Where is all the content?

[Xavier_Firbold]

This expansion really feels to me like a rehash of pretty much everything we've had before.

I also am well aware this opinion will invoke the ire of the much lauded "community".

For example

1. Gearsets
   In this new expansion we have one set of "new" gear, which is the AF gear for each class. Everything else is re-used from either SHB or STB, some of which isn't even dyeable. Where has the effort been in this? The new crafted gear is a reuse of PVP gear which the majority of people didn't even like.
   
2. Music
   Fate bosses still have the ARR music... Why?
   
   Raid tier doesn't have a second theme.
   
   Lot's of reused music throughout the expansion, the new map "Dungeon" hasn't even changed even though it's a completely different lore based area.
   
3. Zones
   Ultima Thule is the smallest zone we have EVER had based on walkable terrain. Labyrinthos is also tiny compared to the likes of Heavenswards areas or even Stormblood. The Ruby sea? All zones in EW have at LEAST half of the area available to explore. The Mare Lamentorum was hailed as a completely new world for us to explore and yet it's as big as both areas of Uldah put together.
   
4. Voice acting
   No voice acting in raids, even though this new tier is a "completely new and original idea". Baby Elidibus has a voice in the opening scene and then nothing else? Characters within Pandaemonium are INTEGRAL to our story going forward, it's part of the reason the events of ARR happened to begin with. It's a joke that these characters are not voiced.
   
5. Server issues
   Need I say more? The excuse of covid doesn't fit when I can easily go onto a server hosting company and pay for a server to be setup to the same level as the servers which Square use in their datacenters in the EU. With almost 24 hour deployable time. This can easily be seen here and here
   
   All this while the player subscription numbers have increased by almost a million in the last 16 months seen here
   

[Xavier_Firbold]

6. Story issues
This most recent story was the most poorly paced and incongruous mess I have ever sat through. There are so many plot holes and time travel issues introduced with this narrative that from some points of view, it would be impossible for the WOL to even have done the things in the past to allow the things to happen as they have in the future.

Not only that, Meteion is the worst Deus ex Machina I have seen for quite some time, if she was so dangerous, and Hydaelyn/Venat knew about her for this entire time, why not warn us earlier? The whole thing just doesn't make any sense. The journey through Ultima Thule where the characters are being killed off was almost laughably obvious. We had already been introduced to the Mcguffin that would bring them back.


Overall, I absolutely adore this game and it's been a complete passion of mine for near enough a decade now. But seeing it go so down hill so quickly is such a shame. This whole expansion just reeks of lazy writing and cash grabbing. As of writing this they've just released a stripper pole on the MogStation... Really?

Feel free to lambast me as much as you want community. Tis what it is.

[Pintsized]

6. Story issues
This most recent story was the most poorly paced and incongruous mess I have ever sat through. There are so many plot holes and time travel issues introduced with this narrative that from some points of view, it would be impossible for the WOL to even have done the things in the past to allow the things to happen as they have in the future.
<etc>

Agreed, the asinine use of Azem's Crystal to invalidate any emotional investment players had made in the Ultima Thule arc as well as the 'teleport me home' button simply destroyed any integrity the writers once had IMO.

It's beyond me why so many 'young male fans' are so giddy with excitement over this appalling end to the ARR arc .. it's FFXIV's equivalent of Game of Thrones Season 8.

[DynnDiablos]

Agreed, the asinine use of Azem's Crystal to invalidate any emotional investment players had made in the Ultima Thule arc as well as the 'teleport me home' button simply destroyed any integrity the writers once had IMO.

It's beyond me why so many 'young male fans' are so giddy with excitement over this appalling end to the ARR arc .. it's FFXIV's equivalent of Game of Thrones Season 8.

No one is forcing you to play. You are free to exit and do something else.

[Xavier_Firbold]

Indeed, nobody is forcing us to play, however we are paying for a service and therefore have the opportunity to either congratulate or complain.

If you're in a restaurant and the food comes through half cooked or wrong, do you complain? For me it's the same principle, if you're paying for a service you have the right to comment about said service.

To take this away from a patron is nothing short of censure.

[Kes13a]

Indeed, nobody is forcing us to play, however we are paying for a service and therefore have the opportunity to either congratulate or complain.

If you're in a restaurant and the food comes through half cooked or wrong, do you complain? For me it's the same principle, if you're paying for a service you have the right to comment about said service.

To take this away from a patron is nothing short of censure.

if I am at a restaurant, and the food is half cooked or wrong, unlike you, I dont feel the need to create a scene and complain... I just leave. some people like to create a scene and drama, and others, simply cant be bothered if expectations arent met. life is too short to spend it whining. just move on. life is much happier that way.

no one is taking away your ability to whine about things you dislike. but its a little entitled to take it as a "right" to complain, since thats only a one way street (unless you subscribe to WoW who feels its their right to complain about the subscribers right back)

[Rhysati]

If you're in a restaurant and the food comes through half cooked or wrong, do you complain? For me it's the same principle, if you're paying for a service you have the right to comment about said service.

But that isn't the situation. You're actually in an Italian restaurant and throwing a hissy fit that they won't make you a bowl of Ramen.

[Listrella]

the endgame is usally pretty barebones when an expansion has launched, we'll be getting plenty more content in the upcoming patches.

[xxmiamorecadenza]

No one is forcing you to play. You are free to exit and do something else.

I’m going to be honest. But it seems like every time someone criticizes this game in particular they’re told to quit it outright and play something else.

Are we just not allowed to state our issues with a product without being told to get out?

[Theodric]

I’m going to be honest. But it seems like every time someone criticizes this game in particular they’re told to quit it outright and play something else.

Are we just not allowed to state our issues with a product without being told to get out?

It has been an unfortunate trend for quite some time. A pattern emerges where some see any criticism as a personal attack to the point where they rush to defend each and every decision made by their favoured corporation.

The same individuals often fail to grasp that a lot of criticism comes from genuine investment and that it's perfectly possible for some people to enjoy the game without rolling over and accepting anything and everything thrown their way.