Why refusing customization is a fallacy

[MageBlack]

My initial idea is different specs so that not every iteration of the same job will be 100% the same.
For example, a PLD spec who trades mitigation for a better offense, for people who prefer off-tanking, or a spec that improves your healing potency, etc...yet the three spec would still be tank specs.

The existence of jobs and classes point in the direction where they considered different roles between the class and one of its job, but, apparently, SCH is a "proof" that it doesn't work well, even though SMN and SCH are very efficient.

Then its happening. Just not as fast as you would probably like. With the first expansion alone we can see it beginning, best example I can give is the WAR. Before the expansion I could tank, and that was a bout it. I could take off defiance to do a little bit more damage with my "DPS" rotation but ultimately all i could do is tank. But now with the new "stance" (i keep forgetting what its called) I can output some serious damage, perhaps even outdoing the MCH .

This is about the best we can realistically expect going forward. more skills added to our current list that can help us offshoot in a different direction than the standard vision for the class. The devs have already admitted they want more variety in the skills, item stats, etc. The game is 5 years old with the first few years being a sort of working beta. They played it safe with the remake of 2.0 and by the time it was released they had already begun production of 3.0. without a crystal ball to know how popular it would become they continued the path of least resistance, and that's fine.

The nice thing is how unexpectedly popular the game was is it happened much quicker than expected. They anticipated needing at least a year to regain player trust and get players interested, so all their development plans were based around these expected numbers. blowing those numbers out of the water has created many challenges for them, at least as I can see it. Things like the housing situation (my personal beef) with an underwhelming amount of plots. I'm sure they thought, for their projected numbers when they began creating the content, that the plots they put in would be enough so some on the fly adjustments needed to be made and some emergency additions were put in place to help get through the rough patch. It was also evident in the server congestion at 2.0 launch, over crowded servers, etc. When your last attempt failed so miserably (1.0) it would be absolutely foolish to take a second run at it at full bore. Rather than trying to shatter records, they were hoping for at least a make the qualifiers

Like any other company, they have a budget to work within, a time frame to do it, and limited manpower to make it a reality. When they are committed to their course and things change as drastically as it did, what would have worked well under the previous game-plan is now falling short. Just thinking about the projection of needing about a year to get numbers to even match FFXI at its peak and 2.0 being a remake of the original content and story that was intended, only now is Yoshi-P working with what he would have envisioned for the initial launch of FFXIV if he had the reigns the whole time.

Were you present when the removal of the elemental wheel was explained? That got a lot of heat from people, and if they removed the elemental wheel, what on earth would make you think they will add in something as complex as skill trees. Also look at the reasoning he used for not being able to dye AF gear as well as no cross class glamors. He wanted people to be able to look at the class and know what to expect.

I would expect that by 4.0 we will see more of this customization and complexity that people seek. Developing a game like this does not happen over night and to implement the extent of what I've seen discussed here it would take years of reballancing pretty much the whole game. Let them do it in stages and at their pace. You need to stop foaming at the mouth over this, it helps nothing and gets you no where...

[Reynhart]

Then its happening. Just not as fast as you would probably like. With the first expansion alone we can see it beginning, best example I can give is the WAR. Before the expansion I could tank, and that was a bout it. I could take off defiance to do a little bit more damage with my "DPS" rotation but ultimately all i could do is tank. But now with the new "stance" (i keep forgetting what its called) I can output some serious damage, perhaps even outdoing the MCH .

That's not the same...because every WAR will still be the same.
It's not like you had to really "chose" if you want to specialize as a "Defiance" WAR or a "Deliverance" WAR. You're both, and every WAR is both.

The nice thing is how unexpectedly popular the game was is it happened much quicker than expected. [...]When your last attempt failed so miserably (1.0) it would be absolutely foolish to take a second run at it at full bore. Rather than trying to shatter records, they were hoping for at least a make the qualifiers

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand why they made FFXIV like this, and I love what the game has become (Mind you, I also think than 1.0 had several interesting ideas, but, eh, too bad)
Problem is, people put less and less time in game these days. Everybody wants everything NOW. And if you give them exatcly that, you pretty much can't go backwards, because the backlash would be even stronger.

For example, FFXI was atrocious with its quests. FFXIV offers you anything you need to know. So, they made just a little few quests where you really have to think and search (Like the broom quests).
First reaction ? "What are these bulls**t quests ?!"...sad

Were you present when the removal of the elemental wheel was explained?

Yes, I was, and I still thinks it's the same fallacy as the lack of customization. Back in 2.0, the strat for Ifrit Hard was to use caster LB to destroy all the nails before Hellfire. So, even if Ifrit took reduced damage from Fire or Ifrit-egi, you'd still took at least a SMN or a BLM in your party. And that also wouldn't have been a problem for BLM, hadn't they decide that the only "damaging" spells would be the Fire line.