by the community. Or are you suggesting they lock cash shop items to only people who clear this new mode?

Taking all of that out of the picture, most likely whatever it is that would be there as a reward would end up on the market board and casuals could buy it that way (since you can breathe and make money tbh) instead of hitting the wall over and over.

If it isn't, it'll just become another thing to be RMT carried through and funded by people who can't be bothered to grind it and prefer convenience (like the people who pay for ultimate clears but can't even do a basic rotation).

[Gemina]

Casual players aren't interested in hard content...that's why they're casual. Also, I'm confused about the cash shop comparison as Square wouldn't put anything that could be monetized well as a grindable reward, long hair especially would be paywalled imo because of how desired it is by the community. Or are you suggesting they lock cash shop items to only people who clear this new mode?

Taking all of that out of the picture, most likely whatever it is that would be there as a reward would end up on the market board and casuals could buy it that way (since you can breathe and make money tbh) instead of hitting the wall over and over.

If it isn't, it'll just become another thing to be RMT carried through and funded by people who can't be bothered to grind it and prefer convenience (like the people who pay for ultimate clears but can't even do a basic rotation).

What are you talking about? Nearly everyone who plays the game at the EX level are casual players seeking out harder content.

Also, not a single long hairstyle in this game is paywalled. Unless you want to count Lyse's, which I don't. And I only mentioned glamour that is worthy of being in the cash shop but aren't. There are plenty in the game such a 2B's outfit, YorHa gear, and nearly everything PvP.

Drops being made marketable doesn't kill content, it incentivizes it. Players too lazy to do JS will always exist. There are players who like a challenge. Plenty of them. OPs suggestions targets this demographic of players. Or is it crime to do anything outside of the box that doesn't require hand holding and coddling people who can't be bothered to actually play the game?

Your lack of faith in your fellow players is really sad. I don't say this to offend you. But it remains the same that your in game experiences has lead to you feeling the way you do nonetheless. You might want to take a step back and reflect on why you're still paying your sub.

[LianaThorne]

What are you talking about? Nearly everyone who plays the game at the EX level are casual players seeking out harder content.

Also, not a single long hairstyle in this game is paywalled. Unless you want to count Lyse's, which I don't. And I only mentioned glamour that is worthy of being in the cash shop but aren't. There are plenty in the game such a 2B's outfit, YorHa gear, and nearly everything PvP.

Drops being made marketable doesn't kill content, it incentivizes it. Players too lazy to do JS will always exist. There are players who like a challenge. Plenty of them. OPs suggestions targets this demographic of players. Or is it crime to do anything outside of the box that doesn't require hand holding and coddling people who can't be bothered to actually play the game?

Your lack of faith in your fellow players is really sad. I don't say this to offend you. But it remains the same that your in game experiences has lead to you feeling the way you do nonetheless. You might want to take a step back and reflect on why you're still paying your sub.

Let me start off by saying that we both have different definitions of what "casual" is. You say EX is casual, I say it's not. I know plenty of people who are terrified to even touch EX because they think it'll be too hard or they'll get bullied by other people who have certain expectations of how people should play the game. In my eyes, anyone who doesn't want to touch anything past typical roulette content is a casual player with EX players stepping into the midcore side of things. It's cool if you disagree and I respect your perspective but that's just how I see it.

I also wouldn't consider Lyse's hair to be an example as its a ponytail. The only one I'd consider to be closest to long hair is Great Lengths (since it goes down past the shoulder blades) but it's still not a "hair all the way down your back" type of long hair style that has been asked for for a while (ex. Ysayle's hair that was left out of her cash shop outfit).

I agree that having a marketable item up for drop can incentivize players to run the content for a while (I think it's fair to say that it also does dwindle down after the initial hype wears off) and I'm not against the idea of this content being made for a specific group of people. I would like there to be something in the game for everyone. I just feel like the way this is being spoken about now leans more towards a pressure tool to make casuals "get gud" rather than just a piece of content to provide to the demographic.

I'd like to see this implemented but for the right reasons: "providing a fun piece of content for people who enjoy that style of content". I think that's more than fair to ask for and as I said, I'm on board.

My lack of faith comes from the thousand person discords specifically made to purchase carries (from EX to Ultimate) and how it's evolved into a something of a joke now to have an Ultimate weapon because it's 50/50 on whether or not you paid for it. As for my sub, I still pay it because I enjoy the parts of the game that I play (achievement hunting, running DRS, relic grinding, helping random people in PF, etc.). Not entirely sure why we're now resulting to personal prods and telling me to consider quitting the game in a manner of speaking...but I feel it's a bit unnecessary considering nothing of what I said in any of my posts was a jab at you.

[Gemina]

Let me start off by saying that we both have different definitions of what "casual" is. You say EX is casual, I say it's not. I know plenty of people who are terrified to even touch EX because they think it'll be too hard or they'll get bullied by other people who have certain expectations of how people should play the game. In my eyes, anyone who doesn't want to touch anything past typical roulette content is a casual player with EX players stepping into the midcore side of things. It's cool if you disagree and I respect your perspective but that's just how I see it.

I might have specified what is and is not casual, but the definition is not mine. I believe the general consensus in the mmo genre is that casual is anything that is not raiding. I can only speak from my own experience, but I find the fear of being bullied and ridiculed in the game's more difficult content to be entirely unfounded. I have encountered more player toxicity in the game's casual content. Far more. I don't believe that players fear others as much as they fear themselves and disappointing their teammates because they are not sure they are good enough. The anonymity of the internet has hardened most players from the toxicity of others. However, the fear of failure is something they can never escape. They can only face it.

Of course, I understand that no player should be forced to do this. But I will always be in favor of content that incentivizes players to step outside their comfort zones and challenge themselves.

I'd like to see this implemented but for the right reasons: "providing a fun piece of content for people who enjoy that style of content". I think that's more than fair to ask for and as I said, I'm on board.

Players want to do mechanics. You see it all the time. Meteor circles with more than one player in them. How quickly players swarm to the player with a stack marker in order to save them. Players taking their spread marker away from others to avoid clipping. Players rushing to the aid of another with a prey tether. Players don't ignore these mechanics because there are consequences if they do. And you know what? They enjoy it. Resources absolutely should go towards creating content to accommodate these players. I guarantee you that content that is actually fun to do will incentivize itself. Rewards are a cherry on top of that.

My lack of faith comes from the thousand person discords specifically made to purchase carries (from EX to Ultimate) and how it's evolved into a something of a joke now to have an Ultimate weapon because it's 50/50 on whether or not you paid for it. As for my sub, I still pay it because I enjoy the parts of the game that I play (achievement hunting, running DRS, relic grinding, helping random people in PF, etc.). Not entirely sure why we're now resulting to personal prods and telling me to consider quitting the game in a manner of speaking...but I feel it's a bit unnecessary considering nothing of what I said in any of my posts was a jab at you.

I never told you to quit the game. I meant no offense in my last post to you, and understand that your feelings come from a place of disheartenment. I frown upon the players who made you feel that way, and it is unfortunate. When I say to reflect on why you are subbed, it is only to remember what you enjoy about the game to help wash out that goo. I am glad you are able to do so. It is also why I mentioned my last point about players rushing to the aid of others. This is truly how most players are. Place your faith in them, and keep them in mind when you experience the things you have mentioned.

Best wishes.