New Player Experience Sucks! - Impending Expansion Problems

[MarniDawg]

I guess its impossible to fathom that people play just for the gameplay and don't care at all for the story. There are plenty of people like that, that play this game.

I guess the existence of story skip for the type of people you describe is impossible for certain people to fathom as well. It's been a point that's been beaten to death here.

[Wynn_Storm]

I guess the existence of story skip for the type of people you describe is impossible for certain people to fathom as well. It's been a point that's been beaten to death here.

It should just be included in your stormblood purchase. Like how WoW gives you a max lvl character for the upcoming expansion when you buy the new expansion.

[Barraind]

content lull

Yeah, 10% of the games population decided to stop subbing before the last major content patch hit (a lull time accounts for a whopping 1/20 of the population missing).

Unless you lump 4.4 and 4.5 together into that content lull I guess, but nobody sane does that... (psst: numbers have been falling since september and arent down more than standard deviation for attrition since january, so thanks for not knowing what you're talking about).

It also doesnt explain the decline of new / pre-70 characters who ARENT in a content lull (something that ONLY impacts players who are level 70 and finished with the msq), especially since they just gave away the base game for free, which SHOULD have a massive impact on Aprils active character numbers, but didnt. Unless you want to argue that the majority of the pre-70 community is alts that arent being leveled (which is another argument FOR "please consolidate the msq"), which means you have to take one of the following stances:

1. People with alts arent playing their alts, but are playing their level 70 characters, despite being in a "content lull"
2. A large amount of level 70 and finished with MSQ players have stopped playing, and people have actively leveled low level characters to 70 in the last month, and lots of new players have started. This would generally come with massive marketboard disruption in certain categories (380 crafted gear, materia, crafted gear at 50 and 60 caps where you're required to hit ilvl checks to progress that you cant to on day 1 or 2 of those caps without farming) and an increase in certain duties in roulettes, and none of those have occurred.

[Reap00]

Blah blah blah. Your arguments are baseless. I am going to go play the game I love. I am going to read everything. I am going to watch EVERY SINGLE CUTSCENE. I am going rub sacred oils all over my body while I do it. Deal with it.

[Wynn_Storm]

Blah blah blah. Your arguments are baseless. I am going to go play the game I love. I am going to read everything. I am going to watch EVERY SINGLE CUTSCENE. I am going rub sacred oils all over my body while I do it. Deal with it.

Lol what a cop out.

You act as if we don't love the game as well, i wouldn't be playing if i didn't.

But yeah go ahead and watch every cutscene. You are sure showing me.

So basically what I said earlier, salt over things not being free. I understand now. *thumbsup* carry on

Lol your argument is so full of it. You just can't fathom the idea of good practices to bring in new players.

But *shrug* okay, you keep being ignorant. I'm not going to waste my time.

[Paladinleeds]

Lol your argument is so full of it. You just can't fathom the idea of good practices to bring in new players.

But *shrug* okay, you keep being ignorant. I'm not going to waste my time.

While I can definitely agree to chucking in a Stormblood story skip as part of the expansion as a good business practice (perhaps with pointers to Palace of the Dead and Heaven on High and stuff for levelling, since I'm almost certain the ARR/HW story skips include POTD), I just think that Square Enix won't do it, as it won't seemingly help their numbers. Therein lies my main issue. It just doesn't look financially viable to Square Enix, and apparently the only reason we got them in the first place is because the Chinese version had them. The NA/EU/JP versions AFAIK weren't supposed to even get them. As a result, Square Enix don't want to give one away for free. It sucks, but it is what it is I guess. The reason I can agree to this, is because it preserves the story for those interested in it (such as myself), while also allowing newbies who don't care much for the story to also get stuck in, as well as those who want to get to endgame and look at the story later thanks to NG+. I don't know any other solutions that could make a variety of different parties happy

No, I would rather have a happy medium with and improved, streamlined new player experience. NOT a complete skip - so that new players can actually go back, and do the story, that gets so over hyped here (I have played through it, read, and never skipped any cutscenes except for in a duty). Having the starting experience restructured, and a new, informative, tutorial for players.

Now you see, I can agree with a more streamlined experience, so long as there's still the meaning behind each duty. Perhaps trimming the fat on some of the quests (e.g. the 2.1-2.55 shenanigans), for a more streamlined experience, but one that doesn't detract from the story (such as why we're going into each duty). That is a happy medium I can accept.

[SturmChurro]

So you don't like the game

I hate it actually. I also have imaginary friends, and I am insecure.

Now you see, I can agree with a more streamlined experience, so long as there's still the meaning behind each duty. Perhaps trimming the fat on some of the quests (e.g. the 2.1-2.55 shenanigans), for a more streamlined experience, but one that doesn't detract from the story (such as why we're going into each duty). That is a happy medium I can accept.

Yes, a reasonable response. I would rather see a streamlined experience so that new players coming in can come to enjoy the game we have, the way we do now. Think about this in a couple years time with another expansion, or longer maybe two, and they still only have story skip? Do you think it is a sustainable practice to have a player play through 4 expansions just to get to current, relevent content (level, new abilities, new jobs, new glamour, new mounts, play with friends, raids, trials)? Have them pay 60 dollars for the game plus current expansion, 15 for a sub, 25 for a skip, and maybe even a level boost?

For more veteran players a new streamlined new player experience literally wouldn't effect anyone, except those people who like to go back on an alt and slowly "enjoy" each and every story bit (selfish if you ask me). However, I think the streamlined experience should be included with a boost, and someone who chooses to play from the start should be able to. Clarification [EDIT]

[SturmChurro]

If you like the game why you want to skip most of the game ?

WE. LIKE. THE. GAMEPLAY. THE MMO ELEMENTS.

You literally have to hammer it into someones skull. Christ. Pages upon pages, upon pages, upon pages.

[Pywalli]

WE. LIKE. THE. GAMEPLAY. THE MMO ELEMENTS.

You literally have to hammer it into someones skull. Christ. Pages upon pages, upon pages, upon pages.

So you don't like the game