Wow refugees, what are you enjoying about the game?

[NineSpine]

Last time I leveled my toon in WoW, it took me 2 years to get to max level, by completing every quest in game. 10 hours is a theoretical possibility, you have a choice between 10 hours and 10 000 hours in WoW.

You hit max in wow long before you ever do every quest.

- - - Updated - - -

Good story and fun gameplay aren't two mutually exclusive things.

"Its taking me too long to get the full gameplay I want because there is all this story in the way" is a critique that undermines your argument.

[Omians]

I was on and off of 14 for years as it wasn't really keeping my attention until i pushed my way to 50 last month and beat the Ultima weapon then it started picking up for me. Finished up the MSQ of heavensward and moved over to stormblood. Really enjoying the Scenery that is Kugane. I also took some time to go and unlock Alexander as i had listened to the fight music some time ago and really enjoyed it. Metal and Brute justice slaps and has alot of a different feel when fighting with its music instead of just listening.

[Katchii]

Last time I leveled my toon in WoW, it took me 2 years to get to max level, by completing every quest in game. 10 hours is a theoretical possibility, you have a choice between 10 hours and 10 000 hours in WoW.

Not really anymore, unless you count being afk, offline or city shenanigans as time spent towards leveling (which you shouldn't IMO as you're not TRYING to level during this time). Like, driving from one city to another that are actually only 1 hour apart, yet say it takes you 3 because you stopped at a restaurant on the way and spent ~2 hours there. That's not how it works.

[ippollite]

Wait... how the hell did i end up in the crystarium? I get super drunk playing this game because im 1. An alcoholic. and 2. I hate queueing for dungeons and trials as a healer; i hate responsibility in parties, (and playing with other people). Here's what i remember (stormblood 4.5 spoilers): I was fighting zenos. He was about to kill me. Something happened. I woke up in bed. Count fortemps said hi. I was sent off on a quest to the crystal tower. I picked up something. "Now i got you!" I was in some trippy forest. Some French accented bunny girl said hi. I was granted permission to visit this city. Im now running about it like its normal... Hey! there's the crystal tower!... Hang on? Whats going on? Dont tell me of course. But its such a weird trip. I feel like i must have missed something. If i have, please tell me. As far as im concerned im unconscious in eorzea having picked up some relic. And im now dreaming this. But i cant be, because theres all these bunnies running about in Limsa... Fairies are pretty intense, yo!

Point is, im so confused and intrigued.

[Sorrowseer]

Yeah, right. So you managed to hit level 60 without playing with other players or what makes you feel that way?
How can this be a good single player game?

I did play with others but they were hardly engaging, do a ff version of a dungeon no one talks done, asked stuff in general, nothing, looked for groups for content, nothing, you can do most everything solo and the game is filled with story, too much of it but thats a personal opinion, i also id not like the story which is personal and not a reflection of the story itself, never liked the weeabo midget cute races, again just opinion and not a reflection of the quality if the game itself, I played dragoon and did not particually enjoy it, maybe it was the class not sure.

Overall it was just not enjoyable to me, perhaps I need to simply play if differently to how I did.

[Wrecktangle]

How is a player supposed to know FF14 isn't for them if they don't try it?
If you are expecting WoW, please move along. FF14 is another completely different game than WoW. I never came into FF14 thinking i was going to play WoW with different colors and keep doing EXACTLY what i do in WoW.

Just so we're abundantly clear, you do know FF14 was explicitly designed to be a FF version of WoW right? Like Yoshi's on record saying that recently. It's not that different, to the point my WoW friends come over and are instantly fairly successful at playing it, and hell my one friend is now a triple legend with more /played than me despite starting 7 years later (he's a madman).

Of course you've seen players with more than 1 job at max level, some of us have been playing the game for almost 8 years lol.

Well, maybe that is the problem. You already "ended" the game and maybe you are already tired of it. Or just waiting for Endwalker to check what it has to offer to you...

Yep patiently waiting for the skill video to release so I can see what new abilities and cleanup PLD gets. I always really enjoy the expansion content, first 2 EX trials, and then the first raiding tier. They're consistently great experiences.

[Wrecktangle]

Its simple....its like The Simpsons. They have done EVERYTHING so far, same with World of Warcraft, they have done EVERYTHING so far. All the ideas you could get from a brainstorm room, they have already made it into the game. Its hard for new games to not "feel" close to what World of Warcraft is. Yea, WoW inventented Dungeons/Raids and Quests, but that doesn't mean other games cant use that concept too.....

Elderscrolls also have Raids/Dungeons, but with their own design in mind. FF14, made them an important part of their MSQ. How do you expect Yoshi-P to deny that?. But also WoW has copied things from other games as well.

Firstly, WoW has not done EVERYTHING. Your argument about how it's hard for games not to feel close to WoW is also inaccurate. It's not hard to differentiate from WoW, but it's ESPECIALLY hard when your inspiration for ARR (per Yoshi's own words as a WoW player), was that they wanted to make a FF version of WoW.

I don't care which game is better/worse XYZ, that's not my point. My point is just for you to understand that FF14 has ties to WoW because that was the inspiration and goal.

[xmirrors]

Final Fantasy XIV was inspired by World of Warcraft. Period. It's not even a debate, especially when the lead designer has specifically said so himself. I find it weird how desperately 14 players want to treat their game like it's fundamentally different. It's not. Which is better and which is worse we can debate until the end of time, but if you enjoy World of Warcraft then there are things about Final Fantasy XIV that will be familiar and welcoming to you. And vice-versa.

It is true, however, that there is a massive difference in overall community mindset. 14 is less driven by meta gameplay and doesn't really promote it. This can make it feel very different, which I think is what a lot of the players are trying to say.

[ippollite]

Can i interject a moment. I do love the wider meta discussion. Not least because it shows interest in the game. But there are topics more suited to it. Could we maybe keep this thread for a more happier discussion on the stuff new players are being blown away by. Sure, its definitely honeymoon blinkered, but thats okay, right? Im even finding myself sucked in by the vortex of game v game discussion, and its really not the intention of the thread. Theres just so many threads right now all ending up in the same place.

[TheRevenantHero]

I think you are not getting my idea: World of Warcraft has been on the business for almost 16 years. They have tried EVERYTHING for what an MMO can offer. World of Warcraft is the version of The Simpsons right now. If you see another game doing it, probably WoW already did it.....

Imagine creating something new for an MMO, only to realise that it sucks and some guys at Blizzard already had that idea and discarded it because they knew it would suck. No wonder why we have so many dead MMOs out there, most of them with a bunch of bad ideas that Blizzard said "Fuck no, I'm not doing that...".

On the other hand, Blizzard created the standards of MMOs and how they work. Suddenly all the games have Dungeons?....No shit, i wonder who game them that idea?, Oh right....Blizzard did it!. What about the colors: White, Green, Blue, Purple, Yellow and Gold on the item names......Blizzard did it!. And what about having Tanks, DPS and Healers?....Blizzard did it. And what about maps with instances, world quests and regular quests....Blizzard did it. Repeatable quests?....Blizzard did it. Daily quests?....Blizzard did it. Armor sets?....Blizzard did it!. BLIZZARD HAS DONE EVERYTHING SO FAR, EVERYTHING!!!.

So stop pretending that other games doesnt do it too. They just copy an old 16yo game, because they have done EVERYTHING that a man could imagine a game could do.

Also, that is the reason my hopes are high with Final Fantasy 14. These guys are Japanese, they specialise in making the difference and putting attention to the details. Measure their steps and checking how far they can go. They work more than 14hrs a day and prob rest 5-7hrs. Its the Japanese culture, dont say its not true, because its true. So, if you ask me, i prefer a Japanese developer over a Liberal Californian Developer. Just look at the shit storm that is Activision/Blizzard right now....

WoW copied EQ's homework. It didn't set the standard for all MMOs. It simply showed that those things can be popular.

[Coolascancer]

I like that leveling a new class has boosted XP on the same character, I like the areas so far in FF (and have seen some cooler ones in streams) even though i think the graphics engine as a whole is not that good looking.

I dont know how the game was at level but being able to teleport around the world and complete my quests quickly is a plus for me since i dont really feel like having that vanilla-esque experience right now. I imagine the game was a bit more walking simulatorish back when it was relevant content, I'm just now hitting level 50.

The game has a lot of UI/system features which can be kinda daunting but its nice they are there for people who want to min max their display and targeting etc. If this game had come out when I was in highschool and having a blast with ff12 then i would've nerded out to it REAL hard.

I dont think i've seen a mount that i didnt say "oh i kinda want that"

things i dont like-the gameplay as a whole is just kinda janky- blocky and has the feel of an early access game, I dont know where the data centers are located but my character's responsiveness feels good until i move out of a damage circle WELL before it goes off and i still get hit. casting and what not is fine and the game responds well to uh.. spell queuing? hitting a button before the other spell is done or before the gcd is done and it happening but that damage reticle shit is annoying for me cause i like to move at the last second.

[Lane]

I love that the quests recognize what I've accomplished in my jobs. Like when you talk to the arcanist trainer about a new recruit, if you're still just an arcanist yourself she'll make a comment about how you could train together since you're both learning but if you've unlocked summoner the dialog reflects that. Likewise, dragoon job spoilers, when Aymeric introduces the unparalleled Azure Dragoon, Estinien says he is no longer without equal and acknowledges you as his fellow Azure Dragoon. Hopefully that continues throughout Heavensward.

[Wrecktangle]

It is true, however, that there is a massive difference in overall community mindset. 14 is less driven by meta gameplay and doesn't really promote it. This can make it feel very different, which I think is what a lot of the players are trying to say.

While I'm sure there's a lot of truth to it outside of savage, there have always been meta comps in savage and better jobs. It's actually a lot better now than it has been historically in the past, since they've iterated and improved a lot of jobs over time, but it's definitely present, and in past expansions has been downright egregious at times.

I think you are not getting my idea: World of Warcraft has been on the business for almost 16 years. They have tried EVERYTHING for what an MMO can offer. World of Warcraft is the version of The Simpsons right now. If you see another game doing it, probably WoW already did it.....

No I get it just fine, you're just wrong lol. For instance:

• How about action combat?
• How about all classes on one character?
• How about scrapping vertical progression?
• How about user generated in game content?

Also, that is the reason my hopes are high with Final Fantasy 14. These guys are Japanese, they specialise in making the difference and putting attention to the details. Measure their steps and checking how far they can go. They work more than 14hrs a day and prob rest 5-7hrs. Its the Japanese culture, dont say its not true, because its true. So, if you ask me, i prefer a Japanese developer over a Liberal Californian Developer. Just look at the shit storm that is Activision/Blizzard right now....

Like i have said many times...Japanese put attention to details. Small things like that or big ones, like giving Bards Musical instruments for you to play are awesome additions. Also making the character "sleep" when you use the bed at the inn to log off.....I LOVE IT!

The devs attention to detail has literally nothing to do with their culture/heritage. I think you may just be fetishizing them a bit much here.

[Martymark]

I played WOW mostly for the story, then the story went in directions I didn't like so I quit.
I greatly enjoy the FF14 story, especially Shadowbringers.

[Zyrinx]

I've been liking the Crafting game lately.

The inventory system though is Just Bad. It really needs some help, and yes I've heard it's a code issue.

At least the actual combine game is fun and engaging, at least to me. There's a reason to level all the crafting and gathering jobs since they all kind of work together. But there are so many raw materials, the inventory problems prevent it from being as fun as it could be.

[BiggestNoob]

I've been liking the Crafting game lately.

The inventory system though is Just Bad. It really needs some help, and yes I've heard it's a code issue.

At least the actual combine game is fun and engaging, at least to me. There's a reason to level all the crafting and gathering jobs since they all kind of work together. But there are so many raw materials, the inventory problems prevent it from being as fun as it could be.

It's much cleaner once you level up and then clear out the old mats. The only relevant mats for the latest expansion can comfortably fit into 1-2 tabs in a retainer. The issue you run into is when you jump through levels and try to craft things, going through a bunch of material tiers results in a ton of bag space usage. You basically have to be aggressive in getting rid of mats you don't need while leveling. You can also use teamcraft to make sure you only get materials you need for your crafts so there's nothing left over except maybe some intermediates (specifically with food and some alc/wvr things).

[Puzzony]

Also i notice today that FF14 had something called "Palace of the Dead" that looks a lot like Torghast from WoW. Like i told you. Blizzard did it!.

You are either a lowtier troll or dumb as fuck. POTD is in FF14 since 2016.

"The Palace of the Dead (commonly abbreviated as PotD) is a deep dungeon released on 19 July 2016."

[ippollite]

that was the crystal exarch summoning you to the first...

I feel like i have to spoil this for myself. Can someone please stop me. I have so many questions... if it all gets explained, please just tell me 'ipps, it all gets explained, chill the heck out'. (spoiler... well its not even a spoiler, its just more dumb questions... but from shadowbringers early on, (only click if youve beaten the 5.5 storyline).

Wtf is the first? So hydaelen or something split the cosmic universe into 14 copies of the source (where im from). Zodiark wants to return to the source. Every calamity on the source is a ripple from an extinction event on one of those copies? And for some bizarre reason im having to... fix????? (by which i mean change history and likely prevent/progress a calamity) on the first? Despite the fact the ascians keep telling me indirectly that things are unbalanced from my actions thus far. Ah, wait! So im going to fix/break it... and thats why im going to die (thats already been spoiled accidentally for me). Then the rest of the expansion is going to be the ascians telling me to stop/start fixing shit. The ascians are some taoist assholes? But why do they keep fucking with the source? Just go blow up some reflections or something? Precisely 7 of them and no more. But they want Zodiark to return who needs everyone to be part of the source. So why do they care so much about balance? I think i misread it. They dont care about balance, they just think the balance has slipped because of my intervention. But if thats so, why am i going to help them? Why am i not just going to save/destroy the first (ive no idea right now), add to the pool of hydalyn and give them the finger.

Hang on... ive just had alphi narrate something and i recognise that voice. Is that my favorite 'hello from the magic tavern' character, Thomblain Balaroth? If it is, the English translation gets a +1000 points... a 4 second google search tells me it isnt. ): Im just gonna pretend it is. Sorry Colin Ryan (not steve waltien).

[Lane]

I feel like i have to spoil this for myself. Can someone please stop me. I have so many questions... if it all gets explained, please just tell me 'ipps, it all gets explained, chill the heck out'.

Where are you exactly in ShB? I can help clarify if that's the issue, but if you haven't gotten to the in game explanation yet then, yes, everything about the Ascians and Zodiark gets explained.

Wtf is the first? So hydaelen or something split the cosmic universe into 14 copies of the source (where im from). Zodiark wants to return to the source. Every calamity on the source is a ripple from an extinction event on one of those copies? And for some bizarre reason im having to... fix????? (by which i mean change history and likely prevent a calamity) on the first?

The First is the first of the 14 shards. You're trying to prevent the extinction event from happening there which, if you don't, will cause a calamity on the Source.

[ippollite]

Where are you exactly in ShB? I can help clarify if that's the issue, but if you haven't gotten to the in game explanation yet then, yes, everything about the Ascians and Zodiark gets explained.



The First is the first of the 14 shards. You're trying to prevent the extinction event from happening there which, if you don't, will cause a calamity on the Source.

Then im gonna try really hard and not click your spoiler block (ENFP who ALWAYS turns to the final pages in a book immediately so the tension doesnt screw with me. so its really hard). But thanks. ETA: Im super early on in the shb story. I havent even done the first dungeon.