The story is great, but it blatantly gets in the way of the rest of the game

[Kranel_San]

FFXIV is a story-focused MMO. If you don't like that, then there are many other MMOs to play in the market. It's as simple as this.
Someone does not simply go walk into Runescape and say: "Hey, it's a player-driven game and that stands in the way of entertainment!" or to Destiny2 and say: "Hey, it's an FPS game and not tab target and that stands in the way of entertainment!".
In the same manner, one does not simply walk into a story-focused MMO and say the story is locking the content behind it. That's the whole point of the game. FFXIV without the story isn't really great. You can't come in and slam the story aside as if it's nothing. That's insulting.

[Broken_Wind]

FFXIV is a story-focused MMO. If you don't like that, then there are many other MMOs to play in the market. It's as simple as this.
Someone does not simply go walk into Runescape and say: "Hey, it's a player-driven game and that stands in the way of entertainment!" or to Destiny2 and say: "Hey, it's an FPS game and not tab target and that stands in the way of entertainment!".
In the same manner, one does not simply walk into a story-focused MMO and say the story is locking the content behind it. That's the whole point of the game. FFXIV without the story isn't really great. You can't come in and slam the story aside as if it's nothing. That's insulting.

Whats insulting is you didnt seem to read their post.

They want to do the story, but they want to do other things along with it

It is a valid concern and it does not really have an easy answer

There is no question that the expansions are going to be more impactful to people who have played through what was before, for most people.
The game could use some more content that these MSQ limbo players can do with their friends other than just the roulettes, for exp that they dont even need.

[Eelanos]

I'm a bit lost. Are we still talking about the 50/60/70/80 exp drought?

They want to do the story, but they want to do other things along with it

Other things alongside the story, like what? XIV is already called a "theme park mmo" because it has a truckload of stuff to do besides the MSQ, but doing any of that will halt the MSQ progress.
Many things get unlocked way before 50, from the ocean fishing, to pvp, the gold saucer, deep dungeon...

Also, I don't entirely get this. On the other MMOs I've played, it's usually rush the story then immediately farm X content ad-nauseam, which is why I quit most of them. This is the only one where I can play as if I was playing any other RPG and have fun with it without my friends chewing my ear about how the game is not fun until you do the latest dungeon or raid released.
It's great that people want to experience high level gameplay, but there's already a story skip for that, the unending journey book and New Game+ just in case they want to experience the story at their own pace without missing on the newest content. I don't know what else they could do to give you something to do while you're doing the MSQ.

[Broken_Wind]

I'm a bit lost. Are we still talking about the 50/60/70/80 exp drought?



Other things alongside the story, like what? XIV is already called a "theme park mmo" because it has a truckload of stuff to do besides the MSQ, but doing any of that will halt the MSQ progress.
Many things get unlocked way before 50, from the ocean fishing, to pvp, the gold saucer, deep dungeon...

Also, I don't entirely get this. On the other MMOs I've played, it's usually rush the story then immediately farm X content ad-nauseam, which is why I quit most of them. This is the only one where I can play as if I was playing any other RPG and have fun with it without my friends chewing my ear about how the game is not fun until you do the latest dungeon or raid released.
It's great that people want to experience high level gameplay, but there's already a story skip for that, the unending journey book and New Game+ just in case they want to experience the story at their own pace without missing on the newest content. I don't know what else they could do to give you something to do while you're doing the MSQ.

This is a fair counterpoint. There is a large chunk there, it doesnt help you get to endgame faster of course

And I do agree with your assessment on rush story > farm, but appreciate not everyone feels the same

[Tychonius]

Ultimately the issue is simply that the story gates all of the expansion content in this game, and that means if there is any part of the game you look forward to that isn't available from the start the story is now in your way.

I've been in the game for two weeks now and haven't been allowed to actually play the class that most interests me. I just don't see how that somehow makes for a better experience.

[Broken_Wind]

Ultimately the issue is simply that the story gates all of the expansion content in this game, and that means if there is any part of the game you look forward to that isn't available from the start the story is now in your way.

I've been in the game for two weeks now and haven't been allowed to actually play the class that most interests me. I just don't see how that somehow makes for a better experience.

Fortunately there are only three classes gated by story. The rest are level gated. And the three story locked classes are at the very start of the first expansion. So they did listen to the feedback with that.

[OhNooo]

The new player experience in this game is made genuinely worse by the fact that you have to go through this bizarre hazing ritual of reenacting nine years of live service with all the waits between expansions through the story missions before you're allowed to actually play the game in its present state. Let's say you're getting into FF14 in 2022 and you're looking through the class list going "Huh, Sage looks cool!", but then it turns out you're actually several months of playing regularly away from being able to even touch the class. It's not a satisfying experience to basically be forced to play the game as it was years ago for hundreds of hours to be able to access things that may have been a selling point for you in the here and now.

If someone has played for years and has enjoyed the story at the pace at which it was being told I understand why they are fond of it. But why does a newer player need to be locked out of all expansion content until they have caught up on all of it? The newer player doesn't get several years to finish those missions at their leisure with long periods of time in between for exploring other aspects of the game. If they want to catch up they just have to sit down and power through them. It turns the story into an obnoxious gatekeeper stopping you from rolling the classes you find interesting, getting into difficult dungeons, joining high level activities or even just taking your time with the low level stuff if you don't want to be endlessly delayed instead of it being a fun aspect of the game you play when you feel like doing story missions.

I completely agree - there's a literal mountain of stuff to get through for new players and I think at some point SE is going to have to address that. As someone who doesn't play for the story but didn't want to buy a story skip, here's how I got through the huge wall of post ARR quests: pretty much wore out my mouse skipping through the npc dialogue and the ESC button was my friend for cutscenes. I just set aside the time to plow through everything and finished in a day. You could also level another job if you need a break from clicking all those dialogue boxes and running from point A to B. there's also Palace of the Dead where you can try out new jobs and also get exp. There's the Gold Saucer for some fun on the side too.

Don't let anyone here make you feel bad or wrong for not liking the story. People enjoy the game in different ways; some people just like to do crafting/gathering and hate having to step foot in a dungeon or trial. Some people just like the challenge of Ultimate raids. Some people literally just play for the story and then unsubscribe until the next part of the story comes out. Enjoy the game the way you want!

[hagare]

Whats insulting is you didnt seem to read their post.

They want to do the story, but they want to do other things along with it

It is a valid concern and it does not really have an easy answer

There is no question that the expansions are going to be more impactful to people who have played through what was before, for most people.
The game could use some more content that these MSQ limbo players can do with their friends other than just the roulettes, for exp that they dont even need.

skip when they play and watch it on youtube.

[Tychonius]

I didn't even know there is a story skip when I started, nor did I know the story would become such a bizarre obstacle to enjoying the rest of the game. I don't really want to skip the story either, I just don't want to have to feel like it's the one part of the game you absolutely have to get "out of the way" before you're free to engage with the content in any order and at any pace you want.

Fortunately there are only three classes gated by story. The rest are level gated. And the three story locked classes are at the very start of the first expansion. So they did listen to the feedback with that.

Good to know I guess. Still, I wanted to play Astrologian and that's definitely a Heavensward class.

[hagare]

I didn't even know there is a story skip when I started, nor did I know the story would become such a bizarre obstacle to enjoying the rest of the game. I don't really want to skip the story either, I just don't want to have to feel like it's the one part of the game you absolutely have to get "out of the way" before you're free to engage with the content in any order and at any pace you want.

well it is.
If you can't be bothered to watch it in game. Skip it and youtube it.
Or unending journey it at your own time.