The Current Status of FFXIV Patch 3.1 and How to Address it Moving Forward

**Arashmin** · 12-28-2015 04:39 PM

Depends on what you want from it, really. I personally just want something enjoyable and worth doing long term in the game and for it to be properly accommodating to its lifespan. Some people want that from glamour and bragging rights, some people want raid weapons; I just want something that I can do at an enjoyable pace. And I don't think this is anywhere near enjoyment.

In fact, the actual utility is that it isn't for dummies, it's to enable non-raiders to have more powerful weapons and perhaps with some effort, hone themselves and defeat difficult content. Except there's then no real tie-in between the two to actually even do so, despite SE claiming it to be part of the design effort, and to put it so far out of reach so late in the cycle... I don't think that's good for anybody except those who can dedicate vast amounts of time already to the game.

**Alahra** · 12-28-2015 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by Arashmin

Alahra, as I mentioned I did all but the last two steps pre-nerf, so including the alexandrite grind. 23 days to do it, about a week before HW hit when it became 5x Alex per map.

I'm a bit confused as to when you did your Alexandrite, but if you finished that part about a week before HW, it had already become a lot easier to acquire. The maps cost half as many tomestones if I remember correctly (400 Soldiery), and Soldiery was available at roughly twice the rate that Mythology was when Novus was first introduced (for an effective cost of 1/4 the Tomestones per map). If you got Alexandrite from FATEs, they had also by this time significantly increased the drop rate. So it might have taken you 23 days to do it, but you weren't doing it when it was at its most grueling (whereas you're discussing Anima when it is at its most grueling).

**Arashmin** · 12-29-2015 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Alahra

I'm a bit confused as to when you did your Alexandrite, but if you finished that part about a week before HW, it had already become a lot easier to acquire. The maps cost half as many tomestones if I remember correctly (400 Soldiery), and Soldiery was available at roughly twice the rate that Mythology was when Novus was first introduced (for an effective cost of 1/4 the Tomestones per map). If you got Alexandrite from FATEs, they had also by this time significantly increased the drop rate. So it might have taken you 23 days to do it, but you weren't doing it when it was at its most grueling (whereas you're discussing Anima when it is at its most grueling).

I spent some solidery on it, but the majority of mine at the time was being spent towards crafting and gearing up other classes while we were still under Poetics lockout, albeit the elevated one. It was pretty much entirely a built up reserve of Allied Seals, doing hunts and the daily Ex mission. FATEs I would only run if it was one of the ones in my Allied Hunt Log, I think I saw several Alexandrites from there across the three weeks.

And even so that's a step that deserves to be grueling. You're customizing your weapon how you want it, it was a welcomed effort. This in exchange is effectively an "You must have pockets this deep and playtime this wide to ride", compared to 2.x's initial steps that promoted far better values than this.

**BunnyChain** · 12-28-2015 11:50 PM

It's really good to know where the game is heading, as if it wasn't clear already; keeping people busy, so they don't stop to think about what they are doing - keep running that treadmill, buddy!
Adding one big pile of cr-... stuff onto the other, until you have one big stinking mountain of it. There are good bits there too but they are too far and few between. If you just look at what other games have to offer without all that 'stuff' that keeps people busy and 'happy'. It's quite hard to justify even to get online every now and then to reset your housing reclaim. The cost of the game plus that expensive extra inventory, I mean seriously a gametime card costs you 10€ a month + 8,40€ for a month of 6 extra retainers e.e, I can't help but think of some similar business practices being performed by e.g. EA. And I guess people did already vote with their wallets as the recent 'free login' event is showing. Let's see if anything interesting gets added in the next 45 days, unlikely I know.

**Cilia** · 12-29-2015 03:32 AM

Originally Posted by BunnyChain

It's really good to know where the game is heading, as if it wasn't clear already; keeping people busy, so they don't stop to think about what they are doing - keep running that treadmill, buddy!

In all fairness, MMOs in general are treadmills; however, good design disguises the treadmill, which is why a fair bit of the Zodiac quest was bearable (save RNG reliant stages and ones that made you go kill **** for its own sake). This one isn't disguised too well, as once we get to the merchant she arbitrarily decides not to take standard currency (or even nonstandard currency) in lieu of bartering for a total of nearly 100 rare artifacts / high quality merchant goods, and the illusion is quite thoroughly dispelled. (Hitting that big 100 sends red flags to most people.)

**FizzleofHyperion** · 12-29-2015 01:26 AM

There is nothing wrong with the new relic chapter aside from turning it unrewarding really quick. You have had many players who feel used and disrespected by SE and feeling their Zeta was only worth 18 atmas? Remember pre nerf most of us invested hundreds of hours and millions of gils into getting our first relic for it to be useless in less than 1 years time. Learn from that mistake and don't repeat it here. Instead make the Zodiac keep growing and make it extremly time consuming so it can feel rewarding and not like something we can "look forward to it" beeing nerfed. Somethings can be kept holy and sacred without feeling that whatever time and gil investing in this grind is going to be useless by march/april cause we are going to Nerf the new relic so everyone can catch up. If the rest of us want i200 weapons we can use our esoterics.

About raid content I have not touched Alexander Savage because Diadem gave just as good gear it was just more time consuming than alex since we couldn't pic our i210 gear.
Remember when Abyssea killed alot of joy from FFXI? Diadem is doing that to FFXIV atm with making i210 gears way too easy to obtain compared to the effort and challenge of Alexander Savage.

**melisande** · 12-29-2015 03:02 AM

Please also consider how much time it took to obtain a Zeta pre-nerf and now its only worth a day or two of FATE grinding in HW zones.

**Kaurie** · 12-29-2015 03:25 AM

Originally Posted by melisande

Please also consider how much time it took to obtain a Zeta pre-nerf and now its only worth a day or two of FATE grinding in HW zones.

Obtaining a zeta only takes a day or two of HW fate grinding?

**melisande** · 12-29-2015 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by Kaurie

Obtaining a zeta only takes a day or two of HW fate grinding?

Read what you quoted. I said its "worth" a day or two of HW FATE grinding. You know, the part I 'skipped' (even though i seemingly did a much longer and harder grind) to continue its progression.

**Kaurie** · 12-29-2015 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by melisande

Read what you quoted. I said its "worth" a day or two of HW FATE grinding. You know, the part I 'skipped' (even though i seemingly did a much longer and harder grind) to continue its progression.

Oh, thank your for the clarification.

Thread: The Current Status of FFXIV Patch 3.1 and How to Address it Moving Forward

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