Squadrons are a let down for now

[Moomba33]

I have to say I would rather have this particular feature delayed until it had more meat. XIV really didn't need a 3rd Venture system in my opinion.

I would have settled for being able to use them as AI companions in the field and some Grand Company related story missions to accompany rank ups (similar to the story instances where you're accompanied by npcs in game already) even if SE couldn't get them ready for full dungeon mechanics at launch.

[Astyrah]

Really guys? This is the second thread complaining about a feature that isn't even out yet. What is this? MMO Champion?

personally i don't care anymore how this squadron thing comes out, but i will just point out that the reason other people are complaining is because they are paying for the game monthly like all of us and if you're not getting (or going to get) what you're paying for, i think it'll justify expressing your concerns

but if this was a free to play MMO and you never paid a single cent on it's cash shop, then yeah - but it's not ^^

[FoxyAreku]

I don't understand why this feature has to exist in the first place. I know I probably won't touch it...not trying to be rude, but why do people want to play with NPCs in an MMO? It feels like it ruins the point of the genre?

I guess the sending them on missions bit is interesting but weren't garrisons widely disliked in WoW as well? There just doesn't seem to be anything positive about this feature to me.

[Welsper59]

I don't understand why this feature has to exist in the first place. I know I probably won't touch it...not trying to be rude, but why do people want to play with NPCs in an MMO? It feels like it ruins the point of the genre?

I guess the sending them on missions bit is interesting but weren't garrisons widely disliked in WoW as well? There just doesn't seem to be anything positive about this feature to me.

In the case of the "point" of the genre, it's easy to argue that it was lost the moment cross realms/servers needed to exist. Looking back to the old days, before such a function existed, MMORPGs thrived on their individual server communities. You knew many people and recognized even more names. Your characters existence affected the people on your server. Perhaps you were the only one with a specific crafting recipe, you were one of the better tanks/healers/dps, known to be very helpful, etc. Many, including those you didn't know, relied on you in some way. Being a troll or worse resulted in basically needing to start over on another server, since you were known about, even if you could name change.

With cross realms/servers, your existence is only meaningful to the extent of your individual connections (e.g. LS/FC, friends, etc) and as a number to fill the ranks. How good you are typically means little to the folks you end up solo queuing with, since having people capable of completing most content is a dime a dozen. Now think about that bit I just mentioned: individual connections and being a number. What sort of online games or genres does that really qualify as? Nearly all of them, right? Most obvious example would be FPS games. You can chat with your friends and such, or troll others with little to no consequence, all while only being needed to the extent of filling the slots. You no longer really have what made MMORPGs social environment unique, at least in this regard. When it comes to dungeons, for the most part, individual servers are just a hub, a place for you to wait in until you get queued in to instanced combat with forgettable strangers you're not going to likely see ever again.

So if you're worried about the unique social aspects of it, don't be... that was long gone out of necessity for the genre. If you're concerned about the lack of group participation, then that will depend on how much access Squadrons will have and how effective they are at it. Remember that while the genre is a social one, doing solo content does not remove socializing entirely (we have non-party chat systems in place for a reason). It could very well be possible that Squadron use is restricted to a "for story mode-only" type of thing, where you don't get gear/drops, but you can complete MSQ and experience cutscenes as want... as well as experience for Squadrons, if dungeon exp can qualify for them.

[Balipu]

I don't understand why this feature has to exist in the first place. I know I probably won't touch it...not trying to be rude, but why do people want to play with NPCs in an MMO? It feels like it ruins the point of the genre?

I guess the sending them on missions bit is interesting but weren't garrisons widely disliked in WoW as well? There just doesn't seem to be anything positive about this feature to me.

Garrisons weren't that bad. There were two key problems with it though.
TL;DR version:

They were mandatory for progression
They ended up being the only kind of content people got.

Neither is true for Squadrons.

[Aillith]

Ff14 players take complaining to a new level.

Here is this new system and element to the game they are designing for us. This is an MMO with a very stable patch cycle - it is constantly evolving and being built upon.

Its great we have a producer that is so invested in this game, so excited, that he shares with us his vision and what he wants to implement. Sometimes plans do not work out in reality - while sad, this is ok as well. It happens.

It is great they release things to us as they create it, allowing for ample room for these features to be built upon in a future patch and adjusted.

The alternative is nothing. Nothing at all. Nothing to speculate over. Nothing to look forward to. Nothing new to even try until it is 100% complete and then you get what you are given. No stable patch cycle because you wait until something is 100% and who knows how long that could be?

[Genaxx]

The alternative is nothing. Nothing at all. Nothing to speculate over. Nothing to look forward to. Nothing new to even try until it is 100% complete and then you get what you are given. No stable patch cycle because you wait until something is 100% and who knows how long that could be?

The alternative is to use that development time to work on existing, half done, doa content instead of adding more doa content.

[Lewtskie]

Here is this new system and element to the game they are designing for us.

The entire concept of managing personal NPCs has existed since this game's birth. Slapping shallow flare onto it doesn't make it new.

Its great we have a producer that is so invested in this game, so excited, that he shares with us his vision and what he wants to implement. Sometimes plans do not work out in reality - while sad, this is ok as well. It happens.

His vision doesn't extend past his hands, and when you try one or two new features that show to be a bust, the thing to not do is just keep blindly throwing out more and more hoping to see something stick.

It is great they release things to us as they create it, allowing for ample room for these features to be built upon in a future patch and adjusted.

It'd be even better if they'd finish one thing first and while we actually get to fully enjoy something while they slowly introduce and build on another thing. Plenty things by now to wet the appetite, so how about bringing out the actual meal?

The alternative is to use that development time to work on existing, half done, doa content instead of adding more doa content.

[TheGrimace]

I'll be looking forward to this if the NPCs have their own personalities. It seems like it's going in that direction if we can interact with them in the Squadron Hall and if they all have names and traits. I'm crossing my fingers, but yeah, if they're even a little bit involved, I'll be happy.

[Brady672]

"We want more content that's not just dungeons!"

"This content sucks, they should stop doing this dumb content!"

This board in a nutshell.