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Elskidor
11-19-2013, 09:49 PM
Is this game different from other mmos, or does it follow the same formula from 1999? Does it try new things, and if so are the new things fun? I'm sure I can read up about a lot of this, but I'm curious of the opinions of people that play it. How is the solo, group and raid game? The world big enough to breath or kinda crammed right now? Difficulty? Unique classes? Does it feel like Final Fantasy or just another massive mmo world? How's the tradeskill?

Mirage
11-19-2013, 09:59 PM
Few MMOs follow the 1999 formula these days.

Elskidor
11-19-2013, 10:02 PM
Well RIFT was not that much of a change, and I know it was planned to be. I never got around to GW2, which was another one claiming to be the next gen of mmos.

Mirage
11-19-2013, 10:04 PM
I haven't played GW2, but I am very sure that it is not a 1999-style MMO. FF11 is, and EQ (which is still running, by the way!) is as well.

FF14 borrows more from WoW and GW2 than it borrows from the old MMOs.

Tavrobel
11-19-2013, 10:53 PM
tl;dr, not really. If you need (i.e., absolutely need) an MMO fix, this could work.

The game plays like it was made in 2004. Single actions all share a global cooldown and no movement during the channel time. Very few instant or non-global cooldown spells. If you're looking for a sandbox, this isn't it. If you're looking for tons of high-level raid content,this game only has 5 major instances, with the Bahamut Coils. If you like pretty landscapes and walking around a lot, this game has that in droves.

I'm not going to tell you that the leveling process is exciting (or fun). Combat is auto-target with the ability to cycle through targets, no accuracy check. Tank-DPS-Healer meta, with everyone being trash at off-role-ing (exceptions, Scholar, Summoner, Dragoon).

The only resembling-new thing is the crafting system. Your ability to craft is tied to an EXP system that resembles combat more than the old sit-in-town versions. Higher level combat zones also mean higher tier drops, and some resources can only be gathered in a particular crafting class (or purchased wholesale from the market/trading post/auction house). You do have to pay attention during the actual crafting process but you're still sitting in town doing it.

I honestly would not recommend this for some who is looking for anything "new." It isn't. It mostly fulfilled the role of being one of the two big name MMO releases in a year where there were not any releases. Never winter covered March/Spring, and FFXIV covered the end of Summer/August. On a scale from 1 to 10, this game is extremely close to release-WoW-clone and kinda far away from GW2 and old-school MMOs.

EDIT to actually answer questions:

It's better to solo until you absolutely need to in order to do the low-level dungeons. Grouping is done via automatic queues, and will split you into Tank/Heal/DPS/DPS, unless you have a pre-made composition planned with people in your guild or friend-list.

Grouping is relatively painless, just the hassle of having to deal with other people. Raiding is limited to time-sensitive Bahamut Coils, which as of this time, only one group has officially defeated. More content is soon to come, as well as new people who can complete the Bahamut instance.

The world is large, and pretty; aesthetic, but it gets in the way more often than not. There's grassy land, grassy knolls, forest land, tree-but-not-forest land, deserts, swamps, seafarer towns, barrens, snow land, ancient ruins land, and giant-crystal-probably-caused-these-ruins land, along with the occasional highly militarized fortress. My personal favorite environment was Brayflox's Longstop, a swamp filled with rainbows and a dragon AND RAINBOWS HOLY CHRIST RAINBOWS.

Major cities will have lots of people AFK or shouting. Some zones have trains of people running around, EXP grinding the dynamic events (FATEs). You shouldn't feel lonely, but it's well past release date. Anyone who is still here is likely someone you'll continue to see, which bodes well for SE's financial statements. There's lots of things to explore, but no reward for doing so.

The game is not difficult. Including the raid content. If you're wondering why only one group of people has completed the final instance, it's because the game is more a gear check than actually difficult. Nothing catches you by surprise the moment you learn about it. The most cynical version is that SE intentionally bugged turn 5 to be non-completeable, as the only group that completed turn 5 has not published how they did it.

Unique classes, not really. The closest would be the Scholar and Summoner, in my opinion, a Healer with off-DPS capabilities, and a DPS with a pet that can DPS, tank, or very DPS. Since they're tied to the base-class, Arcanist, they are always the same level as each other. If you level a Scholar, you're automatically leveling the Summoner, as well. Cross classing abilities can be pretty important. Fortunately, you get an EXP bonus if your current class played is not your highest; practically, this means once you have one level 50, every other class levels faster, including crafting classes.

It feels like a Final Fantasy if you're looking for the previous-entry references. Otherwise, no.

Tradeskills? Not sure what you mean here, but if you want to know about the gathering and crafting classes, they're like the combat classes, but without combat, and have their own EXP gain. Switching between any classes isn't difficult, as you can just wear a different weapon to change your class. The hard part is keeping track of your gear.

Elskidor
11-20-2013, 12:08 AM
Yeah, I guess I shoulda said 2004, but I really lump them together. 2004 era changed a few things, but kept the exact formula created in 1999. None of the games changed too much to me, they've kept a steady clone with minor alterations (mainly becoming easier and easier and more and more solo) since 1999. I have not checked out a new mmo since 2010 or 2011. I was kinda curious in trying something new and fresh, but if it is more of the same then I'll probably stick with the old. It sure does look like a pretty game though.

Loony BoB
11-20-2013, 12:05 PM
The game is not difficult. Including the raid content. If you're wondering why only one group of people has completed the final instance, it's because the game is more a gear check than actually difficult. Nothing catches you by surprise the moment you learn about it. The most cynical version is that SE intentionally bugged turn 5 to be non-completeable, as the only group that completed turn 5 has not published how they did it.
This is, to my knowledge, not the case. I'm told Turn 5 was considered literally impossible for a very long time but people kept trying and suddenly one of them got through it. My understanding is that even with full L90 gear, the best you can get in the game, many people simply have not been able to master this dungeon whatsoever. It was, as you said, genuinely considered to be bugged for a long time because people actually thought it was an impossible thing.

Pretty sure the people who completed it did put up a video... or at least, I heard they did. I'm choosing not to spoil Coil stuff until I've had a go at it.

Tavrobel
11-20-2013, 09:25 PM
10/16 Coil 5 was temporarily disabled
10/26 World first
10/29 Coil 5 nerf
11/6 Coil 5 Walkthrough

Loony BoB
11-20-2013, 10:30 PM
A little over the top on conspiracy theories for me. :p

Awrini
11-21-2013, 12:25 AM
Sorry tav. But are you trying to say that turn 5 isn't difficult? Because there is a reason not many groups have cleared it.

Tavrobel
11-21-2013, 04:24 AM
A little over the top on conspiracy theories for me. :p

What conspiracy? Someone published the run a week after they changed turn 5. I was incorrect.

Loony BoB
11-21-2013, 10:34 AM
Oh, sorry, I thought you were suggesting foul play, still. :p

Elskidor
11-24-2013, 09:21 PM
I'm thinking of joining the EQNext creation thing. From the sounds of it, in February they are letting people build locations, npcs, battles, zones and creative quests to be apart of creating the mmo as a whole. It's not to be released until 2015 (I expect a delayed 2016), but if your ideas and creations are picked then they will be added to the game, and even if the aren't chosen your name is added into the games credits. It sounds pretty awesome. I'm not sure if the game play will differ much from what has been around forever, yet they claim it will be the next generation of mmos, and the idea of helping design an mmo has gotten my attention.