The Direction of FFXIV

[gifthorse]

and how does aggro icons do any of that? oh right it DON'T. You still gotta avoid the stupid stuff and run for you life if you aggro it. Aggro icons do not prevent aggro. Also fyi you know what REALLY made exploring safer chocobo's, sneak spell, sneak oil, invisible spell, invisible powder, a high level escort.

honestly the new icons are pretty tiny. And show level. Almost all rpg have similar stuff.

Actually, aggro indicators are pretty crap. If aggro indicators are so ineffective at preventing aggro, why even have them? There are 50 more natural ways to express aggressive monsters without resorting to an eye-sore, experience-depriving, pandering, remedial, bourgeois aggro indicator that every other WoW clone has done to death.

One of the features people have hailed FFXI for is its atmosphere - both social and environmental. Funny that FFXIV had a chance to build upon that but instead chose to throw it all away in favour of a patronising aggro indicator instead.

The introduction of an aggro indicator to Eorzea simplified the monsters into even more generic and immobile creatures than before; creatures which exhibit either A or B behaviour variables. It was bad enough when SE decided to deprive mobs of their specific behaviours (fleeing, following, etc), now they have to throw up warning lights for aggressive mobs too, further decreasing the immersive elements of the ecosystem; further increasing FFXIV's bland environments.

Sometimes I can't help but wonder just how much blander SE can possibly make their game.