Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (Official Server: Moogle)

[Radish]

I'm with Doctor here; as much as I want to like it (I really love the art style and design), it's just so god damn boring. I was very excited to hear that this beta weekend introduced voice acting but it's almost non existent so far, the quests are all boring and generic except they have a good chunk of drivel to skip through one speech bubble at a time. The fact people are playing this just shows how desperate everyone is for a new MMO.

[Rikku]

The fact people are playing this just shows how desperate everyone is for a new MMO.

Absurd.

It couldn't possibly be the fact that I'm enjoying what the game has to offer that keeps me playing, it's that I'm desperate.

You guys who aren't enjoying it are perfectly entitled to your opinions, and I agree with a couple of points Dr Shark made, but that's just a stupid statement.

[Jasberfloob]

• PC Master Race - Cat Girl
• Doctor Shark - Kel Ethan
• Bobontheway - Hera Jika
• JPR - Yavie Este
• top-cat - Scruffington Wee
• Rikku - Sanicle Mystari
• Corleth - Logan Arthur
• wev - Reii Tali
• Spork - Spork Eoh
• Sie - Nik Nak
• U-1 - Yewone Tagow
• Hyper P - Hanningfield Ward
• Melon_Bread - Stabasco Seamonster
• df0 - Kunigundar Hellmkrieg
• Billy Brown - Haldeen Vendaar
• Straps - Mayonn Egg
• Fuddle - Truly Scrumptious
• Jasberfloob - Gipsy Danger
• Jonster - Striker Eureka

[sprite]

Got my character created, just waiting for moogle to open up.

If I logged out of the game would it lose what I have come up with?

I'm going for a cat lady conjurer, hoping that levelling won't be too tough for that job type.

[Jasberfloob]

I'm leveling a cat lady conjurer too - Its a bit slower than the dps classes but its fine

[wev]

You can save your character design

[df0]

Moogle is back.

[Radish]

So what are you enjoying about it that makes it stand out from other MMOs? The only thing I can really think of is the job system (which does sound cool) but it's not going to change the core of the game that much. The cutscenes/quests/dialogue/tab style combat will all stay the same and that's the problem I have with the game. It also looks like someone bashed the keyboard to come up with most of the NPC names. "Go talk to aeotme". Er, ok.

[Laine]

I don't play other MMOs. So to me this is great. The job system to me is the most important thing. Very much doubt I'd have spent 5 years on FFXI if I spent the whole time as one job. When a bunch left for the next new big thing, WoW, i couldnt imagine being stuck in one role with no sub job. what kind of boring is that? And the boring speech bubbles you moan about add some life for me. I want background. I want to know why in doing all this stuff! It's so pretty too.

Anyway I don't care if people bitch about this, im enjoying it so whatevs.

Spending weekend with old FFXIers and talking then round to this! Quite pissed so excuse precious defensiveness and spelling mistakes.

[Scruff]

Myself, who has been playing MMOs for over 15 years, the thing that I like about the game, is that it's old skool. Yes, it has some (very) obvious clues to its Japanese heritage, stuff that most Western studios wouldn't dream of doing (all the buttons you have to go through just to hand something over for instance) but I like that it's hotbar tab combat, with just a little bit of movement to dodge the mob specials, to keep it (slightly) more interactive than other MMO games. I'm not keen on the duck and roll combat of GW2, and although it's slightly better in TSW, I still prefer the EQ2/WoW/FF controls.

I also find it hugely relaxing for some reason. Maybe it's the pretty graphics and very well done weather and day/night system, but it doesn't feel as artificial as a lot of MMO games where nothing ever changes.

It's got issues, but it also has potential. I like the job system and most of all, I like that so many forumites are playing. If at least half of those transfer over to live, it'll have the most important thing an MMO can have IMO; a community.

[droodling]

• PC Master Race - Cat Girl
• Doctor Shark - Kel Ethan
• Bobontheway - Hera Jika
• JPR - Yavie Este
• top-cat - Scruffington Wee
• Rikku - Sanicle Mystari
• Corleth - Logan Arthur
• wev - Reii Tali
• Spork - Spork Eoh
• Sie - Nik Nak
• U-1 - Yewone Tagow
• Hyper P - Hanningfield Ward
• Melon_Bread - Stabasco Seamonster
• df0 - Kunigundar Hellmkrieg
• Billy Brown - Haldeen Vendaar
• Straps - Mayonn Egg
• Fuddle - Truly Scrumptious
• Jasberfloob - Gipsy Danger
• Jonster - Striker Eureka
• Craww -Hemlock Ravenclaw

[Yewone]

top-cat, on 17 Aug 2013 - 20:39, said:
I also find it hugely relaxing for some reason. Maybe it's the pretty graphics and very well done weather and day/night system, but it doesn't feel as artificial as a lot of MMO games where nothing ever changes.

This is the main pull the game has over me as well... I only have a fraction of the time I used to have to devote to MMORPG's but this just seems perfect for dipping into.

Also love how the pad control has been implemented, its quite incredible how many actions they have managed to map to it.

[Sie]

Also love how the pad control has been implemented, its quite incredible how many actions they have managed to map to it.

This is a massive selling point for me too and one of the factors that makes the game such a relaxing experience. Even on PC, I use the pad.

[Rikku]

So what are you enjoying about it that makes it stand out from other MMOs? The only thing I can really think of is the job system (which does sound cool) but it's not going to change the core of the game that much. The cutscenes/quests/dialogue/tab style combat will all stay the same and that's the problem I have with the game. It also looks like someone bashed the keyboard to come up with most of the NPC names. "Go talk to aeotme". Er, ok.

Like I said, you are entitled to feel that way about the cutscenes / quests / dialogue / tab style combat. The npc names are perfectly fine for the world setting, I think you're scraping the barrel with that complaint. What do you want their names to be? Bob? Susan? Charlie?

I enjoy the battle system, I've never, ever had a problem with the tab style action bar combat. Yes, I enjoy other combat styles, like the action based style we seen in Tera but it doesn't mean that I find old school combat boring. I enjoy the cut scenes. (I don't know what the issue is with the VOs, but in the live letter Yoshi said they were meant to be voiced). This game is a Final Fantasy game, it's a JRPG which mostly tend to be story driven, if you aren't interested in seeing that unfold then the game obviously isn't going to be for you. I am a fan of the series, I'm not going to want to skip the quest dialogue / cutscenes and moosh X / accept just so I can go and collect 5 vials of blood. I also really like the dungeons, I think they look good and are great fun to play through. The cross class skills and Job System is really promising. Everything relating to the Grand Company is great.

There is just so much the game has to offer, and I admit, it's a slow burner and a real shame that all the "good stuff" comes a bit later. The stuff that I know is coming is exciting and I'm looking forward to unlocking it all. I'm also looking forward to running in to Cid, Wedges and Biggs.

But what I enjoy about the game is neither here or there, I've stated in several posts over the past few months what it is about the game that I enjoy in a lot more depth than my brief summary above. It won't change what you don't enjoy about the game. It just so happens that the things you don't enjoy about the game are exactly the things I do enjoy about the game. I've never once said that FFXIV:ARR is ground breaking and stands out from other MMOs, I've never expected it to.

I just think that saying the fact people are playing this is due to desperation is stupid and absurd. Just because you don't enjoy the game, doesn't mean there aren't thousands of people out there genuinely enjoying it.

[Scruff]

And also, the fact the producers themselves have stated that they'll shut down the game before they ever implement any sort of F2P. That itself makes the game worthy of being subbed to IMO.

[Ferine]

• PC Master Race - Cat Girl
• Doctor Shark - Kel Ethan
• Bobontheway - Hera Jika
• JPR - Yavie Este
• top-cat - Scruffington Wee
• Rikku - Sanicle Mystari
• Corleth - Logan Arthur
• wev - Reii Tali
• Spork - Spork Eoh
• Sie - Nik Nak
• U-1 - Yewone Tagow
• Hyper P - Hanningfield Ward
• Melon_Bread - Stabasco Seamonster
• df0 - Kunigundar Hellmkrieg
• Billy Brown - Haldeen Vendaar
• Straps - Mayonn Egg
• Fuddle - Truly Scrumptious
• Jasberfloob - Gipsy Danger
• Jonster - Striker Eureka
• Craww -Hemlock Ravenclaw
• Aimless - Elika Skye

[bcofn]

• PC Master Race - Cat Girl
• Doctor Shark - Kel Ethan
• Bobontheway - Hera Jika
• JPR - Yavie Este
• top-cat - Scruffington Wee
• Rikku - Sanicle Mystari
• Corleth - Logan Arthur
• wev - Reii Tali
• Spork - Spork Eoh
• Sie - Nik Nak
• U-1 - Yewone Tagow
• Hyper P - Hanningfield Ward
• Melon_Bread - Stabasco Seamonster
• df0 - Kunigundar Hellmkrieg
• Billy Brown - Haldeen Vendaar
• Straps - Mayonn Egg
• Fuddle - Truly Scrumptious
• Jasberfloob - Gipsy Danger
• Jonster - Striker Eureka
• Craww -Hemlock Ravenclaw
• Aimless - Elika Skye
• bcofn - Delekth Malys

As for what I like, it's pretty and it groups together things i've liked from other games. The questing doesn't bother me as however it's done it's still dressing up the same things and i've never had an issue with the way combat works. There's a lot of people that seem to want an MMO that is a 3 min pop song when if anything I want a 30 minute prog rock epic that takes 10 minutes to get going so i'm happy to see how the story, end game systems and their mass pvp works out. Really though if i'm not enjoying it i'll stop playing.

[Captain Kelsten]

Not sure if that is directed at me (wanting a 3 minute pop song), but look: I've played a lot of MMOs. A lot of them. In fact, I've played pretty much every MMO released in the last 10 years. Warcraft is my 'main' game, the one I've put the most time into and the one I keep going back to when new MMOs end up disappointing me and as much as top-cat likes to poke fun, there is a reason it is the most popular MMO in the world by a country mile. However, that doesn't mean I'm not open to trying new ones. There are aspects of certain MMOs that I adore: Secret World was a brilliant change of pace; I liked the class system, loved the lore of the game and particularly the investigation quests and the dungeons were crazy fun (no trash, yay!). Tera has amazing combat; interactive, skill based and fun. Never before have I felt so empowered as a tank character than in that game - having to actually block an enemy's attacks to avoid damage is just so, so rewarding and when me, Rikku and top-cat were 3 manning dungeons meant for 5 people it just showed how important player ability and skill was - but Tera had so much annoying shit to wade through before it got fun - yet the combat made it worth struggling on with. For me, FFXIV doesn't have that 'thing' that makes struggling through the mundane bits worth the effort. I go through the starting area and think 'I've seen this done and done better' and it makes me sad, because I feel like it is an opportunity missed.

I guess what it comes down to is that I've played so many MMOs now, I'm hard to please. I want a game to wow (no pun intended) me. I want to play for 30 mins and go 'this is great!' I love how they do X, Y or Z!', because in that 30 mins they've shown me that this game is different; this game is worth playing. It sounds very much like FFXIV does this, but it hides it away until level 20+. Now, normally this would be okay, but when the opening section of the game is so goddamn boring (go talk to X across town. Click through 5+ speech bubbles, now run back to where you started and click through 10 speech bubbles, now double click some thing in your inventory to progress rather than the game recognising that you have it and just automatically letting you carry on - well done! Quest complete!), I really can't get into it. I don't mind reading quest text when it's engaging and exciting but with this game I honestly don't give a crap what's going on and I personally think this is due to the presentation. The opening thing after you make a character, where you're in some weird limbo and some bloke in a hood attacks you or whatever...what the hell is this about? Then I have to click through seemingly endless speech bubbles whilst some merchant bloke talks to me. Oh look! We're being attacked! Maybe I'll get to go hit things! No, wait...I just watched a poorly done cutscene, click through some more speech bubbles and arrive in my city to do annoying A-B fetch quests. When I arrive, I get told to talk to some bloke. I don't want to, I want to explore. 'Oi!', the bloke shouts; 'come back here!'. My character then - out of my control - walks back to the quest bloke. It won't let me leave the area. This kind of thing annoys me greatly!

Now I know this is a Final Fantasy game and thus has a particular style and charm - one which I admit I have personally never 'got'. I understand people like it and I even understand their reasons why - I would never go as far as to say people are only playing this because they're desperate for something else and I don't think the game is bad per sé - but I am personally finding that, because I don't automatically go 'squeeee! Final Fantasy!', the generic nature of it all makes the game all the more difficult for me to enjoy. Plus the fact that when I go 'oh go on then, I'll give it another go' only to be told that not a single server is up for me to play on I just give up in frustration.

I do truly hope that those who are enjoying it stick with it and finally find their MMO nirvana, but this MMO veteran is still wandering, lonely as a cloud, looking for a new place to call home.

[Rikku]

No Sharky, both my posts were in response to Radish. I'll edit them now.

[Captain Kelsten]

Not yours, bcofn's. He said 'There's a lot of people that seem to want an MMO that is a 3 min pop song' when only me and Radish have spoken out against FFXIV, so I just wanted to point out that I don't want some easy, quick, by-the-numbers MMO; I want something truly engaging, epic and, above all else, fun.

[Rikku]

It's late, I'm sleepy, and I have a cold. I didn't get the 3 minute pop song reference to bcofn's post.

In other news! I think I just about managed to grab everyone for the LS apart from Mayonn Egg, Truly Scrumptious and Elika Skye.

[wev]

Thoroughly enjoyed myself this evening and a big thank you to those of you who explained a few things and answered some of my questions, as I said earlier in the day I'm an mmo n00b whos been wanting something like this on a console since PSO (very different types of ames but you get my point).

Is there a beginners guife out there for MMO terminolgy at all?

[bcofn]

Not yours, bcofn's. He said 'There's a lot of people that seem to want an MMO that is a 3 min pop song' when only me and Radish have spoken out against FFXIV, so I just wanted to point out that I don't want some easy, quick, by-the-numbers MMO; I want something truly engaging, epic and, above all else, fun.

Nah it wasn't really directed at anyone, I was more meaning that I don't mind the first 10 levels not being amazing. I agree running errands around a city for the first few levels and a bunch of quests where you have use emotes on NPC's is a bit rubbish.

[Takizawa]

Had a blast with this today, Saki Talelwa is now a 18 Arcanist / 10 Botanist.

The beginning can feel like a slog and i'm glad it's done now (providing I can keep my character into live) but i've found it really rewarding and peaceful since then. Whether I stick with it for a few months or not will be down to whether my friends stick with it or not, it'll be a very lonely experience otherwise.

[Sie]

As I mentioned in the LS, I've a 25 slot mumble server we can use. I've created a FFXIV channel on there and if needs be, I'll make some dungeon sub-channels too.

Address: 85.236.100.59

Port: 30662

Feel free to stick it in the OP.

[Captain Kelsten]

Thoroughly enjoyed myself this evening and a big thank you to those of you who explained a few things and answered some of my questions, as I said earlier in the day I'm an mmo n00b whos been wanting something like this on a console since PSO (very different types of ames but you get my point).

Is there a beginners guife out there for MMO terminolgy at all?

Here is the basic stuff you need to know:

Tank - person in your group that generates aggro (aka 'hate', 'threat' or, in the case of Final Fantasy, 'enmity'), which keeps the enemies focused on them. Usually the de facto party leader as they set the pace for the group and generally know the encounters best. They don't usually do much damage themselves but their skills have modifiers to increase the level of aggro they draw.

Healer - the member of the group who keeps everyone alive during encounters through the use of healing spells

DPS - stands for 'damage per second' and makes up the rest of a group. They do the most damage in order to kill the things focused on the tank. Usually quite squishy and can't take too many hits in group settings (the enemies are harder and do more damage).

These three roles are known as the 'holy trinity' as, generally, a group can't perform without all three. Without a tank the enemies would kill the dps and healer. Without a healer the tank wouldn't survive the aggro and without dps things would die too slowly.

Abilities - your skills. Those buttons you press to hit/heal things. Come in two types: single target and aoe.

Single target - abilities that only hit the target you selected.

AoE - area of effect - abilities that hit multiple targets in an area.

Mob - slang for enemy unit.

Aggro - hate, enmity, threat. Having it forces the mob to fight you. In a group setting you don't want this unless you're the tank. You generate it by doing more damage/healing than the tank can draw threat. This means one of two things: you need to ease off and give the tank a chance to get threat back and/or you have a bad tank (if it happens continuously). Sometimes it just happens through factors beyond your/the tank's control, but be ever mindful of it.

LOS - Line of sight. This means you need to be able to see what you're attacking in order to hit it. This also applies for healers - if they can't see you, they can't heal you.

Wipe - when things don't go your way for whatever reason and the whole group dies.

Res - be brought back to life, usually by another player with a resurrection ability

Corpse run - no one available to res? You best start running back to your body, then! (Not sure how death works in final fantasy actually - someone want to clarify?).

CC - crowd control. A skill that takes a mob out of play for a determined amount of time to make an encounter easier.

Interrupt - a skill that stops a mob casting a dangerous spell.

Buff - Spells you cast on yourself and your group that increase your stats (strength, intellect etc) in some way to make you more powerful temporarily

Debuff - Spells either cast on you by a mob or by you on a mob, these lower your attributes in some way (e.g. they make you 'bleed', causing you to lose health, or they poison you, stopping health regen and so on)

DOT - Damage over time. A skill you cast on a mob/is cast on you that does periodic damage over a sec period of time instead of all at once. Might include things like poisons or bleeds.

Trash - slang for all the mobs - usually grouped up - in dungeons that you fight between bosses.

Boss - larger, more powerful named mobs that are tied to a dungeon's story. Usually drop loot.

Loot - treasure, gear, 'drops' etc. Bosses drop it in dungeons. Know what you can and can't use, don't take stuff not meant for you, especially if someone else can put it to better use. What generally happens is loot will drop and everyone can 'roll' need or greed on it. Don't roll need if you can't use it.

BoP - Bind on pickup. This means as soon as you loot something, it is bound to your character and you can only wear it, sell it to an NPC or destroy it.

BoE - Bind on equip. This means you are free to sell it to other players, put it up on the auction house, give it away, equip it yourself, sell it to an NPC or destroy it.

NPC - Non player character. Friendly characters controlled by the game such as quest givers, merchants etc.

Ninja - a player who 'steals' loot that doesn't belong to them by rolling need when they don't need it. The worst kind of player. Don't be one.

Dungeon - aka 'instance'. Epic story driven adventures for a group of players (4-6 depending on the game but standard is usually 5), usually instanced off (hence the nickname) for just your group and no one else. May also be known as a '5 man'.

Raid - larger version of a dungeon for more people (i.e. 10+).

PUG - 'pick up group' - a dungeon group comprising of random people you don't know. Usually terrible, but don't avoid as they're a good way to make new friends.

LFG/LFM - 'looking for group/more' - this means the person(s) are trying to find other people to go adventuring with.

Guild - a group of friends who play together under a guild name or tag (ie 'Muk'). Have special chat channels people outside the guild can't see.

Newb - person new to the game and/or mmos. It's ok to be one of these as long as you let people in your group know first so they can go slowly/explain things.

n00b - someone who is bad at the game much to the annoyance of everyone else. Don't be one.

That should be enough for you to get by for now!

[Sane]

• PC Master Race - Cat Girl
• Doctor Shark - Kel Ethan
• Bobontheway - Hera Jika
• JPR - Yavie Este
• top-cat - Scruffington Wee
• Rikku - Sanicle Mystari
• Corleth - Logan Arthur
• wev - Reii Tali
• Spork - Spork Eoh
• Sie - Nik Nak
• U-1 - Yewone Tagow
• Hyper P - Hanningfield Ward
• Melon_Bread - Stabasco Seamonster
• df0 - Kunigundar Hellmkrieg
• Billy Brown - Haldeen Vendaar
• Straps - Mayonn Egg
• Fuddle - Truly Scrumptious
• Jasberfloob - Gipsy Danger
• Jonster - Striker Eureka
• Craww -Hemlock Ravenclaw
• Aimless - Elika Skye
• bcofn - Delekth Malys
• Sane - Silver Haze

I just pre ordered the game, I don't know how much time I'll have to actually play it but I would like to be part of the guild if possible.

[wev]

Thanks Doctor Shark! I knew a little more than I realised, generally I mostly stick to offline jrpgs. Ive tried LOTRO, SWTOR and DCU:O but never gotten into them and am enjoying this more than those three combined.

[sprite]

Yay moogle is open for new people again, yay for early morning starts.

I am Kaywinnit Leefrye and I've never played an FF MMO before but I'm rather excited :-)

[bobontheway]

I logged out about 5 hours ago and now can't log back in. It says that I'm currently still logged in and should wait a few moments... after 5 attempts over the course of 30 minutes I think I need some customer support.
Any idea the best way to contact them?

Edit: Nevermind. Contacted customer support... hopefully the issue will be resolved.