Thanks. I haven't gamed in about 5 years. Part of my reasoning for WOW is a> it's easy to learn and b> I know it like the back of my hand and can guide her over the early learning curve. I am less concerned about whether the game play is inferior to FFIV. This is more about finding a substitute for some social media time that I have less control over. The end objective isn't raiding or leveling but just doing something I can keep an eye on and she can do at her own pace. School is back in a month so at that point it might be an hour or two a day max.
I'll try to summarize my thoughts and I won't bother you again after this. I promise. The reason several people are pushing FFXIV over WoW is a combination of factors. I'm not going to compare systems, or classes, or the story, or the gameplay. I'm going to compare what they are as an MMO, and most importantly, how the result of these systems have shaped the playerbase.
The WoW you know doesn't exist anymore. In fact, it's barely an MMO. It's basically a pretty graphical chatroom where everyone is in a rat race to hit the level cap so "the real game starts." You can run from quest hub to quest hub, grabbing "fetch 10 bear asses" quests over an over, or you can stand in town and queue bg's or dungeons for experience. Or you can do both at the same time if you're DPS. Nobody goes to town unless they need to sell/buy, use the bank, or access the portal hub. Nobody stops to talk to a stranger, or throw a party, or even just to chat.
Everyone in WoW is conditioned to get more levels, more rep, and more gold so they can make bigger numbers when they press buttons. Nearly every social interaction that doesn't push someone towards those goals is pruned out of their daily gameplay.
I don't know your daughter, but I'm willing to bet the average teenage girl would be bored to tears if you sat them down in front of today's WoW. The hardest thing to overcome would be the loneliness. Loneliness; in an MMO. Nobody needs you. Everyone can solo everything. The queues will match you up with people and put you back where you were when you're done. You'll probably never see them again. If you screw up in a dungeon they might tell you to go die in a cancer fire. She won't make any friends, or develop any personal connection in the game (or to the game), and she'll probably quit.
This is where FFXIV is different. The end doesn't matter. The fun is in the journey. The game is designed for you to have fun at your own pace, AND you can switch tracks and advance in something else for a time. When you switch back you'll be right where you left off. I leveled a lancer to 20, then tried archer. Then I tried fisherman, then arcanist, then I switched back to lancer at level 20 and went to do my class quests as if I had never left. Then I went to the gold saucer, and in 3 weeks since I started playing I'm only a level 35 dragoon with over 400k MGP because I like playing all the minigames (especially Triple Triad Tournaments.)
Despite the flaws the game has, this has created a very laid back and welcoming community. Cities feel alive. Few people are in a hurry to get somewhere. My first time in Limsa Lominsa I couldn't understand the map. I asked for help. A level 80 walked me to where I needed to go, gave me 10k gil and some stat food and said, "I hope you have a great experience!" Another time there was a guy in a chocobo suit jumping up and down, asking Sprouts (new players) to come jump with him. I did, and he gave us all 2 dyes and some boots for the fashion contest at the Gold Saucer, so we could win 80k MGP. (Most big minigame rewards are 5k, so the weekly grand prize for the fashion contest is a huge amount). Also, FFXIV is about a 65/35 split of men and women. RP servers are almost 50/50.
TL;DR The execution of each games' systems has crafted the behaviors of their playerbase; WoW is pretty much a single player game where people eschew social interaction in an MMO because it interferes with hitting the level cap and starting on the "relevant" content. FFXIV players don't feel rushed, so they take the time to stop and smell the roses (as well as help new players).
Sanrith Descartes
you said to tag you if anyone else had an opinion about your daughter playing WoW classic or live:
