FFXI vs FFXIV Difficulty

[Ryuko]

Fights in FFXIV can be pretty difficult by default just because this game is a lot more fast-paced than XI. However, XI really competed with XIV in difficulty... so you really have to think about the complexity of the two games. Overall, I like the XIV battle system better because it requires a bit more movement than the average XI fight.

I understand your frustration with everyone having multiple jobs to 50, but that's because the game launched in all areas of the world together. Then, the team needed to focus on improving the game in general in addition to releasing new content. XI was released a year earlier in Japan, giving them a huuuuge head start on everything from leveling to questing to figuring out how to get stuff done in general. XI may have seemed harder to you for this reason.

Yes, leveling took a LOT more time in XI... but do we really want that? Leveling wasn't especially difficult... just incredibly time consuming. It was difficult when you literally could not level without a party (and if you tried, you couldn't kill much on your own), and unless you were a healer or tank, you were sitting for hours LFG... and good luck if you were a job that wasn't really sought out, like SMN or DRG.

I know many of us look back on XI with rose-tinted glasses. It was a great game and I spent years of my life playing it along with the rest of you. But, don't forget it had its problems... problems we ALL agreed on and complained about even while we were enjoying it. When they took away a huge chunk of exp needed to reach 75 (a few years after NA release), some people complained while others rejoiced. Many of us would sit around talking about it in a "back in my day..." tone.

I don't think XIV is necessarily 'easier'. I just think they can't release as much content as we'd like because they are literally REWORKING the entire game. To be honest... if they can release content that keeps me satisfied (while at the same time also recreating the entire game in preparation for 2.0), I give them a LOT of props. I like it a lot and I honestly prefer this game to XI ... now, anyway. Times have changed and this game reflects that.

Now, here is something to consider: FFXI servers and FFXIV servers are both located in Japan. When I played XI, the lag from Japan to the East coast (where I am) never bothered me. Even when I was part of a stun order, I would NEVER miss my stun (unless it was 3am and my linkshell was forcing me to stay up against my will, etc). In XIV, the lag definitely bothers me. Your 'reaction time' must be a LOT faster now. East coasters and Europeans especially can find this unbearable. It's difficult to tank or to move out of an ability in time. This adds a LOT of difficulty that perhaps not everyone experiences.