FFXIV shows what's wrong with MMOs (Not what you think)

[Lium]

Because of how well it tells a story. The MSQ is one long continuous chain from the moment you first login at level 1, all the way to max level. And it's brilliant. No other game in the West - that I know of - does that. In SWTOR, you have your class story which goes from 1-50, but that's it. After 50, it's the same story for everyone.

I find myself fully engrossed and engaged in this game. I think about it even when I'm not logged in playing it.

Then I come to these forums and see non-stop complaining about everything. And as someone coming from WoW and other Western MMOs, I truly wonder if you guys know how great you have it. Honestly.

MMOs in the West are having a tough time. Mostly because it's all about ilvls and/or PvP ratings. FFXIV is about the story. And that's rare these days.

Hope you guys recognize that in between your constant complaining.

[Ayer2015]

I mean, I wouldn't complain at this point if they just cut all the fat from the game and simply released monthly story update patches.

[Tridus]

The story is ultimately what holds my attention, too. It's the unique thing about the game. But it's not realistic to make continuously ongoing story, so we'll always have lulls. That's where the other stuff comes in.

And yeah, when you play all the time, you encounter stuff that's annoying or could be better done.

[tymora]

In my case its the multi-class/job system. It allows me to play everything from 1 character and I get a lot more attached to this character than other MMOs.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

I truly wonder if you guys know how great you have it.

You realize this stance is entirely subjective, yes? Plenty of people couldn't give a hoot about the story yet enjoy the gameplay aspects. I, personally, fall into both camps. That being said, story content will always be finite as you can only tell so much. A game must stand on its gameplay elements, thus you getting different perspectives on how things should be done.

[Aylis]

Different strokes for different folks..

The story and setting is the big thing FFXIV gets right, no matter if the player loves it or just doesn't care about it. Most of the games complaints don't pertain to the story at all (minus the cutting the bloat from it at times). The biggest complaints have to do with the inbetween times with the story, the games content itself. No matter the MMO all stories eventually end, even this one ends, and players are left waiting that period of time before the next story is released after the player gets caught up with it.

[Emstidor]

Yoshi P already addressed your point for us.

https://i.imgur.com/VtCUHXa.png

[Shurrikhan]

Yoshi P already addressed your point for us.

https://i.imgur.com/VtCUHXa.png

Complaints are worth twice as much as compliments...

...so be sure to ignore them at least twice as often?

I kid, but I'm just not certain what you intended this quote to apply to...
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@OP
XIV is not at all unique in having a running storyline from start to cap. Imo, there are a couple that also do that better, even, while many others are just as apt to continually increase story content even after the level cap.

And while I'm glad you're enjoying the story, I severely doubt that it's the dominant reason for play for the playerbase as a whole. My own anecdotal experience of some 200+ players I've really discussed this with over the years would put it closer to 15%, and surveys online likewise seem to place it as a significant but far from dominant reason.

In the end a person's main reason for playing will be their own, and as such I don't see how anyone could say that a game is "only about the story" any more than they could say "only about the character options". We can measure objectively what is most often discussed about the game, what goals or areas of interests are given, towards what development costs are spent, towards what ingame hours are spent by players, and what players think that reason is for themselves as individuals, but there is no sole reason around which an MMO will be built, if even any game. Heck, usually the more inseparable the components seem, the more favorably the game is received.

[AppleJinx]

??? It's not rare for mmorpgs to have a main storyline throughout the game and I am not sure if you can call the sb story great based on how generic and uninspired it's been so far compared to HW. Lastly just because one thing is better than another that doesn't make said thing "good:. It's like comparing wonder woman to batman v superman, is WW better than BvS? Yes. Then does that make WW a good movie? No.

[basketofseals]

??? It's not rare for mmorpgs to have a main storyline throughout the game and I am not sure if you can call the sb story great based on how generic and uninspired it's been so far compared to HW. Lastly just because one thing is better than another that doesn't make said thing "good:. It's like comparing wonder woman to batman v superman, is WW better than BvS? Yes. Then does that make WW a good movie? No.

I mean it's certainly better than WoW, who is its main competitor. That universe no longer runs on logic, and you can only "rule of cool" so many times before everything starts seeming normal.