Are we reneging on the commitment to have more difficult normal content already?

[Supersnow845]

There would not be an uptick of anything. I don't know how you would gauge the proportion of the playerbase, are you surveying everyone who logs in? Not everyone AFKs in Limsa.

Using surveys and achievement for clearance rates of savage

Lucky releases the census every patch

DT savage has basically the same proportion clearance as the other expansions, which means the playerbase hasn’t gotten noticeably more or less top heavy

[TaleraRistain]

I got the impression they are trying something new with the combat. It did feel easier to me over all, but it also seemed like I had to spend a lot more time watching for boss tells and doing things that involved more personal responsibility. Seemed a bit more chaotic and free-form.

I definitely feel like this patch has "Pay Attention To Your Surroundings" flashing in neon. Maybe not as hard-hitting but you need to use your eyes.

[Fawkes]

Using surveys and achievement for clearance rates of savage

Lucky releases the census every patch

DT savage has basically the same proportion clearance as the other expansions, which means the playerbase hasn’t gotten noticeably more or less top heavy

So if people are leaving uniformly, and ~70% of the playerbase doesn't do savage, then 70% of the people quitting don't do savage.


Also, he says in the 7.3 report that fewer players are doing savage than usual.

ただ奇数パッチになるとRE装備やアライアンスレイド装備などで装備ILの底上げができるので踏破者数は普段は増えていく傾向にあるのだが、今回は新しく挑戦しようという人が増えない傾向にあるようだ。
「だから緩和するべき」と言いたいわけではない。高難易度をやる人とやらない人が分かれる傾向はここでも読み取れるということだ。

While the number of players who clear the content usually increases with odd-numbered patches due to the availability of upgraded gear from RE equipment and Alliance Raids, this time, there seems to be a trend of fewer new players attempting the content.
This doesn't mean I'm saying "they should make it easier." It simply shows that the tendency for players to be divided into those who attempt high-difficulty content and those who don't is evident here as well.

[Supersnow845]

So if people are leaving uniformly, and ~70% of the playerbase doesn't do savage, then 70% of the people quitting don't do savage.


Also, he says in the 7.3 report that fewer players are doing savage than usual.

The first point doesn’t make a point either way

If people are leaving uniformly it’s unlikely to be about job design or difficulty, since less people already do savage than people that do do it saying “if people leave evenly that means more people who are leaving don’t do it” doesn’t affect the statement at all

If the 7.3 quote is accurate that less people are doing savage then it’s an argument against your point because it means people leaving are disproportionately people who do savage which would indicate it’s possible the average playerbase still thinks the game is too easy

[Carin-Eri]

Well, going against the grain here.... but I really enjoyed the dungeon and the Trial.

Did the dungeon with Trust (as a side-note, Sphene was a great healer) the first time I played it and found the balance about right personally. And I found the Trial somewhat 'spicy' but got through it.

Unpopular an opinion as this may be, I'm going to express it anyway: I'm hoping they continue to balance fights in this manner; I don't see why every boss has to be a DDR-attack fest - let those of us who prefer some balance have some fun.
I know I did.

[Valence]

Same. The mechanics themselves are not difficult, but they demand attention which is nice. I think it's not a terrible direction overall, but I also enjoy the more "puzzle"-like mechanics! A healthy mix between the two would be more my preference.

I'd just like to use my eyes less and use my brain more, which means using my job toolkit in meaningful ways beyond reciting a music sheet on a script to deal uniform damage.

[ovIm]

I'd just like to use my eyes less and use my brain more, which means using my job toolkit in meaningful ways beyond reciting a music sheet on a script to deal uniform damage.

But would you rather not dodge the AoE and keep hammering your GCD? /s
Honestly though, I had hoped that this new and improved encounter design we were promised would be things like that, having to make decisions as a player. Instead, it looks like we got ShB/EW with smaller hitboxes and different tells.

[Fawkes]

The first point doesn’t make a point either way

If people are leaving uniformly it’s unlikely to be about job design or difficulty, since less people already do savage than people that do do it saying “if people leave evenly that means more people who are leaving don’t do it” doesn’t affect the statement at all

If the 7.3 quote is accurate that less people are doing savage then it’s an argument against your point because it means people leaving are disproportionately people who do savage which would indicate it’s possible the average playerbase still thinks the game is too easy

The point is, if SE is looking at numbers and sees 70% of the people quitting are MSQ Andys, they might make the MSQ easier to reduce friction and try to stem the tide of subscription losses. This thread is about the MSQ content being easier this patch.

You seem to have erroneously equated "people who do savage" with "people who think the game is too easy". There could be people who cleared that thought it was too hard. But if people are getting hardstuck on Yan and quitting the game then that goes along with my point perfectly. Although there's not an achievement for that so we don't know from Lucky Bancho if they are quitting or not, maybe they all have houses they don't want to lose. Maybe if the upcoming tier of savage fights is easier that could potentially point to that being the case, and SE reacting to those people quitting by making it easier.

[Supersnow845]

The point is, if SE is looking at numbers and sees 70% of the people quitting are MSQ Andys, they might make the MSQ easier to reduce friction and try to stem the tide of subscription losses. This thread is about the MSQ content being easier this patch.

You seem to have erroneously equated "people who do savage" with "people who think the game is too easy". There could be people who cleared that thought it was too hard. But if people are getting hardstuck on Yan and quitting the game then that goes along with my point perfectly. Although there's not an achievement for that so we don't know from Lucky Bancho if they are quitting or not, maybe they all have houses they don't want to lose. Maybe if the upcoming tier of savage fights is easier that could potentially point to that being the case, and SE reacting to those people quitting by making it easier.

If square sees a proportion of people roughly equal to the wider proportion of casual/hardcore people leaving there is zero reason to believe that those people are leaving due to difficulty problems because they are equal to the wider proportion of the games playerbase. If the playerbase is split 70/30 and 70/30 leave and your response is “70% are casuals we must make the game easier” then you both misunderstand how proportions works and have obviously gathered no actual data about why these people are leaving (general you)

I’m not equating them, I’m using a negative space, just because you do savage doesn’t mean you think the game is too easy, however if you think current casual content is too hard you DONT do savage, ergo if the proportion of people doing savage noticeably changes across the wider playerbase as the population as a whole changes then one of the possible reasons is a change in the proportion of people not doing savage leaving. So since proportion of people doing savage went down in DT it’s actually more likely that people who are more predisposed to thinking casual content is too easy (savage raiders) left than people who are less predisposed to thinking casual content is too easy (non savage raiders)

Of course this can also be savage raiders simply dropping back to casual or leaving because they don’t like savage at the moment, but it’s likely a combination of many factors

[Aidorouge]

The point is, if SE is looking at numbers and sees 70% of the people quitting are MSQ Andys, they might make the MSQ easier to reduce friction and try to stem the tide of subscription losses. This thread is about the MSQ content being easier this patch.

You seem to have erroneously equated "people who do savage" with "people who think the game is too easy". There could be people who cleared that thought it was too hard. But if people are getting hardstuck on Yan and quitting the game then that goes along with my point perfectly. Although there's not an achievement for that so we don't know from Lucky Bancho if they are quitting or not, maybe they all have houses they don't want to lose. Maybe if the upcoming tier of savage fights is easier that could potentially point to that being the case, and SE reacting to those people quitting by making it easier.

Regardless of the exact percentages, a whole bunch of casuals and hardcores alike have been dropping off in large chunks, and with the current trend of "easier" jobs and "harder" content, it's understandable to assume that one side is leaving out of boredom and the other frustration.