System Transparency in FFXIV

[MoroMurasaki]

Very much agreed. ESO also gives you complete transparency with stat values and what they augment.

I think to an extent this is due to the idea that other MMOs have more diverse builds for their classes. In this game there is one optimal way to play BRD, in ESO there are several ways to play each class even at endgame that all aren't just viable but have complimentary strengths and weaknesses.

Basically we don't "need" that same transparency here. Not saying I don't want it or course, I very much agree with your post, but it isn't as technically detrimental for things like stat weights to be questionable when the only substantial differences in gameplay come from minor variations in gear sets.

[Vid]

I think to an extent this is due to the idea that other MMOs have more diverse builds for their classes. In this game there is one optimal way to play BRD, in ESO there are several ways to play each class even at endgame that all aren't just viable but have complimentary strengths and weaknesses.

This is rather huge. There are no typical "builds" in this game. For those of us who raid and like to optimize we pretty much figure out what stat(s) would benefit us most and optimize our gear around that. But your rotation for dps, or general gameplay with that class won't change based off of your stats.

I'm not sure how WoW is now, but back in the day there was originally 3 talent tree's you could play as per class, and each one was very specific to what it would/could do. FFXIV has nothing like that, you can't suddenly change your Bard to start using a crossbow that fires slowly but deals more damage per hit and has completely different skills, or a Red Mage who focuses more on melee combo's rather then casting spells, or a Paladin who can suddenly be a main healer with the spells to match.

I personally wouldn't mind seeing %'s based off my secondary stats (or for that matter my main stats when upgrading to a new weapon for example), but overall it's not going to change how I play my class in any way other then deciding what gear to pick for optimization. The majority of the playerbase do not raid savage/extreme content, and I dare say they probably aren't nearly as concerned with 2ndary stats other then maybe to ask someone "Hey what's a good 2ndary stat to invest in for SMN?" Now a little more information might influence their gear choices just a smidge, but it's not going to change how they play their class at all.