I played beta - and with the current B3 changes - the combat system *did* become much faster then 2. If it had stayed B2? I wouldn't have pre-ordered it.
There is one thing I can say for fatigue. I don't really agree with the principle of it, but it's still there.
It's also not a 'timed' system like many people think. It's not 8 hours. It's a calculation based on what you would get if you *did* grind for 8 hours nonstop. It's not 200% XP either. It's just what I call - frontloaded XP. Meaning you get the same amount of XP you would if you sat for 8 hours kinda upfront.
That being said - the people who want to play just ONE class to the exclusion of all others? It's not really a game you *can* do that in. That and it's not very efficient to do that, either. It's better to level up them all so you can pick and choose really good skills from other classes.
Also : I played about 5-6 hours a day during B3 when the XP was higher then the beta before that.
I never saw the surplus XP on Class or Physical Class. It recharges when you're not playing (aka RL), and when you're not leveling up a class. So honestly? If they relax the system even more? I doubt many people are going to see it.
Unless they play 18 hours a day.
The only other problems it has - the UI, Buying/Selling - might put people off. I'm still going "Eh, AH pls! Kthnx"
but the combat system along with the ability to pick and choose your skills and equip the skills you want? Major thumbs up.
I don't know of any other game so far where you can level up ALL classes on one char AND pick and choose skills from ANY of them. (Save the Class-Only skills.)
That and you can reassign your stats?
Hello custom gameplay.
Still - I don't like fatigue and I'm sure at some point they'l axe it. Cause I do believe it's there right now so everyone doesnt' rush rush rush to end. I'm not naive.
But after all the pros/cons?
I've not canceled my preorder cause I like PvE games. I like crafter-centric economies, too.
If SE doesn't fix some of the flaws in the game? I probably won't play for an extended period of time, tho.
So you played only one day in beta3? Honestly, I saw the surplus thing on the second day, and I managed to go down to 0% with both mage classes (which left me to crafting or harvesting - and I didn't like both at all). This game is casual-only with graphics that require a machine usually only hardcores buy - and will fail terribly.
I canceled my preorder and will not think one second again about subbing this game. Honestly, saying that the UI is the only other problem? That there is custom gameplay when everybody is forced to build all classes exactly the same way? This is not even a quest-grinder, because there are not even quests to do. Just these bloody kill-5-bugs missions, that are again limited by a two-day-timer.
Additionally, this "little" UI-problem you mention is in the game since one year and it seems Square Enix just can't fix it. They do not even want to, because they need the ps3-customers - I think they have already given up on the PC market as the people there are used to good and userfriendly products...
To mention it again, they are focusing on casuals - they even tell that in every interview you may read. In my strong belief a game for casuals-only must fail, as the community is always build around the hardcore guys (and that's all mmorpg's are about: community). And SE is forcing the hardcores away from ff14 right from the bedinning... history repeating...
I voted yes, i'm really hoping to get a chance to play open beta. I'm pretty sure this game won't run on my system.
But as far as the fatigue system, I doubt i'll play enough to be affected by it, 2-3 hours 4 days a week of playtime usually so i'm not 100% sure if i'll be affected or not.
If you were planning on playing the game 24 hrs then you'd have mentally and physically burnt yourself out...as it is no need to worry can have a full well-rounded life and play XIV to the full too.
I played beta - and with the current B3 changes - the combat system *did* become much faster then 2. If it had stayed B2? I wouldn't have pre-ordered it.
There is one thing I can say for fatigue. I don't really agree with the principle of it, but it's still there.
It's also not a 'timed' system like many people think. It's not 8 hours. It's a calculation based on what you would get if you *did* grind for 8 hours nonstop. It's not 200% XP either. It's just what I call - frontloaded XP. Meaning you get the same amount of XP you would if you sat for 8 hours kinda upfront.
That being said - the people who want to play just ONE class to the exclusion of all others? It's not really a game you *can* do that in. That and it's not very efficient to do that, either. It's better to level up them all so you can pick and choose really good skills from other classes.
Also : I played about 5-6 hours a day during B3 when the XP was higher then the beta before that.
I never saw the surplus XP on Class or Physical Class. It recharges when you're not playing (aka RL), and when you're not leveling up a class. So honestly? If they relax the system even more? I doubt many people are going to see it.
Unless they play 18 hours a day.
The only other problems it has - the UI, Buying/Selling - might put people off. I'm still going "Eh, AH pls! Kthnx"
but the combat system along with the ability to pick and choose your skills and equip the skills you want? Major thumbs up.
I don't know of any other game so far where you can level up ALL classes on one char AND pick and choose skills from ANY of them. (Save the Class-Only skills.)
That and you can reassign your stats?
Hello custom gameplay.
Still - I don't like fatigue and I'm sure at some point they'l axe it. Cause I do believe it's there right now so everyone doesnt' rush rush rush to end. I'm not naive.
But after all the pros/cons?
I've not canceled my preorder cause I like PvE games. I like crafter-centric economies, too.
If SE doesn't fix some of the flaws in the game? I probably won't play for an extended period of time, tho.
So you played only one day in beta3? Honestly, I saw the surplus thing on the second day, and I managed to go down to 0% with both mage classes (which left me to crafting or harvesting - and I didn't like both at all). This game is casual-only with graphics that require a machine usually only hardcores buy - and will fail terribly.
I canceled my preorder and will not think one second again about subbing this game. Honestly, saying that the UI is the only other problem? That there is custom gameplay when everybody is forced to build all classes exactly the same way? This is not even a quest-grinder, because there are not even quests to do. Just these bloody kill-5-bugs missions, that are again limited by a two-day-timer.
Additionally, this "little" UI-problem you mention is in the game since one year and it seems Square Enix just can't fix it. They do not even want to, because they need the ps3-customers - I think they have already given up on the PC market as the people there are used to good and userfriendly products...
To mention it again, they are focusing on casuals - they even tell that in every interview you may read. In my strong belief a game for casuals-only must fail, as the community is always build around the hardcore guys (and that's all mmorpg's are about: community). And SE is forcing the hardcores away from ff14 right from the bedinning... history repeating...
You can't really believe that the community is only built around hardcore guys can you? Look at WoW (which i personally did not enjoy), are they focusing on "hardcore guys" or "casuals"? They don't seem to be "fail(ing) terribly" and pretty much focus on casual gamers. You may not like the game but you can't seriously be saying that it "must fail" based on their focus on "casuals". That doesn't pass the sniff test at all.
Originally posted by miagisan just to clarify...is it 8 hours in 1 sitting or 8 hours in a given time frame (ex 1 week)?
You have exp and Sp thresholds, EXP which is physical exp is per char, while the SP for leveling classes are class based, There are 15 thresholds, for ther first 8 you'll gain full exp or sp, once you get into the 9th to 15th it starts to drop, apparently if your doing actions that don't give exp or sp, these thresholds can regenerate, however they haven't said how fast.
Will I still be buying the game.. Honestly not sure I was all like "MUST HAVE FF14" but since this systems announcement I am now "Don't know if Imma bother" I really can't see any pratical reason for a fatigue system like this in a videogame, especally a pay to play one. Some free to play mmo's have these kinda of systems, but I don't mind since its not costing me a penny to play them. The system also brings to the game what I call the "Eve online syndrome" where someone who started 2 weeks after someone else has virtually 0 chance to ever catch up to say hang with friends and such. Maybe if you go to your friend "Hey man can you not play for 2 weeks so I can catch up?" But I am sure that won't go over too well lol. I do like the game but I totally hate systems like this that prevents advancement.
"An MMORPG could be completely diffirent from WoW. Just look at games like Dofus, Wizard101 or EVE. But as it is, most of the Western MMOs are trying to succeed by out-WoWing WoW. It's like an army of 10 sports games made about same sports, and barely none about other sports. WoW clone is an accurate description of those games, it manages to convey much information with only two words." -Poster on mmorpg.com
Rift: World of Warcraft clone #9321 Nothing special to see here move along.
If I understand it correctly, you get 8 hours of 100% xp gain. The next 7 hours the xp gain starts to drop and eventually hits zero. It then stays at zero on that character, not through a course of one day, but a week. After a week it resets.
This system according to the developer promotes fairness between the casual and hardcore players so that all can, in theory gain the same amount of xp per week. I know its still in beta and things can change, but if it stays I would think Square Enix lost the hard core players.
I thought about buying but what little I played in alpha testing and some in beta I havent been impressed. Now with this system in place, if it stays, it will be a definite NO on purchase.
One other thought, could it be that they know they will be lacking on content at release and this system is a way to slow you down, until they can add a respectable amount of content. This isnt to say they dont have enough content but nothing has gave me the impression that there is allot.
Where this system would fail would be for people who get into the the game several moths or a a year later especially if their friends had been playing for a while, at which point it would be hard to catch up.
We go trough life with many yet there is a time we must walk our path alone.
No matter how you put it, this system is a step backward. Instead of rewarding people who are playing more than one class, they punish people who play only one class. Instead of rewarding people who play casually, they restrict people who play more.So much negativity in this way of thinking... this is not how progress is made.
Anyways, I was going to try convince my friends to play this, but nvm.
You can't really believe that the community is only built around hardcore guys can you? Look at WoW (which i personally did not enjoy), are they focusing on "hardcore guys" or "casuals"? They don't seem to be "fail(ing) terribly" and pretty much focus on casual gamers. You may not like the game but you can't seriously be saying that it "must fail" based on their focus on "casuals". That doesn't pass the sniff test at all.
Sure I can. Let me explain: If you log in to a game to meet friends and have fun with them, this requires that your friends are online. So it would be nice that your friends are kind of hardcore players, so that there are good chances to meet them again when you login the next time. Therefore I really do believe that you need hardcore players to build a community.
Maybe we first need to agree the definition of hardcore versus casuals. I define everyone as "harcore" who plays more than 20 hours a week, and I define everyone as casual who plays less than ten hours a week.
That brings me to the next point: Indeed WoW has been doing quite well in building up a hardcore community with offering quite good and quite many raids. I never played WoW myself, but I think there is not much doubt about it. So indeed WoW invested a lot of effort in hardcores, and on the other hand also offered lots of things to do for casuals. This (and the polished state of the game at all times) is what made them successful (in my opinion, of course).
Now, let's look what Blizzard did in the last year. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what SOE did in the last years for eq2, swg and vanguard. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what Square Enix did to FF14 in the last months. Oh well, I think you got it... On the other hand, let's look at eq1, ff11, uo, lineage 1&2 etc. They did almost nothing for casuals, they just stuck with their hardcores, and guess what - they are still doing fine, though they do not even advertise these games anymore... - and all of them do have a really nice community.
Back to topic, this system will affect everyone who plays more than 8 hours a week and does not spend his time site seeing. It seems square enix has the same definiton of casuals like me, hehe.
You can't really believe that the community is only built around hardcore guys can you? Look at WoW (which i personally did not enjoy), are they focusing on "hardcore guys" or "casuals"? They don't seem to be "fail(ing) terribly" and pretty much focus on casual gamers. You may not like the game but you can't seriously be saying that it "must fail" based on their focus on "casuals". That doesn't pass the sniff test at all.
Sure I can. Let me explain: If you log in to a game to meet friends and have fun with them, this requires that your friends are online. So it would be nice that your friends are kind of hardcore players, so that there are good chances to meet them again when you login the next time. Therefore I really do believe that you need hardcore players to build a community.
Maybe we first need to agree the definition of hardcore versus casuals. I define everyone as "harcore" who plays more than 20 hours a week, and I define everyone as casual who plays less than ten hours a week.
That brings me to the next point: Indeed WoW has been doing quite well in building up a hardcore community with offering quite good and quite many raids. I never played WoW myself, but I think there is not much doubt about it. So indeed WoW invested a lot of effort in hardcores, and on the other hand also offered lots of things to do for casuals. This (and the polished state of the game at all times) is what made them successful (in my opinion, of course).
Now, let's look what Blizzard did in the last year. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what SOE did in the last years for eq2, swg and vanguard. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what Square Enix did to FF14 in the last months. Oh well, I think you got it... On the other hand, let's look at eq1, ff11, uo, lineage 1&2 etc. They did almost nothing for casuals, they just stuck with their hardcores, and guess what - they are still doing fine, though they do not even advertise these games anymore... - and all of them do have a really nice community.
Back to topic, this system will affect everyone who plays more than 8 hours a week and does not spend his time site seeing. It seems square enix has the same definiton of casuals like me, hehe.
I play more than 10 hours and less than 20 most weeks so not sure what you would classify me. Most of my friends online would fall in the same group. We have no problem meeting each other because we play at the same time and on the same days. I have never been part of the hardcore (as you defined it) community and neither have the majority of my friends. There are just too many factors in what builds a community, other than time played, to define it as simply as you did. I understand your point I just don't agree with it. Maybe your "community" is held together by hard core players but don't assume that everyone elses is.
So, what happens if a few of your friends leave the game? Are you optimistic that the rest of the server community (if existing) will "replace" them easily?
What about your server community? I don't know your game, of course, but, for instance, who are the guys on your server that organize open raids or similiar "community-building" events? I bet they fall in the hardcore category (in case your game supports hardcore game style).
With 10-20 hours you are classified as a "normal" gamer ;-)
Edit: And yes, I agree, there are more things that create a great community, it's just that hardcore gamers are usually the corner stones, at least in my experience in the last ten years.
Without a XBox gamepad for P.C its unplayable. Even with one its unplayable. They are unlikely to fix this so no matter how excellent a game is if you cant control it its useless. I think game looks fab but as its impossible to play without struggling with the control system I will sadly have to give it a miss. Square seem to have ignored P.C users completely as usual.
I still don't see the need for a system like this to encourage the leveling of multiple classes.
Most of the people that were going to play would level every class anyways, seeing as it so beneficial to do so from acquiring skills alone. The community comming from XI are already used to this as having only 1 class/job leveled was looked down apon.
You can't really believe that the community is only built around hardcore guys can you? Look at WoW (which i personally did not enjoy), are they focusing on "hardcore guys" or "casuals"? They don't seem to be "fail(ing) terribly" and pretty much focus on casual gamers. You may not like the game but you can't seriously be saying that it "must fail" based on their focus on "casuals". That doesn't pass the sniff test at all.
Sure I can. Let me explain: If you log in to a game to meet friends and have fun with them, this requires that your friends are online. So it would be nice that your friends are kind of hardcore players, so that there are good chances to meet them again when you login the next time. Therefore I really do believe that you need hardcore players to build a community.
Maybe we first need to agree the definition of hardcore versus casuals. I define everyone as "harcore" who plays more than 20 hours a week, and I define everyone as casual who plays less than ten hours a week.
That brings me to the next point: Indeed WoW has been doing quite well in building up a hardcore community with offering quite good and quite many raids. I never played WoW myself, but I think there is not much doubt about it. So indeed WoW invested a lot of effort in hardcores, and on the other hand also offered lots of things to do for casuals. This (and the polished state of the game at all times) is what made them successful (in my opinion, of course).
Now, let's look what Blizzard did in the last year. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what SOE did in the last years for eq2, swg and vanguard. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what Square Enix did to FF14 in the last months. Oh well, I think you got it... On the other hand, let's look at eq1, ff11, uo, lineage 1&2 etc. They did almost nothing for casuals, they just stuck with their hardcores, and guess what - they are still doing fine, though they do not even advertise these games anymore... - and all of them do have a really nice community.
Back to topic, this system will affect everyone who plays more than 8 hours a week and does not spend his time site seeing. It seems square enix has the same definiton of casuals like me, hehe.
Since XIV isn't going to have that much end-game on launch you might he better off with WoW Cataclysm.
I think I will pass on this one, from what I am reading the pc sys requirements are higher than I am willing to upgrade. This added to the lack of PvP has supported my decision. The game looks fun but I refuse to drop more money for a game that may not....suit me. Keep us informed of FFXIV.
I got a Beta Key at Gamescom just to see the system requirements are WAY too high. I got a shitty PC, ok but a friend of mine got a 295 gtx and a quadcore and still only can run it on low. As far as gameplay goes it sucks too the first minutes are boring and the battle system sucks even more. It doesn't feel like a mmorpg. The game just looks and feels unfinished why are they releasing such a game?
The monthly costs are NOT worth it, i better pay for Aion or TERA (My big hope). Even Wow is better than this.
Comments
Ask me again in a week after I've had a chance to play the beta...
So you played only one day in beta3? Honestly, I saw the surplus thing on the second day, and I managed to go down to 0% with both mage classes (which left me to crafting or harvesting - and I didn't like both at all). This game is casual-only with graphics that require a machine usually only hardcores buy - and will fail terribly.
I canceled my preorder and will not think one second again about subbing this game. Honestly, saying that the UI is the only other problem? That there is custom gameplay when everybody is forced to build all classes exactly the same way? This is not even a quest-grinder, because there are not even quests to do. Just these bloody kill-5-bugs missions, that are again limited by a two-day-timer.
Additionally, this "little" UI-problem you mention is in the game since one year and it seems Square Enix just can't fix it. They do not even want to, because they need the ps3-customers - I think they have already given up on the PC market as the people there are used to good and userfriendly products...
To mention it again, they are focusing on casuals - they even tell that in every interview you may read. In my strong belief a game for casuals-only must fail, as the community is always build around the hardcore guys (and that's all mmorpg's are about: community). And SE is forcing the hardcores away from ff14 right from the bedinning... history repeating...
Currently playing: EverQuest
Waiting for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
People have way too much money.
And this site is sure getting it from them.
Some guys will never learn.
Welcome FF14, go stand next in line, right after TR, AoC, War, Aion, ST, CO, ...
Next volunteer to jump off the cliff? SW:TOR, ok no problem.
There's one advantage, the more that jump from the money cliff, the less money I spent on them.
I voted yes, i'm really hoping to get a chance to play open beta. I'm pretty sure this game won't run on my system.
But as far as the fatigue system, I doubt i'll play enough to be affected by it, 2-3 hours 4 days a week of playtime usually so i'm not 100% sure if i'll be affected or not.
You can't really believe that the community is only built around hardcore guys can you? Look at WoW (which i personally did not enjoy), are they focusing on "hardcore guys" or "casuals"? They don't seem to be "fail(ing) terribly" and pretty much focus on casual gamers. You may not like the game but you can't seriously be saying that it "must fail" based on their focus on "casuals". That doesn't pass the sniff test at all.
Surplus EXP/Fatigue is a non-factor. If it is the single thing that is keeping someone from playing, then they didn't want to play in the first place.
I think I'll be giving it a shot.
You have exp and Sp thresholds, EXP which is physical exp is per char, while the SP for leveling classes are class based, There are 15 thresholds, for ther first 8 you'll gain full exp or sp, once you get into the 9th to 15th it starts to drop, apparently if your doing actions that don't give exp or sp, these thresholds can regenerate, however they haven't said how fast.
Will I still be buying the game.. Honestly not sure I was all like "MUST HAVE FF14" but since this systems announcement I am now "Don't know if Imma bother" I really can't see any pratical reason for a fatigue system like this in a videogame, especally a pay to play one. Some free to play mmo's have these kinda of systems, but I don't mind since its not costing me a penny to play them. The system also brings to the game what I call the "Eve online syndrome" where someone who started 2 weeks after someone else has virtually 0 chance to ever catch up to say hang with friends and such. Maybe if you go to your friend "Hey man can you not play for 2 weeks so I can catch up?" But I am sure that won't go over too well lol. I do like the game but I totally hate systems like this that prevents advancement.
"An MMORPG could be completely diffirent from WoW. Just look at games like Dofus, Wizard101 or EVE. But as it is, most of the Western MMOs are trying to succeed by out-WoWing WoW. It's like an army of 10 sports games made about same sports, and barely none about other sports. WoW clone is an accurate description of those games, it manages to convey much information with only two words."
-Poster on mmorpg.com
Rift: World of Warcraft clone #9321 Nothing special to see here move along.
Where this system would fail would be for people who get into the the game several moths or a a year later especially if their friends had been playing for a while, at which point it would be hard to catch up.
We go trough life with many yet there is a time we must walk our path alone.
No matter how you put it, this system is a step backward. Instead of rewarding people who are playing more than one class, they punish people who play only one class. Instead of rewarding people who play casually, they restrict people who play more.So much negativity in this way of thinking... this is not how progress is made.
Anyways, I was going to try convince my friends to play this, but nvm.
Sure I can. Let me explain: If you log in to a game to meet friends and have fun with them, this requires that your friends are online. So it would be nice that your friends are kind of hardcore players, so that there are good chances to meet them again when you login the next time. Therefore I really do believe that you need hardcore players to build a community.
Maybe we first need to agree the definition of hardcore versus casuals. I define everyone as "harcore" who plays more than 20 hours a week, and I define everyone as casual who plays less than ten hours a week.
That brings me to the next point: Indeed WoW has been doing quite well in building up a hardcore community with offering quite good and quite many raids. I never played WoW myself, but I think there is not much doubt about it. So indeed WoW invested a lot of effort in hardcores, and on the other hand also offered lots of things to do for casuals. This (and the polished state of the game at all times) is what made them successful (in my opinion, of course).
Now, let's look what Blizzard did in the last year. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what SOE did in the last years for eq2, swg and vanguard. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what Square Enix did to FF14 in the last months. Oh well, I think you got it... On the other hand, let's look at eq1, ff11, uo, lineage 1&2 etc. They did almost nothing for casuals, they just stuck with their hardcores, and guess what - they are still doing fine, though they do not even advertise these games anymore... - and all of them do have a really nice community.
Back to topic, this system will affect everyone who plays more than 8 hours a week and does not spend his time site seeing. It seems square enix has the same definiton of casuals like me, hehe.
Currently playing: EverQuest
Waiting for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
I play more than 10 hours and less than 20 most weeks so not sure what you would classify me. Most of my friends online would fall in the same group. We have no problem meeting each other because we play at the same time and on the same days. I have never been part of the hardcore (as you defined it) community and neither have the majority of my friends. There are just too many factors in what builds a community, other than time played, to define it as simply as you did. I understand your point I just don't agree with it. Maybe your "community" is held together by hard core players but don't assume that everyone elses is.
So, what happens if a few of your friends leave the game? Are you optimistic that the rest of the server community (if existing) will "replace" them easily?
What about your server community? I don't know your game, of course, but, for instance, who are the guys on your server that organize open raids or similiar "community-building" events? I bet they fall in the hardcore category (in case your game supports hardcore game style).
With 10-20 hours you are classified as a "normal" gamer ;-)
Edit: And yes, I agree, there are more things that create a great community, it's just that hardcore gamers are usually the corner stones, at least in my experience in the last ten years.
Currently playing: EverQuest
Waiting for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
i might pick this up when it launches for the ps3...... when ever that is
Even tho I don't care for the Fatigue on Physical Level as I can see hit it on my Weekends... yes I'm still buying it.
The surplus on class rank isn't that bad, kinda annoying but you'd be gimping yourself just playing one class anyway.
I'm just hoping they nix the Physical Level fatigue and I'd be happy.
Without a XBox gamepad for P.C its unplayable. Even with one its unplayable. They are unlikely to fix this so no matter how excellent a game is if you cant control it its useless. I think game looks fab but as its impossible to play without struggling with the control system I will sadly have to give it a miss. Square seem to have ignored P.C users completely as usual.
No jumping and no PVP kills it for me.
I still don't see the need for a system like this to encourage the leveling of multiple classes.
Most of the people that were going to play would level every class anyways, seeing as it so beneficial to do so from acquiring skills alone. The community comming from XI are already used to this as having only 1 class/job leveled was looked down apon.
Sure I can. Let me explain: If you log in to a game to meet friends and have fun with them, this requires that your friends are online. So it would be nice that your friends are kind of hardcore players, so that there are good chances to meet them again when you login the next time. Therefore I really do believe that you need hardcore players to build a community.
Maybe we first need to agree the definition of hardcore versus casuals. I define everyone as "harcore" who plays more than 20 hours a week, and I define everyone as casual who plays less than ten hours a week.
That brings me to the next point: Indeed WoW has been doing quite well in building up a hardcore community with offering quite good and quite many raids. I never played WoW myself, but I think there is not much doubt about it. So indeed WoW invested a lot of effort in hardcores, and on the other hand also offered lots of things to do for casuals. This (and the polished state of the game at all times) is what made them successful (in my opinion, of course).
Now, let's look what Blizzard did in the last year. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what SOE did in the last years for eq2, swg and vanguard. They skipped the hardcore guys and put their effort in casuals - and lost millions of subscribers. Let's look what Square Enix did to FF14 in the last months. Oh well, I think you got it... On the other hand, let's look at eq1, ff11, uo, lineage 1&2 etc. They did almost nothing for casuals, they just stuck with their hardcores, and guess what - they are still doing fine, though they do not even advertise these games anymore... - and all of them do have a really nice community.
Back to topic, this system will affect everyone who plays more than 8 hours a week and does not spend his time site seeing. It seems square enix has the same definiton of casuals like me, hehe.
Since XIV isn't going to have that much end-game on launch you might he better off with WoW Cataclysm.I think I will pass on this one, from what I am reading the pc sys requirements are higher than I am willing to upgrade. This added to the lack of PvP has supported my decision. The game looks fun but I refuse to drop more money for a game that may not....suit me. Keep us informed of FFXIV.
I got a Beta Key at Gamescom just to see the system requirements are WAY too high. I got a shitty PC, ok but a friend of mine got a 295 gtx and a quadcore and still only can run it on low. As far as gameplay goes it sucks too the first minutes are boring and the battle system sucks even more. It doesn't feel like a mmorpg. The game just looks and feels unfinished why are they releasing such a game?
The monthly costs are NOT worth it, i better pay for Aion or TERA (My big hope). Even Wow is better than this.
I've played all through closed beta and won't be joining in OB or purchasing in the game. I found it was not my cup of tea.
Steam: Neph