What's unique about FFXIV:ARR?

[Saif]

I think ffxiv 1.0 at release is a great example of a game trying to be too different for its own good. Oh... other games have auction houses that are easy and convenient to use? well we want to be different and create an overly complicated system with tons of problems that we don't have solutions to.

As one of the OP said, people are obsessed with "unique" and different", but at the end of the day, certain things work for these kind of games, and certain things don't. Use the things that work, add a little FF flavor, and enjoy.

[Masamune1004]

The fact that it doesn't try to be unique in one way and fail in every other aspect.

[SkyeWindbinder]

[neorei]

well you see the best thing about FFXIV ARR IS

[Abriael]

This /10chars.

[Gramul]

Nothing substantial yet. It's pretty generic.

If there isn't anything, I probably won't bother beyond a few months. I'm just not interested in playing the same MMO's I've been trying for years. But It's only at the beta stage so far and a good chunk of the content still isn't available so I'll give it the benefit of a doubt.

XIV's failure wasn't from its original ideas. It was the lack of endgame, basic content, and overly simplistic level design.

I'm getting sick of seeing this. The guy isn't even saying the game's in trouble. He's asking a basic and totally reasonable question.

[Zumi]

Nothing substantial yet. It's pretty generic.

If there isn't anything, I probably won't bother beyond a few months. I'm just not interested in playing the same MMO's I've been trying for years. But It's only at the beta stage so far and a good chunk of the content still isn't available so I'll give it the benefit of a doubt.

XIV's failure wasn't from its original ideas. It was the lack of endgame, basic content, and overly simplistic level design.



I'm getting sick of seeing this. The guy isn't even saying the game's in trouble. He's asking a basic and totally reasonable question.

I really don't understand all the hate for ARR. It still has all the Final Fantasy themes, chocobos, moogles, story, the familiar races that were in FFXI. A lot of people bought this game because it was a Final Fantasy game and they are Final Fantasy fans. All the story and lore that type of stuff will still be in the game I am sure. Last time I checked the only Final Fantasy themed MMO was FFXI. ARR looks a lot different then other MMOs. The characters and style in the game look nothing like Tera, WoW, Star Wars or any other recent mmo.

They are trying to clean up the game's systems to bring it up to the standard of what a mmo should be and how is this a bad thing?

[Millerna]

For me, the story and graphic design is what makes it unique.

I don't even really care if it's a WoW clone with good graphics, because quite frankly, I enjoyed vanilla WoW for a couple of years.

[Yrusama]

Of the things mentioned, going to go with:

• Materia: Simultaneously adding in-depth customization and taking gear back out of the economy so it isn't flooded.
• Class system: How often can you freely switch between classes, let alone variations of the same class?
• Crafting/Gathering: We can actually feel like craftsmen, and it makes us more sympathetic to the woes of the craftsmen NPCs. I honestly consider my character a Botanist first and a Crafter second, with no particular focus in the war/magic classes.
• Attention to Detail: I don't know if many other MMOs have such intricate lore, but I can tell you that things like the Roegadyn naming system and the varied backstories between subraces (Keeper of the Moon/Seeker of the Sun for instance) make the characters, how players perceive themselves, and how we feel about our place in the world much more complex. I've noticed WoW doesn't take itself half as seriously as it should. "Let's add a Kung Fu Panda expansion because we can!"
• Final Fantasy Setting: This is something I've brought up before, too. There are many of us here that aren't playing it because it's an MMO, we're playing it because it's a Final Fantasy. Among other things, it's a chance to see enemies like the Malboro or Shiva in HD and on a much bigger and more intimidating scale than any offline game can offer, and in some cases even XI. It's also a chance to further identify with a given role (WHM, WAR, DRG, etc.) and maybe thence grow closer to other characters in the 25-y-o series.

Forgot to mention, the degree of communication between Yoshida and the fan community is really impressive. Do other MMOs have as many producer letters, let alone live letters? Yoshida has a real presence that's felt by all but the newest players.

[Dannythm]

The job system is pretty much unique.