Originally posted by Shatter30 Its funny, as an MMO gamer for the past 13 years I've watched a lot of major titles early on, I completely ignored FFXIV because of the original launch and figured this would be crap. A week before head start I started to read some positive feedback so I looked into it, then pre-ordered and the game is exactly what I've been looking for...its awesome. It's been a great surprise for me
Very similar experience to me as well. I passed on 11 as i wasn't shopping at the time. Was watching 14 ver 1 and turned out to be another dud in the long line of mmo duds.
The thing that caught my initial interest with ARR was that they wanted a sub of all things, lol. Started to dig and the more i dug the more i had this feeling that i had struck gold, pre-ordered logged in on day one of early access and turns out i was wrong, it was a diamond mine not a gold mine.
My faith is my shield! - Turalyon 2022
Your legend ends here and now! - (Battles Won Long Ago)
I've been waiting years for a AAA themepark to get crafting/gathering/economy right and this game delivers it in spades.
Easily the best crafting since SWG. I cannot wait for the instanced neighborhoods next patch and golden saucer in the future. I swear if they put in a TCG I'm gonna dance a jig.
All wrapped in a beautiful package. The sounds, music, weather, landscapes, effects, architecture, and character design are all a treat for the eyes and ears.
You guys can go back in my profile and look. I hated 1.0. I thought it was stupid and terrible. Tau01 and I would bicker constantly about it.
Now, because of Tau, I own the CE (it cost me $20 at the time?). Free month. It's been SO good, I bought a copy for the PS3. I played pretty constantly the past couple of days.
I don't necessarily want a TCG.. maybe just Go or some other fun game. Something to interact with others and have fun. Sometimes fun gets lost in the gear treadmill and little things that allow interaction that aren't necessarily "Need heals NAO". I haven't even delved into crafting yet. I'm still wrapping my head around advanced professions.
Great game, shows what a bunch of dork's the version 1 developers were. ARR makes me very glad I purchased version 1
Seems that you 1.0 players got to keep your Goobbue mounts as someone was dry humping my head with one the other day. Lucky sob's....I WANT A GOOBBUE, nothing humps head like a Goobbue.
I've been waiting years for a AAA themepark to get crafting/gathering/economy right and this game delivers it in spades.
Easily the best crafting since SWG. I cannot wait for the instanced neighborhoods next patch and golden saucer in the future. I swear if they put in a TCG I'm gonna dance a jig.
All wrapped in a beautiful package. The sounds, music, weather, landscapes, effects, architecture, and character design are all a treat for the eyes and ears.
Just the gathering profs alone are a game in itself. There are so many ingredients that are mined in each node that are used in all the professions and if you need a particular item like a "Bone Chip" it's only located in one place in one small area. Things like that IMO make for great crafting and it's going to be VERY difficult to master all crafting professions and do them well - but I'm sure going to try
Currently playing SWTOR and it's MUCH better than it was at launch.
lets come back here in about a month when you reach the endgame
then you all change your mind
In a month I'll still be working on my crafting profs - endgame means different things to different people.
The next patch introduces neighborhoods and I read that you can have your own estate...decorate it and even have a market outside your front door to sell your wares.
So it's going to take me quite a while if ever to reach endgame - espoecially when they start adding more stuff..and they will.
Currently playing SWTOR and it's MUCH better than it was at launch.
To me is a very good game but to me personally it is nowhere near the best mmo ever unless they:
1) add water content (swiming and underwater life / exploration)
2) address the awful Global cooldown
3) have more variety of jobs, weapons, and skills
4) non party (and non instance) based limit break?
Until those 4 things are addressed, FF14: ARR takes the third place in my top 5 favorite mmorpgs (GW2 and WoW are 1st and second place). 4th and 5th are empty, Waiting for Wildstar, TESO, ArcheAge, Blade & Soul, and a few otehrs to see which ones will complete my top 5.
If SE address those 4 points the game could easily jump from 3rd to 1st or 2nd place on my list. Only 1st and 2nd i consider among the best.
EDIT: it definitelly has the best crafting ive tried, ever.
Originally posted by echolynfan Things like that IMO make for great crafting and it's going to be VERY difficult to master all crafting professions and do them well - but I'm sure going to try
To me is a very good game but to me personally it is nowhere near the best mmo ever unless they:
1) add water content (swiming and underwater life / exploration)
2) address the awful Global cooldown
3) have more variety of jobs, weapons, and skills
4) non party (and non instance) based limit break?
Until those 4 things are addressed, FF14: ARR takes the third place in my top 5 favorite mmorpgs (GW2 and WoW are 1st and second place). 4th and 5th are empty, Waiting for Wildstar, TESO, ArcheAge, Blade & Soul, and a few otehrs to see which ones will complete my top 5.
If SE address those 4 points the game could easily jump from 3rd to 1st or 2nd place on my list. Only 1st and 2nd i consider among the best.
EDIT: it definitelly has the best crafting ive tried, ever.
They have plans for more classes/jobs. Was talking to a few ffxi players who were arguing which class they will add next, all seemed interesting.
Global cool down, while I hate it, I don't see it going anywhere. At least there are some skills not effected by it. I still think combat is very fitting for the game (notice I didn't say bad or good combat but fitting for the game)
Limit break for solo use...not sure we will see that ever. IMO it would make pve combat too easy and quick if I was able to one shot something every few kills...
Personally the GCD is the biggest negative with the game, it really stands out early on when most people just have two attack skills and in a party theres unnatural group pauses. Once you get a bit higher that awkwardness kind of goes away. I would MUCH rather there be a hold and charge for 2.5 seconds rather than a GCD. So for instance if you have a 3 combo attack and want to maximize its damage you hold and charge each attack for 2.5 seconds.
Also I believe monks get reduced GCD. IMO the GCD might be a more natural pace for..say marauders lancers and jobs that use the axe or pole arm...doesn't make sense for magic, archers (maybe long bows only) or other forms of melee (fists excluded since they get reduced GCD)
In the end it really doesn't take much from the games fun, and you do get use to the combats slower pacing (or perhaps the addition of lots of skills, dealing with positioning ect makes the 2.5 sec GCD seem less like an eternity)
But right now I feel that spicing up combat a bit would go a long way and take this game to the next level. Mind you I DONT want action or a form of quick paced combat...I like the old school slower combat...just needs a bit of spice.
I find that an extremely accurate observation, and as far as I'm concerned the facts supporting it can no longer be argued with. Therefore why developers still keep chasing the WoW phenomena I simply can't understand. Other than to chalk it up to pure stupidity and greed. WoW wasn't about game design. It was about a transient social fad. And the sooner we get back to making games for gamers, the better off everyone is going to be.
Personally the GCD is the biggest negative with the game, it really stands out early on when most people just have two attack skills and in a party theres unnatural group pauses.
I actually don't mind the 2.5 sec global cooldown. Mainly because this is a Final Fantasy game and it reminds me of the ATB gauges from the older FF games. I guess you could say it's the MMO version of ATB. But I do agree, after you pick up more skills it's not that bad. Having instant cast abilities that work off of the GCD helps too.
I enjoy the pacing of the 2.5 second GCD. At 50, i'm using an ability off the gcd practically everytime. It provides a pace and rythym to battle. Games with 1.5 GCD feel like spam fests where you're just using an ability as soon as the GCD lets you, rather than deciding which is the best ability to use at that moment.
For example, the GCD allows me to decide whether I need to chain to Storm's path or Storm's Eye.
I have to decide whether I want to keep my stacks of Wrath for 10% crit and 15% Healing Bonus, or use it for Inner Beast for a big heal.
The 2.5 second GCD is perfect imho for the pve design of the game. I don't feel a seizure coming on when playing twich based action mmo's or 1.5 second GCD spam fests.
WoW was great for its time, but I've learned I don't need to be in a neurotic state to enjoy the game.
I enjoy the pacing of the 2.5 second GCD. At 50, i'm using an ability off the gcd practically everytime. It provides a pace and rythym to battle. Games with 1.5 GCD feel like spam fests where you're just using an ability as soon as the GCD lets you, rather than deciding which is the best ability to use at that moment.
For example, the GCD allows me to decide whether I need to chain to Storm's path or Storm's Eye.
I have to decide whether I want to keep my stacks of Wrath for 10% crit and 15% Healing Bonus, or use it for Inner Beast for a big heal.
The 2.5 second GCD is perfect imho for the pve design of the game. I don't feel a seizure coming on when playing twich based action mmo's or 1.5 second GCD spam fests.
WoW was great for its time, but I've learned I don't need to be in a neurotic state to enjoy the game.
As a 49 1/2 year old, I concur lol
definitely less spammy and I can only see it getting better as we get more skills and harder foes.
Agree witht he OP. Server / login / queue issues aside, the game itself is wonderful. Runs extremely smooth for how nice the graphics are compared to other MMOs, the crafting is fun & addicting (an actual skill based system that allows you to manipulate the outcome rather than the standard "click & wait" crafting approach), the ability to & ease of switching between any jobs is very quick & easy (currently rocking 13 different sets that I have saved for my various crafting / gathering jobs + combat jobs and I switch back and forth for different tasks as I travel around the zones), very well done story even for many of the sidequests, and the depth of the logs & quests for each job (hunting / crafting / gathering logs & tiered quests for each unique job).
My only big gripe so far has been being an archer and dealing with the very tiny mob leash they have in place. I can kite the mobs just fine, but the whole idea of running around in such a small circle with no other way to really keep your distance because going just a few steps beyond where you started hitting a mob from resets it, is kind of annoying. Combine the whole running around in a small circle with the extremely slow reaction times / turning speed of mobs, I assume for the sake of allowing better positional combat for melee classes like PUG, it becomes pretty easy mode and gets a bit dull knowing you can just keep running in a circle and barely ever get hit. I really wish they had geared the combat more towards giving the classes with positional combat the tools to get the positioning needed rather than having a built in mechanic on every mob in the game that causes them to react like theyre half crippled. They kind of made it a bit too easy to stay behind / to the side of targets for everyone, rather than giving those who need it to maximize their skills the ability to get behind / to the side through use of skills.
As a BLM I always favor Critical Hit Rate over Spell Speed, but during a few dungeon runs I equipped 3 or 4 pieces of gear that had more Spell Speed so that I could gain some Spiritbond. With this gear on I obviously had a lower critical hit rate but I noticed my tier 1 spells were starting off with 2.20 seconds cast timer instead of 2.5. A little bit of spell / skill speed goes a long way it seems.
If this game can turn people like me and you into lovers of this game. I think they definitaly have a good game on thier hands. I was nay sayer in 1.0 and once I finally looked at this game. Wow, I was blown away. I love this game and glad I had no hopes till the week before launch. I dropped beta of other games just because I found my game of the decade!
I played most of the betas for this one. Was let down with 1.0, BUT as each beta progressed I became more and more excited for launch. I have been frustrated by the login issues, but it is a rock solid game. I even upgraded my account to collector. I have always loved FF games and look forward to this one.
One thing (major for me) that does bother me is that they did not opt to voice act more of the cut scenes. Sometimes a cut scene is half done.... appears to me that they dropped the ball or focused efforts elsewhere due to time restraints. It would have been better for me to have NO voice acting than the hodge-podge that is in the game right now. The story I absolutely love!
Honestly I played SWTOR and after awhile the voice acting got repetitive and redundant. I just got to the point in the FFxiv story where you ....ok no spoilers, but im about level 20 atm , and I am actually enjoying the mix of Voice over and Reading dialogue. Plus I read a study that reading more often keeps Alzheimer's away >.0 {grins with some sarcazim}
You don't have to have 10 alts - you can create one character if you want and just skill up anything and everything! Just switch weapons and you switch combat/crafting profs in a flash...including gear for each.
Comments
Very similar experience to me as well. I passed on 11 as i wasn't shopping at the time. Was watching 14 ver 1 and turned out to be another dud in the long line of mmo duds.
The thing that caught my initial interest with ARR was that they wanted a sub of all things, lol. Started to dig and the more i dug the more i had this feeling that i had struck gold, pre-ordered logged in on day one of early access and turns out i was wrong, it was a diamond mine not a gold mine.
I've been waiting years for a AAA themepark to get crafting/gathering/economy right and this game delivers it in spades.
Easily the best crafting since SWG. I cannot wait for the instanced neighborhoods next patch and golden saucer in the future. I swear if they put in a TCG I'm gonna dance a jig.
All wrapped in a beautiful package. The sounds, music, weather, landscapes, effects, architecture, and character design are all a treat for the eyes and ears.
You guys can go back in my profile and look. I hated 1.0. I thought it was stupid and terrible. Tau01 and I would bicker constantly about it.
Now, because of Tau, I own the CE (it cost me $20 at the time?). Free month. It's been SO good, I bought a copy for the PS3. I played pretty constantly the past couple of days.
I don't necessarily want a TCG.. maybe just Go or some other fun game. Something to interact with others and have fun. Sometimes fun gets lost in the gear treadmill and little things that allow interaction that aren't necessarily "Need heals NAO". I haven't even delved into crafting yet. I'm still wrapping my head around advanced professions.
HAHAHAHA!!!!
Just the gathering profs alone are a game in itself. There are so many ingredients that are mined in each node that are used in all the professions and if you need a particular item like a "Bone Chip" it's only located in one place in one small area. Things like that IMO make for great crafting and it's going to be VERY difficult to master all crafting professions and do them well - but I'm sure going to try
Currently playing SWTOR and it's MUCH better than it was at launch.
lets come back here in about a month when you reach the endgame
then you all change your mind
In a month I'll still be working on my crafting profs - endgame means different things to different people.
The next patch introduces neighborhoods and I read that you can have your own estate...decorate it and even have a market outside your front door to sell your wares.
So it's going to take me quite a while if ever to reach endgame - espoecially when they start adding more stuff..and they will.
Currently playing SWTOR and it's MUCH better than it was at launch.
To me is a very good game but to me personally it is nowhere near the best mmo ever unless they:
1) add water content (swiming and underwater life / exploration)
2) address the awful Global cooldown
3) have more variety of jobs, weapons, and skills
4) non party (and non instance) based limit break?
Until those 4 things are addressed, FF14: ARR takes the third place in my top 5 favorite mmorpgs (GW2 and WoW are 1st and second place). 4th and 5th are empty, Waiting for Wildstar, TESO, ArcheAge, Blade & Soul, and a few otehrs to see which ones will complete my top 5.
If SE address those 4 points the game could easily jump from 3rd to 1st or 2nd place on my list. Only 1st and 2nd i consider among the best.
EDIT: it definitelly has the best crafting ive tried, ever.
They have plans for more classes/jobs. Was talking to a few ffxi players who were arguing which class they will add next, all seemed interesting.
Global cool down, while I hate it, I don't see it going anywhere. At least there are some skills not effected by it. I still think combat is very fitting for the game (notice I didn't say bad or good combat but fitting for the game)
Limit break for solo use...not sure we will see that ever. IMO it would make pve combat too easy and quick if I was able to one shot something every few kills...
Personally the GCD is the biggest negative with the game, it really stands out early on when most people just have two attack skills and in a party theres unnatural group pauses. Once you get a bit higher that awkwardness kind of goes away. I would MUCH rather there be a hold and charge for 2.5 seconds rather than a GCD. So for instance if you have a 3 combo attack and want to maximize its damage you hold and charge each attack for 2.5 seconds.
Also I believe monks get reduced GCD. IMO the GCD might be a more natural pace for..say marauders lancers and jobs that use the axe or pole arm...doesn't make sense for magic, archers (maybe long bows only) or other forms of melee (fists excluded since they get reduced GCD)
In the end it really doesn't take much from the games fun, and you do get use to the combats slower pacing (or perhaps the addition of lots of skills, dealing with positioning ect makes the 2.5 sec GCD seem less like an eternity)
But right now I feel that spicing up combat a bit would go a long way and take this game to the next level. Mind you I DONT want action or a form of quick paced combat...I like the old school slower combat...just needs a bit of spice.
Your Skill Speed stat (located on your character sheet) affects GCD. You can always go for capping that stats if you want it to be faster.
I find that an extremely accurate observation, and as far as I'm concerned the facts supporting it can no longer be argued with. Therefore why developers still keep chasing the WoW phenomena I simply can't understand. Other than to chalk it up to pure stupidity and greed. WoW wasn't about game design. It was about a transient social fad. And the sooner we get back to making games for gamers, the better off everyone is going to be.
Very impressed. Gonna call it home for a while.
I actually don't mind the 2.5 sec global cooldown. Mainly because this is a Final Fantasy game and it reminds me of the ATB gauges from the older FF games. I guess you could say it's the MMO version of ATB. But I do agree, after you pick up more skills it's not that bad. Having instant cast abilities that work off of the GCD helps too.
I enjoy the pacing of the 2.5 second GCD. At 50, i'm using an ability off the gcd practically everytime. It provides a pace and rythym to battle. Games with 1.5 GCD feel like spam fests where you're just using an ability as soon as the GCD lets you, rather than deciding which is the best ability to use at that moment.
For example, the GCD allows me to decide whether I need to chain to Storm's path or Storm's Eye.
I have to decide whether I want to keep my stacks of Wrath for 10% crit and 15% Healing Bonus, or use it for Inner Beast for a big heal.
The 2.5 second GCD is perfect imho for the pve design of the game. I don't feel a seizure coming on when playing twich based action mmo's or 1.5 second GCD spam fests.
WoW was great for its time, but I've learned I don't need to be in a neurotic state to enjoy the game.
As a 49 1/2 year old, I concur lol
definitely less spammy and I can only see it getting better as we get more skills and harder foes.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
Agree witht he OP. Server / login / queue issues aside, the game itself is wonderful. Runs extremely smooth for how nice the graphics are compared to other MMOs, the crafting is fun & addicting (an actual skill based system that allows you to manipulate the outcome rather than the standard "click & wait" crafting approach), the ability to & ease of switching between any jobs is very quick & easy (currently rocking 13 different sets that I have saved for my various crafting / gathering jobs + combat jobs and I switch back and forth for different tasks as I travel around the zones), very well done story even for many of the sidequests, and the depth of the logs & quests for each job (hunting / crafting / gathering logs & tiered quests for each unique job).
My only big gripe so far has been being an archer and dealing with the very tiny mob leash they have in place. I can kite the mobs just fine, but the whole idea of running around in such a small circle with no other way to really keep your distance because going just a few steps beyond where you started hitting a mob from resets it, is kind of annoying. Combine the whole running around in a small circle with the extremely slow reaction times / turning speed of mobs, I assume for the sake of allowing better positional combat for melee classes like PUG, it becomes pretty easy mode and gets a bit dull knowing you can just keep running in a circle and barely ever get hit. I really wish they had geared the combat more towards giving the classes with positional combat the tools to get the positioning needed rather than having a built in mechanic on every mob in the game that causes them to react like theyre half crippled. They kind of made it a bit too easy to stay behind / to the side of targets for everyone, rather than giving those who need it to maximize their skills the ability to get behind / to the side through use of skills.
He who keeps his cool best wins.
Honestly I played SWTOR and after awhile the voice acting got repetitive and redundant. I just got to the point in the FFxiv story where you ....ok no spoilers, but im about level 20 atm , and I am actually enjoying the mix of Voice over and Reading dialogue. Plus I read a study that reading more often keeps Alzheimer's away >.0 {grins with some sarcazim}
I like alts...
Let's play Fallen Earth (blind, 300 episodes)
Let's play Guild Wars 2 (blind, 45 episodes)