FFXIV In the more sought-after Screenshot
Players begin the game in one of the three major cities, depending on the Disciple of War or Magic class they chose at character creation. The main story questline (denoted in-game by special icons above questgivers’ heads) acts as something as a guide in the early game -– something that 1.0 sorely lacked -– introducing players to key game concepts and eventually unlocking new features such as airship travel, Grand Company membership, and so forth.
One thing that FFXIV has going in its favor is the sheer variety of progression options available for both Disciples of War/Magic and Disciples of the Hand/Land, though in this installment I’ll be focusing on the former. Players can earn experience for their adventuring classes through numerous methods, from traditional quests, to FATEs, to guildleves and guildhests, and more. Unlike the game’s previous incarnation, A Realm Reborn offers a progression system that puts more of an emphasis on traditional questing (at least the first time around) than on mob or levequest grinding, and the FATE public quests provide an additional boost to experience gain.
The story questline also (generally) guides players to the various hubs where they can pick up a number of sidequests to complete… well, on the side. These sidequests serve as the player’s primary source of gil, gear, and experience on the trek to level 50, but it’s important to note that each quest can be completed only once, so while they’re useful the first time around, players leveling additional adventuring classes after the first will have to rely on alternate methods of advancement.
Screenshot — Final Fantasy XIV In the more sought-after FATEs, such as the Cancer fight in Costa Del Sol and the Behemoth battle in Coerthas Highlands, it seems as if the game itself is even working against you. Even if your rig is hardy enough to withstand the framerate hit that so many players in such a small area incurs, you probably won’t escape the wrath of the game’s model rendering prioritization, which frequently causes mobs or friendly players to simply not appear until they’re inches in front of your face. And as a healer, I can assure you that there’s nothing more infuriating than finally managing to target that guy who’s low on health and hopping around like a psychotic rabbit only to have him phase out of existence because he got too far away.
