What is so bad about FFXI?

[Shipp]

Do we want FFXIV to become XI-2, the answer is yes to a degree.

A XI clone is guaranteed will fail, just like a WoW clone is guaranteed to fail.

We need defining concepts from XI, the story arches, the intertwining quest and missions, and the basic elements to a final fantasy game. We need to draw on what XI did to keep 95% of its playerbase active for over 7yrs, something no other mmo has ever done. We need to draw on the long term goals which keep players playing for a very long time, we need to let people build their characters over years not update to update. We need to large scale content. We need stuff that hardcore simply cannot breeze through in a week/month/year.

We also need defining concepts from WoW(mainstream). The userfriendly interface, The auction house system which is superior to XI, Content for solo players, tiered battles so the hardcore can be challenged and the (I would say casual but even they can do hard stuff) less talented do not get pushed away from the game. PvP since it is a staple of mmos despite whether people like or hate it, and the guild management systems in place.

Outside those concepts, everything must be original or the mmo will never take off. In the end no one will pay for a mmo when they can have the same experience elsewhere except the older mmo has 20 fold the content. We need something that has never been done, A game that is fun for Casual mainstream players, and no-life hardcore players. A game where there is endless content, a game that is unlike any other mmo out there in the end.

I completely agree with this. We need the XI feel like the artistic direction (which XIV is sorely lacking, though 2.0 looks promising), more fantasy and less boring realism. You can have realistically visioned fantasy which is more along the lines of how XI was. Still maintaining the realistic models, yet high fantasy areas such as floating islands. We do not need the time grind of waiting to get a party for hours, waiting on 3 hour HNM windows, and time-sinky ridiculousness. UI elements from actual MMOs that know what they're doing in regards to the PC is a plus. The same type of content is also a plus from other popular MMOs, just with enough of a unique twist where it does not feel like you're doing a carbon copy of another MMO with different skins. Instances/raids would be better if they were more like how XI was in terms of actually feeling like you're part of something instead of just mindlessly AoEing crap down to get to the boss, or completely skipping everything but the boss. Hallways like WoW would be the wrong direction. Boss encounters like WoW would be the right direction, however. More bosses, less trash.

I think XIV could be awesome if it successfully mixed the popular elements of most MMOs with XI, though it could also be done horrible if it's half-assed. I enjoyed pre-ToAU XI, but ToAU largely destroyed the game for me since I played mages. Segregating the playerbase like that was not a good idea, and I hope XIV doesn't make that same mistake.