FFXIV 2.0 impression

[Richard_BG]

Watch E3. See trailer/demo. Looks like what we have now? Move on to another MMO after confirming it's basically the same. Simple.

[LazKai]

Any raise in the level cap would mean designing an additional section of content, and taking away focus from core systems and gameplay experiences for those levels that do exist now.

This is without taking into account that the developers could have already been working on said content and a cap raise was being planned for 2.0 post release. This is a concern, yes, but there is no way to tell just how much progress has been made in the area of content the dev's have made currently. They could have enormous progress or not as much. I suspect a level cap raise and the content that goes with it to be found in a future expansion, possibly months to a year after the release of 2.0.

[Deltara]

I feel like SE storywriters were given a rough job of it, since they were tasked to write a storyline on some abstract threat looming in the shadows, but let's not forget the FFXI storylines which were so good usually were pretty slow-to-start as well. One of the differences was that in FFXI, I really felt like I was a part of my starting nation, but in FFXIV I don't get that feeling at all.

I can't get attached to a world where I don't have a place I can call home. The threat is looming, big deal. Take a glimpse at the forums to see how much characters really care about the meteor headed our way. (most welcome it)

There is no rivalry and no sense of patriotism, save for those moments of joking around with your LS mates about where ground-zero should be for the meteor.

I believe there was a time when it was said that the world is too peaceful to be really engaging and they have added this and that along the way to help with this, but it's all a build-up to 2.0. I am optimistic about it. SE's storytelling abilities really shine when they have a specific threat to work with. (The two judge-looking imperials are pretty cool, but didn't really get enough facetime for me to even remember their names, and again "looming" is the byword, not really "imminent")

So in summary, I think they'll do great once disaster actually starts happening, assuming they can make us a little more emotionally invested in the city-states.

[Platinumstorm]

This is without taking into account that the developers could have already been working on said content and a cap raise was being planned for 2.0 post release. This is a concern, yes, but there is no way to tell just how much progress has been made in the area of content the dev's have made currently. They could have enormous progress or not as much. I suspect a level cap raise and the content that goes with it to be found in a future expansion, possibly months to a year after the release of 2.0.

Any work on a level cap raise would have been time that could have been allocated to making the 1-49 and rank 50 games better, so it doesn't matter if it's taken into account or not as part of their production strategy; I don't think any allocation of a post 50 game development would be a good use of 2.0 resources, as I initially said because

#1. The focus of the game is on players who didn't buy FFXIV and those who quickly left in droves and wish they had never purchased FFXIV.

#2. Content at 50 isn't saturated, and the current battle system is likely designed with lv 50 being the maximum rank.

#3. It would be counter productive to spend any amount of resources developing a post 50 content when current level 50 players will hopefully represent at least less than 5% of the total player base, which are already going to have a large learning curve with the new system.

Keep in mind - developing a new amount of level ranges is a major undertaking that wouldn't just be a tiny allocation of resources, in addition to the classes we know they're working on for after, and maybe [teeny tiny chance] even before 2.0 [ pet classes I.E. summoner, beastmaster, arcanist, musketeer (hopefully they stick treasure hunter on this instead of pointlessly making a thief since it fits so nicely). Then these classes might either be jobs or have jobs attached to them in the future [Would love to see a musketeer/gambler combo - like Setzer, seems to make a lot of sense with the Eorzean history].

I'm never quite sure what players are really asking for when they say "I want the level cap raised". To me there are two answers to this: A. I want more skills [this can be done without adding new levels] or B. I want new experiences (zones, monsters, weapons, armor, quests). We've already gotten new skills, and we'll get more with the new classes/jobs, and we're going to have a profusion of new content, or maybe even additional job quests. There's just nothing to gain from a level cap raise right now that I can see that isn't addressed by 2.0, can you see any?

[Peptaru]

Grade 6+ nodes and the ability to make use of the higher level areas of every region.

[LazKai]

Not at the moment. Wasn't really advocating a level cap to be clear, just that to expect one isn't so far-fetched. Like you said, some benefits could be the ability to access new storyline, equipment, enemies, skills, higher level areas (which can all arguably be done with or without a level increase). All of this seems more fit to be put into an expansion once the core game has been established

If you were to ask if I wanted them to increase the level cap in the near future, my answer is no.

[Platinumstorm]

I feel like SE storywriters were given a rough job of it, since they were tasked to write a storyline on some abstract threat looming in the shadows, but let's not forget the FFXI storylines which were so good usually were pretty slow-to-start as well. One of the differences was that in FFXI, I really felt like I was a part of my starting nation, but in FFXIV I don't get that feeling at all.

I can't get attached to a world where I don't have a place I can call home. The threat is looming, big deal. Take a glimpse at the forums to see how much characters really care about the meteor headed our way. (most welcome it)
[Snip]

The lore development of the game, like everything else, was rushed. Look how long it took just to get Midgarsormr named; the centerpiece of the opening cinematic and what players wanted to know about.

To be fair, you're an adventurer and you don't have a homeland on Eorzea; that was part of the premise. I think the failure to develop the early storylines [particularly Gridania, and to a lesser extent, Ul'dah] was the reason why you never end up attatched to what your character is experiencing. I'm very attached to both the Ul'dahn music and Thanalan music, though.

There is a sense of patriotism in the game. When you do the quests you see that the Gridanians loathe the Ul'dahn's, but they feel they have no choice but to work with them to repel the foretold Garlean invasion. Some of the Ul'dahns try to kidnap two moogles and end up disturbing the Greenwrath; at the same time, a Garlean scout party attacks [you don't experience this though, which I think is a mistake]. Ishgardians and Ala Mhigans both have high levels of patriotism. Limsa is a state of pirates and conflict within its hierarchies. All three city states have no chance of attacking the Garleans, and that's why you've seen the introduction of the Ironworks crew: Cid et. al, who, I believe, we're part of Garlean research teams to begin with.

I do lament, however, the lack of being able to understand where Roegadyn's even come from. Some of them come from mountains and caves that you can't get to, while others come from islands that you can't get to. Then, on occasion, the quests or NPCs [newer] throw a bunch of names of places that I'm not familiar with, and then I get a bit overwhelmed and lost about what the conversation was talking about.

Some of this you might not have seen if you don't have the classes, which is a failure of lore-planning for nonquest NPC's, but I will go out and defend what they're doing now, because the 1.21 has given a lot of background information on Eorzea, added lore, and hinted at several future features, which I won't delve into here.

The writing is also at a relatively high level difficulty, which will be interesting to see how that will perform on a massive scale. There are many high difficulty words that exist in Eorzea, and tons of old writing styles that often look like grammatical errors. This could be off-putting to many, but frankly I enjoy the challenge [some of the words stump me], and it's also the only MMO I can remember that makes me laugh at the quests- not to mention remembering the names of the NPC and their dialogue [The Limsa Lominsa Inn Quest is hilarious, and I've seen someone quote it on here too for their signature].

Some of the writing, isn't that great though, particularly when the Grand Companies were introduced, because they had just sort of formulated what was going to happen, and like you admit, only has a foreboding tone, although it's a shame that the same dialogue was basically experienced three times per character. That writing direction is in the past, though, and we're getting into more meaningful dialogue that has more personality than in the past.

The characters you're referencing that "welcome" the upcoming destruction, on the forums, are people who want to see the game become something amazing, not characters. The NPC's in game act oblivious, which is pretty funny, admittedly, but there are many more important tasks at hand than rewriting the dialogue for every single one of them for a limited amount of time. That's just something we have to deal with for now.

[Platinumstorm]

Grade 6+ nodes and the ability to make use of the higher level areas of every region.

I wouldn't be shocked to see Grade 6 incorporated into the next patch in accordance with the new items [although I'm more or less expecting Hamlet monster tie-ins]. I know it's not on the list, but the 43-50 gathering is atrocious, so I wouldn't even call that section of gathering developed. It's more like it stops at 40.

Your point about being able to use the higher levels of every zone, however, is flawed, because the zones are going to be completely revamped; likely designed without waste.

Lazkai; I wasn't suggesting that you were advocating one, I just can't think of any advantages, so was hoping someone else could.

[Peptaru]

It is not, nor will it be until we see how maps and mobs are revamped, a flawed point. I understand what you're saying, but neither of us knows what's happening when things change. Its Schrodinger's Area.

[Denmo]

we have to remember we're getting building blocks of 2.0 already. So some people will have to consider that, but at the same time the changes that 2.0 should, and likely will bring to the game will feel enormous. 2.0 is all about the new player and those who left FFXIV, make no mistake about it, and it's the correct decision for them to pursue. If a few of the people who currently adore the current system get upset and leave, that's okay, because everyone who is playing right now is a minority compared to the throngs who aren't playing, but had interest in the initial game.

Congratulations, this is my new sig.