MMORPGs make their money through time. Whether it’s a free to play game or the subscription model, the longer an MMO player is playing, the more likely they are to spend money. For free to play games, companies have to offer certain incentives to purchase something. Whether that something is an advantage within the game, certain content they otherwise wouldn’t have or even the right to play further into the game, they do eventually want to make some form of money off of this venture. Let’s face it, games are business.
That being said, the older subscription model still has a fair amount of weight. It still keeps World of Warcraft going after all, and FFXIV’s on it too. There’s a lot of power in that subscription. You end up playing the game more, because you feel like you have to give the sub value. The idea that you spent the money and you may as well play is a persuasive concept, and one the company would like to have.
Therefore it doesn’t surprise me when I open up Steam and see this:
Man, that’s a sobering number.
That’s 36 days of lifespan. Now, some of that is most assuredly just idle time spent in game, doing almost nothing (if not absolutely nothing). However, that’s not all of it. A fair majority is gameplay, and time spent getting to where I am. The more intimidating part is the fact that I haven’t even broken into the up-to-date endgame. Today, we’re going to look at what that takes on Final Fantasy XIV, and if the time investment is really a sound one.
Let’s start by looking at what is considered XIV’s end game. The basic requirements are fairly simple. Start your story quest and complete it. According to the Gamerescape wiki, that is slightly over three hundred quests, and will take you to the four corners of the game world. After doing so, the player will have access to all Extreme Primal fights, which will generally be the first foray into difficult encounters.
Hello Titan! *Landslide* Goodbye Titan!
After the Primal fights, the player then begins working on the 2.2 and 2.3 Primals, Leviathan and Ramuh, as well as the Binding Coil of Bahamut, an 8-man instance with five different sections. Completion of the Binding Coil is required to access the current raiding stage, the Second Coil of Bahamut. Turns 6-9 (the aforementioned sections) are available here and as of current, this is the hardest content in the game. A second difficulty level, Brutal Coil, is available for the Second Coil, but it offers no particularly better loot and is entirely a pride and glory difficulty level. As of this writing, I’m working on Binding Coil, Turn 5 and getting thrashed soundly by Twintania, its main boss. I’m also working on Ifrit Extreme. My biggest problem comes with the fact that I am working on this alone, because I lack the necessary experience to join up with a static group.
Now, other servers may not be like this, but often to join a static group of weekly raiders on Balmung, one must have experience to and past Twintania. I have yet to see a static that is forming in Turn 5. Perhaps this is because it’s viewed as “old content” now and can be queued for in the Duty Finder, but I can personally attest that I have yet to succeed at anything beyond Garuda Extreme by queuing in the Duty Finder. I didn’t get Titan Extreme until I formed a party myself. I suspect Ifrit Extreme will end up much the same way. There seems to be a strong attitude of “do it yourself, earn your place” among the highest echelon of players, which isn’t a bad thing, in it of itself. Problems arise when people start trying to break in late though. This brings me to the crux of my argument; is it worth one’s time to get into endgame at this late of a stage?
That depends on what you consider valuable time. I’m working two jobs and going to school, as well as playing Final Fantasy XIV. I know my situation isn’t uncommon but I’m finding it harder and harder to convince myself that the time I’d have to spend to get raid ready is really worth it. One of the biggest troubles that Final Fantasy XIV’s endgame has is the fact that minor errors cost entire raids an attempt. This encourages people who seek to progress through content to only accept the best of the best. After all, errors can’t be allowed if a small one impedes all progress right? There’s no real trash-clearing for this game either, so one can’t farm gear to improve players. It’s bosses or nothing. It comes at the price of learning how to play though. I hear legend of “learning parties”, fabled groups that allow players to come to understand the content amongst their peers at a measured, patient pace, but those groups are few and far between now.
I want to play the endgame of Final Fantasy XIV, but maybe I’m just past my “hardcore” years. Maybe I am the casual player now, the raider who doesn’t. I’d love to see it all happen when it’s supposed to and not feel behind on things, but at my age one has to start figuring out where they enjoy themselves and where they don’t. The grind isn’t the enjoyable part for me anymore, it’s work. It’s the path to it, seeing the story arcs come to life and completion one after another. I raid for the cutscenes, not the increase to my number. I want to see how this story develops.
This isn’t necessarily good for Square Enix, as far as having me is a customer is concerned. If I’m not really enjoying myself in their endgame I’m more likely to quit. Sure, I have things I still enjoy doing in the game, but those are simpler, like working on my Relic weapon or just socializing. I’ll down the content at my own rate, and that’s all there is to it. I just can’t take the time to force myself through the Second Coil with a gun to my head to make progress. It’s not in it for me anymore.
That being said, when one wishes to go for it, there’s always a shot on the Duty Finder. It might succeed, it might not, but it’s there and it is an option. For now, I’ll just keep beating at the door of Twintania, in hopes that perhaps I’ll get through and be able to pick up a static.
Turns 1-4, not so bad. Turn 5, mother of God.
Yes, I see you dragon. One day, we’ll hammer this out. Probably not today, but one day.
