Official global alpha start date: November 28th.

[Grey Jorildyn]

I just don't want to have to wade through piles of whining posts upon release.

This will happen no matter what launch looks like. SE could give out a blowjob with every subscription from a hot japanese model and there would still be bitching on the OFs.

[Jamison]

This will happen no matter what launch looks like. SE could give out a blowjob with every subscription from a hot japanese model and there would still be bitching on the OFs.

Wouldn't hurt to try.

[Enygma55]

There is already end game content transfering from 1.0. You have primal battles (ifrit, garuda, king mog), relic quest, instanced raids (AV, CC) and new stuff like Titan, Leviathan, the crystal tower and Bahamuts labrynth.

Given the new battle system, even those content will be new for everyone and fun to relearn.

If people want end game lv difficulty in events designed for lv 1-50 people, the best way (and probably the only way) to achieve this is thru lv capped battle fields ala CoP storyline (I didn't say capped zones, just the boss battle). If they can design the main storyline with lv capped chapters, it'll force people to learn their role below lv 50 in a party setting as you can't just PL thru em.

[Stromgarde]

The primary issue people had with level capped zones was that it required keeping an entire set of level-capped equipment for each job you wanted available back when inventory was very much at a premium. We already know that level sync is going to be in 2.0, so it should be much less of an issue going forward. Toss in the ability to obtain experience at your real level and then there would be incentive to help out the lowbies with their dungeon raids.

[Lucavi]

That's exactly what I'm talking about. Too often players get to max level and do not understand their role solo/in party/ in a raid group. Old school games taught you how to play while playing and many modern mmos neglect that. Mostly people do understand how to solo to a certain degree and perhaps even get their role in a group to some extent. But in something organized with boss mechanic, nah. One-step mechanics are great but eventually players have to graduate to more complex encounters. That hits a lot of players like a ton of bricks in end game and it is due in large part to poor/shallow learning curves on bosses, raids, and the rest along the way.

The whole damn game can seem like end game if you set that standard. End game raids should be "hard mode" in their "normal mode", and then we can step-up from there. What's become the norm is to simple make combat classes perform the same role solo as in a party (ie. maximize dps). Some classes add one extra step, like BRD buffs for example, but it is hardly role-changing as far as the player is concerned, and that is how those companies want it to be. They don't want things to be hard, they want it to be accessible, which we all know just means "easy". I think the FF community latches onto that a bit, but not in the right way imo. Yes things should be hard, but they can also be modern and not watered down. That includes raids and it also includes classes. Just sayin'

Not to rain on your parade or speech, but XI didn't teach players anything. Players learned everything, because the game told us nothing, just like old school EQ. The fights didn't teach anything anyway; you figured it out (stun it, kite it or SE KC it and... that's about it for XI's difficulty curve) or you died until you did. There weren't really enough skills per class to teach anything anyway... I mean, warrior had like, provoke, warcry and little else forever and ever.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Oh don't catch me wrong, I am not suggesting that. The only reason I mentioned XI was to explain that XI's way of "hard" was really just "stupid". It didn't teach you anything and any game ought to be doing that. When I said "old school" games, I didn't mean MMOs. I meant more like NES games.

[Arximiro]

I am really concerned about their ability to have enough content at release for the end-game only crowd. With all the 1.0 characters starting off immediately at 1.0 there is going to be a large portion of them immediately demanding enough end game content to satisfy them while SE develops most content for low-mid levels. Most games have a bit of leeway while even the hardcore players get leveled up but that isn't an option this time around. Obviously we will just have to wait and see much like with everything else, I just don't want to have to wade through piles of whining posts upon release.

I don't know about you but there was enough content in 1.0 for end-game to keep me busy in the last stretch. With the time sinks Hamlet and relic quests were alongside trying to get speed runs mastered and get DL gear. Granted some of those time sinks were due to drop rates, but that is a pretty standard way to provide longevity. Still hoping they ease up a bit on drop rates in ARR, DL gear was a bit much.

Once ARR comes out there will still be most of that, and then the addition of the Crystal Tower and the Bahamut Lair for us to do. That coupled with all the new Free Company stuff and working towards guild housing and the slew of continuous updates I doubt there will be any lack really of end game, unless you are a person that plays 12 hrs a day, then maybe you should look into getting a job and/or other hobbies to supplement your life.

Remember they will have a full team working on content for ARR where as with 1.0 they had to split into two teams, one to make ARR and one for 1.0, and they still did well with content. *Once they got past the mess that was releasing a half-done game*

[Alkar]

Let's not forget that every single open dungeon is getting turned into a raid so there's potential there for even more endgame content (some of those will be designed for lower levels).
Crystal Tower and Labyrinth of Bahamut are also getting expanded as time goes on so you won't be able to clear them at launch.

[Spider-Dan]

Oh don't catch me wrong, I am not suggesting that. The only reason I mentioned XI was to explain that XI's way of "hard" was really just "stupid". It didn't teach you anything and any game ought to be doing that. When I said "old school" games, I didn't mean MMOs. I meant more like NES games.

[Cichy]

[Sign]

Nice that mobs actually react to getting hit, definitely needs to be tweaked though. Hard enough to follow with all the effects, don't need the mobs seizing all over the place too. Wonder how much more animation work will be done come Beta or if that will be pushed back towards late beta or release.

In 1.0 did they eventually add proper sub-targeting? Not really big on having to change target as a healer if I don't have to.

[vadre]

Yeah they should limit mob reactions to particularly big hits.. or something. It's kinda silly that big bosses seam to freak out with every plink.

Also, I like that they cut out the bit from the video where in leve quests you fight mobs 1 at a time while the other 6 form an orderly queue. Here's hoping levequests are undergoing some big changes but if not people are going to see it sooner or later.

[Kachiko]

I like that you can see cast times in the PT UI; should make it easier to co-ordinate big combo attacks, if they keep those in. I also agree that the mob hit reaction is a bit too far into the ridiculous territory. I know FFXI had it too, but the fluidity of FFXIV makes it look very silly. It's almost like a strobe light effect.

[Sign]

If it was limited to a minor stagger on crits it would be better. I think it would be cool if the mob had a unique major stagger animation if you land a large combo or do a huge amount of spike damage at once.

[Arximiro]

If it was limited to a minor stagger on crits it would be better. I think it would be cool if the mob had a unique major stagger animation if you land a large combo or do a huge amount of spike damage at once.

Some mobs in 1.0 had that in the form of incap. Coincounter had an animation where if you moved out of the way of his big swing he would fall on his ass for like 5 seconds and you could go to town on him. That was always fun.

[drwaffles]

I think they really need to show the projectiles for ranged attacks, especially from mobs. ARC combat, especially vs. a ranged-attacking mob, looks stilted and weird.

[Spider-Dan]

Meh, showing arrows (and the inevitable bullets to come later) is not very resource efficient, IMO. We all loved the gigas' Catapult, but having arrows fly around the screen when you have a few BRDs in an alliance is overkill.

Anyway, they obviously can't limit mob stagger to WS (because that's every other move now), so maybe limit it to end of combo, or to limit breaks/battle regimen?

[Lokus]

I really hope the later fights require a bit more (alot) movement on the part of the player. A bit boring to simply stay static the entire time waiting on CDs.

[Lordender]

In before player in the demo is a newb because he's a clicker.

[millionsknives]

Wow, that just looks a mess when they're fighting the Iron Giant. It looks like a Christmas light show with an Iron Giant that's riverdancing.

Alpha alpha blah blah, yeah, I know.