Mixed thoughts about FF14 Open Beta

Shadow1990

Ok, so I've got into the OB just like all of you lot, I've been waiting for this game for about a year due to single reason : an MMO with a strong storyline, something that most mmo seem to lack unless you feel like reading huge monologs everytime.

So when I've heared about Open Beta I was naturaly exited. And here were things went a bit wrong. First of all SE made and spit out the worst loader ever created by a human being. and I had to use uTorrent to download the client and EVERY update.

But enough with that, I'm sure I can survive that thing. More about game mechanics  that botheres me.

1. Mouse lag.

So I understand that technically you can go into gamesettings with notepad and edit it so that the mouse will be supported from hardware standpoint. Now I can do that, but WTF were SE thinking by making a PC MMO ( THIS IS AN OPEN BETA FOR PC not PS3 and 99$ of PC users do NOT use controllers in their every-day casual gaming, the do NOT play shooters with it, they do NOT play mmo's with it, if I want to play FF14 with a controller I would go and grab a PS3 release) without a hardware mouse support which results in mouse lags.

2. Server lags due to their location in Japan.

Hey guys, if you are releasing a game for PC in North America, how about getting the servers TO North America and testing THEM out. Less ping, less lag...you know, the good stuff senstible companies usually do.

3. the UI.

Ok, It's bad it's horrible and there's no excuse for such a mess of a UI. It feels like it was made for PS3 not a PC and I don't know who it it's right mind after playing EQ,EQ2,LOTRO,WoW,Silkroad,lineage 2,Aion,Vanguard,Warhammer,Guild Wars, Atlantis Online and any other MMO out there will like this crappy counterintuitive UI. They claim they are making a game for casual gamer, this ui was NOT made for a casual PC gamer, thus it's a fail and there is no excuse for them to make such statements and having such a UI at the same time.

4. Guildleves.

Seems to me that Guildleves don't even have some sort of story to them, it's just "go kill those bunnies" or "kill those bunnies...again". In other MMO's sidequests as basic and boring as they are had at least some explenation to why you are doing it.

5. Translation.

 

it's an Open beta for NORTH AMERICAN release , which is in less then a month due. Yet I see ' [en],[en[],[en] instead of english language in dialog box. And by pressing "buy" I've sold my hat.  If you are making an open beta, you have to have such obvious mistakes to be long done and gone.

6. Guildleves level of diffuculty doesn't seem to change if I solo or if I take on the quest for group.

7.  No signs/marks or some sort of general info on what npc are importants ( aka gives out quests) and what are just static dummies.

8. The limitations set by SE to prevent lvling up. Ok this is like intentional blocking of freedom for gamers to lvl up as fast as they wish, and btw we still pay a monthly fee, so if I'd choose to do 10-15 guildleves in a row I won't be able to because of that stupid system SE implemented. oh and I HATE crafitng, and that's what they force you to do aside from gridning after you maxed out your "daily ration" of guildleve quests.

Now what I loved about the game :

Cutscenes and storyline, I understand that SE will add a huge amount of contect on day 1 when the full game will be available, and if the quality of the main storyline will be as in previous FF games , combinid with those cutsences with your own char, that would be amazing.

Music , I've loved all FF music, and I love this one just as well.

Graphics, although still no SLI support and my second 480 seems to be idling during the game, the game looks amazing for an mmo.

I don't think I'll be playing this game on the release date, as much as I want to see the story, I would probably wait and see what happenes to it, and if the SE will improve the aspects I've pointer earlier then it will be a really nice MMO that is not like the others.

P.S. don't bother go critisizing me for my grammer, because english is my 3rd language and it's 3 am, so It's a bit hard to write right now.

P.S. P.S.  I'm not judging the game by it's current content, because it's an open beta ,that was made to stress out the servers, altough the game is not polished and not ready for released IMHO.

kichise

Personally I love FFXIV.

1. http://www.windowerxiv.com        that will fix the mouse, or search for Cliff's mousefix as an alternative. Temporary fix until SE fixes it. If you like the game as much as me, its worth it to just install this and keep playing. Then believe SE will fix it themselves

2. I play on Mysidia, one of most crowded servers. Haven't had any gamebreaking lag issues. Nothing that affected combat at least. UI and NPC interactions are slow though.

4. Don't just play for the Guildleves. They're great EXP, especially since CB3-OB. Great gil as well. But steady grinding of mobs is better progression. (a turn-off to some, but I love party grinding so this is a plus for me)

7. The quests are so easy.... A little reading can go a long ways

8.  If by limitations you mean the surplus exp system... you really should read up more about this game. The surplus system is the most misunderstood mechanic since goal tending penalties in basketball(ok really bad analogy). You have to be pretty hardcore for surplus to kick in. And if you're that hardcore, you shouldn't mind a slight decrease in exp so surplus shouldnt even be that bad for you... If you cant wait for surplus to reset at end of week, level another job. Get some healing skills. Before you know it your surplus has already went down a lot and you can grind again.

also, they don't force you to carft. CB1 I leveled to 30 with my level 1 bow.

typo I meant craft, but carft looks too funny to delete