Quote Originally Posted by Quor View Post
I feel like they've redefined "casual" to mean the most basic bottom-of-the-barrel player who might conceivably be interested in FF14. All the additions to the game that have opened up a wholly single-player-focused approach tells me that they are making a concerted drive to bring an entirely new class of player into the game.

That seems likely - but if they're really after the Utter Casual, then they'd do better to revamp the start/ARR, give abilities sooner, faster, and speed things up immensely. They've done some, true, but it's still a slog. And if I were them, I think I'd redo some voice actors! (except ARR Merlwyb) If first impressions count, that's where you'd lose the most people - not by gutting the Samurai, which you can't play til you get through that part anyway. I'm always in the position of trying to convince friends 'it gets better, just wait!' And that's true, but if you want to hook in new players, they might want to fix up the early part more. It was painfully getting some of my bunny's lower classes even to 50 - weird lack of aoe, the BLM being utterly the worst in terms of pain.

People that are going to stick it out to end game would surely want slightly more interesting classes. (I'd be fixing them up, rather than dumbing them down, personally - I mean, I really didn't enjoy leveling a 2nd dancer, for one thing. I'd do something fun with the machinist, too. And give my healers another damage button!

Anyway - oh well. I'm fully expecting a major disappointment when it comes to this reversion, which I deeply, truly want.