Newest interview (abyssea was a mistake?)

[Setsuai]

You do realize that 6 man party style never goes away and it is made much much sweeter and rewarding with the huge xp bonus and auto repeat FoV/GoV and exp ring. There are tons of old style camps that are now very rewarding with the mini atma bonus of GoV - and much easier grind to kill even match - tough mobs while getting skill ups at the same time. Boyahda Tree is a prime example of amazing camp for midlevels to 70s since all the mobs are nearby to each other and require no efforts whatsoever. Ground Tome are still good for people lvl 90s to skill up and the xp is decent. The thing is, most people will not bother doing this, no matter how sweet the deal you offer them.

As for Abyssea making everyone has 20 lvl 95 jobs, on one side, it is amazing that now you can go try each one of the jobs within a few days of leveling - but on the other side, yes so many people have no clue on how to play these jobs properly. I like that now I can get these jobs to 95 and spend a few weeks - months playing it to learn each one and see which jobs are more suitable to my playstyle. The thing with the new style of FFXI is options, now we have so many of them, as in before, we don't really have much of a choices. Most people will take the shortest path and won't bother to learn the jobs properly - this happened even before abyssea and it will never go away. Abyssea just let us have fun and test each jobs at its full potential. Outside abyssea, these jobs are not bad if you properly gear them and know how to play it - things just take slightly longer to kill.

The only problem is no one wants to do the six man party anymore, and its kinda hard to level a mage job solo like that. At least it was for me. I've leveled at least 2 jobs since the GoV stuff was put out. Had my flag up waiting for any kind of invite, and I'd never get a GoV invite. Just Abyssea. Granted one of those times was my whm and I'd barely had it up 1 minute (literally) before I got an invite. But before that was my SCH and I never saw a GoV invite.

As for the other part, yeah, I know the problem already existed before Aby, but I guess Aby made it more visible. And I love the fact that I can level a job 30-70ish or higher in a day, but I feel gimpy when I look at my skills. It's not quite so horrible since I've leveled mostly mage jobs since aby started, but I'm running out of mage jobs to level and I can only imagine what will happen when I actually attempt to level a melee. It honestly scares me. And as for playing outside abyssea, I'm not so sure. I've seen too many chary's running around in full pink/teal gear when they're 95 and I know they can do better. The sets aren't bad for their level, but there are better pieces that would benefit so much more. It may just be me, and I may be only noticing them for one reason or another. Of course, this is also just my opinion ^_^;;

[Luvbunny]

Setsuai, you can find maybe 1-2 other people for skill ups at Boyahda or Zeruhm Mines. Also check these GoV areas, some people are doing magian trial where they have to kill 250 rabbit or mandy, which makes it easy to just cast paralyze, slow, dia, blind over and over or do lower tier nuke (or sub blm for frost, choke, etc - can also do helix). These soloers will greatly appreciate what your SCH can bring - safety in numbers - not to mention you help them kill faster. As for 6 person party - it's pretty dead, but not 2-3 people killing decent/even match mob at GoV. For example, the typical crawler nest party is near the entrance, but further in you can do the crawler/beetle one at the beetle camp. No one hardly there and easily duo up to level 63 before xp is dead. This is good to duo skill ups from 58-63 skill levels (up to 200s). As always you can speed it up using some food that will get you faster skill ups gain.

As scholar you can also offer them skillchain partner to finish their weapon skill trial or mythic weapon skill trial. Actually this is probably your greatest asset and you should freely advertise this in your LS. Many people need to skill ups, doing WS trials, magian trials, etc. Having a mage is a big plus - and outside abyssea, sch and rdm are very capable to self sustain and never run out of mp.

The game has many options now but you know, the general public will always follow the hordes. The good thing you only need 1-2 other people to hit the GoV page skill ups. As for people running around in peptobismol gears, they may not have time to seal farm or have no idea on how to do the abyssea content properly other than lvlng up via dominion

[Karbuncle]

What's in the middle of shit and shit? More Shit. So no, I don't want a middle ground. I want something good.

Seems oddly an irrelevant statement for you, when most asking for a middle ground specify "Steady Rewarding/Goal System + random drop pools". Hence, "Something good".

I mean, so long as its not more of voidwatch chest system

[Greatguardian]

Seems oddly an irrelevant statement for you, when most asking for a middle ground specify "Steady Rewarding/Goal System + random drop pools". Hence, "Something good".

I mean, so long as its not more of voidwatch chest system

I wasn't referring to a middle ground between the presented arguments, but rather a middle ground between Old and New FFXI - both of which contain some epic shit loot systems.

Edit: For the record, I'm not a huge fan of Voidwatch's or Abyssea's drop systems either. They improved some things, and completely destroyed others. There is no balance, or even duality, it's just different.

Cue TanakaBarance.jpg

I could muse all day about what I think an ideal drop system would be, but honestly I doubt that would do us much good. Even if Camate had the Nirvana-tier patience to wade through this thread (which is quite possible, the man has performed a great many impossiburu feat thus far), the fact remains that the Developers themselves (read: Not the community staff, we love you) have demonstrated that they really aren't very interested in things that don't mirror content that they're already working on. The integrity of the game world is paramount, even if it comes at the expense of its inhabitants.

It's ironic, really, that they're adding in all this anti-linkshell personal chest crap now that the most egregious item hoarders have long since quit the game.

[Sp1cyryan]

I love how they go on about game balance and saying abyssea broke it, but fail to see they have a huge disconnect between themselves and the player base.

'GUIZ NEW UTUBE CHANEL (with no comments, not that it matters) WII NO WHAT UZA SAYIN NOAW! WII OUTREACH COMUNITTY'

[Setsuai]

Setsuai, you can find maybe 1-2 other people for skill ups at Boyahda or Zeruhm Mines. Also check these GoV areas, some people are doing magian trial where they have to kill 250 rabbit or mandy, which makes it easy to just cast paralyze, slow, dia, blind over and over or do lower tier nuke (or sub blm for frost, choke, etc - can also do helix). These soloers will greatly appreciate what your SCH can bring - safety in numbers - not to mention you help them kill faster. As for 6 person party - it's pretty dead, but not 2-3 people killing decent/even match mob at GoV. For example, the typical crawler nest party is near the entrance, but further in you can do the crawler/beetle one at the beetle camp. No one hardly there and easily duo up to level 63 before xp is dead. This is good to duo skill ups from 58-63 skill levels (up to 200s). As always you can speed it up using some food that will get you faster skill ups gain.

As scholar you can also offer them skillchain partner to finish their weapon skill trial or mythic weapon skill trial. Actually this is probably your greatest asset and you should freely advertise this in your LS. Many people need to skill ups, doing WS trials, magian trials, etc. Having a mage is a big plus - and outside abyssea, sch and rdm are very capable to self sustain and never run out of mp.

The game has many options now but you know, the general public will always follow the hordes. The good thing you only need 1-2 other people to hit the GoV page skill ups. As for people running around in peptobismol gears, they may not have time to seal farm or have no idea on how to do the abyssea content properly other than lvlng up via dominion

You do make a good point. I guess I just spend so much time in Aby since my LS is currently building empys and doing regular seal runs, so I guess I'm being kind of narrow minded. You've given me alot to think about. Thanks for that :3

[Atomic_Skull]

I feel the same way somewhat, but as most would say on this thread, abyssea revolutionized everything in final fantasy, not replaces and made all of the content obsolete.

No instead we get people mentioning other content has augments, most augments up to now, (Not future augments as i know someone will retard read this and try to mention future shit that isnt out)

The +5 Nyzul gear may not be "out" but it is in the dats on the test client and it blows Abyssea gear out of the water.

Askar Korazin +5 - DEF70 +16 STR ATK+5% (Limit+50) CritHitDamageUP+15% DoubleAttackDmgUp+15% Set Bonus: Occasionally annuls severe damage taken

Denali Jacket +5 - DEF63 ACC+12 Haste+4 Doubleattack +3% Trippleattack+3% Quadrupleattack+3% Set Bonus: Occasionally deal severe damage.

Goliard Saio +5 - DEF53 INT+9 MND+9 CHR+9 Macc+15 Mab+8 Mdb+8 Enmity-10 Set bonus: Occasionally negates enmity.


So yeah.

[Sharnak]

The +5 Nyzul gear may not be "out" but it is in the dats on the test client and it blows Abyssea gear out of the water.

Askar Korazin +5 - DEF70 +16 STR ATK+5% (Limit+50) CritHitDamageUP+15% DoubleAttackDmgUp+15% Set Bonus: Occasionally annuls severe damage taken

Denali Jacket +5 - DEF63 ACC+12 Haste+4 Doubleattack +3% Trippleattack+3% Quadrupleattack+3% Set Bonus: Occasionally deal severe damage.

Goliard Saio +5 - DEF53 INT+9 MND+9 CHR+9 Macc+15 Mab+8 Mdb+8 Enmity-10 Set bonus: Occasionally negates enmity.


So yeah.

It's still no info how to obtain that, but with 5 step to upgrade, I will not wonder that it's will take long long (may year to make it that far - if lucky, may many years - if not, or may impossible to obtain for some player if it's need 18 ppl alli and kill some nm hundred time repeatly and hope that you win lotto this round). since now someone try bring back old days of FFXI when you need to do everything repeatly again and again, so he can just rest well during see player dance with pain on obtain it.

[Atomic_Skull]

Any system relying on solely on the random number generator even within the bounds of an MMO shows laziness on behalf of the developers to keep people playing the game.

There are better ways to build a Skinner box in short, if we're solely concerned with keeping people playing the game.

Actually the random reward schedule is the most effective form of operant conditioning.

[SpankWustler]

I could muse all day about what I think an ideal drop system would be, but honestly I doubt that would do us much good. Even if Camate had the Nirvana-tier patience to wade through this thread (which is quite possible, the man has performed a great many impossiburu feat thus far)

I imagine members of the community team reading 50-ish posts, then getting up and screaming profanities at a special insulated wall that had to be installed in the office just for them. Reading 50-ish more posts, then inhaling deeply the fumes of the toner tray of the nearest copier. Reading 50-ish more posts, then wondering what effect the nearest pen would have if a fellow were to jam it in his or her ear.

Like, really far in. To the point of hammering that thing in there with one's palm once it hit some inner-ear bones and stopped. Fortunately for us, they are strong of heart and have yet to succumb to the temptation of the pen.

Also, I totally agree about item distribution systems generally being either very good or very bad. I'm really looking forward to the updates and additions to Einherjar and Limbus that have been vaguely mentioned, since I loved the way those events mixed random and consistent factors.

I really wish they had gone that direction with new item distribution systems. Neither the "Make a !! appear in the sky, like a sign of presence from a loving God, and many things shall drop." system in Abyssea and Dynamis nor the "Make a !! appear in the sky, like a middle-finger raised by a bitter and indifferent God, and you shall receive a personal allotment of logs and Rare/EX equipment if you already own that Rare/EX equipment." system in Voidwatch give me much joy.

I will say one very positive thing for all new content, though. They have the availability and frequency right. Nidhogg spawned a more often than once a week, but a bro can make like a German philosopher and watch the void until he dies of bitter disappointment if he wants. Then again, this has been true for most content added starting with Treasures of Aht Ughan.