MSQ

[Enla]

Do they WANT to? Over 4 expansions now and going into the fifth and it's clear how the dev team wants to make the game. And that involves an MSQ as the "tree trunk" for all the other branches: Omega was introduced in MSQ, CT was made part of MSQ, Ivalice gets nods in MSQ, Eureka was tied to MSQ, Coil, Eden, PotD, HoH, Four Lords, friggin BEAST TRIBE QUESTS, almost all side content branches out from there.

That's why "You don't like having to do the MSQ? This game might not be for you" IS a valid response. It's asking the game to fundamentally change its most fundamental aspect just because you don't like it. And even then the devs gave you an out: just pay for a skip and run right into current expansion. If you don't want to invest in what the dev team obviously cares the most about making, you can do so, at a cost.

Also SE is absolutely not going to offer a free solution to this when the skips are readily available. You're not going to convince a business to change what's working, especially when it seems like the current business model is only continuing to grow their brand.

Now with that said if the day comes where SE feels that the skips aren't making them enough money and the MSQ is truly an impediment to player satisfaction then they might offer an MSQ reduction or a 'free' one time skip to some middling expansion. But that day is pretty far off. The only reason ARR was cut down was because it was impeding the new player experience and because it had enough fat to trim that cutting down on the length didn't hurt the story in any way. A couple people on the forum saying they want the story to be reduced and that multiple people in their friend group feel the same isn't going to convince SE to do much to change the entire focus of their brand at this point. And if that sounds harsh, I am by no means stating you can't come here and ask for these changes. But you also need to be realistic and understand SE is a business. If there is no profit to these changes - and they do have the data to track these things because not keeping an eye on player retention is a potentially suicidal move for a developer - they simply are not going to implement them.

[Stepjam]

Source: me

If they had the resources to make stuff like fêtes or fellowships for patches, I'm sure they could figure out a way to make MSQ optional for a new expac.

They don't WANT to make it optional though. This is the key point.

MSQ is integral to the FFXIV experience. They could make it optional, but they don't want to because it's half the point. So saying "If you don't care about story, play a different MMO" is fair.

It would be like playing Last of Us and wishing that it could be more like Gears of War, more focused on gameplay over story.
The solution then is don't ask a game to change it's identity, just go play something more in line with what you care about. There are tons of MMOs that are story lite out there.

[Stepjam]

Besides, if they made MSQ optional, people would complain that they spent 40 bucks for the opportunity to sit around for a month or so doing nothing. At expac launch MSQ is all there really is to do aside from 2 ex trials as far as serious content goes.

[ZedxKayn]

Besides, if they made MSQ optional, people would complain that they spent 40 bucks for the opportunity to sit around for a month or so doing nothing. At expac launch MSQ is all there really is to do aside from 2 ex trials as far as serious content goes.

Idk what's that supposed to mean. People who don't care about the MSQ already get done with it within a couple days. It's not content to us it's a chore.

[Stepjam]

That's what I'm saying. If such a big part of the game is nothing but a chore, play another game. They aren't going to reduce MSQ's importance because it's a large part of the game's identity.

[DPZ2]

It's not a valid response, no. If you think it is, I understand you're not worth talking to about this subject. Or, probably, any subject regarding improvements and critique about the title in question.

Critique? Improvement? For whom?

I understand you won't reply to this, nor probably read this, since you have deemed me unworthy for contradicting your specious assertions.

[ZedxKayn]

Critique? Improvement? For whom?

I understand you won't reply to this, nor probably read this, since you have deemed me unworthy for contradicting your specious assertions.

The critique is that it's a bad design for a MMORPG that hurts player retention a whole lot and making it optional would improve the new player experience tremendously.
Now let's see the mental gymnastics to say that "no, it's actually good".

[linayar]

This is a pretty terrible non-response.

"Play another game" isn't a response to a critique of the current title, when it can easily offer the solution to players who might be interested in a different aspect of the title since the game isn't just a visual novel. Thanks for trying, I guess.

It's my response to this specific proposed change because it can affect the game I currently like in ways that I won't like.

It's a valid response to certain critiques depending on how major of a change it could be to the game.

You're welcome.

The critique is that it's a bad design for a MMORPG that hurts player retention a whole lot and making it optional would improve the new player experience tremendously.
Now let's see the mental gymnastics to say that "no, it's actually good".

Considering lack of endgame is already a known "problem" for player retention, there is no mental gymnastic needed to see this is not a change the game needs.

Yes, skip all the MSQ to keep player retention and get them to the endgame which they will finish earlier so they can also unsub. Hurray for player retention mechanic of optional MSQ.

Fact is, as has been said, players who don't care about the MSQ are already playing the game by speeding through the MSQ. So this change is not needed.

[ZedxKayn]

It's my response to this specific proposed change because it can affect the game I currently like in ways that I won't like.

It's a valid response to certain critiques depending on how major of a change it could be to the game.

You're welcome.

Your fears are absolutely worst case scenarios, good writers won't suddenly become bad writers because a subset of player will not be required to speed through the MSQ anymore.

Considering lack of endgame is already a known "problem" for player retention, there is no mental gymnastic needed to see this is not a change the game needs.

Yes, skip all the MSQ to keep player retention and get them to the endgame which they will finish earlier so they can also unsub. Hurray for player retention mechanic of optional MSQ.

Fact is, as has been said, players who don't care about the MSQ are already playing the game by speeding through the MSQ. So this change is not needed.

Source needed.

Bet you people who say the MSQ is fine as is and SE won't change anything also said that before the ARR changes were announced.

Trimming a measly 13% of ARR's fat changes basically nothing.

[Alaray]

It's my response to this specific proposed change because it can affect the game I currently like in ways that I won't like.

It's a valid response to certain critiques depending on how major of a change it could be to the game.

It literally doesn't affect you. Like, at all. Zero.