Impressions

[Deleted]

Tip, never go in an MMO and think you will get a single player RPG kind of game with a damn good story lol. The MMO that got close to this was SWTOR.

[Lyese]

I couldn't stomach SWTOR, but I think FF14 is great by comparison. Then again, I'm an FF fan first and an MMO player second when it comes to this game specifically.

[Kelathos]

As a long time MMO player and self confessed WoW addict, I've come to give my impressions on FF14.

A friend asked me to join them a little over a month ago. I had good impressions before I picked it up, which means I was willing to give it a go. I expected a generally complete and well established themepark MMO. I feel FF14 has lived up to those expectations, however there are some design choices I must protest.

So Many Abilities

Sprint, Mount / Target, potion, 1-6, alt 1-3... a seemingly entire second bar of cooldowns. My level 38 Paladin is maxed out on keybinds but they just keep coming. I've got a good setup for this class but it's quickly becoming overwhelming. I begin to dislike how it will play at the end-game, when I have to use all available tools. I learned from a decade of WoW that I am VERY particular with my keybinds. I discount the majority of classes and playstyles in games due to how clunky combat feels to control.

One character, all classes, too few quests?

A strength of the game is you can switch classes on the fly. It actually becomes a problem when you run out of quests and resort to grinding FATEs or Dungeons. I was told to save quest hubs for these "alts"... but now my Paladin has out leveled both story and class quests. I've done a considerable amount of FATEs and Dungeons but leveling needs more. I don't look forward to leveling alts minus the diversion of quests. Sure, I'll have hubs to clear on my first alt, but after that I'm expecting quite the grind.


I like the game, its visuals, its music, its themes... Final Fantasy has done well for itself in an MMO. But I've run into some particulars that are beginning to sour my experience. Leveling has slowed down, I don't see a happy prospect for alts, and the action bars are growing like weeds I can't manage. With certain other games looming I can't help but wonder if I'm just going to drop this otherwise wonderful game.

P.S... I LOVE Fat Chocobo!!!!@!!!

[Katchii]

I like the game, its visuals, its music, its themes... Final Fantasy has done well for itself in an MMO. But I've run into some particulars that are beginning to sour my experience. Leveling has slowed down, I don't see a happy prospect for alts, and the action bars are growing like weeds I can't manage. With certain other games looming I can't help but wonder if I'm just going to drop this otherwise wonderful game.

Leveling does slow down a bit after level 40, but with so many other things to be doing like crafting, gathering, FATEs, Beast Tribe quests, leves, etc... you should be able to find SOMETHING to do to fill the time waiting for a queue to pop. On alts, it does get a little slow at times, but I focus on one class running Beast Tribe quests, crafting or gathering while waiting in queue for dungeons on the alt I'm trying to level and it works out just fine.

I use a Razer Naga MMO gaming mouse because I'm also very particular with keybinds and when I was playing SW:ToR I just wasn't performing as well as I knew I could (plus I started having wrist issues from how I was utilizing my keyboard due to all of my keybinds). If you're an MMO enthusiast or plan on playing them for a while, I highly recommend getting an MMO gaming mouse, be it a Naga or the Logitech equivalent or whatever... it significantly increases the amount of usable keybinds (I don't count alt+9 as a usable keybind if you don't have one of these mice because that's just not something you'll be able to do in the middle of an encounter while trying to strafe and adjust the camera.)

As far as action bars go, cater your bars based on what you'll be doing (PvE or PvP) and you should be OK. I have 3 action bars (1 main using 1 through =, a second one using alt+ 1 through =, and a third click only bar for things like mounts, potions, and very rarely used abilities or macros). You could trim your abilities now, but at 50 once you start doing end game dungeons you'll have a better idea of what abilities need to be in easy reach and which ones can be shoved to the side a bit. If you think Paladin is bad...try Warrior or Monk.

[Lyese]

I use a G13 (http://gaming.logitech.com/assets/47...ard-images.png) and G600 (http://content.hwigroup.net/images/p.../xl/157876.jpg). Nagas are too small for my hands, and I prefer the concave design of the buttons on the G600. It takes a bit to get used to, but you will never be want for keybinds again.

[Hanyuu]

As a long time MMO player and self confessed WoW addict, I've come to give my impressions on FF14.

A friend asked me to join them a little over a month ago. I had good impressions before I picked it up, which means I was willing to give it a go. I expected a generally complete and well established themepark MMO. I feel FF14 has lived up to those expectations, however there are some design choices I must protest.

So Many Abilities

Sprint, Mount / Target, potion, 1-6, alt 1-3... a seemingly entire second bar of cooldowns. My level 38 Paladin is maxed out on keybinds but they just keep coming. I've got a good setup for this class but it's quickly becoming overwhelming. I begin to dislike how it will play at the end-game, when I have to use all available tools. I learned from a decade of WoW that I am VERY particular with my keybinds. I discount the majority of classes and playstyles in games due to how clunky combat feels to control.

One character, all classes, too few quests?

A strength of the game is you can switch classes on the fly. It actually becomes a problem when you run out of quests and resort to grinding FATEs or Dungeons. I was told to save quest hubs for these "alts"... but now my Paladin has out leveled both story and class quests. I've done a considerable amount of FATEs and Dungeons but leveling needs more. I don't look forward to leveling alts minus the diversion of quests. Sure, I'll have hubs to clear on my first alt, but after that I'm expecting quite the grind.


I like the game, its visuals, its music, its themes... Final Fantasy has done well for itself in an MMO. But I've run into some particulars that are beginning to sour my experience. Leveling has slowed down, I don't see a happy prospect for alts, and the action bars are growing like weeds I can't manage. With certain other games looming I can't help but wonder if I'm just going to drop this otherwise wonderful game.

P.S... I LOVE Fat Chocobo!!!!@!!!

I can't speak for other classes, but bard is really light on keybinds. With a few macros set up, I really only hit 4 buttons for my single target rotation and another one for cool downs. Aoe is similarly 4 buttons. After that mostly I just have songs that are highly situational. All and all, i am really pleased though I come from playing a shaman who had a billion totems to manage. You might look into macros for some powers perhaps. As a bard, I have an execute, a cool down resourceless shot, and a filler shot, so i can make it try to execute, then try to use the cool down, and if both fail, just filler. That type of macro might save you some restate on your keyboard.

As for leveling other classes and running out of quests, I actually was really leery of that outcome as well. I had been using my leve quests for crafting classes and was afraid it would be really terrible. I noticed that I unlocked the low level roulette and just doing that I am getting about 2/3 of a level every day on my second class. I am almost 44, so I've been thrilled to not have to run any fates at all. (Though, I am leveling Scholar/Summoner, so I get double the class quests). I've been running some guildheists on the side with much the same effect. It isn't the fastest way to level, but it is a nice break from running fates on my main class for atma and grinding mythology and solidiery. I am glad to funnel my leves towards my trade skills.

[Tazila]

For some reason I've enjoyed leveling alt classes on my one character, not even sure why. Just finished monk to 50 and now I'm leveling glad.

I mainly do dungeons, daily guildhest, and fates between dungeon ques. Sometimes levemetes if I like the area.

[Icaras]

I can't say I feel the same about my level 43 paladin so far, all the abilities I use easily fit on the three action bars I have (2 on the bottom of the screen and 1 to the left, where I dump stuff like sprint, the button to summon my chocobo and potions and so forth).
Even then, most of the time, I'm generally just using the ranged pull, flash and my 3 hit combo (I do have 4 action bar buttons assigned to marking 1, 2 3 or 4, but that's just coz I find it quicker than right clicking the mobs I wanna mark. It helps A LOT to mark)

one question: Have u been making sure to do the low level dungeon roulette and guildhest roulette everyday? You'll not only earn a decent amount of trash exp (depending on the dungeon, some days you may snag a trial against ifrit or titan instead. Annoying when you want exp, goof when u want a quick queue for currency at max level). The 1st roulette of the day can give you say damn good exp.
Earlier today my main(Working on my alt class Scholar) earned half a level from the end of dungeon bonus.

I'd also suggest checking out the challenge log (It unlocks via a quest at the inn in Limsa Lominsa), as that can be a good source of extra gil and exp, and it resets weekly.

Its also worth doing the odd guild leve, sometimes just to kill time in a queue, sometimes for free gear or retainer currency (and there's a section on the challenge log for doing leves)

[Deleted]

I do somewhat agree with the amounts of keybind, but I do not regarding the leveling of alt classes.
There are many ways to earn exp for alt class and one does not completely invalidate the other since as said you can do fates while waiting for the duty finder (wich imho are the best overall for levellling since you'll get gear)

[TirielWoW]

I thought it was honestly disappointing that two of the most powerful and trusted healers in the world (the two Padjal WHMs from the storyline) would be putting down a skilled fellow Conjurer and threatening their Moogle pets. Do they really think that this helped the PC respect them more?

Um, you mean one. The other one was unsure about you, but it was just the boy who had a hissy.

And they explain the questline exactly why that happened. Given the history that mortals have with White Magic, I really can't exactly blame the Padjal for being a mite...cautious...with you. I mean, sure, you might be a skilled Conjurer, but they don't know you from Bob.

[Clockwork Pinkie]

Best thing to do is save quest for your dps characters, while doing dungeons with your healers and tanks, as they of course get faster queues. I'm in no hurry, and it's still kind of fun to do fates while waiting in queues with my dps characters. No other MMO interest me atm so I've got plenty of free time to do just that.

[Katchii]

At this point I normally start doing my Beast Tribe quests while in queue on one of my low level jobs (BLM, MNK and DRG are the only ones not yet 50). Once those are done, I farm Atma while waiting for queues. Or gather.

[Kelathos]

I hit level cap last week on my PLD. Friend of mine helped organize some full parties for the story missions.
Now I've attuned and completed the first raid (CT).

Story and Groups don't mix.
Don't like how the group content is mixed up with main storyline cut scenes. Immersion demands no skipping, but players are there to rush. Thankfully I had an organized group who understood. Most players will not - this would be a HUGE negative for them.

LoTA (CT) is quite good
Ran CT twice last night for the first time. It was better than expected. The whole experience is top notch. Oddly enough I ran brayflox-hm afterwards and only felt disappointment in the reward structure. Was thrilled with the bosses though. I'd love to see more 8-24man content. There's something thrilling about the chaos. I'll probably farm CT until I'm sick of it, would be so much better with more raid locations to rotate as I geared up.

My next adventure is to prep for hardmode primals, obtain the relic weapon, continue to farm ilvl 80 gear, AND begin leveling up ranged DPS classes. Starting with Archer.

My summary of FF14 thus far would be that it's a quirky little MMO, but it's got some very adorable pieces, and it's full featured enough for people to enjoy. I fully recommended everyone experience it, though it's much smoother if you have a helping hand to help guide you.

I'd give it a 4/5.

[Sorrior]

I hit level cap last week on my PLD. Friend of mine helped organize some full parties for the story missions.
Now I've attuned and completed the first raid (CT).

Story and Groups don't mix.
Don't like how the group content is mixed up with main storyline cut scenes. Immersion demands no skipping, but players are there to rush. Thankfully I had an organized group who understood. Most players will not - this would be a HUGE negative for them.

LoTA (CT) is quite good
Ran CT twice last night for the first time. It was better than expected. The whole experience is top notch. Oddly enough I ran brayflox-hm afterwards and only felt disappointment in the reward structure. Was thrilled with the bosses though. I'd love to see more 8-24man content. There's something thrilling about the chaos. I'll probably farm CT until I'm sick of it, would be so much better with more raid locations to rotate as I geared up.

My next adventure is to prep for hardmode primals, obtain the relic weapon, continue to farm ilvl 80 gear, AND begin leveling up ranged DPS classes. Starting with Archer.

My summary of FF14 thus far would be that it's a quirky little MMO, but it's got some very adorable pieces, and it's full featured enough for people to enjoy. I fully recommended everyone experience it, though it's much smoother if you have a helping hand to help guide you.

I'd give it a 4/5.

New CT next patch too. And yeah the game can be alot of fun and has alot of varied content. One of the best MMOs in years IMO.