FFXIV needs to stop accommodating Solo Players

[SieyaM]

I think making the story solo or able to be soloed is a pretty good idea, since it is mandatory to access features and later parts of the game it is a good way of future proofing. Too many MMOs end up with not enough population in the early game to support new players and even allow them to get to the parts of the game the community are engaged in. This will end up with new players either needing to sink money in for level and story skips or just permanently bar new players from joining leaving the population to slowly dwindle over time as players leave.

[CidHeiral]

Personally I don't understand the point of playing an MMO if you only want to play solo, but to each their own. I see no issue with having content for solo players as long as the Massively Multiplayer content is the primary focus of the game.

[Volkai]

Yeah uhhhh no they don't.
I'm fine with them doing so, especially if they're doing so without diminishing the experience of those of us who enjoy playing with others. More people is better, and the things the dev team have done to accommodate more shy and introverted members of the potential player base to join are also good because they allow those players to get their feet wet before throwing the metaphorical sharks that are Jerks In The Player Base can scare them off.

[vetch]

To streamline the dungeons and make things like visual triggers more recognizable and take out some mechs that may have been more obtuse or not telegraphed as well. As I've been running an alt through the modified dungeons, those are the things I've noticed the most that changed. And think about something like Zot. First boss of Zot is a lot more sophisicated than some things we saw in older dungeons that were changed, but while Zot's first boss has new visuals, the general pattern of the telegraphing is the same. Now new players have a much smoother segue mechanics-recognition-wise into the newer dungeons.

Why do things like remove Isgebind's lingering puddles in Stone Vigil? They were clearly marked, fairly forgiving, and functioned very well as an easy introduction to puddles.

Why remove the cleaves from the middle trash packs in Sohr Khal? Tanks don't need to be taught to point enemies away from the party anymore?

Why make the trash packs in the Vault sit there with their thumbs up their asses instead of rushing players like they used to? Add pickup isn't important? Now the dungeon feels less exciting and urgent for no reason -- we know the trust AI can handle add pickup because enemies still rush you in other dungeons and the trusties handle it fine.

I don't believe that they have a consistent reason, I think they're groping blindly.

[fantasiaaddict]

Oh don't pretend you weren't looking for drama. You got exactly what you wanted.

I was looking for drama about how new solo content has affected all content. Not lalafells crying about stuff that doesn't affect them.

[strawberrycake]

I was looking for drama about how new solo content has affected all content. Not lalafells crying about stuff that doesn't affect them.

Yeah you're purposely being stubborn when people tried polietly correct you to help you make your point better, you're looking to stir the pot, stop the cap fam.

[Jojoya]

I was looking for drama about how new solo content has affected all content. Not lalafells crying about stuff that doesn't affect them.

So put it back on topic if you dislike the derail rather than keep bringing attention to the derail by complaining about it.

What new solo content are you referring to? The role quests? Job quests have always been solo yet I can't remember any groups of players in the community trying to make a stink about them before.

Giving players the option to solo content designed for multiple players doesn't turn it into solo content. That's like saying SUVs are single passenger vehicles because you saw one with only a single person in it.

What is your specific objection? That SE made changes to some of the MSQ dungeon fights at the same time Duty Support was being added? Some of those changes had less to do with Duty Support and more to do with new players frequently having problems understanding how certain mechanics worked. SE cleaned up the problem spots for the sake of the new player experience.

Every successful MMORPG has been accommodating to the solo player since WoW set the standard. Being accommodating to the solo player brings more players to the game so the game makes more money. It doesn't take away a multiplayer experience from those who want to play with others.

Has it made content easier? Not really. The new player is still going to have to figure things out but with luck the new mechanics will be more intuitive based on what they've already done in game.

Has it made some fights less interesting. Sure. I liked the original end boss fight for Sohr Khai but I can also remember all the parties where people were struggling to figure out what to do (including myself my first couple of times through). I don't blame SE changing it, not for the sake of Duty Support (AI issues could have been solved through a specific order to the pillars being destroyed and where the adds would appear) but for the sake of the new players that were feeling overwhelmed by what was going on. On the other hand, I like the new Ascian Prime fight a lot more than the original.

By the time 8.0 gets released long time players will remember that those fights used to be different, just as the ARR MSQ used to be different, but few will remember exactly how they were different just as they've forgotten how some things originally were before they got QoL updates.

If you don't like the changes that SE makes, then you don't like them. But that's not going to stop SE from making changes they feel will improve new player retention.

Having the option to work on content solo when friends aren't online is something that has been proven to help player retention in MMORPGs over the past 20 years. SE is going to continue to do it when they feel it's needed.

[Nighthawky2010]

MMO only means, that there are more people online playing the game, not that we need to interact with said players. So tired of that same childish reply...grow up.

exactly. I feel the same way.

[Nighthawky2010]

The more you want force players together the more they will repel each other.

Exactly. You cant force people to play together. If a player wants to do solo content or play the game solo, then let them. If they didn't want SOLO content, then get rid of trusts, duty roulette, squadrons, BLU mage in its infant stage etc. Dont make potd, HoH, etc. soloable. FFXIV has something for everyone. SE will be adding more multiplayer content to the game in DT, that's great but if people don't want to play it, they don't have to. Trusts & Duty roulette will be in DT; Beastmaster will probably be solo content at first, like BLU mage was.

[LianaThorne]

I was looking for drama about how new solo content has affected all content. Not lalafells crying about stuff that doesn't affect them.

So, if I'm going to take this literally, you created this thread with the intent of looking for drama?

Meaning that actual conversation was never going to happen?