February 5th Announcement, Realistic Expectations Thread

[MachaYum]

Considering that you have 4x as many unrealistic expectations that includes "basically anything" than you do realistic expectations, you might be better off just tuning out come Feb 5th, and spare yourself a boatload of disappointment. You might instead want to reflect on why you play the game currently. If you want a different mmo so badly, then play another mmo.

When you title a thread, "February 5th Announcement, Realistic Expectations Thread", you create an expectation that at the very least you will be the one to provide some of those. Instead, you used it as a front to voice various improvements you want with the game; effectively turning it into a wish thread. While I can't guarantee anything, I would put several months salary on the line in wager than none of your unrealistic expectations will make it into the Feb 5th announcement. I would wager even more that they never make it into the game at all.

When Yoshi says to bring high expectations come Feb 5th, I am pretty sure he is not talking to the pessimistic, debbie downer who is greatly dissatisfied with the current state of the game. He is talking to those who are actually excited to see what they've cooked up.

Okay, let me narrow down my expectations then:
- Character creator improvement
- graphics update
- new healer
- Better beards for males

Only one of those is most likely going to be fulfilled. And that’s the healer job. Why does it have to be that way? Why can’t we at least have a better character creator? Am I wrong in wanting something better for the game? Am I wrong for having expectations? It just gets depressing and tiring that 98% of the things people ask for “can’t be done” due to some generic response like “server limitations”. It just gets tiring. That is why Yoshi’s statement “feel free to have high expectations” irks me. And until Blue Protocol comes out, I’m unfortunately stuck with FFXIV.

[MintnHoney]

While I can't guarantee anything, I would put several months salary on the line in wager than none of your unrealistic expectations will make it into the Feb 5th announcement. I would wager even more that they never make it into the game at all.

Isn't that the point? They're not likely at all to happen, therefore it's unrealistic to expect them.

When Yoshi says to bring high expectations come Feb 5th, I am pretty sure he is not talking to the pessimistic, debbie downer who is greatly dissatisfied with the current state of the game. He is talking to those who are actually excited to see what they've cooked up.

For one thing, Yoshi-P says a lot of things. Otherwise, let's not forget that it's part of his job to hype the game, its events, and any content, underwhelming or otherwise, as far up as possible, in order to attract more paying customers. Realistically speaking, that's what he's doing here, and that would apply to anyone who has even the slightest passing interest in FFXIV, negative or otherwise. Frankly, if he was trying to speak only to the most rabid fans, then he would not need to say anything at all, as they would have been changing their undergarments over the announcement anyway.

I really don't understand the need or desire to disparage someone for wanting more out of something, especially when the potential is there. Even disappointment comes from admiration, so voiced discontent, even passive-aggressive, shouldn't be dismissed so easily.

On topic, I believe that the only realistic expectation to have, at this point, is that the announcement will happen as planned. The rest will all just be happy accidents, so get those happy little tree mints ready.

[Lauront]

Okay, let me narrow down my expectations then:
- Character creator improvement
- graphics update
- new healer
- Better beards for males

Only one of those is most likely going to be fulfilled. And that’s the healer job. Why does it have to be that way? Why can’t we at least have a better character creator? Am I wrong in wanting something better for the game? Am I wrong for having expectations? It just gets depressing and tiring that 98% of the things people ask for “can’t be done” due to some generic response like “server limitations”. It just gets tiring. That is why Yoshi’s statement “feel free to have high expectations” irks me. And until Blue Protocol comes out, I’m unfortunately stuck with FFXIV.

I'm in the same position, also keeping a hawkish eye on BP. I'm biding my time to see if a better MMO comes along, as the current offerings on the MMO market (XIV included) are rather underwhelming. If one doesn't, I'll consider just sticking to switch to an on/off sub pattern, as the game as it is is struggling to keep me interested. Even on the story aspect, it's been disappointing as far as I'm concerned as of 5.1, and I just don't think 5.3 was particularly well executed. 5.4 doesn't have me looking forward to much with the position things are in at the moment, so the story is not much of a hook, either.

If some people are excited about more of the same and aren't holding out to see if the game subverts expectations with some big new features, I'm glad they can find enjoyment in it, but that won't be me.

I'd very much like for them to prove me wrong and come out with some big new features, and a story direction I consider to be great, but I see little reason to think they will. Precisely because they do seem to have a chunk of players content with things to remain as they are.

[StriderShinryu]

Okay, let me narrow down my expectations then:
- Character creator improvement
- graphics update
- new healer
- Better beards for males

Only one of those is most likely going to be fulfilled. And that’s the healer job. Why does it have to be that way? Why can’t we at least have a better character creator? Am I wrong in wanting something better for the game? Am I wrong for having expectations? It just gets depressing and tiring that 98% of the things people ask for “can’t be done” due to some generic response like “server limitations”. It just gets tiring. That is why Yoshi’s statement “feel free to have high expectations” irks me. And until Blue Protocol comes out, I’m unfortunately stuck with FFXIV.

Well, you're not really stuck with FF14 at all. I mean, you can play other games or no game at all. Nothing is really forcing you to keep your FF14 sub active. But I'm sure you know that.

Anyway, the reason we can't just have, for example, a better character creator is because the character models, animations, gear designs, etc. are all intrinsically tied to the game's engine and to each other. A new character creator, even if it just added the much wanted "butt slider" would likely require an at least partial overhaul of the way character models are displayed, the way animations work, the way gear is created/designed and functions in connection with the models and animations, etc. To you it might seem like a small thing to just add some features but every new or changed feature ties back into, in some cases, the entire core coding of the game. And, because of how the coding for FF14 still relies on the junk code from 1.0 hastily scraped together and rejigged to make 2.0, some of it really is just likely near unchangeable without tearing everything down and starting FF14 all over again. Personally, I wouldn't really mind that happening, but it's a big ask that would probably put development of the game on hold for at least a couple of years.. at which point they'd probably rather just make an entirely new FF MMO.

Think of it like putting an addition on a house. It's easy to say "it can't be that hard to just add a third floor" but you can't just "add a third floor" when the whole foundation is cracked and crooked and the existing two floors are barely holding up. That's why people keep saying "generic" things like "it's the database issues" or "it's because of the spaghetti code." Those might seem like flippant responses to you but it's basically just people using shorthand for the issues we all know have been holding back proper development of the game for years.

[Raltar]

All I want is a release date so I can put in for time off from work.

[Auryan]

Seeing as the initial reveal showcase will also have the live letter and act as a fanfest replacement, I'm expecting a more than usual amount of information. Certainly more than either SB and ShB's reveal.

As what you might reasonably expect:
- a short, ~6 sec trailer with the expansion name reveal. Since they're not going to go in depth with the location of the new expansion in order to avoid spoiling 5.5, the trailer will be pretty vague.
- they'll flat out say the roles for the new jobs, while revealing one (the non-spoiler-y one) outright. I could say they'll reveal both since they have less time to tease the jobs without the fanfests and media tour, but one of the two jobs will probably too involved with the new expansion to actually reveal. Or maybe not. That would be pleasant surprise.
- mention the title and creator for the new 24-man series. This has been a big deal since SB, so I wouldn't be surprised if they continue the trend of doing crossovers with other SE IPs.
- a reveal of the title of the new 8 man. Just the name of the raid series, as well as a single still. Short and mysterious.
- some new features they've been talking about.
- maybe a date for the Xbox release.
- dates for everything from the next event and maybe even the launch of the expansion.

That's a very general idea of the bare minimum. I'm sure they're will be plenty of more things and details that I can't summarize.

As for the 5.5. live letter: outside of the usual (story, 24-man finale, Weapons storyline conclusion, etc.), I expect a teaser for the next Ultimate, talk more about the next and final part of the Bozjan Resistance which includes the new zone. And a surprise announcement of the content they've talked about last time. Which could be the farm content they talked about years ago. Maybe something about beast tamer, if we're following the way Blue mage came out (is there a precedent?).

That's all I have for now. And even though the forums is just a cesspool of pessimism and cold apathy that makes me question why I even lurk here, I'm very excited for the showcase. No matter what they actually end up revealing.

[Aniya_Estlihn]

- a short, ~6 sec trailer with the expansion name reveal. Since they're not going to go in depth with the location of the new expansion in order to avoid spoiling 5.5, the trailer will be pretty vague.

I think this angle is a bit strange. There is almost undeniable proof that we're going to Garlemald, so they could easily reveal that and then be like "Find out why we're headed there in 5.5!" Which is one of the things they actually did for 4.0's first fanfest. As we knew we immediately knew were going to Gyr Abania/Ala Mhigo, but we didn't know exactly how or why until 3.5. In fact they said we'd have to wait until 3.5 to find out exactly why we were going there, but we knew from the start it was Gyr Abania due to the MSQ and the general direction of the story.

In fact, the narrative is currently pushing towards Garlemald rather blatantly—the towers are Garlean, Fandaniel says Zenos will wait for us in the midst of the chaos. As Lyse put it "Huge swathes of the episode have been reduced to rubble", which is only natural in a country—that has too many military legions that operate separately and all have interests in controlling the throne—under the grips of a civil war... like? Is that not obvious enough? It sounds chaotic enough.

So it's pretty easy to assume we're going to Garlemald as the build up for it has been stirring since late 4.X and Shadowbringers only acted as a small diversion from it. There's no reason to go anywhere else now that we know both Zenos and the only remaining Ascian who poses a threat are working together. And while they could throw a curveball and subvert expectations, I think that'll be in the reasoning for us going to Garlemald, rather than a question if if we are or aren't.

[Theodric]

I'd rather not face another bait and switch expansion so it'd be nice to know in advance where we're going with 100% certainty. Other MMO's announce where upcoming expansions are going to be set. I can understand not wanting to reveal specific story details but I'm not a fan of the habit of trying to avoid any and all spoilers at any cost. We're spending money to buy the expansion - usually in advance - which is a good enough reason to give us more than a very vague premise of what to expect.

I'm hoping that, at the very least, it's set on the Source. If it's another world hopping expansion so soon after the last...then I'll be rather disappointed.

[Gojin]

no male viera no buy.

[SpiralMask]

i'm betting there'll be zero acknowledgement of current healer suffering, and no mentions of healers whatsoever in any slides relating to class or combat changes.

best not to expect more, since that's exactly what the last year and a half or so has been.