I guess it's time

[Brian_]

So I figured I'd provide some more specifics about how easy I think their content planning could be fixed.

For PvP --
1. Have the PvP rewards (the mounts, the achievement gear) require a mix of BGs.
2. Make PvP currency and EXP matter. Perhaps move some of the out-dated rewards to purchased rewards (obviously expensive).
3. Have the Frontline roulette rotate BGs just like how the adventurer in need bonus works. Increase the bonuses to really add incentives.
4. Add weekly or weekend BG bonuses.

That ensures that people will do all the BGs, get a much wider experience of FFXIV PvP, and keep the content alive much longer. I can't see how that would take much effort on SE's end.

For PvE, I think the changes need to be more drastic. First off, I think their current structure is backwards. It makes no sense to release your hardest content first, burn out all your casuals and mid-cores, then release a catch-up patch. There should be linear content progression, not this current jumbled mess rife with dead-on-arrival content.

Just looking at 3.2-->3.3-->3.4-->3.5 as an example --

3.2 -- 2 EX Dungeons, Sephirot --> Zurvan --> Sophia (NM), Sephirot --> Zurvan --> Sophia (EX), Weeping City of Mhach

3.3 -- 2 EX Dungeons, Nidhogg NM, Nidhogg EX, single difficulty Alexander Midas, other alternative content.

Combined, that's 4 trials, 4 HM/EXs, one 24-man, and 4 floors of Midas. That's not significantly more work than the current 2 trials, 2 HM/EXs, one 24-man, 4 floors of Midas, and 4 floors of Savage. It's just 2 new fights in terms of aesthetics. But, in terms of content progression, it's significantly smoother and gives mid-core players much more to work with.

The Warring Triad series could drop weapons and right-sides. Weeping City obviously drops left-sides. Lore gear's upgrades would not be available until 3.3. The progression and gear will mean more because even HC players will be incentivized to do the content to prep for Alexander. Right now, Alexander Midas Normal was useless to raiders after 1 clear. Nidhogg is dead content to a raider past A7S. Weeping City is worthless to them, too. Of course there will be a feeling of nothing to do when much of the content is pointless on or shortly after release. For your casual / mid-core player, this gives them an actual path of progression rather than a bunch of face-roll content, 1 EX trial, and then a mile-high wall called Savage. Sephirot --> Zurvan --> Sophia EX could be a slow difficulty ramp that will prep people for Midas and help foster a healthier and stronger PuG / static scene.

3.4 -- implementation of massive echo or NM Alexander Midas to open up the story to casuals, next 24-man raid, some new NM and EX trials.

3.5 -- NM MSQ trial, EX MSQ trial, final wing of Alexander, other alternative content.

3.6 -- small patch adding echo to the final wing of Alexander or a NM mode ahead of the next expansion.

With this set-up, the progression path for 3.4-->3.5 is where they should end up. Echo / NM Alexander Midas (face-roll) --> NM trials (normal) / 24-man (normal) --> EX trials (hard) --> EX MSQ trial (harder) --> Alexander (hardest). Real ramping progression. That's compared to now where it's a complete mess -- Alexander Midas NM (face-roll) / Sephirot NM (face-roll) --> Sephirot EX (hard) / Alexander Savage (hardest) --> Nidhogg (normal) / Mhach (normal) --> Nidhogg EX (hard).