Has it always been like this or...?

[NekokoCatseye]

Who made you the authority on who's worth more than whom in a game? My time is my own, if I decide I want to spend 10 minutes or 100 minutes helping someone, then it's my choice to do so. You telling me that my time isn't worth as much as someone else's because they are new and I am not, is frankly a stupid way to look at this. Tell me, who's the selfish person in this scenario: Person A is reading a book, his bus arrives, and 7 others get on, person A then says "hey driver, don't drive off until I finish this chapter". Or is it the 7 other people sat on the bus, who want the driver to go about his route and not wait for that 1 person? If you answered the 7 people, you sir, have serious issues.

I think he meant in terms of Soldiery value...

[Cikala]

Tell me, who's the selfish person in this scenario: Person A is reading a book, his bus arrives, and 7 others get on, person A then says "hey driver, don't drive off until I finish this chapter". Or is it the 7 other people sat on the bus, who want the driver to go about his route and not wait for that 1 person? If you answered the 7 people, you sir, have serious issues.

Considering the 7 other people decided at wait a bus stop marked "Slow Bus Line for Readers", it would be the 7 people. Here's a very simple premise. If you don't want to wait for the new players to watch their cutscenes, DON'T QUEUE FOR THE MAIN STORY ROULETTE. Anyone who does, and then belittles those who want to watch their cutscenes AND participate in the fights are just trolls and d-bags.

[Sadana]

Yes, it has always been like this. (Sadly.)

I am not going down the road of new players should always be allowed to watch cut scenes (oops, too late), but instead will strongly encourage all new players join a helpful FC. Usually, FC members will be happy to help escort you through these dungeons, cut scenes and all. (If they won't, find a new FC.)(Of course, keep in mind that these vet players are offering to help out of a spirit of generosity and be willing to work with their schedules. ^^ )

Alternatively, you can try to set up a PF for running these dungeons. Be sure to mark the "No cut scene skipping" option. Be prepared to wait. But you may be surprised to have plenty of good folks signing up to help.

[Duuude007]

So my question is... has the end game always been this way? Is there no one left who wants to play through the dungeon at a reasonable pace so I can appreciate the content I worked for?

There is. Specifically other new players. The easiest way to find them is by using PF. Fair warning, they trickle in, much like Cape Westwind, so you could be waiting awhile. But at least you retain your immersion.

Is there nothing that can be done to prevent this sort of content and player abuse?

Its a double edged sword, and I am certain many people grinding will accuse those idle watching cutscenes as 'leeching', a different form of abuse. Regardless... anything that punishes returning players lowers their incentive to join, which will harm your queue time significantly. Your best bet is to ask when you enter and leave if they do not comply, or try the PF method I listed above.

Why does Square reward such toxic behavior?

Be careful with that term... your tone could be misinterpreted as toxic to some. Not me, but still.

I was practically in tears when I left FFXIV last night and for the first time I actually wanted to cancel my subscription and uninstall. If this is the sort of treatment I have to look forward to, I shudder to think what people will say if I ever play with less that optimal gear or I don't perform perfectly as a tank >_>;.

DF is literally a roulette of people and play styles, and in this world, the majority vote rules on how to progress. If you want to avoid the chance of dealing with an undesirable crowd or being the minority of how a party wishes to operate, you have the power to create your own circle of like minded people.

In the same breath, please don't blame the community for the sins of a few asshats.

[KayoZ]

Yup, always been like this. What I find funny is Yoshi-P apparently doesnt want to force players to watch cutscenes or wait for those that havent seen it in DF (where new players tend to go and have every right to enjoy the experience as its meant to be played!), yet has absolutely no problem making you watch all that unnecessary, completely irrelevant CRAP when you start a new character.

.... because, you know ... logic.

[LystAP]

Mid-"instance" cutscenes have always been a part of the Final Fantasy experience; unfortunately, this is a MMO, and correspondingly, people behave a lot more differently.

[Oraiste]

*everything*

Precisely what Darra said. I have had many instances where I don't have much time to play and someone insists that an entire group of people who are just to help them clear (their words) is expected to also wait for them to watch often very long cut-scenes. In my case, nobody needs anything in that instance, 7 other people took time out of their day to help them clear, and they expect more time to be spent when they can just as simply go to the Inn. I am not saying this as someone who has had the luxury of watching cut-scenes, because I skip every one of them (except on the first day of release since everyone else watches as well). I don't like to make other people spend more of their time on me unnecessarily. I don't look at them as being jerks for wanting to get through something, I just understand that at the end of the day, when you're level 50 and almost literally have to run these things over and over just to get the gear that you want, waiting every time isn't always an option. You're playing with other people and their accumulative time, so just as you expect them to respect your desire to watch cut-scenes and take part in fights, they expect you to respect their time and ability to get you through the instance in an efficient way.

For some people, the game is about story progression, for others, it is gear progression. My only suggestion is to build a group of friends that share the same mindset about game immersion as you do and will help you enjoy the game in your way, as others enjoy the game in theirs. Until then, just try to nicely ask that people wait and hope you get a group of like-minded individuals. Good luck in your journey!

[Tayolynn]

Considering the 7 other people decided at wait a bus stop marked "Slow Bus Line for Readers", it would be the 7 people. Here's a very simple premise. If you don't want to wait for the new players to watch their cutscenes, DON'T QUEUE FOR THE MAIN STORY ROULETTE. Anyone who does, and then belittles those who want to watch their cutscenes AND participate in the fights are just trolls and d-bags.

Definitely this ^^^

It's already close to expansion, and I still don't understand why people are still df'ing Main Story Quest roulette. Running for soldiery? Isn't soldiery gear like, kinda old? Shouldn't more people be running final coil or WoD for i120 gear? Or queing for poetics with expert roulette? There are more ways to collect soldiery and poetics without ruining someone's FFXIV experience. Queing for MSQ roulette, people should know that first timers would possibly show up and should respect their first experience, because thankfully, it's the only two runs that have cut-scenes in-between the dungeon (other cut-scenes happen before and after the fights which have people barred from pulling aggro, iirc)

People who say things like, you'll run into people like that all the time, just accept it, is like watching an innocent person be murdered right in front of your eyes and say, meh, it happens. Be the change you want the world/community to be a part of, because people are the ones who can shape a community, and if the community is nothing but a bunch of d-bags, then to hell with it.

[DoctorPepper]

Bottom line is that majority rules when it comes to older content like this. You can't force people who don't want to watch cutscenes to wait at boss fights for you to read everything then catch up. You can however view the cutscenes again after the dungeon if you go to the inn room, they're under the duties category.

The reason people can do the dungeons without you is because it's old content from launch and they are vastly overgeared for that content now.

That said however, SE saw the flaw in this design fairly early so aside from CM and Prae there really isn't any endgame content with long cutscenes during the dungeon. Most of the long cutscenes take place before or after most of the dungeons following CM and Prae.

[Seryl199]

Why queue for a main scenario quest knowing full well that the party could, and likely will, consist of one or more newbies if you don't have the patience for them? The presence of a newbie gives you a hefty bonus of soldiery, which is intended to compensate for less experienced players and offer incentive to returning veterans to help new players. Instead, players seem to view it as a reward for clearing a speed run with 7 members. OP's experience made them consider quitting the game, to me that's unacceptable behavior to come from our community. New players are vital for the continued success of the game, they are tomorrow's veterans, if only you give them a chance.