I guess it's time

[Jetstream_Fox]

Unfortunately, this isnt a game for hard-core MMO players. Its a game for casuals. Its a new generation of gamers who want instant gratification in everything and want to put in no effort

This is where your post lost all sense of credibility.

You don't get anything within this game without a monotonous grind, nor can you obtain any of the new content without having a moderate knowledge of your class and how to perform properly play within the games mechanics. Therefore you're entire post after the quote is completely gibberish at best, last time I checked games that are developed to allow players to win through purchasing micro transactions or through means that allow the player to have nearly unloseable odds. Neither of those elements are featured within 14, if anything players are leaving because they're tired of the monotony of the same format that SE refuses to change.

[Rufalus]

Contrary to your corporate checklist comment, I think what sets this game apart is how brimming with love it feels. It's a labor of love with incredible attention to detail in its lore, artwork, sound design, everything. If the main complaint is stale content design, they are certainly trying to change it up. Deep dungeon is a new content type which will be ongoing through patches, and exploratory missions are going to receive a major reworking after an initial misstep and those will come back for another try later this year.

Also coming is major new GC content (form and level up a platoon of NPC allies). Big additions to the game since its launch are too numerous to go into, but recent examples are seasonal ranked pvp (Feast) and treasure dungeons (Aquapolis). I'm clearly an apologist and huge fan, but what other games out there are doing a better job than XIV with patch content pipeline? If this game is truly restricted by budget and understaffing then the team's efforts are even more remarkable, because I think they are the best in the industry.

[Vespar]

This is where your post lost all sense of credibility.

Well I was watching this post out of boredom, like many other posts Ive given up on it.

The OP (like myself and others) generally wants to see the game get better. Even if he doesnt know how to make it better, but all this community ever does is ridicule the OP, then ridicule the people making valid on topic responses.
This guy has valid points. Yes there is a lot of content in this game. But he's saying that its no longer fun because of various reasons that I have seen countless other users bring up as well.

So clearly there is an expectation or issue that many players feel needs to be addressed for them to want to continue subbing. This is a legitimate issue, or FFXIV could end up another failed MMO, because it didnt address the warning signs.
Please stop derailing feedback threads with useless statements about a user's credibility, or calling them a whiner just because they dont find enjoyment in X,Y,Z content that you have more time or energy to throw yourself into.

[PotatoTree]

I think this type of feeling usually pops up during the "casual" odd numbered patches. If you raid hardcore and have finished alex from the even patches, it might be good to take a break during the odd patches or just sub for a bit to finish the trial they add.

[WellFooled]

I agree with the OP. FFXIV has some amazing world building, story, and aesthetics that I don't want to sell short, but I feel the gameplay side of things is weak and has grown stagnant.

The formula of dungeons, trials, and raids has worn thin. As well designed as they are, they all follow the same template. Every dungeon is a hallway with three bosses in mostly circle arenas (sometimes a rectangle for fun). Those bosses have cool mechanics and the hallways are in beautiful settings, but its still the same concept over and over. The same is true of trials and raids. Even the rewards are dished out in a predictable formula. I'm willing to bet the next trial we get will have a set of weapons themed after the boss.

The Aquapolis was the stand out piece of content this patch for me. It might be simple, but it is a totally new template for battle content and that alone makes it so much more fun than Hullbreaker HM. We desperately need new kinds of battle content. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that The Palace of the Dead is the next big step. I would be thrilled if a patch included no new dungeons or trials or raids if instead it had a series of all new types of battle content.

The stats in FFXIV are too rudimentary to support an MMORPG. Without more interesting gear characteristics (stats, attached abilities, traits, etc), there is no reason outside of glamour to be excited about getting new gear. Its gotten to the point where I don't even look at what stats my gear has, just the ilvl. A sword with 200 STR is no more interesting than a sword with 195 STR. If I get an upgrade, I usually glamour over it and continue my day as if nothing happened. This is not rewarding enough for an MMORPG. This overly simple stat design has two major drawbacks.

• It makes combat boring, because we have absolutely no way to change it outside of what job we're playing and since combat is a huge part of FFXIV, this reduces the desire to play most of FFXIV.
  
• Gear is the main reward for doing most content. Since the gear has boring stats, this also limits desire to play most of FFXIV because the rewards are lackluster. If the latest dungeon offered gear that had some kind of bonus for your job like a shield that included "Shield Bash is now a small AoE" or a chest piece that had a trait "Wildfire now also includes a small percentage of your party's damage". Wouldn't you be genuinely excited to find that armor? Pumped to try it out in combat? Motivated to get back in that dungeon and see what else is there? That's what getting new gear is supposed to be like.

I really feel these two changes would revitalize FFXIV and really make it without rival in the MMORPG market.

[Cakekizyy]

Gear is just a vehicle to facilitate access to content. If it serves its purpose, stats are meaningless as is the ilvl.

[MoraClaret]

Yeah, I agree with you Caelum. I've felt the same way for a while now.

My guess is it's a combination of funding being dumped into the FFXV spectacle (feature-length movie, anime series, spin-off mobile games, famous voice actors, etc), and the dev team being afraid of doing anything they see as slightly risky.

While the majority don't read anything longer than a tweet, and don't care in general. Some of us do care about the thoughts and experiences of a fellow mmorpg player. Here's hoping something comes along soon that we can enjoy for the long run, take care.

[Waterdeep]

"Shield Bash is now a small AoE" or a chest piece that had a trait "Wildfire now also includes a small percentage of your party's damage". Wouldn't you be genuinely excited to find that armor?

Depends on how the gear is aquired. If they lock it behind savage, no thanks. I know raider want to basically get half a game just to themselves and lock everyone else out, but the second such genuinly interesting things are locked away from a big part of the playerbase it is over for me.

But I do agree that it would be nice if they could do something about it. For example if they released a bunch of special Materia that would push the MCH more towards ranged dps or more towards support, leaving it up to the player to decide how to meld his MCH and adjust his playstyle would be refreshing. But you just know people would bitch about that as well.

"Nuuuh why can't I be party support AND damage dealer?"
"People talk shit about my materia loadout..."
"LET US MELD DIFFERENT MATERIA SETS INTO OUR GEAR, HAVING TWO SETS OF GEAR IS JUST TOO MUCH!"
"Honestly, I am burnt out by the game. Always the same, new materia gets released and I have to farm all over again..."

[DevilsDontFly]

IDK. when I had tons of time to play every day I found myself with a very small amount of stuff to do because I would always power through stuff. Now that I've started working days and play in the evenings and weekends, I almost feel overwhelmed with all the stuff I have to or can do. For me, personally, it feels like just the right amount of stuff. Maybe you just need a break?

Pretty much the same for me.
I felt burnt out before HW because I was not working and finished my studies already. I had a lot of time, so I just did everything I could in-game with that lot of time.
Nowadays I work like hell and even though I have some nice time left to play, sometimes I get home so tired I can't bring myself to do it even though I really want to. Now when I log in I feel overwhelmed with all the stuff I have to do and it's a fresh taste.

So I guess what people say about this game being more focused on the "casual" playing makes sense here. If you don't play more than 4 hours a day you'll always have a lot of stuff to do. But if you play everyday for 6 hours+, you might get bored pretty fast.

[Masekase_Hurricane]

I honestly can't understand when people say they just stand around with nothing to do. Maybe I'm just a completionist or something. Have you leveled every job to 60, including all hand and land jobs? Have you leveled your companion chocobo up to 20? Have you gotten a pedigree 9 chocobo through racing? Have you gotten every single old (read level 50) and new relic? There are things to do, and to keep you occupied. You just may not want to do them, and I get that. However, just because you wish to ignore content because it doesn't interest you doesn't mean you are out of things to do. So yes, take a break maybe you'll come back and find something that interests you.

Dorander it is more of everything is the same, so far the whole 3.0 patch structure is exactly the same as the 2.0 series.We can work out exactly when next raid, trial, hard dungeon is coming. We can look back at 2.0 and we could probably work out when the next tomes will be added.

So much content they have also left behind guildhests, company ranks, character traits, diadem, roaming primals to name a few. I do agree that the devs are not really trying, only have to look at Hullbreaker Isle (hard) to see that. This dungeon was the biggest let down so far they even hyped it up for some strange reason, I suppose it didn't help that prior to doing it I had done Weeping City, Sohm Al and Nidhogg and I went in totally excited for the hard mode.