Quote Originally Posted by OMEGA_HACK View Post
I would just like to point out that this only one the first half of the class reforms. We are getting the second half in 1.21, so while it might seem like a "nerf" or "destroying to rebuild" instead of just building up, its really not. So consider that we are only 50% complete in terms of the class reforms not the game itself.
Problem is, if I could just get the "other half" of the class reforms before I have to pay, that would be nice, but that's not happening. Since we're going to be paying for the services in a bit, I think a lot of forum goers have a right to criticize the current system in its current form - a lot of us do want to still keep paying when the subs come up, but there's no sense to it if they're not having fun with this half-complete reform. It would've been nice if they pushed the subs back to when the full reforms were complete, but I know that's not financially feasible for Square.

That being said its not like trying to out do the competition is a bad thing, but I feel like we (both consumers and developers alike) fixate too much on that aspect, why not try to crush the entire gaming industry? Why not kick the MMO world up a notch? Why not make MMOs the triumph of all gaming types like RTSs, RPGs, FPSs, MMOs? Why can't a MMO be all these things an more all at once? Why not destroy all other types of gaming available?
This is nothing new - in fact this doesn't only apply to MMOs - most games have a more narrow aim when it comes to market share these days. They don't go to be the best game, they usually go to be the best game of that genre. The market is now crowded with x or y type of game, whether it's an FPS, TPS, shooter, RTS, etc. I don't think there is more room to "grow" if you stick to your specified genre because there is too many of that genre out there. It only makes sense that now that each genre has established a firm foothold in a market that is inundated with all types of games (I think moreso than the previous generations) that you go to be the best of your genre, especially when your genre contains an already huge enough userbase so that if you were to become #1, it would bring in tons of money for your company.

Also I feel that some people try to compare "their first MMO experience" to the current MMO they are playing (this is the nostalgia effect), pulling from their memory they can't count on their hands how many memorable experiences and good times they had, then they look at the current MMO they've just picked up and say "why am I not having a similar experience?" Well one factor that I personally feel (myself included) that most people forget is the amount of time all those memories developed. Its not like it all happened in one sitting of playing that MMO, in fact it was more than likely years upon years of playing.
Again, this happens to all of us regardless of the genre. We try to play a game and all we end up doing is comparing it to what we played when we were wide eyed little kids on our older generation systems and PCs. I don't like what today's fighting games (for example) have become, with its dumbed down mechanics (giant reversal windows in Street Fighter 4, mashable inputs) and overly flashy anime sequences (see: BlazBlue) and graphics, but I've come to accept it, because that's how it is. They have to go more over the top, more higher budget, etc just to reach the same audience they could've reached 10 years ago.

Finally, and I promise I am wrapping up this lengthy post, is the mere simple fact that we should progressively suggest ideas and refinements (on the forums in particular) instead of the current regressive suggestions a majority of the posters make (myself included, I do like a little trolling here and there I will not lie...but I try to keep it in the "joke" threads :s)

What I mean by this is instead of just flat out saying "it sucks" (in gist) why not add a comment on a way to improve the suggestion? And before anyone says that its not their job to provide suggestions, it is your right as a decent human being to be civil and polite to your fellow race. Best put by all the mothers and fathers of the world, if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all.
A lot of people (myself included) have no qualms about saying "it sucks", but I go "here's why I think it sucks, and here's what you should do to fix it"; sometimes "fixing it" simply means undoing what they did (see: action queues). What happens AFTER I post is a bunch of (the same) people saying "you're wrong, lern2play, it's fine, you're just not adjusting, 'you DID answer the question 'yes' when you expected significant changes to Eorzea', etc" That's when I get annoyed, because here I am trying to state why I disagree with the issue, and you got the usual "army" saying basically what amounts to "YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG".

And with that I end this post, thank you for reading, I hope this relates to many people in this forum, as well as to the topic in hand. (although I might have gone off on a tangent...) I hope this post has enlightened some and given hope to others.
Nah, what you're saying is completely on topic to what we're talking about here. I do want to see this game succeed because I know underneath the hundreds of flaws it has, its the Square MMO that I want to play. XI drove me away - but I think XIV can do it, but it needs to be pushed in the right direction.