"We looked to World of Warcraft"

**Tricksy** · 2012-06-21 21:30

Hello all,

I was just wondering what you all thought about that information brought forth in this article about SE's new focus on making FF14 as much like WoW as possible.

I know that I have a few things I enjoyed about WoW when I played it.

Highest in my esteem would be the fluidity of gameplay. I would expect this had to do with a mixture of server technology, game optimization, and UI design(both game interface and importantly the coding in the background). Its response times were minimal. Everything felt like it happened right when I clicked something, whether it be an item, an action, selling to a vendor and most importantly, to me, while moving around the world my guy didn't stutter for no reason, at least not to the point where I remember it being an issue when I think back on it.

Of course, there is a lot that I didn't enjoy about WoW, but that was more mechanics and dynamics of the game as opposed to the interface which I found to be so very polished.

So I wonder after reading this link- http://ca.ign.com/articles/2012/06/0...-playstation-3

"Yoshida and team want those familiar with World of Warcraft to be able to transition into Final Fantasy XIV without a lot of hassle."

“We looked to World of Warcraft. What they have there is pretty much what most players are used to. We’re using that as a base."

What are your thoughts? Are they talking about more then just UI? Will we have an option to not have a cluttered button-ridden UI mode? How WoW-like do they want to make 2.0?

Thanks for your time. I look forward to your opinions.

*^.^*

**The Blackrose** · 2012-06-21 21:40

1. Your link is giving 404s. The article most likely cited is here: http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/...-playstation-3

2. A lot of this was covered back when Sonomaa and Ragns interviewed Yoshida themselves, in which Yoshida explicitly said that they were looking towards World of Warcraft and other games to see what they could adjust.

**Therin** · 2012-06-21 21:53

I didn't like WoW but it was mostly for the art design. There are pros and cons to the gameplay, from my limited experience. The accessibility and user-friendly UI is a definite pro and could only help XIV, if in fact they are trying to copy some of what WoW has done. However, if they copy it too much, people will just pass it off as another clone. It has to maintain significant originality to be true to what SE is trying to accomplish.

**Tricksy** · 2012-06-21 21:56

Originally Posted by Therin

I didn't like WoW but it was mostly for the art design. There are pros and cons to the gameplay, from my limited experience. The accessibility and user-friendly UI is a definite pro and could only help XIV, if in fact they are trying to copy some of what WoW has done. However, if they copy it too much, people will just pass it off as another clone. It has to maintain significant originality to be true to what SE is trying to accomplish.

I hear you and appreciate you taking the time to post.

Recent games from SE lead one to question what they are trying to accomplish though. Besides monetary gain from a well established franchise. Of course this is a profit driven world, but part of driving future profit is building your brand and recent SE games have been tearing that brand to shreds.

**Rocl** · 2012-06-21 22:13

Only if you consider having more subscribers a detriment to Legacy players. (Which I don't think it is.)

As long as core mechanics don't change, I don't think we'll see XIV as a 'WoW clone.' For instance, gathering/crafting being it's own class. Job Crystals, the ability to level all classes on one character, upcoming Chocobo-Buddy, etc.

Granted it's been years since I've played WoW but I imagine it hasn't changed into any of the above.

**Therin** · 2012-06-21 22:31

When I think of WoW clone I think more of the battle system. While FFXIV currently has some traits of a WoW-like system it is different enough that it avoids being lumped in with games like Warhammer Online, LOTRO, Aion and the five thousand other games that pretty much copy-pasta'd WoW's battle system. Hopefully we see some careful implementation of some of WoW's stronger features but not enough to change any core mechanics, like you said. Personally, with an improved UI and a better targeting system I don't think they really need to change the battle system.. but that's just me. This talk of bringing back the battle regimens has me a little concerned.

**Rocl** · 2012-06-21 22:34

I don't know how I completely forgot about the battle system, but hopefully with 2.0 the serverlag shit is fixed and there's minute changes to combos because tbh I enjoy the system as well ;\

**Tricksy** · 2012-06-21 22:58

Originally Posted by Rocl

I don't know how I completely forgot about the battle system, but hopefully with 2.0 the serverlag shit is fixed and there's minute changes to combos because tbh I enjoy the system as well ;\

100% agree. If they just fixed server lag and the horrible lag while using the menus then game would be so much easier to play and enjoy.

For some reason all this jibber jabber makes me feel like they don't have the confidence in their ability to truly make the game a streamlined and fluid interaction:

SE- "First of all, we'd like for you not to worry. The interface lag will get much better when we introduce the server system for 2.0. As compared to 11, he (Yoshida) would rather compare it to World of Warcraft. It's going to depend on things such as your personal environment, equipment, etc. But it will be closer to that then what currently exists."

BG: That is important, because FFXI is good, but World of Warcraft is "I push forward, I go forward. I turn around, I turn around." In FFXI, I can turn around with a few button clicks and it's not that slow. In FFXIV, I turned around and it took 30 seconds to finish that rotation. I have a Core-i7 - a fast computer - and not being able to do that was a problem.

SE: The current plan, when we're redesigning the servers, is to have a system where there's difficult tactical battles. Like the Ifrit battle, he wants to make end content closer to this - where it's all about the positioning is important and where response is immediate so you have to decide in one second where to make these moves...

BG: Don't stand in the fire.

SE: [chuckling] Yes, don't stand in the fire. So, the current system they are building will allow them to have more battles like this - more action based content where it might take a lot of different tactics instead of whacking away.

Maybe someone can reasure me. But wouldn't a yes suffice? Or something vehement like "You will be a vast improvement". Instead of "we'd like to compare the fluidity to WoW" . Not to mention how old is WoW? Can't you say with a resounding yes, that your game will meet or exceed such expectations. I dunno, SE just talks in circles sometimes and it makes me angry.

**Lucavi** · 2012-06-21 23:01

Fix the lag, take the single-player menu interface out of a MMO, clean up the loopy progression designs, redesign the content cockblocks that serve to annoy people, revamp the crafting system to be less tedious and more enjoyable, and you'll bring in some subs. SE doesn't have to copy WoW, but they've shown time and again that relying on their own singular ideas will not cut it.

If that means looking elsewhere for blueprints for a successful modern MMO, so be it.

**Charismatic** · 2012-06-21 23:47

If you voted yes, kill yourself.
Taking the good from successful games and giving it your own spin is how games get better overall.

The next MMO would take the good from XIV (should it turn out to be a success come 2.0) and so on. So long as the game doesn't become a identity-less clone of WoW (which it is obvious they have no intention of making) then what is the real complaint?

**Burningthought** · 2012-06-22 00:34

I think they were looking at WoW in terms of accessibility and other things. Blizzard did a lot of things right and any company should take some inspiration from the ease of use and accessibility of it all. I don't think they were looking to make a wow clone with a FF skin, the game certainly doesn't feel that way to me. I think they just want to take a few familiar things so wow players will feel right at home. The future is definitely casual content, and that's something that wow is doing pretty well. Yoshida is looking out for old school FFXI/hardcore players for some of their new upcoming content.

I don't think Yoshida was going to take Elder Scrolls Online stance on things though.

**Ksandra** · 2012-06-22 00:48

Originally Posted by Charismatic

If you voted yes, kill yourself.

^ blizz did a lot of things right, and there's a lot that SE needs to learn from it. I think the game is wayyy too different atm that even picking some things from wow won't make it a wow-clone.

**Stromgarde** · 2012-06-22 01:13

What is ESO's way of doing things?

**Celeras** · 2012-06-22 01:42

What the fuck is this shit? Smells like an official forum thread, and someone thought putting the poll here would make a point.. only to have it blow up in their face.

**Ksandra** · 2012-06-22 02:02

Originally Posted by Celeras

Smells like an official forum thread

*^.^*

**Pikarya** · 2012-06-22 05:58

Last time I checked WoW it just consisted of repetitive fetch quests, moongarde rp, $25 rehashed mounts, and boss fights which require the basic common sense of a 3 year old.

I mean, unless that's considered "good" by the community these days.

**Kurokikaze** · 2012-06-22 06:58

It does smell like an official forum thread... But I'll allow it if Ksandra doesn't see an issue with it.

OP, unfortunately you won't find circle jerk here since most members on this forums understand the problems in this game and how to fix them. We're a bit more open-minded than the OF.

Also I hit YES by accident. -_-;

**Raldo** · 2012-06-22 08:45

The section of the interview made it rather clear, in my opinion, that they were just talking about the UI. I can't imagine that being a bad thing.

**Spider-Dan** · 2012-06-22 10:08

I think the sinking of TORtanic is (yet another) warning that you make a WoW clone (even one from a well-known and popular publisher based on an established property) at your peril.

Should XIV-2 take ideas from WoW? Sure. But I would recommend strongly against making the battle or interface too close to WoW. The market has shown that when given a choice between a WoW-clone and WoW, WoW wins errytime.

**Lucavi** · 2012-06-22 10:13

Well then, SD, I guess SE is just in a little pickle. TORtanic sunk, no doubt about it, but at least it managed to enjoy a bit of a sea cruise. XIV didn't even leave the dock before it sprung a leak and started sinking.

Here's the thing: if you don't want SE to take things from the most successful MMO (on every realistic front) in history, then how do you want to see 2.0 improve on the original? List your changes and we can all sit here and check off whether they're included in WoW.

I guarantee you that if you say anything related to "fixing lag" or "improving combat", you'll be in the "I support WoW changes!" corner, though one shouldn't even consider them "WoW changes", just "intelligent changes that a consumer shouldn't have to go without in this day and age". You know... like not having massive amounts of imput lag in 2012.

Little stuff.

View Poll Results: Will focusing on making the game an easy transition for WoW players hurt 2.0 for us Legacy members?

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