I have to admit, the learning curve is vastly different from the majority of MMORPGs, which is unfortunate as it may be a turn off to many people. Interfaces shouldn't be the challenge. With the keys (at least last time I checked) could not be rebound in the Configuration. Thankfully I did have a gamepad available which has made the game drastically more enjoyable than keyboard and mouse, as this game definitely has the feel that it was designed for a gamepad.
Hopefully a lot of things we're enduring interface wise will get better with time.
I'm glad I got to see the early open beta with the patching, crashing, lagging, and what not, because it really makes me appreciate the stability the game has shown in the last two days.
I'm pretty excited about the game and seeing it in a more stable state has only made me glad I reserved the collector's edition X weeks ago. I'm sorta sitting the rest of the beta out as to not spoil the feeling and excitement I have for the game (plus get some non-FFXIV things done so that I can do more FFXIV things when its commercial time).
Well, the rose colored glasses didn't last for me, so I won't be joining this game. A shame - this is a great roleplaying community that has formed.
Too many problems, too much justification, not enough fun. Good luck, all.
Well, sorry to see you go!
As I've been saying though, if you don't enjoy it, not playing it is the right decision! forcing it upon yourself would be the worst move ever.
Have fun whatever you play!
Cause playing is meant to be fun.
I'm still trying to decide! I don't want to play it because I don't get 'that feeling' but on the other hand I do want to play it because it's one awesome community and the game looks gorgeous! If only we could do some more customizationthingies with our character's bodies, or actual male miqo'te, that would be awesome! I know, I know, it's still Beta
But still! ... *pouts* I have a point, right? I do! I think..
*walks away with his head held low*
I'll decide later :3 .. Just not sure now.
I didn't read all the posts but I'm super excited about this game. I played FFXI for about 5 years and can see me playing this game just as long if not longer. Every time I see screenshots people post of the game it just blows my mind, it looks so amazing. This game is going to be really good.
It will be even better if they release a Samurai class which was my favorite in FFXI :cheer:
The only real issue I have with this game is the lag. My system is a beast of a computer and would have a field day running this game. Its the server lag that I'm getting. Other than that the only thing I can complain about is the random crashing but hey, every MMO has had random client crashes during beta and the first few months of release.
Also the Japanese love challenging games I mean come on. Look at Demon's Souls. That game is nuts! Super Hard and frustrating at times but super awesome when you are kicking butt.
Overall I'm sticking with it because this game has potential.
Server lag is an issue with me as well being located in Aus. I managed with Aions stupid server location by finding a proxy service for it and that worked wonders. Personally hoping someone'll do something similar with FFXIV. Especially since I'll be making a caster and lag annoys me to no end with that..
I enjoy the game enough that I reserved the CE after work today, so I'll be in it for awhile. I would like more mobs to hunt outside of leves, and would like to see the leve cool downs shortened, even to 24 hours rather than 48 would be fine. I don't really mind the fatigue system either, someone made a great post about it on Core that convinced me, however I would probably have increased the amount of time per class to something like twenty hours a week before you hit 0% gains.
Though, I have yet to get into crafting, and have only done a little gathering in botany, I may try mining instead, or just pick up both so that while I'm looking for things to kill, I can swap to a gathering tool and collect stuff. Crafting looks like it might be fun, and its always been dragged out boring grind that has kept me from it in most games (really, I think the last time I really enjoyed crafting was in Asheron's Call) and this doesn't look like that, so I'll give it a whirl. One thing I absolutely LOVE about crafting though, is that with all the classes of it, a player has the option to focus entirely on production it would seem, and while that isn't my way, I think its fantastic that its an option.
More character customization as someone mentioned above would be nice, just a few simple things for the body, it doesn't have to be Aion or APB extensive, just a little more than what it is.
Oh, and come retail, I dearly hope I can buy upgrades to my equipment >_< I'm rather slow to make friends admittedly, so I never know who to go to for crafting.
Xzenivar Wrote:Oh, and come retail, I dearly hope I can buy upgrades to my equipment >_< I'm rather slow to make friends admittedly, so I never know who to go to for crafting.
You could always commission a member of the Silver Anvil! We intend to be your one-stop shop for any and all crafting needs. Of course, we've yet to have an applicant who intends to specialize in weaving... Any takers? Ah? Ahhh?
/shamelessplug
What could you make me during beta and how much will it cost me
can pm if you don't want to derail, unless you have a catalog handy
Aw, haha, I wish I were better prepared to meet your needs, but the members of the Silver Anvil haven't been playing in the beta much... I've mostly been using it to scout out the locations of the NPCs that give out supplies for local levequests
Umm, that said, Nikolai is currently a level 3 blacksmith, 6 carpenter, and 6 alchemist. So um... if you need anything made of wood, I could realistically level carpentry up a bit more and see about helping you, or if you need a weapon repaired, I could level either blacksmithing or alchemy a bit more and help you with that, too. Go ahead and PM me with whatever you might need. If I can't help you personally, I could probably at least direct you to someone who can.
My two cents....I apologize in advance, for the lengthy post.XD!
Pros
The graphics and scenery are absolutelly stunning. I love how much detail they put into everything, the smallest details placed in things that other developers have omitted from their games.
The character customization is great. The chances of running into a perfect clone of yourself are slime to none.
I'm enjoying the crafting and gathering mechanics, it seemed that they made a point to make those classes as enjoyable as the combat classes and refreshingly interactive.
The combat system is decent. I think it has a strong foundation, but it's still a bit quirky. I believe that most of the awkwardness come from the minor bug twinges still left in the system(Like the amount of time it takes your character to actually execute an action after a command is given, etc) and I think those will be worked out before launch.
However, there are some issues that I have, that are leaving me on the fence, as of right now. And yes, I am full aware that "this is the beta".
Game Mechanic Cons
As fun as the crafting professions are, it's annoying that there is no way, in-game, to tell what recipes you have learned and what reagents are required to make said recipes. For a Next Gen game, I don't feel we should have to resort to pencil and paper to keep track of such a basic feature.
The UI is very cumbersome, as there are entirely too many menus. When a UI requires that you have to access a menu to stand up from a sitting position, something is out of place. To switch a class, you have to navigate through an unorganizable list of possibly 80 different items, to find the tool or weapon you want, as well as the various armor pieces that go along with it. Then, you have to navigate to another menu and re-configure your action bar, because it resets it to the basic starting configuration with every class switch. Also, I am full aware of how to make macros to perform this feature, but I feel that we should not have to be forced to resort to macros for functionality of basic core game mechanics. There is not a single action that you can take, outside of movement and combat, that you are not forced to navigate through -at least- two seperate menus although, the majority call for between three and five seperate menus.
As mentioned above, the Inventory needs to be more streamline. As it stands now, it is nothing more than a list that is in no order at all, alphabetical or otherwise. I also feel that they need to provide some means of extra space, either by crafting new bags or paying Gil for more space. You only have 80 spaces alloted to your person, and an extra 80 alloted for your retainer(that you have to travel back to a main city to access). With the various class tools and weapons, you will -easily- use up fourty of that(This number is based on the amount of tools and weapons that I currently possess to effectively test every class). With as much emphasis that they are placing on exploring all the available classes, I would like to see more inventory space to properly accomodate that and all-around a more organized inventory interface.
There seems to be a drastic lack of content. Having completed all my alloted Guildleves(both Regional and Local) for this period, I am no left with nothing to do, outside of mindless class grinding, which only goes so far before becoming utterly monotonous. I feel that they need to add more storied quest chains(One quest every 10 levels is entirely too little for a "story driven" MMO) to hold up while you wait for the Guildleves to come off their cooldown. As the game stands now, there needs to be alot more "filler" to occupy time in between Guildleve runs.
I understand that "the game was designed for a gamepad", but they need to allow more optimization for PC, unless they intend to include a gamepad with every game purchase. In this context, I am speaking in terms of movement, as opposed to UI issues that I mentioned above. I find it extremely odd that the camera does not automatically follow your character. Which, may not seem all that bad when you're running through the city...But, try this, while being attacked by two mobs....Run, attack, and rotate your camera(with a standard keyboard). Even using the IJKL camera keys, this task is more difficult to accomplish than it should be.
Quest givers need to have -something- that distinguished them from other NPCs. No, I'm not saying slap a giant Exlclaimation mark on their head. Maybe a aura glow around them or something, or perhaps an NPC emote that places when you pass them(i.e. "NPC beckons you into the alley"). I'm all for exploring the environment and I'm a big fan of trying to find all the nook and craneys of a world, but let's face it, talking to every NPC in Limsa Lominsa to find a quest that may or may not be there is less than enjoyable.
The Chat System could use some more work. I am sure that I am not the only one that will periodically have several conversation occuring in /tell, while RPing in /say. This would be a nightmare to achieve with their current chat set up.
RP Cons
A talking emote. With as much detail that they put into the working emote list, I was a bit surprised that they didn't have a basic talk emote play when you say something in /say.
I found it odd that we are able to sit on some benches, and even certain walls, but we could not sit in a basic chair.
The ability to fall off cliffs would add to the realism. Invisible walls that are magically erected around every cliff and gulch, albeit for the sake of safety, just seems to slightly take away from the immersion. Let me fall off a cliff and break my leg once! I promise I won't do it again...>.>
The ability to swim, again I think that erecting a giant invisi-wall around every water course in the land detracts from the immersion.
I would like to see them add a jump button, rather than our character be forever glued to the terrain.
I know the last few were very trivial, and things that I would personally like to see incorporated for added flavor. =D
As it stands now, I'm on the fence. The Mechanic issues that I have are admittedly minor in their own right, but collectively they are a huge drag. For me anyway. I honestly hope they fix at least -some- of the mentioned issues before release, because I still maintain high hopes for this game.
I for one am glad we are unable to jump.
Coming from WoW, I've seen enough perma-jump idiots for a lifetime
Skye Wrote:I for one am glad we are unable to jump.
Coming from WoW, I've seen enough perma-jump idiots for a lifetime
But what will I do whenI'm bored waiting for a group?! :bounce: