What makes this game competitive / unique?

[giftforce]

Customise your own combat job (oh wait... no)

Active combat system where position matters (oh wait... no)

Player-driven economy and content (oh wait... no)

Um... Autoattack... ?

Yes, sad but true. Autoattack is the selling point of this game. For only 12.99 per month, players can go AFK in combat and chat up a miqo'te in Linkshell chat! But wait there's more, you can also do a bunch of frivolous quests with absolutely no emotional context or dramatic delivery which you will probably just skim-read, if that.

[Demacia]

Nothing makes this game unique or competitive. Sure it's pretty fun with 1.18 but GW2 is looking mighty fine. So is PSO2 but with Sega who knows when that will be released outside of Japan.

[Rimmer]

Nothing makes this game unique or competitive. Sure it's pretty fun with 1.18 but GW2 is looking mighty fine. So is PSO2 but with Sega who knows when that will be released outside of Japan.

Currently, i couldnt agree more, in the future who knows?, but the outlook for FFXIV doesnt look too amazing, especially when the newer MMO's are released.

[Tezz_Xivectro]

I think most people are out growing MMO's and that we won't be truly entertained to a satisfying level anytime soon in the MMO department. Most of what we're seeing is cool little twists to upcoming MMO's, but nothing that really makes it stick with you.

These newer MMO's coming out just seem like a quick few months to waste some time before you're bored & not left with the "home" feeling. FF14 feels like it will have a long lasting feel, but it lacks the content & incentives.
I think we all long for this, but the continual waiting game keeps getting in our faces causing us to always 2nd guess whether it's even worth the time anymore.

@OP
What makes FF14 unique in it's current state is probably just the graphics & FF themes. The story is slowly pumping into something that could be really awesome.

[SHJcules]

As much as I loved checking the original XIV site pre-launch, a lot of those original ideas weren't enough to keep people interested for more than a few weeks.

As to what I feel makes XIV unique and makes me want to spend my time here over somewhere else;

-we have a dev team that can actually write a story and pack the world with great NPCs, lore, and dialogue
-did I mention great NPCs? ten minutes into the game we are introduced to some very interesting characters
-the craziest and best looking animations and character models I have seen in any MMO to date
-a producer that actually talks to us, official forums with great comm reps to take our feedback(is this becoming more commonplace now in MMOs?)
-best crafting system I have gotten my hands on yet (I have three crafts over 40, and I never craft in MMOs, eveerrrr)
-I am a grown man, I don't usually pull this card, but we have Mi'Qotes.. yeah
-great in-game community. Alongside XI, these two games have always drawn in the coolest, most diverse, and most interesting people
-the music. is amazing. and only seems to be expanding and getting better. I take pride in the fact that such a skilled and successful composer is making the tracks that I play to, and that he wears a chain-mail beanie-like hat while making said music
-chocobos. there is no competition
-a general feeling of potential and anything is possible! every other MMO feels closed off to the devs and you are simply playing at their mercy and the game is written in stone. Yoshi has an open mind, so every-time I log in and my imagination starts wandering, I say to myself a lot, "hmm, maybe one day!"
-and one really important to me; humor. I know any MMO has its share of jokes and flavor text and strange happenings, but XIV absolutely cracks me up sometimes Yet it is not so unbalanced that it takes me out of the real story and conflicts
edit: forgot to mention, it does have the final fantasy name, and as such it is backed by a company that absolutely will not allow it to fail. it is like MMO insurance

and that's my opinion at least!

[Rimmer]

I think the music could do with a little bit of Mizuta magic, but they are all great points SHjcules. /Like!

[Darkoon]

The only thing that stands out is the Armoury System, be everything and anything at all times with a single character, which is a good thing in my opinion but multiple characters serve the same purpose considering abilities are inferior if used on other classes than the original. Graphics are boring and one shaded, Combat was made worse/step back with 1.18, quests are too few and far between, same with missions, sound has too few options, Only a few missions have voice acting.

The Market Wards can be made better by expanding on the idea of retainers by having them pick up items for you that you purchase and also deliver items to other players retainers, but if this was done, it wouldn't be much different from a proper working auction house. The 10 slot limit should be 100 slots and actions that normally take 2 slots should be merged into one slot a.k.a repairs.

When and if I'm out soloing, I want to option to attack more than 1 enemy and not be punished for using AoE attacks on enemies that link by giving me less EXP/SP. Behests should have no limit or at least a have very high limit, upwards of 30+, and should scale by the number of players actively participating. The ability to join mid-Behest would also be a great improvement.

[Deceptistar]

Here's an honest question of great importance.

What do you think makes this game competitive with other MMOs. And what makes this game stand out?

We know this game is a bit of trainwreck, and many seem to argue they will fix it and relaunch it into a success. But think about that for a second. What does this game have to compete on?

to be really honest? nothing much. If at all everyone is still betting their money on SE being able to make a comeback. why? Cause their previous games where that good, and their steady continuous past reputation was enough for us to stick around. Have you spent almost a year on this wreck of a game? Well that means youve seen how good SE can be when it comes to releasing games and you dont want to give up on it JUST yet.

It doesn't have voice acting in every quest.
It's behest and leve system can't really compete with the whole rift system.

rather not have voice cause god some of those voice actors suck...

It doesn't really have a functioning economy and with some people holding on to 100mil+, probably won't for years.

Heres an idea we should give SE.
TAX THEM
lol

It doesn't have all the skanky costumes that seem to make many Free MMO's so popular.

its probably the reason WHY XIV is still living it out while being half a wreck atm. Its not jumped on the bandwagon of skanky MMO costumes.

Originally it had the ability to play as crafting or gathering as a main. And would have had the company system (enhanced linkshells/guilds), the ability to craft in groups, etc. But since Yoshi-P took over many of the creative things that would have made the game stand on its own have been removed.

I mean honestly, what will this game compete on? In almost every aspect it can't even hold up against FFXI pre-abyssea.

And please don't assume I'm trying to be negative or say this game will fail. I'm just curious what all the people who believe this game will be really successful think about this.

Personally I think this game stands out in the graphics department + in the music department. Other than that, I haven't read of anything that sounds overly unique coming anytime soon.

refer to first paragraph

[Coldfire]

its probably the reason WHY XIV is still living it out while being half a wreck atm. Its not jumped on the bandwagon of skanky MMO costumes.

I want bunny ears!!11elevenoneshiftone

[Eekiki]

I love these threads that start with "I have an honest question and I'm totally not trolling or whining", then breaks straight away into QQ mode with plenty of doom and gloom tossed in for good measure, then concludes with "I'm not trying to be negative."

I love ya Azury, but there's nothing constructive in this thread.