Should FF14 take a new route? Discussion

[MagiusNecros]

I don't think Eorzea can be saved. It's gonna die a slow painful death of the same shit it's been like since 2.0.

I'd rather play ESO instead. Checking out SW: TOR and Neverwinter and it's taking up my time now.

Combat in XIV is just too slow for my tastes.

[Kohdo]

I don't think Eorzea can be saved. It's gonna die a slow painful death of the same shit it's been like since 2.0.

I'd rather play ESO instead. Checking out SW: TOR and Neverwinter and it's taking up my time now.

Combat in XIV is just too slow for my tastes.

ESO? Lol, you're leaving FFXIV for FFXIV's retarded, greedy cousin.

[KaivaC]

Admittedly, I only joined at the very tail end of HW, but from what I've heard, literally nothing as far as gameplay and content has changed at all. Everything still seems to revolve around FATEs, the same pattern of raids, and repeat. I will admit, though, if not for the story, I'm not sure I would've stayed myself. Though raiding is my primary motivation at this point in time, I'm still engaged in the story - so there's that.

[MistakeNot]

Admittedly, I only joined at the very tail end of HW, but from what I've heard, literally nothing as far as gameplay and content has changed at all. Everything still seems to revolve around FATEs, the same pattern of raids, and repeat. I will admit, though, if not for the story, I'm not sure I would've stayed myself. Though raiding is my primary motivation at this point in time, I'm still engaged in the story - so there's that.

Why would the basic stuff need to change? Many people apparently enjoy the current game. Changing things around have a greater chance of driving people away than to attract new players.

That being said, they do add new types of content every now and then - with mixed reception. Examples include: Diadem, Palace of the Dead, Treasure hunts, Eureka.

[Enkidoh]

Okay please, enough with the doomsaying, I've been hearing that "the game is dying" since ARR launched, every single time some new content is added that a section of the community did not like spawns countless claims of "the game can't endure like this!" and "I'm leaving forever!" Really if the doomsayers was to be believed the game should have 'died' ten to twenty times by now. Yet it's still here and still going strong.

Is FFXIV perfect? Of course not. Can it be improved? Of course it can. But to claim that Yoshi isn't listening to player feedback simply because Eureka turned out different to what players had been expecting is simply wrong. It's simply not possible for SE to implement every single 'idea', gameplay concept or change that players ask or request. That is simply being realistic. They have to draw a line somewhere in order to keep the game consistent and balanced.

Even if it means having to say no to player requests. It does not mean SE and Yoshi "does not listen." He does listen, far more than probably any other game developer. And it is clear he takes such negativity very very seriously, that is burdens him greatly when he has to say "no" to players' requests because they are either unworkable or cannot be accommodated in the game's design.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Okay please, enough with the doomsaying, I've been hearing that "the game is dying" since ARR launched, every single time some new content is added that a section of the community did not like spawns countless claims of "the game can't endure like this!" and "I'm leaving forever!" Really if the doomsayers was to be believed the game should have 'died' ten to twenty times by now. Yet it's still here and still going strong.

Is FFXIV perfect? Of course not. Can it be improved? Of course it can. But to claim that Yoshi isn't listening to player feedback simply because Eureka turned out different to what players had been expecting is simply wrong. It's simply not possible for SE to implement every single 'idea', gameplay concept or change that players ask or request. That is simply being realistic. They have to draw a line somewhere in order to keep the game consistent and balanced.

Even if it means having to say no to player requests. It does not mean SE and Yoshi "does not listen." He does listen, far more than probably any other game developer. And it is clear he takes such negativity very very seriously, that is burdens him greatly when he has to say "no" to players' requests because they are either unworkable or cannot be accommodated in the game's design.

Perhaps you ought to read the initial post before leaping to SE's defense. Nowhere did Kaiva claim FFXIV was doomed to failure nor did she even directly reference Eureka. She simply posited whether FFXIV can innovate beyond its stale state, or are people content with the game as it remains.

As for your post itself. You are, again, being willfully disingenuous. No one asked Yoshida to implement every change recommended. What has been requested in some change. In fact, tell me what has changed from Heavensward? Even the JP playerbase has repeatedly brought up the stale progression system, specifically tomestones. Yet we are quickly approaching year five without a single deviation. Is it so much to ask they do something different within a five year period? Part of Eureka's problem is the reward structure—which suffers primarily due to them having no alternative lest they invalid another piece of content. A lot more people would feel justified in grinding out Eureka had the ilvl been i360 and i355, respectively; if not higher. Alas, that renders most of the drops from Rabanastre v2 DoA.

I have no doubt he listens. That does not absolve him from criticism. Who asked them to focus a considerable amount of resources on Perform or Replay—features with either little lasting value or have been heavily restricted? Who asked for job gauges that serve little purpose on the majority of jobs? FFXIV absolutely has its charm, and I stress it's far from a doom and gloom situation. That being said, it lacks innovation. And it has for a long time now.

[NovaLevossida]

Who asked them to focus a considerable amount of resources on Perform or Replay—features with either little lasting value or have been heavily restricted?

I think that stuff is important. The value in that stretches all the way back to 2001: short essay link

But that stuff is only good to develop if the rest of the game is in a good position. You can't have XIV in its current state, repackage Diadem another time, and then develop things like that. You need to get the core of the game in proper order, and then you can focus on "extra" stuff that attracts or serves an audience outside of that.

I think the problem is that they are using this game to beta test systems for the future.

I do not think this is the case. Each time they've tried new content and failed (Diadem mainly), they've been excused by a large portion of the playerbase as laying the foundation for something better later on. When you get Diadem 3.0 (Eureka) with player / mob display problems and too many DoTs on the mob coupled with Diadem 1.0 style mob grinding that leads to FATEs, you can't call that beta testing if they should know better.

[RiyahArp]

I do not think this is the case.

I'm talking more at a systems level rather than a content one. Like their problem is they are very good at the mechanical aspect of gameplay. like AI and stuff, but they really flounder with using that consistently and in gameplay. I'm willing to bet Eureka took so much development time because they were focusing more on creating an instance that acts like a zone over what to do in that zone. They are ace at technical problems, but that seems to take all the energy. My point is it would be ok if they realized this down the road into gameplay, but they tend to not do that.

[Dalmacus]

Is FFXIV perfect? Of course not. Can it be improved? Of course it can. But to claim that Yoshi isn't listening to player feedback simply because Eureka turned out different to what players had been expecting is simply wrong. It's simply not possible for SE to implement every single 'idea', gameplay concept or change that players ask or request.

Except that it turned out to be what every players who did not want it to be. DIADEM. All they did is add LEVELS to it and that dumb gimmick of the element magia board. If you remove the LEVEL gameplay from EUREKA it's no different from Diadem at all.

[BillyKaplan]

Eureka turned out different to what players had been expecting

Eureka turned out different to what the devs themselves have promised, is the reason for a lot of backlash about it. Those player expectations didn't come from nowhere. Biggest example is that they promised it'd be solo-friendly. It's not.
Now, take something that 1. has been hyped to high heavens and back for months if not years at this point, 2. came at the expense of other content, 3. goes against a lot of things that were promised about it and it's easy to see why people are upset. This doesn't even have as much to do with Eureka itself but how SE handles itself and its decision making. Saying Eureka is soloable and then giving us what they did is the company outright lying to us. I'm not saying I'm going to unsub though at this point it's hard for me to deny it's because of inertia. I have quite a few alts, most of them active in varying levels, I'm at 600 S ranks, halfway to the mentor mount, and yeah these are all in-game goals but dammit I want to get there. That also means that I have things to do in the game outside of Eureka. Given that I was hoping for new content however and have to lose it for the likes of Eureka... that bites.

That said, it is a nasty strike on SE's record and will be taken into consideration next time I want to buy any of their products and yes, if my sub'll be in danger of running out. Some people act like every single incident exists in a vacuum, but it doesn't. These bad decisions pile up at some point.