Dev Tracker: Discussion (Old)

[Ophannus]

The 'decending order' model is probably because SE vastly underestimates how easily players are clearing Delves now. They probably think players are still having a hard time doing it. They probably want 90% of players to have ilvl 119 gear first before they introduce the next stage of delve(likely higher ilvl/difficulty). To do that he probably wants to bridge the gap. Also they haven't adjusted jobs for a while so maybe this AF1+2 shit will give some jobs the boosts to their core abilities they need.

[fantasticdan]

Even if they thought most players weren't able to get 110+ delve armor, it still wouldn't make sense, as you can deck yourself out in 113 from yorcia skirmish in one afternoon. The whole ilvl system was very poorly thought out.

[Toth]

Does it make any sense to spend a ton of resources adding a bunch of quests for iLvl 109 Artifact Armor after adding iLvl 113 easily-obtained Skirmish equipment and iLvl 110 out-for-months Delve gear? No, it does not.

We are currently in the worst content drought since that time between WotG and Abyssea, and it's Matsui's fault because he is releasing his vertical gear progression slowly and in descending order. The decision to switch models was very poorly thought out in the first place, but implementing it this way is just the coup de grace. Terrible. For the first time in years, I am seriously considering deactivating.

I agree the content lull and FFXIV have really taken a toll to the game as of late but as long as they announce some meaty content for October/ November, people will come right back. They do need to stagger this better though because delve end game is too accessible at the moment and negates pretty much everything else.

[Malithar]

Wonder how things would of turned out (player opinion wise) had they released the content in a vertical progression following its ilvl. Bayld/Skirmish > WKR/Bayld v2 > AF+2 > Delve NMs > Skirmish v2 > WKR v2 > Delve Bosses. TBH I think the game would be in a worse position. At least now, casuals are doing everything in that middle area while the top end players have either capped out and taking a break/Monstrosity, or are finishing things up at the end of that chain. Had it come out in that order, I can't imagine many would of played during the lower sections. If Delve hadn't of come out after 1 month of SoA going live, it wouldn't of surprised me to see the servers in a similar situation as it is now.

[Kohan]

At least now, casuals are doing everything in that middle area while the top end players have either capped out and taking a break/Monstrosity, or are finishing things up at the end of that chain.

This is why it's not a bad way to do things. Most of the complaints have to do with dedicated endgame players growing bored, but they're the minority of the player base. If more casual players are kept happy, and are therefore kept subscribing, Square Enix is doing things right—as far as moneymaking is concerned.

[NynJa]

If matsui is trying to bridge gear for those who cant beat delve naakuals (+5 NMs), he should probably back off the tanaka shit drop rate idea. Killed 15 or so mastops, suicide popped another 40 or so...have yet to see a mastop bead.

How about letting beads fucking drop so they can be used?

[Spira]

This is why it's not a bad way to do things. Most of the complaints have to do with dedicated endgame players growing bored, but they're the minority of the player base. If more casual players are kept happy, and are therefore kept subscribing, Square Enix is doing things right—as far as moneymaking is concerned.

i do agree. one of the major problems with vertical progression is the impression especially among casuals that 'hey.. this stuff will be obsolete by the next update. i can wait or skip on this' which puts people off doing it altogether. The top end players would have done it anyway.. regardless of whether they knew something was better ahead in the future, because those people live in the now.

my hope is that SoA primarily hits a hard ilvl cap at some point, like say 125, and then start fanning out with horizontal progression like in the past, where they play more on job specialization.

[Byrthnoth]

i do agree. one of the major problems with vertical progression is the impression especially among casuals that 'hey.. this stuff will be obsolete by the next update. i can wait or skip on this' which puts people off doing it altogether. The top end players would have done it anyway.. regardless of whether they knew something was better ahead in the future, because those people live in the now.

Yeah, and the larger problem with introducing a vertical progression system into FFXI is that SE already spent a decade pissing off and driving away anyone that didn't like a horizontal progression system. The described kind of mentality may not be common in MMO players at large, but it is very common in FFXI players.

[JSHidaka]

This is why it's not a bad way to do things. Most of the complaints have to do with dedicated endgame players growing bored, but they're the minority of the player base. If more casual players are kept happy, and are therefore kept subscribing, Square Enix is doing things right—as far as moneymaking is concerned.

Most "dedicated endgame players" have quit at this point, at least on Asura they have, from CCL ffxiah's profile, "I feel like the game hit it's battle system limit and zerging/stun locking everything get old very fast " sadly that will be always the only way, even with the current weakness system, that afaik Bosses don't have, they still can oneshot you, you cant stop them from using "Tp moves" 'coz in this game it is based on TP, something that you feed to the mob just doing what you have to do, and not timed, like WoW for example.

I feel the same, even that I'm not a "dedicated endgame player", I got my wins w/ those "veteran" groups, whenever they /sh'd for something I could offer. ATM just waiting for the REM update... not sure why, probably to see my revamped Spharai x3 damage proc w/ impetus up and in a crit... after that.. who knows.

[Ligray]

A post from Iwagami, looks like Lufaise and Uleguerand are the two areas they're planning to open for monstrosity.

[NynJa]

Its like they forgot about that abomination called wings of the goddess and what it introduced.

[Slycer]

Its like they forgot about that abomination called wings of the goddess and what it introduced.

Does anyone even go to those areas anymore? Aside from passing through for about 45 seconds to do Provenance once or twice, I don't think I've been in any of those areas in 2013. Would be perfect for Monstrosity for sure.

[NynJa]

I had to go to eldieme(s) for klimaform on my mule? Lol

I saw someone in sandy(s) idling too. I used duriumshells for skilling up also. Thats about it

Its just fkn lulzy that theyre lookin for higher lvl outdoor areas and they have a bunch that mimic accessible areas already

[Hitou]

I was farming some ladybug wings for bone crafting mule the other day in East Ronfaure (S) had the whole zone to myself.

[Vanderleest]

A post from Iwagami, looks like Lufaise and Uleguerand are the two areas they're planning to open for monstrosity.

This will be nice to take mobs from 60 (or if anyone was brave enough to push closer to 65+ on EP mobs) towards 86, but does either zone have a mob over level 86? Not counting NMs, of course. Some one could destroy EPs to push from 86 to 99, but it would be dreadfully slow.

[Taint]

Wednesday is my last day with FFXI. (Real world stuff) Pretty much zero chance I'll come back until REMs are updated. I really just want to effectively use Apoc one last time.

[Draginhikari]

Only thing I could think of why they are going that route is it could be more difficult to impliment Monstrioisty in WoTG then CoP areas is the Campaign data related to those zones. I don't know why those two things would be related but given the spageitte code nature of the game very little would surprise me.

[dasva]

Probably something about how difficult they would say it is to make it so you can't participate in campaign

[Kyreth]

I was farming some ladybug wings for bone crafting mule the other day in East Ronfaure (S) had the whole zone to myself.

At this point, Wings is a dead expansion on Ragnarok. But hey, it was the last expansion that started with us in a L75 cap, and the content was pretty much rendered null by the candy store that was Abyssea. Much like vast swathes of ToAU, although they've managed to nudge enough updates into that part to give folks reasons to at least visit Aht Urghan on occasion.

I think the only reason people go in nowadays are the job quests and occasional materials farming like you mentioned. Not like we need any real gear from it.

[dasva]

Did they even add new higher level monsters to WoTG zones like they did for others after breaking level caps?