Cartoony style graphics....

[Arcell]

Those are very superficial qualities, at the end of the day. There's nothing really original about "story", for example, and sometimes such things work against the concept of a MMO (i.e., putting single-player game features into a massively multiplayer game is somewhat contradictory). Besides, FFXIV: ARR is a self-confessed WoW clone evr since Yoshi said he used it as a standard and will basically copy it feature-for-feature and then be original at some later date, when it suits him. Therefore, FFXIV is kind of as unoriginal as it gets in terms of structure, superficialities notwithstanding.

Wait, since when did Yoshida ever say that WoW is the single standard upon which FFXIV: ARR is built?

Without all of those things Starlord mentioned, what would be the difference between Final Fantasy and any other JRPG on the market? Very little. There are very distinctive features and characters/monsters that make FF what it is.

FFXIV: ARR is already taking some of those FF ideas and reworking them for itself. Take Limit Break for example, not taken directly from other FF games that have had it or other similar systems. It's its own iteration of the Limit Break concept. Crystal Tower is another classic FF concept that is being brought over to 2.0.

It's not that they're copying features and ideas from WoW, it's just that for the most part our current game is nowhere near the standards of modern MMOs. Yeah, some of those features are included in WoW but mostly because it made them MMO standards, though the features themselves weren't original in their own right. Things like a UI that actually works well, a mail system, working guild/LS systems. You know, basic stuff like that which we don't even have right now.

[bobbygunz]

Wait, since when did Yoshida ever say that WoW is the single standard upon which FFXIV: ARR is built?

Without all of those things Starlord mentioned, what would be the difference between Final Fantasy and any other JRPG on the market? Very little. There are very distinctive features and characters/monsters that make FF what it is.

I understand what youre saying. "A superficial FF skin over a WoW-clone is awesome"

What I'm saying is that's it's kind of boring, non-progressive, and not enough to seduce players especially with the MMO genre becoming increasingly more innovative (GW2, TERA, Blade and Soul, Black Prophecy, ArcheAge...all innovating in some way while SE makes a WoW clone and pastes a FF skin over it).

[Ruisu]

I understand what youre saying. "A superficial FF skin over a WoW-clone is awesome"

What I'm saying is that's it's kind of boring, non-progressive, and not enough to seduce players especially with the MMO genre becoming increasingly more innovative (GW2, TERA, Blade and Soul, Black Prophecy, ArcheAge...all innovating in some way while SE makes a WoW clone and pastes a FF skin over it).

Lol'd at your comment about innovation, and then mentioning GW2, TERA, and BnS.

FF was never a completely original series. They had their own quirks. And the FF titles that were truly original were absolutely terrible (FF2, 8, and 14.)

You should probably just drop this franchise in general if you're wanting COMPLETELY NEW AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS LIKE GUILD WARS 2 AND TERA, right?

[bobbygunz]

Lol'd at your comment about innovation, and then mentioning GW2, TERA, and BnS.

FF was never a completely original series. They had their own quirks. And the FF titles that were truly original were absolutely terrible (FF2, 8, and 14.)

You should probably just drop this franchise in general if you're wanting COMPLETELY NEW AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS LIKE GUILD WARS 2 AND TERA, right?

Regardless of whether I want it or not, I was responding to the idea that anything they're doing with ARR at present isn't just a superficial reskin of WoW with a FF coat of paint, which is pretty self-evident.

Anyhow, GW2, TERA, and BnS obviously did make some innovations, not least of all in terms of combat, or at least redeveloped upon something Darkfall already set out to achieve years before and actually made it useable in a MMO. And regardless of what people might suggest on these forums, these statements are repeated and made evident enough in most reviews/previews about such games. You'll never hear someone say "FFXIV has some really progressive game design concepts!"

And it's especially funny how you read statements from the developers of games like Archeage, Black Prophecy, Guild Wars 2, and they will all tell you their perceived problems with contemporary/past MMOs and how their ambitions will seek to rectify those problems. All Yoshi ever does is say how he wants to make FFXIV "standard" and be original "later". Like that's all he can say. Oh, except the one time he slammed SWTOR for making too many story quests, and then decided to repeat the same gameplay mechanic in ARR. lol.

[Keisuna]

Regardless of whether I want it or not, I was responding to the idea that anything they're doing with ARR at present isn't just a superficial reskin of WoW with a FF coat of paint, which is pretty self-evident.

Yeah, I'm sorry, but no. I've played WoW, and FFXIV is not, nor has it ever been like that. It seems like you've simply latched on to certain features (ones that any good MMO should have, not just WoW) and ignored anything else about the core gameplay of FFXIV that didn't fit with your preconceived notions

[Rokien]

Yeah, I'm sorry, but no. I've played WoW, and FFXIV is not, nor has it ever been like that. It seems like you've simply latched on to certain features (ones that any good MMO should have, not just WoW) and ignored anything else about the core gameplay of FFXIV that didn't fit with your preconceived notions

Yaaa because 1.x is 2.0.... geez

[Xmbei]

Yaaa because 1.x is 2.0.... geez

Yaaaa because 2.0 is WoW...... geez

[Starlord]

Lol'd at your comment about innovation, and then mentioning GW2, TERA, and BnS.

FF was never a completely original series. They had their own quirks. And the FF titles that were truly original were absolutely terrible (FF2, 8, and 14.)

You should probably just drop this franchise in general if you're wanting COMPLETELY NEW AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS LIKE GUILD WARS 2 AND TERA, right?

Don't be Dissin' FF8 now... One of my Favorites like my 4th favorite out of them all. :P