Why I'm mad at Final Fantasy 14 (rant)

[JackHatchet]

This is a rant post just to clear some air and vent some frustration without it becoming something toxic, so please bear with me!

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I remember getting serious into this game mid-Heavensward. I had made level 60 just around the time Weeping City was released. Everything was new and exciting, and I had a lot to look forward to. I was building up my crafting jobs. I was eager to learn more about raiding. The 24 mans, and the 8 mans. Everything was a mystery. I was making new friends and experiencing new content together. It was a lot of fun! I won't deny that.

There were times where I would be utterly annoyed by some game design/philosophy behind FFXIV. I didn't understand why I couldn't private message while in a duty. I didn't know why I couldn't have more than 8 private chat channels (linkshells), nor why I couldn't reorganize them at will? These features has been in Warcraft since 2004! And they've been industry standard in MMOs for a long time. So why was FFXIV so backwater? Eh, it's just chatting features, right? Whatever. There's dragons to slay in Heavensward!

I finished up Heavensward without ever raiding savage. Savage to me was a mystery. All of raiding was beyond what I could queue up for in the duty finder. And by the time I started running normal raids. The current ones were Alex 8-12. And then the previous 7. Since I was still new. I didn't understand at the time that the older raid content was utterly pointless. Because it was new and exciting, and I had came late to the game.

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So when Stormblood was announced, I figured I'd put on my big-boy pants and get serious about it! I got my crafting jobs in-line and fattened up on gil. I started following several FFXIV Youtubers. I wanted to be ahead of the curve this time. New expansion--let's do this!

Stormblood came out. I capped my main job. I then focused on crafting. Maxed those out. I got to experience my first raid-patch. And was utterly disappointed. I came from Warcraft, so to get what, 4 bosses? Really? And on top of that, my FC couldn't even kill half of them? What the heck is this? Raiding in FFXIV is just farming 1-2 bosses per week depending on the quality of your FC? I'm used to Warcraft giving me 10 bosses a patch cycle! So the heck am I suppose to do with 4?

Whatever, primals are unique to FFXIV? Those are like bonus extra bosses. Except they give crap gear and people run them into the ground for mounts. I don't farm mounts. I have my nimbus cloud and I'm set for life! I'm not a "grind for the sake of grinding" type person, which a few folks will realize becomes an occurring problem with Stormblood. I did enjoy primals. I enjoyed Susano a lot. I've probably cleared him like 200 times. Just because I enjoy the fight. The other primals--less so. (I'm just a sucker for jump-rope mechanic).

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So I found myself in a friends and family FC that can't clear beyond the first two raid bosses, and a realization that FFXIV doesn't introduce raid content frequently. It's like 4 bosses every 6 months? Ridiculous, but I didn't know at the time. You don't notice those things when you're new!

So I started paying attention a lot more to patch notes. Live Letters and such. I'm stupidly bored being max level and cleared all the raid content we can, so I'm eagerly trying to latch on any good news. I like this game. Feed me! News hearkens back to those comments about how Stormblood had 3X the development money than HW. Yoshi P says something about "something new, and exciting, and innovating" coming out in Stormblood. Oh my god what is it? What's this new thing? I still don't know what this thing is. Was it just misguided hype?

Anyways, so I'm starving for content the way it is. Then they introduce Eureka, which is just a sh-- show to begin with. I complain about it all the time. And people tell me "Yo Naus, shut up. It's like FF11. People LOVE ff11 and grinding. This content just isn't for you."

Oh, it's not for me? Ok. Ok. Fool me once--shame on you. Fool me twice--shame on me! So I promised myself I wouldn't step foot in the new Eureka. Pagos it's called? I don't know. New Eureka--promised not to run it. That way I wouldn't resent it, or hate anyone who does run it. Just too much negative toxicity. Not worth it. Won't force myself to run it.

So I'm sitting here, just waiting for Square Enix to release content I'll enjoy, and Warcraft is prepping this big expansion. Lots of hype. Lots of good news. I'm just like screw it. I guess I'll play Warcraft until FFXIV figures out what it wants to do. I'm excited for the next raid cycle. But still, 4 bosses? I guess that'll be fun for 2-3 months--then what? Un-sub again?

I think I'm just mad because FFXIV is a game that glides on 'promised potential,' but if you actually try to fly (as opposed to gliding) you realize that the game's not equipped for anything more than the basics. Additionally. Square-Enix's complete dismissal of player-feedback is a big slap in the face. Also, their customer service is by far the worst I've ever encountered.

[JackHatchet]

I hate that I can't whisper in a duty.
I hate that I can't have more than 8 chat channels.
I hate that I can't have a non-combat pet out in a duty.
I hate that I can't show my FC tag in a duty.
I hate that I can't see when someone logs in while in a duty.
I hate that I can't look directly up.
I hate that my mailbox can only hold 20 items.
I hate FFXIV's housing system.
I hate that I can only auction 40 items at a time.
I ABSOLUTELY HATE the combat tic.
I hate that Fates are a good idea, but poorly implemented.
I hate how dumb squad NPCs are.
I hate how all Squad duty bosses spam nuke you. (have fun getting a LB off).
I hate that I can't trade between retainers.
I hate that I can't see all of my items in one bag (like before).
I hate that extra retainers cost money.
I hate that Square-Enix lied to us saying they'll give us as much space as they can afford (And then claim they can provide extra with the paid app).
I hate that the app is paid, and then charges additional fees. (It should either be sub based or micro-transactions--not both).
I hate that the app doesn't let me talk in FC chat.
I hate how broken the PvP system is.
I hate that there's no Plate DPS classes.
I hate how there's no two-handed sword DPS classes.
I hate how there's no dual-wielded sword/axe DPS classes.
I hate how all races are basically human+ears/tail.
I hate that I can't change my eye color in-game.
I hate that the glamour chest can only hold 200 items.
I hate that the glamour chest is only available in an inn-room or squad house.
I hate that I can't use teleport while in an inn room. (I have to zone out just to teleport to my house).
I hate that there's only 10 glamour plates.
I hate that I can't put my wedding ring on glamour plates. (seriously, what the heck? I'm fine losing the teleport. Let me show the sucker off).
I hate Eureka.
I hate that players can teleport-block you with a trade. Why is that a feature?
I hate that you can't zone out of a duty to repair. (Warcraft does this).
I hate that they don't put a repair NPC in the beginning of a duty. (Swtor does this).
I hate 15 button+ convoluted rotations.
I hate protect. Bake it into the encounters rather than wasting a slot.
I hate the meta stigma FFXIV has.
I hate that healers are expected to DPS in FFXIV, when literally no other MMO does this. It's ok for healers to dps--just why the toxicity?
I hate that 4 year old content is still considered spoilers (even if it's in the HW OPENING cut-scene).
I hate Square-Enix's customer service.
I hate that making international calls can cost you lots of money.
I hate that the in-game GMs are almost useless when it comes to bugged content.
I hate that the forums are really bad at customer service. (A GM recommended I ask for technical advice in the general forums).
I hate the mentor system.
I hate that mentors can kick other players for silly reasons.
I hate that you can't tag-share mobs.
I hate that you can't enter a solo-instance while in a party.
I hate that can't have your chocobo out while in a housing district.
I hate that very few bosses have voiced audio cues. (Who wants to read tiny text to notice a mechanic)?
I hate that DPS jobs have very little defensive and self-healing utility.
I hate that if you D/C while crafting--you lose all of your materials.
I hate how the percentages of synthesis seems inaccurate. 80% chance to succeed? Let's fail 47 out of 50 attempts. Yes possible, but plausible?
I hate how there's not many gil sinks.
I hate how cross-breeding gardening is tied to owning a house.
I hate how limited houses are.
I hate how large houses get more garden plots than small and medium houses.
I hate how a FC can't access submarines and airships without owning a house.
I hate how FC chest tabs are ALL or NOTHING access. Why not limit it 1-5 items per day or something like Warcraft has?
I hate how low level characters can't access the Shirogane housing ward (to visit community events hosted in FC houses).
I hate how the housing district teleports aren't accessible at level 1 from the city.
I hate how non-combat pets are not account wide.
I hate how mounts are not account wide.
I hate how mog-station items are not account wide.
I hate that Square-Enix comes off as extremely greedy. Fancy outfits like Minfilla's used to be 15 dollars. Cid's, Y'shotla, Lightning. Then randomly it ramped up to 18 dollars. Why?
I hate the companion app.
I hate how I can't talk to my FC with the companion app.
I hate how many areas of the word are boxed off. Where are the horses in Doma. Where are the Badgers in Gridania?
I hate how most things have incredibly complex or challenging to remember/spell names. Harshfront? What?
I hate how raptors look like toy dinosaurs made by Tyco and colored by crayola. Do they have wings?
I hate how Omega bosses have no story. Why should I care about their Joker rip-off? Oh he's not Joker. Why do you expect me to know other FF games? Explain it more for the community.

I hate that I can't un-sub and keep my Mist Mansion. Why can't they just charge me like 5mil~ a month in an estate tax? Gil-sink and let me take off.

[SenorPatty]

So....what do you want?

[OurMom]

Dear Diary.. Jk

Sadly most of the stuff you hate they aren't going to budge on, some games aren't for everyone and that's ok. XIV is a game I come back to when I'm frustrated with Archeage or BDO so maybe just take a break? This game is definitely better if played in short bursts or just like a few months a year. I believe even Yoshi himself said to unsub and play something else.

[Zephera]

Feel free to unsub and resub whenever you want to if the content drought gets to you, it's something all MMOs have, no shame in getting bored and doing something different till you feel like coming back.

EDIT: Alright, seeing all that extra stuff you edited onto that list, there's a lot of irrelevant stuff that brings down any other valid points you may have had. Take a moment to calm down.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

It seems like a lot fo your complaints are just nitpicks, and not actual like, QoL or actual issues.

Like, why do you hate raptors, or that they make references to other FF games. Thats a you issue, not a game issue.

[JackHatchet]

I'm sure 75%+ of those 'hates' are QoL issues, but it's just a rant. I'm not looking to argue with you about them. I'm sure the Mateus Novice Network hears about it enough.

[SendohJin]

I hate that I can't un-sub and keep my Mist Mansion. Why can't they just charge me like 5mil~ a month in an estate tax? Gil-sink and let me take off.

you really expect them to want your gil more than they want your sub money?

and you really should try to find another Savage group.

[Lauront]

I agree with some of your points, including those about the meta. I would say they're still adding more jobs, so the lack of certain types of job at present doesn't mean they won't eventually be added.

I ABSOLUTELY HATE the combat tic.

If you mean the GCD, I agree, it's mind-numbingly bad at low levels and still irritating at max level, even as a caster. OGCDs and weaving in instants is meant to resolve it a bit but I would rather just see it lowered to 2 seconds. It's one of those things I hate and it detracts from my experience.

I hate how broken the PvP system is.

Agreed, and I hate the queues, too. My main job used to be BLM but I just find they have no real idea how to implement it in PVP, so I just play SAM. Feast queues are also ridiculous, and BLM is even less well balanced there. Like, why can a SAM flash forward every few seconds at what is really minimal resource cost, with the ability to unleash their most potent moves in 3 button presses, again at minimal cost, but BLM has to rely on some idiotic targeted tether? Or the lack of Transpose on big battlefields? Then there's BRDs and MCHs getting an extra 500 HP... for WHAT? They just spam instants at max range for the most part and everyone and their dog plays them in frontlines for obvious reasons. Overall, I wish they'd put together a coherent plan for BLM, because the quests these two expansions were awful, and the abilities just about acceptable, with Foul being a recoloured Flare.

Agree on all your points about bags and glamours. The system is truly awful. They should be using an imaging service like WoW introduced.

I hate that DPS jobs have very little defensive and self-healing utility.

It's not universally true, but I think if you look at BLM or SAM, while they do high damage, they bring nothing else to the table. SAM has an ok self-heal, but most jobs lack this.

To add to your list, I would put the following down:

-inability to queue whilst already in an instance; surely they must be able to devise away to allow for this?
-lots of irritating "quirks", like being unable to change your set if glamour plates are open.
-very limited distinction between the races. I'm not referring to the fact that they all look human-ish but the lack of racials, and the lack of distinct cultural design in most cases (like, why did they place roegadyn in the Far East and mostly neglect the Raen?) There's some exceptions to the rule, but by and large I would've liked much greater racial differentiation, along the lines of WoW or other MMOs.
-story-wise, I really hate the WoL trope. I also loathe the Minstrel's Ballad. I wish they would just make the hardest modes the "canon" ones, since they do a better job of showcasing your foes' power.
-still no SMN egi glamours. Fine, they added the Carbuncle ones, but I never wanted those and I'd prefer each type of egi had unique associated glamours (e.g. Ramuh should be a caster.)

I mean it's not enough to keep me from playing but certainly enough for me to remain 'casual' about it.

If I see that they turn the Garlean Empire into generic villain fodder, or they don't flesh out Elidibus and the Ascians better, I'm probably going to just lose interest. Omega, whilst having some of the most interesting bosses, has been rather wanting in terms of its story.

[Rufalus]

I think all games have a problem of there not being new content as fast as you can complete content. Even Blizzard, if you took a break from WoW to come here. Technically we have more than 4 bosses per 6 month cycle if you're counting all difficulties. Ultimate is 1 boss that's even harder than the 4 savage bosses, then on the easier side there's the trial boss and the alliance raid with 4 more bosses. If you do everything in this game (pvp, fishing, eureka, etc) then it has easily enough content to last between patches. If you don't, then yeah just take a break because they can't realistically produce content fast enough to satisfy a person who has one specific focus.