The general player base needs to improve

[Lord_Zlatan]

Gunna add my .02, and some recent examples as well.

First and foremost, I strongly feel that preparation for higher end content is an absolute must. Being generous, lets qualify high end content as Susano, Lakshmi, Shinryu, Byakko, Deltascape Savage, Sigmascape Savage, and Ultimate Coil.

I cannot tell you how many farm parties I have joined in the last 2 weeks alone (for everything above except Sigma/O4s/Ultimate) where the Party Finder is called a farm party, and we struggle to get one clear. Yes, even on Lakshmi. Yes, even on Byakko. I find that sometimes, the excuses people come up with are ridiculous. Ninja died repeatedly on one Byakko run last night "because he was tired"... why not just go to bed then? If you are going to play so horribly in your present state... dont hold the rest of us back. Before you queue up for/join a party for certain content, evaluate your present mental and physical state. Are you focused? Are you watching netflix because you were just crafting? Have you been in PotD for the last 9 hrs? Overall, I find that a lot of the playerbase "think" that they can get something done but arent being honest with themselves over their mental preparedness at a given moment to actually participate in a meaningful way.

2nd, and arguably most importantly, you have to be honest with people about your experience level with a given encounter. My static (recently formed, and still on O5s) was supposed to raid last night but we had multiple people unable to join. So the remainder of us decided to do Byakko farming. 3 of us (static members) have cleared the fight together about 40 times and probably even more without each other. The other members of the team stated they had cleared it. Then, the PF fills. We go in, and its a complete shit show. Come to find out one of my static members "got carried" through it, and didnt want to not be able to join us. No one was mad, and no one harassed this player, but I think it is only fair that you are completely 100% up front about your experience in an encounter before you waste other peoples time. I think the reason people dont do that is because they are afraid they wont be able to be in a party. I have news for you... I would much rather have you say "ive cleared it twice, but Im still confused about X mechanic" so I can give you my discord info and call out mechaincs/tell you about them. I think most rational people will be willing to help, if it means a smoother overall experience.

As to what can be done about it, sadly... I feel it is completely on the individual to acknowledge their shortcomings but it is also on other members to NOT BE COMPLETE CLOWNS and actually help people out.

[ThirdChild_ZKI]

In the name of "simplifying" and making things "more accessible", we've seen the bar get repeatedly lowered while the rewards don't lower proportionally. A week's worth of sub-Savage level efforts can still put you roughly on par with a Savage raider, and while I understand the necessity for daily grinds, the challenges within said grinds are low impact (for convenience) yet the fastest road to the top, just below Savage level content.

This isn't really a criticism of the formula set up by SE, but so long as players aren't pushed to get better, they just won't. Some will have that fire in them to do it anyways, and I love them for it, but using my old mountain metaphor again: If climbing the mountain or walking the trail will grant you the same reward, you're not likely to find many climbers.

I will say however I'd like to see Alliance Raids provide a legit challenge as Weeping City and Rabanastre seem to be doing (and even then from my perspective they're less a challenge, but more that they have penalties if mechanics are failed). Dungeons as well. I haven't enjoyed dungeons anymore ever since it all started to feel like the samey "pull it all and aoe for the next minute, maybe move out of the way of that thing that won't kill or even hurt you much" routine.

[Tridus]

On the flipside, Kugane Castle is among the worst dungeons ever designed. Why? Players aren't punished in the slightest for blatantly ignoring mechanics. Yojimbo coin phase does a maximum of 15k—not even 50% of people's HP in i290 gear.

Definitely a factor. Was doing Fractal Hard last night with some friends and it dawned on me that you can just stand around eating a lot of what he throws and the only thing impacted is healer DPS when they have to stop to toss a heal. I was tanking it, and while I did run out of the spin attack he does, I had no real reason to. My back was to the wall, I could have just ate it (maybe with a Sheltron) and done more DPS.

If the mechanics don't threaten you in some way, failure isn't a risk. And if failure isn't a risk, there's no necessity to improve. Thus, people who are driven to improve already will do so, but those who aren't will not.

[HoodRat]

So im just curious about this comment.Because how Byako works is he grabs whoever has main agro.So how if the Samurai was doing less dps than both tanks did he have priority agro?The story doesnt make any sense.

Pld provoked late, so after my enmity was reset, and the sam was the only dps in the party not using enmity reduction cds.

[Lord_Zlatan]

This isn't really a criticism of the formula set up by SE, but so long as players aren't pushed to get better, they just won't. Some will have that fire in them to do it anyways, and I love them for it, but using my old mountain metaphor again: If climbing the mountain or walking the trail will grant you the same reward, you're not likely to find many climbers.

I agree with you mostly, except that once you do get to the top of the mountain (and actually try to do savage) you will be completely exposed. So yes, the reward is somewhat there, but in reality its only half of it. Its like you climbed or walked the trail, but when you get to the top, its a cloudy/gray/rainy day... you dont get the reward of that beautiful sunrise/sunset

[Lord_Zlatan]

eh yoshi p already said it's ok to be bad and for players to not get upset at others for not being as good and see things as a team effort and try to make up for the loss.

What people think this means is that you should be able to cheese your way through everything, even if people in your group are terrible.

What it is actually saying is: If you are bad, be a team player and ask for help. If you are not bad, be a team player and dont troll/kick people. help them instead.

[fumofu]

I think we need more easier content. It's not fun wiping at ex primals and 24 raids. And wipes happens, because it's too hard.

[KaivaC]

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I'm curious...have you done endgame yourself? I dunno about how it was in the 1.0-1.23b series, I'm most familiar with current endgame in 4.x. Just wondering because of your comment about WoW and raiding, and your character level as it is currently. Unless this is an alt of yours.

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Yeah, I learned this the last time I was there as well. I tunnel visioned when I was a PLD on the final boss and got hit by one of his attacks...was barely noticable when I had a healer topping me off every time I took damage. Sometimes, I kinda wish for mobs to inflict something like healing down penalties or infirmary.

[Lilseph]

I think we need more easier content. It's not fun wiping at ex primals and 24 raids. And wipes happens, because it's too hard.

We have easier content: Dungeons and NM primals, FATEs, overworld hunts and monsters. However, wipes happen because people don't pay attention or don't know how the mechanics work. Not because it's "too hard". Either people don't bother to teach them, they don't bother to learn, they pull the "I learn by doing" card. The game does a poor job when it comes to teach the basics and, at this point, the Hall of the Novice isn't enough.

With the introduction of the jumping potions, players should have the option to get in a training ground to get a grasp of the basic mechanics that this game can offer, along with their rotation and whatnot. Moving backwards, introducing easier content instead of gradually increasing it, will make the situation worse, imo.

[KaivaC]

I think we need more easier content. It's not fun wiping at ex primals and 24 raids. And wipes happens, because it's too hard.

What's too hard? Define what you mean by this. I dunno why we need easier content, a vast portion of the dungeons are easy enough that you can pretty much netflix through them and the overworld maps are not threatening (save for S/A rank hunts).