Why the heavy focus on instance only?

[Nabiri]

Can't agree with you more Jynx, (I find I end up liking the majority of your posts.. XD). I don't have much to add because you've said it all.

The reason I can't being myself to log in (or pay for >.>) XI these last few months is everything is far too instanced now. I miss the rest of Vana'diel, but it's almost as if it doesn't exist anymore. Abyssea is the game now, and it's grown stale fast.
I fear for the future of XIV if it's mostly instanced. From my experiences with those the entertainment just doesn't last. I end up logging out, and then not paying and not playing for months at a time.

Past XI?... I could play that for hours every day. I'm looking for that kind of entertainment here.

[Phen]

I agree with the a little of this a little of that. But basically the biggest gripe I see on instances is minimum party, if thats gone is it a problem? Thats the only major thing difference isnt(besides time limit obviously).

Also in our lets look into the past tangent. Yes most of the major XI content was instanced limbus, dyna, assault, salvage, bcnm. Sky basically functioned like an instance (there is a particular path to take to X monster etc) but you tripped over others (I NEED BLUE DOOR PLEASE). And really most dungeons had a lone farmer or something most of the time. Don't get me wrong I liked having little places like zehrun, dangruf, and sarcarium. But for the greatness of these most of the time they were empty minus maybe a person or two unless a quest brought you there for an hour or so.

The only two major systems that come to mind off hand as really overworld are ZNM(good if tedious) and VNM(horrible and random). Sea was nice saving things like say temperance that took an eon.

Also abyssea is so easy to get out of the time limit essentially makes it an open field with monster pops etc. I personally like abyssea so yet again its nice to explore and find NMs you cant possibly beat etc. I think something great from that design was you could put in extra hardwork solo and be rewarded later in group play (pop items, quests etc). That isnt something youll usually see in an instance format unless you can say save keys from one run to the next or something.

Also the note about tricks to instances making them boring- Isn't that all content? Is any monster that big a thing after your 10th success over or under? I dont recall byakko playing out any differently than a limbus run after a bit- you knew what to expect. People don't exp on certain mobs for being more annoying. When a group mentality is involved efficiency will always out rule exploration etc.

So essentially in thing Jynx and Xing are both right. Having over world and instance things are important. That said I don't think (though the ease on entry restrictions is a good idea so people can explore)

[Wolfie]

If I want to do a instance I require a group of people, I can't just go and explore for the hell of it. I can't prod the enemies on my own to learn more about them, I can't enjoy the sights just for fun. It forces me to group, I'm not short on friends but I do like to take things at my own pace and go where I please.

Invisible walls telling me "You can't enter without 4 people dood" make me angry, for a instanced fight? Sure why not that's fine with me but to get into the area at all? Slap some time limits on that and it makes the game very restricted. At least in XI your "mainly instanced" is so wrong.

That has nothing to do with the content being instanced and has everything to do with Yoshi putting some stupid entry requirements and gating the content. You needed 3 people to get past the mage gate until you had your Portal Charm, and that wasn't instanced content.

In WOW, you can enter dungeons without being in a group, and there is no time limit on how long you can stay inside.

You're hating on instanced content for shortcomings that were forced on the content, and that are applicable to both seamless and instanced content.

[Baxter]

If I want to do a instance I require a group of people, I can't just go and explore fohttp://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=443854r the hell of it. I can't prod the enemies on my own to learn more about them, I can't enjoy the sights just for fun. It forces me to group, I'm not short on friends but I do like to take things at my own pace and go where I please.

Invisible walls telling me "You can't enter without 4 people dood" make me angry, for a instanced fight? Sure why not that's fine with me but to get into the area at all? Slap some time limits on that and it makes the game very restricted. At least in XI your "mainly instanced" is so wrong.

Things like Campaign were extremly friendly for people who just wanted something to do, my friends not around and I want to get a few merits? Campaign, FoV, a whole damn world with monsters I can find to solo, dungeons to explore.

XIV is lacking a real overworld even now most of the areas are neglected because all of the content is pinpoint focused in the world with a massive map with no meaning to it other than being large. I could hardly walk 5 minutes in XI without finding something to do with a quest, a NM (Even if it had nothing worth looting), people playing, sights to see, items to gather, maps to get, craig crystal to collect, camps to document, dungeons to explore.

While XI did have a large ammount of instanced content they only did this after they had a very well fleshed out world to stage the instances in.

Almost all the instanced content required you to travel in the current world, XIV you hardly have to step foot outside of town or past the nearest aetherite camp to do something. I remember my excursions to Ulegrand range ENM being a brutal trip with amazing rewards.

I remember my trip to the Darkhold, Totorak, Ifirit, and any strongholds as being a merry jog from the nearest aetherite camp...and hell even if I walked it is hardly a dangerous or spectacular journey.

Attowah Chasm...them damn Antlions and poison bushes, what I'm trying to say is while there was alot of instanced content it was fleshed inside of the open world where as XIV seems to avoid the world at all times possible. Sure XI had teleports and such but even then they themselves usually entailed some sort of price incured in the open world content.

^this, exactly

[Llewelyn]

No, it really isn't. Instances are easier to deal with from both a technical and design point, and the list of things that can be done with instances as opposed to open world content far outweighs the list of things that can't be done.

Instanced content turns MMO into MO. This is the reason Guild Wars isn't any good, IMO.

While it may be easier to develop, that doesn't mean it's better for players.

When you're creating mission-based dungeons, sure, go ahead and make them instanced. But just general purpose dungeons... there is NO reason to instance them. I'm talking about stuff like Shposae, Nanawa Mines, etc.

Similar regions to those in XI have many of my favorite memories.

[Sephrick]

I can't prod the enemies on my own to learn more about them, I can't enjoy the sights just for fun. It forces me to group, I'm not short on friends but I do like to take things at my own pace and go where I please.

It's an MMO, find some people to play with.

[indira]

Thanalan is an instance.

no its not, instance allows only you/ your party inside with without anyone else to come inside.

Quote Originally Posted by Jynx View Post
If I want to do a instance I require a group of people, I can't just go and explore fohttp://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=443854r the hell of it. I can't prod the enemies on my own to learn more about them, I can't enjoy the sights just for fun. It forces me to group, I'm not short on friends but I do like to take things at my own pace and go where I please.

Invisible walls telling me "You can't enter without 4 people dood" make me angry, for a instanced fight? Sure why not that's fine with me but to get into the area at all? Slap some time limits on that and it makes the game very restricted. At least in XI your "mainly instanced" is so wrong.

Things like Campaign were extremly friendly for people who just wanted something to do, my friends not around and I want to get a few merits? Campaign, FoV, a whole damn world with monsters I can find to solo, dungeons to explore.

XIV is lacking a real overworld even now most of the areas are neglected because all of the content is pinpoint focused in the world with a massive map with no meaning to it other than being large. I could hardly walk 5 minutes in XI without finding something to do with a quest, a NM (Even if it had nothing worth looting), people playing, sights to see, items to gather, maps to get, craig crystal to collect, camps to document, dungeons to explore.

While XI did have a large ammount of instanced content they only did this after they had a very well fleshed out world to stage the instances in.

Almost all the instanced content required you to travel in the current world, XIV you hardly have to step foot outside of town or past the nearest aetherite camp to do something. I remember my excursions to Ulegrand range ENM being a brutal trip with amazing rewards.

I remember my trip to the Darkhold, Totorak, Ifirit, and any strongholds as being a merry jog from the nearest aetherite camp...and hell even if I walked it is hardly a dangerous or spectacular journey.

Attowah Chasm...them damn Antlions and poison bushes, what I'm trying to say is while there was alot of instanced content it was fleshed inside of the open world where as XIV seems to avoid the world at all times possible. Sure XI had teleports and such but even then they themselves usually entailed some sort of price incured in the open world content.

this is a mmo ADVENTURE. reason people still PAY for FFXI & Everquest 1. newer instance mmo's failed and went Free to play.

[Jynx]

no its not, instance allows only you/ your party inside with without anyone else to come inside.

Technically it's not incorrect, but the methodology behind it's stupid. They aren't proving anything for/against the type of instances we are talking about.

[Rokien]

All, I have to say, if people like instances so much, why don't you play vindictus!? Thats 100%instanced

[Jinko]

Things like Campaign were extremly friendly for people who just wanted something to do, my friends not around and I want to get a few merits? Campaign, FoV, a whole damn world with monsters I can find to solo, dungeons to explore.

This is completely different content though !!

We are getting hamlet defense added which will be kind of like Campaign, guildleves are basically FoV and last I checked we have a while damn world with monsters that we can solo.

Granted they are taking dungeons away, but its hardly the end of the world, if you have that much time that you want to explore a dungeon go check out Nanawa and Copperbell (and the like), I can almost assure you these won't be instanced. (why would they instance those kinds of area's when they have nothing in them).

If you want to argue whether those area's will be converted to instances perhaps you can ask a community dev if he could ask Yoshi what the plan for those kind of area's will be.

All, I have to say, if people like instances so much, why don't you play vindictus!? Thats 100%instanced

Vindictus is a hack and slash MO more akin to Phantasy star online than a proper MMO.