FFXIV dungeons are a little bit too linear?

[Kurogaea]

snip

Ah, yeah I misread that apparently, my bads.

Although:



This is why I say comparing XIV to WoW is ridiculous.

No ones asking for an entire world in a dungeon.



Diverging paths and floors with different paths to reach a goal.

http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/...20130113072529
(other map was too small)

Anyways, under passes that lead to lower areas for a change of atmosphere, possibly difficulty, with side quests maybe given by nearby npcs that rewards you after the task is complete and the dungeon is finished.



Wider areas giving more space to explore other than the claustrophobic aspect that we've been used to for too long.
Branching paths offering a new spin to each run (considering you the group your in) also leaving opportunities for relic quest paths.

Doesn't have to be labyrinth tier, this is story content after all. If there was something like BRD it'd most likely be optional content you can run on a day off or something.

[Kurogaea]

If it saves me time, sure

Actually, I'd love that. :O

In White Knight Chronicles (A single/multiplayer online game) areas would often be re-used and given new tasks, having you perform certain actions like discovering monuscripts, solving puzzles, uncovering lore about the place, hunting legendary monsters, rescue missions, you name it. Even if we seen the place often there was always something to put a new spin on the quest. One of the biggest maps had players going to different floors to defeat mid-bosses for keys that we would use to open sections in the dungeon which will eventually lead to an awesome boss battle in which to me never got old as it felt like you were achieving something, in which you were.



This was the map with the elevator as the green square. There other ways to get to lower areas in by using holes in certain area in which you would have to use your memory to master. It was a true dungeon experience you could have with your friends. X)

[Airget]

Dungeons may be linear, but look at the mess that occurs in Diadem by giving randoms players who are forced to work together options. It's a necessary evil sadly to keep dungeons simplistic cause the moment you create options, you only create obstacles that make the DF process harder.

[Allegrian]

You don't seem to get why the dungeons are the way they are, at least the ones made for Ex Roulette. In this mmo dungeons are meant to be finished for the esoterics,law, etc. Their only pupose is to be finished, you get nothing useful from the coffers, monsters, and side bosses. Only leveling dungeons have optional paths and optional trash pulls, which makes sense because when you are levelling you want that extra exp, or you are simply discovering this new dungeon tha you won't do again.

If you want interesting, non linear dungeons like the ones Vanilla Wow had (and no longer gets), you should first ask for a change in the high end grinding design.

[Stanelis]

we mustn't look into past for find new solution but really in the present.

Good game design never gets old. People still play chess nowadays and it isn't the youngest game.

The issues you re mentioning don't arise necessarily from open world dungeons, but rather from sloppy rewards system mechanics, which can be addressed separately.

It's a necessary evil sadly to keep dungeons simplistic cause the moment you create options, you only create obstacles that make the DF process harder.

When you have to design the content around the DF, then you have a huge game design problem. The Df is a tool to help players find groups, it shouldn't dictate how the content is to be designed.

No ones asking for an entire world in a dungeon.

Why not ? That would be great. Especially if you wouldn't be able to do the whole dungeon in a single run (it would add a replay value to the dungeon).

[RaizeGraymalkin]

There's no point in making dungeons labyrinthine because people will always just find the shortest and fastest route to the end. Even if you were to compare MMORPG dungeons to single player RPG dungeons, you have to keep in mind that in singe player RPGs the dungeons are the meat of the gameplay, whereas in MMORPGs they are just one piece of the bigger platter of content. MMORPGs also tend to focus more on the boss challenges, not exploration, since exploration is kind of useless in a game where you are meant to do the same place multiple times.

This. Things like Toto-Rak are awful.

I just want to do my roulettes and be done. Don't need a maze like dungeon to complicate things further.

[Alistaire]

Every time you see a single-target doton, remember that when SE gives players choices, they choose badly, a lot.

[Fevelle]

This. Things like Toto-Rak are awful.

I just want to do my roulettes and be done. Don't need a maze like dungeon to complicate things further.

Everytime I read something like that my soul dies a little. How can some FF players be so... Argh.
The awful thing here are the linear dungeons. Go play a FPS if you don't like RPG elements in an RPG.

[Kurogaea]

Everytime I read something like that my soul dies a little. How can some FF players be so... Argh.
The awful thing here are the linear dungeons. Go play a FPS if you don't like RPG elements in an RPG.

Most of them are lazy players who never played an rpg in their lives most likely. These dungeons are a disgrace to FF game design, but homage to FF13....its crap.

[Deusteele]

Or they understate that this game isn't solely about dungeoneering. Content doesn't exist simply to move you into the next dungeon. In FF XIV they are just one piece of the game. An important piece but nevertheless, just a single piece.

MMO's are designed around Skinner Boxes to promote repetitive gaming. In attempting to reach a broader crowd certain aspects of gameplay have to receive a shallower design. Dungeons as snack-sized rather then sprawling affairs are usually among the choices. The benefits of these choices could be debated. But I don't really feel like being involved in that.