Are we destroying "our own" game?

[Kaurhz]

Just to add to this topic, and to address the question in the title.

I don't think 'we' are destroying the game. Nor do I ever think 'we' will - If 'we' in this is the community. All the players and community can do is voice their concerns, it is entirely on the developers as to how exactly this is actioned.

If anything destroys the game, I personally think it will be the developers, just because with any complaint, they haven't really taken that step to actually understand some of the issues people have with the game, so they're always dancing on this limbo between game is too hard, and game is too easy, and I just can't shake the feeling that all they are doing and will do is yo-yo between the two.

What I mean by this is they aren't taking the time to try and understand the why, but are more concerned with the result. Regardless of how that result came to be. If the game is too hard, then why are people finding it too hard? Is it because the earlier game doesn't adequately prepare? Are they running under the assumption everyone will do xyz content, e.g., raids before progressing to the next expansion. Is it because the game has very poor standards of accessibility? e.g., for the visually impaired (it does). If classes were too hard, then why did people find them too hard? - Just to give a few examples.

Story is a bit of a difficult one, as sometimes here it just feels like they are trying to make stories memorable through 'cheap' feels, and aren't necessarily giving an authentic reason for the player to actually carem but rather something that comes across as unauthentic.

[TaleraRistain]

Story is a bit of a difficult one, as sometimes here it just feels like they are trying to make stories memorable through 'cheap' feels, and aren't necessarily giving an authentic reason for the player to actually carem but rather something that comes across as unauthentic.

They tread a lot of the same paths as ShB. It really felt like ShB 2.0 sometimes. But that gives us a good comparison to support your point.

In both expansions, the game wants us to feel a certain way at certain places. And so we're emotionally manipulated by the story.

In ShB, they establish connections with us to the characters or story so that when the big moment comes, the events invoke the feelings in us so it feels more natural.

With Dawntrail, it's like showing you a sad picture and saying "You're sad, right?". They don't establish those connections with character or story so the emotions don't feel like they come from us naturally and instead are much more forced. I think a big part of that was that we weren't interacting with people directly, which is how the WoL and the player build those connections. We were constantly in a position just watching things through the lens of someone else.

[Balmung_Griffin]

this... so much this. it would have been awesome if we could have joined in on the train and actually SHOT AT THINGS. but then, I suppose this can be excused for the "accessibility" rant because people are too incompetent at high level in a VIDEO GAME to be able to hit anything.

not to mention, they could have given a choice to assist with cooking, with a good or bad outcome, if you were a culinarian, it could have enhanced it one way, if you werent, could have added a "surprising taste" since all that was required was learning the local customs. honestly, the people pressing for "accessibility" clearly cant see any way it could be done properly that actually allows everyone to still do it while making the story better.

I've been thinking about this and the game goes out of its way to make us a multidisciplinar hero but none of it is taken in consideration while we're adventuring.

Imagine those quests where we as WoL have to identify and collect plants, now wouldn't be cool if we also advance our DoL classes while doing this? Get us some XP at least, make some new options, make it easier for players that put the time on other classes!

Same thing with some DoL/DoH quests were an enemy appears and WoL forgets he's a Hero of Might and Magic and we just stand there looking silly.

An example, DT fisher Quest has you help a Blue Mage and the WoL shows no interest in their technique, wouldn't be cool if we could get a new skill (even if it would be just an new effect to an existing skill with no changes to potency and whatever)

Again, I agree completely with your point, giving player agency makes players more invested in their quest and FFXIV having multiple jobs/disciplines should expand the game's boundaries instead of funnelling to current equiped class.

[Balmung_Griffin]

The image of Wuk Lamat shouting "Spheeeeeeeeeene!" in the most stilted way possible is going to keep popping up every time I see the Queen Eternal in Extreme mode...

EX should have Queen Eternal slapping Wuk Lamat off arena while she screams "Spheeeeeene"

"Shut up, I've barely knew ya"

Do it, you cowards!

[Carin-Eri]

EX should have Queen Eternal slapping Wuk Lamat off arena while she screams "Spheeeeeene"

"Shut up, I've barely knew ya"

Do it, you cowards!

It could be that the Ex version omits Wuk Lamat anyway and the Wandering Minstrel approaches it from a "how would the battle have played out without Wuk Lamat's intervention" angle?

[Lady_Silvermoon]

EX should have Queen Eternal slapping Wuk Lamat off arena while she screams "Spheeeeeene"

"Shut up, I've barely knew ya"

Do it, you cowards!

I have never gone into an extreme that wasn't 30 levels below me in my life. If that happened, I'd have that extreme on farm. I don't care if the mount was a golden alpaca.

On the bright side, they would actually have to care about our opinions. So far they only seem to care about the opinions in the japan forums so there is a good chance nothing we ever say here will actually be taken into consideration.

The responses on Japanese forums have been savage. One guy said, "Even the Westerners are complaining and they like everything." *dies*

[SongOfTheWind]

Are we destroying "our own" game?

Devs seem to be destroying their own game, yes.

[AgathaAllalong]

Think this expansion's story was terrible, but the normal difficulty content is much better and actually fun for the first time in years.

[SekiaTa1ga]

I'm not going to go into what I think of SE's writing in general, but it's to the point where the story is pretty much a null reason of why I play FFXIV. Content wise though, DT is great so far and to me, that's the only metric that matters. But does the story suck? Yeah pretty much. People seem to care way too much though and while I acknowledge that what I value isn't what everyone else values, it's hard for me to get into the headspace of someone who plays FFXIV for the story.

Honestly I think the only FF game I played that had a great story was FF Tactics WOTL save for maybe 6? I can't get over anime tropes. Anyways, DT, 9/10.

[Garnix]

I've heard player counts are looking good, and I tbh can imagine why.

This is basically the explanation to what is happening here.
Player count is probably at a peak and the vocal minority is getting bigger and bigger. Still a minority though.