The Formula won't change

[Turtledeluxe]

All of this to say, I'd be actually counted as a player that went to interact with 99% of Eureka and 90% of Bozja (I didn't do DRS, sue me), in spite of my overall dissatisfaction with the content. I think the numbers would be deceiving for that reason.

Yes, that's why I said I'd be curious to know of those that actually did it (not just haters of new content), what were the points of friction? Instead of revising, they just made a 2nd attempt with Bozja, and then came to the conclusion it just isn't worth doing at all. I don't think either field operation is perfect, and I've completed all steps excerpt DRS. I still see huge potential in the idea, especially since this game's weakest point is casual widescale content players can do together. I wasn't around for the marketing, but if they were pushing story and relics, those are just side components imo. The main thing about the field operations is making combat content everyone can do together in an open setting.

And maybe it's anecdotal but I feel like all I ever see is people asking for this (give us casual combat content), and it's like they don't even know it's already kinda in the game. Maybe it's the difficulty or the grind, I'm unsure. Maybe the game doesn't push it hard enough. I'm optimistic about the upcoming zone.

Ideally in an MMO you would not need segmented off MMO play. It would just be in the world. But here we are. And although I am aware both zones are fate centric like the base game, they do have other components and systems that make them slightly more interesting than generic open world play.

[OgruMogru]

Ideally in an MMO you would not need segmented off MMO play. It would just be in the world. But here we are. And although I am aware both zones are fate centric like the base game, they do have other components and systems that make them slightly more interesting than generic open world play.

This is a huge part of the problem for me! Imo all map zones should function more like Eureka/Bozja as a baseline. I enjoyed both iterations of the idea and was hoping, as with all things, that exploratory content would have been continually refined instead of just shelved for a whole expac. Bozja content was great but I found the subject matter and story delivery very dry - a personal problem I have with Matsuno's work although I love the pomp and weight of the dialogue in the ivalice 24 mans] - it also didn't help that the whole map was a desolate, craggy warzone. The sequestering off of these cool open world systems into their own separate content really kills any incentive to commit to them in any meaningful way even though they provide a far more structured and integrated experience than the baseline overworld. Bit of a waste tbh.

[Turtledeluxe]

This is a huge part of the problem for me! Imo all map zones should function more like Eureka/Bozja as a baseline. I enjoyed both iterations of the idea and was hoping, as with all things, that exploratory content would have been continually refined instead of just shelved for a whole expac. Bozja content was great but I found the subject matter and story delivery very dry - a personal problem I have with Matsuno's work although I love the pomp and weight of the dialogue in the ivalice 24 mans] - it also didn't help that the whole map was a desolate, craggy warzone. The sequestering off of these cool open world systems into their own separate content really kills any incentive to commit to them in any meaningful way even though they provide a far more structured and integrated experience than the baseline overworld. Bit of a waste tbh.

I much preferred the tone and setting of Eureka myself. But I'm very optimistic ahout zone 3 based on my own experience. I've converted several of my friends to relics hunters (I did both post EW, across all DCs actually and bith both zones were very axtive) and they successfully completed the zones within the last year. Bozja has been a hotspot for leveling. I think players have become more familiar with the zones retroactively vs less, although only SE would know that. I'm assuming my observations are on the money or else they wouldn't even be doing a third zone. Hopefully they use the opportunity to do something inviting that excites players across a wide skill spectrum.

And I say that because I see they're doing other new things. I see the Choatic raid and the lifestyle content. But both of those have their own drawbacks in terms of being wide appeal, cooperative, long term, etc. Exploratory zones can fill that gap.