How PL'ing killed FFXIV.

[Smashington]

This is where useless rants go so here goes:

A month or two ago I was just starting to tell my friends that FFXIV was shaping up. With the info about Ver2.0 with release dates, I started telling friends they should consider returning at that time.

"They are really making sweeping changes. Battle is fun, targeting is fixed. New content is here with more and more on the horizon. The materia system is cool!"

Good stuff.

But then, the PL'ing debaucle.

It seems this game is going in the direction of, "Who the hell cares about leveling. Let's skip through to the end-game so we can spam the two end-game dungeons for a month and then get bored and quit."

I played that game before, it was called Kingdom Under Fire and it blew goat nuts. You have fun for a week or so. Then you get in a party with experienced players, level up to max in a day, go fight the end boss the next day, and then you are done. Game over.

This game does not have enough end game content to support this mentality. It never will. As we all know, hardcore players can clear new content faster then it can be created. Even if the success conditions are frustratingly random and the drop rates for loot is excruitiatingly low.

The only way to overcome this is to provide incentives for players to enjoy a variety of the content - with new players preferrably. It's not like leveling up was exactly satisfying. I'm quite glad that Leves are a thing of the past. Although some new Leves with some variety would have been nice. The most fun I've had are in the EXP parties, but after your third or fourth class leveling through Raptors you notice that there's not a lot of depth there.

It's like this game has fast forwarded to the end-end-game where everone is bored of everything and they haven't even started charging yet! They are going to make the same mistake as last time, premature action.

Predict: Game will take a massive hit to population at subscriptions and failure will ensue.

Remeber all the polls about who is staying and who is leaving? Well let's take a repoll now that the majority of the population has fast-tracked their way to every meaningful goal. You have a 50 in every class you wanted right? Just PL up to 40 and then Spiritbind Party to 50. 2-3 days tops. Lame.

So what do I tell my friends about FFXIV now?

"Well, I'm afraid it's turned into one of those games where you PL to the end and then complete the final dungeon and quit." They nod knowingly. We have all played that game before. You may be willing to play that game for free, but you certainly don't pay for it.

My hopes for the future are sputtering out yet again.

[Quatre]

How FFXIV Killed FFXIV.


This game is lacking on content, but have you done it all?

Have you cleared Darkhold in 25minutes, Have you killed Ifrit, Have you killed all of the stronhold NMs?

More threads like this are just breeding grounds for redundant posts concerning this topic.

[Alerith]

To be completely honest, most people who blast past the whole leveling process aren't at a skill level to do content like Darkhold or Ifrit.

[DeadRiser]

No sense of progression. Some like progression, others don't.

I like progression and I feel like I'm leveling up to do an Ifrit fight and that's it. I miss grind parties where people actually had to use some kind of skill to level up. Not just sit there and let things get killed for you. The funnest times to level up was the low ranks and that is getting skipped all the way to 35ish

[grandm]

power leveling will not kill the game. nobody is forcing anybody to power level so you and for friends can take your time. i know this because, i don't power level and nor do my mates and we get on just fine.

you do bring up one good point OP i remember all the "will you leave now you have to pay" rage polls that came out when we were told about the subs that are coming. it would be intresting to do a poll see how ppl feel now they dust has settled, but on the other hand would it really be a good idea stiring up that hornets nest again?

[Issac]

I feel the same. Actually, I angrily debated this subject for days. The developers and Yoshida respond, but the joke was on me. The compromise was the powerleveling person must be outside the party. Good lot of help that did. Let's take turns rounding up the mobs. I'll take a nap. No wait, I'll play some pokemanz.

Tch, bitch please. This is a god damn MMO, work for your progress. Oh wait, the new generation is lazy as hell.

Face it, Smashington. We're old farts now. Personally, I'm not even 30 yet. But based on the majority response that I have seen, my ideals are old as old can be. Everyone wants the world handed to them. I'll just wait for the next Korean grind and hope like hell it isn't another WoW-clone. While not an optimal experience, it is the closest I'll get to a real MMO. When is RO2 coming out? Yeesh.

[Estellios]

If you were PL'd it's really your own fault.

I'm working on Gladiator for Ifrit with my friend's MRD and we are voluntarily duoing without any issue at all, joining up with random people that pass by the camps we're at, and even once some random dude PL'd us for like 30 minutes for no reason. I don't hate PLing and I'd take it if it was offered, but we have more fun duoing normally. You don't need anywhere near a full party to get some great XP so you can just make friends-only groups for XPing and have a good time.

People need to man up and take responsibility for how they play the game because playing it one way then complaining about it is kinda dumb, as is complaining about how other people play. Many more people benefit from the option of being PL'd and keeping options open in this regard is good.

[Issac]

If you were PL'd it's really your own fault.

I'm working on Gladiator for Ifrit with my friend's MRD and we are voluntarily duoing without any issue at all, joining up with random people that pass by the camps we're at, and even once some random dude PL'd us for like 30 minutes for no reason. I don't hate PLing and I'd take it if it was offered, but we have more fun duoing normally. You don't need anywhere near a full party to get some great XP so you can just make friends-only groups for XPing and have a good time.

People need to man up and take responsibility for how they play the game because playing it one way then complaining about it is kinda dumb, as is complaining about how other people play. Many more people benefit from the option of being PL'd and keeping options open in this regard is good.

The topic has been debated to death. Sure, you can duo. You can trio, as well. But what if you want to get with a full party? Good luck dodging the powerlevel inevitability.

[Estellios]

You'd just have to deal with it if you want a full party. There's nothing mechanically different except the strength of the enemies you have to fight. I think it was you that made the thread about people bringing friends to PL unannounced which is the only bad thing about it IMO. Lay down ground rules and go with what's available instead of always wanting to be a full party just because you can.

People have aversions to "spam fest" parties and smaller parties feel more tactical and fun to me.

[Shneibel]

I do agree PL make some ppl bored and quit the game atm because it lack of end game content but later at 1.21 and futher to 2.0 is not something we know or predict, all you can see is atm