We should get exp boost in the game.

[SamRF]

Ive been vocal about this in the past, but I dont want there to be an easy path to skipping MSQ because it trains players (particularly new ones) to treat the game in a fast food style of gameplay. There is no 'core' content. Just a bunch of things you do, you pick it up and dump it just as fast, and its all about 'End game' and nothing else. This also has the knock on effect that train players to have certain expectations, they will fall more into that sort of gameplay, and expect it overall. So in this case, make MSQ optional, Dont have the core, promote the idea that the goal of hte game is "Get Max Level to start having any fun" and players will expect it. Which means content and everything is altered to reflect that mindset youve trained players into.

The thing is , atleast from my perspective, the model exacerbates toxicity in player bases and detachment. You can have friends, but youre not really part of a larger whole. Youre just kinda...around other players, and not part of them as a larger community. Dont get me wrong, this was a thing in wow at one point in time (particularly with Horde V Alliance world pvp), but it's not the feeling I get anymore. What little there is feels...manufactured. Fake. Forced. Like the Devs are telling you that your part of something 'bigger' rather than players feeling like they are. In FFXIV, there is atleast one core thing that all players from Savage to beginner can kind of relate and bond over: MSQ. It's not always great, sometimes its dumb, sometimes its a slog, sometimes its excellent, and sometimes it's effing amazing - and that is something everything can relate over. This doesnt mean there isnt toxicity in the playerbase, or people who dont care, or the like, but there is something at its center. A central experience and overall concept. FFXIV isnt perfect, but the feel of it as an MMO is different from WoW, and I think that has a lot to do with how it's structured as an MMO with consideration to MSQ.

Didn't really look at it from this angle before and it's a good argument which may change my mind on the subject, I'll think on it.

edit: I think I can agree with this notion that it would train you to get into a more fast food kind of mindset but I wouldn't have a problem with a portion of player base becoming like this. If you'd look at suggestion in this post, I'm proposing a voluntary separate option that basically gets you into "unlock content without MSQ" mode. Something you'll have to toggle and is turnt off by default. I wouldn't use this toggle myself but I wouldn't mind other players using it, even if it meant that they'd be the fast food rush type of player. I don't like having this kind of mindset myself, but that's why I personally wouldn't use this toggle.

Personally don't believe this game's community to be good, in fact I'd much prefer to have some more WoW type of community in this game and considering that I'd really have no problem promoting this mindset. The elitist and edgy toxicity bothers me far less than the emotional manipulation and entitled snowflake behavior in this game. Will come down to preference I guess in what you want to expect from community and I'm not really a community invested player myself (solo PUG player) so that may be where my bias comes from.