What SE Has Done RIGHT with the Updates

[Vivivivi]

I'm as big a critic as anyone else of what was done/should be done with the game, but there's so much negative feedback here, I thought I'd take a moment to point out a lot of things SE has done to make the game both accessible to new players and fun.

Levelling and Skilling
With most of the "hot" content being suited for level 90+ players (Abyssea, VW, new Nyzul, etc), it only makes sense that new players shouldn't look at that stuff as unobtainable to get to. I totally support the addition of grounds of valor and allowing level 30 players entry to Abyssea. Granted, some people abuse this and have no idea how to play their jobs, and have no skills, but those players quickly learn that when they're 99 and can't hit anything, that they need to go back and skill.

Keeping older gear relevant
Love love love the +2 addition to relic gear, and some of the hardest gear in the game to obtain, such as the Pandemonium Warden and Absolute Virtue (and Jailer of Love) stuff is still better, at the very least- conditionally, than the best Voidwatch or Empyrean gear.

Soloable Trial Weapons
While not as good as relic, mythic, or empyrean weapons, the magian weapons are pretty much obtainable by anyone on their own who is willing to put the time into them. I think this is a great balance between having the very best, and having something really good without having to rely on others.

Weakness Triggers
While I do not wish this to continue to appear in other aspects of the game, I think this is an important part of keeping certain aspects challenging. When you have a party of level 99 players, sure you could zerg down most any boss in the game, but by maintaining the weakness triggering system, it adds a fun puzzle/timing element to keep it from being too easy.

Keeping Aggro to level 99 in older zones
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed, but mobs that aggroed level 75 players continue to aggro level 99, even though they *should* probably check too weak. Zones like many of the ToAU areas and later CoP areas. As someone who is somewhat new (about a year) to the game, it makes doing these missions still fun. It would be boring if I could just burn through all these without the occasional unexpected fight.

There are of course many aspects of the game that I think need tweaks and could be reworked to be more enjoyable, but I think the points above make for a fun, accessible game for newer players like myself.

[Godofgods]

Now if they would just take care of the Tarutaru npcs that cant see over the counters, then they'd be doing a great job!

[Alhanelem]

Meteor is done right, as long as they don't nerf it.

[Zumi]

They should just do away with skilling. Your weapon/magic skills should just cap when you level up.

[Karbuncle]

I'm as big a critic as anyone else of what was done/should be done with the game, but there's so much negative feedback here, I thought I'd take a moment to point out a lot of things SE has done to make the game both accessible to new players and fun.

Levelling and Skilling
With most of the "hot" content being suited for level 90+ players (Abyssea, VW, new Nyzul, etc), it only makes sense that new players shouldn't look at that stuff as unobtainable to get to. I totally support the addition of grounds of valor and allowing level 30 players entry to Abyssea. Granted, some people abuse this and have no idea how to play their jobs, and have no skills, but those players quickly learn that when they're 99 and can't hit anything, that they need to go back and skill.

I agree with this :O!

Keeping older gear relevant
Love love love the +2 addition to relic gear, and some of the hardest gear in the game to obtain, such as the Pandemonium Warden and Absolute Virtue (and Jailer of Love) stuff is still better, at the very least- conditionally, than the best Voidwatch or Empyrean gear.

Disagree. Why take us up 24 Levels when the gear we wore at 75 is still going to be the best? I'm glad most of it is outdated :P

Soloable Trial Weapons
While not as good as relic, mythic, or empyrean weapons, the magian weapons are pretty much obtainable by anyone on their own who is willing to put the time into them. I think this is a great balance between having the very best, and having something really good without having to rely on others.

Agree on this too Just wish they'd Increase Fire weather.

Weakness Triggers
While I do not wish this to continue to appear in other aspects of the game, I think this is an important part of keeping certain aspects challenging. When you have a party of level 99 players, sure you could zerg down most any boss in the game, but by maintaining the weakness triggering system, it adds a fun puzzle/timing element to keep it from being too easy.

I like the Weakness system, It would be nice if they expanded on It, But I don't want it in all new content.

Keeping Aggro to level 99 in older zones
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed, but mobs that aggroed level 75 players continue to aggro level 99, even though they *should* probably check too weak. Zones like many of the ToAU areas and later CoP areas. As someone who is somewhat new (about a year) to the game, it makes doing these missions still fun. It would be boring if I could just burn through all these without the occasional unexpected fight.

I actually quite hate this. Maybe in ToAU/CoP Areas some may view it as "experience", But walking through Kuftal tunnel and still getting aggro from Robber Crabs is nothing short of annoying as hell.

Overall, I agree. SE has done a few things right over the increase, I just wish they'd do less wrong

[Arcon]

I actually quite hate this. Maybe in ToAU/CoP Areas some may view it as "experience", But walking through Kuftal tunnel and still getting aggro from Robber Crabs is nothing short of annoying as hell.

This. No reason for things to aggro that you can smash to a pulp in seconds with your bare fists as a naked BRD99. Honestly though, my opinion on this also changed a little from "against" to "indifferent", because I did come across several situations where this was actually useful, namely trials. I exploited their unexplicably aggressive attitude to round up huge numbers to AoE nuke them, which helped a lot with finishing the trials faster.

Despite that, I still consider it a weakness in the system that I'm exploiting rather than a "feature". It should still be adjusted imo, but I don't care much if they don't. It's not even as annoying as it used to be, because I rarely even bother to fight them but instead run just through as if nothing happened, most of the time they deaggro on their own after a bit, so it's hardly a bother.

The weakness system I don't get along with at all, I think they should never bother with it again. They used it to force job inclusion, which is not only a bad thing, but it didn't even work in two out of the three cases and made everything a lot worse (Dynamis and Abyssea).

[SpankWustler]

This. No reason for things to aggro that you can smash to a pulp in seconds with your bare fists as a naked BRD99.

"I SING THE SONG OF YOUR FURIOUS DESTRUCTION!

DIE, ROBBER CRAB, AS I BITTERLY RECITE THE NAMES OF MY EX-GIRLFRIENDS IN METERED FORM!

SAM!

GERTRUDE!

GLASSLAKE MOONRIVER! -- DON'T ASK!

TEMPERANCE!

REGINA!

CLARISSA!

CHASTITY! ... IRONY!

BERTHA MATILDA CLEMSON!

THEY MOSTLY HAVE WEIRD NAMES?

I LIVED NEXT TO A MENNONITE PLACE FOR A WHILE! OKAY?

OKAY!

I AM RATHER APPEALING,

COMPARED TO THAT YEAR'S EIGHTEENTH QUILTING BEE!

OKAY?!"

[Duelle]

They should just do away with skilling. Your weapon/magic skills should just cap when you level up.

This. There may be roundabouts, but it's still tedious and annoying as hell.

[Kristal]

This. No reason for things to aggro that you can smash to a pulp in seconds with your bare fists as a naked BRD99. Honestly though, my opinion on this also changed a little from "against" to "indifferent", because I did come across several situations where this was actually useful, namely trials. I exploited their unexplicably aggressive attitude to round up huge numbers to AoE nuke them, which helped a lot with finishing the trials faster.

Trials are the very reason why stuff still gives experience at 99. Excessively-Easy-Prey agro still exists because it benefits crafters making sneak and invis tools
There's also the nostalgia factor.. robber crabs just wouldn't be robber crabs anymore if they weren't nibbling on your toes, now would they?

[Rosina]

You know what I find funny, people complaining about skilling up when it inreality is their fault for leeching. And before you say "well beat killing x amout of crabs a mnth to get levels" that point of viewed is flawed as that is every game ever made. And infact SE upped the exp outside of abyssea 100% from what it used to be so you guys could be getting 400-600+ a kill 6 man pt on IT. More with exp rings AND be skilling up. Befor the leech thing, I always had my stuff capped and rarely needed to do a "skill up party" which was the the thing players used to do @ 75/ merited.

Which is something I think SE did right. The increased exp a kill on mobs was nice and wish it was like that @ launch. easy pray went from 32 exp a kill to 70-100 exp a kill. decent challenge 75 exp a kill to 100-200 a kill. tough was about 100-150 now is 250+ very tough was again 100-200 now is 450+ these are with out exp ring bonuses.
with them they 50% - 100% more (based on which ring you have.)