This is simple: WoW started as a generalist game in a market that had no strong competition. Other games later came out specializing in specific types of gameplay, and it makes total sense that WoW can’t keep up with these specialist games as a generalist, so over time people started moving to specialist games. Now WoW has started specializing.
You also get the first expansion. 
Level 60. And no time limit.
There’s no limit on the trial, and I think it goes all the way to 60 now, but I believe that some QoL features will be unavailable (retainers, I think).
Reread my post. I said they could. IF they are actively monitoring you. There is no auto detection bot that recognizes that its running like an aim bot in counter strike or something akin to punkbuster.
But if someone reports you and says “So and so told me to git gud and linked me a dps meter” a gm will then look at your account and monitor it and then if you are parsing they will see it in the log because the parser is fed log information from the game.
I might answer that a bit different… WoW started generalist and became specialist. Raid or die. Everything funnels you into Mythic this or that. Now, other games are become generalist. They have a more broad appeal. I can play FFXIV with someone who loves Animal Crossing and just does housing, in addition to my progression-focused raider buddy, those focused on story, those that have crafting as their endgame, and even that one weirdo that only does Chocobo Breeding. WoW has lost its breadth, while others have moved into that mode.
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Glamour plates solve the “holding onto gear for glamour” part. It’s not as good as what WoW has with just learning the skins, but it’s not as bad as it used to be.
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I would argue that FFXIV’s specialization is social play. Glamour is about showing it off. Housing is largely about sharing a space with people. Pets are about sharing them. Even pve content, since so much of it is pugged, is largely about sharing the experience with others.
FFXIV’s niche is… people who want to have other nice people around while they do stuff.
That’s not to say you can’t play if you’re not into that, you can, but the game is focused on that primarily.
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Its specialization is actually treating itself as an MMO. The genre is inherently social. Thus making the specialist case rather moot.
WoW sort of forgot that. All progress is personal, and other players generally function and mere obstacles to your own progress. Endgame dungeons are often more about conquering those in your group and working through their failings than it is about coming together. Someone higher up in the thread called WoW a “competitive cooperative” game, and they couldn’t be more right - you’re technically playing with other people, but you’re competing with each other constantly. This mindset is multiplied when you consider that you’re unlikely to see anyone in your group again.
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See, I don’t necessarily agree with that.
I don’t think an MMO HAS to be fundamentally social. And I think there is very much a case to be made that not every MMO has to be highly social. Just like I can live in the real world without talking to everyone, I can be in an mmo without talking to everyone. And that’s fine. It’s not a case of ‘forgetting’, it’s a case of shifting priorities.
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If you’re playing a game for combat early on, a RPG generally won’t catch your eye, unless it’s more action-based. ARPGs like Diablo and such have a bit more going on in that department.
But if you can look past the initial slow combat, which, as you said, both retail WoW and FFXIV share, there’s usually a lot of other stuff going on in these sort of games.
Also, leveling is super fast through those “slow combat” levels in both games. You can knock out 14-15 levels in a single casual play session in both games, usually.
I will say that if you’re looking for a better RPG, FFXIV blows everything WoW does out of the water right now. Classic is great if you’re simply looking for a better RPG version of WoW.
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^ This. There is a forum for Off-Topic. I still think it’s silly people get this worked up over these things and report it. Just ignore it and move on if you don’t want to see it. 
WoW doesn’t exist in a bubble. It’s completely fair game to compare and contrast it to other entries in the genre. Hell, the developers themselves are fans of each other’s games. The game director of FFXIV even went as far as to say that he sees WoW as a “mentor,” and credits inspiration from it from saving it from utter failure.
Now that FFXIV has found its footing, I only wish that WoW could reciprocate by allowing themselves a little inspiration in the opposite direction.
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Nope but, it being true makes it true.
I have nothing against FFXIV - I’ve played through it multiple times - but it’s tired and dated in the same way WoW is. Yes, the Square devs probably care more, but this is countered by them being heavy-handed with add-ons, and downright Byzantine in their forum moderation practices. Also, the game’s much ballyhoo’d story - while it has its moments - is almost insufferably plodding 95 percent of the time.
In short, the product you’re actually all waiting for is probably Ashes of Creation - FFXIV may briefly scratch an itch, but you’ll soon be bored, frustrated, and back in the same boat.
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I welcome our non elitist overlords for raiding and dungeons in ff14. Seriously I’m tired of people being jerks in wow cause someone is new and they have yet to learn everything about the game. I have always been in the middle of the line. But every time I try to get a friend to play the game they quit because no one is friendly or happy. They are all just jerks to them.
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And what does that have to do with anything I said? I didn’t say anything bad about FF.
What’s funny is I agree with you but you apparently didn’t see it that way.
I was responding to the OP being reported and thought it was silly. “Technically”, it’s posted in the wrong forum. People can just as easily ignore it with the forum tools and move on.
Both WoW and FF14 are junk frankly. New ideas don’t catch on though sadly.
Fun fact: FFXIV players like those practices. lol
Neither the add-on or the forum moderation policies are disliked by their fanbase.
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Every realm I’ve been on in FF14, the early cities are crowded with people, and there are tons of people out leveling, hanging out, crafting. Low level areas of WOW are a ghost town. Maybe WOW should look at doing something like the free trial to 50 or so, to get players hooked
( free until level 20 may be too short)
I love WOW, and always play through WOW’s expansions… but I have a high stress job- not going to deal with rude people in dungeons over here on my off time.
I’m not saying WOW should change- but it just is not pleasant to learn to heal or tank over here-so when I just want to relax and do a few runs- I find myself over in 14.
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Is it worth it to start FF14 or wait for other MMO’s coming out?
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