Why is FFXIV so unpopular?

[SolAeternus]

I didn't pay much attention to the game until recently and decided to not listen to all the talk and see for myself what's up w/ the game. To my surprise , I really like it, ver.1.23b, and am having a ton of fun getting prepped for ARR. Wish I wwould have started a bit sooner tbh.

I think most people were like me and just heard it was bad and skipped the game. It's hard to resist when everywhere you read that a game is horrible.

That being said... they really, really, really need to implement a proper AH. It's an entire part of the game that I can't even partake in because all the wards are full. That really is some 1st class BS.

[Seif]

I didn't pay much attention to the game until recently and decided to not listen to all the talk and see for myself what's up w/ the game. To my surprise , I really like it, ver.1.23b, and am having a ton of fun getting prepped for ARR. Wish I wwould have started a bit sooner tbh.

I think most people were like me and just heard it was bad and skipped the game. It's hard to resist when everywhere you read that a game is horrible.

That being said... they really, really, really need to implement a proper AH. It's an entire part of the game that I can't even partake in because all the wards are full. That really is some 1st class BS.

Good luck with that.

Majority of the community every single review site and tons of people who already left want it too.
However SE is keeping the wards.
Go figure.

[Mujen]

I didn't pay much attention to the game until recently and decided to not listen to all the talk and see for myself what's up w/ the game. To my surprise , I really like it, ver.1.23b, and am having a ton of fun getting prepped for ARR. Wish I wwould have started a bit sooner tbh.

I think most people were like me and just heard it was bad and skipped the game. It's hard to resist when everywhere you read that a game is horrible.

That being said... they really, really, really need to implement a proper AH. It's an entire part of the game that I can't even partake in because all the wards are full. That really is some 1st class BS.

Just like you I came in prep for 2.0 & to see what the changes have been made. It's been 6 weeks and I have probably done as much if not more than majority of players because I've played so many MMOs I know what I want to do and seek the best/fastest way. I honestly don't know how ppl have been playing this game for even 1yr+.
I've made a post:http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...House-vs-Wards
No AH was an annoyance for me, among a few other things, finally coming down to the server communication issue which had me done w/ the current game.

The way I see it, FFXIV is the first and only MMO I've played and the reason for me why this is the worst game of the Final Fantasy series despite it's verbatim technological advantage is a shift from offline self-paced play to gameplay that introduces elitism and self-pace is non-existent, you either try and get a party together or you can't actually progress in the game, of which there seems to be MANY scenarios that can't be won because no party is available for it.

The social aspect of the game needs to have better infrastructure IMO.

Concept#1: When I 1st heard of Hamlet Defense I thought it would be something like Beseiged from FFXI, nope, requires a PT of 8.. and not just a regular setup, but mostly DoH/DoL, which I am not into lvling. This easily could have been a more open event, I understand having the entire server in a small area would be lag-fest (kinda like Atomos & R0/disconnect issue). But having it instanced for upto 16 players should be doable, perhaps you are able to sign up for the event as solo or a party & when enough players queue up should let you enter battle. This would give organized grps or solo players a benefit. Of course the whole DoH/DoL aspect could not be majority of the event like it is now, other aspects would be changed, but I've provided a good tweak for it. Rewards could be based on a specific currency by points/participation & turned in for rewards: (ex) seals, equip, etc.

Spamming dungeons for 1-2% drops = Craptastic. You can go 4+ hours with nothing to show for it but repair bills, nothing really usable because the AH gear trumps it, so you just sell it. There isn't much gear you can look at in the game and say, "oh wow, this person has that gear!" Actually, besides (Darklight) DL that's about it, no wow factor! You could simply buy gil & be decked out.. Hardly any sense of progression.

I feel I've narrowed down the average FF player to someone who likes to immerse themselves in the FF world. Thus, storyline & plot are a big factor, along with the look of the world & their character. SE needs to make it more customizable, make players feel like a 1yr old character can look a lot different than a 2mo old character. The ability to explore and take part in character changing & world impacting events. (dynamic events??)

Concept#2: Atomos & sense of impending doom on the current world.. If say the event had an impact on the cities, such as city invasions that begin at Aethyrs closest to the city and slowly progress towards the city walls, more players would take part with little to no reward needed other than the gratification of holding off an invasion (yes similar to Besieged in concept of city invasion, but w/ story behind it). Of course make the mobs not hit as hard, but more waves & do not deal damage to players unless "flagged" by 1st dealing dmg to the mobs/healing "actively flagged" players (this saves low lvl players/non-participants). Add some Event Only achievements in, along with event-only drops & you've just made the ending of your game fun, rewarding & people have something to show for it.

[BruceyBruceyBangBang]

You have got to be kidding me.

In a game... where you play said game... with tons of other people... trying to accomplish similar goals... being in a group is outdated.

It is when it's the only option for unique rewards. A casual player isn't expecting the same loot or progression that of a player with more free time to devote to endgame activities. As it stands right now, you have nothing to look forward to, but progression in levels if you're someone who wants to just sign in a jump into the game.

Also, that doesn't mean SE has to promote solo play and no team work. You can implement content that requires multiple people without creating a party and has rewards appropriate for the victory. This is a system GW2 has. It is going to be difficult for FFXIV to keep up with that type of login and go player without options like these because this is the direction where MMOs are heading. Whether people like it or not.

[Mujen]

It is when it's the only option for unique rewards. A casual player isn't expecting the same loot or progression that of a player with more free time to devote to endgame activities. As it stands right now, you have nothing to look forward to, but progression in levels if you're someone who wants to just sign in a jump into the game.

Also, that doesn't mean SE has to promote solo play and no team work. You can implement content that requires multiple people without creating a party and has rewards appropriate for the victory. This is a system GW2 has. It is going to be difficult for FFXIV to keep up with that type of login and go player without options like these because this is where MMOs are heading. Whether people like it or not.

I solved your problem, see Concept#1 above. (^_^)

[BruceyBruceyBangBang]

I solved your problem, see Concept#1 above. (^_^)

No offense, but I don't see how you solved my problem. I don't have a problem. I have great friends and completed everything the game has to offer, but the game isn't just about my experience. All I was saying was there are other ways of doing things with certain groups of players that don't make them feel like their experience is limited.

It can be "solved" in numerous ways as long as you have the adjectives. Fun, Fair, Easy [to get started], and uniquely Final Fantasy. Ripping off clear cut systems from previous/current MMOs or stand alone titles aren't necessary as long as you hold up the above descriptions.

[PEANUT]

Yoshi-P DID say when he was talking in an interview that its going take a while to transfer everyone's characters over to a realm reborn because there were HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of characters. I know that doesn't mean there's HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of players but even a fraction of that is still a lot! Don't remember what interview he said that sorry, but it was recent def.! ^^

[Crevox]

It's a poor indicator of the popularity of Final Fantasy XIV.

[Smither]

It is when it's the only option for unique rewards. A casual player isn't expecting the same loot or progression that of a player with more free time to devote to endgame activities. As it stands right now, you have nothing to look forward to, but progression in levels if you're someone who wants to just sign in a jump into the game.

Also, that doesn't mean SE has to promote solo play and no team work. You can implement content that requires multiple people without creating a party and has rewards appropriate for the victory. This is a system GW2 has. It is going to be difficult for FFXIV to keep up with that type of login and go player without options like these because this is the direction where MMOs are heading. Whether people like it or not.

So true, also it's way to hard to find a party for stuff when most everyone has it completed and so this creates an annoyance for players. I've been in like 10 linkshells that will go quiet once asked for help lol.
This game honestly needs some kind of match making or npc's like the old guild wars (haven't played new one yet) had where you can choose the ones you want to form a quick party to help complete a quest that nobody will help with.

[JukeboxHero]

At the very least I think it's safe to say there will be a lot more people playing 2.0 then there are now. If for no other reason, this will be true because it's releasing on the PS3.

The point being, there isn't exactly a large selection of MMO's for consoles, and many console players do not game on a PC at all. It's pretty much FFXIV or bust for PS3 players wanting an MMO experience. Same way it was with FFXI really. During the later years of XI, a surprising amount of people I partied with were playing on the 360, because XI offered something for the system that it was otherwise lacking.