Hiya folks,
Player-owned companies inquiries or thoughts ~ apologize if they're elsewhere, quick five minute search didn't yield. Looking at companies equivalent to the way folks might be using a linkshell now or akin to other games' guilds/clans/legions. Longer version in the hidden boxes.
Topics:
*Company Levels
*Company-based objectives that progress toward the next Company Level
*Reward access based on Company Level
*Quest access based on Company Level
A company objective might contribute toward a company reaching the next Company Level.
Reward access might be similar to the Grand Companies requiring a GC rank before you can purchase.Contributing gil toward company coffers.
Earning XP.
Donating items.
Contributing toward hamlet defenses.
Completing leves and behests on behalf of our company.
Defeating notorious monsters.
More...Quest access may include benchmark quests that require players to complete as a company to reach the next Company Level.Rewards might include furniture options, unlocked crafting recipes, accessories, consumables, abilities available to company members, traits available to company members, etc.
The furniture and consumables cannot be traded.
Abilities might include a company leader creating an aetherial gate that company members may teleport to.
Traits may include small benefits such as increased gil received from leves/behests, increased duration to execute EXP chains, reduced duration of Weakness/Brink of Death, increased light party/full party bonuses when the party consists of mostly/only company members, company party bonuses increase resistance to chocobo snares, etc. Chosen based on the company's preference(s), possibly in multiple ranks of effectiveness.Or if companies may be closer to a form of social organization perhaps. I dunno, curiosity I suppose.If restrictions are applied, the party or allegiance may only consist of company members. No requirement for the minimum number of players. Players who do not complete their company benchmark quests may not access or benefit from the company's reward level.
This may mean that a new member will not receive the Company Level 3 traits or purchase the Level 3 item rewards until they complete the benchmark quests. As the benchmark increases, this may require more company participation to assist new members in catching up. And a member who leaves a company and rejoins might reset to new member.A more twisted example:
To throw in an even unsexier wrench, if company crafted items have requirements to equip such as company restricted or requiring a certain company level. If the company "Abaddon" makes a Blade of Rhalgar, the weapon is restricted to members of Abaddon and restricted to members who have reached Company Level 2+ (or whenever the recipe could be crafted). If another company "Seraphim" makes a Blade of Rhalgar, then the requirements would be "Member of Seraphim".)
And if we just do Company Level, then the reward is more universal. Such as Blade of Rhalgar, requires Company Level 2. So you can be Abaddon, Seraphim, or company X, you can use it, because you completed the Company Level 2 benchmark.