Fixing FFXIV Means Basically Redoing the Game, Says Square Enix

[Overlordkain]

Sounds like someone is a Wrath baby . Not that is a bad thing or an insult, but it just sounds like you don't know what to do when you try and play an MMO with some actual complexity instead of the simplified-to-the-point-of-near-insult design mentality like WOW. It really isn't the game's fault if you are lost because you were expecting something almost patronizing in terms of simplicity.

There's complexity, then there's the online Final Fantasy games. I'm sorry, but a game that requires you to:
-stand in a specific direction on a specific virtual day for a couple extra points of damage
-memorize a dozen different combos that the group can do
-require perfect timing execution of said attacks for the special finisher
-have a flow chart for basic routines just to barely survive a single even con trash mob
-monitor a subtle movement of a regular trash mob to avoid an attack that can wipe the party
-run an 8 hour quest to rent a faster means of travel
-require the player to travel across half a mob infested zone to go past a foot tall shelf because of a lack of a jump key
and I could go on all day. That's not complex, it's convoluted.

So while I agree that WoW is probably one of the most simple to understand MMO's out there, it's a really huge gap between what WoW is and what the online FF games are.

Dear lord I hope you are referring to XIV which I have yet to play and not XI which I played extensively until earlier this year. Granted a couple of those things are genuine design faults (the non climbable knee high ledges for sure) but your complaining that a game has depth? and actually requires ability? skill? observation and timing? Fuck me are you a simpleton if so.
Learning skillchains to increase damage is a what sets the good damage dealers apart from the bad ones, and then being able to recognize and take advantage of those on a mage job for a magic burst was a fantastic ability which required timing and often some communication.
The facing a specific direction on specific game day for increased damage is where I can only assume you mean XIV since if you claim that about XI people will laugh at you, though it did affect crafting - another neat touch.
You don't need s flow chart of commands to survive any encounter you just need to be able to respond to what is happening, adjust to the mobs abilities and not suck ass at a game that requires you to do more than spam your mouse button and hit the potion/heal hot key every 30 seconds.
As for monitoring the movements of a mob as to watch for incoming high damage AOE's? Is watching the damn screen to much to ask of people playing a game anymore? Is a game bad if it interferes with your ability to watch TV while playing now? FF online games are not mindless button mashing affairs, they require much more teamwork, communication and individual ability than any other MMORPG I have tried. (which is alot.)
I can't be bothered to go into detail at the rest of your complaints, but if you take 8 hours to unlock the chocobo licence or cannot avoid mob aggro then maybe you should stick to other "simpler" online RPG's.

If anything I would hope that the majority of depth and strategy in battle was carried over to XIV lest it become another mindless wow-clone MMO like the other 5 million out there.

 

[poleboy]

I think XIV will survive, the hard-core japanese/asian audience will play it no matter how broken it is. However, I think it will have a miserable fate in the EU and US. Look at WAR online: It had one of the strongest imaginable brands for a western game, and has been bleeding subscriptions (paying ones anyway) since a few months after release. No one imagined this game would fail so hard. Western audiences have zero brand loyalty compared to the japanese, and this is one game that's going to feel the sharp end of that.

 

[Nu-Hir]

Learning skillchains to increase damage is a what sets the good damage dealers apart from the bad ones, and then being able to recognize and take advantage of those on a mage job for a magic burst was a fantastic ability which required timing and often some communication.

Yea, this is one thing I do like about FFXI. It wasn't really hard to learn skillchains, after a while you just learn what WS can chain with yours, and endgame, you really only concern yourself with level 3s. Even then, I'd still keep a chart handy to tell me what chains with what, or just used FFXICalc. Magic Bursts were also awesome and if you couldn't figure out how to time them after a few tries, you didn't deserve to be playing Blm, Rdm, or Sch.

The facing a specific direction on specific game day for increased damage is where I can only assume you mean XIV since if you claim that about XI people will laugh at you, though it did affect crafting - another neat touch.

As far as I know it's not in FFXIV either, and you're right, it's only for crafting in FFXI.

You don't need s flow chart of commands to survive any encounter you just need to be able to respond to what is happening, adjust to the mobs abilities and not suck ass at a game that requires you to do more than spam your mouse button and hit the potion/heal hot key every 30 seconds.

No kidding. Most jobs should be able to take down Even Match mobs no problem at level 90 without a flow chart. I know on Dragoon it was Camlaan's Torment > Drakesbane >> Light > Jump/Jump > Camlaan's Torment >> Light and most mobs are dead. That's assuming they live to get jumped on or past the jumps for the third WS. No flow chart needed, just four macros.

 

[Scrythe]

Final Fantasy XIV isn't to blame for harming the Final Fantasy brand. Square Enix is to blame.

I've been saying for years that SE should just cut their losses and simply stop making games. Don't get me wrong, they've made excellent games in the past (hell, I'm on my 9415th playthrough of Chrono Trigger) but it's becoming obvious that their heart is actually in making movies.

 

[GeorgW]

Why did they ever release the game, get it together Square!! It's an MMO, the release is everything, and to rush an MMO is a death sentence!
Also, I'm a bit sad that a talent from one of my favourite game series, Dragon Quest, is wasted fixing that piece of crap in stead of just scrapping it, acknowledging they made a huge mistake, and I dunno, make a DQ MMO?