I can't speak on behalf of retention of existing players, but I can say that I've known a lot of newcomers who were turned away by the way the game has some confusing, obviously-retained-from-1.0 stuff that isn't really adequately explained or sufficiently utilized, while at the same time the game spoon-feeds game systems and sidequests by way of an intricate web of gating.
I've heard a lot of: When do I get a mount? When can my mount fight with me? Why can only a Chocobo fight? Wait a minute, what do you mean cross-class skills? What's a job? I don't want to be a Bard, I want to be an Archer. What do you mean a Bard is just "still an Archer, ignore the name"? Why is it called Bard, then? I want to RP with my friends, when can I leave Limsa? What is Materia? When do I get that? Why can't I raise my main stat any further using Materia? I get extra stat points? What's the best thing to put that in? When do I get a cosmetic system? What do you mean I have to be level 19 to use Dyes (and do a sidequest the game doesn't give me any indication exists) and level 50 to use glamours? Can't I just equip an outfit set and call it a day? How do I buy a house? What do you mean there aren't any? What do you mean it costs MILLIONS of gil? How can I be a Machinist? What do you mean I have to have access to Heavensward? I bought the expansion. Oh, you mean the location? When do I get there? What do you mean I have to have completed the entire pre-HW main story first?! I heard there's flying mounts! How can I fly? What do you mean I have to get all the way to the HW zones, and then I also have to have basically completely explored a zone and cleared a bunch of its content before I can fly in it?Â
Suffice it to say, from a mechanical perspective it isn't a very welcoming game for newcomers.Â
If you ask me, rather than adding new content to appease the veterans... because let's be totally fair here, veterans in every MMO ever will jump ship to some other MMO as soon as they've beaten the new thing, and the aggressive veterans will have beaten the new thing within a couple weeks... I think, in my opinion, they should try to resolve some of the things I mentioned above. If an MMO is welcoming to newcomers, then it's okay if some veterans migrate along with the release of content, because there'll always be new players getting subscriptions. It's when the veterans migrate and you don't have a solid newcomer retention that you have a problem.
I've heard a lot of: When do I get a mount? When can my mount fight with me? Why can only a Chocobo fight? Wait a minute, what do you mean cross-class skills? What's a job? I don't want to be a Bard, I want to be an Archer. What do you mean a Bard is just "still an Archer, ignore the name"? Why is it called Bard, then? I want to RP with my friends, when can I leave Limsa? What is Materia? When do I get that? Why can't I raise my main stat any further using Materia? I get extra stat points? What's the best thing to put that in? When do I get a cosmetic system? What do you mean I have to be level 19 to use Dyes (and do a sidequest the game doesn't give me any indication exists) and level 50 to use glamours? Can't I just equip an outfit set and call it a day? How do I buy a house? What do you mean there aren't any? What do you mean it costs MILLIONS of gil? How can I be a Machinist? What do you mean I have to have access to Heavensward? I bought the expansion. Oh, you mean the location? When do I get there? What do you mean I have to have completed the entire pre-HW main story first?! I heard there's flying mounts! How can I fly? What do you mean I have to get all the way to the HW zones, and then I also have to have basically completely explored a zone and cleared a bunch of its content before I can fly in it?Â
Suffice it to say, from a mechanical perspective it isn't a very welcoming game for newcomers.Â
If you ask me, rather than adding new content to appease the veterans... because let's be totally fair here, veterans in every MMO ever will jump ship to some other MMO as soon as they've beaten the new thing, and the aggressive veterans will have beaten the new thing within a couple weeks... I think, in my opinion, they should try to resolve some of the things I mentioned above. If an MMO is welcoming to newcomers, then it's okay if some veterans migrate along with the release of content, because there'll always be new players getting subscriptions. It's when the veterans migrate and you don't have a solid newcomer retention that you have a problem.
Lydia Lightfoot ~ The Reliquarian's Guild «Relic» ~ Lavender Beds, Ward 12, #41
This player has a sense of humor. If the content of the post suggests otherwise, please err on the side of amusement and friendship, because that's almost certainly the intent. We're all on the same team: Team Roleplayer! Have a smile, have a chuckle, and have a slice of pie. Isn't pie great?
This player has a sense of humor. If the content of the post suggests otherwise, please err on the side of amusement and friendship, because that's almost certainly the intent. We're all on the same team: Team Roleplayer! Have a smile, have a chuckle, and have a slice of pie. Isn't pie great?
