Someone mentioned before that all the people not interested in the game or not having fun would have left by now. I am still hear, but I'm in wait and see mode. I got a class to 50, have most battle classes over 15, and even played around with (barf) crafting. However, I have not played much for a while and won't til I know its worth my effort. I'll be honest with you, when I first heard about this game I thought yes everything I love about FFXI with a new setting, graphics, and story. I thought they would take the lessons they learned from FFXI and make a better version of it.

You ask me why haven't I left if I don't enjoy the game? Its SE and FF!! I love their games and I know that they are capable of making amazing games. FFXIV was supposed to be the game that I would play and love for the next 10 years, but so far that hasn't happened. But I desperately want this game to turn into the MMO of my dreams, and right now it isn't there.

Where would I go though if I gave up on it? I loved FFXI but played it for far too long and I have left it and wont go back. Besides I'm not in love with the new direction. Other MMOs? I hate most of them. The battle systems always feel like spam fests with no depth of battle involvement and no weight to you decisions. You just end up cycling through a patern for the best DPS and what not. Other than that most of them almost always have a large or a complete focus on PvP at endgame. This in my opinion makes for poor gameplay and is an excuse for devs to be lazy and call it "player driven" content. This doesn't leave me any real options but to either crawl back to FFXI, hope this game becomes the game I know it can be, or give up MMOs.

There are aspects of FFXIV that I like, and there are things about it I dislike. Unfortunately right now, the bad outweigh the good. Most issues though I would agree though are minor and only need tweaking. However, there are a few glaring ones that if not changed I will leave.

1. There needs to be a focus on party dynamics, and right now there isn't. It all just feels like one big clusterf**k when you group. There is a difference between a group that acts in a coordinated and strategic and DEPENDENT way, and a group of self-reliant people that all just happen to be beating on the same mob. You might say this isnt true, but form my perspective it is true. Not too mention I really don't like how much soloing goes on in this game, it needs to be toned down.

2. Class uniqueness/role specific classes. This issue is actually tied in together with party dynamics, because role specific classes could help a party dynamic by creating a NEED for class interdependency. I also want to be able to tell the difference between being different classes. Again, you might say this isnt so or isnt necessary, but I think it is. And even if you say these thigs exists, then I would say that it is not nearly significant enough. It also encourages more soloing (horrible for an mmo) and all-in-one builds (hello mr. tankdpshealnuker). People want to much freedom, and to me it just destroys the game.

3. Repair: They have made more improvements to this, but its not enough. I want to be able to play a couple of full days in a row before I need to worry about repairs. I want players to be able to repair equiped gear (the NPC can do it why cant we?) And I want the NPC to repair ALL equipment to 100%. Though it could still be expensive, and treated more as an emergency situation. Again, you can disagree with me, but this is a matter of my comfort zone and tollerance for useless BS.

4. Gear Drops: I want SE (when they release more content) to have endgame and NMs and epic tyled quests drop epic gear. Thats gear NOT materials. This epic gear should ALWAYS be better than crafted gear. I am sick to death of this focus on crafting, at least keep it out of my endgame. Nothing could be more disappointing than getting to the end of a dungeon, killing the boss, and finally getting that rare drop, only to discover its a material and not an awesome piece of gear. In my opinion to do that would be tragic and very uninspiring. If endgame dungeons drop mats instead of gear its instnt /ragequit for me.

5. Epic Content: This is the only thing I am not worried about......... I mean this is SE........ this is what they do!! People that have grinded away and have nothiung left to do want this, and I understand that, because so do I. However, as I said before I have every confidence that SE will deliver. Its the other 4 issues I am uncertain about.

I sure would like them to announce a direction for this game. I'd really like to see what ideas they want to implement and a general timeframe. And I mean give us specifics, because we can all argue all day over how the game is good as is or needs minor changes or needs an overhaul. At the end of the day, what matters is what direction the devs take this game in, and the sooner we all know the better.