Full Title - /r/ffxivdiscussion: The format of the MSQ lacks gameplay and should change from now on
I saw this thread on the FFXIV Discussion subreddit and I think the author really nails it on the head regarding how I (and plenty of other players) feel about the DT MSQ: there's just not enough gameplay and combat in the MSQ. I'm pretty damn sure I didn't engage in combat during the MSQ until I was at least 1.5 to 2 hours in. It really is dumb how the player has to wait that long in the MSQ to make use of one of the core functions of the game. Anyhow, it looks like this particular reddit thread is getting plenty of support, and I'm glad there's other players out there who think similarly.
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Original Post:
This is merely MY OPINION. But after playing this game since...my gosh since 1.4 and nonstop since then (some times hardcore, some times veeeery casual) i think with Dawntrail we reached the point when the MSQ from a new expansion format is just not fun and obsolete.
Exp gets released, new areas, new zones and new enemies...but all that for what? Countless of hours of just "go there and talk, then there and talk, then there and talk...talk, talk, talk, talk, talk" till some times you get to do something like follow an NPC, escort another, find some NPC around an area or kill 1-2 enemies in milliseconds. Rinse and repeat until you unlock a dungeon/trial, have an absolute blast and go back to step 1 for another 10 hours.
My complaint? The world and the fauna inside is useless. I didn't need to fight or kill any enemi out of fates or MSQ mandatory. Some quest are ridiculous "kill 3 tigers in a zone infested by tigers" but hey, you can't kill any random tiger...it has to be the 3 ones that pop up when you enter a purple circle. Ridiculous.
I'm saying this because, pre-DT i played other games...other MMOS. And I tried games like SWTOR. Another history focused MMO where you also have a MSQ...but man the quests are "invade this base and hack the computer" or "infiltrate the enemy camp and put poison in the water", "fight the sick animals and find a vaccine for this sickness"...a lot of just..."not talking" quest that of course involved talking (AND DECISION MAKING) and learning the lore...but most time I was wandering around using the gameplay, fighting, infiltrating, solving puzzles, finding items to open the next door or finding a shortcut thanks to my crafting jobs) It even has instanced areas that feel like mini-dungeons for you and your party with elite monsters...the game felt like an adventure where you, the player...actually play. Now going back to my favourite MMO, FFXIV, i find that so far (MSQ lvl95) all I do is "go here and talk". I don't use gameplay out of the rouletes or some fates. I am a FF fan since FF6 and i know there has always been a lot of scenes and talking...but at least there was some action between talkings...some fights, some cool stuff.
I don't know if this situation is because of how much they wanted to do a "chill experience for the casual players" but I have the feeling that i didn't get this bored during Heavensward or Stormblood. Maybe because back then you had to do sidequest in order to level up and keep the level close to the MSQ. Now the "just talk MSQ" and 2 rouletes per day skyroket your lvl to max in no time (I already have picto at lvl100 and Viper 88...and MSQ just reached 95).
Fellow FF players...do you feel the same or you think the game should change a bit and be more....a game?
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Notable Comments:
"I agree, while I did enjoy the story, it could have effectively been one giant cutscene.
The final zone had some interesting choice based stuff, which you knew you had to do, but it was the one single stand out part for me.
The rest of the story was a blurred exposition dump with some dungeons.
For example, the event that happened between Zone 4 and 5.
That would have been pretty fun to be playable, helping out, getting stuff, planning and choosing options to help you in the combat sequence... instead of a cutscene.
Even figuring out the mystery in one of the first 2 zones, same with making like... i dunno... An Actual Trading minigame where you had to figure stuff out and make good trades to get what you needed.
It was like a movie that happened in a bunch of different rooms, and you had a fun themed hallway to walk along between each one.
I will always say that MMOs like RuneScape have some of the best quests since they are all a mix of puzzles, reading, thinking about your next move, the occasional boss fight, gathering and crafting. Everything the game has to offer, in addition to lending a big sense of wonder and world building. Some of my favorite MMO memories are doing some of the bigger quests in 2004-2008 RuneScape.
The game needs to evolve and improve drastically, and ditch the MSQ formula."
"I think some of the EW solo instances were a step in the right direction, and I'm not even talking about In From the Cold.
Two other Garlemald instances (This Is Thancred and the one during the Final Days) felt like perfectly good sequences that mixed in gameplay, plot movement, and cutscenes, all with voiced dialogue.
These could stand to be longer, or be back-to-back segments of quests. If they wanted to do some of the simple out in the open world, I'm sure it'd be possible. Maps (+map dungeons) and battle leves function in ways that could apply to MSQ. They could also give variable EXP to these so we don't have what feel like useless "talk to npc x5" quests before and after them to pad out how much exp we get.
They certainly have the means, and I really hope they experiment more. DT felt like the classic SE over-correction from negative feedback wrt the Endwalker quests, so hopefully they swing back in a different direction next time."
"They have to ask themselves if they want to make an RPG or a visual novel."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxivdiscus...ay_and_should/
Feel free to discuss your opinions below. Cheers.
Continue reading...
I saw this thread on the FFXIV Discussion subreddit and I think the author really nails it on the head regarding how I (and plenty of other players) feel about the DT MSQ: there's just not enough gameplay and combat in the MSQ. I'm pretty damn sure I didn't engage in combat during the MSQ until I was at least 1.5 to 2 hours in. It really is dumb how the player has to wait that long in the MSQ to make use of one of the core functions of the game. Anyhow, it looks like this particular reddit thread is getting plenty of support, and I'm glad there's other players out there who think similarly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original Post:
This is merely MY OPINION. But after playing this game since...my gosh since 1.4 and nonstop since then (some times hardcore, some times veeeery casual) i think with Dawntrail we reached the point when the MSQ from a new expansion format is just not fun and obsolete.
Exp gets released, new areas, new zones and new enemies...but all that for what? Countless of hours of just "go there and talk, then there and talk, then there and talk...talk, talk, talk, talk, talk" till some times you get to do something like follow an NPC, escort another, find some NPC around an area or kill 1-2 enemies in milliseconds. Rinse and repeat until you unlock a dungeon/trial, have an absolute blast and go back to step 1 for another 10 hours.
My complaint? The world and the fauna inside is useless. I didn't need to fight or kill any enemi out of fates or MSQ mandatory. Some quest are ridiculous "kill 3 tigers in a zone infested by tigers" but hey, you can't kill any random tiger...it has to be the 3 ones that pop up when you enter a purple circle. Ridiculous.
I'm saying this because, pre-DT i played other games...other MMOS. And I tried games like SWTOR. Another history focused MMO where you also have a MSQ...but man the quests are "invade this base and hack the computer" or "infiltrate the enemy camp and put poison in the water", "fight the sick animals and find a vaccine for this sickness"...a lot of just..."not talking" quest that of course involved talking (AND DECISION MAKING) and learning the lore...but most time I was wandering around using the gameplay, fighting, infiltrating, solving puzzles, finding items to open the next door or finding a shortcut thanks to my crafting jobs) It even has instanced areas that feel like mini-dungeons for you and your party with elite monsters...the game felt like an adventure where you, the player...actually play. Now going back to my favourite MMO, FFXIV, i find that so far (MSQ lvl95) all I do is "go here and talk". I don't use gameplay out of the rouletes or some fates. I am a FF fan since FF6 and i know there has always been a lot of scenes and talking...but at least there was some action between talkings...some fights, some cool stuff.
I don't know if this situation is because of how much they wanted to do a "chill experience for the casual players" but I have the feeling that i didn't get this bored during Heavensward or Stormblood. Maybe because back then you had to do sidequest in order to level up and keep the level close to the MSQ. Now the "just talk MSQ" and 2 rouletes per day skyroket your lvl to max in no time (I already have picto at lvl100 and Viper 88...and MSQ just reached 95).
Fellow FF players...do you feel the same or you think the game should change a bit and be more....a game?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notable Comments:
"I agree, while I did enjoy the story, it could have effectively been one giant cutscene.
The final zone had some interesting choice based stuff, which you knew you had to do, but it was the one single stand out part for me.
The rest of the story was a blurred exposition dump with some dungeons.
For example, the event that happened between Zone 4 and 5.
That would have been pretty fun to be playable, helping out, getting stuff, planning and choosing options to help you in the combat sequence... instead of a cutscene.
Even figuring out the mystery in one of the first 2 zones, same with making like... i dunno... An Actual Trading minigame where you had to figure stuff out and make good trades to get what you needed.
It was like a movie that happened in a bunch of different rooms, and you had a fun themed hallway to walk along between each one.
I will always say that MMOs like RuneScape have some of the best quests since they are all a mix of puzzles, reading, thinking about your next move, the occasional boss fight, gathering and crafting. Everything the game has to offer, in addition to lending a big sense of wonder and world building. Some of my favorite MMO memories are doing some of the bigger quests in 2004-2008 RuneScape.
The game needs to evolve and improve drastically, and ditch the MSQ formula."
"I think some of the EW solo instances were a step in the right direction, and I'm not even talking about In From the Cold.
Two other Garlemald instances (This Is Thancred and the one during the Final Days) felt like perfectly good sequences that mixed in gameplay, plot movement, and cutscenes, all with voiced dialogue.
These could stand to be longer, or be back-to-back segments of quests. If they wanted to do some of the simple out in the open world, I'm sure it'd be possible. Maps (+map dungeons) and battle leves function in ways that could apply to MSQ. They could also give variable EXP to these so we don't have what feel like useless "talk to npc x5" quests before and after them to pad out how much exp we get.
They certainly have the means, and I really hope they experiment more. DT felt like the classic SE over-correction from negative feedback wrt the Endwalker quests, so hopefully they swing back in a different direction next time."
"They have to ask themselves if they want to make an RPG or a visual novel."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxivdiscus...ay_and_should/
Feel free to discuss your opinions below. Cheers.
Continue reading...