FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

[Malacite]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

My only beef with durability & repair is it feels like shit breaks down too quickly, which was noted in the planned updates notes and so I'm not worrying over it anymore. It's one of the few things the old devs got right, at least partially - In order for crafters, as an actual class, to remain relevant there needs to be a level of dependency on them by the majority.

It's just a matter of striking the right balance. I mean, it would be retarded to have rare, high level armor constantly breaking down and costing you an arm and a leg to repair it every time due to the rarity of the materials needed.

[Aeni]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

Durability on undergarments is annoying, espesially when the repair NPC is robbing you blind for incomplete work.

They changed that so now all undergarments are considered indestructible. To balance this off they have now made undergarments available in various shades of color and presumably adding a bit of texture and style in order to help the crafter sell this as a vanity item and make some gil (maybe like lingerie or boardshorts or something) Undergarments will also increase their stats but it will only be a very slight increase because they do not want players that do not want to purchase higher ranked undergarments to feel that they are impacted negatively by that decision.

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Currently in the game it is quite easy to have gear repaired if you leave it in the wards where it SHOULD BE (i.e., under the Menders Ward) As long as you leave adequate compensation for the repairs it will be handled with relative speed by enthusiastic players (I find a lot of JP players who diligently work these wards for both compensation and crafting skill gains) What I do see is that too many players are offering such a stupidly low compensation for repairs (i.e., 1gil for a Rank 50 item) that eventually many players stop visiting the Menders wards. If anything, instead of the community complaining about the repair system, they should actually ostracize the individuals who do not provide appropriate compensation on repairs which will hopefully get back to a more reliable system for income for crafters looking to repair. With the ease in which you can get money from leve work there is absolutely NO EXCUSE to not provide the proper compensation.

I reiterate again, with proper affinity and rank, your combat gear should not require too much repair work. Repairs are needed more regularly with crafting and gathering gear, but I argue that if you're driving yourself fully into these activities that you are well prepared to deal with the responsibilities it involves. Remember, crafting specific players cannot participate in combative roles if they do not rank up those classes, so no one has any good reason to argue that combative players are being unfairly left out ... they are not.

Where I do have to agree a little on are the complaints that weapons see faster wear than crafting/gathering tools. I agree that the wear must be reduced and at the very least brought down to the same level of wear as crafting tools when you take into account the ratio of skill gain to wear. Crafters by and large can gain a lot more skill points than combat and have very low risk outside the cost of materials since the rate at which they level up almost nullifies this cost.

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As a casual player probably putting down no more than a total of 15 full hours of play a week (the rest of the time is spent not even at my computer while I deal with IRL responsibilities and remain logged into the server) the money is not an issue. People who complain about repairs ... I'm not sure where this is warranted. What is so difficult in providing 5k compensation on a Rank 30sh item for repair? The past week alone I've taken in 250,000 gils on just leve work alone. Including bazaar sales and crafting I made around 400,000 gils. On 15 hours a week. I am not sure why players are insisting money is an issue with repairs. What is it you are doing that does not jive with my own experience?

[Khalus]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

And Khalus, Stop comparing the two and trying to make SE change FFXIV into FFXI. Don't like it? Go back to FFXI.

Nah, I think I will continue to post my opinions just like everyone here is free to do, and if ya don't like what I have to say then don't read my posts or respond to them.

Even should SE be coming here and reading my posts of all things,{highly doubt it} you're SOL, because its rather clear that nearly everyone across the globe, whom participated in this poll, are unhappy with how XIV currently works. Even Yoshi-P basically said that trying to make XIV as different from XI was a mistake, and the changes coming from this report all indicate that XIV will in fact end up being more like XI in the end.

[Aeni]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

Nah, I think I will continue to post my opinions just like everyone here is free to do, and if ya don't like what I have to say then don't read my posts or respond to them.

Even should SE be coming here and reading my posts of all things,{highly doubt it} you're SOL, because its rather clear that nearly everyone across the globe, whom participated in this poll, are unhappy with how XIV currently works. Even Yoshi-P basically said that trying to make XIV as different from XI was a mistake, and the changes coming from this report all indicate that XIV will in fact end up being more like XI in the end.

Yet none of your complaints bore any merits aside from wear on weapons. And to presume that the complaints of players are in league with your own is just that ... presumptuous. Most of the players have complaints with something but not all of the players have the same complaints. Quit making generalizations and you'll find that the players are mostly satisfied and only want certain issues that they are conerned about the most addressed.

I've already stated in past posts that the majority of players that I've dealt with were unhappy with a few minor things and that when these minor issues acrete it feels like the whole game is broken when in fact it is not. Stop going around like Chicken Little claiming the game is DOA when it is not.

[Khalus]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

I've already stated in past posts that the majority of players that I've dealt with were unhappy with a few minor things and that when these minor issues acrete it feels like the whole game is broken when in fact it is not. Stop going around like Chicken Little claiming the game is DOA when it is not.

And that majority is what a few dozen players!? You can state your own finding and opinions of the few that you've come in contact with all you want,{just as I have been} but everyone will run into a different crowd with different fucking opinions.

How about you don't go around claiming that everything is good, {telling others, especially me what I can or cannot say} when there is solid proof its not. This poll clearly shows that regardless of what you or I thinks is best, the majority want massive changes, as do Square-Enix...

[Aksannyi]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

Massive changes doesn't necessarily mean "remake FFXI." While there are some things that XI undoubtedly did better, there is plenty wrong with FFXI that could use an upgrade.

In terms of UI (what I consider to be the biggest fault), SE has two strikes in my book. FFXI's UI is so much more clunky when you compare it to the industry giant many here love to hate on, and XIV's? Lol. SE could stand to take a lesson on UI development for MMOs from Blizzard. I am not saying they should copy Blizzard, but so many small things Blizz does right that just makes the whole thing so much easier to work with. What's that? I can have more than one menu open at a time? What's that? Useful information (like home pointing in XIV) pops up on the screen when I need it? What's that? Having a menu open doesn't me from taking some sort of action?

Yeah it's little stuff, but boy, you sure do miss stuff being easy and user-friendly when you don't have it anymore.

[Khalus]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

Massive changes doesn't necessarily mean "remake FFXI." While there are some things that XI undoubtedly did better, there is plenty wrong with FFXI that could use an upgrade.

And I'm not saying that XIV should be identical in every way to XI at this point, {regardless of my opinions earlier} but there is more wrong and broken and annoying in XIV than most are willing to admit.{even I tried to look past it all because I adore FF, but it eventually enveloped my enjoyment...} and it would be best IMFO, that for now to copy systems from XI that do work and that players are familiar with and are easy to use. {even Yoshi-P would agree with that statement since he basically said it himself}

Forget trying to get players that aren't fans of FF at this point, as in their eyes XIV is a failure, and the next MMO is their main priority now, that being Rift, then GWII, then SW:TOR. SE needs to appeal to their current fans, those like me waiting on some massive improvements before returning, those still playing XI, and those waiting on the PS3 version.

Then, hopefully as the FF fans return, maybe even a few stragglers willing to give it a 2nd chance, enhance these systems to be more their own and add new ones that fit with the world of Hydaelyn.

[Raydeus]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

XI's UI was unexplicably unresponsive, but the layout and functionality was very good IMO, specially considering it was a console UI to begin with.

It could use some additional features and some updates/upgrades/windower-features/customization, but overall it's probably the most comfortable 100% keyboard capable UI I've seen to date.

XIV's on the other hand was just trash all around, as shown in the dozens of frustrated videos available in the tubes. Though I have no idea if it has indeed improved in the last couple of months, mainly because I just lost any remaining interest in XIV long time ago.

[Aksannyi]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

considering it was a console UI to begin with.

I do tend to forget this, thanks for pointing that out. I suppose it's a bit difficult to create things with keybinds in mind the way WoW does if you're expecting people to play with a controller and not a keyboard. To this day XI is the only MMO I can't play without a controller - just for basic movement. And I tried.

Considering when the game came out is also something I forgot to mention, though, in terms of the UI. It was good for it's time, but by now it is definitely outdated. And I'll admit WoW spoiled me. Some of the stuff in XI was kind of hidden within the menu if you didn't know where to look. (Remember the first time you tried to call a GM?)

But I got used to it. Seems people are struggling more with XIV's now, mainly because a lot of us - myself included, who has not played XIV but I'm sure it would annoy me - were spoiled by other games. Sure you certainly do have XI players who never played anything else and went right into XIV, but you have an awful lot of us who played WoW, Eve, LoTRO, any of the millions of F2P MMOs, EQ, whatever. There are expectations now with MMO players.

Khalus is right, though, there is a big portion of the playerbase who is mainly FF fans and are sticking around to make the game succeed. Those who aren't loyal to SE in any sort of way are going to just move on to the next thing, or go back to a game they played before.

I still want XIV to succeed because if there's one thing SE did really damn well, it was creating a vast world with a fantastic story behind it. It was so easy to get sucked into Vana'diel. I really want the same for Eorzea. But in order for fans like me to get sucked into the game, it has to be fun to play on top of whatever background/lore it has. I wouldn't say that I have faith in SE at this point, but they've shown that they're trying to make it right. We'll have to see how they do in the next few months.

[Raydeus]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

XI's menus are waaay better than DCUO's for instance. But the click, drag and drop features in DCUO compensate for it.

[Aeni]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

and it would be best IMFO, that for now to copy systems from XI that do work and that players are familiar with and are easy to use. {even Yoshi-P would agree with that statement since he basically said it himself}

He said no such thing. You're putting words into his statement. Or took things out of context. I've re-read the statements in the "Players Poll First Results Analysis" and have come to the conclusion that he echoed sentiments of the players and said he agreed that some change was needed (But never once said, "oh we regret what we did and will embark on remaking the game")

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/pl...36kgy8gt57.jpg

Look at this graph. The poll asked players what games have they played. Look at it another way:

80% of JP players NEVER PLAYED FFXI
85% of NA players NEVER PLAYED FFXI
86% of GB players NEVER PLAYED FFXI
85% of FR players NEVER PLAYED FFXI
87% of DE players NEVER PLAYED FFXI

I never made these numbers up ... it's there and you can view it for yourself. So, tell me, how exactly is FFXI a better model for this game when most players haven't even played it? Conversely, with similar figures for WoW (aside from the lack of a JP market for Blizzard), how would these players even know how an MMO game should work?

Many of these players, I suspect, come from a background of single player/console games experience or had their experience shaped by many micro-transaction games - which says a lot about the crowd that is currently playing the game. Remember, this was a question with multiple answers, so there is no clear cut indication of just how many players actually played an online game before jumping into this one. The figures could very well be high or low ... take your pick. It could even be that most players who answered FFXI or WoW are actually one in the same ... that many of them (I suspect) have played both, thus skewing the results even further which proves my point ... most of these players don't really know how an MMO should operate and they are just merely going by the FF brand name (i.e., console)




* Indicates that many just saw "GUD GRAFX LOL" and purchased the game

---------- Post added at 12:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 PM ----------

Khalus is right, though, there is a big portion of the playerbase who is mainly FF fans and are sticking around to make the game succeed. Those who aren't loyal to SE in any sort of way are going to just move on to the next thing, or go back to a game they played before.

I have grievances a mile high against SE, much like Grizzlebeard, and is the main reason why I quit FFXI after spending literally months of total game time (ridic amount, I was younger then and spent way more than what was considered healthy) across two characters and seeing end game in Sky, etc. It was not easy decision to make but clearly I was frustrated. I had friends that didn't just delete characters ... they deleted POL IDs as well when they left the game.

I already stated that 6 months was the fair shake on my part for this game no matter how bad it got. However, things have turned around a lot, making the game almost unrecognizable from the time I spent in open beta. Does that mean it's in a perfectly right place? No, far from it, as I would be the first to tell you of the flaws. However, I do not like two things about a seemingly vocal minority who have yet to take the plunge off the "sinking ship":

1. Nostalgic references to FFXI as if it was God's gift to mankind.
2. Saying that the game is either unplayable or might as well be in the current state.

I've made a lot of progress for being casually attached to the game and maybe it's because of this that I do not have any agenda in mind either railing against SE or rushing to their defense. I'm merely being reasonable in my views of the game and I guess if that makes me a fanboi then so be it. I'm really irritated with the "instant gratification" demands of some players and not sure if it's a symptom of the internet.

[jenova_9]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

I think by March things will have noticable improvements, mew.

In 7 months it will be improved even more and maybe by then the PS3 version will be ready and things will be more polished that everyone will have to review FFXIV again and be very pleased, mew.

[Aksannyi]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

Really my main reluctance to play XIV right now is the fact that I have absolutely no possible way to play it, not on this computer and not on the other two computers I own, otherwise, I probably would have played it at launch. I think I would have been very disappointed with it, though, but that said, I am willing to give it a chance, if the changes made are big enough and I happen to get a good chunk of change to spend on a PC.

I honestly wish that SE had not kept the same races, even though they renamed them. Doing that almost forced people to treat XIV like it was XIv2. Sure, some don't, but the comparisons were inevitable. I think the reason people want this to be so much like XI is because it looks so damn much like it. I think that was kind of a mistake for SE if they wanted this game to sell on its own merits and not the coat tails of FFXI.

I hope I'm not one of the ones to whom you are referring when you say the vocal minority. I don't ever claim that I know everything without having played the game, I just know what people tell me - and I've been told that I am wrong at times, to which I will admit if you call me out on it. If I am, well, I'll just leave this thread right now - I do try to put in what little input I have on things I'd like to see, since I do want to play this game eventually. And one of the biggest things I do not want to see is this game turn into the second coming of FFXI. It's already dangerously close to teetering over that edge just by virtue of the same general graphic look (albeit sharper and updated) and the same races. I enjoyed XI while I played it but that ship has sailed for me.

[jenova_9]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

It's a shame the poll didn't ask if people wanted new races added. I think 1 or 2 races added could make things more interesting and unique.

[Khalus]

Re: FFXIV Players' Poll The First ~ Results & Analysis {1/21/11}

He said no such thing. You're putting words into his statement. Or took things out of context. I've re-read the statements in the "Players Poll First Results Analysis" and have come to the conclusion that he echoed sentiments of the players and said he agreed that some change was needed (But never once said, "oh we regret what we did and will embark on remaking the game")

Amusing, how you went and just added a quote that I never claimed he said... ^Obviously doesn't read other interviews. He sure as hell "basically" did, and since it appears you don't yet understand what basically means "Used to indicate that a statement summarizes the most important aspects of a more complex situation:"



From a Famitsu interview recently...

One possibility that came up in the player questionnaire was implementing an auction house -- a popular feature in Final Fantasy XI that was omitted from the new game. "Up until now, we were too preoccupied with making FFXIV as different from FFXI as we could," Yoshida commented. "However, players plainly need an easy-to-use game play system that encourages a healthy in-game economy. If an auction house is that system, then I say we should implement it. Making everything new and original isn't necessarily the right thing all the time."


But what's going to be changed first? "The user interface," Yoshida said. "We can work on other things all we want, but if we don't fix the controls at the same time, then players will be too frustrated to fully appreciate the other improvements.