MSQ Needs Further Condensing

[SturmChurro]

It's a recurrent problem with MSQ (and quest in general) in FFXIV. Gameplay between cutscenes is usually nonexistent till a solo duty, dungeon or trial is unlocked. The last 24m raid related quest all had my doing was going from A to B and use an emote.

Yeah, and no matter how much cutting they may or may not do, this aspect will never change. Unfortunately. Like I said, a lot of archaic systems in place. It would be nice if we could just automatically just get the next quest in the series without running back and forth.

[Driavna]

Yeah, and no matter how much cutting they may or may not do, this aspect will never change. Unfortunately. Like I said, a lot of archaic systems in place. It would be nice if we could just automatically just get the next quest in the series without running back and forth.

Yes. That's why I will like this area to keep improving in the future.

[Reap00]

I quit this game twice trying to get through the MSQ, I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm stubborn and came back, but how many people do? One of the big problems with the MSQ, especially early on, is how much running you do. There is a severe disrespect for the players time. There are so many quests, that are literally 'run for 10 minutes, get one line of dialogue, run back for 10 minutes'. To me, this happens to the point of being insulting. It gets particularly bad early on when you still don't even have enough money to teleport back, which just happened to me last night. I started a new character, on a new server, just to get a feel for what they did to the MSQ, as it's always been my warning to people that ask me if they should try FF. Same old stuff.

To argue that even half of those quests are indispensable to the story is pretty laughable. ALL of those quests, especially early on, should auto complete instead of making you go back to the original quest hub. Any MSQ that has you running back to the original NPC, only to then run back out to the area you were just in, should just issue you the next quest in the series when you complete the previous one. That alone would cut the time it takes in half.

It's fairly obvious, that the MSQ was designed, at the time, to pad the game. That padding is certainly no longer needed, it's a real barrier for new players trying to get into the game. The biggest problem for retention for new players in this game, is how rudimentary the combat is early on, combined with how much time you spend literally doing nothing but running. This game still makes a horrible first impression.

Give me the name of a quest or post a vid that requires the player to run from one location to another for a quest that takes 10m. I only want a single example. Here is a hint. You won't find it. It doesn't exist.

[kidalutz]

Just make the pc use their linkshell and switch to the cutscene of whoever they needed to talk to talking. SO much is wasted on back and forth porting including gil.

[Barwara]

I do have another thought. Don't most people complain that there's nothing to do once you're at the end content? Why is it so desirable to get to end content then? From what I read, people are always eagerly waiting for the next patch content because they run out of doings to do.

Farming gear, weapons and levelling up is fine, but I find it curious there's such a push to make it possible for people to get to the point of the game when you're just waiting for new content. I don't have anything against just enjoying raiding content. But I'm assuming that in the scenario where you get a free pass to lvl 70, you'll do a round of what the game has to offer pretty quickly. I doubt you'll go back to do lower-level content which is most likely simpler than what you get at lvl 70-80, effectively reducing all of the content you can possibly do in the game, now that you finally have access to almost everything. Wouldn't be left with nothing to do also dissuade people from playing and sticking to the game? You wouldn't even be able to level up more than 10 levels.

[DPZ2]

Unless you enjoy playing alternate characters (as I do), the answer to the question "what do I do once I've jumped to 70 and completed current content?" is unsub and come back for the next patch". And SE is entirely happy that you've taken that break.

[Alleo]

I do have another thought. Don't most people complain that there's nothing to do once you're at the end content? Why is it so desirable to get to end content then? From what I read, people are always eagerly waiting for the next patch content because they run out of doings to do.

I can fully understand that for some people the MSQ nearly made them stop but that is imo not a reason to suddenly destroy the MSQ because just as you said if people want to reach it to get to the good stuff I wonder if some wont just quit anyways because other than a savage raid every two patches and a Ultimate here and there the rest is just senseless grinding. You would need to have interest in other stuff like gathering and crafting to make it worthwile.

Just as two people posted that they did not like the MSQ I too had two people in my old FC that did quit because they rushed it and then stood there with the realization that each patch is just a new grind for barely any good endgame content.

So in the end if SE would condense the MSQ futher (and how much would be enough for some here?) some may stick with the game, some my go because they started it for the story and I am quite sure that quite a few will just quit because they dont like a lot of the other grindy stuff and there is nothing that great of endgame there.

I am fine with a lot of complaints because there is always something to make better. But this game is known for being story driven. Lets not go into such a game and then want it to be changed at its core...I am not going to start a PVP core game and then complain that I dont like the PVP part and the devs should just change it up so I can do the stuff that is PVE. (Or in the case of FF14: complain about something which can be solved by either skipping the cutscenes or paying for it...as someone said, you are after all saving yourself the time to do all the story...which in turn saves you money for sub.)

[MilkieTea]

A point I wanna make separate from my other point: The quests themselves need a bit more streamlining in ARR. Especially Post-ARR.

IE: In the quest Into the Heart of the Whorl, you speak to Merlwyb. Right next to her is Yugiri. After speaking to Merlwyb, you then have to click and speak to Yugiri. Both of these trigger a cutscene.

I like the story and I dont think it should be cut down. But the quests themselves need a bit of work.

[Rinhi]

Finally some REAL experience, rather than nostalgia. Completely true! Good feedback. All the running around, PLUS the combat SUCKS. It's a really bad first impression. Really, it's a combination of factors. Unfortunately, this game has a lot of archaic systems in place.

as someone who only started playing in march this year and before the MSQ was condensed, I didn't have a problem with the length of the ARR MSQ, the only annoying thing being having to go back to the Scion's HQ over and over and over again and there being no aetheryte next to it
more of a nuisance than a problem imo plus the rest of the game more than makes up for it

[Vickii]

Patch MSQ is a problem.

When you are at the end, patched MSQ is really welcome and enjoyable.

When you are behind and blasting through the expansions, patch MSQ is an inconvenience and makes it a slog.

They need to provide content that people at the endgame can enjoy, while being skippable or something to come back to for people who just want to progress.

Not saying they shouldn’t have MSQ but a lot of the patch stuff is filler. 5.4 for example, besides the closing scenes you aren’t missing much of the overall story if you don’t do it. There’s no reason the limsa stuff couldn’t have been additional sidequest content as at least currently it appears only to add extra context to things rather than be a crucial addition to the story.