Comments from the Devs

[Dein]

Honestly Yoshida should ignore people on the cross server LFG and work on implementing it. People are crying about "community" now but later on I wouldn't be surprised at wait times to get a full group for a dungeon to be in the 1~3 hour range (not to mention traveling there) and people start wanting an easier way to form groups.

[Hyan]

The 8 player party size is wonky. I know they are going to make content based on that party size and all that but it's just a strange number. It also doesn't make things line up at all. Take for example that in XP parties you never need more than 5, but with the current HNMs they're designed for 8 comfortably. All can be done with 5 or less though, so what's the point of party slots 6-8?

I think the new combat and class structure might play a rather big role here, but this is just a guess!

Honestly, it's a WIP and until at least the end of Summer many things won't fall into place. They did not implement the full party bonus for no reason, so that's most likely a hint of what's to come (when they create content with the mindset that you have the bonus on you, good luck trying to clear the encounter with less than 8 people).

[Hiroishime]

i dont like cross-server idea in general, but i really like Hyan's idea. I'd love to see cross-server pvp and stuff.

@Grey, well that is only current content, i am thinking they will release more stuff that will be tough fight to 8 party members, cant use current NMs for benchmark tbh

[Grey Jorildyn]

I understand things will change

But we also have to be careful about assuming different is better. If that statement is the benchmark for this game, then it failed all the compatibility tests thus far.

[Hyan]

Ehh, there's not much different about what they're doing here, really. Pretty basic stuff and proven to work. It's only different in the context of this game. Kinda like how AH is different to the Marketplace.

[solracht]

There would be nothing wrong with cross-server groups if it didn't feel like we're locked to our servers for the rest of the game.

It's the fastest and easiest way to give your players more groups, since you increase the pool of players to choose from by a lot. The benefits clearly show.

However, if dungeons (or whatever it is the cross-server event) are a big part of the game, cross-server groups do kill the server community and interaction. Meeting people in the game that you'll be able to interact with again becomes pretty tricky. This is an MMORPG, I think we can probably agree that social interaction is a big aspect for a lot of people.

When you'll never be able to interact again with most people you play with, doesn't that mean the social aspect is failing?

Once again, there would be nothing wrong with the right infrastructures in place, such as a way to invite/trade/talk/etc to people cross-server, and being able to play in other aspects of the game cross-server. The problem is they are most likely not going to have these infrastructures available.

If the current server populations are messed up... the solution is simple too: you merge servers. You don't ravage the community in the few high-pop servers that are left.

[Gulkeeva]

Well obviously there are up and down sides of the "cross server LFG' system. As I'm sure many have pointed out, but overall its aimed afor the greater good, which I'm sure many prefer is "get in and get it done" doesn't matter who it is, you just want in there and to get stuff, thats the typical gamer, or should I say majority?

Obviously the bad points are big, and a few missed out I'll just repost the list from playing wow's "cross server que system".

1. No one feels any form of regret for what they do, they can do bad pulls/ninja loot/fail miserably/semi afk dps etc
2. They can leve after the boss that has their loot doesn't drop or they don't get it someone else does.
3. Everyone's a stranger, not really much talking (which seems to bother many ffxi people)
4. Cross JP+NA may cause problems (I know some jp really hate NA and same goes for NA to JP)
5. Language barrier problems obviously
6. NA hour populations pretty sparse... may be long que times during NA hours.
7. Less represented classes may extend que times (say lack of tanks or healers).

Overall it'll depend on how SE does the system... will it sort out NA from JP from FR from whatever other languages? will people be able to pick dps/healer/tank roles for que? what will happen as many get what they needed from the dungeon and in future hardly anyone ques, what will they do to keep people going? so on.

Obviously there's many good points about the que system though, and we'll just have to wait and see how SE does it

[Lucavi]

This should prove entertaining.

[Kaylia]

It will take 20 random dungeons before you get to know everyone from every server.

[Cichy]

The 8 player party size is wonky. I know they are going to make content based on that party size and all that but it's just a strange number. It also doesn't make things line up at all. Take for example that in XP parties you never need more than 5, but with the current HNMs they're designed for 8 comfortably. All can be done with 5 or less though, so what's the point of party slots 6-8? Just to accomodate leve-linking? That's what it feels like (I won't even say 'seems' since we know that's pretty much a fact). The game would be more challenging with a party size of 5. It would make better players or separate the men from the boys. This mmo is already so divided where casual v hardcore is concerned. Might as well just swing one way for end game content and let the casuals catch up later.

It feels wonky in my opinion because there is really no content designed to challenge the 8 man party. I mean in XI we had 6 man limit and everything aside of situations where you needed alliance or more like dynamis that 6 was the optimal number. Fights felt like you needed those 6 people. In 14 it just feels like the spots are going to waste or something.

[Biggie]

It will take 20 random dungeons before you get to know everyone from every server.

LMAO

Your sir win 2 internets!

[Sirenia]

I think the game needs the LFG cross server.....I am around 30.....and I can't do much, no one in my guild to level with, soloing is too slow. If you want people to quit quickly then maybe they should leave it as is. It is frustrating not to have anyone to group up with.....good for all of you who are already 50 and have a well established group.

[Vuitton]

it only needs it now because each each server has nobody on it. lets not implement stupid shit based on the situation of now, when they're trying to implement shit for the future (the 2nd release of the game, and last chance).

[Corrderio]

Info on Hamlet defenses:

Checked into the status of hamlet defense battles for you all. While the details/concept won't be exactly the same after shifting to the new team, there is something similar planned. The current plan is to implement settlements for this purpose in a future patch.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...l=1#post101658

[Lordender]

I don't even know why they talked about cross server parties when so much needs to happen prior to it. So much needs to be fixed before they should even be talking about dungeons let alone something like cross-realm parties.

We still have a shell of a game and still the fundamentals are still broken, they should have waited till much more was fixed/redesigned before talking about dungeons/cross server parties because all we're gonna see now is QQ after every patch that it didn't include dungeons.

[Hyan]

Although there's still a ton of work to do either way, we don't know what they have done with the fundamentals in the past months before the changes are actually implemented.

You're off about the dungeons though, the first set is coming during the Spring as stated by Yoshida, which likely means May if the earthquake didn't delay it to June. Cross-world parties on the other hand are much farther off, and I think everybody knows this. Hopefully everything they've said is something they plan on impementing this year though.

[Lordender]

The thing about dungeons is this:

Enmity still doesn't function right.
Stats still do jack-squat for the most part outside of vit/mnd. Level difference is everything right now.
Class system is still a total mess.

Now I know Yoshida has said that the battle system will be getting updates before the dungeon system but man if they don't get all their eggs in 1 basket this is going to be such a mess of epic consequences.

Infact here's another bad problem created by the current battle system, with so much stuff broken and little to no consequence the game has been all about spamming as if its a tpburn party in XI. The game play is just so broken you don't have to watch threat, you don't need to CC mobs like sleep and follow a marked burn order using the marking system in XIV.

Dungeons are going to be painful lol, just look @ behest parties, spam fests, pingpong aggro, aoe everywhere, i'm going to assume this style of play will get everyone killed in a dungeon especially if they take the nyzul/dynamis model approach.

I just hope "battle system" updates fix all those major problems and not just adding in auto-attack before they push out these dungeons, they seem really eager to get them out within the next month or two. I just want to see a more controlled battle-system where its not aoe fests you will probably get yourself killed if you're doing nothing but spamming aoe, things need to be calculated and precise with holding threat and DD's doing as much without pulling it.

I'm curious to see which route they take, do they try the WoW way or do they go the Dynamis/nyzul/limbus type route.

[Biggie]

The thing about dungeons is this:

Enmity still doesn't function right.
Stats still do jack-squat for the most part outside of vit/mnd. Level difference is everything right now.
Class system is still a total mess.

Now I know Yoshida has said that the battle system will be getting updates before the dungeon system but man if they don't get all their eggs in 1 basket this is going to be such a mess of epic consequences.

Infact here's another bad problem created by the current battle system, with so much stuff broken and little to no consequence the game has been all about spamming as if its a tpburn party in XI. The game play is just so broken you don't have to watch threat, you don't need to CC mobs like sleep and follow a marked burn order using the marking system in XIV.

Dungeons are going to be painful lol, just look @ behest parties, spam fests, pingpong aggro, aoe everywhere, i'm going to assume this style of play will get everyone killed in a dungeon especially if they take the nyzul/dynamis model approach.

I just hope "battle system" updates fix all those major problems and not just adding in auto-attack before they push out these dungeons, they seem really eager to get them out within the next month or two. I just want to see a more controlled battle-system where its not aoe fests you will probably get yourself killed if you're doing nothing but spamming aoe, things need to be calculated and precise with holding threat and DD's doing as much without pulling it.

I'm curious to see which route they take, do they try the WoW way or do they go the Dynamis/nyzul/limbus type route.

Rather silly to be worried about all that, when every thing you mentioned is in the planed fixes.

[Elcura]

Dungeons are going to be painful lol, just look @ behest parties, spam fests, pingpong aggro, aoe everywhere, i'm going to assume this style of play will get everyone killed in a dungeon especially if they take the nyzul/dynamis model approach.

Why would you assume that people would handle dungeons the same way they handle behest? Because clearly a 10 minute activity that happens every 30 minutes should be handled the same way as a dungeon.

Infact here's another bad problem created by the current battle system, with so much stuff broken and little to no consequence the game has been all about spamming as if its a tpburn party in XI. The game play is just so broken you don't have to watch threat, you don't need to CC mobs like sleep and follow a marked burn order using the marking system in XIV.

While I agree that threat is broken and handled poorly, to say you don't have to watch threat is ridiculous. Try playing a squishy mage and then come and tell me you don't have to watch threat. Of course, if you only do the easiest stuff possible (1-2 star leves, equal/low level monsters) then of course you can be careless.

Keeping hate can be difficult because of the retarded stamina costs of taunt/provoke and the like, not to mention that abilities that apparently lower threat gain still increase threat merely from using the ability (more than you would have raised it by just casting a spell normally).

[Kurokikaze]

I feel like they should start announcing the details on this new battle system soon just to get everyone prepared for whats to come. Changes to the battle system are so monumental that if this ends up sucking worse than now, the game will probably not recover. Simply because it would be too hard and take too long to make a 3rd battle system. But anyways I digress...

Theres so much battle related shit that I'm expecting them to remedy... But they obviously won't cover all of it.

Stats
Stamina usage for each ability.
Auto Attack
Positioning
Enmity
Battle Regimens
Incapacitation
TP Usage
HP/MP Regen Rate
Crowd Control

I'm probably missing a few...