You can make everyone happy--- if you actrually try

[CVXIV]

given what I've seen in the forums I am convinced some people will never be happy

[Catwho]

given what I've seen in the forums I am convinced some people will never be happy

This is what I saw when I read OP.

There are people who cannot articulate what it is they want. Or if they do say exactly what it is they want, they are describing a completely different game, and I wonder why the hell they're playing XIV and not playing that other game instead.

Other games exist! If XIV doesn't make you happy, you can go play them! If you are burnt out, you can do something different! Stop playing a game that doesn't spark joy!

Your criticisms of XIV can be valid, but as long as you're still playing and throwing your money at SE, they won't change anything.

[Supersnow845]

This is what I saw when I read OP.

There are people who cannot articulate what it is they want. Or if they do say exactly what it is they want, they are describing a completely different game, and I wonder why the hell they're playing XIV and not playing that other game instead.

Other games exist! If XIV doesn't make you happy, you can go play them! If you are burnt out, you can do something different! Stop playing a game that doesn't spark joy!

Your criticisms of XIV can be valid, but as long as you're still playing and throwing your money at SE, they won't change anything.

Is “I want what 14 used to be” wanting a different game because genuinely a return to SB on almost every front except maybe MSQ production value would be an improvement for me. I don’t remember being polled on if I wanted to go in the current direction

[Catwho]

Is “I want what 14 used to be” wanting a different game because genuinely a return to SB on almost every front except maybe MSQ production value would be an improvement for me. I don’t remember being polled on if I wanted to go in the current direction

Your best method of expressing your voice with a company is money. Stop buying their product.

Pokémon Go had a horrible update a few months ago, where they rolled out a graphics update that wasn't ready and most of the gear had been updated using AI (and so was trash.) They unified their skeleton mesh for both male and female avatars, and we joked that they deleted women from the game (it wasn't a joke. They deleted women from the game.)

It was so awful that tons of us just.... stopped playing. I'd been a daily player since 2016. I usually tossed them $20 a month for coins and remote raid passes, because I found gym grinding to be a chore I didn't want to bother with.

And I quit cold turkey.

I wasn't the only one. The backlash against the terrible update was swift and deep. For a lot of players, it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

[ForsakenRoe]

Is “I want what 14 used to be” wanting a different game because genuinely a return to SB on almost every front except maybe MSQ production value would be an improvement for me. I don’t remember being polled on if I wanted to go in the current direction

I wonder, if I were to respond to

There are people who cannot articulate what it is they want. Or if they do say exactly what it is they want, they are describing a completely different game, and I wonder why the hell they're playing XIV and not playing that other game instead.

with something like this:

Hello everyone, this is what I'd do to rework and modernize WHM

WHITE MAGE ACTIONS

Level 1: Stone, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Earth damage with a potency of 170.

Level 2: Cure, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 500 MP
Restores target's HP.
Cure Potency: 450

Level 4: Aero, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Wind damage with a potency of 60.
Additional Effect: Wind damage over time
DOT Potency: 50
Duration: 12s

Level 8: Protect, 60s
Grants Protect to self and nearby allies.
Protect Effect: Reduces damage taken by self and nearby allies by 5%
Duration: 10s

Level 10: Medica, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1000 MP
Restores own HP and the HP of all nearby party members.
Cure potency: 300
NOTE: Radius increased to 20y

Level 12: Raise, 8s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 2400 MP
Resurrects target to a weakened state.

CLASS QUEST
Level 15: Water, Instant, 15s Recast, MP cost: 200 MP
Deals Water damage with a potency of 210.
This action does not share a Recast Timer with other actions.
NOTE: On the GCD, but a seperate cooldown, akin to Sonic Break on GNB, or Goring Blade on Paladin

Level 18: Stone 2, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Earth damage with a potency of 190.

Level 22: Water 2, Instant, 15s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Water damage with a potency of 230.
This action does not share a Recast Timer with other actions.

Level 24: Cure 2, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 500 MP
Restores target's HP.
Cure Potency: 700
NOTE: Cure 1 upgrades into Cure 2 via a Trait, saving hotbar space.

Level 28: Aero 2, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Wind damage with a potency of 100.
Additional Effect: Wind Damage over time
DOT Potency: 60
Duration: 12s

Level 30: Medica 2, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1000 MP
Restores own HP and the HP of all nearby party members.
Cure potency: 300
Additional Effect: Regen
Regen Potency: 100
Regen Duration: 12s
NOTE: Medica 1 upgrades into Medica 2. Heals for the same 700p as Endwalker, but one tick is frontloaded
to make the base potency equal to Medica 1's potency.

JOB QUEST
Level 30: Stoneskin, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1 Lily
Applies a barrier to target that absorbs damage equal to a heal of 400 potency.
NOTE: Lily Gauge is unlocked at 30 instead of 52

Level 35: Regen, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 250 MP
Grants healing over time effect to target.
Cure Potency: 200
Duration: 18s

JOB QUEST
Level 35: Presence of Mind, 120s CD
Reduces spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay by 20%.
Duration: 15s

Level 40: Cure 3, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1500 MP
Restores own or target party member's HP and all party members nearby target.
Cure Potency: 500
NOTE: Radius is still 10y

JOB QUEST:
Level 40: Divine Seal, 120s CD
Increases healing magic potency by 20%.
Duration: 20s

Level 45: Graniteskin, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1 Lily
Applies a barrier to self and nearby party members that absorbs damage equal to a heal of 200 potency.

JOB QUEST
Level 45: Holy, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 300 MP
Deals Unaspected damage with a potency of 140 to all nearby enemies.
Additional Effect: Stun
Duration: 4s

Level 50: Benediction, 180s
Fully restores a target's HP.

JOB QUEST
Level 50: Blessing of the Elementals, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 50 Vigilance
Entreat the Elementals for aid, restoring HP to self and nearby allies.
Cure Potency: 500
Additional Effect: Blooms one 'Petal of River's Rage'
Additional Effect: Blooms one 'Petal of Wrathful Winds'
Additional Effect: Blooms one 'Petal of Earthen Ire'
Additional Effect: Restores 500 MP

Level 50: Quake, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Earth damage to target and nearby enemies, with a potency of 290 for the first enemy, and 50%
less for all remaining enemies.
Can only be executed while a Petal of Earthen Ire is blooming in the Nature's Vigilance Gauge.
Consumes a Petal of Earthen Ire upon execution.
This Action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
NOTE: Stone turns into Quake while a Petal of Earthen Ire is blooming.

Level 50: Flood, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Water damage to target and nearby enemies, with a potency of 330 for the first enemy, and 50%
less for all remaining enemies.
Can only be executed while a Petal of River's Rage is blooming in the Nature's Vigilance Gauge.
Consumes a Petal of River's Rage upon Execution.
Shares a cooldown with Water.
This Action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
NOTE: Water turns into Flood while a Petal of River's Rage is blooming.

Level 50: Tornado, Instant Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Wind damage to target and nearby enemies, with a potency of 130 for the first enemy, and 50%
less for all remaining enemies.
Additional Effect: Wind damage over time
DOT Potency: 80 for first target, 40 for all remaining enemies
Duration: 12s
Can only be executed while a Petal of Wrathful Winds is blooming in the Nature's Vigilance Gauge.
Consumes a Petal of Wrathful Winds upon execution.
This Action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
NOTE: Aero turns into Tornado while a Petal of Wrathful Winds is blooming. This DOT cannot be placed
on an enemy at the same time as Aero (they overwrite each other)

NOTE: Please see the Trait 'One with Nature' for more info about the Nature's Vigilance Gauge.

JOB QUEST
Level 52: Afflatus Solace, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1 Lily
Restores target's HP.
Cure Potency: 700

JOB QUEST
Level 52: Asylum, 90s
Envelops a designated area in a veil of succor, granting healing over time to self and allies who enter.
Cure Potency: 100
Duration: 24s

JOB QUEST
Level 54: Stone 3, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200MP
Deals Earth damage with a potency of 220.

JOB QUEST
Level 54: Water 3, Instant, 15s Recast, Cost: 200MP
Deals Water damage with a potency of 260.
This action does not share a Recast Timer with other actions.

JOB QUEST
Level 56: Assize, 40s CD
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 400 to all nearby enemies.
Additional Effect: Restores HP to self and nearby allies
Cure Potency: 400
Additional Effect: Restores 500MP

JOB QUEST
Level 58: Tetragrammaton, 60s CD
Restores target's HP.
Cure Potency: 700

JOB QUEST
Level 60: Afflatus Tragedy, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1 Blood Lily
Deals unaspected damage to target and enemies nearby it, with a potency of 800 for the first enemy,
and 50% less for all remaining enemies.

Level 62: Thin Air, 60s CD
Next spell is executed without cast time, and without MP cost.
NOTE: Yes this includes Raise

Level 64: Stone 4, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Earth damage with a potency of 260.

Level 64: Water 4, Instant, 15s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Water damage with a potency of 300.
This action does not share a Recast Timer with other actions.

NOTE: At level 64, Afflatus Tragedy's potency increases to 1000 via Trait, to keep up with the
increase to Stone's potency

Level 66: Divine Benison, 30s
Applies a barrier to target that absorbs damage equivalent to a heal of 500 potency.
Duration: 15s

Level 68: Plenary Indulgence, 60s
Grants 'Confession' to self and nearby allies.
Confession Effect: Reduces damage taken by 5%
Additionally, upon being affected by the direct cast of Medica 2, Cure 3, Graniteskin or
Afflatus Rapture, 'Confession' triggers an additional healing effect.
Cure Potency: 200
Duration: 10s

JOB QUEST
Level 70: Afflatus Rapture, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1 Lily
Restores HP of self and nearby allies.
Cure Potency: 300

Level 72: Glare, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Unaspected damage with a potency of 300.

Level 72: Banish, Instant, 15s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Unaspected damage with a potency of 340.
This action does not share a Recast Timer with other actions.

Level 72: Dia, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Unaspected damage with a potency of 150.
Additional Effect: Unaspected damage over time
DOT Potency: 70
Duration: 12s

Level 74: Afflatus Misery, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1 Blood Lily
Deals unaspected damage to target and enemies nearby it, with a potency of 1200 for the first enemy,
and 50% less for all remaining enemies.

Level 76: Afflatus Bastion, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1 Lily
Applies a barrier to target that absorbs damage equal to a heal of 450 potency.
NOTE: Upgrade of Stoneskin

Level 76: Afflatus Sanctuary, Instant, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 1 Lily
Applies a barrier to self and nearby party members that absorbs damage equal to a heal of 250 potency.
NOTE: Upgrade of Graniteskin

Level 80: Temperance, 120s
Increases healing magic potency by 20%.
Additionally, grants Temperance to self and allies, reducing damage taken by 10%.
Duration: 20s

Level 82: Glare 3, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Unaspected damage with a potency of 310.

Level 82: Banish 3, Instant, 15s Recast, Cost: 200 MP
Deals Unaspected damage with a potency of 350.
This action does not share a Recast Timer with other actions.

NOTE: Afflatus Misery's potency increases to 1240 at this level to keep parity with Glare 3's potency

Level 84: Holy 3, 1.5s Cast, 2.5s Recast, Cost: 300 MP
Deals Unaspected damage with a potency of 150 to all nearby enemies.
Additional effect: Stun
Duration: 4s

Level 86: Aquaveil, 60s
Reduces damage taken by self or an ally by 15%.
Duration: 8s

Level 90: Liturgy of the Bell, 180s
Places a healing blossom at the designated location, and grants 5 stacks of 'Liturgy of the Bell' to self.
Duration: 20s
Taking damage will spend a stack to heal self and all party members within 20y of the blossom.
Cure Potency: 400
This healing effect can only be triggered once per second.
Additionally, any remaining stacks at the end of the duration, or upon executing this action a second
time, will be consumed to cause an additional healing effect.
'Detonation' Cure Potency: 200 per remaining stack

TRAITS

Level 18: Mastery of the Earth
Upgrades Stone to Stone 2.

Level 20: Maim and Mend
Increases base action damage and HP restoration by 10%

Level 22: Mastery of the Rivers
Upgrades Water to Water 2.

Level 24: Cure Mastery
Upgrades Cure to Cure 2.

Level 28: Mastery of the Winds
Upgrades Aero to Aero 2.

Level 30: Secrets of the Lily
Enables the accumulation of Lilies on the Lily Gauge, with a new Lily blooming every 20s you are engaged
in combat, up to a maximum of 3.

Level 30: Medica Mastery
Upgrades Medica to Medica 2.

Level 32: Freecure
Grants a 20% chance that after casting Cure 2, Stone 2 or Water 2, your next Cure 2 will cast instantly,
and cost 0 MP.
Duration: 10s

Level 40: Maim and Mend II
Increases base action damage and HP restoration by 30%

Level 46: Overcure
While Medica 2's Regen effect is present on the WHM, Cure 3's MP cost is halved.

Level 50: One with Nature
Enables the accumulation of Nature's Vigilance in its gauge by executing certain actions. 50 Vigilance
can be spent to execute 'Blessing of the Elementals'.
Stone and Quake grant 1 Vigilance.
Water and Flood grant 5 Vigilance.
Aero and Tornado grant 5 Vigilance, 1 when cast, and 1 each time the damage over time deals damage.
Holy grants 2 Vigilance per enemy hit.
Afflatus Tragedy/Misery grants 5 Vigilance.

Cure 2 grants 5 Vigilance.
Regen grants 10 Vigilance, 4 when cast, and 1 each time the healing over time triggers.
Medica 2 grants 15 Vigilance, 3 each time the healing over time triggers.
Cure 3 grants 10 Vigilance.

Level 54: Natural Mastery 2
Upgrades Stone 2 to Stone 3, and Water 2 to Water 3.
Additionally, increases the potency of Quake to 320, and Flood to 360.

Level 60: Transcendent Afflatus
Adds a Blood Lily to the Lily Gauge. Each Lily spent causes the Blood Lily to bloom by one stage.
After three Lilies are spent, the Blood Lily blooms fully and can be spent on Afflatus Tragedy/Misery.

Level 64: Natural Mastery 3
Upgrades Stone 3 to Stone 4, and Water 3 to Water 4.
Additionally, increases the potency of Quake to 360, and Flood to 400.

Level 68: Protection Mastery
Upgrades Protect to Plenary Indulgence.

Level 72: Infusion of Light
Upgrades Stone 4 to Glare, Water 4 to Banish, and Aero 2 to Dia.
Additionally, increases the potency of Quake to 400, and Flood to 440
Additionally, increases the potency of Tornado to 180 and its damage over time potency to 90.

Level 74: Afflatus Mastery
Upgrades Afflatus Tragedy to Afflatus Misery.

Level 76: Bastion of Light
Upgrades Stoneskin to Afflatus Bastion, and Graniteskin to Afflatus Sanctuary.

Level 78: Enhanced Asylum
Adds an additional effect to Asylum, granting 10% increased HP recovery for any allies within.

Level 82: Mastery of the Light
Upgrades Glare to Glare 3, and Banish to Banish 3.
Additionally, increases the potency of Quake to 410, and Flood to 450.

Level 85: Healing Mastery
Increases the healing potency of Cure II to 800, Regen to 250, Cure III to 600, Medica II to 400,
Medica II's Regen effect to 150, Afflatus Solace to 800, and Afflatus Rapture to 400.

Level 88: Enhanced Divine Benison
Allows for the accumulation of charges of Divine Benison.
Maximum Charges: 2

THE NATURE'S VIGILANCE GAUGE

(Please forgive me, I am not an artist)

The Nature's Vigilance Gauge is learned upon reaching Level 50, and completing the Job Quest 'Heart of the Forest'. Upon gaining access to the Gauge, many previously learned actions will now generate Vigilance, stored in the gauge (displayed as the 'stem' of the flower). Upon reaching 50 Vigilance (displayed as reaching the 'leaves' of the flower), the execution of Blessing of the Elementals will become available. This spell is a strong AOE healing action, which also grants three new 'buffs', corresponding to each of the three natural elements, Wind, Water and Earth (displayed as the 'petals' of the flower).

The Nature's Vigilance Gauge can hold up to two of each Petal, so spending 100 Vigilance back to back will not cause overcap. When a Petal is present on the Gauge, that element's spell (Stone/Glare, Aero/Dia, Water/Banish) will 'upgrade' into the ultimate Elemental Magic of that element: Quake, Tornado, and Flood respectively. These actions serve as a way to 'refund' the damage lost by casting Blessing of the Elementals, with the total increase over their base forms being equal to one cast of your current level of Stone/Glare (at max level, lower level potencies might be variable).

In this example, we can see the player has 60 Vigilance stored, and has two of each Elemental Petal ready to use.

I don't think it can be said that I can't articulate what I want. I said exactly what I want, but unlike the quote's assertion, I am not describing a 'completely different game'. I'm describing a version of FFXIV that I think would be 'better' in some way. I can't just go play 'that other game' instead, because it doesn't exist. The closest analogue to the game I 'want', is a previous version of FFXIV that no longer exists, not a different game entirely

[Catwho]

I don't think it can be said that I can't articulate what I want. I said exactly what I want, but unlike the quote's assertion, I am not describing a 'completely different game'. I'm describing a version of FFXIV that I think would be 'better' in some way. I can't just go play 'that other game' instead, because it doesn't exist. The closest analogue to the game I 'want', is a previous version of FFXIV that no longer exists, not a different game entirely

I see you've been active in the Healer job forums, which is where I was going to suggest you post stuff like that. So you are doing it right. Carry on.

The biggest problem with the official forums is that most of the complaints are dumped here in General, and not in the specific forums where they are supposed to go. The moderators routinely ignore General unless someone reports a post.

I've a few of had my UI suggestions implemented, so they are passing along stuff from those forum spaces.

But General is treated as a quarantine pit by the mod team.... for good reason.

Edit: It was Supersnow who was active; replied to the wrong quote tree. ARGH. If there's anything I really do wish they would update, it's their forum software. 1998 called and wants its BBS system back. Maybe I should take my own advice and go post in the appropriate forum about that.

[Azurarok]

Your best method of expressing your voice with a company is money. Stop buying their product.

Pokémon Go had a horrible update a few months ago, where they rolled out a graphics update that wasn't ready and most of the gear had been updated using AI (and so was trash.) They unified their skeleton mesh for both male and female avatars, and we joked that they deleted women from the game (it wasn't a joke. They deleted women from the game.)

It was so awful that tons of us just.... stopped playing. I'd been a daily player since 2016. I usually tossed them $20 a month for coins and remote raid passes, because I found gym grinding to be a chore I didn't want to bother with.

And I quit cold turkey.

I wasn't the only one. The backlash against the terrible update was swift and deep. For a lot of players, it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

You're only explaining that you and many others quit. Did that make the devs turn things around? If so, did that bring back those players?

[Catwho]

You're only explaining that you and many others quit. Did that make the devs turn things around? If so, did that bring back those players?

It forced them to acknowledge that the avatar update was not as well received as they'd hoped, and they agreed that they have a LOT of improvements to make in the new unified mesh.

They've since fixed the busted AI resized clothing based on specific feedback, at least. I popped back in for a community day last month and while my avatar still looks terrible, at least t-shirts no longer clip through a woman's hips.

(Now if she would just stop crouching like a caveman after winning a Team Rocket battle...)

A lot of us have said we'd come back full time if they make those improvements to the new avatar system. But Monster Hunter Now is their new bigger money maker, I suspect, so we're probably not #1 on the priority list.

[Jojoya]

You're only explaining that you and many others quit. Did that make the devs turn things around? If so, did that bring back those players?

That's honestly irrelevant.

What matters is whether we as individual players are happy playing the games we pay for. If we're not happy, then we shouldn't be paying for those games. We should be using that money to purchase things that we will enjoy, whether it's another game or a movie streaming service or supporting a local sports team or just dining out for lunch an extra day each month.

The FFXIV of old won't be coming back. Things have changed since then, including the player base. I listen to my friends who just starting playing in the last 3 years talking about the game and how great things have been compared to what they expected (and sometimes feared) as new players. A lot of the time, I'm mentally saying to myself "but this not the way it was when I started playing" and I'm fairly certain most of them would not have stuck around if they had started at the same time.

The company is not going to let the developers revert systems back to what they had been in Stormblood when it means possibly losing most of the players that enjoy what the game currently is.

A game isn't worth paying for because of what it once was, or what it might be. Pay for a game because it is worth it for what it is. What you invested into the game in the past was for that past. It's not worth current investment if you're not getting a good return for the time and money, and there's nothing to stop you from returning if things are changed for the better in the future.

The developers can't please everyone, no matter how much the OP wants to pretend otherwise, and there comes a point when sometimes we need to accept that we are going to be the ones left unhappy.