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Lttp (Rttp?): Final Fantasy XIV, or holy shit is this game good
- Thread starter AuthenticM
- Start date
AuthenticM
Member
Good!
I had this exact issue. I had to change my DNS address to one from Japan. Check the OP of the community thread; my post in there along with the specific address I used. If it doesn't work for you, I'd say keep trying DNS addresses from different countries.
It runs perfectly, and yes, it is cross-platform. Everyone plays together.
Do NOT start a new character. If you're already level 50, it means you have most of the bullshit done already. Consider yourself blessed. If you want to start at level 1 again, just switch jobs. But do NOT start over, lol.
Well it took me two weeks to beat the base game, and I played every day. Though I did do every dungeon as they came up and every blue sidequest. You can cut down on many hours if you avoid the dungeons and most sidequests (you could do those after you have reached Heavensward, really). I can't say how long exactly, but 40 sounds about right if you stick to the MSQ. You can do the dungeons at any time later if you want. You can also do them unsynchronized, meaning you get to keep your high level and stats, and you can blaze through dungeons very quickly with a party of overleveled guys.
You do not need Heavenward from the get-go. I bought it after I reached level 50 because the expansion raises it to 60. So get the base game for the moment, and get Heavensward later, when you feel like it. Having Heavensward from the get-go isn't going to change anything, as all of its content isn't available until you actually get to it.
As for playing with other people, the MSQ requires that you do so sometimes, but there is matchmaking and it's really not a pain. The community is also helpful. Just say "I'm a first timer" and usually someone will tell you what you need to do. And it's fun!
As stated, you can pretty much think of this as a single player FF game. The breadth of content that is achievable solo is staggering. The story is pretty much designed to be played at your own pace and most every player experiences it all by themselves(and there is a LOT of it).
Only the dungeons and major boss fights demand grouping up, but you need do nothing but put yourself into a queue as the game automates matching you with others for whatever dungeon you choose. (You will likely fall in love completing your first dungeon with strangers at lvl 15 as well, despite how concerned you may be about "playing with other people").
Heavensward is essentially a direct continuation of the story and cannot be accessed until high-levels anyway with the completion of the vanilla story. You can just as well stick to vanilla and decide later to add-in Heavensward later.
Completely understandable. I'd say wait until it goes back on sale for $10 and play it for the free month. Kinda like a rental of sorts.
pretty done
Member
Get used to it. The quests are terrible for the entire game, even the main scenario quest is straight up garbage even in the 50s and 60. Lots of teleporting around and mashing through bad dialogue.
Dreamwriter
Member
So you don't read the story, just mash the buttons through it, and then don't like it. Hmm... I sense some sort of correlation here...
Of course, one of my party members could care less about the story, so he mashes his way through the dialogue (except when it's voiced), but he likes the gameplay and Final Fantasy themes and everything enough that he plays anyways.theifofdreams
Member
Does this have Pro support now? I would love to get back into it.
Microsoft don't allow for cross-platform play with other consoles (ps4).
MS blocked it since it was crossplatform.
Square did approach them but back then XBL was a closed ecosystem.
I thought that was not the case anymore?
Brat-Sampson
Member
I'd never played an MMO before this one and it dominated my life for a few months last year. Since then I played some of the 'free for lapsed players' events (one of which is on right now) just to keep on top of the story content, then finally re-subbed for a month back in September/October and it felt like I'd never left. The story, the locations, the music, the art design and the dungeon/raid design are all incredible to me to a degree where I find it very easy to look past the game's flaws.
I just know I'll be back in for the next patch and that I'll *have* to be ready for when Stormblood drops, day 1.
I just know I'll be back in for the next patch and that I'll *have* to be ready for when Stormblood drops, day 1.
Sumio Mondo
Member
Was tempted to do a LTTP topic myself, OP.
Agreed with all of your thoughts, it's overwhelming just how much there is to do and it's my first MMO as well. The dungeons are outstanding. The world is really interesting to explore and the NPCs are well developed, even the fetch quests that normally bore the life out of me are interesting to me since it means I get to explore more of the world more often than not. There so many classes and jobs to unlock as well. Only at level 24 but been playing this non-stop for about a week now.
It runs excellently on the PS4, plus the controller support is fantastic, just have to get used to swapping between the hotkeys like on a PC (hold down L2/R2 to perform actions) but i was taken aback but just how good this game looked despite being an MMO (I'm used to the stereotype of MMOs looking "ugly/"generic" but the Art Director was Akihiko Yoshida so I should have known better).
Correct. It is cross platform with your characters. It's certainly the best game I've played this year and I say that unequivocally.
Agreed with all of your thoughts, it's overwhelming just how much there is to do and it's my first MMO as well. The dungeons are outstanding. The world is really interesting to explore and the NPCs are well developed, even the fetch quests that normally bore the life out of me are interesting to me since it means I get to explore more of the world more often than not. There so many classes and jobs to unlock as well. Only at level 24 but been playing this non-stop for about a week now.
It runs excellently on the PS4, plus the controller support is fantastic, just have to get used to swapping between the hotkeys like on a PC (hold down L2/R2 to perform actions) but i was taken aback but just how good this game looked despite being an MMO (I'm used to the stereotype of MMOs looking "ugly/"generic" but the Art Director was Akihiko Yoshida so I should have known better).
Correct. It is cross platform with your characters. It's certainly the best game I've played this year and I say that unequivocally.
DarknessTear
Banned
It is a pretty great game. Lots of friendly and helpful players as well. FFXIV sort of opened me up to the world of MMOs but it's still the best one for me and the one I come back to each patch.
Sumio Mondo
Member
Was actually genuinely surprised by how nice all of the players have been and say hello/make friends/join you up to factions and help you out in quests/dungeons etc, I had to take a step back and think "this is a Final Fantasy game I'm playing, right?" XD
Vital Tundra
Member
I love this game. Its your general modern MMO, but the love put into it shows and once you find people to interact with it becomes an amazing game. If you don't make friends, its alright with a fantastic story once you reach 50 (before hand there is a lot of padding, but 2.1 and forward removes a lot of fluff and just tells good stories). So yeah, the story will keep you entertained but if you really want a fun experience, join an FC and makes some friends.
Seems its still an issue or we would have gotten some info with Storm Bloods announcement. And as another poster has said, with the dropping of PS3 support their resources will be shifted to current platforms. Maybe they can put a part of the team for the XBO version but nothing substantial now, and we won't see anything about it till after Stormblood releases.
Seems its still an issue or we would have gotten some info with Storm Bloods announcement. And as another poster has said, with the dropping of PS3 support their resources will be shifted to current platforms. Maybe they can put a part of the team for the XBO version but nothing substantial now, and we won't see anything about it till after Stormblood releases.
Chances are they were to far into working on Stormblood to start an xb1 port they don't exactly have a huge team working on the game.
SoundPulse
Banned
Love the game. 430 hours in (not all on the same character), and I'm finally at the end of Heavensward's MSQ.
Matoya's Cave's theme was maximum nostalgia.
For those that might be jumping in and somewhat put off by the sound of this, queue time is pretty much dependent on role, time, and whatever the dungeon is. Healers and tanks will get pretty much instant queues most of the time. DPS, not so much. There's so many DPS that you'll have to wait.
If you're playing a DPS, you should probably get used to doing FATEs to pass the time. Or just level up in PotD. No role restrictions in PotD, so queues are quick for everyone.
Matoya's Cave's theme was maximum nostalgia.
For those that might be jumping in and somewhat put off by the sound of this, queue time is pretty much dependent on role, time, and whatever the dungeon is. Healers and tanks will get pretty much instant queues most of the time. DPS, not so much. There's so many DPS that you'll have to wait.
If you're playing a DPS, you should probably get used to doing FATEs to pass the time. Or just level up in PotD. No role restrictions in PotD, so queues are quick for everyone.
Glad you're enjoying it. For all it's shortcomings this game still does a lot of things right, and definitely makes it one of the most consistent MMOs on the market. I also love that it's pretty beginner friendly so tons of people can give it a try.
I'd love to see some of the story themes and gameplay themes visited in a single player FF, but this game, especially storywise, has really come into it's own.
I'd love to see some of the story themes and gameplay themes visited in a single player FF, but this game, especially storywise, has really come into it's own.
Sumio Mondo
Member
Also, that line of dialogue that references FFT
is a work of genius, genuinely lolled when I saw it, hats off to the localization team for putting that in there, haha.
and Delita's line
True, true. Not long to go till I can switch classes to Scholar, hoping it'll drop the wait times a bit.
I'm not sure I'll make a good healer though lol. Guess we'll see.
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
I have only ever gotten up to just past Titan (on two different characters) and while I did enjoy the main story, the fetch quests were beyond abysmal. Like, Vanilla WoW or worse. You have to travel halfway across the known world just to haul some dead bodies into a van, and then go back and travel somewhere equally as far away to do something equally asinine and pointless.
I hear it gets better right after this, but my sub always ends around here.
I hear it gets better right after this, but my sub always ends around here.
pretty done
Member
So you don't read the story, just mash the buttons through it, and then don't like it. Hmm... I sense some sort of correlation here...
To be fair I don't watch cutscenes in any game, but this game just REALLY piles up the cutscenes and dialogue if you're following the main scenario so it's more annoying than others. Also the gameplay is really boring and character progression is literally a straight fucking line. The modern style MMO just is not for me. Even leveled WAR, DRK and BRD to 60 but none of them were exciting enough to hold my interest.
I'm really hoping that they shake up character builds and gameplay a bit in 4.0, now that they won't have the "PS3 limitations" excuse for everything.
Eh, game is good but it's still basically wow from 10 years ago at any given point.
Much like SWTOR the main reason to play is to check out the main scenario, which is fun, but everyone starting, listen to the op's story: It's REALLY slow for the first like 35-40 levels, which is a huge drag if you're not into that kind of game. It picks up substantially near the end of the Realm REborn base storyline, and then the content patch parts are mostly quite good. Heavensward is a big step up, still has a lot of random shit but it's much better designed overall.
I mean, or you could just play wow, but FF14 is probably the clear second best and they're similar in a lot of ways.
EDIT: Oh, and the music in this game is fucking amazing.
Much like SWTOR the main reason to play is to check out the main scenario, which is fun, but everyone starting, listen to the op's story: It's REALLY slow for the first like 35-40 levels, which is a huge drag if you're not into that kind of game. It picks up substantially near the end of the Realm REborn base storyline, and then the content patch parts are mostly quite good. Heavensward is a big step up, still has a lot of random shit but it's much better designed overall.
I mean, or you could just play wow, but FF14 is probably the clear second best and they're similar in a lot of ways.
EDIT: Oh, and the music in this game is fucking amazing.
SoundPulse
Banned
Don't forget to buy the stat reset from your Grand Company when you get Scholar. All into Mind.
Healing is pretty rewarding, but it's also a lot of responsibility. I've enjoyed playing WHM quite a bit more than when I used to tank. You'll also want to get Conjurer to 34 and Thaumaturge to at least 26 for the cross class skills you'll need from both.
There's a reason it's called the Walking Sands!
Thankfully, it goes (mostly) away after a while, but it's replaced by more teleporting.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
People complaining about the subscription.
You get a month. Buy it for cheap and play the main story. That should last you plenty of time. There are plenty of people who just log in on free weekends or sub for a month twice a year to catch up on the game and then unsubscribe. Stop thinking of the game and a years long commitment.
You can buy the game for $15 bucks, pay one additional month and come away with a real Final fantasy game for half the price you paid for 15.
All the while, you get to look forward to the 3.0 storyline being so damn good should you like what you got from 2.x and want to keep the good times coming
You get a month. Buy it for cheap and play the main story. That should last you plenty of time. There are plenty of people who just log in on free weekends or sub for a month twice a year to catch up on the game and then unsubscribe. Stop thinking of the game and a years long commitment.
You can buy the game for $15 bucks, pay one additional month and come away with a real Final fantasy game for half the price you paid for 15.
All the while, you get to look forward to the 3.0 storyline being so damn good should you like what you got from 2.x and want to keep the good times coming
Ploid 3.0
Member
I used to have the game files on my pc for the free logins. I should do that again, though the only thing I log in to do is afk, mess around with my macro setup never finishing, see if can spot old FFXI friends, and chat.
There's no benefit to buying Heavensward until you're sure you like the game. You're forced to progress through ARR in its entirety to evne touch HW.
This to me is actually the best way to enjoy 14. The MSQs are something I'm actually invested in, the other content doesn't hold my interest for long, so a resub periodically to knock the new content out once and then quit again is barely any cost at all.
That's what I did.
It's up to you. I would recommend waiting until they're on sale and then buying them both, as buying them desperately can be quite pricy.
But ya, you can buy the base game and then heavensward later if you want. The only thing that changes in terms of the base game is that you don't have access to the au ra race right away.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
You have to do 2.x to touch 3.0 so hold off. If you know you like it before or around hitting lvl 50, then i would recommend buying heavensward because it converts all the 2.x patch quests into giving you xp and loot that will put you a step ahead the xp curve when going to 60 which is honestly super super nice. If you don't own heavensward, you will stay at 50 the entire time.
DarkChronic
Member
OK. I really need to get back into this after the holidays.
Put about 20 hours into it and thought it was OK. Like you said, boring fetch quests, no voice acting, bland story. It just wasn't doing it for me at all.
But I keep hearing endlessly how good the story is. Going to take your advice, OP, and start up a new character after the new year and give the main story quest a go.
Put about 20 hours into it and thought it was OK. Like you said, boring fetch quests, no voice acting, bland story. It just wasn't doing it for me at all.
But I keep hearing endlessly how good the story is. Going to take your advice, OP, and start up a new character after the new year and give the main story quest a go.
NinjaCoachZ
Member
How long is the main story? I've been getting thirstier and thirstier for FFXIV the more I hear about it. I'm really interested in maybe giving it a look next year once 3.0 is out.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
It honestly depends on how fast you read, but you are looking at easily a REAL 50+ hour run time with all the patches at this point. That's just doing the story stuff, not counting the story related dungeons you will Q into with others. The xp curve is very balanced at this point so you will never have to grind to get to the next step unless you choose to level up other jobs.
And next year is 4.0 btw, not 3!
It's nothiing AMAZING or mindblowing, like it's still not going to feel like a single player game, but it's remarkable how quickly it goes from total snoozefest for 40 levels to "Hey this is suddenly very exciting"
Then it lulls a bit again in 2.1-2.2 patch content, which you have to do, and then the last couple of patches worth of story prior to heavensward is VERY good. That content propelled mine and probably alot of other people's interest straight through the entire expansion (which was also good though not quite as much so).
The base game of Realm REborn, prior to the patches, felt very traditional final fantasy: Weird villains you don't really understand, motivations that don't really make sense all the time and sort of 'anime' kinds of explanations for things (or lack of explanations), but it truly does answer all of your questions before you get to the expansion. I appreciated that a lot in the face of traditional Final Fantasy garbage. It leaves you hanging but it pays itself off on most fronts.
Ploid 3.0
Member
See if you like the game first. Try the free trial. Though if you can find the main game with the expansion for a criminally low price that could be worth it, even if you never get to the expansion content.
NinjaCoachZ
Member
Hmm! 50 hours, that's an investment. But thanks for the tip. A good game's a good game so I wouldn't mind plunking time into something I like even if it looks intimidating at first. I'll keep it in mind.
(Now that I think of it, I put 36 hours into FFXV in the past week alone, so 50 isn't that bad provided I like it enough...)
Ohhh, 4.0, that's right! I always block the vanilla version out of my mind haha. That's what I mean!
AgentOtaku
Member
After being somewhat dissapointed with how much of XV turned out, especially from a plot perspective, im thinking of picking up the complete version of this
I've tried before already but like the OP, i got bored with the initial onslaught of fetch/early quest stuff
Thanks for the awesome post OP!
I've tried before already but like the OP, i got bored with the initial onslaught of fetch/early quest stuff
Thanks for the awesome post OP!
I think I'll do what Gamer@Heart suggested and buy Heavensward around level 50 if I'm enjoying the experience. Unless I see both of them on sale, at which point why not just buy both. Thanks guys!
This has been the only MMO to really sink its hooks into me; I loved playing healer classes so I had could get instant Duty finder matches, and I just grinded the shit out of dungeons all last summer because I found it so enjoyable. I never ended up getting past Level 40 or so on my Conjurer/White Mage/Scholar and other assorted healing classes - dungeons started becoming too involved and I felt like the game was becoming more of a part-time job than I was willing to allow into my life - but damn, was it good. The combo of retro-FF nostalgia and loot grind was perfectly tuned to my tastes.
Might have to check in and see how things are if it's still free login weekend.
Might have to check in and see how things are if it's still free login weekend.
JimmyRustler
Gold Member
Was my first MMO as well and I thought it was amazing. Worth alone to finish the main story. Finished it twice. Once as DD, once as tank. Only stopped playing because the endgame is too time consuming.
UtterlyPerplexed
Member
It has plenty of good moments when it comes to individual fights, namely with the Coils of Bahamut and the EX Primals. Heavensward is a noticeable improvement over ARR in the pacing and narrative department.
But much of the game is so bogged down with the most uninspired and cookie cutter of game design. Dungeons, especially the recent post-60 ones usually consist of linear paths with three bosses in round arenas that are designed to be easily cleared in 25 minutes. I don't see any evidence that SE are willing to rejuvenate the dungeon experience with fresh ideas to make them actually memorable.
Then there's quest design. The usual errands galore. Kill X amount of this. Fetch me this while you wait for a bar to slowly fill up as your character waves their arms around in front of them like there's an invisible piano. Go deliver this. Go find these sodding Moogles, etc. They don't make the game horrendous by any means, but it's so...basic and by-the-numbers that I just can't help but see the team simply coasting by on their success, sticking to the most rigidly conservative approach as possible. And I don't blame them. It works.
Stormblood is the opportunity to give the game a needed kick up the backside. They have a bigger budget. They're dropping the PS3. On paper that allows ample room to try out some bolder ideas and shake things up tangibly. If it doesn't, I'll simply tune in for the story content and then quietly drop out again.
But much of the game is so bogged down with the most uninspired and cookie cutter of game design. Dungeons, especially the recent post-60 ones usually consist of linear paths with three bosses in round arenas that are designed to be easily cleared in 25 minutes. I don't see any evidence that SE are willing to rejuvenate the dungeon experience with fresh ideas to make them actually memorable.
Then there's quest design. The usual errands galore. Kill X amount of this. Fetch me this while you wait for a bar to slowly fill up as your character waves their arms around in front of them like there's an invisible piano. Go deliver this. Go find these sodding Moogles, etc. They don't make the game horrendous by any means, but it's so...basic and by-the-numbers that I just can't help but see the team simply coasting by on their success, sticking to the most rigidly conservative approach as possible. And I don't blame them. It works.
Stormblood is the opportunity to give the game a needed kick up the backside. They have a bigger budget. They're dropping the PS3. On paper that allows ample room to try out some bolder ideas and shake things up tangibly. If it doesn't, I'll simply tune in for the story content and then quietly drop out again.
AuthenticM
Member
Yeah, like I said, it takes a very long time for the game to start shining. But it will, if you stick with it.
Keep playing, you're almost there. If you feel the same by the time the credits for 2.55 rolls, then maybe you can call it quits. But you're almost there, so try to finish it.
Understandable, but maybe do what I am doing: play for the story, and stop playing (and paying) once you're done with it. Then, when the next set of patches or the expansion comes out, you resub just to keep up with the content. That way, it costs you a minimal amount of money. In no way do you need to keep playing after you're done with the story. Lots of people do. They have a static group of people with whom they do dungeons and grind loot and levels, but I am never going to do that.
I understand. But as I mentioned above, if you only stick to the main story line, you have plenty of time to play other games. The only big investment you need to make, right now, is playing through all of the base game and its patches, which takes a while.
I might have missed this. What line was it?
Is it funny? I was thinking of maybe trying one of the crafting classes. I might try that one.
Good man!
They do?
Hero Prinny
Member
That wine quest is around when i stopped playimg, that questline really possed me off, i did eventually get to fight the titan tho before i quit. Ill hop bavk imto the game once the semester is over which is next week, its a great podcast game imo