Final Fantasy XIV (Guide in first post)

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Cybsled

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So the game has 2 server groupings: Regional (IE, Europe, North America, Japan, etc) and Data Center. Data Center is a bunch of servers all on the Data Center.

So for your data center, there are 6 total servers in the data center. That means if you queue up using the duty finder, you can be matched with players from those other servers on the data center. You can also world visit those servers on your data center by going to a main city aetherite.

While preferred servers have lower populations, you typically dont get shitty queue times because you get matched vs the data center. In fact, a lower population server can actually be kind of a good thing if you're trying to get a housing plot.

The thing they are rolling out this summer is you will now be able to visit any server in your region, not just your data center. I dont think queueing is being impacted by that, though
 

Cybsled

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I skip them all. I want to create my own story. The in game story makes it feel like a single player game. I plan on watching some YouTube lore videos or something later maybe.

I mean, that is its main strength in the opinion of most people. It's basically a regular FF game story wise, but with multiplayer elements.
 

Araxen

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Morrow

Trakanon Raider
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So the game has 2 server groupings: Regional (IE, Europe, North America, Japan, etc) and Data Center. Data Center is a bunch of servers all on the Data Center.

So for your data center, there are 6 total servers in the data center. That means if you queue up using the duty finder, you can be matched with players from those other servers on the data center. You can also world visit those servers on your data center by going to a main city aetherite.

While preferred servers have lower populations, you typically dont get shitty queue times because you get matched vs the data center. In fact, a lower population server can actually be kind of a good thing if you're trying to get a housing plot.

The thing they are rolling out this summer is you will now be able to visit any server in your region, not just your data center. I dont think queueing is being impacted by that, though

Am I screwing myself long term by playing on this exp bonus preferred server though? Playing on a "preferred" WoW server was garbage for so many years until I finally transferred to a really high pop realm.

But the exp bonus is really nice.
 

Cybsled

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Am I screwing myself long term by playing on this exp bonus preferred server though? Playing on a "preferred" WoW server was garbage for so many years until I finally transferred to a really high pop realm.

But the exp bonus is really nice.

It depends what your goals are. Unless there is some guild on a different data center or region that does some type of static raiding or whatever that you are dead set on joining, you’re probably fine. Currently you can raid with anyone on your data center. You can look up what servers are in your data center and what they’re like I suppose
 

ronne

Nǐ hǎo, yǒu jīn zi ma?
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I rolled on gilgamesh again cause that's what I remember being on back during launch. I get a queue for about ~30s every time I log on is about it?

So far the game is basically just going through the motions. I think my chance of dying/failing any particular thing is basically 0? All the dungeon stuff I've done via duty finder has been a complete faceroll - I'm not even sure what mechanics any of the bosses have cause everyone just kills everything before any of it really matters.
 

Daidraco

Golden Baronet of the Realm
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Am I screwing myself long term by playing on this exp bonus preferred server though? Playing on a "preferred" WoW server was garbage for so many years until I finally transferred to a really high pop realm.

But the exp bonus is really nice.
I would say no. If anything, less people to contend with when doing basic OW shit. Everything else is through the data center. Depending on your view point, you wont see very many people from here. Where as Ive seen a ton of people from here in just random queues from our data center. Last person I saw randomly was Cybsled Cybsled in that long ass 50 dungeon lol.
I rolled on gilgamesh again cause that's what I remember being on back during launch. I get a queue for about ~30s every time I log on is about it?

So far the game is basically just going through the motions. I think my chance of dying/failing any particular thing is basically 0? All the dungeon stuff I've done via duty finder has been a complete faceroll - I'm not even sure what mechanics any of the bosses have cause everyone just kills everything before any of it really matters.
Most of your dungeons are stream lined for your basic derps. A page or two back, there were some dungeons that will wipe your group - but honestly, if you're playing a tank and you're geared properly.. you can about solo most bosses if your group dies. The raids are fun af though and even on derp difficulty - people will wipe. With the horde of people running from WOW right now, you can fully expect that to happen lol.
 

Caeden

Silver Baronet of the Realm
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I hadn't played since ARR and bought the expansion in the 60% off sale. It's not hard at all, the game basically holds your hand through the entire process with the only thing you can possibly fail being when you are forced into group content (dungeons/trials). It will take a lot of time though.
I’m starting wayyyy back. I mean I’m talking not even finished the original game. But sounds like I have a lot of content to chew on.
 

Cybsled

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Yea, there is a ton of content if you’re just starting. Take your time, next xpac isn’t until 11/23.

Last thing you want to do is blow through a decade of content then tap your fingers waiting for Endwalker
 
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Folanlron

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Am I screwing myself long term by playing on this exp bonus preferred server though? Playing on a "preferred" WoW server was garbage for so many years until I finally transferred to a really high pop realm.

But the exp bonus is really nice.
With cross data-center coming soon(Rumors in 5.58) it won't matter we'll be able too hop around any Data Center we want once they add it.
 

Neranja

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Is it true that you'll be able to access other "servers" soon?
You can already switch servers in your data center by clicking the aetheryte crystals. However, there are a lot of restrictions right now (housing, retainers, free companies, tournaments).

Well, I'm not one to talk, I recently created a character at 5 am to make one on Spriggan, just so I don't have to roll on Lousioux. Within the first 5 minutes I got a FC invite in french while moving hotbars around. I didn't even complete the very first quest that makes you visible in the world.

Right now the servers are all flip-flopping because almost all are full due to the WoW refugee influx. There are however at least two servers always open for character creation. SE should add one server each to the EU data centers, though.
 

Chris

Potato del Grande
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While Shadowlands and Classic are tracked separately, they are on the same sub. So there's probably a huge amount of overlap in the two playerbases. WoW has a free trial too.

Overall looks like FF14 is going to win this one.

WoW has a content drought at the START of a shark jumping expansion and FF14 is a few months off what's probably going to be their version of Legion in terms of wrapping up the main story.

Final Fantasy lore dwarfs WoW lore too. WoW has a strictly defined world with obvious expansion continents wasted with small zones and raids (Elemental Planes, Emerald Dream, Black Empire, Argus). FF14 has a poorly defined world they can add continents too and have established other planets in the lore.

WoW is out of credible content so expansions will only get sillier. FF14 ain't running out.
 

Arbitrary

Tranny Chaser
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I'm only at the very beginning but so far the only thing that's keeping FFXIV from hooking me is a job with buttons I like pressing. If I find one that just does a thing I enjoy doing I'll be all in.
 

Byr

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I'm only at the very beginning but so far the only thing that's keeping FFXIV from hooking me is a job with buttons I like pressing. If I find one that just does a thing I enjoy doing I'll be all in.

For me its the floatiness of combat. Everything happens a second and a bit after its been queued up by the game. You can have a second or so left on your cast bar but still be able to move or the targeting for an enemies aoe be over while you are in it but you are well out by the time it goes off and still be hit. It carries over to all the cutscenes too where characters can't actually touch anything that arn't their weapons so you'll constantly have characters run up to each other in excitement but never embrace, shake hands, etc.
 
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Daidraco

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I'm only at the very beginning but so far the only thing that's keeping FFXIV from hooking me is a job with buttons I like pressing. If I find one that just does a thing I enjoy doing I'll be all in.
I hate to say it, but you just gotta put in the hours like people have said about ARR. I started with Paladin, and went through all the tanks before I settled on the Warrior. I went through just about all the DPS jobs before I settled on Black Mage. But in the end, I have a pretty good understanding of what those classes do and what to expect. I dont really play healers, so Ive kind of dropped the ball there - but there is some story content related to that archetype that I really want to flesh out. Either way, once you dive in - you'll end up capping a LOT of the classes. Trades took all my attention away from leveling healers and blue mage and Ill likely finish those out with the new expansion in November.
 
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Neranja

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for an enemies aoe be over while you are in it but you are well out by the time it goes off and still be hit.
This is something a lot of people coming from WoW have real problems with: it's the telegraph that counts. If the telegraph vanishes while you are in it, you have already fucked up. On the other hand, once the telegraph is finished you can immediately run back in. Even when you see the AoE spell effect go off and right on/through you: you won't get damage.
 
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Byr

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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This is something a lot of people coming from WoW have real problems with: it's the telegraph that counts. If the telegraph vanishes while you are in it, you have already fucked up. On the other hand, once the telegraph is finished you can immediately run back in. Even when you see the AoE spell effect go off and right on/through you: you won't get damage.

Ya, I understand whats happening its just the feel of getting hit by something and not being hit by its animation.
 

Caeden

Silver Baronet of the Realm
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I hate to say it, but you just gotta put in the hours like people have said about ARR. I started with Paladin, and went through all the tanks before I settled on the Warrior. I went through just about all the DPS jobs before I settled on Black Mage. But in the end, I have a pretty good understanding of what those classes do and what to expect. I dont really play healers, so Ive kind of dropped the ball there - but there is some story content related to that archetype that I really want to flesh out. Either way, once you dive in - you'll end up capping a LOT of the classes. Trades took all my attention away from leveling healers and blue mage and Ill likely finish those out with the new expansion in November.
So do most people just level it all on one character? I assume you just go back to early zones and grind the duties or whatever?
 

Magimaster

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So do most people just level it all on one character? I assume you just go back to early zones and grind the duties or whatever?

Yep, you can level all classes on one character if you want. There's a couple different ways to level alt classes:

- Once you unlock your Daily Roulettes, you can just do those for the once-a-day bonus. Will take longer than other options but its low impact and can be done at your leisure.
- Once you unlock Deep Dungeons, you can use those as well. Bit more grindy, but you can level the classes without having to constantly buy new gear (Since the Deep Dungeons use their own equipment)
- Can also level through PvP, if your into that kind of thing.
- The current Relic Weapons area (Bozja) can also be used to level classes from 70-80, since it level scales you to the content.