Every dungeon should be a Variant Dungeon

[Koros]

I used to suggest different kinds of dungeon formats when I thought there was a chance they'd listen. Like one where you're chased by a boss from the very beginning. Remember that X-ATM092 spider robot from FF VIII that chases the party from Dollet communications tower. After taking enough damage it collapses and needs time to repair before the chase resumes. Between those encounters you can fight smaller enemies along the path, eventually reaching a dead end where you have no choice but to destroy the boss for good.

That's a cool idea yeah. And actually far more cinematic than any dungeon in ff14

They seriously suck at telling story through gameplay lmao

[Silver-Strider]

What's the difference between 1 dungeon with multiple different routes/bosses and just having multiple different dungeons?

[MintnHoney]

What's the difference between 1 dungeon with multiple different routes/bosses and just having multiple different dungeons?

Same set pieces, same characters, different encounters, possibly varying level design, maybe different aesthetics, and potentially different results. Unfortunately, FFXIV isn't really built for something like a storyline with branching paths, so any different results would have to be incredibly minor (and when things are that minor in FFXIV, they're basically ditched and never acknowledged again if they can help it).
I suppose they could just drop the pretense and go full Visual Novel on us, and let people actually have a "choose your own adventure" style mini-campaign or something, but that'd probably cut into the grass development.

[Ath192]

Same set pieces, same characters, different encounters, possibly varying level design, maybe different aesthetics, and potentially different results. Unfortunately, FFXIV isn't really built for something like a storyline with branching paths, so any different results would have to be incredibly minor (and when things are that minor in FFXIV, they're basically ditched and never acknowledged again if they can help it).
I suppose they could just drop the pretense and go full Visual Novel on us, and let people actually have a "choose your own adventure" style mini-campaign or something, but that'd probably cut into the grass development.

Slow baby pull trashpacks and an npc loitering about for half the duration of the dungeon? You can miss me with that.

Yeah, for sure, like I wouldn't suggest an NPC taking forever to move things forward or for the mob groups to be too small or easy, but the idea would be that even though defeating the dungeon always has the same result for the MSQ, the dungeons do vary from run to run.

For example, Stone Vigil, you always kill the dragon at the end however, different things and possibly bosses happen in the castle before you get to the dragon to keep things a bit more entertaining.

[DixieBellOCE]

I do like the idea of all dungeons being variants but with one small change.

Each path has a difficulty setting.

If people want to run harder dungeon content, they can go down the hard paths, and of course, get better rewards for their time.

Path 1: Easy (current dungeon level of gameplay)
Path 2: medium (Variant Dungeon level of gameplay)
Path 3: Hard: (Slightly more boss mechanics)
Path 4: Extreme (Much harder bosses)
Path 5: Savage (Extremely hard dungeons, only people in the best gear and experienced players will be able to clear it)

Look at that, content catered to everyone!

[GoatOfWar]

Slow baby pull trashpacks and an npc loitering about for half the duration of the dungeon? You can miss me with that.

[Avoidy]

Slow baby pull trashpacks and an npc loitering about for half the duration of the dungeon? You can miss me with that.

Lot of truth in this. The first boss being the same model with a minor mechanical variation doesn't help much either. Saying this as someone who actually enjoyed the final bosses in these variants and would like to see more of this content. The forced single pulling and npc handholding is the part I hate the most. If that were removed though, I'd say hell yeah just make all the dungeons like this going forward.
In general, I wish we just had dungeons with mechanics that actually meant something. It's kind of dumb imo that we can wait 4-5 months for these things to come out and then people can do them without a healer on their first try with 0 deaths or whatever. I get that they want to make all the story content really easy for people who bought an MMO for the story, but maybe just give these people a cutscene dungeon or something, where they can just watch their character running through the dungeon for the story, and then give the rest of us an actually engaging dungeon.

[Ath192]

Lot of truth in this. The first boss being the same model with a minor mechanical variation doesn't help much either. Saying this as someone who actually enjoyed the final bosses in these variants and would like to see more of this content. The forced single pulling and npc handholding is the part I hate the most. If that were removed though, I'd say hell yeah just make all the dungeons like this going forward.
In general, I wish we just had dungeons with mechanics that actually meant something. It's kind of dumb imo that we can wait 4-5 months for these things to come out and then people can do them without a healer on their first try with 0 deaths or whatever. I get that they want to make all the story content really easy for people who bought an MMO for the story, but maybe just give these people a cutscene dungeon or something, where they can just watch their character running through the dungeon for the story, and then give the rest of us an actually engaging dungeon.

You know what I think would work for this? Maybe make the game actually harder and give story focused players those accessories that they gave out in 16, the timely accessories that auto dodge and heal you like Makoto Dodges in Delubrum, that way people can cheese stuff for first time clears and story play but instances are standard harder difficulty. Just a thought.

An accessory could also simply apply a DOT that does a moderate amount of damage for people who don’t want to learn rotations, none of these would be equipable for raids or extremes. So normal 8 man raids, alliance raids, and extremes and savage would have them banned.

Maybe it’s a way to not split the population and have both groups get more enjoyment.

[Gullis]

Slow baby pull trashpacks and an npc loitering about for half the duration of the dungeon? You can miss me with that.

Honestly this. All the paths play the same anyway

[Atelier-Bagur]

Honestly this. All the paths play the same anyway

obviously we're not asking to keep the same structure between variant and regular dungeons. We dont need to have to wait for an NPC to let us proceed, but the core concept of having a dungeon with multiple paths, objectives and bosses to tackle is basically what classic WoW sorta did that this game DESPERATELY needs for its dungeon content. Im tired of the streamlined pretty long narrow hallways. I want some bit of agency to the paths, bosses and loot we can get in each path for our dungeons.

Make dungeons, actual dungeons!