The whale mount is up on Mogstation

[Lauront]

WoW doesn't make you go through the most mind numbing gate to entry into their game that is the MSQ either. You just hop on a character and level it, which is especially nice when you want to try different race/class combos. For FF14, if you wanna try other race/class combos you have to pay 10 dollars every time, or go through the mind numbing grind that is MSQ all over again, or pay 60 dollars to dodge the grind/get a char up. Not to mention, gearing an alt class very high is nigh impossible on the same character due to weekly restrictions. If you want to gear alts in WoW you just do it, your tank, your healer, your dps can all be around the same item level.

Mind you, not calling WoW better, it's even mildly a dumpster fire right now, but both games have their pros/cons to look at

Other games moved to the F2P model because they know they can't make it on a sub model. Terrible games cannot last on a traditional sub model, which is why so few games attempt it anymore. Whereas a free to play model allows them to milk those few whales willing to spend and get little bits and pieces here from the cheaper players.

Squeenix knows they can milk the players, they won't get it from everyone, but each player who buys this mount is effectively two months of sub per player. Why add interesting content and reward players for playing the game when you can get that kind of dough? Instead, lets focus on pushing out stuff like eureka , possibly one of the most boring, grindy and annoying pieces of content that probably took one of their developers a whole 30 minutes to think up.

( Keep in mind, the MSQ isn't /bad/, but so much of it is obnoxiously dull running halfway across the world over and over to speak to someone for two minutes, just to run back. Rinse and repeat for a huge chunk of ARR It's killed the game for a lot of my friends trying to get up to play with friends )

That isn't an issue with the cash shop, though - that is an issue with their design ambitions for the game itself.

[Lauront]

For what its worth, the graphics are more Square's decision to make sure this game can be played on lower end PC systems than where funding is going. Increasing the baseline graphics would risk losing more of their playerbase unless they wanted to make it all optional. Most you can expect is a completely optional high-res texture pack, if they think maintaining two sets of textures for this game would be worth it for them.

Agreed, but that's the poster's point, IMO. That SE is building the game around people who'd rather spend their money on such items than ensuring they have a PC that is not subpar when compared even to the basic PS4.

Still, there's plenty of non-MMOs out there that make the decision to go for higher end specs and are able to attract high numbers of players and also retain them - so are they saying they can only mostly attract people with weaker systems? Seems like a sad state for a genre to be in. I just don't get why MMOs are the go-to of people with bad computers, because it doesn't seem like we're talking about players on the margins here but significant enough numbers for it to not be worth the risk. Purely speculation on my part as I don't have access to the same info the devs do.

However, I view the cash shop as a symptom and not a cause of any issues the game is facing as such. If it provides them with more income, great; I hope some of it is reinvested in 14.

[Omymy]

WoW nerfed the exp you get when finishing Dungeons and leveling is way more harder now. So, you need days to reach a decent level. Whatsmore, you dont need to follow a MSQ, yeah, you have to repeat the same quests over and over and over again. Oh, and they dont have teleport; have fun eating all those flying times.

Btw, i prefer the MSQ thing than the reputation grinding to advance into the game.

FF XIV isnt perfect, but having all the classes in the same char is just amazing.

PD: You can change your race here for 7 euro. In WoW is just... 25. And barely 50 if you want to change faction too.

[MomomiMomi]

Other MMO's launched with a subscription fee initially but then dropped it in favour of being F2P - but typically made it appealing to subscribe to an optional fee in exchange for advantageous in-game bonuses. I believe ESO does that? I haven't played that since launch, admittedly.

They're adding more to it soon, but until now, the overall consensus is that the major appealing feature of ESO's optional subscription was a "crafting bag" that holds an infinite amount of crafting materials; a much better deal than FF14's retainers. Not only is it infinite, but if you drop your subscription, you can still take items out (and you can craft from it without having to take them out, too!), a feature that FF14 is clearly lacking.

It's also not necessary. There are only about 150 relevant crafting items in the game. A maxed out inventory holds 200 items, the bank is 240, and you can get another 360 storage for housing. Also, 8 characters for free.

You can also store furniture in any of your 30-40+ houses that they don't take away from you.

[Soraki-Muppe]

Speaking as a norwegian.
That is not a mount, that there is DINNER!

[Cincierta]

Speaking as a norwegian.
That is not a mount, that there is DINNER!

I just saw this and envisioned a bunch of miqo'tes running after the whale with forks and knives.

[SigmaOZ]

I was looking forward to a 4-people mount if not 8, too bad this whale can't do that despite having all the space necessary, it would probably break the game and the servers to enable more riding slots on it!...


I'll think about getting it since I like the model, if only it glowed ... ... ... sighs!...

[Gun-Cat]

Why would anyone want such a gaudy mount if they get their best buddy for free during the MSQ? You can dress you chocobo, colour it and even fight alongside it.

[Stormfur]

Not going to buy this one. The last time I invested a lot in a mount was for the Managorm and it ended up being like a snack-sized Fenrir. It was disappointing

[Xion136]

Can I at least beach this whale on the shores of Costa del Sol and RP an Eorzean activist looking into the suspicious deaths of beached whales, only to find myself mired deep into a conspiracy created by the Monetarists, who promptly try to have me silenced only to be given a bridal rescue by none other than Hildibrand?




What, I gotta milk my money's worth outta that whale.

This. This is the quality that I come to the forms for. This truly is the epitome of General discussion. mild sarcasm, I really did enjoy this. I really wish this was a quest line now!,