FFXIV has lost it's heart

[SkankyRoe]

Honestly pretty shocked by how many QoL things there are.

Given that Tencent is running things I won't be surprised if every single one of those QoL comes with a little catch called microtransactions.

[Jeeqbit]

Given that Tencent is running things I won't be surprised if every single one of those QoL comes with a little catch called microtransactions.

They are going with the sort of model the main version of the game uses. Either way, they don't intend to do it like other mobile games.

[SkankyRoe]

They are going with the sort of model the main version of the game uses. Either way, they don't intend to do it like other mobile games.

I'll believe that when I see it. Yoshi P can say this all he wants but Tencent is the one that gets the final say. A lot of these QoL things sound too good to be true at face value, I won't be surprised if it ends up like most Chinese and Korean mmorpgs and employ limits that have modular upgrades/unlocks via microtransactions. Inventory and storage increases, expanded Wardrobe functionality. The dye change especially doesn't sound very believable, unlocking an entire colour page in one go sounds like something that will be monetized and work like it does in Warframe.

[Darkedone02]

I feel like we just don't got a very strong villain, and a successful on at that since FF6. I feel like the power scaling is a bit off and we need something to show us that there is always a stronger foe.

Maybe FF14 need a villain that could last for two expansion, a villain that people would enjoy like kefka, a villain that people could relate.

[Dikatis]

I feel like we just don't got a very strong villain, and a successful on at that since FF6. I feel like the power scaling is a bit off and we need something to show us that there is always a stronger foe.

Maybe FF14 need a villain that could last for two expansion, a villain that people would enjoy like kefka, a villain that people could relate.

We've had Zenos, Elidibus, and Varis for villains that have lasted across expansions and Kefka is the opposite of relatable. Emet-Selch is among the most liked villains in the franchise's history and Shadowbringers is supposedly where the story lost its way despite the glowing applause it's had up through the end of Endwalker to the point that it's used to bash all of the other expansions for not being Shadowbringers.

The idea that it's somehow a turning point from "dark, mature writing" to "childish writing solved with the power of friendship and smiles" feels like a recent invention given how the consensus until recently was nigh-universal acclaim for its character writing and worldbuilding.

[ReynTime]

Nice changes for FF14 Mobile ... Cant wait to see the excuses and sad Yoshi Face why we cant have those in our Sub supported Game ...

-2.0's three Primal battles are now 8-player dungeons without NPC support
-Viewing another player's plate reveals their gear and glamours. Changing gear no longer requires resetting plates.

- Retainers are removed; their functions, marketboard, and shops are integrated into the character's base functionality for on-the-go access.
- Mailboxes are accessible anywhere without needing a delivery moogle.
- A new Codex feature tracks collectibles, from orchestrion rolls to FATE completions.
- A new Wardrobe feature stores all appearances. You can preview or try on even uncollected appearances, with similar models and acquisition hints provided. Once collected, appearances can be glamoured anytime.
- Dye system optimized: Unlocking a dye color (e.g., gray) automatically unlocks all shades in the same category, allowing seamless switching without loss.
- Inventory improvements include item sorting by category and expandable slots.
- Gold Saucer mini-games feature overhauled UI and gameplay enhancements.

These are things I would love to see in the normal game. Everything else I hope stays only in the mobile version.

[Hallarem]

We've had Zenos, Elidibus, and Varis for villains that have lasted across expansions and Kefka is the opposite of relatable. Emet-Selch is among the most liked villains in the franchise's history and Shadowbringers is supposedly where the story lost its way despite the glowing applause it's had up through the end of Endwalker to the point that it's used to bash all of the other expansions for not being Shadowbringers.

The idea that it's somehow a turning point from "dark, mature writing" to "childish writing solved with the power of friendship and smiles" feels like a recent invention given how the consensus until recently was nigh-universal acclaim for its character writing and worldbuilding.

Zenos was barely a villain in any other expansion than Stormblood. He did a Cersei Lannister where he brooded along and did nothing for a long time. never more obvious than in Endwalker where he felt like they HAD to insert him somewhere because he was a wet story rag that needed somekind of closure. He had no place to be in that final fight as cool as it was. "Oh right uhm Krile invited your mortal enemy along and we let the murderhobo juice up on the rest of the mothercrystal so he was extra powerful. Ooooops" Dynamis is ruining this game as a concept. Period.

[Colt47]

There's such a thing as a zombie sub where someone kind of is paying in increments of 3 months or a year. A lot of people are not really doing FFXIV at all right now mostly because even with the new content they are producing the game is super limited in what it can do now. It's the price they paid for going the route of eliminating status ailments having any real impact, speeding up monsters so kiting can't be achieved, turning all the jobs into mirrors of one another, and as you said, focusing way too much on the savage and end game being the major thing.

Also this is my own perspective on the entire deal with Endwalker but EW was no where near as good as Shadowbringers. The story was a rushed time jump with little thought into things that were stated or seeded in the prior expansion (Time travel is risky and you shouldn't do it, since it likely means erasing or losing your path). Shadowbringers had Bozja and honestly the biggest disappointment with Bozja is that the story didn't continue, it was cut short quite unexpectedly. Foundation was a great event even if it did have some parts to it that forced some fomo out of the crafting and gathering community, since it got a lot more people into crafting and gathering and was exactly what the game needed to bring that part of it to life.

And then we get to Endwalker. To be frank the entire thing was a blur, but the biggest achievements I can even recall from it was the cross DC travel and the boom to the raiding community. Tons of people were doing savage for good or ill, and there wasn't a whole lot of things to do outside of it. It was sort of the middle ground of all the standardized bulk content that ended up becoming the formula after Shadowbringers: The conclusion of a vision that apparently the developers wanted the game to be like and nothing more. We got exactly three custom deliveries, three beast tribes for each major aspect, and some extra piece of fluff content that mostly amounted to a grind. And of course, the relic was reduced to a mid tier tomestone grind.

And of course, there was ultimate after ultimate. The entire game became about doing the savage so you could do the ultimate, and then pray there was enough energy and time to do both. Frustration? Chewing people out for mistakes? The randomness of doing pugs for content that clearly isn't designed for it? That has continued for what feels like an eternity now. When did FFXIV become like doing homework instead of being about having fun, because this entire thing long since stopped being about having fun. It's now about eating up the savage as fast as possible (preferably in 4 weeks or less), then wait for an ultimate to come out. Gods help you if you aren't part of that four week crowd because then it is the long haul and full of drama, spite, and pain.

[DiaDeem]

The new Starlight area in Gridania made me smile wider and longer than any area in Dawntrail.

[Barwara]

Which, given the whole "too much Light or Darkness is a very bad thing" when it comes to worlds, the people behind the game took it quite literal in this case and Dawntrail was a deliberate shift, but much like Shadowbrings and Endwalker, it still managed to drop the ball in some people's eyes.

For me it has more to do with the execution. The premise of DT is quite solid, I think. Everyone being a bit too aggregable? Ya for sure. But the premise of being brought over to a new continent to mentor someone as an experienced and seasoned adventurer / and leader of people is not uninteresting and illogical following EW. I would have found it stranger to enter a new plotline, where, turns out there's a new baddie to defeat and we are the only ones who can do it (again).

Personally I would have found it more interesting for DT if:

- We're not actually fetched by Wuk Lamat but mysteriously invited to come to Tural
- Get there just to find out we have to mentor Wuk Lamat who severly lacks character and is not by default already peace-loving and sympathetic to everyone
- Actually get to have some agency in the mentoring and teaching we're supposed to do
- Legit be considered as a better ruling choice than Wuk Lamat rofl but obvs we refuse
- Actually see some character growth and development for Wuk Lamat who goes from unworthy to actually maybe kinda worthy
- Have everyone change their mind about her...
- Through all this we inadvertently unlock a new adventure which is finding the golden city, etc
- So just in general throw in a bit more stakes here and there to keep it interesting...

Simple writing tweaks and I think it would have made a good follow up to EW.

Also, on another note, is anyone as shocked as I how completely unrelated the DT trailer is to the actual game? I swear that trailer conveys an impression of the expansion that is absolutely not found in the actual game play...