Originally posted by Darwock
Discourages? Whaaa? Quests quite often come with no explanation other than "There's something suspicious in that place! Go and check it out!" If that's not an encouragement to explore I don't know what is. Also consider for example the Selbina clay quest which can't be done without investigating every nook and cranny of dozens of in game locations to try and find those elusive stone monuments.
I guess that means you never used sneaking magic/items to get through a high level dungeon in FFXI either? If you were a thief it may even have been to pick the lock on a chest :P
I would also say it's early days for WoW...
FFXI has loads, going into it's most minute detail:
WoW has a bunch of quest guides, only 1 class guide, and no general FAQs
FFXI starts off just as open and accessible to soloing and parties, it was only after 6 months to a year or so that it became much more of a challenge requiring co-operation etc, for me at least.
That thing about low level mobs aggroing you and giving up so as not to spoil it for low levels.. well the low level mobs ignore the high levels in FFXI anyway (unless you rest in front of some of them etc). Also mobs DO give up the chase - it may not happen often but it does happen.
Also you kind of breezed over the combat explanation as if it's just a 'point and wait' system in both games.. can't speak for WoW but you've underestimated FFXI if you think thats all the combat is. It calls for strategy, timing, teamwork... the more I play the more I think the combat system is a work of genius.
As far as the depth goes - I don't know what happens in WoW when you get a much more finely attuned party. I can see it really helping, in similar ways to FFXI, bar the timing/renki system. The buffs that classes can
From poking through allakhazam, it seems that most of the depth is in creating different builds of characters - something I didn't touch on at all - and how to use them effectively. The skill and talent systems allow for, IMHO, greater character customisation than in FFXI. You have the choice to focus on different parts of your character. There are rogues that play this way and there are rogues that play that way. And they're all balanced pretty well, as far as I know.
It's not as immediately obvious as the dual-class system, but it really feels much more of an evolution than the immediate revolution in FFXI. I realise I'm getting down to the niggly bits here, and this is one of the areas that just feels better in WoW.
I do miss FFXI. It's a damn fine game, and I often glance longingly at the box on my shelf (actually sadder than it sounds) but for my money, WoW offers a better experience all round.
I hope this elaboration's made a bit more sense... I certainly am not trying to tempt anyone away from Rargh or Seraph, but this is just my honest opinion.
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