MSQ Needs Further Condensing

[FoxyAreku]

The fact is this game is an MMORPG, with a large focus on end-game content, that being trials, raids, gearing, ect.

I could not disagree more with this. There's barely anything to do at endgame even as a savage raider, and gear is pretty much entirely a pointless endeavor past just being at the minimum for duty finder, if someone is trying to rush to endgame and 'catch up' they're doing it wrong. The story is 80% of the game and the main focus, if square cared about the endgame we'd have more than a whopping 4 fights every 6 months.

They could stand to condense the post-story of ARR a bit more but that's the only thing I can see happening.

How do you guys think people are playing other mmos with optional story? That are all doing better than XIV player base wise?

The only MMO that has a bigger playerbase than FFXIV (and isn't free to play) is WoW, and even they have their story being mandatory now.

[SturmChurro]

I could not disagree more with this. There's barely anything to do at endgame even as a savage raider, and gear is pretty much entirely a pointless endeavor past just being at the minimum for duty finder, if someone is trying to rush to endgame and 'catch up' they're doing it wrong. The story is 80% of the game and the main focus, if square cared about the endgame we'd have more than a whopping 4 fights every 6 months.

I will ask again, how much of your game time was spent doing just the story? Was it 80%? I somehow doubt it.

[Puremallace]

The MMO has a queue to login in every single day and far worse on patch days. So either FF14 has some of the worst servers in history or these completely packed zones I keep seeing tells me that they are doing something right.

Here want me to save you time? Hit ESC and skip if you think it is boring. Got some nostalgia go on Youtube or use New Games + but no NO MORE gutting the story because you cannot be bothered to read a quest.

This MMO has one of these single best story arcs in the history of the genre and you want them to gut it even more.

The only MMO that has a bigger playerbase than FFXIV (and isn't free to play) is WoW, and even they have their story being mandatory now.

LITERALLY this. Even Blizzard realized you sometimes have to draw the line in the sand and stand for something. If you do not like story then go play Fornite or something because you only do it once and then never have to do it again unless you queue Prae or Castrum......

[van_arn]

Honestly, they should extend the gutting to the expansion storylines next. ARR had some nasty filler, but Heavensward and Stormblood could do with some streamlining.

[glitteringcosmos]

We aren’t talking about cash shop items are we? We’re talking about pruning/making the story non mandatory. If you would like to discuss that feel free to let me know.

Except that in response to your arguing in circles about making MSQ non mandatory, we are giving you our answer: they already HAVE made it non-mandatory. You HAVE the option of skipping the MSQ in order to “get through” to the content that you want. You keep arguing for something that already exists. And if you REALLY want to skip it that bad without paying, guess what? That’s an option too. It’s called ESC->skip scene.

BDO has very little story, people still go from lvl 1 to past soft level cap which takes longer than anything in this game, with only doing a few quests max. Did they not play through the game? Is that game not a mmo? How do you guys think people are playing other mmos with optional story? That are all doing better than XIV player base wise?

You’re comparing apples to oranges here. XIV ISNT AN AVERAGE MMO. First and foremost it is a JRPG and therefore is story-centric at its core. Besides which, as someone else mentioned, clearly FFXIV is doing something right, because it’s got the 2nd-largest player base of any mmo in the world, second only to WOW. Comparing player bases here undermines your argument.

Making it optional does not hurt anyone, at all or else every other mmo on the market would be dead and gone. The amount of MSQ had to be a problem, hence them removing some of it, one thing businesses will not do is extra work if it doesn’t benefit them at all. The retention rate had to be horrible and the feedback had to reflect too many MSQ to get caught up.

You’re wrong in this instance about businesses not doing extra work if it doesn’t benefit them. Multiple times we’ve gotten content because the developers worked on it on their own time, because they knew the players asked for it and wanted it. That’s how we got flying in ARR zones.

Making it optional does in fact hurt players. Those who want to play the story are already rushed and pressured to skip cutscenes in group content, or risk getting left behind. Making MSQ optional would only exacerbate the issue.

Also most people know they will have to catch up is one thing to gate them with story (long queues if dps which is out of their control) and another to gate with actual progression which is what most people play mmos for...progression.

Progressing through story IS progression. MSQ remains the single best way to level your main job. That’s the incentive to play MSQ for those who aren’t necessarily in it for the story. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, and no amount of snarky comments and whining is going to change that.

Removing the MSQ gate to content is never going to happen in XIV, because there are ALREADY means in place to circumvent it if you absolutely CANNOT be bothered to play it.

[glitteringcosmos]

I will ask again, how much of your game time was spent doing just the story? Was it 80%? I somehow doubt it.

Between the main story, and the job stories, and the role stories, and the relic stories, and the raid stories, and the alliance raid stories, and the deep dungeon stories.... yes, I can easily say I spend 80% of my time playing story. And that’s not including my annual new game plus run. Before you say “locked just behind MSQ,” job and role abilities are locked behind their respective quests too, and some content is even locked behind other optional content (Ivalice gating Bozja, and E4S gating TEA Ultimate, for example) so you can’t have one without the other.

[SturmChurro]

Between the main story, and the job stories, and the role stories, and the relic stories, and the raid stories, and the alliance raid stories, and the deep dungeon stories.... yes, I can easily say I spend 80% of my time playing story. And that’s not including my annual new game plus run. Before you say “locked just behind MSQ,” job and role abilities are locked behind their respective quests too, and some content is even locked behind other optional content (Ivalice gating Bozja, and E4S gating TEA Ultimate, for example) so you can’t have one without the other.

We are talking about Main Story Quest. Much of the "story" of what you have described is end-game content, or "story" content aside from it. You cannot even get to much of the "story" you have described unless you have already done the MSQ. At that point people can skip dialogue to their hearts desire and play with their friends. "Locked behind MSQ" is a big deal, as described by this thread.

[glitteringcosmos]

We are talking about Main Story Quest. Much of the "story" of what you have described is end-game content, or "story" content aside from it. You cannot even get to much of the "story" you have described unless you have already done the MSQ. At that point people can skip dialogue to their hearts desire and play with their friends. "Locked behind MSQ" is a big deal, as described by this thread.

And as it has been said, MANY, many times, there are already ways in place to get around the "Locked behind MSQ," you just don't like the options given to you and want the game to bend over backwards for you and your ilk. And it's just not going to happen.

[SturmChurro]

And as it has been said, MANY, many times, there are already ways in place to get around the "Locked behind MSQ," you just don't like the options given to you and want the game to bend over backwards for you and your ilk. And it's just not going to happen.

The way is giving SE a large amount of money. That isn't a good "way" at all, and discourages many would be players. - Right, I forgot, as some here would like to say (speaking in general), "this game isn't for them".

In reference to "you and your ilk" I have sat through and listened to and or read all MSQ quests, and every single sidequest I have ever done - I have not skipped. I even go as far as clicking on each NPC to see what line they are given before advancing a quest. So, me being included is, frankly, laughable. Personally, I think of the game as a whole, aside from myself, and what players are being turned away from other great content this game could offer them, because of this hundred plus hour roadblock that is the main story quest.

[Reyketi]

you and your ilk. And it's just not going to happen.

Them sodium levels xD

It already happened.

The MSQ has been condensed, and the leveling process has been streamlined.

With the addition of extra content, further condensation will be done, most likely.

Best Wishes

-Reyketi