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SE's attempt at Virutal Reality - This is Final Fantasy XIV
VanadromArda
Member Posts: 445
Throughout the years, MMOs have seen many changes and perhaps minor advancements; however, the one thing that hasn't seemed to changed all that much is the people who play them. Certainly there are more people now than ever before, but despite this reality MMOs are still finding it hard to succeed. The whole business is dangerous, and entire companies have been brought to their knees because of the inability to really grasp what people might actually want.
But Square Enix does know what people really want, but it is important to ask just what kind of people these are. Mainly, the kind of person they want may not actaully you or the people you know. As a matter of a speculation, it may not be anyone who even speaks your language. Final Fantasy's target crowd is more than just say, the Japanese or those of typical Asian culture; but perhaps more than that. Final Fantasy XIV is much more than Final Fantasy XI in one particular factor, it's layer of virtual reality.
That's right, virtual reality. SE has taken steps to not make a game world, but a world disguised as a game. This has been their approach, and this is one thing that people should more deeply understand. We've seen a lot of activity on these forums these past few weeks, and each day it gets more and more active as people seek someone to find a better understanding of just what FFXIV truly is. Harsh cynicals will clammer about the steep difficulty while those of the over optimisic sort will preech of how the game is holding back everything that's good about it for release.
Well both are probably correct, the level what is real and what isn't has become jaded. New people who come in to read some updates about the game don't know what to read anymore as it all seems to mesh together into a one confusion blurr. So let's try and focus on one thing that seriously needs to be addressed about the game that few people are really talking about. Final Fantasy feels steep as a learning curve because the world itself attempts to treat you as though it's real. It tries to be, real, and not just a brief fantasy escape.
The developers have wanted this game to spring to life and be something of an alterante world people can visit from time to time. This is not supposed to be a game, people are supposed to devote their real, natural lives into the system and become one with it. Certainly that sounds very much like the Matrix, but after seeing how Final Fantasy XI was handled - it's clear that Square has a desire to go beyond the game.
Like Final Fantasy XI before it, people who don't exactly have a rich and fulfilling life will find that building a new life in a virtual world will be fulfilling. They have the time and the mentality to make themselves the tools they want to, and get down into the dirt and make something of themselves in a world of shades and pixels. They are going to embark upon a journey that will consume large sums of their real life into a world that bears no merit value on reality. They are willingly choosing to give up not just money, but precious years of their life to this.
Final Fantasy XIV should not, but any means, be treated as a game - because it's not one. There are several MMOs out there, as well as other outlets, that are games. World of Warcraft for instance is a game, and it plays like one. Some people may take it seriously yes, but that's them. The reason why so many people find Final Fantasy XIV to be so jarring, is that it is a virtual reality, and I'm sure most people are familiar with the term: "Reality sucks".
Comments
I have to disagree because in reality u can stab your friend in the face and he dies. In Final fantasy you cant cause there is no PVP.
So they are trying to make a utopian world were people life forever and continue to pay them money.
You make it sound like some kind of sandbox MMO. Its not. Its a linear story arc driven MMO, with next to nothing to do on the side but grind. Its one of the shallowist MMOs for a long while.
The game is far from virtual reality though. It's kind of stupid that they don't indicate which NPC have quests, but you are required to go to a dumb stone and "activate" or commence your quests. There are no switches for elevators, only a exclamation mark on the top of the screen popping up. You can't even click the dumb stone, I forgot what it's called. While the single player aspect of final fantasy is good the multiplayer version is very bad.
Awww did our troll run out of topics to that he could respond and insult?
You have to look beyond what they've provided so far in the beta and read between the lines of how the game is handled. Once you've tried everything, you begin to hear the music that this game is playing to. It's not one that really want to just followng a linear story either. After playing a long time in Final Fantasy XI, it's very easy to see that on their second attempt at an MMO one thing remains the same - SE is seriously trying to make a world people can live in, and have to, if they want to succeed.
Man, pass to the left when your done with that?
"When people don't know much about something, they tend to fill in the blanks the way they want them to be filled in. They are almost always disappointed." - Will Wright
I think you are seriously confused over what FF XIV has to offer. You can't live in FF XIV, as there's no supporting sandbox mechanics, other than being able to craft and going afk while you try to sell.
SWG even after the NGE is much more of a vitural enviroment than FF XIV, and it was heavily dumbed down.
So how is this piece of s... masterpiece so different from all the other heavily pathed themepark games?
And before you answer, remember not all of us look at it through fanboi-gogles.
Then SE is missing a ton of features.
I agree on that but you must admit that enough people are stupid or willing enough to take the bait, and partly we are not better since we bother to response.
But serious he slowly gets on my nerves.
You'll see what I'm talking about eventually. I open the topic for dicussion of the subject. Since people aren't talking about, then it's pretty clear people aren't seeing it. Also, where does the fanboy comments come into play here? This is a statement on why I'm not interested in this game. Once the game comes out for release, you'll understand what I'm talking about. After you've played it for as long as I have (Since May 2010), you'll see. That's all I have to say.
Good try you almost had me believing you.
Yes one day you will see the light and understand .... @_@ ; *snickers* Before that I have more experience and it is only lack of this deep wisodm that I have that you not understand me my poor child. Something like that?
I really can't believe how much pseudo-philosophical mumbo-jumbo i had to endure here. If your reality is resembling this onedimensional, empty and narrow attempt at a themepark MMO then it's sad really (and a bit creepy tbh). Apart from the graphics there is nothing in this game that seems even remotly inspired or imaginative. FF XIV screams "been there, done that!" from every corner of it's small universe. They didn't even bother to invent new races for this. If it would be the first MMO ever created it would certainly be fantastic but as it is it fails miserably.
I dunno, I believe they are implementing mog houses once more, that is only speculation... because there is a seemingly limited amount of things for a woodworker to do at the moment. Although I have no clue where mog house access will be in each of the cities, although now that I think about it there are parts of each of the cities that you can't access, there is an invisible wall there and nothing to load; probably where the house portal is going to be.
Well I tried to highlight an interesting topic of conversation. But it seems everyone is still only interested in just attacking one another. SE's got a very weird approach to MMOs, and that's why I'm not going to play FFXIV. I'll just stop providing posts on this forum for a while, as there are currently way too many trolls - whom amusingly, call me a troll too. Well guys, enjoy the "game" if you're going to play it.
Have you never wondered why most MMO's dont have thier own forums Orlean? Its because people like you that linger around and take jabbing players like its some kind of sport. Now I wasn't going to click on your name and look at your post history because your obviously a disgruntled (insert old MMO that got ruined by some nasty patch by some silly devs) vet that goes around and his only form of expressing his rage is by knocking on literally everything. I wont totally single you off as such though, I did agree with some of your WAR posts but mostly because I dont see PvP as a venue when playing MMORPG's.
After reading your entire post, no idea why but i guess I was expecting you to clarify what the eF you are talking about. Several paragraphs and mutiple brow lifts of cunfusion I have found nothing. The point, you have missed it but ill just go ahead and give your the acknowledgement you thirst. Your right, you are absolute you have reached the level in the beta where you have been endowed with the righteous clarity and future of a game in BETA PHASE (you know, the not full release of a game state). Regardless I dont plan to defend FFXIV but my reasons, unlike yours make sense. SE doesnt make games for WoW fanboys, they make games for a niche of players that will enjoy FFXIV like they did FFXI. They make games with an aesthetic feel, not the same rerendered trees and hills all across. Yes my opinions show that ive played FFXI for 4 years and daresay I love it. The community isnt jammed full of 12 year old ignorant tards and actually boasts an active community of players that want to help you!!! "Oh SNAP!!!!"
I may continue to play FFXI or play both FFXIV and FFXi if FFXIV irons its major problems. Right now I may dissapoint you in saying its much like FFXI and it has a promising future. Because unlike everyone else's belief for a mmo that needs to surpass "WoW' or the need to have 11 million players or its fail does not deter me from trying it and giving it a chance. They will make that MMO thats right for you one day Orlean and on my final note i find it ironic you talk about MMOS taking hours days and years of your life away when i cant deduce what others do on their spare time as "a waste"?
There's no such thing as "typical Asian culture." In the continent of Asia there are a number of hugely diverse cultures in a small area.
I'd say FFXIV, much like FFXI before it, is aimed at Japanese gamers. Western gamers are a mere afterthought.
Awww, is the game not WoW enough for you? Can't find a quest-giver cause there isn't a gigantic yellow exclimation mark over his head?
Gamers these days.
^^ This
God awful, the trolls on this site. I cannot stand it. Instead of talking about the game the community wastes its time with these poopsocks.
I love snails.
I love every kinda snail.
I just want to hug them all, but I cant.
Cant hug every snail.
No he can't find a quest giver because there aren't any.
I hit level 4 finished the story and it's like uh now what? Grind? no thanks.
You may be happy with a shallow grinding game but the majority of gamers are not and right now that seems this is what this game is.
Um how is FFXIV different from any other mmo? They offer content to keep you in their virtual world? As does every other mmo developer right? Or are you trying to imply that this game will be more time consuming than others? How time consuming the game is depends on you the player. Any features they implement whether this surplus thing or whatever. If you wanna spend your whole day in game no one is stopping you. If you wanna stop and only play in short play sessions that's up to you.
If this thread is about lack of content or too much. Let me enlighten you on FFXI content.
www.ffxiclopedia.com
Over an 8 year period they have released.
5 Major expansions
6 mini expansions
roughly every 3 months since launch is a version update(Like mini expansions, content is added or refined)
Story up the wazoo(Although spread out over a long time, many, many hours of story)
20 Jobs
10 crafting hobbies
7 gathering hobbies
10 Magic Schools
188 Weaponskills
magian quest lines(Hours and hours of monster slaying)
party level sync feature
renkai(A way of combining weaponskills in order to cause chemical or explosive reactions, lower magic resistance and increase damage, great feature btw)
Possiblity of 1000 job specialization merits
30 adventuring npc companion quest
1000s of quest(And some of these quest are so long, they could be story arcs themselves)
6 level cap breaker quest
job defining gear quest
race specific gear quest
Chocobo raising and racing
31 Major Regions
234 areas and cities
5 Airship ports
8 Boat Ferrys
8 teleport crags?
1000s upon 1000s of foods, gear, weapons, furniture(Crafting is so big in this game, player driven to the 18th power)
I am not even going to attempt to count variety in beastiary some insane number.
Notorious Monsters est. anywhere from 400-2500?
Non endgame events:
Garrison, Besieged, Ballista, Diorama, mmm, brenner, campaign, Bcnm, isnm, enm, ksnm, walk of echoes, fov
endgame events:
assault, dynamis, einherjar, limbus, salvage, sea , sky, snm, hnm, vnm, znm, abyssea,
I prolly missed some stuff and there is many more things to do besides what I have listed player created. So if the Op is reffering to the game content eating up a sizeable chunk of your time. It can if you want it to.
Let me be more clear, FFXI may have been short on content at launch. But if you were to start playing today and wanted to experience everything the game has to offer.
If you are not a hardcore player who plays 8 hours a day or more. You could play 10 years and not play through all of the content.
Not even a sizeable amount of it. That's why when I hear FFXIV get critisized over content I chuckle. Because I know it won't take long for them to start churning it out. They even promised in an interview that the first two years are going to be focused on pumping mass content.
At least this time around they seem to be focusing on attempting to make all their content more casual in duration.
huh you have finished the story at lvl4?? geez man you have finish the beginner introduction story that all, you have a lots of thing to do after that. You can do quest, crafting, exploration, combat. Take the time to talk to any npc you see.
People these want to play mmo but they forgot the RPG. That a shame because the real apect of an rpg is to role play and not let the game take your hand from point A to B. If you dont like the idea of exploring by yourself well just dont play, what can i say?