Current State of End-Game Contents - A Blog Post from A Japanese Player

[TheRogueX]

[*]The majority of players don't care about a T9 clear and ilvl115 weapons (or whatever the latest top achievement is) because they're still stuck on contents 2 patches ago. While everyone would agree that only the top players should get the best rewards, if people have nothing to aspire to or look forward to in an MMO, then they won't stick around for long. By the time SE comes around to "tend" to them, they're long gone.

First off, thank you for the wonderful translation. I appreciate stuff like this, even if you just did it because you were bored. :P

As what the OP would consider a borderline casual/mainstream player (who could probably hardcore with the big boys if I just had the time to devote to it), I would like to add my 2 cents on this. I totally agree that the best rewards should go to the top players. HOWEVER, I think EVERYONE should have access to the content itself. Perhaps an *EZ MODE* for raids and such that can is more forgiving to the more casual players. It would obviously have a completely different loot list and the rewards would not be top-tier, but at least everyone would have the ability to see the content (especially the story aspects of the content). From what I've seen in write-ups, Coil has some really interesting story reveals, but most players will *never get to see them.*

To me, that's sorta like writing the last novel in a super popular book series in Latin. Could you imagine the outrage, especially if people who knew Latin already were like 'lol, noobs, go to school and learn Latin if you wanna be hardcore enough to read this book!'

Yeah totally agree with that. Yet it's kind of expecting much from elitist to want to give the time of day to the casual player base. That's just how the american culture is.

Sadly, this is true. It's why people who are privileged enough to not be poor seem to have complete and utter disdain for those who *are* poor. It's the same elitist, entitled attitude. "Why should I help you with anything? You're obviously too bad at life/this game/whatever to handle it yourself, so you don't deserve anything." That attitude bleeds into everything in our culture, including MMOs.

[Silvanoshi]

I feel if Square-Enix down-leveled gear in the 50 dungeons like they do in the lower level dungeons we would have a better playerbase overall. As it stands, anyone can get geared from low level dungeons, main story, dailies ect... then once they hit the real challenges, they dont know how to behave because they've never had to do anything beyond "have fun" or "do whatever" in these other area's.

I'm sure there are tons of people that have not done Pharos Sirius in AF Gear. There are STILL people to this day that can't handle the first boss in i70+. They are so used to winging it and thinking gear can get them through everything that they never learn properly.

Back on topic: Scripted is fine --- But random elements need to be added some of the time. New jobs that are coming can provide this opportunity.. See support jobs like (for EXAMPLE) the Time Mage. Give them Dispel as an ability.. and give some random boss a chance to randomly cast haste, protect, regen, or whatever on itself... Allow it to be interruptable too so there's no *requirement* for the Time Mage to be there when another Job can do the function too.

Square is just being too afraid to deviate from a boring, easy development style that "works" and they're afraid to try anything new. ... And its not even new.

[Ramesses]

Superb work translating this Emilia... and my sincere gratitude to the Japanese player who wrote this spectacular perspective. The OP's post actually made my day because it echoed several of my sentiments exactly... and I mean, EXACTLY.

It is so glaring that that the largest demographic of the game (the Casuals) have all yet to still challenge the Extreme Primals or Second Coil; and the alarming thing is that several of them are beginning to leave and/or stop playing altogether. It doesn't make it any easier on them that the behaviour of the "elitists" players towards them is just overwhelmingly hostile. Its not just the higher level content... its that they cant even get help for the simple little things around the game. Let me explain:

On Friday, a new player sent me a tell while I was near the Inn at Limsa and asked if there was a way to watch some of the cutscenes he had been forced to skip. I responded that he'd have to look under "Duties". He thanked me then mentioned that he wanted to watch all of them again before he quit the game the following day (May 31st). I asked him why and he just simply said because all the higher level players are always so hostile when he tried to clear higher level content. He said he loved the game and practiced a lot but was now frustrated with the atmosphere. I asked him if he had asked his FC for help... he responded that they only did Second Coil static amoungst themselves, then he thanked me again and promptly logged off.

Sound familiar?

Then just yesterday, I was on my BLM waiting for a FATE for one of my Zodiac books at the Shroud Aetheryte. Then saw a shout for a raise... and there were at least 20 to 25 high level players at the camp. Not a single one of them responded. I thought, "ok fair enough; they're all AFK". I swapped to WHM, jumped on my mount and rode out there... even got killed when I reached the player and had to ride out there again.

After I raised her, I asked if she was waiting for a FATE in the area. She responded that she had been trying to look for the treasure chest for her SMN relic but couldn't find it and kept getting killed because of the high number of monsters in the area (she had both her Titan and her Chocobo out to help her do battle). I swapped back onto my BLM and helped her clear the area while we both looked for her relic chest. We finally got it and she was of course very thankful and then mentioned something that didnt surprise me... she said something along the lines of some things being difficult because she kept having to try several things alone and nobody would help.

Now, don't get me wrong... understand that what the OP was saying is not about making the game simpler or easier so that unskilled players can clear higher level content (and Emilie clearly mentions this in her post)... its just that even the core principle of people helping each other with simple mundane tasks is now largely ignored. 90% of the casuals don't really care about all the high level loot and just want to achieve certain things in Eorzea. Period

[Kuroyasha]

Eh, I dont mind the idea of having fights where you can still recover from a death or what not(I mean realistically you can recover in t9 though), but i dont really want the fight where i can go I saved all your asses. That feeling may be nice, but id rather have the feeling of accomplishing something together where all played their part well, as i did tonight when my grp beat t9 for the first time.

Overall I disagree with the OP. I like the mechanics-driven fights. I like learning the dance, and dealing with a little randomness here and there. I liked finally getting titan ex with a grp of people in an LS who also wanted to get it down no matter how many times they wiped at first. Not saying the game cant improve, i just dont think OP's suggestions would improve it. But alas, i do not feel like writing an essay on the matter. So I bid you adieu.

[Litre]

Overall I disagree with the OP. I like the mechanics-driven fights. I like learning the dance, and dealing with a little randomness here and there. I liked finally getting titan ex with a grp of people in an LS who also wanted to get it down no matter how many times they wiped at first. Not saying the game cant improve, i just dont think OP's suggestions would improve it. But alas, i do not feel like writing an essay on the matter. So I bid you adieu.

Ya I don't agree with the OPs suggestions, but the issues he brought up are too true to ignore. We are going to bleed players to Wildstar and the likes unless we do something to appease the casual/mainstream players stuck on Titan or whatever. Making content more accessible over time through something more comprehensive than just echo buffs is a start.

[AiChyan]

This is the first mmo I stuck around to play, so I have zero experience with the end game scene in other mmos. So out of curiousity I want to ask, do other mmos rely on insta-death mechanics in the same manner ffxiv does? are the raids/trial styles similar as in they have scripted patterns and get out of aoe asap style?

[Liger]

I really like what you have mentioned too, but I have one comment maybe you forgot and I am guess that is why the Dev took this direction in development.
When started, FFXIV ARR had a good number of players " Legacey Players" at lvl 50 and alot were already at itme lvl ~70 when the game came out. I am guessing SE did what they did just to slow the progress of the players and have more time to spend in developing the game.

[Ragecake]

This game is successful.

There is nothing wrong with end game content.

SE shouldn't fix something that is not broken.

There are so many things wrong with this post, it's not even worth mentioning it.

Respect lost to the OP AND the translator and those who agree with this post.

I'm not even sorry.

[Kuwagami]

"I think you say BS but I have no counter arguments so I'll just try to insult you and to make you sorry for not being as happy as I am"

sorry for the little trolling here but you do not contribute at all and your post can be summarized pretty easily by what I wrote....

Instead of just saying "Nay", could you people try to argue a little bit ? like, trying to justify how a mechanic driven fight can be harder than what you call "tank and spank" ?
(besides the learning time, which can be pretty long in both case)

[Ragecake]

sorry for the little trolling here but...

I love how you apologize like you're being hurtful.

Instead of just saying "Nay", could you people try to argue a little bit ? like, trying to justify how a mechanic driven fight can be harder than what you call "tank and spank" ?
(besides the learning time, which can be pretty long in both case)

(besides the learning time, which can be pretty long in both case)

LEARNING?

What is there to learn in a tank and spank?

WHAT!?

The game is successful ---> therefore it is perfect ---> nothing needs to be changed...

I never said this. Straw man argument.

It's ok for him, therefore it must be ok for everyone, since he is the only person in the world!

^--Works both ways.

It's bad for me. Therefore it must be bad for everyone, since I'm the only person in the world.

Okay now I'm done. See ya!