A request for some tough content.

[Chiz]

This game needs more content before worrying about tough content. Reality of it is, if you design content meant for the top 10% of the population to clear, that 10% grows closer to 100% of your total population. Not a good thing for a game that is already having serious population issues.

I think SE knows this though and will be filling in the content blanks as we go. I doubt there will be any substantial, challenging end-game type content until after PS3 release, and even then it will probably only come after 1 level cap raise. My guess on a roadmap would look something like this. I don't think we'll see most of these things come to pass until next year.

1) Release Class changes, Job system. 1.20, 1.2x
2) Fill in leveling and content blanks from 1 to 50 with more dungeons, raids, instances, quest-hubs. 1.19+
3) Open up Ishgard and related R50 quests/storylines. PS3 Release, PC relaunch. 2.0???
4) Increase level cap to 60. New grind/treadmill target for max cap people. 2.x
5) End-game/tough content for R60 cap and Jobs (AF, dynamis-type instance etc). 2.x
6) PvP. >.> 3.0???

[Reaujien]

This game needs more content before worrying about tough content. Reality of it is, if you design content meant for the top 10% of the population to clear, that 10% grows closer to 100% of your total population. Not a good thing for a game that is already having serious population issues.

Respectfully, where did you get the statistic that out of the entire active player populate there exist only 10% who want "tough" content? If this statistic is in fact true then I would partially agree with you. I don't think that the needs for "more content" and "tough content" are mutually exclusive. More content indeed, yes, but not just "something-other-and-less-than-tough" content.

[Andrien]

Just wait for some Ultima Weapon and Omega Weapon battles. Instant 1 hit death abilities etc etc. Zantetsuken stuff.

Most importantly wait for some Rank51+ and beyond content.

i'm taking my time and enjoying it ^^

[Ava]

They need to fix server optimization (seriously) before tackling content that requires high levels of precision and strategy. I haven't even done the current dungeons because it's impossible to find groups for it, but from what I hear they become easy fast. But as Celeras posted last week with the Youtube video, it's obvious the game is not ready for complex content. If they did make "challenging" content prior to server optimization, people will become bottlenecked @ server issues and I guarantee that wont be fun for anyone. =/

As a casual player, though, I'm all for harder content. I'm a little disappointed casual is brought up yet again in relation to skill, but not really surprised.

[Dargoth_Draconia]

So, with that said, I would like to see a boss fight that lasts 30-45 minutes, complex in the ways of what needs to be accomplished to put damage on the boss, actively changing tactics in order to do so, and dependent on good, diverse party makeup.

Well 30-45 minute fights are irrelevant to difficulty level of a fight. I have played games where some bosses take 10 minutes that was 10 times harder than anything on FFXI. Now I am not totally disagreeing with you because I will "LIKE" your post but I want you to understand some simple facts and not assume that making a fight last longer makes it any harder. Back in the day in FFXI Kirin used to take several hours to beat and that fight was never really hard. It was just a long drawn out process that resulted in a lot of wasted time.

I understand 30-45 minute fights aren't too bad but if you had to run a dungeon that took 30-45 minutes then get to a boss that took that long would be a tad overkill. Now maybe if they added an HNM of sorts or giant cave with a couple trash mobs up front and then the boss of even a BCNM type fight I would personally go for something like that over a FFXI style time sink grind fight.

[DoctorMog]

Well 30-45 minute fights are irrelevant to difficulty level of a fight. I have played games where some bosses take 10 minutes that was 10 times harder than anything on FFXI. Now I am not totally disagreeing with you because I will "LIKE" your post but I want you to understand some simple facts and not assume that making a fight last longer makes it any harder. Back in the day in FFXI Kirin used to take several hours to beat and that fight was never really hard. It was just a long drawn out process that resulted in a lot of wasted time.

I understand 30-45 minute fights aren't too bad but if you had to run a dungeon that took 30-45 minutes then get to a boss that took that long would be a tad overkill. Now maybe if they added an HNM of sorts or giant cave with a couple trash mobs up front and then the boss of even a BCNM type fight I would personally go for something like that over a FFXI style time sink grind fight.

Yes, agreed.

A fight that long would need little or no trash mobs in the way.

[naaros]

*liked*

My opinion might not count for a lot being as I'm fairly new to the game (but I have played several other MMOs including FFXI) - enjoying it so far, but I can't wait for chocobos. XD

Anywho... I agree with pretty much everything you said except the whole 35-40 minute boss battles. You can have a tough and challenging fight without it really being more than 10-15 minutes. Personally, I'd rather them focus on making the encounter mechanics interesting/challenging without having the battle last over 30 minutes. That's just me, though. =)

EDIT: And yes, if they do have long fights, little to no trash mobs would be ideal, IMO.

[Chiz]

Respectfully, where did you get the statistic that out of the entire active player populate there exist only 10% who want "tough" content? If this statistic is in fact true then I would partially agree with you. I don't think that the needs for "more content" and "tough content" are mutually exclusive. More content indeed, yes, but not just "something-other-and-less-than-tough" content.

Its more of an arbitrary % based on the usual quoted ratio of "Hardcore" to "Casual" players for any particular MMO population. Some games release the % of total population that clear content, or hit certain milestones and it usually hovers in the 5-10% range until they nerf the content for the masses.

While you can certainly have more content that is "tough", if you've read the OP and some of his/her other posts you'd certainly understand he's lobbying for content aimed squarely at this top 10% or so of total population (with Mog it might be closer to 1%). My viewpoint is that you might never see the kind of content aimed at that 10% if you don't make that other 90% happy first. This game certainly lacks enough content to make anyone....hardcore or casual.....happy atm.

[Gukswar]

--- actually not knowing how to do is like not knowing how to heal- that's technically not knowing how to heal in that case.. making it challenging?

--- learning how to run the dungeon is like learning how to go through a zone.
now fighting Batraal with a technique that you do constantly over and over until it's dead is like killing King Arthur... that i would not consider a though fight.
practice make's perfect true though

[DoctorMog]

Its more of an arbitrary % based on the usual quoted ratio of "Hardcore" to "Casual" players for any particular MMO population. Some games release the % of total population that clear content, or hit certain milestones and it usually hovers in the 5-10% range until they nerf the content for the masses.

While you can certainly have more content that is "tough", if you've read the OP and some of his/her other posts you'd certainly understand he's lobbying for content aimed squarely at this top 10% or so of total population (with Mog it might be closer to 1%). My viewpoint is that you might never see the kind of content aimed at that 10% if you don't make that other 90% happy first. This game certainly lacks enough content to make anyone....hardcore or casual.....happy atm.

I think you should re-read the OP,

I enjoy casual content as much as everyone else.

In fact I mentioned that I hope it does NOT retract from the casual content produced.

I simply want some content produced that IS a challenge because, at present, there is none.

Don't attempt to change the meaning of my words.