Why the heavy focus on instance only?

[HiirNoivl]

Because instanced content is much more flexible to work with and can more easily provide fun than open world.

This... I'm learning quickly about the extreme limitations of this open world concept. It was nice to try it out... but in the end it was just too inflexible. Because of seamless transition, I can't tell North Shroud from South in a screen shot.

With more instanced areas we can start making some really unique places.

[Wolfie]

That's totally subjective.

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.

[Sephrick]

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.

Well said!

[Isaveron]

and to make you grind gear doing the same crap over and over again

And this is different from open world content, how? You don't have to like instanced content, but at least use legitimate complaints when whining about it.

[Betelgeuzah]

It all comes down to balance. Designers are humans, and they, too, have their limitations. Balance is much easier to pull off when you have control over the variables such as party set-up, size, possible skill set-ups.

Freedom is the complete opposite of balance. Freedom, to designers, means more variables, to the point where they are impossible to control. That only applies from a gameplay perspective though. Aesthetical freedom is only a strain on the art assets.

Freedom vs. Balance is what MMO devs struggle with. On the other hand you have the concept of an MMO, on the other hand you want to create a game with balanced=>tactical=>challenging=>meaningful gameplay. At the end of the day, either extreme is never the answer.

While I wouldn't want SE to go to such extremes as WoW does with it's search for Perfect Balance I want them to be close enough for XIV to feel like an actual game. For that to happen the designers need to be in control.

[Jinko]

Like open world content without a group finder is any different? In XI you grind the same content over and over while most of the world is dead because people are sitting in the favored town shouting for groups. And whether or not you get to play is based solely on how many other people are doing what you're trying to do that night.

Want to do Dynamis, too bad all zones but Windurst are occupied. Want to kill Vrtra? To bad he was killed 35 hours ago. You could always farm Diorite in sky with it's awesome 1.5% drop rate. Usually they sane leave that one be.

Yoshida has said there still will be open world content like the strongholds. The instanced content is a blessing because it allows for groups to actually plan and do the content when they intend to instead of standing around hoping they get a chance to play.

XI content ended at getting claim of what you wanted to do, and that was boring. Instanced content allows them to design more unique and challenging experiences.

So much truth in this post.

[Forbin]

dungeon finder will spell the end of FFXIV... THAT IS NOT AN MMO! why are all companies going to this crap.

[Sephrick]

dungeon finder will spell the end of FFXIV... THAT IS NOT AN MMO! why are all companies going to this crap.

Someone has yet to illustrate the difference between a dungeon finder and waiting while your party leader /shouts in town to manually form a party. If the system is faulty, it won't be used. XI had an auto-group function and it was ignored in favor of just building linkshells for regular events.

Just because there's a dungeon finder doesn't mean anyone will be forced to use it. It's the sort of thing that will be a godsend for smaller groups but the lot of us will be unaffected.

[Jynx]

Want to do Dynamis, too bad all zones but Windurst are occupied. Want to kill Vrtra? To bad he was killed 35 hours ago. You could always farm Diorite in sky with it's awesome 1.5% drop rate. Usually they sane leave that one be.

You act like instanced content is free of flaws.

Want to lowman the new dungeon? Too bad you "Require" more members than you have. Shout for members on your server? Please nobody wants to play with people on the same server. Want to try any open-world content with strangers? That's a shame everyone else is qued up for instanced content and wants cross server players they will never see again.

Huzzah~

it's a matter of perspective, XI wasn't about "Claiming" your content people really blow this out of proportion. We had tons of open world content.

Campaign, Fields of Valor, Beastmen forts, Open Dungeons, vast world filled with lore and content.

All of these didn't require you to "Claim content" and arguably were 10x more fun than I ever had in a instance, because I could do it on my terms whenever the hell I wanted. FFXI had it's share of head mashingly hard content but there were tons of people who found that "Fun" and worth it.

Hell I would never be caught dead farming in sky for the most part, you know what I did without Sky gear? Perfectly fine becuase XI had such an amazing ammount of content I wasn't pointed in a single direction and told "This is what you do now!"

Using Dynamis as a example for instanced content is just...stupid it was instanced content itself a relic from old hardware that couldn't have multiple cases of a instance. It would be a good case of instancing content if it wasn't irrelevant in this day and age.

People arguing that instanced content is always more fun than open world need to understand that we wouldn't be fighting for it if we didn't find open world content much more engaging and "Fun" it's a matter of tastes really and I prefer my content not to be a series of loading screens. I prefer my instances to be at the end of dungeons or in special areas I still need to reach.

Assault is a perfect example of what I think instances are good for, content that is specialy designed for certain situations. I like to be able to explore the world as one class and not worry about my progress being blocked by scripted events or monsters that are designed to block my path without a 8 person party of specific jobs/classes.

No, it really isn't.

And yet people don't all agree it's the best way to do things...in other words totally subjective.

*edit*

Like many others I want a good balance of both instanced and openworld content, XI had a nice balance it had plenty of instanced content as well as openworld stuff to do. Perhaps it leaned towards openworld a bit more but it was fairly close to being a medium.

[Sephrick]

it's a matter of perspective, XI wasn't about "Claiming" your content people really blow this out of proportion. We had tons of open world content.

Campaign, Fields of Valor, Beastmen forts, Open Dungeons, vast world filled with lore and content.

Yeah, all the endgame linkshells were really planning their week around Fields of Valor and coffer key runs.

XI was 100% about being the one to get claim. The fights were boring. Ifrit is 1,000 times more fun than anything in XI ever was.