ARR needs two simple fixes until an actual revamp

[TheMightyMollusk]

In truth does ARR offer any compelling content outside the setup of the world?

Does bread offer anything compelling to a sandwich other than holding the fillings?

[wereotter]

In truth does ARR offer any compelling content outside the setup of the world?

Literally every expansion to date had its story roots in ARR.

Dragonsong War? You're introduced to this when going through the quests in Central Coerthas.

Liberation of Ala Mhigo? You're introduced to this at level 1 if you start in Ul Dah and everyone else when going through the MSQ in Little Ala Mhigo.
Liberation of Doma? This was brought up around 2.2 when Yugiri lands in Vesper Bay

Endwalker's Story? This was more dispersed, but you can argue that this started with the Crystal Tower raid series where we actually travel to one of the other shards for the first time.

[van_arn]

In truth does ARR offer any compelling content outside the setup of the world?

Nothing that can't be glossed over with a quick scroll of text. The rest can be learned in media res. If further details are desired, that's what NG+ is for.

Are you asking them to make...Like, a movie or something to get people caught up to what happened/what is going on when HW starts?

Not really, those already exist on youtube for those that care enough to find them.

[Awha]

Nothing that can't be glossed over with a quick scroll of text. The rest can be learned in media res. If further details are desired, that's what NG+ is for.



Not really, those already exist on youtube for those that care enough to find them.

Aye, I feel the same way.

Does bread offer anything compelling to a sandwich other than holding the fillings?

I get what you are going for but by the definition of sandwich it would not be one without the bread.

Point is while it could be said for any expansion I do feel more so for ARR every major beat could be addressed in a short exposition dump and the game itself would not be drastically altered that it could no longer be considered a game. Especially with NG+.

From a gameplay perspective it is dull. Classes generally feel for the most part shallow at 50, the dungeon design is dated. Overall ARR did not age well imo.

[TheMightyMollusk]

I get what you are going for but by the definition of sandwich it would not be one without the bread.

Point is while it could be said for any expansion I do feel more so for ARR every major beat could be addressed in a short exposition dump and the game itself would not be drastically altered that it could no longer be considered a game. Especially with NG+.

From a gameplay perspective it is dull. Classes generally feel for the most part shallow at 50, the dungeon design is dated. Overall ARR did not age well imo.

If you're replacing game play with exposition dumps, then it's not much of a game anymore. And saying "but NG+" isn't really relevant, because what's the point of abridging the game if you have to go back and play it all anyway?

I'm not gonna pretend ARR is a masterpiece (a lot of jobs really do need more to do at lower levels, for one thing, and a lot of the English voice work is.....questionable, at best), but to say you could just turn it all into a couple of cut scenes is terribly reductive.

I would also argue that most of the old dungeons are fine, the later ones are overly streamlined. The problem most of them run into is the overly generous item level sync.

[Awha]

If you're replacing game play with exposition dumps, then it's not much of a game anymore. And saying "but NG+" isn't really relevant, because what's the point of abridging the game if you have to go back and play it all anyway?

I'm not gonna pretend ARR is a masterpiece (a lot of jobs really do need more to do at lower levels, for one thing, and a lot of the English voice work is.....questionable, at best), but to say you could just turn it all into a couple of cut scenes is terribly reductive.

I would also argue that most of the old dungeons are fine, the later ones are overly streamlined. The problem most of them run into is the overly generous item level sync.

Thing with an MMO as time goes on parts become obsolete and serve no real purpose in terms of raw gameplay that would alter the core experience if they just did an large exposition dump. While a sandwich would not be much a sandwich without the bread.

Sure it is reductive but personally I think it would be better use or dev time to have the lore writters to make a quick abridged scroll and if people want to go back they can use NG+ though I do not think they should try to keep fixing it.

Just the nature of MMO's. I get this will never be done.

[van_arn]

If you're replacing game play with exposition dumps, then it's not much of a game anymore. And saying "but NG+" isn't really relevant, because what's the point of abridging the game if you have to go back and play it all anyway?

I'm not gonna pretend ARR is a masterpiece (a lot of jobs really do need more to do at lower levels, for one thing, and a lot of the English voice work is.....questionable, at best), but to say you could just turn it all into a couple of cut scenes is terribly reductive.

I would also argue that most of the old dungeons are fine, the later ones are overly streamlined. The problem most of them run into is the overly generous item level sync.

That's exactly the problem with ARR right now. It's an exposition dump with very little gameplay. It's a cutscene gallery, just like we see in the Praetorium.

Just make it optional. Having it available through NG+ is a way to make it optional. And I don't need to keep telling people "ARR doesn't represent the game, just tough it out until Heavensward."

[Fyrebrand]

ARR isn't that bad, it's just that people seem so laser-focused on blitzing through MSQ as fast as possible just to get out of it that it becomes fatiguing. This exacerbates the feeling of being incessantly ping-ponged back and forth from Waking Sands, because you level so fast now that you can basically just spam MSQ obsessively and ignore everything else. If you just relax and treat it like an actual game, rather than one big miserable "Newb Tutorial Island," it's still a pretty good time. Take a breath and go try out some crafting or Golden Saucer or something. Or that Job quest you forgot about from 10 levels ago.

[van_arn]

ARR isn't that bad, it's just that people seem so laser-focused on blitzing through MSQ as fast as possible just to get out of it that it becomes fatiguing. This exacerbates the feeling of being incessantly ping-ponged back and forth from Waking Sands, because you level so fast now that you can basically just spam MSQ obsessively and ignore everything else. If you just relax and treat it like an actual game, rather than one big miserable "Newb Tutorial Island," it's still a pretty good time. Take a breath and go try out some crafting or Golden Saucer or something. Or that Job quest you forgot about from 10 levels ago.

Except that's exactly what ARR is: a miserable noob tutorial island.

It was great when it first released, but it's been outdone by more competently-planned expansions since then. It even lasts too long to be a tutorial island for most; 2.x still goes on for 80 quests, down from 100. On top of that, the content is so weak in this current era that it's not capable of teaching much gameplay.

Frankly, if the best defense for it is "because the cutscenes" then NG+ or the inn can replace the requirement entirely.

[Derio]

It already got revamped and Yoshi P already stated they dont plan on making further adjustments.