LETTER TO DIRECTOR (Please Read)

[Khal_Drogo]

Not quite the truth - I did enjoy some fights but some are pretty mundane.
Let's examine Wyrm battles - Leg hugging from start to end.
How about Behemoth fights - Kite it from start to end.

One of the major complaints of FFXI battle system was that it was not engaging enough and here you are stating the opposite?

First of all Tymora, I want you to know I wasn't really commending SE on the fighting-strategy they designed for fighting various mobs on FFXI, so none of that stuff really applies here. Although, while we're on the subject...you had levels 1-75 to sit there and spam mobs with w/e you can dish out to them. What's wrong with a little versatility?

I was referring to the battle system itself, in general. Nothing is wrong with the idea of having a more "engaging" battle system (as you put it). However, XIV takes that suggestion to the extreme. Now, it's so engaging, you can barely blink w/o killing your entire party -unless you're fighting the "right level" mobs. In XI, you could fight monsters way above your level just by imploring an effective strategy...and ironically, kiting is a perfect example. That isn't really possible in XIV. You either spam the monster to death as soon as possible, get spammed in cures to prevent yourself from dying, or just don't fight it at all. There is no middle-ground. Why would anyone want to sit there for hours and hours smashing buttons constantly? There should be some sort of balance at least. I think with all the new abilities, the game is engaging enough. You have attack buffs (Ferocity, Still Precision, Blood Bath, Life/Speed Surge, Feint etc.); you have defense and evasion buffs (Featherfoot, Defender, Rampart, Cover, Diversion, Raging Strike, etc.); and so much more.

Should it really be necessary for ppl to sit in front of their screen, every waking moment, just to be "efficient?" Mages in XI also complained about having to only spam cures all the time, and not being able to do anything else other than cure and/or debuff mobs. And yet, here you are, condoning the very same thing that ruined gameplay for them in the past.

FFXIV's is more closely based on FFV's where you need to learn the ability using the class before you can use it. While it needs more balancing, the flexibility of combining traits and abilities from all classes is clearly a much superior system than FFXI's sub-job system.

You're right about this. The FFXIV job system is far more superior to the FFXI sub-job system, in terms of fighting power. But because of the mass combination of class abilities, actions, and traits, no class is very unique. Everyone capitalizes on various aspects of each job, and turns every class into a carbon-copy of the other. In FFXI, there were clear, distinct roles designated to each job. Red mage had magic, and great spells, so it debuffed mobs, and cured and buffed pt members (although, useful attk magic would have been nice, which, luckily THM brings to the table); Thief had high evasion and good hate-control abilities (Trick Attack, Collaborate, etc.), so it pulled monsters, and assisted tanks with maintaining hate, and so on. Because of the current system, every job can play any role in any party. Nothing is unique about them but the "weapon they carry" and the "title they possess" -as I said before.

Not really a problem. Town gear is all and well. Those who insists on wearing the wrong gear to the fight shouldn't be blamed on SE. Is it the car-maker's fault if the driver insists on driving at 150mph and getting into an accident?

Besides, SE is already adding class-exclusive gear so your point is moot.

As for the armor system issues, it will still be a major problem even with the update, I'm sure. Also, my issues were not restricted to the topic of class-specific armor. In fact, the majority of it was concerning the ability to equip gear above your current level, so, it's actually your your point that is moot. As for your analogy with the car, it isn't really valid. SE is not distributing a random product for "the individual." This is an mmorpg, and everything SE allows people to do, effects everyone else's gameplay. When a person is level 40, and he or she see someone, level 20, wearing the same armor he or she waited until level 40 to equip, it's discouraging. Equipping high level gear is exciting; and, no matter how insignificant the joy it brings is, it should be something exclusive to those who worked for it. So, yes, when SE allows players to do something that undermines my hard work, and they have the power to change it.... they are to blame.