Comments from the Devs

[Raldo]

Yeah, I switched over to playing CNJ for that exact reason. In everyone's defense though, leveling a solo mage class is rarely easy/fun.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Which is another big problem in itself. It shouldn't be so much harder to level CNJ than LNC like it is now.

[Raldo]

They actually did a good job of making leveling doable... once you get the requisite spell(s). I really enjoy CNJ now. It's just those starting levels that are painful. The water spell is a stroke of genius.

[Jesifromgaruda]

Just a note about content. Unless they plan on releasing updates at different times on the PC and PS3 then expect a 1-2 week delay for every patch.

When I played DCUO which is the same exact thing as FFXIV, a MMO on both PC and PS3 the updates were a nightmare.

Announce patch --> wait up to 2 weeks for it to be given the OK by Sony --> update happens --> wait another 1-2 weeks for them to release a patch to fix the bugs from the previous patch.

There is no such thing as emergency patches and updates. FFXI had a unique relationship with Microsoft to allow them to update the game at will. The game console companies don't allow that anymore and they must get certification for their patches just like every other game.

Unless SE has some super secret relationship with Sony that Sony's own subsidiary, Sony Online Entertainment didn't have I highly doubt they'll even make the 2.5 month patch time.

[Gokulo]

Huh? Can't they just deal with that stuff in advance?

[Raldo]

One would assume that if you're developing an MMO, you'd get it cleared with the console makers to update whenever you please, since you know you'll be constantly updating. I'm sure SE has enough clout to pull that off, especially since they have past history of doing so with FFXI on the PS2.

That said, the update blocks/checks are really just meant to keep crappy unfinished games from hitting consoles, so the consoles don't get a bad reputation (maybe that's why FFXIV v1 never made it to PS3, hur hur hurr!). I don't know why anyone would place such a restriction on an MMO.

[Charismatic]

They actually did a good job of making leveling doable... once you get the requisite spell(s). I really enjoy CNJ now. It's just those starting levels that are painful. The water spell is a stroke of genius.

Actually yeah.
But that's stupid. The beginning levels are the hardest... think about that.

Fluid Aura and Repose make soloing a breeze though.

[Alkar]

I'm going to guess that Arcanist will fill the healer role eventually. I'm not sure what they mean by "Caster" Carbuncle but it's possible that it is a healing pet.
That would also give the class a use that the job doesn't have (considering Summoner can't use Carbuncle at all) making the option much more interesting.
Same applies to the "Tank" Carbuncle, I really hope it can actually tank for a party and isn't simply there as a punching bag for the Arcanist solo experience.

[Lucavi]

Not really, no. These mechanics are wasted in lower level raids because you eventually move on anyway and the first ones need to be simple enough so people can get into it. We haven't seen an endgame raid yet which is my whole point here, that's where these mechanics should show up because it's the content you'll be repeating the most.

I dunno, I actually liked the challenge of having a few interestingly difficult fights early on in MMO instances. I remember the original Matron Verosa fight in RIFT, before they patched the hell out of it. That shit was pretty freakin' hard for its time, but in a very good way. A good bit of movement, a good bit of situational awareness (times to fight, times not to fight), ect.

Edit: Playing as a conj, I was more annoyed by the fact that conj can do good damage, yet most people wouldn't bring one along for damage if they needed a DPS, because they were thinking that conj is nothing but heals. I like the idea of a class being able to attack and heal, but getting over player perception (especially players of an old-fashioned series) is going to be annoyingly tough.

[Gokulo]

Edit: Playing as a conj, I was more annoyed by the fact that conj can do good damage, yet most people wouldn't bring one along for damage if they needed a DPS, because they were thinking that conj is nothing but heals. I like the idea of a class being able to attack and heal, but getting over player perception (especially players of an old-fashioned series) is going to be annoyingly tough.

Idiots. I had many 2xcnj party and they never were slower than those where you had archer/lancer combos.

[Nadrojj]

On my server it wasn't the CNJ who were in short demand, it was the GLD, there were lines of people waiting outside of TTR waiting for a Tank to come along.

Easier content for the first few instances to get people's feet wet, then I'd like to see the difficulty go up. Ultimately I'd prefer the endgame dungeons to be the most challenging/unique/rewarding as people are going to want to keep running them as long as unique loot is in there. You can get by on non unique drops earlier in the game, but toward endgame is when people's focus seems to shift to how well a person is geared.

[Lokus]

That brings up another issue then. If CNJ is just as good as DDing as a dedicated DPS, that just takes a healer out of the pool if people use a CNJ to sub for a DPS.

[Lucavi]

Idiots. I had many 2xcnj party and they never were slower than those where you had archer/lancer combos.

Conj is seriously strong, so yeah, absolutely stupid, but I expect that in games where healers always healed and nothing else, and DPS always DPSed and nothing else. RIFT had a bit of that early on until people really started fleshing out and understanding what classes could bring to the table, but conj was in freakin 1.0., so you'd think it wouldn't be happening.

It is what it is, though.

@Lokus: I went DPS because we were short on melee DPS. It was a double conj party, and people were sick of waiting around for another spear-chucker or arrow-shooter. Taking another healer out of the pool is only a problem if there's a healer shortage, which, in my case, there was not. That situation will be a case-by-case issue based on server trends and such, but its not something you can immediately look to as a problem.

[Nadrojj]

I'll admit, the first few times I saw our CNJ casting spells, I was like wtf, this guy should be saving his MP for healing, then I noticed throughout the entire course of the instance the mp pool didn't dip below 30% and everyone was alive. Had no problem with it after that. I'm glad they are giving the ability for the healers to get in on the action instead of just sitting there healing everyone's boo boos.

[miokomioko]

I'm going to guess that Arcanist will fill the healer role eventually. I'm not sure what they mean by "Caster" Carbuncle but it's possible that it is a healing pet.
That would also give the class a use that the job doesn't have (considering Summoner can't use Carbuncle at all) making the option much more interesting.
Same applies to the "Tank" Carbuncle, I really hope it can actually tank for a party and isn't simply there as a punching bag for the Arcanist solo experience.

Based on the leaked ARC/SMN skill dats out there, there's nothing implying it will heal. The mage-type Carbuncle, could be an AI healer... but we know how great that has worked out in the past.

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__...other_head.png

[Churchill]

A good healer always nuked the entire fight anyway, I don't see what the issue is

[Lucavi]

The issue is you not using proper punctuation.

Rectify the issue.

[Raldo]

Those leaked dats are from 1.0 (unless there are ones mined from the beta client that I've never heard of??), and obviously things can and will have changed. Arcanist doesn't even get that crazy stick anymore, which I am very bummed out about, I must add.

I'll admit, the first few times I saw our CNJ casting spells, I was like wtf, this guy should be saving his MP for healing, then I noticed throughout the entire course of the instance the mp pool didn't dip below 30% and everyone was alive. Had no problem with it after that. I'm glad they are giving the ability for the healers to get in on the action instead of just sitting there healing everyone's boo boos.

I thought this was pretty retarded too, as a CNJ, since it made the whole dungeon run easy mode. I can only guess at this point, but your MP pool won't keep up with the cost of spells in the later levels, so it shouldn't be so easy to mindlessly spam spells in endgame.

[solracht]

The leaks Mioko is talking about aren't from 1.0. It wasn't just arcanist either, all skills of all classes were there too.

[Takiwaki]

One thing I have to say is Dungeons have two very viable purposes atm which is good. Running it the fastest way for the unique drops but also for xp, cus the freaking amount of xp you get in there is ridiculous. Even so, you get "rare" drops doing it for xp, clearing out everything, which fills out equipment needs while leveling up.