I guess it's time

[Caelum_Dragguell]

I know thousands of you if not more won't care to read this wall of text. I know most of you will just say, good riddance or who cares, "goodbye", or stop being a snowflake, but I felt that if the game that I've enjoyed so much is going to become unbearable to even log into, then I might as well make one last thread on these forums.

For those of you who do read this all the way through, no matter what you think, negatively of the post or positively, thank you.

For the first time about a week ago I decided to discuss on the forums about a subject that seemed not to get enough attention, this being the sincere scarcity of worthwhile content and how the formula should be shaken up in order to better the game. I'll address this later...

First a long rambling about how much I Loved this game

I've watched the interest in the game grow during the betas and be pleasantly surprised with the way it turned out.

I watched the game flourish at the launch of 2.0 and saw thousands of players on my server and hundreds of thousands of others happily play away for hours praising the games new features and reworks.

I watched as the story grew and became better and better, and more and more content was added in the 2.X era. I enjoyed playing nearly daily, defeating each iteration of primals and raids with my friends and having great times and creating good memories.

I watched and was excited for the release of Heavensward and all the new content it brought.

and then I watched as... nothing had changed really, and with each patch less worthwhile content was added. With each patch I found myself asking the question "Is this it?" more and more after a week within its release.

This worry grew, as more and more it became a chore to log in and do anything. The content felt recycled, homogenized, and I'd go as far as to say it felt as if the majority of it was simply created from a one sentence line on a soulless checklist on the desk of a corporate office. I realize that this leaves out some of their attempts at new content (which unfortunately flopped for the most part) and for those attempts I am happy they reached out and tried something new, but in the end the game no longer feels worthwhile to play. Maybe it was just me, maybe it is the game and how it's structured currently. Either way I can't quite put my finger on it other than knowing what I personally would like to see in the game. Thus I took to the forums to make statements on how some of my ideas may add to the longevity of the game.

I won't say my ideas were right, in fact I found in the end that some of the ideas of others were even better or that some of my thoughts in the end were flat out not beneficial. I also noticed many people not even seeking out change however, defending the developers we've come to love so much since we are so passionate about this game. I'd like to say that if we have so much faith in them and love them so much, wouldn't it be better to kindly say we want a change no matter how big? that we want more content that will last us more than 1-2 weeks out of a 3 month wait?

We know what they're capable of if properly funded and supported. They show a lot of passion for the development of this game and its fans. Their hearts are there.

I guess the problem may come down to a few things. (just my thoughts).

1. That the developers truly are underfunded, and that although this game has brought in what is most likely millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue that the higher ups refuse to give the team the funding they deserve to make the game what it could be

2. That the developers are situationally unaware about the state of the game (or maybe I'm the one who's unaware, but seeing so many players not log in or even just quit over the course of 3.x seems to state otherwise) and that the majority of the player base DOES indeed want some sort of change, be it more dynamic dungeons, or more interesting status' (although many say such things wouldn't really change much and I can understand why I guess) or just a variety of fresh new types of content (like deep dungeon that we're getting but that's about it).

or 3. That the entirety or majority of the player base is actually satisfied with the state of the game and its lack of content and couldn't care less otherwise despite the many others I've seen actively state their disdain for the current state of the game and how it's fallen from how it felt before.

To make everything that I'm saying come together cohesively and so others who have taken it upon themselves to read this ungodly wall of text have a point to take away, I guess the point I want to make is, as an extremely dedicated and passionate player and follower of this game, am I really the only one who has that constant feeling that whenever you log in you just stand around doing nothing or run another mind numbing soulless daily you think to yourself, "why am I still playing? why am I logged in right now?".

Does no one else truly feel like this game could use some more love? That it is in desperate need of more content?

This thread will probably just die and be lost within a day drowned out by the myriad of others that act as if there isn't any issue (or maybe there really isn't an issue) with the current state of this game, other than the Chinese exclusive superficial glamours not being international, but if not or even if so, I guess what I'd like to see is just more discussion on what specifically people would like to see in the game.

Ideas for a formula change, or just express to the developers we've come to trust so much that we would like to see more from them because we believe in them.

Yes this post is sappy. Yes it may sound like I'm just whining (I kind of am). Yes it is too long. And yes, maybe I do care too much about this game but because of that I want to see it get even better, not worse.

I don't want to see this game go down the path of another I've watched burn and turn into a shell of its former self because it would hurt.
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Links to other threads if you want to continue the discussion. Whether you hate me or not, express your thoughts and feelings honestly and politely.
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...killed-players
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...ization-design.
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...e-state-of-XIV

Extra feedback. (While I don't agree with every single one of these points it does express generally what should be thought about in improving this game).

I'd also like to preface this quote so it isn't misleading, I believe it is intended to be more of a list of suggestions to consider rather than anything concrete. Just brainstorming.

What we want SE/Needs fixing,

- Exploring vase zones with danger. (That actually look good, like ARR zones, not like Heavenward zones with lack of detail everywhere)
- Way less Fates and completely different way of leveling in zones. (Make those Fates more special/Huge EXP gain) (Basically big Fate even'ts)
- Branching path dungeons with different objectives and rewards.
- New stats, Double attack, Shield Bash+1, Ballad+1 etc.
- Removal of tome cap & requirement for obtaining them for bis/removing the tome system.
- Easier way to set up 24 man group. Even for Fates and other content.
- Start adding actual 24man Guild FC content into the game.
- Readjustments/complete overhall of the Hunt system.
- Add a support class into the game.
- Change all 4man raids to 5man raids. (1tank,1healer,2dps, 1support/dps) (DPS spots fill up faster then tank or healers. Also will allow you guys to create more interesting fights then with just the bare mim 4 party setup.)
- Add no flying in future expansions. But also have the zone designed so ease of traveling around like with the ARR zones. (This will make zones larger because lack of movement speed/allowing creators to make more detailed areas without creating huge zones where graphics has to display a bunch of stuff away from the player.) (Basically more smaller zones, But still make the region quite large.)
- Make every patch a catch up patch & a main patch. (Nerfing old content and adding new bis gear, instead of bis gear every 6 months.)
- Mix old materials & new materials into new recipes, allowing older items to still be useful and making it easier for newer players to make gil on a patch.
- Only release new Dungeons. (No longer create Hard mode dungeons.)
- Make relics require alot of gil/player help to finish. Allow all players to farm currency and able to sell it to players grinding out for relic.
- Make Relics best in slot for every patch till next expansion where they need to do a hard quest to upgrade it again.
- Add no shortcuts to relic, but you can increase the currency that drops.
- Add a item reward system to achievement score for ARR & Heavensward & 4.0. (This will cause more players to do different content in the game to obtain these rewards.)
- Make crafting more useful.
- Change the DoL stat caps/gathering caps. Give us a better benefit for going beyond the requirement for these gathering points.
- Keep the item level requirement for duty finder only but remove the need for having it overall. (Lower item level gear could have better stats for your build.)
- Bring back a way to change your Job/Class within a dungeon like with 1.0 dungeons. (Will cause more players to level more jobs & learn different jobs.)
- Add in awesome Jobs. Samurai, Blue Mage, Thief, Red Mage, Gunblade Job/Garlean Based Class. Make sure the Jobs are fun to play at/really useful in all aspects.
- Fix the mass issue with lots of gil on players. (Make gil more useful.)
- Give everyone there own housing zone and lessen the need for housing wards.
- Make Housing useful, not just as a vanity item.
- Add Open world dungeons/caverns.
- Add no more basic solo quests. Start creating the quests that need Chocobo Companion/Up to 2-3 players.
- Make other cities like Grindana & Uldah easier to reach the market board. (Add Market Boards to the same zone as the Aethright to attract traffic to those zones.)
- Remove Grand Company Grouping in frontlines, instead just make it A/B/C groups.
- Allow PvP stat to boost only PvP actions and be able to use them in frontlines.
- Expand the PvP leveling rank system by adding in different stats & traits.
- Add in different Materia & don't lower stat values on gear just because they can attach materia.
- Have a new round/season of the feast to start up again as soon as its over. (Keeping the content from dying out once a feast season is over.)
- Have top Feast equipment to give best item level/on pare with the top sets of the current patch.
- Remove the current raid system you guys have and just focus on primal fights because even the raids themselves are just boss fights.
- Start making the main story fights a bit harder so players learn how to play the game correctly. (Add in a extra mechanic or one attack do the same thing as it does in the extreme version so they are more ready for the extreme version of the fight.)
- Add a new mode of transportation in 4.0. (Boats/Water mount)
- Make sure dungeons from the outside in the world map value to size to the ideal size of the dungeon. Also make sure the dungeon is designed the same way as it looks from the outside.
- Less cash shop stuff like the Red & White magitek mounts and the Red Zu. Add stuff in there that we actually wanna buy/worth the asking price.
- No jump potion/content skip. (If you do add ONE at some point you gotta give it to everyone that owns ARR regardless if they are new or not to raise any one class to 60 only but still have them do all the content in the game for them to reach that lv60 point & not allow them to unsync dungeons so they can solo it by themselves until they complete it once as the required level. Also leave it out of the cash shop or you will ruin this game.)
- Add in new content but only release it when you know its actually complex/dynamic enough where players can enjoy it over and over and do many different things and not have stuff be broken at release.
- Improve old content where they have a purpose/are more enjoyable.
- Improve the Chocobo Companion system where we can Gambit there actions and give them way more skills.
- Allow us to Que for a duty with a chocobo companion.
- Remove the need to build cities every patch, your wasting development having to replace/rebuild every patch.
- Add less seasonal events in a year but improve the events/quests. (New Year/Little Ladies day/Easter/Gold Saucer need to go. Put more dev time in other content/events.)
- Add in a new race that doesn't look like a human. Lizard Race.
- Add in Viera. (A lot of people want it.)
- Add in endgame content related to the main story. (Not a side story quest not really related to the main story.)
- Open World Primals. (All Primals added into the game. Change the weather of the region/zone when they are spawned.)
- Hamlet style content where DoL & DoH can be used in combat/content. (Good replacement for Red scripes)
- Those DoH skills/job stones need be more useful.
- Add more random elements into crafting & fixing the HQ % to where it makes more sense.
- Make Fishing more useful as a DoL. Give more fish a purpose. Don't just keep adding in useless fish.
- Don't add anymore beastmen dallies. We already have too many of the same content. Add something completely new.
- Add in other rewards players will go after instead of minions & mounts. Its getting old.
- Stop copying the same rewards and giving them a new skin/color swaps. (ADS balls, Zu mounts, White Fat chocobo, Beastmen dallies minions etc.)
- Add in a triangle arena and a multi floor arena like what we had in to kill a raven.
- Add in new PvP rules. Like King of the hill.
- Remove the ability to choose frontlines & instead have it like cycle randomly to different arenas so older & newer content never gets stale or dies out.
- Slow down the combat a little bit when your adding in more actions into the game. (Balance the GCD a bit more)
- Magitek Companion/Attachment, usefulness in 5.0.
- Being able to use retainers on the open world.
- Have Airships take you to special endgame areas, with a purpose.
- Frontlines needs to be more dynamic with options on the field.
- Have Brass Seals give armor & used for relic quest line. Also be able to trade them.
- Balance out desysthing where we can level it up without having to buy 500k equips.
- Don't nerf vanity items just because more people want them. There is a market there and if you nerf it noone cares about showing off the $$$ vanity item.
- Make Battle & Grand Company Leves important/more rewarding then what they are. (Players don't use them. Only on DoH & DoL leves. Fates & dungeons are faster exp.)
- Add all rewards at the end of a dungeon. So players don't get the item and leave in a middle of a dungeon.
- Allow players to use large amounts of tokens to buy mounts that drop from primals. (80-100 tokens would be realistic to ask for it.)
- Adding ways toget gil out of the hands of players. Hence adding shops that sell items for a recipe that no other way to obtain.
- Epic storyline/theme with endgame.
- No more Normal mode versions of Endgame.
- Remove sub rewards. (Its getting quite large for new players to meet these requirements and there is no way these players would be able to catch up. Before it was every month to 3 months was fine, but now you need to stay subbed for a year to meet each reward now. Its a joke.)
- Have a option to still play the game till your sub is up without having to cancel it your account on the last day before getting charged for the next month. (Seems shady, didn't have this issue with XI.)
- Make it easier to have steam versions of the game & still be able to use your game or upgrade it to the next expansion without steam needed.
- Add a que for your character if that character wants to move to another server that's full.
- Allow players use multiple kinds of meds without sharing the same global timer. (Able to use HP potions & Dex Potions together) (Able to use High Ethers & Int Potions together)
- Make the market board a blind auction house. (To stop undercutting of prices.)

These are what players have been asking for sometime or have been expecting since 2.0 was being built. Also a lot of balancing issues/need purpose needs to be done.

I'd also like to shout out WellFooled and Heavenly_Armed for good suggestions (my opinion) over the forums, and I'd also like to thank those who input their thoughts on how they think this game should change/not change

(sub is dead as of adding this note)
Ending note: See you guys down the line if I decide to come back, enjoy the game and seek to better it.