FFXIV Bitter Sweet

[MysteriousRonin]

I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes.

[Amiantos]

Snip

I agree the community is bad but are we comparing a game that's a month old to a game that has been out for 10 years with 5 expansions, 3 add on scenarios and 1 mini expansion? I remember coming in early CoP and there being quite a bit but not too much to explore. Given I had jumped in after 2 expansions being released for it I can't say how it originally looked like. I know pre zilart which most english players never saw as when it came out in english zilart was included there was actually jack squat for content. 60 cap, no dynamis, sky, or desert region. It's quite unfair to compare a new game to one with a decade of work isn't it?

[Yukagama]

Not all games should be made for you casuals though. I think it's terrible that they made such a shallow casual game instead of a real MMO. Once you're done with the story you're done with the only thing that keeps this game worth playing. FFXI had me entertained for years, this game had me entertained for a few weeks and now I'm tired of leveling my other jobs, doing fates, the bugs, the loading issues, the awful worse than WoW community, and doing the mindless end game dungeon grind. The 2.1 stuff is not likely going to give people too much for end game either. At least XI was designed to keep you busy for a long time with plenty of things to do in its huge world.

coulden't say it any better myself!!

[Dynamis]

I really wanted to disagree with what you were about to say after reading you first few paragraphs, but after reading the meat of the article, I couldn't. You make some valid points.

[IvoryFox]

1-50 is certainly too quick and spamming Blizzard II running from FATE to FATE isn't exactly a tutorial in learning your class or party dynamics. That and the economy are about the only things I'll agree with 100%. The economy is terrible, but mostly because there is no new money being generated. They take out more than they put in, eventually we're all gonna be broke.

As for endgame grinding, I personally prefer this version of endgame to FFXI-like timesinks that always had random variables involved (spawn time, claim, griefing, RMT, etc.) on top of awful loot RNG that only a small percentage of the actual subscription base even bothered to take part in. Why wouldn't you copy a game design/business model that caters to the majority of your audience rather than the minority? I am not claiming you want this game to be like FFXI, but you don't really offer up any real solutions either. Just "this is bad because Blizzard".

[MistressAthena]

1-50 is certainly too quick and spamming Blizzard II running from FATE to FATE isn't exactly a tutorial in learning your class or party dynamics. That and the economy are about the only things I'll agree with 100%. The economy is terrible, but mostly because there is no new money being generated. They take out more than they put in, eventually we're all gonne be broke.

As for endgame grinding, I personally prefer this version of endgame to FFXI-like timesinks that always had random variables involved (spawn time, claim, griefing, RMT, etc.) on top of awful loot RNG that only a small percentage of the actual subscription base even bothered to take part in. Why wouldn't you copy a game design/business model that caters to the majority of your audience rather than the minority? I am not claiming you want this game to be like FFXI, but you don't really offer up any real solutions either. Just "this is bad because Blizzard".

I respect that. I'm not saying it has to be FFXI time sink either you know, a nice balance between the 2 would of been perfect imo. Also I do give up ways to fix things in other threads. Where I can properly focus on 1 issue at a time. This is more or less my /rant thread.

That being said, I think most of everyone in FFXI did do most of everything. I don't know of anyone out of 7 years of playing FFXI that did only parties and "end game" stuff, Everyone I knew was always off doing very different things every day.

So, sorry about the lack of solutions other than "slow things down SE" in this particular thread.

[Jeronlmo]

As for endgame grinding, I personally prefer this version of endgame to FFXI-like timesinks that always had random variables involved (spawn time, claim, griefing, RMT, etc.) on top of awful loot RNG that only a small percentage of the actual subscription base even bothered to take part in. Why wouldn't you copy a game design/business model that caters to the majority of your audience rather than the minority? I am not claiming you want this game to be like FFXI, but you don't really offer up any real solutions either. Just "this is bad because Blizzard".

What you are saying is just so wrong... you literally only listed HNM's as FF11's endgame, HNM's was 1 single part of prob 15+ endgame events, not to mention every single drop that was worth getting from HNM's was available in sky/Einherjar (excluding d.ring and before you say it (ridill which was later found to be worse than a m.cris)). HNM's is what every casual person ever from FF11 loves to turn to for whatever reason and it will never have any real ground, "hardcores" were willing to put in an extra 20hrs+ a week for a chance (claim) at a chance (drop rate) at a chance (distributing loot) for a slightly higher chance at getting gear which was generally .01-5% every 3-7 days (3 being very lucky) which was also available in other "endgame" events.
People being butthurt that endgame shells who managed to generally keep 40-60 members together in order to get these slightly higher drop rates for a ridiculous amount of extra play time in comparison to the casual play time of maby 5hrs a week is just ridiculous and always will be, hardcores just want something to do that's meaningful within the game to burn time, it doesn't even need to be much, just something.

[MistressAthena]

it's like the OP took the word right out of my mouth and made it so much more eloquent. The game should slow down on the levelling, and make crafting roles more important. Why DoH and DoL even exist if battle classes are self sufficient?

It's another thing I could of made an entire section on tbh. The fact crafting is only essentially useful for materia melding.. But that again still causes problems with the fact that Materia levels I and II are just about worthless, do the fact that not only do you level so fast, but that the combat is so easy a few points of extra STR, DEX, or anything will have absolutely no effect of whether you win or not, so is essentially pointless to use, and most crafting recipes are useless as every class is nearly self efficient through dungeons/fates and End Game.

[CaZx]

I kinda wish you would edit out the long drawn out intro where you try and explain yourself (there is really no reason to explain yourself..your on point and present a good argument..anyone who disagrees isn't going to change their mind by reading your intro) but the overall message is very accurate.

Personally, I have enjoyed the game...but to be brutally honest I am not sure there is much that will hold me in this game for the long haul...yeah I get there will be more updates and maybe some will save the day..but the core of the game just doesn't feel like something that will hold MY attention for months on end (notice I said MY attention..I am not trying to put words in anyone's mouth).

1. I found the overall scope of the world to be a little disappointing. It isn't incredibly small by any means...but lets be real here..it is not that big either. I mean I can ride my mount from the starting cities clear to the lvl 50 areas in a matter of what maybe 7-10 minutes? The smaller sized areas combined with all the fast travel you mention considerably take away from the sense of adventure that could be had with this game.

2. The story and missions could be more engrossing..I think most people are drawn to the final fantasy universe for a story and for the lore of a FF universe. As you mentioned you hear from an NPC that item "X" will be such an incredible challenge to obtain..yet you literally walk all of 1 minute..kill a few incredibly easy mobs (by yourself) and obtain the item within a few minutes..then move onto the next quest.

3. The speed of leveling is a little too fast for my taste as well. That said I have not been speed leveling my character to lvl 50 like so many other people have done...However, I do feel like I made it to lvl 43 too quickly. I wish the task of leveling a character felt more involved and was more of a challenge so that when I did reach the current level cap I would feel like I have accomplished something. A combination of larger game areas..harder mob fights..more requirements to party up for leveling and questing...slower leveling..and perhaps less emphasis on quick traveling all could help to create a game that draws you into the leveling of your character as much if not more so than it does just playing end game content.

4. The lack of a need to socially interact is a little dull for an MMO in my opinion. I get that people essentially have the choice and can party up and socialize if they so choose...but this is an MMO it should essentially be a requirement that I need to group up for harder mob fights and maybe even leveling parties..not just zerg fest fate parties.

5. I play as a THM/BLM for my main and I have to say I am a little let down by the entire spell system. I feel like the spells are relatively boring..as you mentioned its a basic rotation of spells over and over again. Its crap in my opinion that the elements do not play a larger role..heck the whole elemental thing (fire gives bonus damage to ice monsters..ect) has been a major part of every single Final Fantasy (single player) that I can recall and it has the potential to add so much more to the game in terms of depth. I can remember the first time I cast thunder (not knowing what to expect) and boy was I disappointed.


I guess I just feel l little let down by the spell system/design and I feel like it could have been done better.

The whole crafting is also a little bit of a let down. I mean I have enjoyed some time spent on my goldsmith but it almost feels like the entire first 30-40 levels worth of equipment that I can craft are utterly worthless in terms of selling to other players because we get SO much of it from NPC quests. You do not get everything..but you get enough for it to basically make the crafter items null n void. There is also the fact that crafter made items simply do not hold a candle to the other equipment you obtain in the game through various sources..therefore the crafter made items are again next to pointless for most people to use.

I have enjoyed my time on this game..and I really want to get hooked..I am simply not there yet though. I had hoped that it would draw me in and keep my attention and I would not need to bother with something like The Elder Scrolls Online. However, at this point I am thinking I may have to at least see what that game is all about when it launches..to see if it offers something more. I mean I realize it could fail too..but heck I am already starting to get a little bored with ARR and I have not even hit 50 yet. The simple fact that I am forced to choose between mindless levling using fates or slow and boring leveling using dungeons is simply a little disheartening.

All that said I am still willing to give the game time and hopefully the gameplay all balances out..time will tell.