FFXIV had major disappointment, I didn't join it until recently, I'm not quit sure what it was, but let me explain abit about the difference between FFXI and FFXIV.
First, one of most benefit things in FFXIV is Journal, in FFXI it was more depending on sites like allakhazam and others to tell you the guide through quests, and where to find the NPC, while FFXIV in the journal gives you the location of the NPC, which this saves up the trouble of reading it online.
Secondly, the mobs has level and aggro or not attach to their health bar, red is aggro, green is not, and by aggro, means mob that attacks lower than it's level players.
In FFXI, you dunno if the mob is aggro or not, you hope it's not, you can only 'check' mob and it says "very easy" "easy" "very hard" "Impossible to Gauge", which I think this gives more credits than FFXI.
In FFXI, you need to heal, like sit on ur knees to have your HP/MP restore, while in FFXIV you can run, and do anything your HP/MP restores if your not fighting, which the rate is alot faster than FFXI.
the parties in FFXIV is amazing, they took ideas from windower, like showing others status, and how long does any spell lasts, this kinda make things easier for those who gives buffs. in FFXI you dunno how much buffs lasts, and you need like to set macro for reminder or something like that.
The 'tele' feature is cost by Anima, ot any job specific has them, anyone can cast it, and it regenerates 1 Anima per 4 hours, the airship costs like 4-5k.
the NM drops are like rare/ex, which made it alot easier, and drop rates are extremely good, unlike the days spending on farming, hardly can make 100k in FFXI, I made 500k in one day, 250k if I was not really into it that's 2-3 hours for 250k.
There is no Action House, but the Market Row, you can purchase anything outside in search counter, it's like very easy, it's like bazaar, but atleast u get to choose from whom you want to purchase, as list and prices is shown, unlike Action house, which you dunno how much your bidding on which price (days I spend 1 gil on each bid :P)
You don't have to spend time looking for Retainer, search in counter then purchase item, still though sometimes you have to look for Retainer, but on the bright side, your retainer can hold up to 150 item, and put them on sale, unlike action house which you have to put only 7 :/
People should be adjust to new features and difference.
The exp is amazing, and Power Leveling is alot easier, you hit lv50 in two days easily with PL, it's not that I recommend it, PL takes the fun of game.
The Land and Hand, back in FFXI you mine, or cut tree and get items, ofcourse the process of it is like repeating it, no skill ups, in this game, there is skills ups for woodcutter and minor, you can go Fishing as well, heck, even crafting or cooking, I chosen Leathercrafting (to fix my armor for free)
It's alot easier the crafting, first you can have options, normal, rapid, careful, and you can have more control over your work quality or speed, unlike FFXI, you put them together, and wait to see results, plus they have 'recipe' section which any syntheses you done in past you can redo it, and they will add item automatically.
There is 'Achievement' feature, a feature where it shows you what you have achieved so far, and there is reward to it, like 10-20 categories, and each one has 50-100 achievement or so.
The Solo in the game is optional and easily, party is much faster, but you can get exp between 150-350 solo, that depends on your skills.
You no longer lose exp once you die.
I change my job to lv50, cast stoneskin on myself, change back to lv24, and fight three mobs 3 level higher than me, and my stoneskin hasn't gone, a very useful trick :P if only stoneskin lasts 10mins would done this alot >.>
I can't compare this game to Dark Soul or Sykrim, both are very excellent games, but FFXIV is like FFXI, a time consuming game, one month or two month, I can finish Dark Soul, but FFXI is like 7 years and still haven't finished it, and getting high level isn't even the end.
The game is still on 1.20 version, there is lots of changes will come, soon will release MONK, BlackMage, White Mage, Warrior, Paladin, Bard.. jobs.
