What did FF14 have right, at launch?

[Shurrikhan]

If they removed the lag and sped up the gauge I could see that system being very fun. That's just me though.

Seeing as I agree with everything you've said here, there's at least one more than "just me". :P

I would have loved for an improved stamina bar, a solid mage class base seen through to the end, and the physical level slightly reformed, rather than giving up on or sheerly deforming them.

[HiirNoivl]

I think there are alot of things. Im just going to say one though.

The idea of SP, and how it was accumulated by using abilities.

Yes I know there was issues with it. But instead of dealing with those issues they removed it altogether and tacked on a generic XP system. Unfortunate in my eyes. An innovative, or at least uncommon, feature removed instead of ironed out.

Few people outside of Japan.

[bobbygunz]

Well for one thing, the company had more self respect and took artistic ownership of their vision instead of outsourcing all their (bad) ideas from World of Warcraft.

Originally, S.E. seemed to have created FFXIV in the image of Vanguard (it was more open world with an emphasis on community and crafting and they had shipbuilding planned), whereas that design principle will no longer be visible in FFXIV 2.0 because it's just a WoW clone). Don't deny it. I know that's a cliche thing to say, but it's true anyway, so why pretend differently.

In 2 years time since release, SE have made some improvements (which you'd expect 2 years after the release of any game), and even when Tanaka was still the director we already had ward search, so change was happening anyway.

Change is often for the best. But can be bad too if you remove something good. I think a lot of good things from release will vanish with 2.0, such as relevance of open world contents, i.e., the first wave of NMs which involved crafters, and being able to see people running about doing things. The world will devolve into instanced content and a world with no situational relevance (crafting guilds are no longer even remotely important now).

There was a greater emphasis on freedom too in the early game; gear choice, ability choice. Now it's very restrictive. And even in 2.0 they will shrink zones, instance all dungeons, and add kiddy rails to areas where they don't want you to jump.

[Emulord]

The music and *landscape* graphics were quite good already.

[Taika]

Elezen females.

/thread

[Webster]

The leve system. They just never added any new leves

[Nero]

Battle Regimen's!

[Funky]

Intense & almost too realistic crafting system. (in terms of material & tool usage.)

Im just amazed there has been absolutely no word regaring craftable furnitures for our housing etc.
Re-decorating our Mooghouses in FFXI was very fun & unique to many other mmo's at the time.

The basic foundation for the upcoming 2.0 world. (shame about the crappy engine)

Dodos.... the only thing that couldnt go wrong. lol

[Nero]

Intense & almost too realistic crafting system. (in terms of material & tool usage.)

Im just amazed there has been absolutely no word regaring craftable furnitures for our housing etc.
Re-decorating our Mooghouses in FFXI was very fun & unique to many other mmo's at the time.

The basic foundation for the upcoming 2.0 world. (shame about the crappy engine)

Dodos.... the only thing that couldnt go wrong. lol

I found that somehwere the last weeks after Japan Expo.. no clue if its new or something leaked, but i didnt see it before or cant remember it being currently ingame..?! Maybe it is and i never realized it. XD