[Megathread] Final Fantasy XIV

[Kelimbror]

So while by all accounts this game is pretty traditional, pretty safe, with only a handful of 'twists' to try and refresh things (like crafting/gathering)...I still haven't stopped playing it since I bought it. The aesthetic is a nice blend of old and new games, the sound/music is amazing, and overall I feel the design is well executed. Secondary systems are hit or miss...Gear Sets (spec swap) is great, inventory is ok, game menus, both maps, and quest log are pretty lackluster if not cumbersome.

Like many people have said, combat starts off painfully slow and that GCD is highly noticeable. Once you start getting abilities off the GCD you can weave them in and it feels better. The game is vivid and varied enough that even in 14 hours of one day play I was only able to get my class to 14, botany to 10, and carpentry to 13. I regret that they were plagued with so many launch issues as I think it definitely wrecked momentum that could have established the game better.

Anywho, aint nobody got time for dat typing when there's leveling to do.

[RoninaThorstone]

So while by all accounts this game is pretty traditional, pretty safe, with only a handful of 'twists' to try and refresh things (like crafting/gathering)...I still haven't stopped playing it since I bought it. The aesthetic is a nice blend of old and new games, the sound/music is amazing, and overall I feel the design is well executed. Secondary systems are hit or miss...Gear Sets (spec swap) is great, inventory is ok, game menus, both maps, and quest log are pretty lackluster if not cumbersome.

Like many people have said, combat starts off painfully slow and that GCD is highly noticeable. Once you start getting abilities off the GCD you can weave them in and it feels better. The game is vivid and varied enough that even in 14 hours of one day play I was only able to get my class to 14, botany to 10, and carpentry to 13. I regret that they were plagued with so many launch issues as I think it definitely wrecked momentum that could have established the game better.

Anywho, aint nobody got time for dat typing when there's leveling to do.

:[ Dang my crazy life. Ain't nobody got time for fun

[Kelimbror]

:[ Dang my crazy life. Ain't nobody got time for fun

It's surprisingly good, but definitely a niche game aimed at players that either love the IP or don't mind slower paced playing to really see what they have done. While plenty of people have rushed to the ends of whatever they were going for, it's certainly easier to miss out on the overall experience as intended (as with any game). I feel like it will have a lot of initial turnover from people who played it that way, but it will depend on what content they bring with their updates and how soon.

[mkultra55]

So while by all accounts this game is pretty traditional, pretty safe, with only a handful of 'twists' to try and refresh things (like crafting/gathering)...I still haven't stopped playing it since I bought it. The aesthetic is a nice blend of old and new games, the sound/music is amazing, and overall I feel the design is well executed. Secondary systems are hit or miss...Gear Sets (spec swap) is great, inventory is ok, game menus, both maps, and quest log are pretty lackluster if not cumbersome.

Like many people have said, combat starts off painfully slow and that GCD is highly noticeable. Once you start getting abilities off the GCD you can weave them in and it feels better. The game is vivid and varied enough that even in 14 hours of one day play I was only able to get my class to 14, botany to 10, and carpentry to 13. I regret that they were plagued with so many launch issues as I think it definitely wrecked momentum that could have established the game better.

Anywho, aint nobody got time for dat typing when there's leveling to do.

I totally agree. To me this game is a living example of the small things that have gone wrong with WOW.

Crafting and Gathering -
Yes the crafting and gathering is slow and can be soul crushing at times but you also get a sense of accomplishment that power leveling Alchemy in an hour in WOW will never get you. I forgot how much I missed the RP element of crafting that WOW and most other games have dropped.

World Travel-
No flying mounts and a (somewhat) expensive Teleport system makes the World seem big. A lot of that can also be attributed to it being new but it feels great for now.

Mobs -
Once you get to the higher level zones mobs start getting scarier. Death is a strong possibility with a bad pull or a lack of positional awareness. It isn't EQ level but it's refreshing for a modern MMO.

I've never been a fan of FF games or Asian RPG's in general and my Beta 4 experince left me cold but I'm glad I decided to give the game a chance. I'm having a blast.

[Deleted]

It's surprisingly good, but definitely a niche game aimed at players that either love the IP or don't mind slower paced playing to really see what they have done. While plenty of people have rushed to the ends of whatever they were going for, it's certainly easier to miss out on the overall experience as intended (as with any game). I feel like it will have a lot of initial turnover from people who played it that way, but it will depend on what content they bring with their updates and how soon.

This is the first game (other than SWTOR) that i've actually read all the quest text/dialogue. Then there is a part of me that wants to hit 50 on my WHM, but then a part of me that makes me want to keep levelling weaver. THEN, there's a part of me thinking, maybe i should level a DoL class to make some gil..... oh the choices.

[zito]

Wonder if they will add new tiers for raids. (after the first initial raid of course when they release it)

I hope not, I'd prefer more options getting the current tier of gear instead of just adding a new one.

[Wilhelm137]

i like the game but i think that it really shouldnt be sub based if i cant ever log in because servers are full, that seems rather meh

Which servers are full exactly? because I haven't heard that complaint about any of them since the last maintenance. Worst you get is a rare error that kicks you out only for you to get back in instantly even at primetime.

[Dismack]

I am truly falling in love with the fact that once you hit the level 30+ instances, you actually have to be aware and swap targets. Not to mention, watch your aggro! The damage also significantly increases, so I'm not falling asleep as a healer anymore. The only bad side of all this, is your average wow player isn't going to make it past this point.

[Valenhil]

I am truly falling in love with the fact that once you hit the level 30+ instances, you actually have to be aware and swap targets. Not to mention, watch your aggro! The damage also significantly increases, so I'm not falling asleep as a healer anymore. The only bad side of all this, is your average wow player isn't going to make it past this point.

Did you do Garuda?

Garuda is pretty hard on the healer.

[Razael]

Ok found another nitpick : Having to manually dismount to do anything , from attacking enemies, to turning in/picking quests. Le sigh. One would think this to be streamlined by a click. Unless this can actually be done and i dont know how. If so please enlighten me <.<

[Eversi]

Love the Titan fight. Always amusing to watch people not move and get kicked off the edge. Definitely not a fan of having to dismount to turn in quests.. that's annoying.

Number one issue right now? Just logged in and all my GIL is gone. Now I'm sad.

[dope_danny]

Currently lvl/36 black mage and in dire need of new hotbars, anyone know how i add more?

also fire 2 vs fire 3, whens a good time to use one over the other?

[Ashnazg]

I am truly falling in love with the fact that once you hit the level 30+ instances, you actually have to be aware and swap targets. Not to mention, watch your aggro! The damage also significantly increases, so I'm not falling asleep as a healer anymore. The only bad side of all this, is your average wow player isn't going to make it past this point.

I dunno, I have to say I disagree. I am a scholar healer, and I've fallen asleep in every instance up to level 40 so far. Like literally fallen asleep.

Titan was not bad, but my dps were good with target swapping, so the rock bubble wasn't an issue.

There were a handful of interesting fights (e.g. Sunken temple final boss, and bees in the first half of that instance with their one-shot mechanic), but I only did Sunken temple once, and we had a summoner in the group with a titan-egi, who tanked whenever the main tank went down.

[dope_danny]

So while by all accounts this game is pretty traditional, pretty safe, with only a handful of 'twists' to try and refresh things (like crafting/gathering)

So far the proffession classes really point out for me how outdated and boring the wow/swtor/rift version seems in comparison. It aint tremendously different, but its the little things. Fishing in particular. You have a hunting log for fish, different rivers in the same zone yield different things with a hotbar to choose baits, cast, reel and at later stuff even use a hooked fish to bait an even bigger, rarer catch. Combine that with fisher acting like a class of its own, with a level and experience bars and gear and its a combat free mmo leveling and farming experience that isnt "sit at the same place and hit the fish button for 6 hours" wow and its direct imitators of its system are.
So far im just wondering if thats enough to keep me interesting since its 3 days till 5.4 hits and im feeling no incentive to go back to wow even though my subs still going, im just having way more fun here. I think things like yesterday where i spent a solid 2 hours just exploring the areas outside limsa lominsa as a fisher with my culinarian and carpenter specced friends just shooting the shit and not even noticing we got 9 levels because the farming and stuff was the fun, not a means to a goal are things that can make the game have a little more of a lasting power in dry periods for me. At least compared to wow whos dry periods usually have no saving graces since the proffessions are bloody aweful and things like the timeless isle are a reaction to the "world" of warcraft being kind of dead and empty between story content nowadays.
I just wonder if in the long run realm reborns little 'twists' are good enough to counter this situation since others like rift and swtor couldnt because it was just more of wows emotionless windows and incremental number increases to act as "things to do" besides just killing for purples.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Might want to space that out.

[Kaisu]

I've looked everywhere and several forums and there doesn't seem to be much discussion on this.

For Dps/dd is there a such thing as stats capping at a certain number? some stats gear sets get acc almost on every peice of af2 or DL gear. And does anyone know of a good dps/healing meter if one exists for arr yet.

[PizzaSHARK]

Ok found another nitpick : Having to manually dismount to do anything , from attacking enemies, to turning in/picking quests. Le sigh. One would think this to be streamlined by a click. Unless this can actually be done and i dont know how. If so please enlighten me <.<

There are a LOT of these little minor problems with the game.

It's like SE didn't really pay attention to or play any MMO made since about late TBC-era WoW or something.

[Kalyyn]

It's crazy how easy questing as a white mage becomes once you get Holy.

[Last Attempt]

Should I do leves to level mining or just grind it out? I'm currently at 30 but when I go to a fieldleve it always says there are none available why is that?

[Jarinolde]

I've looked everywhere and several forums and there doesn't seem to be much discussion on this.

For Dps/dd is there a such thing as stats capping at a certain number? some stats gear sets get acc almost on every peice of af2 or DL gear. And does anyone know of a good dps/healing meter if one exists for arr yet.

http://ffxiv-app.com/

You're results may vary.

There are hard caps on stats, and more importantly hard cap on stats on gear. From what I've been reading, about 410 Accuracy for all tanks and DD's is enough for normal fights. High evasion fights you'll just want to munch on some Accuracy food to boost. Outside of that, nobody knows for sure entirely what stats are more important for what class, but general consensus says that Skill Speed and Spell Speed are the worst stats in the game, for all classes.

So that pretty much leaves Determination and Critical Hit Rate, just mess around and see what works better. If you get that app working then that'll help in determining which is better as well.