Deceptive reward scheme

[NickStinger]

I first submitted this issue in-game, but I received a reply stating that I should post this as feedback to the forum. I'm not sure why this issue has to become a forum post, but I hope someone here will listen.

I am still a new FFXIV player. I've managed to play through the Praetorium of the main scenario quest. As a reward for achieving this milestone, Square-Enix presented me with a potion of Fantasia.

Now, I used one of these before that I bought off the cash shop some six months ago. I am rather happy with my avatar, but thought maybe to use this free gift to change my Mi'qote tail. Since I've done this before, I felt confident doing it again without reviewing how Fantasia works.

Ugh, I couldn't figure it out. All I wanted was to change my tail, but nowhere on the main Fantasia screen did it tell me how to do that. There were options for changing my race, gender, and birthday, but nothing for changing my tail. I eventually thought that I could edit my tail on the NEXT screen by clicking the X in the lower right corner. When I clicked on it, I was presented a dialog saying that my hair options are affected by my race selection. I thought, PERFECT! I want to proceed to the hair options. I clicked the proceed button.

Pressing that button concluded Fantasia without allowing me to edit my avatar appearance. Nothing changed. Not one single data point was changed. NOTHING. The avatar I had at the start was identical to the avatar I had at the end.

I submitted an in-game support ticket to ask for another Fantasia. I'm not cheating the system. I didn't make a change and then get overcome with remorse. Nothing was changed! So naturally, when I was told that - NO, I have to buy a new Fantasia, I was upset.

Why am I upset about this? Because this Fantasia was a reward for all my efforts, and I was effectively told that Square-Enix doesn't really want to see me rewarded after all. This is deceptive, dishonest, and most notably insincere.

Again, I was happy with my avatar, and I still am happy with my avatar. I would have never contemplated any changes if that reward were not gifted to me. Now that Square-Enix has denied me from receiving the benefit of that reward, and even told me I have to PAY to receive the benefit, I am deeply offended.

I am giving you notice over how offended I am. I have been a Final Fantasy fan for 30 years, before Square-Enix even had a website. With this move, Square-Enix has killed 30 years of good will. Short of reversing this disappointing decision and getting genuine with me, there won't be any new business between us going forward. I'm not going to pay to for this sham reward. That would make me an idiot.

[ItMe]

Now that Square-Enix has denied me from receiving the benefit of that reward, and even told me I have to PAY to receive the benefit, I am deeply offended.

I am giving you notice over how offended I am. I have been a Final Fantasy fan for 30 years, before Square-Enix even had a website. With this move, Square-Enix has killed 30 years of good will. Short of reversing this disappointing decision and getting genuine with me, there won't be any new business between us going forward. I'm not going to pay to for this sham reward. That would make me an idiot.

Is that $7 really hitting that deep?
30 years must not have built much goodwill...

[DarkMasamune]

You say you used one before, didn't you know how it worked then ? I don't understand.

That being said, it's a bummer, but sadly, it's your fault if you didn't know how to edit your character, it's not Square Enix's fault. I'm sorry you pretty much wasted the free Fantasia the game gives you because of a mistake but these things happens.

Next time you'll know.

[Hasrat]

You pressed the big X button thinking X means proceed?

[LianaThorne]

Nothing deceptive, just had to use common sense and click under Appearance. Your fault ultimately and saying on here that you used one before doesn't help your case much either.

[Awha]

Sounds like a boomer moment that resulted in a Karen moment.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Not sure how that makes it a deceptive reward scheme. Sounds to me more like user error.

[Edax]

I eventually thought that I could edit my tail on the NEXT screen by clicking the X in the lower right corner.

This is deceptive, dishonest, and most notably insincere.

You were deceived into thinking X means next? By whom? How is it notably insincere? Whom is being dishonest?

[Vahlnir]

Sounds like a boomer moment that resulted in a Karen moment.

I'll admit...I laughed a little harder than I should have at this.

[Saefinn]

I think I know what the guy has done. It's not an 'X' he's clicked, he means the tick. The pop up he's referring to pops up when you click the 'tick' button and he said bottom right, the 'X' is on the bottom left, the tick is on the bottom right.

But there's nothing misleading about this screen and I feel like calling shenanigans because of this part of the comment:

There were options for changing my race, gender, and birthday, but nothing for changing my tail.

I call shenanigans here because you've missed 1 item off the list of things you can click on to change here and that was "Appearance". If you want to change the appearance of your tail then you click on "Appearance" surely?

There's nothing misleading the devs are doing, they're not trying to cheat you or anything like that. You've either misunderstood the interface or made a mistake.

But the fact you went to the detail of listing what you can see on that screen but missed out the option that you very obviously should have clicked and that options is inbetween 2 of the options you've listed makes me think there's something fishy about this.

Sure I can find faults with what SE does from time-to-time, but this is user error and they offer a pop up to ask if you're sure before you commit anything to combat that. They don't offer replacements for user error because it'd be an easy system to abuse for freebies. They're not misleading anybody or being disingenuous or sticking it to you after 30 years of dedication, they're not trying to screw you, you just obviously made a mistake. It happens, people are human so we all make them (even SE), but they're not there to cover your mistakes and as far as mistakes go, it's minor, it's a $7 mistake to resolve or a "I keep my tail as is" kinda mistake.


And they probably suggested the forums because their current process is to do nothing and the forums is where people come to give feedback and if enough people support said feedback it may encourage changes to their process.