Final Fantasy XIV (Guide in first post)

So does anyone have recommendation on NA servers? Just looking for a fairly high pop. I realize we're on Gilg, which is high pop, but I have friends on Lamia as well. Any word on Lamia or other server's pop?

DeLLy_sl said:

So does anyone have recommendation on NA servers? Just looking for a fairly high pop. I realize we're on Gilg, which is high pop, but I have friends on Lamia as well. Any word on Lamia or other server's pop?

Click to expand...

Don't waste your time with any server besides Gilgamesh or Balmung. Basically every other server is dead.

I couldn't even get on Gilg during my free trial. Ended at level 5. Oh well, didn't want to stay up until 3AM to get in to make a char.

Palum_sl said:

I couldn't even get on Gilg during my free trial. Ended at level 5. Oh well, didn't want to stay up until 3AM to get in to make a char.

Click to expand...

There are server transfers available for $15.

I've got characters on a couple of the realms, and unless you are specifically looking for a high end Dungeon Finder experience, you are going to have a pretty similar experience on just about every server. Especially with all the random queue stuff incorporating blocks of servers. If you are looking for multiple "raid" deals at all hours of the day, you want onto the high pop ones, but every server is probably going to have FCs that do stuff regularly. Loading Idyllshire and Mor Dhona will also take less time! I'm also not sure that many of the people from the forums are even on Gilgamesh as a mass anymore. For the last couple of weeks I haven't seen anyone in the reCliqued linkshell deal, nor have I seen an ISIS tag anywhere. Might be a higher concentration of active forum bros elsewhere.

- Resident of Gilgamesh

Dunno, man. I was a resident of Siren from October 2014 to December 2014. As I understand, that was medium population, but even though I wasn't doing raids, the server was still pretty dead. The leveling experience was atrocious (no big FC's with people of different levels) and there were maybe a maximum of 5 groups in party finder during prime time, usually for learning the easy primals. Transferring to Gilgamesh was like a difference of night and day.

Made a char on Ultros. Got a few friends playing as well. Playing as a tank so I've found groups for dungeons within 5 mins of searching, even at 10am EST this morning. Probably is way worse for DPS though. A FC invited all of us and helps us here and there too. So far I can't complain about the server whatsoever.

Enjoying the game, not used to not having my handheld all the damn time. Actually having to google shit here and there. Story is kinda meh so far (level 25ish), but the gameplay and music are great.

The primary complaint is that there are probably few "zerg" guilds like Valkrum Dunes (GIlgamesh) on other servers, due to the redonkulous population. The story honestly doesn't get super amazing until at least mid/upper 30s, and even then it isn't great. The level 50 stuff you have to jog through to get to the new content is decent, if long and involved.

And yup, sub 5 is pretty standard for most tanks, and normally most healers. DPS get the shaft due to, of course, there being many more of them compared to tanks/healers.

DeLLy_sl said:

Enjoying the game, not used to not having my handheld all the damn time.

Click to expand...

Huh? While I was playing FFXIV, it felt like my hand was being held all the way through, even into post-50 content.

Kriptini_sl said:

Huh? While I was playing FFXIV, it felt like my hand was being held all the way through, even into post-50 content.

Click to expand...

I'm only 46 now but it's been laughable how easy it is, it's like 99% MQ experience but around like level 43 I finally got caught up and now get to run dungeons. Even the dungeons take minimal skill, flash the mobs, don't stand in the AES and collect your loot.

I'd like to add that the MQ is still stupid and I have no idea what the story is cause I skip everything

fifey_sl said:

I'm only 46 now but it's been laughable how easy it is, it's like 99% MQ experience but around like level 43 I finally got caught up and now get to run dungeons. Even the dungeons take minimal skill, flash the mobs, don't stand in the AES and collect your loot.

I'd like to add that the MQ is still stupid and I have no idea what the story is cause I skip everything

Click to expand...

I had the same experience with the game. Didn't view the cut scenes etc, just played the game. It's easy all the way through 60. Got 2 classes to 60 then got bored and un-subbed.

Some of the stories are not bad, but like any FF if you watch all the cutscenes expect it to be a mini-movie. I'm still trucking through the MQ story somewhere between release and HS, but I have not even tried to rush it. Whether I watch the movies honestly depends on how bored I am on a given night/how much I've had to drink.

Level to 60 with the first class is a joke. I did MQ and side quests and I was 60 before I even hit any of the "level 50" stuff. Leveling other classes is mostly easy, but there are a few annoying little gaps you need to fill with leve's and or if you can queue quickly, dungeons.

Things do get a little bit tougher at the higher end(coming from a non-raider, pub player only) but generally speaking it's still "avoid AE" level basic. There are some pretty hard gear checks though, for instance when i first hit 50 I did a normal group dungeon, wanderers palace or some shit. Well the tank pulled half the dungeon(first time I saw that) and of course I let him die as the healer. Grouped yelled at me to heal, like I was sitting there picking my ass or something, and tried again, died round 2. I'm normally decent or good at MMOs so I was getting frustrated too as I'm sure they were. Well I went back and did it again after getting a full poetic gear set and it's a joke. Little did I know that I my heals were healing for a MAX of like 400 the first time and now my average is like 1100....so there was just no way on earth I could have healed the multi-pull style run people do at the top end. Now I can DPS too with a few heals tossed in.

But insane challenge? No, no more than any MMO. I think the joy of this games comes from the ability to swap/try classes and the FF story. I have not seen anything revolutionary with combat or boss fights.

Yeah, it's basically refinement on specific aspects of the genre. Though Odin requiring you to use an emote to survive was pretty uniqueish, it's definitely not par for the course. A lot of it is dps checks and not standing in red circles. Like... 95%+ of it. Don't get killed, and kill stuff before it kills everyone. Hurray.

And as a note: it appears Isis has been dissolved or something. The tag vanished from everyone on the LS list. Maybe someone just went through and cleaned serious house, don't know! But Alkorin and company definitely aren't in it anymore, and a lot of people that I remember having the tag clearly aren't in it anymore. Deep thoughts.

thanks obama.

Guzrog_sl said:

Personally this is what I enjoy about the game. Granted, I did play FFXI a decent amount so the nostalgia doesn't hurt but I have long considered this game myMMO retirement home. I'll go back and knock out the odd wow expansion for the story but I generally quit once I cap. I did buy 1.0 but never got into it (because it was shit) but over time ARR has really grown on me. I take my breaks but they're becoming far shorter as I spend more time with the game as opposed to longer. I didn't even hit level 50 (yes fifty, not a typo) until a couple months after Heavensward launched and I've played off and on since ARR came out.

I'm pretty jaded on the whole genre and have no hope for its future but to me that speaks (personally) volumes to this game. Obligatory "as someone who has been around since 1999 and noows, also started thread etc."

Other than Gauss Barrel this game keeps getting better and better imo. I'm super casual these days though. More out of lack of interest than lack of time.

Click to expand...

It is my hope that within the next couple of years, the MMORPG market will crash, and then a couple of years after that, the genre will rise anew, like a Phoenix from the ashes, but better than ever before.

We just need some really big MMOs to fail in order to get the ball rolling...