Letter from the Producer, XVIII (09/21/2011)

**Tomino** · 2011-09-21 08:31

We saw a lot of improvements but it completely destroyed Behest among other things..

Well, they "destroyed" a pretty repetive way to rank up which also featured a fashinating "claim system" of Dragon's Aeriean memory...
As it is now, Behest feels like what it'd supposed to be from the start : a side activity to net players some more experience in between leves. Whenever I leve-link, it only takes 5 mins to join one Behest and obtain 3,6k SP (average Leve+favor is 4,8k around rank30) while trashing a few monsters.

Sure it was great exp while it lasted, but it was something that needed to be fixed. Before 1.18, i remember making 16 > 16,5 with a few Leves, and then 16,5 > 18 in one single Behest I was lucky enough to "claim" a spot in.

**Hyan** · 2011-09-21 09:06

It's retarded how many people thought that the patch was delayed.

**Corrderio** · 2011-09-21 09:11

Not as retarded as people bitching about how the inventory expansion should have been quested.

**Kurokikaze** · 2011-09-21 09:12

Well technically it was delayed... Seeing as how he clearly says "I realize that many of you were expecting the patch to arrive this week, but right now the team is looking at a September 30 release." and then goes on to say "...there’s a chance that the date will get pushed back a few days."

This means anywhere between 9/30 and 10/7 unless theres another delay.

**Hyan** · 2011-09-21 09:15

Well technically it was delayed...

y u do dis

When have player expectations determined the launch date? September 30th falls into end of September window, the end. Doesn't matter whether we expected September 21st or 30th.

But what is true, is that it might be delayed by a few days. But that's no confirmation of anything....>_>

**Charismatic** · 2011-09-21 09:15

Originally Posted by Tomino

Sure it was great exp while it lasted, but it was something that needed to be fixed. Before 1.18, i remember making 16 > 16,5 with a few Leves, and then 16,5 > 18 in one single Behest I was lucky enough to "claim" a spot in.

So... great exp is something that needs to be 'fixed'?
And that fix is to completely nerf the SP gain and ALSO make you wait an hour between them rather than 30min? I... just don't even.

I also like that you threw in the fact that it's repetitive as if every other means of leveling isn't.

Anyway, the fact that Behest used to be "FUCK YEAH BEHEST" and now you'll generally see them skipped over by most people speaks volumes for the 'fix'.

**Hyan** · 2011-09-21 09:21

Originally Posted by Kuroikage

So... great exp is something that needs to be 'fixed'?
And that fix is to completely nerf the SP gain and ALSO make you wait an hour between them rather than 30min? I... just don't even.

Yes, if it is unbalanced in regards to every other xp gaining method in the game/intended growth rate.

It should have been an hour of waiting from the get-go (like it was before they temporarily changed it). Right now, unlike before, 16 different people can participate per hour.

It's a construction yard, and things may not always fall into place with just one patch. But overall, they are moving to their intended direction. And if they were to only change shit only when everything was completely ready, we'd still be waiting.

**Charismatic** · 2011-09-21 09:25

Yes, now 16 different people can participate per hour and rarely ever do they. (because guess what, it's now unbalanced in regards to every other xp gaining method in the game... just now on the other end) Hurray for neglected content!
That's what I call a fix.

**Hyan** · 2011-09-21 09:30

I don't see why you wouldn't want to participate in one if you were doing your leves. There's hardly a downside, like Tomino stated.

The game is empty, we all know this. Don't think of that as what they intend the servers to work be like when they're, y'know, not empty. They should be working with that in mind. The demand will be there, because the exp is good enough for what it is. It's no Garrison.

**Charismatic** · 2011-09-21 09:32

The game being empty isn't really the issue here.

Pre-1.18:
People doing Behest, rarely ever would you see the popular spots empty.

Post- 1.18:
Rarely see bothering with Behest even though I see MORE people moving around on the server than before the patch.

**Tomino** · 2011-09-21 09:33

So... great exp is something that needs to be 'fixed'?

Great exp that's only available once per hour and needs to be "claimed" is something I'd call bad design.

I remember a whole bunch of people standing there waiting for the Behest NPC to pop so that they could spam confirm button and prey for a slot. It really felt familiar, minus the damselflies.
And that was with half world resembling an empty wasteland, I couldnt even picture what'd happen with an average player population.

**Charismatic** · 2011-09-21 09:36

If they wanted to fix the "claim" issue they could have just made it a more open event like Besieged rather than nerfing it. Understand that the issue of still 'needing to claim a spot' is STILL THERE it's only that now no one wants those spots.

More fun/rewarding > Less fun/rewarding.

This a video game. Let us not forget that.

**Hyan** · 2011-09-21 09:38

Originally Posted by Kuroikage

The game being empty isn't really the issue here.

Pre-1.18:
People doing Behest, rarely ever would you see the popular spots empty.

Post- 1.18:
Rarely see bothering with Behest even though I see MORE people moving around on the server than before the patch.

Have you read what the man has had to say thus far? He wants to put focus out of just a single activity to have a plethora of activities to do at any given time instead.

Yes, that means the focus will shift from one type of content to multiple types of content. There should be less people solely doing guildleves as time goes on, too. Just as intended.

**Hiroishime** · 2011-09-21 09:42

I am not sure what server you play but Behest is definitely not neglected here, in JP prime timezone people needs to camp it because it gets filled up so fast but not as annoying as it was before when you have 20 ppl spamming at it. (taken as of 20min ago)

http://www.gwcdn.com/albums/images/4...6df10037c6.jpg

**Charismatic** · 2011-09-21 09:43

The means for that should be by making other means of leveling more attractive (that doesn't even necessarily have to mean more SP, perhaps company seals, points for other types of items or what have you) rather than making the popular ways LESS attractive.
It's just not smart when you're looking to entertain people.

**Hyan** · 2011-09-21 09:48

Originally Posted by Kuroikage

The means for that should be by making other means of leveling more attractive (that doesn't even necessarily have to mean more SP, perhaps company seals, points for other types of items or what have you) rather than making the popular ways LESS attractive.
It's just not smart when you're looking to entertain people.

Hardly matters at this point in time. The point is that the game is moving towards it's intended direction, and if you only disagree with the methods, that's okay but it doesn't make the patch any more broken or anything. Nerfs are sometimes necessary, and someone will always disagree.

The fact is that very few people give a shit and those who do aren't exactly going to abandon the game at this point if they haven't done so already. They can do whatever they want to get where they want to be. And as long as they are moving towards that direction, I can't say someone's personal enjoyment is relevant (when like 30k people play this shit in the first place).

The pic above also pretty much speaks for itself. Hey, when there are people playing there is demand too!

**Charismatic** · 2011-09-21 09:59

It's good that on your server the JPs still like Behest... and I'll admit when I do end up actually seeing people do it, or when I actually end up grouped with someone doing it (rare, since it's rare for me to do Behest and even more rare for someone to be doing it at the same time I'm doing it) they are more often than not Japanese players. It's not so surprising to see it hoppin' in JP time but given many of their habits I wouldn't necessarily take that as a sign that it's valuable content given the questionable JP playstyles in various games. MACC magian swords anyone?

But hey, if it's working out on one server I guess that means everything is okay.

**Hyan** · 2011-09-21 10:02

It's working on servers where there are enough people for it to work.

There's a lot more JP's playing this game than there are any other nationality. The demand, as such, must be linked to their questionable playstyles, and not the fact that there are more of them out there.

**Charismatic** · 2011-09-21 10:03

Originally Posted by Hyan

It's working on servers where there are enough people for it to work.

There's a lot more JP's playing this game than there are any other nationality.

Not on every server. I'm assuming it is true on Istory.
Lindblum has a sizable non-JP population and yet I don't see what Chard posted there pretty much ever.

**Charismatic** · 2011-09-21 10:05

Didn't see it on Rabanastre either but since 1.18 I haven't spent much time on that server.

Thread: Letter from the Producer, XVIII (09/21/2011)

Thread Tools

Similar Threads

Letter from the Producer, XXII (12/21/2011)

Letter from the Producer, XIX (09/27/2011)

Letter from the Producer, XVII (09/01/2011)

Letter from the Producer, V (03/03/2011)

Letter from the Producer, IV (02/28/2011)

Letter from the Producer, III (02/17/2011) + Player's Poll

Letter from the Producer, II (2/1/2011)

Letter from the Producer, I (1/21/2010)

Latest Threads

Up & Coming Threads

Hottest Threads