My problem with leveling up in FFXIV.

[Dirwen]

Exactly. I finished Shadowbringers later than everyone else because of some things in my personal life taking my time away from FFXIV. It was weird going through all of those absolutely gorgeous, new areas and not seeing a single player around. It's not just a problem with older areas, but with the new places as well. Open world plays a huge role in most MMOs and it sucks that we're not getting this here.

I haven't been back to the shadowbringer zones after finishing the MSQ. Once they add beast tribe quests there might be some use but other than that yea none. I also have no real interest in grinding fates or joining the hunt trains either.

[Nora_of_Mira]

I think chocobos are more akin to peacocks than chickens, but to each their own.

[Caitlyn]

My problem with leveling in FFXIV is, that disciplins of war/magic took alot more time than the rest.

Crafters and gathers can be maxed in no time. While waiting for duty finder pops up. You dont even need to play them. Just burn leves and gil (if you re lazy). Other than that, you re able to level them via grand company, collectables and deliverys. They add more alternative ways for leveling with each expansion. No random ppl, no waiting queues.

But Healers, Tanks and DPS require several hours of grinding dungeons and fates. If you want to max all your classes, it gets even longer with any expansion. In ARR, you got 8 classes with max level 50 each. Now you have 17 (excluded BLU) with max level 80 each! And you re running the same stuff since over 6 years. No alternative ways are added to level those classes.

Just a quick math here:
In ARR you need 7,734,000 EXP from 1-50. For all 8 classes, its 61,872,000.
Now, you need 325,868,400 EXP from 1-80. For all 17 classes, its 5,539,762,800!

And now comes the weirdest part I dont understand:
1. Why do new classes start with max-20 (60 in this case). Why not 70?
2. Why does takes so much longer to level from 70 to 71? Duty Roulette bonus works good, when you re reaching 71 or higher.
3. Why are SMN and SCH still the only jobs who can leveled simultaneously? Why isnt this a thing for other classes like GBR+MCH? Or PLD+SAM? Or BLM+WHM?

TL;TR: Gathers and crafters are leveled in no time with almost no effort. But Tanks/Healers/DPS takes a extremely huge amount of time to get maxed. Nothing changed and its gets even worse with every expansion. I still dont know why leveling overall is a thing, but thats MMORPG-logic.

[linay]

1) No, just because someone doesn't want to spend all their free time doing MSQ, it doesn't mean that XIV isn't for them.
2) Early questing is a slog. So much so though SE is revamping it. Instead of berating people who don't love every last minute of it, maybe just accept it's not the best. SE has.

That said, given the following statement:

It's more interesting that ARR for sure but the msq still takes a lot of running around talking to people and whatnot. And that's ok, it just seems like when I have an hour or two to play and I spend that time reading and traveling....well it feels like I'm not actually playing I guess.

I don't think the experience will change at all even beyond "early questing." The MSQ is filled with reading and traveling even through Shadowbringers. If that doesn't feel like playing, then you can have a miserable time. In the end, the MSQ doesn't have to be done in one sitting as breaks can be taken in between doing MSQ and other things can be done in the game to add variety to gameplay, but it's still an important part of the game and even the planned change in 5.3 will not change the nature of the MSQ (or even side quests as they also involve reading and traveling).

So while saying a person is not a good fit for MMORPG or even RPG (or MMO) might be an exaggeration, it might be reasonable to say someone might not be a good fit for FFXIV if they don't enjoy reading and traveling and don't consider doing those as part of gameplay unless they can tolerate it and accept that it is part of the game.

And if they can tolerate it, then there is really not much else that needs to be said. It is what it is and anyone can try to enjoy whatever they can out of FFXIV in the amount of time they have allotted to it any given moment.

[linay]

And now comes the weirdest part I dont understand:
1. Why do new classes start with max-20 (60 in this case). Why not 70?

Either to give time for people to get used to the job and/or to separate the people who will flock to try out the new job so that they can spend time doing other things (leveling) while others who are sticking with older jobs can start on the new content.

2. Why does takes so much longer to level from 70 to 71? Duty Roulette bonus works good, when you re reaching 71 or higher.

Does it? I never noticed as I feel that leveling in FFXIV is pretty quick.

3. Why are SMN and SCH still the only jobs who can leveled simultaneously? Why isnt this a thing for other classes like GBR+MCH? Or PLD+SAM? Or BLM+WHM?

Because they don't like it apparently (either too much of a hassle to maintain/develop or something else, not quite sure).

TL;TR: Gathers and crafters are leveled in no time with almost no effort. But Tanks/Healers/DPS takes a extremely huge amount of time to get maxed. Nothing changed and its gets even worse with every expansion. I still dont know why leveling overall is a thing, but thats MMORPG-logic.

Crafter/gatherer is side content. It can be the primary source of enjoyment for people, but they still have to play the game via DoW/DoM.

Oh, and leveling is a thing overall because people like a sense of progression in an RPG. People are already complaining that they outlevel the MSQ (because they get bored with MSQ and do other things that give exp. or because they use bonus exp). It's not just for MMORPG. Even a single player RPG can have leveling.

[WalxAtNite]

This is just how 14 is, and the things you don't like are the exact reasons I love it. I've played so many MMOs.. and none with the exception of this one have brought me to literal tears with the story.

I'm not going to do as others here have and berate you. This is just a friendly reminder that there is no one game that is going to please everyone. Whereas you don't want to ride a chicken and talk to people, I do. I live for the story, and that's how it's delivered here.

Just give it a little more time. I'm new, too. Just finished Heavensward. My entire Journal is FILLED with quests for dungeons and trials and raids.

Make sure you're picking up all the blue "+" quests because these open up the exciting stuff more often than not, and the further you go, the more there is to do. MSQ doesn't go on forever (though it may seem like it at times).

If it's really that big a deal for you, don't play unless you have several hours to devote to it and do something a little more gratifying. I don't say this to be rude, but here's what we have to remember: we play games for fun, and if you aren't having fun, then maybe it's time to readjust how and what you play. 14 WILL get more exciting. I promise. It's just that it's a process and one that a lot of us wouldn't trade for the world.

Psst... I loved every second of ARR. Even the pre-HW slog. Haha. Definitely not a fangirl, though. And don't let the people in the forums get to you. It's like anywhere else on the internet... it seems like people get their validation by attempting to make themselves look superior to everyone else in whatever way they can sometimes. I overlook it most of the time because despite the snark and, as you put it, "d-baggery," this community is wonderful and extraordinarily helpful.

Best of luck to you on your journey through Eorzea! <3

[Zazay]

Really? Too much for me? Come on man....
The point was that after working all day I would rather do something other than run around on a chicken or read a bunch of text.

Bunch of texts is the bread and butter of a typical JRPG though. (And ffxiv ican be considered as a jrpg, just with mmo features)

[PyurBlue]

SE excels strongly at exactly one thing, which is very important to nearly the entire fanbase: storytelling
They will always adhere to this, playing their games will always be like reading a giant story book.

This is brought up a lot, but I think it's actually missing the point. A story driven game doesn't have to look like FF14. In fact if I were to think of a story driven RPG, I wouldn't really picture FF14's MSQ in my head. RPG to me implies openness in taking on a role that you define in a dynamic world that you can influence. The MSQ doesn't allow this very often because it's linear and rigid. Shadowbringers and Heavensward show that SE can produce a good story, but I wish these stories were built more for an RPG game. In my opinion, it shouldn't be anything like reading a book. This would also give players more to do in the early game by removing at least some of the MSQ gating.

[OhnoozeMyToes]

I really think a lot of people are missing what I'm saying. I was not saying FFXIV has too much reading and traveling. I was just asking if anyone else feels like they spend most their time reading and traveling and not interacting with what little time they may have. I understand lore and reading text and story is part of an RPG. I'm not new to this as I have played a ton of MMOs and single player RPGs. Again the point was when I don't have a lot of time and I have been working all day I want game time that I'm more involved in. It's not a dig at the game, it's more about my situation really. I will admit that ffxiv has more reading than I think it needs but it's no deal breaker.

[MuseTraveller]

Hello, OP!
Welcome to FF14! As everyone said, early on the game is a bit of a lull. However, I can suggest making a party finder and state you are doing MSQ and would like company. Maybe having someone to chat with will break the monotone? Have you considered joining an FC? However beware of spoilers!

Other than that, do take breaks, try othr jobs, try gathering too. Sadly, yes a lot of the fun content is story gated so you do need to push through. Story gets much better and better paced after ARR.
Good luck!