One step forward, Two steps back

[Kohta]

I haven't played in a long while, aparently long enough that it told me i can't post until i put more playtime in (it's been atleast 3 months) The first thing i noticed when i set out to 'grind' was Cure's cost 45mp now! ouch, I deleted my old character because it was only in the 20's and i didn't really like her much.

I got to 15 which unlocks the story line mission to fight the Elemental Spirit, which IIRC was a decently easy fight at 15-16, couple nukes, couple cures, the end.

I'm 16 on my Conjurer and that thing ate the 3 'helpers' in one shot, It started off with an AoE Water hitting them all for 170 damage, they ran, another (one) came out of the woodworks to help out, but by the time it got into fighting range it had used another water spell for a bit over 90 damage, sending them running, putting me into the blinking red, luckly i had a chance to heal while it switched to wind, but it was short lived, right out fo the bag it did a nice 120 putting me out of the fight, lasted all but a minute if that.

I figured it may of been a bad set up or i just didn't do something right, but i tried a couple more times with the same results, it's just eating those NPCs and then heading for me for a 2-3 shot death, i tried healing them but i just can't keep up.

So they make Final Fantasy XI a little bit easier, a little bit more fun, and they make Final Fantasy XIV a lot harder and shaft what looks like 90% of the classes, or so i hear, Archer throws rocks now? seriously? Let them switch to daggers and /ra <t> for bow attacks and skills?... throwing rocks!? my biggest beef is 45MP cures and the fact that Sacrifice is pretty much useless solo, if you need to heal yourself sacrifice isn't the Go-to like it used to be.

I really wanted to give 14 another chance after all this time, i have tried hard to fall in love with this game but it's nothing like it needs to be, they made changes that made things worse, putting away your weapon, animations for skills, experience gain, petty stuff compared to the one spell in the game that keeps everyone alive, cost half as much as it heals for, Final Fantasy XI Cure costs 8MP and cures what? 35 HP? Aion, 40 MP to heal 300 HP. I'm comparing games because games are games and in all fairness when has a Cure ever required half of what it heals for.

I hate to go back to FFXI or even Aion, as much as i like them for different reasons, FFXI is growing old on me after so many years, and Aion, i guess i don't have anything against it, other than i don't feel like it's worth $15 a month right now, i would much rather put my $15 a month here if Cures were still 5 MP for 50 HP. I don't care to kill anything 5 levels above me, but come on, equal level monsters i am standing there healing myself just to stay alive, with updated gear!

What are your thoughts? I'm having a hard time hanging on, i don't feel like playing but i don't want to give up either.

[KiniRyris]

Archer throws rocks now? seriously? Let them switch to daggers and /ra <t> for bow attacks and skills?... throwing rocks!?

I stopped there, Um they only throw rocks if you don't have arrows equipped, its always been this way

[Kohta]

With arrows equipped they have a "Throwing" motion instead of using the bow (Auto attack), throwing rocks or throwing arrows, both are just as ridiculous as the other, but my OP was mostly about the trouble of Cure cost, and why the game had to go from being able to solo, to not, or at least, it's turned into a massive grind fest in comparison. I'm sure the people who're already Lv50 across the board in the old experience system aren't complaining, it's atleast ten times as hard to gain levels as it used to be.

[Rentahamster]

I stopped there, Um they only throw rocks if you don't have arrows equipped, its always been this way

He's talking about the archer close range auto attack.

@OP The animation isn't a rock throw. It's a punch.

[Kohta]

He's talking about the archer close range auto attack.

@OP The animation isn't a rock throw. It's a punch.

Thanks for the Clarity, i thought something seemed off about that, i guess i'll keep on truckin' to 20, but i have my doubts i can even defeat that thing at 20 with as gimped as they made the mages. Sorry, i'm not at all optimistic about the changes, i see 1.20 is around the corner -crosses fingers-

[buritoslicer]

I haven't played in a long while, aparently long enough that it told me i can't post until i put more playtime in (it's been atleast 3 months) The first thing i noticed when i set out to 'grind' was Cure's cost 45mp now! ouch, I deleted my old character because it was only in the 20's and i didn't really like her much.

I got to 15 which unlocks the story line mission to fight the Elemental Spirit, which IIRC was a decently easy fight at 15-16, couple nukes, couple cures, the end.

I'm 16 on my Conjurer and that thing ate the 3 'helpers' in one shot, It started off with an AoE Water hitting them all for 170 damage, they ran, another (one) came out of the woodworks to help out, but by the time it got into fighting range it had used another water spell for a bit over 90 damage, sending them running, putting me into the blinking red, luckly i had a chance to heal while it switched to wind, but it was short lived, right out fo the bag it did a nice 120 putting me out of the fight, lasted all but a minute if that.

I figured it may of been a bad set up or i just didn't do something right, but i tried a couple more times with the same results, it's just eating those NPCs and then heading for me for a 2-3 shot death, i tried healing them but i just can't keep up.

So they make Final Fantasy XI a little bit easier, a little bit more fun, and they make Final Fantasy XIV a lot harder and shaft what looks like 90% of the classes, or so i hear, Archer throws rocks now? seriously? Let them switch to daggers and /ra <t> for bow attacks and skills?... throwing rocks!? my biggest beef is 45MP cures and the fact that Sacrifice is pretty much useless solo, if you need to heal yourself sacrifice isn't the Go-to like it used to be.

I really wanted to give 14 another chance after all this time, i have tried hard to fall in love with this game but it's nothing like it needs to be, they made changes that made things worse, putting away your weapon, animations for skills, experience gain, petty stuff compared to the one spell in the game that keeps everyone alive, cost half as much as it heals for, Final Fantasy XI Cure costs 8MP and cures what? 35 HP? Aion, 40 MP to heal 300 HP. I'm comparing games because games are games and in all fairness when has a Cure ever required half of what it heals for.

I hate to go back to FFXI or even Aion, as much as i like them for different reasons, FFXI is growing old on me after so many years, and Aion, i guess i don't have anything against it, other than i don't feel like it's worth $15 a month right now, i would much rather put my $15 a month here if Cures were still 5 MP for 50 HP. I don't care to kill anything 5 levels above me, but come on, equal level monsters i am standing there healing myself just to stay alive, with updated gear!

What are your thoughts? I'm having a hard time hanging on, i don't feel like playing but i don't want to give up either.

Right now, it all comes down to your ability to make good friends with a linkshell that can help you level. The games solo aspect is broken (not impossible), and requires a party to do some good leveling. Trust me, it's not you its the game... but were also on the verge of another big update, so either wait it out or take the spoonful of salt with the jar of sugar thats going to be presented to us soon.

Hope all works out!

[Lucroarna]

I'd just like to point out your judging an entire game with a character with one class leveled not even a 3rd of the way to the cap. Any game mechanic "problems" you're speaking of are from the perspective of someone who doesn't have the proper skills, gear, or experience to make an actual helpful evaluation of the game.

Your attitude could be compared to a new player to FF11 that claims the entire game is trash because they have to unlock a subjob. Obviously they have no idea whats going on in the gaming world they're a part of; they just want to right click a button and be awarded the level cap. As any good XI player knows, you have to work to get anywhere. 14 follows the same philosophy.

MMOs are meant to be played past the first 16 levels, FF14 is a game that takes time. If you don't put time into it, you only see 1/19th of the content.

There are traits you can unlock that lower your threat when you cast spells, traits that make you able to cast faster, traits that make you take less damage when you use a spell.

If you're 16 you haven't unlocked any actual features for your class, your character is too weak, the game isn't too hard.

Also, Archers use rocks to gain TP because the bard hasn't been implemented into the game. Archer is meant to be some DPS and support abilities from Bard. It's basically half of a class right now in the game's lifeline. It wasn't designed with the developers thinking "Okay yeah, let's just have them throw rocks to gain TP".

I find it easier to enjoy online gaming communities when I read what the creators of the game have planned for it, rather than listening to the majority of people, who have proven time and time again, to be wrong.

[Claire_Pendragon]

Anyways, to the OP, the game gets ALLOT better by Lv30+ when you have 3 "0 cost" abilities.
I do agree, the game is allot harsher to newer players now, than it used to be, which is terrible for a struggling MMO.
Sadly, I can suggest trudge through the levels, and grab exp Groups in Uldah, and soon you will find leveling to be too easy.