What would you like to see (differently) in the next Final Fantasy MMO?

[Lauront]

It depends on whether people mean a system like TESO's, or one like WoW's, where you have a spec system to customise your class to a degree. I wouldn't like to see TESO's, either, since I don't like that game's class design approach, but I liked the WoW spec system. Granted it's true that in end game content theorycrafting does result in specific builds being preferred/required for end-game raiding content, but I still like the flexibility for other content.

[SieyaM]

Only if you're doing Savage/Ultimate level content. Even then, only if you're doing speed clears.

For example, looking at FF Logs shows that the top DPS jobs are: SAM, BLM, SMN and MNK. But they only make up 40% of the total parses, meaning more people are playing the other jobs than these 4.

If there's alternate end-game content designed for the casual player, then alternate combinations will have more viability.

To say nothing about a single percent of on paper DPS difference means nothing compared to the actual DPS that will be achieved by playing a combination that you are comfortable and practiced in. (I.e. The old adage "Bring the player, not the class")

Even if it is only the top end that it matters for, this kind of thing always bleeds down. Anyone using a non-meta comp for a job in any content will constantly be hounded by people or excluded because they chose something that is not the best build. It turns into things that we already see in XIV, people complaining that dungeon runs take too long for example. There is also the fact that if you don't choose the best build or combination and later on decide you want to to endgame, you cannot undo it easily. Most games that have customization pretty well force you to start all over if you want to change it, or you can spend real money on a chance to redesign your skill trees or whatever they are using for customization in that game.

[Kalise]

Even if it is only the top end that it matters for, this kind of thing always bleeds down. Anyone using a non-meta comp for a job in any content will constantly be hounded by people or excluded because they chose something that is not the best build. It turns into things that we already see in XIV, people complaining that dungeon runs take too long for example. There is also the fact that if you don't choose the best build or combination and later on decide you want to to endgame, you cannot undo it easily. Most games that have customization pretty well force you to start all over if you want to change it, or you can spend real money on a chance to redesign your skill trees or whatever they are using for customization in that game.

Except...

I literally just mentioned that more people are playing the jobs that ARE NOT the top 4 DPS. Going by the actual numbers of parses (I.e. People who actually care about things such as DPS potential)

Also saying "Oh, other games make you have to start over" doesn't really mean jack when in FFXIV you can have all jobs on one character, which most people seem to also be asking for in said potential new FF MMO (Myself included). Some also asking for the job customisation in addition to this "All jobs on one character"

Ergo, the switching of job combinations would likely be as simple as switching jobs currently.

[Kewitt]

Take what they have learned from running 2 very successful MMOs. And Right the net code correctly!
There are a lot of things they have done right.

And FFXIV keeps changing and trying new concepts so take the ones that work the best and expand on them.

Personally I love parts of FFXI and FFXIV and all other mmos I've played were not a good fit for me.

But new races, New jobs fully flushed out, and fully voice the main quest, I don't mind reading but It brings me into a game a lot more when it's voiced.
I remember playing Space Quest IV in the 90s and it was fully voiced back then.

[SieyaM]

Except...

I literally just mentioned that more people are playing the jobs that ARE NOT the top 4 DPS. Going by the actual numbers of parses (I.e. People who actually care about things such as DPS potential)

Also saying "Oh, other games make you have to start over" doesn't really mean jack when in FFXIV you can have all jobs on one character, which most people seem to also be asking for in said potential new FF MMO (Myself included). Some also asking for the job customisation in addition to this "All jobs on one character"

Ergo, the switching of job combinations would likely be as simple as switching jobs currently.

Alright fine, this dream you have a customization actually making many viable choices this time I am sure will be different than all the other MMOs where it has led to just one build being acceptable and others not.

[Kalise]

Alright fine, this dream you have a customization actually making many viable choices this time I am sure will be different than all the other MMOs where it has led to just one build being acceptable and others not.

Anarchy Online has a wide variety of accepted builds (Yes, it has "Meta" builds but that doesn't preclude people from participating in content on non-meta builds)

My time in Rift had no "One build" that you had to take and had a similar multiple choice thing (I.e. Each "Class" had could put together any 3 "Jobs" from that class and then put points into each of the jobs to unlock talents and abilities)

My time in Tera had no-one forcing "One Build". I was able to play my non-meta Tank Warrior just fine (Even before they buffed the Tank spec of that class)

Heck, depending on the content you were doing and who you were doing it with, even WoW has had leniency with specs. I went through entire expansions on what was regarded as "The worst Tank" and prog'd just fine, especially since PuG content was faceroll irregardless and for actual Raiding I was with my guild who wouldn't shun me for playing a non-meta class.

Even more so, FFXIV has had World First completions done with non-meta jobs. Back in StB there was world firsts done with DRK (Considered the worst tank in the game). I believe this expansion has had some world firsts with RDM (Has been consistently considered bottom tier)

Is there usually a meta build? Yes. Can people get shunned for using non-meta builds? Yes. Will this mean that people can ONLY ever play the meta build? Only if you're playing with assholes.

[Shurrikhan]

Somebody make an MMO that supports both targeting systems, please.

Just do preferential targeting. You select a "hard" target, and if it's within range and not occluded, which is kept very obvious, you strike it. Otherwise you strike the nearest effective target in that angle. It works especially well in systems where things AoE exactly as much and across the same areas as they appear to.

One can effectively play without devoting any functions to targeting if they want, which works best for those who can quickly move around and about a mass of enemies, but those who don't want to bother with said movement need not. Only downside would be positionals, but those have been in need of a revamp since their creation, so...

[Edax]

Assuming one will be made.

What should be done differently? What should remain the same? How should the game function? What kind of (new) features do you want? What are your expectations? ......?

(Forgive me if this thread has been made before, but I couldn't find anything with advanced search.)

The ability to roleplay and affect the story with decisions / personality.

[Kaiserdrache]

In regard of Classes Id love to see in FF17, when it's becoming a MMO evebtually, once its time has come, after 16 becoming likely Offline before on PS5/XSX is a change from these traditional job tropes to a more modern form of these jobs, which share eventually only job names, but don't have to do that, especially in regard of Caster Classes and use these naming conventions instead for Job Specializations that kind of work then like Sub Classes.


Example

Class: Wizard (related to Profession Type) > Sub Class: Spellblade (related to equipped Weapon/Combat Style), Spezialization: Red Mage

Class defines then your Gameplay Mechanics and Systems
Subclass defines then your used Weapons and due to this your Weapon Skills that are bonded to them just like in GW2, allowing you to play your job with different weapons and thus changing this way your combat style
Specialization in this example defines then your Job Role, if your other skills, traits, abilities and talents are specialized rather for causing damage, protection, healing, or supporting others bei either buffing allies or debuffing foes with negative conditions or CC effects

A Spellblade Red Mage Combination in that way would be then the kind of Red Mage, we have now, but equip it for example with Sword and Shild and the result would be a switch from Spellblade to Mystic Knight as Sub Class, while keeping Red Mage specialized Skills.
Based on which Sub Class and Specialization Combo the players uses, could this then unlock for you different Traits, Abilities and Talents with that players could play around then to customize their characters to their prefered playstyles.

Players could also keep then the Wizard Character with Mystic Knight Sub Class and change their Specialization out from Red Mage to say Black Mage, and the Skills you can use become different then, less heals/support, more offense and defense focused as Mystic Knight, while alot more pure offense focused as a Spellblade with just minimal Healing only

In other words, i'd like to see a new triangle based job system consisting out auf Class/Profession, Sub Class/Job and lastly a tradition inspired Specialization, that gives players this way more power and depth to customize your characters fully to your likings.

[Barraind]

even WoW has had leniency with specs

For a good chunk of the game you could raid effectively on most specs (though on the pure dps classes, one of them was always squidgy and more of a pvp spec).

It wasnt abnormal to see 2 dps specs (or 3-4 warlock specs every time they inadvertantly broke something in demonology and suddenly theres a 21 point talent that's outperforming all 3 capstones so you're running 24/22/5 because it's fun and stupid and you're also tanking caster bosses for lulz) for each class do competitively well.

You could actually play the spec you liked the playstyle of even if it wasnt the "better" of the two because comfort and skill would bridge that gap. There were certainly no shortage of frostfire or pure fire mages in the eras where arcane was theoretically the best spec, because that spec was the least fun thing imaginable.