FFXIV has lost it's heart

[Exmo]

[...]

Adding to this, Dawntrail's world building also included things like xenophobia stemming from race supremacy, the instrumentalisation of people as currency, and featured a military coup. And the EW patches depicted a dog-eat-dog state of nature world. Although these topics aren't the main focus of the story, they're still present in the text - I'd say about as much as the refugee crisis in Uldah was in ARR, or class division in HW, for example. It's hardly all smiles and rainbows.

[Exmo]

"Seed doesnt grow here. Lets try other seed" doesnt need a science degree. Its trial and error the most basic science even a todler can do. But I see you are now writing for the writers. So Ill stop here.

They have to travel back and forth between continents in this trial and error approach, a journey the game portrays as not something people tend to do on the regular. They said they tried things and nothing they tried worked. This is all 100% already in the text. You have selective memory. There are plenty of legitimate things to criticize in DT but this isn't it

[Daralii]

They pretty much admitted that Endwalker was two expansions smashed into one. Thats why the pacing was off and proper time wasnt given to nuance but the main theme. I feel like the worldbuilding has become much weaker bjt I respecr your opinion on it too.

They've said pretty unambiguously that Sharlayan through Mare Lamentorum and Thavnair 2 to the duel were going to be two expansions, but Ishikawa and Yoshida somehow didn't think the conflict with Garlemald, which had been a looming shadow or at the forefront since 1.0's opening cinematic, would have enough material for an expansion, and the same went for the cascading apocalypse that ended the Amaurotines.

[Yodada]

Nice changes for FF14 Mobile ... Cant wait to see the excuses and sad Yoshi Face why we cant have those in our Sub supported Game ...

- Quest guidance includes path indicators.
- Free teleportation
- Maps allow direct teleportation to Aetherytes within main cities.
- Mounts unlock at level 5.
- Aether Currents added to 2.0 zones, enabling flying after activation.
- Four-player dungeons now support NPC companions. Dungeon content aligns with the PC version but features reduced stats and shorter completion times.
- 2.0's three Primal battles are now 8-player dungeons without NPC support
- Daily roulettes include Leveling, Trial, and Duty roulettes (BYD starts from 2.0).
- Currently, there are two max-level dungeons: Extreme Titan and the Crystal Tower's Labyrinth of the Ancients. Both are 8-player dungeons with simplified mechanics. Extreme Titan includes built-in skill timers.
- Combat classes consolidate three-stage GCD actions into a single auto-attack skill. Melee classes perform ranged attacks when far from targets, subject to range limits.
- Viewing another player's plate reveals their gear and glamours. Changing gear no longer requires resetting plates.
- Built-in voice chat allows direct voice messages or voice input for conversations. Party voice chat is also integrated into dungeons.

- Retainers are removed; their functions, marketboard, and shops are integrated into the character's base functionality for on-the-go access.
- Mailboxes are accessible anywhere without needing a delivery moogle.
- A new Codex feature tracks collectibles, from orchestrion rolls to FATE completions.
- A new Wardrobe feature stores all appearances. You can preview or try on even uncollected appearances, with similar models and acquisition hints provided. Once collected, appearances can be glamoured anytime.
- Dye system optimized: Unlocking a dye color (e.g., gray) automatically unlocks all shades in the same category, allowing seamless switching without loss.
- Inventory improvements include item sorting by category and expandable slots.
- Crafting classes revamped with original mobile-specific gameplay elements.
- Gold Saucer mini-games feature overhauled UI and gameplay enhancements.

[cheeplikor]

I disagree. People are "pining for bygone years" because the direction of the game has changed. Shadowbringers and Endwalker destroyed a lot of the mystery that had been built up since 1.0, and Dawntrail gave us an entire continent full of people so agreeable as to be completely ridiculous. Every bit of conflict or discord is quickly resolved in the purifying light of Friendship and Forgiveness.

Even the English script (I can't comment on other languages) has been sanitized and made to be as non-offensive as possible; witness the modern affectation of using they/them pronouns (e.g. calling a singular robot "they" instead of "it," or an NPC calling my character "she" and "they" in the same sentence, which is just silly), or NPCs never acknowledging your character's race (I only remember two Roegadyn in the entire MSQ, Kettenramm and my character, and nobody seemed taken aback by a giant grey-skinned woman). I remember being a little shocked while running an alt through ARR and an NPC said "I brought the Elezen bitch." That line would never fly in the game now. DT sanded off all the rough edges that the game's world used to have.

The story doesn't have to be perpetually violent and dark and depressing, but there has to be some of that to make for an authentic, believable world. Everyone getting along all the time feels fake, and that is just one of many problems with DT.

Don't get me wrong (sorry if i didn't make my point clearly xD) There's no understating how much this game has changed. In terms of the world, I do feel the same as many that it feels like there's nothing "New" or threatening enough for the WoL anymore and all we have to do is turn up, let the scions solve every mystery in a single cutscene (Looking at you Yshtola -_-), go speak to a "Big Bad" and then boom, a whole continent we've been in for 10 quests + has had all its problems solved and we'll never hear from them again until the patch cycle.

Replaying ARR has made me remember why I loved it so much. Its pacing is a little whack but the depth of the world is so much fun to relive/remember. The corruption in the brass blades, the hypocrisy of the city states etc. It's all believable drama but it's so watered down now and everyone is on a hype train for the WoL that the deepest plot we come across is a lizard with daddy issues and a happy-go-lucky comedy routine. It's tragic, I completely understand peoples issues with the games direction. I'll amend my original statement of "less to do with game direction" and say it's definitely 50/50 game direction & nostalgia.

I wish we could go back to having a rich world with drama beyond our ability to solve by the power of positive nodding but like yourself and others have said, it's not likely we'll go back to the way it used to be. My point was more that whilst I wish things would change, I just can't see it happening anymore and maybe i'm alone in thinking that it's for the best to just look at the game for what it did give us and enjoy it as it is. We've changed, the teams changed, the games changed etc.

Take what fun we can because it won't be the same again.

[lolnah]

Well when the current armor sets look like what was worn by thugs robbing a CVS in NYC I would say so ... Urban soulless monoculture and dei is taking over the game

Sometimes I think these forums are good and nurture actual discussion and then I see posts like this with 30 likes. 5 bucks this person lives in a suburb in flyover country

[Gunz_Zbestest]

Sometimes I think these forums are good and nurture actual discussion and then I see posts like this with 30 likes. 5 bucks this person lives in a suburb in flyover country

Seriously though, like so specific too. What goes through their heads with these imaginary scenarios. I do not believe it's good for their soul. Wherever the heart is, it's not with those people.

[Fawkes]

Nice changes for FF14 Mobile ... Cant wait to see the excuses and sad Yoshi Face why we cant have those in our Sub supported Game ...

- Quest guidance includes path indicators.
- Free teleportation
- Maps allow direct teleportation to Aetherytes within main cities.
- Mounts unlock at level 5.
- Aether Currents added to 2.0 zones, enabling flying after activation.
- Four-player dungeons now support NPC companions. Dungeon content aligns with the PC version but features reduced stats and shorter completion times.
- 2.0's three Primal battles are now 8-player dungeons without NPC support
- Daily roulettes include Leveling, Trial, and Duty roulettes (BYD starts from 2.0).
- Currently, there are two max-level dungeons: Extreme Titan and the Crystal Tower's Labyrinth of the Ancients. Both are 8-player dungeons with simplified mechanics. Extreme Titan includes built-in skill timers.
- Combat classes consolidate three-stage GCD actions into a single auto-attack skill. Melee classes perform ranged attacks when far from targets, subject to range limits.
- Viewing another player's plate reveals their gear and glamours. Changing gear no longer requires resetting plates.
- Built-in voice chat allows direct voice messages or voice input for conversations. Party voice chat is also integrated into dungeons.

- Retainers are removed; their functions, marketboard, and shops are integrated into the character's base functionality for on-the-go access.
- Mailboxes are accessible anywhere without needing a delivery moogle.
- A new Codex feature tracks collectibles, from orchestrion rolls to FATE completions.
- A new Wardrobe feature stores all appearances. You can preview or try on even uncollected appearances, with similar models and acquisition hints provided. Once collected, appearances can be glamoured anytime.
- Dye system optimized: Unlocking a dye color (e.g., gray) automatically unlocks all shades in the same category, allowing seamless switching without loss.
- Inventory improvements include item sorting by category and expandable slots.
- Crafting classes revamped with original mobile-specific gameplay elements.
- Gold Saucer mini-games feature overhauled UI and gameplay enhancements.

Honestly pretty shocked by how many QoL things there are.

I wonder if the dev team for the mobile game are fans of the game that were tired of Yoshi-P not doing things and just decided to do it themselves.

[Exmo]

Much more likely they were able to start the project knowing the full scope of what they wanted by the end of it. Like, the FFXIV design is right here. There's such a vast difference between starting from scratch vs having to maintain and expand an existing project far beyond what it was initially scoped for.

[Jeeqbit]

I wonder if the dev team for the mobile game are fans of the game

They actually wrote a very length statement explaining how much they've played the game and done savage etc. So the answer is yes.