How do we develop Better Casual Content?

[ZoReee]

From what It seems 7.1 is a full on kick to the teeth for anyone who doesn't want to do high end content (I'd consider that being extreme+). Ultimately the content available for casual players will dry up by January if we're lucky (since the released content will probably get us to the Holiday season and then at least there will be events).

What can be done to push the needle that isn't repeating old content at nauseum? I've found glamour related interactions/checking out houses help fill the time somewhat. But that being said unless you learn the unreal, you're still stuck with helio farming and journal completions come January after you're done with msq, alliance spamming, etc. and even that the unreal is only so much extra to do.

Its certainly easy to say "well just go learn hardcore content then or play a different game" but speaking for myself I enjoy the game and don't want to stop, but its impossible for me personally to do communication based content that relies on discord VC because of my autism, I only got through extremes because I visually played tag with a buddy who was my partner for mechanics who knew the callouts/was in the call and i was a ranged class. but that doesn't really work in savages and ultimates and such as it ends up being at the expense of other players prog. For other players, I can safely assume they don't like the raid atmosphere or the content is just not fun to prog and such.

This isn't to say "what old content can I do" its, what new content can be developed to sustain a fun time by players that doesn't require the devs to make it since midcore is basically non-existent in dawntrail. (the lvl100 dungeons and normal raids are basically midcore level just so i can define that better)

(I don't have really any interest in the RP scene, and DD running i'd say is past its prime for casuals since its very much a one and done type thing unless you're doing solo challenges or speedruns which is its own bucket)

So i'm curious what you think is viable to hold over this upcoming dry spell

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EDIT: It seems I need to define midcore/HC for people to avoid confusion

midcore is Expert Dungeons, Normal Raids, variant dungeons, Alliance raids on occasion(mostly the shadowbringer onwards ones), Deep dungeons, and Field farms like bozja. Things at those levels of difficulty you need to know your class proficiently enough to play the game without wiping your team(basically you can't skip a class from 1 to 100 and do this content without possibly failing the duty or dragging down your team significantly)

Hardcore is extremes, savages, criterion, ultimates, unreals, chaos aliance because not only do they need you to know your class, you're fighting an Enrage Timer and need higher levels of communication to clear. (they literally have a different tab in the duty menu)

[Kaurhz]

They don't need to develop better casual content, they just need to release it sooner, then those that are casual can just progress at their own pace rather than backloading it all. As the problem they have with relics and casuals for instance is that it is backloaded so then there's a sudden grind without it being paced appropriately.

[Erzaa]

For me, I'd list stuff to do and explore in the open world. The zones are beautiful, but there's no reason to go out there. And I'd like exploratory content to actual have things to explore and discover. But yea, releasing it would be a good first start.

Edit: Oh! And more roleplaying options would be nice in general.

[ZoReee]

I agree they should release it sooner, which is why I mentioned the metaphorical kick to the teeth. But they aren't so what can be done? If the only options we have are make something work or quit until its available, I'd really love to come up with sustainable interesting ideas that can better fill these dry periods.

[jonimated]

For me, I'd list stuff to do and explore in the open world. The zones are beautiful, but there's no reason to go out there.

This is a problem I've had for a long time with this game. They spend so much time and effort developing these massive zones, and they never actually get used for anything. We blast through them on our way to the next MSQ, there are maybe a few side quests in the area, but the zones largely go unused. Just empty space filled with pointless mobs.

On the casual content issue I think we need something that is grindable, and can remain relevant through expansions by scaling with the current level cap. Difficult enough that you can't just mindlessly button mash through, but not extreme/savage level difficult.

I think Variant Dungeons have the potential to fill this void, but they have 2 major problems. They don't come out nearly often enough, and when they do they become irrelevant very quickly. Most of the rewards are also quite stale, but that may just be a personal preference thing. If we got a new Variant every major patch which had some cool rewards to grind for I think that wold go a long way in solving the casual/midcore content issue. Perhaps to prevent any individual dungeon from feeling stale implement a weekly "buff" to a specific dungeon on a rotation that increases the rewards for doing a given dungeon. Could also add an optional difficulty increase for subsequent completions. Each time you finish one you have the option to increase the difficulty for higher reward. This can continue to stack until you fail a dungeon and it resets back to 0.

[ovIm]

They don't need to develop better casual content, they just need to release it sooner, then those that are casual can just progress at their own pace rather than backloading it all. As the problem they have with relics and casuals for instance is that it is backloaded so then there's a sudden grind without it being paced appropriately.

Very much this. Release the first step of the relic grind at X.06, a Deep Dungeon and a Field Operations instance with accompanying relic update at X.1 and X.15 respectively. That way, people have until X.55 to work on this.

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What can be done to push the needle that isn't repeating old content at nauseum?

Other content ideas I had that flutter around in the depths of this forum:

An actual new area map thats targeted at max level released a few weeks after the first savage launch - give it Bozja style fates, dailies that give tokens for gear and tomestones, and an accompanying theme. The more players do quests on that map, the more area becomes available for traversal, with new fates and enemies. Unlock every bit of the map, and a special vendor appears with bonus wares like mounts, and participating players get a few more tomes. Map resets daily or weekly.
Semi related, an update on quest variance. Give us quests you have to do mounted, or something where you control a mount like in chocobo racing, or clear out things like in the Air Force One minigame. Just a little variance in gameplay. And for the love of god, make mobs survive longer than half your opener.

Improve Deep Dungeon. Make it a proper roguelite mode where every few floors, you can get a Bozja Essence style buff, or a Bozja style Lost Action to accompany your playstyle. You get a few of those and can only carry 2, meaning you have to decide which skills to bring.
Add in an endless mode to Deep Dungeon too, where every week, players can compete on how deep they can delve, with leaderboards on the lodestone.
Every patch, new map layouts, buffs and modificators are added, to keep this mode fresh.

Also, make it so that this mode always works on max level, that way, it is always future proof for any new expansions. Suddenly you have made content once that becomes relevant for the entire time this game is alive.

These things should preferably be added alongside the already established content pipeline.

Square Enix, hire me. (jk, I am no game designer)

[Kaurhz]

I agree they should release it sooner, which is why I mentioned the metaphorical kick to the teeth. But they aren't so what can be done? If the only options we have are make something work or quit until its available, I'd really love to come up with sustainable interesting ideas that can better fill these dry periods.

Honestly? Nothing, because this game doesn't really know what it wants to be from one patch to the next, or from one expansion to the next. They're so adamant that they want to develop everything whilst also simultaneously not thinking about the consequences, it shows in PvE and it shows in PvP.

This is why they need to really just go with releasing sooner and then padding it out a little more. Longer grind with a far longer cycle with which to grind it in. Developing more content is just 1 more unpolished feature that they won't bother maintaining or updating outside of the "Hey, this is a new expansion"

[Derio]

At the very least the intro quest to the relic should be in the X.15 patch

They dont have to introduce the zone yet. Just build up the hype and even possibly the first phase be tomes. That is a good way to keep the playerbase engaged.

7.1 is mostly extreme trial, ultimate and chaotic alliance raid. If you dont do any of this style content you have 1 new dungeon, 1 new 24 man, beast tribe quest, a very short MSQ because we know that the odd number patches are typically smaller on MSQ length.

This probably would have been the best patch to introduce cosmic exploration instead of putting them both exploration style content in the same patch.

[mallleable]

I'm realizing that the casual versus hardcore, and the more elusive midcore distinctions are not as helpful as we think it is, and instead thinking about things in terms of general versus niche. Without getting into too much detail, I think what is missing general non raiding combat which may point to things like FATEs, and hunts. By focusing on overworld gameplay, it mean that an expansion can launch with six zones worth of gameplay right from the start -- very doable within the formula. The problem is that FATEs, and hunts are not that great as they are just these boring, cheesy, and frustrating currency piñatas, and require gameplay, and system changes to make them not as such.

[Daralii]

At the very least the intro quest to the relic should be in the X.15 patch

They dont have to introduce the zone yet. Just build up the hype and even possibly the first phase be tomes. That is a good way to keep the playerbase engaged.

7.1 is mostly extreme trial, ultimate and chaotic alliance raid. If you dont do any of this style content you have 1 new dungeon, 1 new 24 man, beast tribe quest, a very short MSQ because we know that the odd number patches are typically smaller on MSQ length.

This probably would have been the best patch to introduce cosmic exploration instead of putting them both exploration style content in the same patch.

I remember enjoying the solo instance that served as the Bozja prologue, and I wish they would have done another one for the Triangle.