MSQ Questing in response to Yoshida's interviews

[RyanV]

Recently Yoshida has done some interviews at Gamescom and one particular point of criticism has been brought up; Pacing, or specifically the pacing of quest content during Dawntrail's MSQ.

While there's valid criticism about the pacing of the story and writing itself, this post is specifically about actual gameplay and questing, and how I feel Yoshida may have somewhat misunderstood that particular point of criticism.

I will say, it's entirely possible that Yoshida does actually understand what some players have been saying in their criticisms of this point, and it was simply lost in translation or Yoshida simply was being general.

Personally, I think the issues with Dawntrails questing that have been brought up is less about "Players want to get to the combat/dungeons/trials faster" and more that some players would like there to be more gameplay variety during the MSQ. This is actually something I think has been a bit of an issue throughout 14's lifetime, but the conversation is starting to happen more now in Dawntrail.

What I feel like 14 needs is more mechanical variety/minigames etc. that help break up the "Walk here/Talk to this NPC" that starts to get a bit monotonous during the MSQ. It would be good to find more ways to give players more variety in what it is they're doing during a quest, and these don't even need to be too in depth. Some of these could even be failable and simly give alternative dialogue, if difficulty for more casual players is a concern.

I know the "stealth" tailing quests had a mixed reception, but I at least appreciate the attempt to add some variety to the questing gameplay.

Games Development is difficult and some things need prioritising over others, so I understand why this is an easier ask than it is to address, but I think it's still worth discussing. And I would really enjoy having more types of activities and mechanics to do during my MSQ Questing.

[LilimoLimomo]

It's interesting to hear that some players want more variety, and for those who want it, that's a valid thing to ask for.

Personally, I don't. I like experiencing the story when it's well-written, and I like experiencing boss-style combat encounters. That's the core of what I want from the MSQ. That's what I keep coming back for.

I wouldn't say I'm opposed to mini-games, but activities such as "find the thing through the spyglass" and "wait while they walk slowly, start over if they see you" aren't adding to my experience, and in some cases they are detracting from it by overstaying their welcome and feeling like a chore rather than an enjoyable diversion. If they're going to introduce mini-games, they need to actually make stuff that's enjoyable. And my concern would be that the process of refining a mini-game so that it's truly enjoyable might take more bandwidth than they have to spare.

[ShadowNyx3]

I don't think anyone actually benefits if they put more depth into the questing experience of the MSQ. This game is built upon its instanced battle content and trying to shoe-horn more depth into monster killing, NPC chatting, or fetch-questing is just not going to impact players in the long-term. I would much rather see that effort being applied to the repeatable content that comes in the post-game, not the content that the vast majority of players do one time, if not just outright skipping.

That being said, I think this criticism is actually rooted in players wanting a change to the formulaic structure of the game. While the staleness of the FFXIV formula is not limited to its MSQ progression in each expansion, focusing specifically on that area we have had three straight expansions with mandatory dungeons at each odd level and the final level, and trials at 74/84/94, and 79/89/99. For a majority of this game's current playerbase, which started playing at Shadowbringers or later, it's been enough times through the cycle now that a lot of people are just seeing how formulaic this game is and begging for anything to excite or surprise them as they progress to the new maximum level.

[Tunda]

why response?

I mean he tells us that he reads form.. I know he is a smart dude who can understand the issue but tried his best to avoid it

[Jeeqbit]

I agree that more things like In From The Cold would be welcome (from me at least, there was a massive backlash when they tried something different for once). Finding things, sneaking around enemies while weak and using brains is too much in some people's view.

[Rueby]

I agree that more things like In From The Cold would be welcome (from me at least, there was a massive backlash when they tried something different for once). Finding things, sneaking around enemies while weak and using brains is too much in some people's view.

I really enjoyed In from the Cold before they nerfed it to the ground. To me it felt immersive enough to be 'lost' without direction surrounded by things that can easily kill you, to me it really showed me the mariana trench that is the difference in power between pepega NPC and us. Also in a way it kinda put us in Zenos' shoes to experience what he went through and what he may have overcame when a certain someone yoinked his body. As someone who loves Zenos alot, I appreciated this duty so much. A pity it got nerfed honestly, but I'm glad I experienced it as it was prior.

I enjoyed Thancred's stealth mission too...

What I hated were the new 'escort' quests they shoved in our faces in EW. I wish there was more combat encounters between this endless talking. It feels almost too much of Go here, pick this item, talk to this guy...or simply talk to this guy > talk to that guy > return to this.

[Jeeqbit]

I really enjoyed In from the Cold before they nerfed it to the ground.

I don't believe they actually nerfed it. They just added an easier version which you can select if you fail it the first time. However, old duties usually get a "Warrior of Light" buff generally.

What I hated were the new 'escort' quests they shoved in our faces in EW.

Well I appreciated them in the sense they were commonplace in many games I played growing up. To see something like that in FFXIV or really any MMORPG seemed different than the standard here's an enemy, kill it for quest...

It feels almost too much of Go here, pick this item, talk to this guy...or simply talk to this guy > talk to that guy > return to this.

It doesn't feel like that to me, but I suppose that's because I actually watch the cutscenes and follow the story. I feel like if the story isn't really what you're itching for then it can lead to this desperation for something to break up the go to person and talk.

I know what it feels like to want to do something other than "talk to this guy > talk to that guy > return to this".

...because I've experienced this feeling when skipping on an alt since it gets boring skipping for hours. But the game is not designed with skippers in mind and I don't experience this feeling at all my first time through while watching cutscenes.

[Rueby]

I don't believe they actually nerfed it. They just added an easier version which you can select if you fail it the first time. However, old duties usually get a "Warrior of Light" buff generally.

Did you actually play it after they changed it? Because when I was running my alt through EW again they may have as well held my hand through it all on the normal difficulty. The objectives are much clearer, which to me was the charm point of that duty- to get lost in it. But maybe this is an unpopular opinion (and likely super biased because I put alot of personal significance to that duty)

Well I appreciated them in the sense they were commonplace in many games I played growing up. To see something like that in FFXIV or really any MMORPG seemed different than the standard here's an enemy, kill it for quest...
It doesn't feel like that to me, but I suppose that's because I actually watch the cutscenes and follow the story. I feel like if the story isn't really what you're itching for then it can lead to this desperation for something to break up the go to person and talk.

I also follow the story and the only time I ever skipped a thing was Hildi, because it's not my cup of tea. I've felt this way alot in EW and now way more in DT where I'm constantly forced to either read alot of text or listen to exposition dump/too much dialogue with nothing to break it up. I jokingly said to my friend they really put the walk in Endwalker. The escort was cute, but it overstayed its welcome for me. I think they were really excited for this new feature and wanted to use it alot which I don't blame them for, it's not a bad one.

But yeah I agree with you if the story isn't interesting people might ache for something different. I just am very particular about what I like, usually if my favorites or parts I'm interested in aren't on screen I'm kinda bored and wonder when they'd be.

I know what it feels like to want to do something other than "talk to this guy > talk to that guy > return to this".

...because I've experienced this feeling when skipping on an alt since it gets boring skipping for hours. But the game is not designed with skippers in mind and I don't experience this feeling at all my first time through while watching cutscenes.

I actually agree. This game is awful if you want to skip it, my experience comes from my hobby of creating alts to relive the MSQ again but EW effectively killed it. I've leveled around 11 alts with various levels of MSQ progression, 5 of them are actually caught up to EW. I don't mind it much on second playthroughs, even if I'm breezing through it, though I usually don't because I always seem to find something I missed on my first run etc.

However, I feel this often on my first playthrough, I need to engage in combat to take a break from all the talking. I don't enjoy unvoiced cutscenes, and it's why I'm on EN voices because it gives me a break from having to read. But I want to press buttons and actually play too...

DT is the worst for me, because I actually have no interest in the story but I keep hoping it gets better but it only seems to get worse....which makes me crave the dungeons/trials that people are on about. Aka the 'good stuff' supposedly.

[Jeeqbit]

Did you actually play it after they changed it?

On alts, yes.

Because when I was running my alt through EW again they may have as well held my hand through it all on the normal difficulty. The objectives are much clearer, which to me was the charm point of that duty- to get lost in it. But maybe this is an unpopular opinion (and likely super biased because I put alot of personal significance to that duty)

Maybe. I suppose I didn't notice it being clearer since I assumed I was lost in exploring the whole place the first time regardless.

And although it maybe feels slightly easier I think this is just because I know what to do and where everything is and how to navigate through it efficiently. A lot of things in this game feel easier when you repeat them because of knowing what to do after all.

I think they were really excited for this new feature and wanted to use it alot which I don't blame them for, it's not a bad one.

I think that's really it right there. It's something they developed and it's only logical a developer doesn't want to waste their new feature.

But it could help if they come up with some similar ideas to mix in with it, even if they're from traditional single player games that MMORPGs don't normally copy, and bring those into the MMORPG genre in a similar way, to shake up the concept of killing enemies and picking up/handing over items that MMORPGs have done for decades.

[Teno]

The interviewer said he used diplomatic terms. I really wonder how he laid it out, because it's not just mixed reception, it's downright disappointment and frustration. I usually hate to mention it but the numbers speak for themselves here for the reviews.