I played FF14 So You Don't Have To

[Jonashai-queldorei]

A list of reasons why you won’t like FF14. I’m not going to cover the positives here because there are plenty of posts about those already.

• 2.5 second global cooldown. Imagine hitting a button, then waiting 2.5 seconds before you can do something else. It’s enough time to make a sandwich, eat it, do the dishes, get a PhD, and find the holy grail in between each sword swing.
• You get de-leveled all the time doing dungeons or quests, and this makes you literally lose skills that you had before. So you might be reaching for a heal spell that you suddenly “haven’t learned” and you die.
• So many cutscenes. So much talking. So many quests that are literally just “go to this faraway zone and talk to a person then travel to another faraway zone and talk to another person.”
• All enemies telegraph attacks the same way: with a generic circle/cone/line. It takes you out of the game because it’s so generic and not realistic.
• No damage or healing meters allowed. That’s right, you are not allowed to know if you’re playing well because it might hurt someone else’s feelings.
• When you’re running away from a telegraphed damage thing, but you need to cast an instant ability, it turns your character and you run the wrong way, often into the damage you were trying to avoid.
• No add-ons allowed. That’s right, you can’t track your 100 different abilities with varying cooldown timers.
• So many abilities. By the time you get to a high level, you’ll have 100 abilities that do virtually the same thing but with different cooldowns.
• Counterintuitive classes. You want to heal? Too bad, your job is to do damage. You want to tank? Too bad, your job is to do damage.

[Vadimier-tanaris (Vadimier)]

@Jonashai-queldorei

Counterintuitive classes. You want to heal? Too bad, your job is to do damage. You want to tank? Too bad, your job is to do damage.

To be fair, this is often true in WoW too.

[Trustlvlfour-blackwing-lair]

@Jonashai-queldorei

No damage or healing meters allowed. That’s right, you are not allowed to know if you’re playing well because it might hurt someone else’s feelings.

I agree with a lot of your points but this one is actually one of the core reasons for toxicity in wow. Now don’t get me wrong, I like using dps meters to measure my own performance compared to others too. That’s not the issue. The issue is people using that info to discriminate and create barriers to entry as well as used to verbally abuse other players. Square basically threw the baby out with the bathwater on that one but in this instance, it wasn’t a very attractive baby anyway so the ends justify the means IMO.

The main flaw with FF14 isn’t anything you mentioned though. The main flaw is its out-dated transmog system and worlds most horrible game UI.

[Edgyjojomeme-nathrezim]

Every point if wrong and i’m too lazy to tell why.

Just play ffxiv for yourself and try not to get filtered by ARR, it gets better mechanically and narratively.

[Burkkins-moon-guard]

@Jonashai-queldorei

2.5 second global cooldown. Imagine hitting a button, then waiting 2.5 seconds before you can do something else. It’s enough time to make a sandwich, eat it, do the dishes, get a PhD, and find the holy grail in between each sword swing.

Didn’t bother me, once I got to around 50, I got combo spells and fillers.

@Jonashai-queldorei

You get de-leveled all the time doing dungeons or quests, and this makes you literally lose skills that you had before. So you might be reaching for a heal spell that you suddenly “haven’t learned” and you die.

Similar to GW2 system, I like it, lets you get xp even from lower level content.

@Jonashai-queldorei

So many cutscenes. So much talking. So many quests that are literally just “go to this faraway zone and talk to a person then travel to another faraway zone and talk to another person.”

Well, yeah, it’s a story oriented game. You can press esc and skip it all if it bothers you, but what’s the point of playing story oriented mmorpg if you’ll skip all the story?

@Jonashai-queldorei

All enemies telegraph attacks the same way: with a generic circle/cone/line. It takes you out of the game because it’s so generic and not realistic.

I started experiencing debuffs too later on, and things you can interrupt. I’m not sure how this is different than WoW leveling? It’s basically that but without dodging stuff.

@Jonashai-queldorei

No damage or healing meters allowed. That’s right, you are not allowed to know if you’re playing well because it might hurt someone else’s feelings.

I actually like this, makes it for less toxic environment. Dps difference is lower on general skill level, so it doesn’t matter as much.

@Jonashai-queldorei

When you’re running away from a telegraphed damage thing, but you need to cast an instant ability, it turns your character and you run the wrong way, often into the damage you were trying to avoid.

Never really had this happen, sounds like a you problem.

@Jonashai-queldorei

No add-ons allowed. That’s right, you can’t track your 100 different abilities with varying cooldown timers.

This is one of the best things, I hate addons.

@Jonashai-queldorei

So many abilities. By the time you get to a high level, you’ll have 100 abilities that do virtually the same thing but with different cooldowns.

Pretty much the same amount as I have in WoW. If you keybind it same way as you did in WoW, no issues.

@Jonashai-queldorei

Counterintuitive classes. You want to heal? Too bad, your job is to do damage. You want to tank? Too bad, your job is to do damage.

1 char can be all classes. So you can like swap around. It’s like having offspecs, but instead you can play all the classes.

[Nibble-turalyon]

TLDR; OP doesn’t like MMORPG games and hasn’t played that one past low levels at best.

Also needs attention. Must have attention. Feed him!

[Jonashai-queldorei]

This wasn’t an invitation for debate. It was a warning to people who are being bombarded with posts telling them everyone is playing FF14 when the game is actually nothing special.

[Vadimier-tanaris (Vadimier)]

Every post on a public forum is an invitation for debate. That’s the point of a forum.

[Jonashai-queldorei]

I got to 73 (out of 80). Thanks for the ad hominem that completely invalidates any argument you may have had.

[Filthy-mankrik]

@Jonashai-queldorei

2.5 second global cooldown.

Takes time getting used to for sure. Skill speed/spell speed helps with GCD. Most classes have enough off GCDs to ‘weave’ spells. You’ll be pushing buttons every time you can. Sometimes 2 or 3.

@Jonashai-queldorei

You get de-leveled all the time doing dungeons or quests, and this makes you literally lose skills that you had before. So you might be reaching for a heal spell that you suddenly “haven’t learned” and you die.

I found this odd too. Doing Crystal Tower later on felt goofy and boring with out all my cool Summoner Spells. It makes sense though. You can unsync you level if you want to in the options.

@Jonashai-queldorei

So many cutscenes. So much talking

I read pretty quick so maybe that didn’t bother me as much, but ARR post story was rough prenerf. I don’t know what it feels like now. At least the lore is worth it.

@Jonashai-queldorei

All enemies telegraph attacks

Not all of them. Harder modes have untelegraphed attacks. Also some fights even with markers have dreadful overlap mechanics that can boop your whole snoot.

@Jonashai-queldorei

No damage or healing meters allowed.

It’s a generally accepted rule break. The only way anyone would know is if you said anything about it. I agree addon support can be better. The UI takes a looong time to navigate compared to like Bartender and Weak auras.

@Jonashai-queldorei

When you’re running away from a telegraphed damage thing, but you need to cast an instant ability, it turns your character and you run the wrong way, often into the damage you were trying to avoid.

this is a setting. You can turn that off.

@Jonashai-queldorei

No add-ons allowed.

covered in previous reply

@Jonashai-queldorei

So many abilities. By the time you get to a high level, you’ll have 100 abilities that do virtually the same thing but with different cooldowns.

Which job are you referring to? The only buttons I have that do the same thing is Enkindle Bahamut and Enkindle Phoenix.

@Jonashai-queldorei

Counterintuitive classes. You want to heal? Too bad, your job is to do damage. You want to tank? Too bad, your job is to do damage.

I guess it’s a saving grace that you can learn the jobs all on one character with a boost to experience once you hit max level. Summoner gets a Scholar for free. So there’s that at least.

I agree with you on some points. Definitely about the addon support. A lot of the problems you had are buried in menus you have to dig through.

[Varassa-bloodsail-buccaneers]

You shouldn’t assume to know what people are and aren’t going to like. People should play the game for themselves and come to a conclusion.

[Altrix-barthilas]

@Jonashai-queldorei

Counterintuitive classes. You want to heal? Too bad, your job is to do damage. You want to tank? Too bad, your job is to do damage.

In FFXIV if the party need healer you can just swap weapon and play, in WOW if the party need healer then you’re going to the bench.

[Battlemaster-stormrage]

@Jonashai-queldorei

2.5 second global cooldown. Imagine hitting a button, then waiting 2.5 seconds before you can do something else.

Still better than vanilla and tbc ret pally

I like your list though, thanks for trying it out

[Dalrond-moon-guard]

As an avid FFXIV player, I am here to either yell “TRUE!” or smack you for idiocy.

@Jonashai-queldorei

2.5 second global cooldown. Imagine hitting a button, then waiting 2.5 seconds before you can do something else. It’s enough time to make a sandwich, eat it, do the dishes, get a PhD, and find the holy grail in between each sword swing.

Yup, it is incredibly slow until you get to the later levels and have more abilities.

You can compare the start of FFXIV to playing a rogue in the early levels of WoW.

It is slow and not very exciting.

@Jonashai-queldorei

You get de-leveled all the time doing dungeons or quests, and this makes you literally lose skills that you had before. So you might be reaching for a heal spell that you suddenly “haven’t learned” and you die.

It can be quite grinding indeed. I often find myself saddened that I lack a whole lot of abilities that otherwise made the job I play exciting.

@Jonashai-queldorei

So many cutscenes. So much talking. So many quests that are literally just “go to this faraway zone and talk to a person then travel to another faraway zone and talk to another person.”

It is a MMORPG, but also a Final Fantasy game. The story is a big part of the game itself, so yes, it will have a lot of cutscenes, and it is generally adviced to follow the story because, as opposed to many other MMORPGs, the base game and it’s follow up expansions are actually coherent and the expansions builds further upon the story of the previous installments.

It is a great story and you do not have to fear getting behind - the newest expansion first releases in November.

@Jonashai-queldorei

All enemies telegraph attacks the same way: with a generic circle/cone/line. It takes you out of the game because it’s so generic and not realistic.

It is a video game. It will have to telegraph one way or another, otherwise you just have to rely on third party addons in order to play the game.

Cough, WoW, cough.

@Jonashai-queldorei

No damage or healing meters allowed. That’s right, you are not allowed to know if you’re playing well because it might hurt someone else’s feelings.

True, it is not allowed. But you can look up your own dps, you just aren’t allowed to post the results in the game.

No spamming dps meters.

@Jonashai-queldorei

When you’re running away from a telegraphed damage thing, but you need to cast an instant ability, it turns your character and you run the wrong way, often into the damage you were trying to avoid.

Big true. I have this problem too. It is usually a matter of bad gameplay though, you have to get used to combat.

@Jonashai-queldorei

No add-ons allowed. That’s right, you can’t track your 100 different abilities with varying cooldown timers.

Create a proper HUD Layout.
World of Warcraft have made you a dimwitted buffoon, something I have noticed in FFXIV as of late, with the many sprouts coming from WoW.

There is no battlefield awareness.
People can barely avoid the telegraphs you mention.
People have relied on third party addons for too long, and have become slow and terrible gamers overall.

@Jonashai-queldorei

So many abilities. By the time you get to a high level, you’ll have 100 abilities that do virtually the same thing but with different cooldowns.

Especially if tank.

@Jonashai-queldorei

Counterintuitive classes. You want to heal? Too bad, your job is to do damage. You want to tank? Too bad, your job is to do damage.

Yes.

Next two videos will, in an amusing way, tell you about the tanking and healing jobs, teaching you about all your abilities as well as a healer’s… I mean a green dps’ role in the party.

For tanks

A Crap Guide to Final Fantasy XIV - Tanks

For healers

A Crap Guide to Final Fantasy XIV - Healers

[Jonashai-queldorei]

Getting shot in the face is better than anything in vanilla

[Battlemaster-stormrage]

3.80 - 4.00 second weapon swing auto attack class that gets dodged or parried or misses… fun and engaging

[Niu-chogall]

If you were to type this out with responses completely opposite saying how great FF is I still would not play that game.

I love WoW. I love the way the characters look, I love the way the world looks, I love the extra things Bliz has added throughout the years to improve the game. Like Xmog, one of my favorite things to do.

Bliz has had some expansions that I have not been a fan of but I have always found something to do. For me, WoW will always be heads above the rest.

[Sarm-malganis (Sarm)]

@Jonashai-queldorei

Counterintuitive classes. You want to heal? Too bad, your job is to do damage. You want to tank? Too bad, your job is to do damage.

I think the rest is up to player taste (except the autoturn when using instants; that definitely felt clunky) but I can’t agree with this statement. FF14’s jobs all have class markers to show whether they’re tank, DPS or heal. You can’t possibly not know what they are. What makes that counterintuitive?

Edit: Unless I misread and you mean how all classes just have a DPS rotation regardless of role, which I thought WoW did too.

[Averagè-nerzhul]

This is insanely accurate.

[Filthy-mankrik]

@Dalrond-moon-guard

Big true. I have this problem too. It is usually a matter of bad gameplay though, you have to get used to combat.

This is a setting. You can turn this off.