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!

---

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.

---

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).

---

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.

[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.

[Sigma-Astra]

I hate that making international calls can cost you lots of money..

I'm not sure how this is XIV related at all....a lot of these all sound like personal pet peeve and you problems basically, at least to me. Some of these can be related towards QoL issues, but they've been rehashed time and again by others a lot as well. You're apparently playing a game that you're not satisfied with, but instead of dropping said game, you're here on the forums for some reason and still paying the sub fee to play said game. I mean, if you're truly, truly unhappy....you'd be making more of a statement by dropping your subscription...or at least saving yourself the heartache of spending your hard-earned money on something you're not being satisfied with. >_>; I mean, maybe that's what you should do?

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'm not perfectly savvy on FF6, but even I have some basic knowledge about Kefka and yes, he was inspired by the Joker. But, technically, he wasn't even suppose to look like that at first. Kefka was suppose to just be some crazy dude from an imperial court, and apparently SE wanted to go with the silly court jester motif that has existed since medieval times.

[Eloah]

Because I was bored, and didn't feel like adulting.

snip

I hate that I can't whisper in a duty.

Why would you need to do this? You can use regular chats still, and plus shouldn't you focus on the duty?

I hate that I can't have more than 8 chat channels.

Agreed

I hate that I can't have a non-combat pet out in a duty.

What purpose would this serve? Would you bring your pet parakeet to the war front?

I hate that I can't show my FC tag in a duty.

This is sorta moot cause it's not like you can't find out what FC someone belongs to.

I hate that I can't see when someone logs in while in a duty.

Agreed

I hate that I can't look directly up.

Not exactly sure I get this one

I hate that my mailbox can only hold 20 items.

Agreed

I hate FFXIV's housing system.

From what I hear, others have been worse

I hate that I can only auction 40 items at a time.

You can only auction 40 varieties, you can offer up more than 40 items, XD, literal word play humor

I ABSOLUTELY HATE the combat tic.

Personal preference I guess

I hate that Fates are a good idea, but poorly implemented.

Agreed

I hate how dumb squad NPCs are.

Not much interaction with them sadly

I hate how all Squad duty bosses spam nuke you. (have fun getting a LB off).

See previous assessment

I hate that I can't trade between retainers.

Agreed, but not so important

I hate that I can't see all of my items in one bag (like before).

They explained this, and although it seems "odd", I don't mind it if I get a larger inventory

I hate that extra retainers cost money.

Agreed, at least real money, gil would be nice

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 think this is more of a server side vs client side issue, but I agree

I hate that the app is paid, and then charges additional fees. (It should either be sub based or micro-transactions--not both).

The app is free, but all of the "best features" are locked behind paying, grrr...

I hate that the app doesn't let me talk in FC chat.

Biggest drawback in my opinion

I hate how broken the PvP system is.

Personal preference I feel

I hate that there's no Plate DPS classes.

What the hell is a Plate DPS class?

I hate how there's no two-handed sword DPS classes.

Last I checked we have Samurai. And please none of the whole, "they wield a Katana nonsense" Katana literally means sword, so yeah you and a bunch of other people got your Sword DPS.

I hate how there's no dual-wielded sword/axe DPS classes.

Similar to the above. Once you unlock Ninja, a good portion of their weapons are Ninja Swords; so they are dual-wielding swords. As for Axes, certain monk weapons act as this, but that might fall under a different heading depending on who you ask.

I hate how all races are basically human+ears/tail.

All playable characters in these kinds of games are humanoid, what you want is for them to look less human and more beastly.

I hate that I can't change my eye color in-game.

It would be nice yes, but you can't do that IRL either. Please don't bring up contacts, that's not changing them, its only masking the color

I hate that the glamour chest can only hold 200 items.

Agreed, but they said it might expand

I hate that the glamour chest is only available in an inn-room or squad house.

They mentioned a furnishing down the line, and it's not all bad

I hate that I can't use teleport while in an inn room. (I have to zone out just to teleport to my house).

Why were you in the Inn room then? You said it yourself, the Squad room has it and you can port from there, lol

I hate that there's only 10 glamour plates.

Agreed, more might come though

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).

What is stopping you from manually glamouring it?

I hate Eureka.

Agreed

I hate that players can teleport-block you with a trade. Why is that a feature?

Not sure, try being in busy status then

I hate that you can't zone out of a duty to repair. (Warcraft does this).

Why were you ill prepared? But also you leveled crafters, right? You can repair in the duty then.

I hate that they don't put a repair NPC in the beginning of a duty. (Swtor does this).

That is not this game though

I hate 15 button+ convoluted rotations.

And 1-2-3 ones are better?

I hate protect. Bake it into the encounters rather than wasting a slot.

Protect is odd, and needs a rework

I hate the meta stigma FFXIV has.

Be more specific

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?

That's a player issue not an issue in the game itself

I hate that 4 year old content is still considered spoilers (even if it's in the HW OPENING cut-scene).

Who said this?Everything in SB could be a spoiler since we are in that expansion, anything from HW and prior is fair game. News flash, Garland was behind it all, Leon was the Dark Knight, Xande was only scared, Golbez is Cecil's brother, Faris is a Girl and Lenna's sister, Shadow is Relm's father, Aerith dies, Laguna is Squall's father, Dagger's real name is Sarah, Tidus is a dream, Balthier is Cid's son, Lightning's real name is Claire...

I hate Square-Enix's customer service.

Never had to deal with them

I hate that making international calls can cost you lots of money.

This relates to FFXIV how?

I hate that the in-game GMs are almost useless when it comes to bugged content.

Umm.. you know what their job is right?

I hate that the forums are really bad at customer service. (A GM recommended I ask for technical advice in the general forums).

See previous statement

I hate the mentor system.

Depends on the community more than anything

I hate that mentors can kick other players for silly reasons.

Power corrupts, just be glad its not politics

I hate that you can't tag-share mobs.

Not sure what that is

I hate that you can't enter a solo-instance while in a party.

Wanna go into the single stall of a restroom together? Didn't think so

I hate that can't have your chocobo out while in a housing district.

Why would they need to be out?

I hate that very few bosses have voiced audio cues. (Who wants to read tiny text to notice a mechanic)?

No major encounters as of yet, but agreed, I guess

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

Not sure how to answer this one. You're not wrong, but you're not right either

I hate that if you D/C while crafting--you lose all of your materials.

Agreed

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?

RNGesus hates us

I hate how there's not many gil sinks.

You want something like that, O.o

I hate how cross-breeding gardening is tied to owning a house.

How would a communal garden work in this game? Not a jest either, it's an interesting idea.

I hate how limited houses are.

I'd rather have a house IRL, but there aren't enough, T.T

I hate how large houses get more garden plots than small and medium houses.

Never noticed this so can comment

I hate how a FC can't access submarines and airships without owning a house.

This goes in line with communal gardens, a communal garage would be nice

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?

Not sure what WoW has, but whats to stop someone from taking the "Best" items?

I hate how low level characters can't access the Shirogane housing ward (to visit community events hosted in FC houses).

They can as long as they share a house with an FC or another player, they jut can't access Kugane

I hate how the housing district teleports aren't accessible at level 1 from the city.

personal preference

I hate how non-combat pets are not account wide.

Why should they be?

I hate how mounts are not account wide.

Depending on the mount this one makes sense

I hate how mog-station items are not account wide.

Same as previous statement

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?

Good old inflation, gotta love it

I hate the companion app.

Join the club...

I hate how I can't talk to my FC with the companion app.

We have cookies.

I hate how many areas of the word are boxed off. Where are the horses in Doma. Where are the Badgers in Gridania?

Where indeed?

I hate how most things have incredibly complex or challenging to remember/spell names. Harshfront? What?

Yes cause everyone's name should be as simple as Naus Prime. Sorry, but even by joking standards, this question is just dumb. Names are cultural not universal.

I hate how raptors look like toy dinosaurs made by Tyco and colored by crayola. Do they have wings?

They know where you sleep and are plotting you demise as I type... Run, run far away

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.

But it does have story, you just weren't paying attention. And no one cares if you knew of him or not, nor to "know" about other FF games. If you were interested in anything specific you'd look him up.

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.

I know, I hate when I don't pay my rent and expect to still have a place to live.


All of these are mostly meant in jest, as I said, I was bored.

[Xion136]

Lightning's real name is Claire...

*Eclair, was changed in America since it sounded like a pastry.

Darn Americans and our love of cream-filled donuts.

[Sigma-Astra]

*Eclair, was changed in America since it sounded like a pastry.

Darn Americans and our love of cream-filled donuts.

Well, Japan has a fondness for naming characters after food just in general. Look at Dragonball/Dragonball Z...practically any anime, you'll find SOMEONE with a food name.

[Rymm]

I hate how raptors look like toy dinosaurs made by Tyco and colored by crayola. Do they have wings?

I probably have too much free time on my hands.

[DevonEllwood]

I probably have too much free time on my hands.

I hate that there isn't a raptor mount yet.

[Tint]

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 think the problem is that you technically destroy the itmes when you put them into the dresser or armoire and when you take them out the game creates a whole new item.

but on that ring is a name and date saved wich will get lost in that process. not even will you never be able to teleport again, you likely will also lose the option to get divorced from your partner, because i think the game will explode when you try that without owning the (correct) ring.