Patch Notes are up!

[Ashkendor]

It's clear that the number of players who were clearing content was completely unacceptable to Square-Enix, so crap on all of us (yes, even me who went 1/30 or something) who actually cleared it unnerfed.

I don't understand this attitude at all. As someone that cleared all of FCoB without Echo, I don't see the addition of Echo as crapping on my achievement. I see it as them allowing more people to have the enjoyment of earning the achievement. More people earning the achievement doesn't have any impact on how "valuable" my achievement is. The same thing goes for this. You cleared SoF unnerfed. Awesome, me too. Some other people haven't been as lucky, and now perhaps they'll be able to progress with their MSQ and finish up so they can get into the shiny new content we'll be getting in June. Ultimately, that's the goal here. SoF isn't meant to be a roadblock - it's meant to be a gateway. It's not meant to keep people out of the expansion. It's there to usher them into it with an engaging story and a memorable trial.

I think SE underestimated just how much of a hurdle SoF would actually be when done by eight random people. The mechanics are pretty nifty, but the unforgiving nature of the battle made it a real pain in the ass to do in DF. You miss a couple of dragonkillers, you mayaswell just all AFK until the thing resets and pray that half the party hasn't left in the meantime. It's just a matter of effort vs reward - right now it requires too much of the former for not enough of the latter, so many people just automatically leave when they land on it. I would've rather seen a reset button go into it so that you could just wipe a run that you knew was a failure (the aforementioned misses with dragonkillers, for example).

[Starcade]

I think SE underestimated just how much of a hurdle SoF would actually be when done by eight random people. The mechanics are pretty nifty, but the unforgiving nature of the battle made it a real pain in the ass to do in DF. You miss a couple of dragonkillers, you mayaswell just all AFK until the thing resets and pray that half the party hasn't left in the meantime. It's just a matter of effort vs reward - right now it requires too much of the former for not enough of the latter, so many people just automatically leave when they land on it.

I think SE clearly OVERESTIMATED the skills of the playerbase -- a playerbase weaned on Windower-XI and cheats and bots and all that kind of crap.

This is one of the largest reasons I loved Steps forcing people out of 123 Kick 123 Kick... You could almost bot that. You can't do it on unnerfed Steps.

[Nalien]

I think SE clearly OVERESTIMATED the skills of the playerbase

I don't really think this has anything to do with player skill, not significantly anyway.

Step of Faith is about communication. SE has designed a pretty great MMO, but the Duty Finder and relative ease of most content has breed a community which doesn't communicate, and on the off chance it does, it's a good bet that communication will simply be "Watch the guide" and/or borderline harassment. The whole cross data center aspect is great and all, but it just removes any sense of consequence. You'll go back to your server after and it's doubtful anyone you just played with will be there. Other people become tools to get you a clear rather than, well, people.

SE desperately needs to do something to encourage the community to stop ripping itself apart, 'cos the commendation system really isn't cutting it. This whole "We'll make casual content and hardcore content (and eventually nerf the hardcore content)" just segregates the community and creates more drama than it's worth. Give us some serious non-instanced content that might encourage people to be actual decent human beings and communicate with each other, rather than queuing for an instance solo and saying nothing all run - that has been an issue with the Duty Finder since day one.

[Spiritreaver1217]

It's the case of the skill level of the playerbase. It's a legitimate concern...

Sorry, forcing a low skilled player to redo a fight blocking progression will likely cause a rage-quit more than a sudden improvement in skill.

Optional content(Raids, EX Primals, etc.) getting nerfed into the ground...you know? I still son't see a problem, because those that want a challenge are usually in the first groups to attempt the content.

I don't understand this attitude at all...

Read and agree with whole post.

[Zohar_Lahar]

I think SE underestimated just how much of a hurdle SoF would actually be when done by eight random people. The mechanics are pretty nifty, but the unforgiving nature of the battle made it a real pain in the ass to do in DF. You miss a couple of dragonkillers, you mayaswell just all AFK until the thing resets and pray that half the party hasn't left in the meantime. It's just a matter of effort vs reward - right now it requires too much of the former for not enough of the latter, so many people just automatically leave when they land on it. I would've rather seen a reset button go into it so that you could just wipe a run that you knew was a failure (the aforementioned misses with dragonkillers, for example).

I don't understand why they didn't add some gear rewards (like rings) at completion, at least.

[Mugiawara]

I don't understand why they didn't add some gear rewards (like rings) at completion, at least.

Drop a Vishap card!

[Wildsprite]

OH...

MY...

GOD.

They might as well have just handed everybody Steps at this point. They pretty much nerfed everything!

It's clear that the number of players who were clearing content was completely unacceptable to Square-Enix, so crap on all of us (yes, even me who went 1/30 or something) who actually cleared it unnerfed.

This isn't a nerf -- this is a wipeout!

lemme guess, you're one of those FFXI nuts that wanted Absolute Virtue in his original nearly unbeatable stage right? you remember that right? the devs swear to this day he was beatable but they never revealed how and people tried for days on end to find a way to beat him making themselves sick. you know how he was beat before they nerfed him? someone found a glitch that's how.

don't sell your own wins short because they nerf something. SoF is main scenario afterall, if too many people keep quitting it you might have some people leave. now you might not think this is a bad thing but remember this. SE needs to make money to keep giving us content. and if enough people leave SE starts to lose money. this would be bad.

[Kiroh]

lemme guess, you're one of those FFXI nuts that wanted Absolute Virtue in his original nearly unbeatable stage right?

You're seriously comparing Vishap to Absolute Virtue in ANY sense much less pre-nerf?

[Spiritreaver1217]

You're seriously comparing Vishap to Absolute Virtue in ANY sense much less pre-nerf?

Not speaking for that poster, but personally i got that the mindset for "i wantz teh uber fightin' challenge!!1!!" that ppl against any AV change had was more what was being referenced in that post.

And truthfully i can see the comparison.

[Wildsprite]

You're seriously comparing Vishap to Absolute Virtue in ANY sense much less pre-nerf?

Not speaking for that poster, but personally i got that the mindset for "i wantz teh uber fightin' challenge!!1!!" that ppl against any AV change had was more what was being referenced in that post.

And truthfully i can see the comparison.

yeah you got my point, the person you quoted didn't.