Expectations about development of the game

[Redname]

I make this thread cause a concern i usually see is how Square Enix hasnt creativity or has followed the same path with FFXIV for years. I would like to know the expectations of players or what they really want. I would like to understand so first I will give my opinion.

Im almost a new player since i still didnt clear Stormblood yet. Even though i consider the storyline interesting, i agree the mechanics are more or less the same. So i understand how people could be tired of playing it for years.

However. How could this be fixed? When you are playing monster hunter for example, you know you are going to hunt. The monster can be different with more fighting patterns but at the end all you have to do its slice or shoot until their body parts are broken or he is dead.
Another example. When you play dragon quest the pattern is also predictable. You enter a town, hear their problems, fight the boss, and go on until the last boss. After you finished the game there is nothing much for you to do unless you want to defeat the final boss again and see the credits.

Final fantasy is pretty much the same in my opinion. You can introduce new dungeons but it will always be the same with different patterns. I wouldnt say they didnt try new things. We have POTD, Eureka, Diadem, Gold saucer. Things different to the usual gameplay. Some failed and some became succesful but i think at least the developers tried.
Another thing they can do to avoid becoming repetitive is changing the jobs. And i think they already did, considering how different is a job at level 50 compared with the same job at level 70. It becomes more fun to play in my opinion.

So my only question is what people expect? We must remember no all changes are good. We just have to compare FFIX and X, X and XIII, or FFXV where many people say they look like Kpop idols and totally despise the game (its no so bad but i agree i dont like it as a final fantasy game)

[LeoLupinos]

FFXIV needs a revamp for the old content.
Old content is still relevant because of roullete, but does not represent todays quality.
Lack of synergy between contents.

I would like to receive more incentives to help new players.

FFXIV needs to fix the MSQ 1~50. These quests are over filled with sidequests. 288 quests of ARR MSQ is a barrier, killing new players that don't want to buy the skip potion. I shouldn't need to tell my friends that FFXIV will get better latter, the game must do it. ARR does not reflect actual content quality and I expect QoL changes.

[Soupa]

I honestly think the biggest things FFXIV needs is a more alive feeling open world and some changes to the role system. It should be 1 tank 1 healer 1 dps and 1 support. (NIN, BRD, DRK, RDM, and SCH should really be support classes.) I could also argue that ffxiv is already trying to be creative with things like Eureka and the upcoming Heaven on High but I do agree that there has been not a lot of variation in terms of mechanic patterns outside of savage.

My expectations is that they always do their best honestly and 4.3 is looking like it’ll start livening things up again.

[Dualgunner]

Didja mean DRG instead of DRK? XD

[Aylis]

I've honestly given up having any expectations at all, other then FFXIV is what FFXIV is. The sad truth is...they really can't do much in terms of adding new things to change up the pattern. Not without a major server overhaul major revamps to combat that go beyond from "how many mechanics can we throw at you at once" and major overhauls to the older content. At that point they might as well just make a entirely brand new game from scratch. Something they already practically did once to FFXIV to recover it from 1.0, something i doubt highly SE would do again to FFXIV. Especially now that it prints money.

I've accepted this a long time ago, my only expectation of FFXIV is something to do in off hours from my main game that does meet my expectations or something to do with friends from time to time that do enjoy FFXIV.

[Lynart]

I highly doubt they will do this but here would be my suggestions; and to add to credibility...I design develop systems for a living.

Upgrade the Engine
It is quite obvious that many of XIV's technical limitations are due to the game originally being developed for the PC and PS3. The lighting, shadows, and even character meshes, models, and normal mappings are all subpar compared to modern AAA games. Heck, this game looks worse than TERA and BnS and too close to FFXI.

We're in 2018. Look at Black Desert Online, Blade and Soul, and TERA. If we get into the single player realm, Monster Hunter World, Witcher 3, and many others are rivaling BDO. Graphics, physics, lighting, shadows, and all of this matters because video games have become more and more immersive. When someone goes from, say, Monster Hunter World to XIV, the very first thing they're gonna notice is "why is everything so flat and bland?"

Move to Real Time Combat
Tab targeting is antiquated. The reason tab targeting existed in the first place was due to technical limitations in the old days. WoW has slowly been moving away from tab targeting with many skills becoming free aiming. Tab targeting, believe it or not, needs to go similar to turn based combat which was also done due to technical limitations (and why everything now is real time). While I do not mind it tab targeting, many of my friends who have tried to get into XIV have described it as "too slow and boring."

Streamline the MSQ for ARR
As others have state, this takes too long to run through, and has way too much filler content. Revamp it. I tried to get my fiancee into XIV and she straight up told me it was too boring. We're now playing Elder Scrolls Online together instead.

NOTE
I mentioned BDO, BnS, and TERA a lot. The reason why I am not playing any of those games is because Square-Enix is a FAR MORE reputable company that have built a reputation from accepting their mistake (FFXIV 1.0), and literally pulling off a miracle with ARR. As a software developer and long time gamer, they've gained immense respect from me by doing this as I've been involved in projects that have sank due to disregarding customer feedback, and seen games do the same (Hellgate London anyone?) So please do not take the above as bashing...I'm simply stating obvious trends. And while I don't mind XIV's tab targeting....the fact that I can't get anyone to play with me is a pretty good indicator as to what's wrong.

[MageBlack]

I would like more lateral progression, not just ilev increases.

I'd like more interesting stat boosts on the gear like a robe that adds to the Ice damage for BLM, or decreases the cooldown for holmgang on WAR. also like set bonuses.

I'd like gear to last longer than a patch cycle

I'd like to bring in sub job system to make roles more interesting

I'd like Advanced jobs for all existing jobs that is more focused on a particular aspect of the job.

I'd like to see more, longer lasting, content. Eureka is the best example I can point to and even that needs a lot more added to it to get the content I'm hoping for.

Would love to see more high end endgame content.

I'd like the return of 1.23 combat in some ways.

Bring back the old Black Shroud as a procedurally generated epic dungeon. something bigger and non linear than the hallway dungeons we currently get.

I would like fights, dungeons, and content that matters. Right now everything is pretty much a throwaway, Dungeons, gear, raids, are all pointless once the next patch comes out. Only reason its still even used is because of the Roulette system but it doenst make that stuff any more engaging but a forced thing you do that you want done and over with ASAP.

[Lilseph]

Since I play this the beginning of time, I don't expect anything. But if I have an "I wish" change, I'd like a graphic revamp and have them move away from their 1.0 code that have them anchored.

[CainCrimson]

My main expectation is for them to continue supporting the game for at least another 10 years.

Adding cool features is always fun, but nothing stings quite like the heartbreak of your favorite MMO shutting down after years of daily fun.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

I highly doubt they will do this but here would be my suggestions; and to add to credibility...I design develop systems for a living.

Upgrade the Engine
It is quite obvious that many of XIV's technical limitations are due to the game originally being developed for the PC and PS3. The lighting, shadows, and even character meshes, models, and normal mappings are all subpar compared to modern AAA games. Heck, this game looks worse than TERA and BnS and too close to FFXI

We're in 2018. Look at Black Desert Online, Blade and Soul, and TERA. If we get into the single player realm, Monster Hunter World, Witcher 3, and many others are rivaling BDO. Graphics, physics, lighting, shadows, and all of this matters because video games have become more and more immersive. When someone goes from, say, Monster Hunter World to XIV, the very first thing they're gonna notice is "why is everything so flat and bland?"

I'd argue that single player focused games should be kept seperate from MMO's. As for TERA, I tried to play it again recently, and it looks AWFUL. It has bright colors at first, but once you get past that, the character models actually look terrible. Even the hair, which is not XIV's strong point, looks better than TERA's. BDO and B&S have been praised for their character creation... and not much else. XIV has very good lighting for what its worth, really the only things that could use an upgrade are character and equipment textures and mapping, but the rest looks good.

This game looks nothing like XI. That's laughable.

It also helps to change your graphics settings to output in RGB full instead of limited, as I recently did that and the washed out look vanished.

Move to Real Time Combat
Tab targeting is antiquated. The reason tab targeting existed in the first place was due to technical limitations in the old days. WoW has slowly been moving away from tab targeting with many skills becoming free aiming. Tab targeting, believe it or not, needs to go similar to turn based combat which was also done due to technical limitations (and why everything now is real time). While I do not mind it tab targeting, many of my friends who have tried to get into XIV have described it as "too slow and boring."

I don't really like "full action" as it got incredibly boring once the novelty wore off in both GW2 and TERA. I feel XIV actually controls better than both of those. I don't really like the way most MMO's have their controls set up compared to XIV, it seems a lot more fluid moving in this game compared to others, and I don't really have any complaints about the battle system other than the extreme reliance on DPS for mechanics. I feel your friends were expecting something different. Tab targeting isn't slow, they probably just didn't like the GCD at 2.5 seconds at early levels and blamed it on tab targeting. I find more people clamoring for turn based RPG's these days, and disliking the move to action oriented.

Streamline the MSQ for ARR
As others have state, this takes too long to run through, and has way too much filler content. Revamp it. I tried to get my fiancee into XIV and she straight up told me it was too boring. We're now playing Elder Scrolls Online together instead.

NOTE
I mentioned BDO, BnS, and TERA a lot. The reason why I am not playing any of those games is because Square-Enix is a FAR MORE reputable company that have built a reputation from accepting their mistake (FFXIV 1.0), and literally pulling off a miracle with ARR. As a software developer and long time gamer, they've gained immense respect from me by doing this as I've been involved in projects that have sank due to disregarding customer feedback, and seen games do the same (Hellgate London anyone?) So please do not take the above as bashing...I'm simply stating obvious trends. And while I don't mind XIV's tab targeting....the fact that I can't get anyone to play with me is a pretty good indicator as to what's wrong.

The main story isn't that bad honestly. It is a far cry from MMO's of old, where "catching up" was a multi-year process, where in XIV, it might take 2 months to finish both expansions and cap level. I've done a few characters to 3.0, and I'm in the process of doing another out of boredom, and haven't found the process to be that gruelling.