Campaign Improvements: What it could and should be.

[Zyeriis]

First I'd like to say, Campaign was a great addition to the game. However, it was still disappointing in some ways. It could've been so much more, and it still can.

What could be better about it? Well, first, there's the obvious ways, such as: the exp is no longer worth the effort, certain enemy generals are far too powerful (see: shadowhand, jagidbod's warmachine, etc.), and it's just too far out of the way to warrant care.

I'll go over solutions to these obvious things first.

1) Exp
-The solution for this obvious, double or triple the rate at which we recieve exp in campaign. However, I doubt this will be enough. So, I offer a secondary-additional solution: Exp gained per mob defeated based upon performance. You do not have to be the one to kill the enemy, you just need to have tags and have contributed to the battle. The more you contribute to the battle, the more exp you get per enemy killed in the battle.

This will encourage people to bring more people along with them to campaign with, to try to kill all of the mobs rather than just hold one by themselves and beat on it as much as they can without killing it to increase their performance bonus (and ending exp only). There is more to the suggestion regarding a change to the exp in campaign but you will need to read further on, when i begin talking about "less obvious" problems with campaign.

2) Too far out of the way
- Yes, we have retrace but that's only available to black mages level 55+. If there's not one around, what are we to do? How to solve this dilemma? It's relatively simple. We can warp to abyssea maws from port jeuno can't we? Why can't warp to wotg maws as well? Even if it is from another npc, that requires allied notes or gil, this would make getting to the past at least slightly easier. Note: make it so we are warped to the past, so as to be warped to an unearthed/unbound maw like the abyssea maws.

- Alternative (better) Solution: If you want to take this a step further, warp up to allied npcs that give campaign tags in that particular zone (basically put a campaign arbiter in jeuno, or open up jeuno [s] and put a way to travel there from normal jeuno, so we can use a campaign arbiter from jeuno [s]) It has always bothered me that we could only visit the jeuno of the past via cutscenes. Yes, it would be just another rehashed zone but it would be a hub to the rest of the past, as it should've been from the start.

3) Near impossible to kill enemy generals
- Well, this isn't so much a problem as it is an annoyance. These generals can range from pathetic to impossible to kill in the free for all that is campaign. Rather than make them easier to kill, perhaps tie this particular "problem" in with the exp problem and add a huge exp bonus to people who contribute to an enemy general's demise. I know there are some campaign spoils that are only obtainable by killing specific generals but campaign spoils are no where near enough incentive, especially when engaging one in battle generally means you're going to die and miss out on exp you would have otherwise gotten by attacking normal campaign mobs. Thus, there needs to be a far greater exp boon for those who dare to take on enemy generals and win.

4) Unions
- Being placed in a union should be automatic and random. I don't understand why it wasn't like this from the beginning. Hard as it is to get good campaign spoils, even harder it is to win those spoils despite being the biggest contributor to the battle, because some one joined late. The range of campaign spoils needs to be increased as well. Perhaps put seals (abyssea armor seals or +2 items from enemy generals) in the possible rewards as well. Dynamis currency was added to campaign spoils without affecting dynamis, why can't abyssea seals and +2 items be added as well?

--Alteration/Other Solution #1 (Courtesy of sc4500)
Allow us to choose a union we want to automatically be assigned to when recieving tags, from our home nations in the past via a NPC. This way we'll not have to worry about forgetting to sign up for a union after getting tags (which takes too long as it is) nor will we have to worry about getting hit or buffed, thus canceling our interaction with the Allied Tags/Union NPC while trying to join a union (AoE is really bad sometimes when you're just trying to sign up before engaging in battle).

--Alteration/Other Solution #2 (Courtesy of Karbuncle)
Change Unions to be based upon your rank in overall performance during a battle. No more registering. Automatically place us, based on performance in the corresponding tier of unions, so that we don't have to lot against some one who joined during the last 5 minutes of the battle.


5) Inability to fight in certain zones if you don't control other specific zones
- I'm mainly talking about Throne Room [S] and Fiat Lux. I remember when this first came out, there was such a unified effort on the server to gain control of castle zvahl to unlock the fight, to take throne room [s] and get the allied exp ring (which was amazing but short lived, why it wasn't rechargeable i'll never know) and the shadow lord armors. Does such a thing happen anymore? No, Fiat Lux is forever out of the reach of those who would want to do it because no one does campaign anymore, especially not assaults on castle zvahl when they can't even get allied tags. The first month after Fiat Lux was released, on weekends, there would be alliances that headed up to Castle Zvahl without tags, to kill campaign mobs, to take it over so the server could do Fiat Lux.

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The above are just the obvious problems with campaign. I'm going to dive into more obscure disappointments now.

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1) The enemy only has one objective control point
- This has always bothered me while fighting in East Ronfaure [S]. Why is that single tower the only defense point that is attacked? Why aren't there other places they can attack? They could easily just ignore that tower and take the eastern road straight to San d'oria without any combat. So, why? Campaign battles in towns have multiple strategic points and npcs come to defend multiple points, why can't this be done in field zones during campaign?

It would make campaign more "war-like" if the enemy retreated only to wind up attacking another position or if a diversion attack force, attacks the main base (the tower in e.ronf) while a larger enemy force attacks a satellite outpost. Campaign would actually require some degree of strategy rather than a free-for-all on mindless mobs. This was spiced up with the addition of belfrys and turrets and bomb squads but still, they are all only attacking one point in a relatively large area. Adding secondary objective/attack points would certainly add some flavor to campaign. There could also be exp bonuses for all participating members should you be victorious on all fronts.

2) Limited mobs/quick battles/battles that end soon as you get there
- This probably bothers me more than the single defense point. Enemy attacks always consist of one wave per squad. Why do these squads have no reserves? You could weaken up each mob and increase the amount of mobs, and allow the enemy general to call in reinforcements to extend the battle. Yes, other enemy squads can show up, and often do but not always. Combining this solution with the solution regarding multiple strategic points would allow for a more "intense" and "shifting" battle scene in campaign.

That's all I'm going to write for now (as it really is a WALL OF TEXT) but I still have other ideas that could be used to improve campaign, and many other aspects of the game. Taking even one of these suggestions and running with it, would at least be an attempt to revive a practically dead game mechanic. Please no "I don't want this because it would be a waste of time I'd rather have used on something I want fixed more" comments. These are my suggestions to fix a forgotten piece of the game, if you want something else fixed, make your own thread. That is all.

Edit/Additions #1 - Courtesy of Vold

1) Stronghold Warps
-This ties in with the accessibility of getting to the past fast enough to partake in campaign. We should be able to use C.A.'s to warp to strongholds. No one wants to hoof it for something like campaign (especially in it's current state).

2) Aggro from non-campaign mobs
-Xarcabard [S] is probably the worst case of this. I shouldn't have to worry about the Great Amphiptere swooping down out of nowhere while I'm already having a tough battle with a campaign mob. Yes, I enjoy the level of danger of having that particular monster soaring the skies of Xarcabard [S] but it shouldn't interfere with campaign or with reaching the C.A. to begin with (he's aggroed me in the past upon zoning in). Even when I don't get aggroed as soon as I zone, I still run the risk of him being right near the warp in location/in my way should I need to get to the battle. This. Should. Not. Happen. Ever.

Edits/Additions #2
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...5928#post75928

Edits/Additions #3
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...6158#post76158

Edits/Additions #4
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...6561#post76561

[Vold]

Well the way I figure, the only way to get us back in CB on a regular basis is to add new gear that's useful. It doesn't need to be better than what we are getting out of Abyssea... some pieces can be in line with them or close to them or just somewhat as good but great situational pieces. Also we need to be able to take over northlands more often than never. I'm fine with those places being the end all be all of scary but it's a waste of time and effort for the developers when we aren't ever able to do anything there because A) can't port to strongholds so many are turned off from making the journey, and B)stuff in those strongholds are very poorly planned out, specifically at the fort areas and non related CB mobs aggroing you.

[Rambus]

2) Aggro from non-campaign mobs
-Xarcabard [S] is probably the worst case of this. I shouldn't have to worry about the Great Amphiptere swooping down out of nowhere while I'm already having a tough battle with a campaign mob. Yes, I enjoy the level of danger of having that particular monster soaring the skies of Xarcabard [S] but it shouldn't interfere with campaign or with reaching the C.A. to begin with (he's aggroed me in the past upon zoning in). Even when I don't get aggroed as soon as I zone, I still run the risk of him being right near the warp in location/in my way should I need to get to the battle. This. Should. Not. Happen. Ever.

Xarcabard, baucedine glacier ( more so if you have A**** holes ninja pulling ( no idea term for this)) garlaige citadel, eldieme neropolis, and vey lightly rolanberry fields.

I cannot help to think though with being 90 only the northlands will be too much trobble. When I was 75 I have got aggro while campain battle was going on and it ended then i died in these said areas before.

also if you do not know how to get there sauromuge champaign and fort karugo-narugo has a high rate of getting aggro from port in > tag

[Airget]

There's a simple way to fix campaign really, in the vain of PvP and pankration, why can't there just be content that's fun. The other night I decided to play around in campaign as NIN with a BLM and a MNK and the three of us were able to easily hold off the enemy units at Fort Karugo.

Compared to the spamming on abyssea hunting NMs for seals and such, to go into campaign and tackle mobs that once cause trouble to an alliance of people is fun. If SE were to do anything with campaign I think they should add NPC units that we have control over so that it's easier to take over territories and maybe even the potential to control your units to attack or defend certain areas when you're not around. Kinda like:

Ribbon-Enlist Fellowship NPC as Second in Command
Star---Enlist 1 new NPC
Emblen-Enlist 1 new NPC
Wing---Enlist 1 new NPC
Medal--Enlist 1 new NPC

--
Basically By the time you obtain the max medal you'll have control over 5 other allies that will fight alongside you or you could command your fellowship NPC to take your unit to attacka terriorty to claim or defend.

They could then also alter the campaign OPs for Military Training to be a way to train your NPC unit to learn new abilities/traits/magic and level up. With this in mind though I would prolly say they should reduce the amount of NPCS the generals control, but I feel like with something like this it would allow all jobs to join in the fight and have fun taking over territories.

I dunno I just think it would be fun to be in campaign as an actual general controlling a unit to lead into battle, it would bring more life into campaign and maybe people would just do it for fun to take over territories again, I mean there is still gear that people may find useful but the problem is you would need maybe at least 100 people spending a week in campaign to obtain the territories in question. I doubt people are willing to make that sacrifice, but if we were given the ability to order an NPC unit to attack certain territories to help in the allied aid then at least we would be able to offer a sort of assistance to the battle rather then always having to be there in order to win the area.

[Eeek]

Here's the easiest and quickest way to 'fix' Campaign:

Allow players to skill up while fighting Campaign mobs.

And not just to the Level 90 skill caps, either. Allow players the option to cap their skills against Campaign mobs even after the Level Cap rises to 99.

Players are already accustomed to seeing and using unorthodox job combinations in Campaign. We're accustomed to seeing players use alternate weapon types and mages swinging their weapons. FFXI's player-enforced paradigms of play-style are the weakest in the Campaign setting, so it's an ideal place for players to skill up their weapons and magic skills while having some fun.

Allowing skillups immediately makes Campaign relevant again.

[Sagian]

1) Fix the fortification nerf. There is no incentive for me to stand there and bang on the side of a building for 30 minutes for 200 xp. I understand that IF there are actually Confederate forces involved, then the xp from forts is higher, but that doesn't always happen. If I run to a fort and see no mobs, I leave... and so does everyone else.

2) My xp record for a single, contiguous, multi-wave Campaign battle is 7318. Not too shabby for an hour under the old xp system - but less than stellar under the new one.

3) Ownership of areas should update daily, not weekly. There is no incentive to attack Confederate owned areas on a Monday if all the hard work is going to be null and void on Tuesday. It would also give more of a sense of urgency to do battles in all areas to maintain ownership or reclaim lost areas. I understand that it places an additional load on the server, but the server doesn't even hiccup during the weekly tallies.

4) Send NPCs to Confederate owned areas more often instead of sending them to Alliance owned areas. It's kind of silly for the guys we're working with to not want those areas back under our control. I can't count the number of times I've gone to allied-owned Grauberg to find 300 NPCs killing my xp, then go to confederate-owned Rollanberry to find not a single Allied troop. Something is amiss.

5) Give me something worthwhile to buy with my one-million Allied Notes... please.

6) Allow skill-ups.

[sc4500]

I think all they really need to do is have more stuff drop in union treasures chests, it would help out alot. example drop rare/ex time extension for aybessea that turn into stones, drops +1 seals,

Fixed the pulls that people do to the mobs to no man lands just have a radius were can get credit. Outside the radius mobs got god mode.

Have the mobs get to the base faster when the city got control . like when beastman controlled areas on it.

Take away half the nerfs they did on it for exp , go back to when you use to get 20k exp per battle, also fortifications were able to skill up with no tags and able get exp that way. but keep the max exp at 5k for hitting fortifications unless you performance assement. aybessea all but got rid of any exp nerfs.

Fixed so you can join union from your city for the union you like and once you get it from a city npc thats your union until you decide go to different one, have it done in the citys.

Have ways from the campaing ops quests. ( Example: slaughter house 1-4 equals 4 done. finish 30 different ops) , it will give you access to the areas for the bcnm type fights like throne room even if it not under controlled from a nations.

Give Raise to all players that are dead after the battle ended, nothing more lame then when you die from boss or anything and there is no one around to raise you so lost everything you worked for. And all your reraise items are used up.

[ShadowHeart]

campaign is badly broken!! there is no doubt about this. sandy this week owns only thier own city bastok only has their won city windy has their own city + west sara. The beastmen own everything else and who wants to goto beast owned battles when fortification caps at 200 xp no matter how long u beat on it. The drops are not worthy of most high level people any more nor is the experience. The dynamis and relic currency is a decent drop still but really how rarely it drops does not make campaign worth while at all.

1. Increase the xp on fortifications.
2. Give better drops for incentives.
3. Restrict the distance you have to be from the tower / fortification to gain experience 30-40 yalms or further for example u loose tags or xp.
4. Reinstate skill ups.
5. Remove battlefield restrictions (example having to own all of northlands to do throne room bcnm fight)

[Anathiel]

I would like to know the dev's thoughts on this topic.

[Rambus]

1) Fix the fortification nerf. There is no incentive for me to stand there and bang on the side of a building for 30 minutes for 200 xp. I understand that IF there are actually Confederate forces involved, then the xp from forts is higher, but that doesn't always happen. If I run to a fort and see no mobs, I leave... and so does everyone else.

2) My xp record for a single, contiguous, multi-wave Campaign battle is 7318. Not too shabby for an hour under the old xp system - but less than stellar under the new one.

3) Ownership of areas should update daily, not weekly. There is no incentive to attack Confederate owned areas on a Monday if all the hard work is going to be null and void on Tuesday. It would also give more of a sense of urgency to do battles in all areas to maintain ownership or reclaim lost areas. I understand that it places an additional load on the server, but the server doesn't even hiccup during the weekly tallies.

4) Send NPCs to Confederate owned areas more often instead of sending them to Alliance owned areas. It's kind of silly for the guys we're working with to not want those areas back under our control. I can't count the number of times I've gone to allied-owned Grauberg to find 300 NPCs killing my xp, then go to confederate-owned Rollanberry to find not a single Allied troop. Something is amiss.

5) Give me something worthwhile to buy with my one-million Allied Notes... please.

6) Allow skill-ups.

agreed, I have no idea why they nerfed it to hell like that. if they wanted low exp gain off those then ALWAYS HAVE MOBS! I have listed such compants , like allowing skill up, fortification chage, and the NPC killing everything issue then other areas no help at all to the e-mail link they tell you to do. looks like i been ingored for a long, long time.