4.0 the new 8.8?

[Yeargdribble]

I agree, it hasn't exactly sold me. All it really needs is a good way to search for items, which they are putting in. You'd get the same issues with an auction house at release since no economy has been established. The word is they'll end up putting one in soon enough.

I completely agree here. If there were an AH system people would still complain because they don't understand how in-game economies work. The AH would still need to be stocked and it would be wild-west in pricing since nobody had a good idea of relative values. I'm still not sold on the idea of no AH though. Even with a search function the bazaar system would require you to travel across the world to get the item, would it not? Perhaps even chasing someone who was on the move.

Now if they allowed a (unrealistic) system where you could search and buy instantly from any bazaar across the world, that would be kinda handy and very convenient to both buyers and sellers, but that's not SE's way.

And I don't know why you're arguing FFXI's ways when this game is not FFXI and I had no intention of talking about FFXI. Considering none of what you've mentioned has really been an issue at all (other than UI lag, which SE acknowledge and are fixing).

It's less specifically about the game of FFXI, but my acquaintance with SE during my long tenure in FFXI. It makes me doubt them greatly. They were horrible to the players and most specifically to the non-JP players. The Lodestone thing seems like a step in the right direction, but after their 8 year record in FFXI, you might understand why I would be skeptical. Their pacing in fixing issues has been historically miserable.

While they are currently fixing things quickly, that makes sense for a game right out of the gate. They are trying to retain subs and fix the most obviously broken issues. Buggy stuff goes fist. But when it comes to issues that make the game frustrating but not necessarily broken, they usually just say "Deal with it!" or claim it's a non-problem


Seriously... you still have to meet in person to trade link pearls? Who thought this was a good idea? I get that it makes the world feel large and adds awe in scope when you have to travel and meet people from far away places, but let's get real for a second. Sometimes people just want to play with their friends. Sometimes their friends don't all want to start in the same place. This makes it ridiculous difficult to play together the way World Passes did back in FFXI (and how many years did it take them to fix that.... too little, too late).



@Rostum
I don't really think you're being a rabid fanboy. I think your criticism of my criticism is very fair. I completely understand your point because I despite it when people heap hate on something due to unfair expectations or other silly reasons. I really dislike it when it becomes popular to hate something and everyone start's joining in. Just know that this isn't where I'm coming from. I've just been burnt by SE. I played FFXI most hardcore during a time when SE couldn't give two s**ts about their players.

What's most frustrating is that they've made so many improvements lately to FFXI that it makes no sense for them to seem like they've taken a step backward with FFXIV. There are certain issues that simply don't make sense right out of the gate.

The naming issue MILF is talking about is one of those things where SE is just downright retarded in customer relations. This kind of thing makes no one happy and there's no really good reason for it. You would think that those running a game that's getting unanimously bad press would try hard not to add fuel to the fire by pissing off more people.

SE just shows me over and over how out of touch they are.

[Loony BoB]

I agree, it hasn't exactly sold me. All it really needs is a good way to search for items, which they are putting in. You'd get the same issues with an auction house at release since no economy has been established. The word is they'll end up putting one in soon enough.

I completely agree here. If there were an AH system people would still complain because they don't understand how in-game economies work. The AH would still need to be stocked and it would be wild-west in pricing since nobody had a good idea of relative values. I'm still not sold on the idea of no AH though. Even with a search function the bazaar system would require you to travel across the world to get the item, would it not? Perhaps even chasing someone who was on the move.

Nope - well, I suppose the bazaar system would work that way, but the market wards use a retainer-system. Basically an NPC who stands around selling your crap for you at a 10% tax (will become 5% if you sell things in the right wards once the system is updated on Friday). So you'd still have to find the retainer in a room, basically. It's not that hard, but would be much easier if more of them would load than just the ones standing next to you (this little process is obviously done to decrease lag, but it's a pain anyway and I hope it's someday fixed so you can see more people at a distance when in crowded areas).

Seriously... you still have to meet in person to trade link pearls? Who thought this was a good idea? I get that it makes the world feel large and adds awe in scope when you have to travel and meet people from far away places, but let's get real for a second. Sometimes people just want to play with their friends. Sometimes their friends don't all want to start in the same place. This makes it ridiculous difficult to play together the way World Passes did back in FFXI (and how many years did it take them to fix that.... too little, too late).

You still have to meet them, but I personally don't mind that at all. Let's put it this way: The other day, Bleys got a new character. The new character (and his existing one) were in Gridania. I wanted to give him some cash, so I teleported there and met him. It took about, what, a minute or two? That's fine by me. It gives me a little "quest" to meet him and it encourages members to travel around. But all the same, it still takes seconds. The only time it can be a hassle is if you're never online at the same point... but then, if that's the case, it can be resolved by setting up pearlsacks who are on at that time (something which I intend on doing for Fat Chocobos once I get a better idea of who is going to be here for the long haul - I know Ouch!, Del Murder and Miriel can expect them, and Rostum might get one since he's in a different timezone to most of us).

I suppose people can complain that it uses up their anima to teleport, but I play the game a lot and rarely teleport unless someone is waiting on me, and haven't dropped below 79 anima yet. If you were to travel in large groups, it's easy to teleport to dozens of places in a day and only use up 6 of your 100 anima (generating 4 in that day).

I guess I'm just very good at finding good things even where others would not. xD But yeah, SE are certainly out of touch when it comes to PR. Did you know they are advertising for two PR positions in North America? Go figure.

[Rostum]

Even with a search function the bazaar system would require you to travel across the world to get the item, would it not? Perhaps even chasing someone who was on the move.

That might be a slight concern. You are able to teleport (uses up Anima though) to other cities and visit their market wards, however.

But when it comes to issues that make the game frustrating but not necessarily broken, they usually just say "Deal with it!" or claim it's a non-problem.

Or that it's "Working as intended". XD

Just know that this isn't where I'm coming from. I've just been burnt by SE. I played FFXI most hardcore during a time when SE couldn't give two s**ts about their players.

What's most frustrating is that they've made so many improvements lately to FFXI that it makes no sense for them to seem like they've taken a step backward with FFXIV. There are certain issues that simply don't make sense right out of the gate.

SE just shows me over and over how out of touch they are.

Oh trust me, I agree. I hate how SE dealt with FFXI up until recently. I guess I just had been waiting for FFXIV for a few years and shelled out for the CE that I'm really trying to look past all that (but they aren't making it easy, lol). Again I still haven't been able to play much, so I guess I'm not as jaded as those who are reaching physical ranks in their mid 40's already (lol for fatigue system).

[Yeargdribble]

I guess I'm just very good at finding good things even where others would not. xD

This tends to be me most of the time. SE just frustrates me with their lack of serious care for their players. But for most other games I try to find things I like. I like pretty much every main series FF game even though I like some more than others. There's always something good to find about a game. It's just easier for me to be negative as an outside observer who is familiar with how SE runs MMOs.

It's also easy understand why people would want to defend their purchase of FFXI, especially if they got the CE.

[Carl the Llama]

I guess I'm just very good at finding good things even where others would not. xD

This tends to be me most of the time. SE just frustrates me with their lack of serious care for their players. But for most other games I try to find things I like. I like pretty much every main series FF game even though I like some more than others. There's always something good to find about a game. It's just easier for me to be negative as an outside observer who is familiar with how SE runs MMOs.

It's also easy understand why people would want to defend their purchase of FFXI, especially if they got the CE.

I would never defend a game -even the CE I got of this game- if I did not think it was worth it, as I said before, I like the game alot, more then that, I can honestly see myself playing this game for a very long time, I am not trying to defend my purchase as sure as I am that I was glad that I got the purchase its more that I genuinely like the game for the game, only today did I get my first party and I had a great time just me and some random guy I got together with to level together killing dodo's and I see great potential for the battle system, bringing together the multiple jobs is to me a truly awesome feature that I have only seen in a smaller dimension with XI's sub-job system, in this I feel they have perfectly balanced the jobs to be ideal with your leveling any job.

Which in turn makes me think of the leveling cap, I really think people who level 1 job above others are really handicapping themselves, to be able to heal myself while using a melee job is a truly fantastic system and I applaud SE on the way they have executed the class system, you truly do not need a set class, you could have a group of any class and still perform really well as most players level other jobs that have healing abilities so your always golden, clearly one of -if not the- best class systems I have seen in a game and one of the very main reasons I think this game is going to be truly great.

People who judge this game without actually playing this game I feel sorry for your loss, you truly do not know whether or not if you will be taken in by this game as both me and BoB seem to be, you really should give it a try if you are able to, after all, you can't judge a book by its cover.

[Lionx]

Lol...so my friend leveled up a Conjurer for some spells for his Gladiator today. He was finished so he tried to reallocate his points. Apparently it only takes 5 points off of EVERY stat to reallocate..then you gotta wait 45 minutes to do that again. He is now basically stuck since his stats are all mage oriented and not Tank oriented...and only getting weaker overall since it won't let him choose what stats to remove or exchange.

Great way to promote diversity SE...no idea wtf they were thinking.

[Loony BoB]

Given that you can change immediately at any point in the game, I think it's fair that they balance that out. However, it should also be noted that these aren't the only stats that determine everything - individual classes also have stats. That's why your HP changes every time you change your job. If I were to change to mage but keep the point allotment as it is, the mage would still have significantly higher MP and significantly lower HP. The point allotments can be adjusted but to think that they make up the bulk of things is to be easily misled. My marauder can take a load of hits off some enemies while using my low-rank fisherman left me extremely vulnerable against those same mobs.

As for the reasoning behind limited point-changes, I am sure it's there - possibly to discourage people from getting the idea that you can just change from battle to battle constantly adjusting to suit the enemy, which for me would take away any challenge from the game. The fact you can change class so easily in this game - my time in FFXI involved a long travel back and forth just to change job - shows that the system is still effective.

Yearg: Like Kaiser, can't say I'm one to defend a game just because I bought it, or because I got CE. I just don't get stressed out easily. I've got a bunch of games I've purchased, disliked (or just not really got into) and not resorted to continuing to playing it and defending it on forums - that's a little too masochistic for my tastes! I tend to just put them away and forget about them, maybe eventually trading them in. But most likely just collecting dust. I am sure that there are some people who defend the game in this way, probably. I feel a little sorry for those people. But if people say they're having fun and it comes across that way, then that's what really matters.

The social side has really started moving along quickly in the last couple of days. While meeting up with enano's character, I met a newbie who didn't even know how to get out of town recently, I think he'd literally just got out of the initial story instances. I helped him out by showing him the way out of Gridania and how to access the map and go to Bentbranch. Gave him loads of /tells and perhaps in time he'll join our linkshell. So far he seems cool, though. I think the social side is what was missing for me - my enthusiasm for the game has increased after I spent a couple of days barely touching the game due to being physically tired in recent times.

[Lionx]

I get the 45 min thing, but the limited stat allocation given back is just a waste of your time. What happens when you level higher? Its just a waste of your time entirely stupid.

EDIT: Think of it this way, WoW's dual speccing only costs money, which is similar in a way to the job changes in FFXIV. But they only cost a bit of money, cannot be used in battle, and no cooldown. Theres a cost but it doesn't eat up your time stupidly. They even save your Action Bars and stuff so it just automatically switches.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/world...234&pid=534914

[Loony BoB]

It won't just be 5 points for each stat when you get to a higher level. As I mentioned, I got 8 points per stat last time I did that, and that was some time ago (I'm now level 29 - I'm guessing it was closer to level 20 when I did it). I understand you get more if you haven't done it for a while, too, so the longer you wait, the better off you'll be.

As mentioned, though, it won't change things dramatically. This game, in my experience, is not a number crunching game, at least not at the moment. There have been occasions where I forgot to enter my point allocations over the course of a few gained levels, then did it all in one go. At which point I noticed... no major difference. I'm sure there is a difference, but I simply didn't notice it. If they do, good for them, I dunno.

I'd complain if this had a noticeable impact on my gaming but it doesn't, and therefore I do wonder if there is any reason for anyone to complain about this at all besides "That sounds bad, I'm sure it's bad! It must be bad!" Sort of like the fatigue system - people complain about that like crazy but I do wonder how many of them have even hit fatigue at all. I know I haven't.

EDIT: I don't want to have to spend money to be able to do 10 classes. "It's only a bit of money" - so? It's still paying for something that games such as FFXIV have by default. There will always be features one game has that another doesn't, and there will always be people questioning why. I'm sure there's a reason. *shrug* They wouldn't have done it this way for s and giggles as it would have been easier to allow complete reallocation than not.

[Lionx]

Its still a stupid limitation. I don't know about long term effects of this but so far, everything (even if it doesn't affect me yet or currently) is just so stupid and disappointing...

I do have a feeling that VIT/MND would be very important (since they affect your HP and MP values respectively) moreso than we think. But as of now, i am done. I am going to ride out the remainder of my free month, quit, play WoW then take a look back at FFXIV a year from now to see if its worth my money. I want to like this game, and maybe it really can be awesome in the future. But as it is currently i feel burden-ed when clicking to launch the game, and i don't want to pay for that.

[Loony BoB]

I upped my VIT by a couple of points the othe day and I swear my HP bar didn't go up. That was somewhat annoying, but probably not directly related to point reallocation. Maybe there is a restriction linked between rank and physical level so that rank 1 people don't have 5000 health because they have a massive physical level. I know my physical level is roughly double any of my ranks. For people like me, I'm getting the feeling that stats won't count much in the immediate future, at least not until I rank up significantly.

But yeah, anyone who reads my recent blog entry will attest to me thinking that if you don't like the game, then it's pretty straight-forward that it's simply not for you. Obviously. xD I probably ranted more about people "wanting" to like a game than anything!

[Lionx]

I think a friend of mine said its related to the job you are on and the rank. So it does factor it in.

[Rostum]

I've been hearing a lot of stories about people getting hacked and then SE just outright banning them. For instance a couple just bought the game, installed it and played for 2 hours, then the next day they were banned.

Awesome job SE.

[Lionx]

FFXIVBlog.com - FFXIV Review from Gamespot

Found it interesting, esp the comments that include jpn reviews...

http://www.ffxivblog.com/showthread....mazon-Thoughts

Also UI Lag explained: http://www.ffxivpro.com/forum/topic/15039/ui-lag/
----

I also found out the other day that you need to wear your Onion Helm BEFORE you die for it to take effect. I died, put on my helm and began to run back to my party. Only to die again 2 minutes or so later to an Ant Lion just as weakness wears off. I die and respawn, and begin my trek again. Just a couple steps after i run out of my Camp area the Weakness effects starts blinking then promptly wears off quickly not even reaching half a minute.

Wtf man. What were they thinking?

EDIT: Ok maybe i am complaining too much...but little things like this happen too often and it just stacks up...=/

[Loony BoB]

I also found out the other day that you need to wear your Onion Helm BEFORE you die for it to take effect. I died, put on my helm and began to run back to my party. Only to die again 2 minutes or so later to an Ant Lion just as weakness wears off. I die and respawn, and begin my trek again. Just a couple steps after i run out of my Camp area the Weakness effects starts blinking then promptly wears off quickly not even reaching half a minute.

If it didn't even reach half a minute then that's possibly a bug. Weakness lasts for three minutes, and if you wear the helm, it lasts 1 minute and 30 seconds. Also, when Danielle died after me (not wearing the helm), she put on the helm and weakness wore off before me. So you don't need to wear it at the time you die - unless they've changed things in last week's patch (it was before then that this happened).

New patch today! Market wards are being organised. As a seller, I'm really happy with this. It's not going to have a search feature that I know of, but just not having to race post-server-reboot just to get a retainer into the first ward will be great.

Now I just need to decide where to put my retainer... I sell three things at the moment, and each of them belong to a different ward. x_x