FFXIVCore.com - Final Fantasy XIV Fansite: Tissue Issues: How SE can win the hearts of FFXI's critics - FFXIVCore.com - Final Fantasy XIV Fansite

One can only do so much forum browsing before they're bombarded with comparisons of FFXIV to FFXI (and WoW, but that goes without saying). People have their own views of what FFXIV "seems" to be, or where it is headed, and by no means am I trying to address that topic. However, for those who are interested, I'll just state a simple response to that topic. FFXIV is naturally going to be shaped and influenced quite a lot by FFXI, although the games are not meant to be tied together whatsoever (prequel, sequel, remake). I think this is a very positive aspect of FFXIV, as with almost any aspect of life. If you've learned how to paint trees in one portrait, it's probably going to be a much safer and more successful route if you try to paint trees similarly in your next portrait. Perhaps that isn't the best example, but the point remains: use what you've learned in the past to create an even better product for your next attempt.

OK, so now that the disclaimer is done, let me just say that whether you're a long-term fan of FFXI like myself, if you've grown to detest the game, or if you really have no opinion on it, the game has its fair share of flaws. Some of these are much more apparent and commonly referred to than others, and in this blog post, I'd like to share some of the most oft brought up and to discuss ways in which SE can make positive improvements on those areas.

Character Creation

Now if you've been keeping up with FFXIV, especially in the most recent E3 updates, you know that character creation is truly shaping up quite nicely. Many MMO's are judged on the ways in which they allow players to create characters more critically than other genres of gaming. Why? Well think about it: you are creating an identity that you will use for a much longer term than in other gaming types, and which will be shared with everyone else you come into contact. Naturally then, it makes sense why this is such an important area.

I don't want to necessarily dwell on the character models of FFXI and how SE is improving with FFXIV too much. For its time, FFXI's system was slightly below average, but not incredibly horrible. I will say that I really enjoyed a ton of the options available in FFXI, despite its limitations. However, I will bring up the point that even with a monthly subscription fee of nearly $13, SE was stingy, providing players with only one character. For me, this was a horror not only because of the pseudo-requirement to have "alts" to hold items, but because I wanted to enjoy having other characters - the character models were truly beautiful!

Really, this is quite an easy fix. FFXI came with a hefty price tag - 1$ more per month for just another character. Compared to other MMO's, this is simply foolish. SE, while profit is always the underlying motive to creating such a brilliant game, there needs to be a balance struck between making money and making players happy to enjoy your game. At the very least, I would like to see 2-3 characters included in the cheapest subscription price, with options to purchase more if needed.

Limited Tutorials

In many pieces of criticism available on FFXI, readers will find that other players who try the game feel a sense of overwhelm and a lack of guidance right from the game's onset. Let's face it -- most gamers, even when given a brief tutorial or manual with the game aren't going to read cover to cover. And for those who do, it isn't likely that they'll be able to sponge up all of the information at once. To make matters worse, online games don't have a "pause" button. Players can't simply enter a battle and pause to look up ways to ensure their safety or figure out how to use that potion. They can't just make their other teammates wait while they figure out how to cast cure or recover their HP after a busy battle. And for those players who are playing FFXIV as their first online gaming experience, there is quite a lot to learn.

Quite a long time after FFXI had been released, SE finally caved in and began offering tutorials to new characters. Of course they still left a lot of room for improvement, but they were greatly more helpful than what had been available to new recruits before their implementation. FFXIV can start off on a much better note by attempting to include simple, easy-to-follow tutorials. For those who don't wish to use these, an option can be given to turn them off, however, the information should still be made available, perhaps in the player journal.

One specific area that really needs to be covered is a way in which the game can help returning players who may have taken months to years off as a temporary hiatus and are attempting to rekindle their love for the game. For those who have had this experience, it can often be quite rough - guilds break up, friends leave the game or move on, and many new quests or experiences are made available. This can all be overwhelming, and its quite easy to just hang up the towel again. Therefore, if a system could be created in which month-to-month updates are made to the in-game tutorial system, players may feel much more comfortable.

As an example, lets say that a new job or baby in the family takes away from my availability to play FFXIV. Sadly, I decide to cancel my account and focus on these new responsibilities. After a few months, I find that I am able to better manage my schedule and have more time available. Remembering the fun I've had with FFXIV, I decide to log in again, feeling slightly uneasy and worried that I'll be at a disadvantage. After re-activating my account and logging into Gridania once more, the game presents a friendly pop-up window. "Hello! Welcome back to the world of Eorzea! Quite a lot has happened in your time away, but we are excited to extend a hand to help you immerse yourself in these enjoyable new adventures! Please refer to your journal if you would like to learn about these amazing new opportunities. We look forward to having you back to FFXIV! (Our records show that you were away from May 2011 through August 2011). I could then easily look through the pages on May, June, etc. of 2011 for a brief run-down of the new updates.

There are many more areas in which SE has room for improvement with FFXIV, and I'll be referring to several more in future entries. Do you have any other concerns for FFXIV? Are there certain aspects of gameplay that you think need work? What areas of MMORPG's do you think are necessary or most important for creating an enjoyable experience?