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[Shougun]

Generally I do pretty well with hype, even when I was reaching super deep for the fun of it using ancient history and imagery in the trailer to be like "confirmed ronso". "confirmed ronso" like that guy from the history channel with "aliens", and naturally I had to use the leaks as a basis) it was still just for fun and regularly admitted it may or may not be a thing and I was just having fun. I also tried to temper people's expectation that both genders would be released given the leak info and previous stuff Yoshida has said.

Yet I have to say when they were like 'primarily solo job', 'we went this way because didn't want to have to balance the job', etc etc..

That thing still haunts me lol, and to be honest in a major way. Was and still am very disappointed. I think I would have been happier in the end if they actively attempted to underdeliver the job (anti-hype), and I didn't get that excited about it until it was actually out.

Normal job would have been hype- as I've played them all and I think they're all variations of interesting (some more than others, but I hated none of them, I actively dislike BLU), the thought of a job that can let people do old content on your own (that some jobs just can't reasonably do for whatever reason)... and then what they released was actually designed for party finder and balanced (just higher numbers, but it's absolutely actually balanced).

Well, I'm one salty son of a chocobo and I've yet to recover lol. The job still actively ruins my 'glow' / happy vibes when I play the game and see it in my UI under the normal job section (I hope SE makes a limited section and removes it from that window pane, as an honest to god would improve my experience with the game request- I don't want to see it). I'll admit they've improved many parts of the job for those PF exclusive players, but it's absolutely 100% away from any sort of desire I'd ever have wanted and the poor information in the beginning has just left a permanent sting (more accurately delivering and less hyping the job, would have helped; although, I still believe it would have been far smarter to not use BLU and just make something else). I started sometimes playing other games in my free time because of that event, honestly was like "wow.. this sucks, a lot- I hate this feeling" (which isn't a lot, free time being stretches' longer than like 5 or 10 minutes lol).

I will still strongly and feverantly stand by that they could have done better, even at what direction they were doing. Managing expectations, progression, gameplay mechanics, boring spells until PF exclusives, or as I said technically I think they could have done much better just using a different job as then it would be new, even if it was blue mage like in mechanics.. but I do imagine that level 70 blue is going to have a decent kit at least, besides tank, the kit does get better already at 60. Yet your gameplay/kit is going to be absolutely terrible until you get those spells- the most boring job until you get party finder exclusive skills. Excluding the novelty of casting 1k needles, mechanically the job is awful to play until you get many PF exclusive skills- which introduces it's own significant problems, and good luck doing that given it's dead content after the patch hype. They'll need to fix that- until then even though I 'get' that they clearly just decided to design blue mage for a specific group of players that wont be me I'll still call it poorly implemented. As in if leaving most everything as it is but you fix up progression to be more engaging and natural, no reason 1 to 50 is mostly 1-3 button spam that isn't that fun (aside from novelty of using a monster skill), and then add systems to prevent it being dead after hype- it'll be decent at what it was designed for. Which is clear a PF exclusive raider/raider-lite content, and the side bonus of trivializing FATEs and mog tomestones (as without PF content blue mage is just a bad job, like mechanically it's incomplete and absolutely hobbled - you must PF if you want it to be decent in design, it makes PF not really optional if you want something that's actually even slightly interesting and which is why I call it a PF exclusive job as it's very clearly designed around PF first and solo as it's side thing that actually relies back onto PF), naturally I will still wish it wasn't used for that (concept of PF exclusive activities can remain but I'll miss the opportunity cost of the job) but at least then it'd not feel like "PFF PFFF fff ffFFTtttT" xD.

If both on myself, hype not getting away, but also on them for some poorly choice words (not primarily solo designed, and it was obviously balanced- to the point they actually had to buff it after release because of reception)... this all may sting less. I'd still be sad as I would still strongly believe Blue would have been far more interesting under a Hades / Diablo 3 spell mixing system (primarily solo design) or naturally either normal or normal and limited, but still sting a lot less lol if I didn't allow myself to get too excited "finally my dreams are happening" and then also poor choice of words on SE's part (which I shouldn't hold them for forever, but that feeling of dreams were lost and I don't feel like what was replaced in it's stead was really worth it ... my imo of course :3).

/hyperventilate, throws table.... lol


Anyway.. Moral of the story managing expectations for everyone is super important. Be excited certainly but don't try to run with anything. Technically even if they do show something it's still a bit dangerous, but that makes it also "on them" for misleading either intentionally or accidentally (which is why I said managing expectations is important for everyone, not just the player but the company has to be actively a part of that concept too).

I like to 'dream big' so when people are too matter of factly on trying to manage other's expectations it's a bit upsetting (that' can't happen because of X, meanwhile SE is like "hold my beer"), but I certainly find no qualms with "that's unlikely" and probably an important thing to do (just... not a fan of "I know this can't happen" and then I investigate that it's more like "I know it's very unlikely that'll happen" lol). Some people dislike titles made in certain ways, others dislike overconfidence .

If you love FFXIV and think Yoshida is a god STILL manage your expectations, you could easily leave a stain on your experience with the game. Also just to say it in advance of anyone questioning my sanity yes I'm very well aware that blue is a small fraction of the game lol- and the game at large, which I've said on many occasions, is quite good; however, for myself, blue has left a stain that occasionally just has me logging off these days (it was something I really wanted, on top of what I feel was poorly both released and initially realized, unnecessarily done, and generally executed either in ways I've no interest in personally (selfish yes, but who best to advocate and propagate for what you like than yourself lol) or I think could have just been much better regardless of my own desire (whether made to how I had wished or not).. And to note some of the suggestions I made "not for me" were then done to blue and those people "not me" did like blue even more for those changes, as reference evidence of some of my issues, and ability to see past my Himalayan Blue Salt mines - yet is still obviously it's my issue okay?!?!! XD.

I fear for those who will be next and feel similarly, I've seen a few people already have their jobs they dream would be added put onto the limited chopping block and they've already voiced their fears. At minimum I hope SE figures to use different names, like Shepherd instead of beast master or something. Turn level 9 pain to level 6 lol.

I am hopeful that something in the expansion is going to lift that or distract it, perhaps this new awesome job or just some wonderous new areas to wander around (I get great joy out of wandering their new areas), new big idea, feature, or something, and heck even if it doesn't that's ultimately fine, just call me the salt king, I still really want to see the end of this story and generally interested to see what direction they will go (like if they're going to just try and repeat exactly ShB - trying to do a sort of 'safe corporate move'), if they will dig deep into the pockets to try and make 6.0 an insane ending to the saga (an ending for the ages experience), and or if there are signs that they are going to try and maintain FFXIV as flagship or not (like glamour, housing, character creation updates, if those change significantly I imagine the answer is yes they intend to keep FFXIV as the mmo flagship, if no that doesn't mean they've got something in their back pocket but it does raise concerns if there then becomes evidence that there isn't anything in the pocket).

[MonsutaMan]

I would not be shocked if a job were added before 6.0

Like Pup or something.

[Gameovers]

The 5th of Feb is taking too long to get here. Quick lets sue time.