Open up areas for Adventuring Fellows

[Mirabelle]

Dear Devs:
Not sure if you remember this but a few years ago you introduced these gameplay additions called "Adventuring Fellows". Many of us spent alot of time levelling these aids to adventuring up and found them quite helpful in tackling quests and adventures around vanadiel.
The big problem is that you can't really use them in a lot of content currently de rigeur. They can't enter abyssea. They can't enter Dynamis. They can't even enter sky.

Nowadays we have dual boxers and BST's with powerful pets ruling these areas while other jobs that would like to get some solo tasks done, can't get a bit of assistance from their Fellow.

Sure a simple answer is level BST, but why should I do so when I have perfectly good adventuring fellow languishing without purpose. Does Dyna really need to be relegated to 4 jobs only?

Hopefully the devs will see that throwing these NPC's back into the mix will not ruin the game and upset their sense of "Balance". It seems to me having Dynamis ruled by BST is a bit unbalanced as is.

[Bulrogg]

Ya know, since my NPC is constantly wasting mp by spamming useless spells.... she'd be a nice addition to my Dynamis treks. ~.~

But I agree more with the Sky and Sea access for Adventuring Fellows; Dyna would be a nice addition but I think Abyssea is crowded enough as is. Just my opinion.

[Bulrogg]

Are they callable in Rivine sites A, B and Sacrum yet? Perhaps some repeatable Adventuring Fellow BCNM/ENM at Monarch Linn would be a nice addition<.<

[Kluaf]

Nowadays we have dual boxers

I agree its a let down but from a business stand point dual boxing costs an extra 12.95 adventuring fellows doesnt.

[Mirabelle]

Agree that for the business side dual boxing adds revenue, but since its not available to all players it affects their precious balance more than allowing Fellows access to more areas.

You can't throw in nerfs and bare minimum upgrades and ignore the fact that players that can walk around with a backup WHM are at a significant advantage over those that can't.

[Kluaf]

Agree that for the business side dual boxing adds revenue, but since its not available to all players it affects their precious balance more than allowing Fellows access to more areas.

You can't throw in nerfs and bare minimum upgrades and ignore the fact that players that can walk around with a backup WHM are at a significant advantage over those that can't.

AGREE 110%

[Bigrob33]

Along with more areas for your fellow, a list of commands would be a nice touch. Maybe a "cure only" or "x ws only". Just thought I'd throw that out there too.

[Gropitou]

Allowing us to specify what WS the fellow uses (ex: if on polearm then "only" use Impulse Drive) would allow a much better use of the fellow for SCs when trying to break latent on trial weapons.

[Karbuncle]

Are they callable in Rivine sites A, B and Sacrum yet? Perhaps some repeatable Adventuring Fellow BCNM/ENM at Monarch Linn would be a nice addition<.<

You know, I made a huge thing about Fellow Specific BCNMs, but of course, It'd take more than a few weeks to implement so it'd never happen.

Edit: Found it!:

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/threads/9626-Adventuring-Fellow-Battlefields?p=120147#post120147

[Mirabelle]

Yes I'd love to try a few BCNM's with my fellow to use up the 8 billion seals I've collected over the years but can't find anyone interested in doing these things anymore.

[Lyandra]

I agree with your post to a certain extent. Many of us have spent countless hours leveling up our adventuring fellows, and it would be nice to see them in more areas, especially zones like sky and sea which don't see much activity anymore. Abyssea I'm on the fence about that; while it would be nice to have an extra hand for damage or support, I'd rather not have to wait behind Mr Slow Solo who takes 10+ minutes to kill a single-spawn NM and won't get KO thanks to his NPC.

But Dynamis? No thanks. Today's version update should diminish a small amount of BST spammage in Dynamis, so that should thin out a few players trying to hold several mobs at once. But I don't want to see "two" people for every player in the zone as well. From that points its just a stone's throw away from people complaining "omg, WAR/MNK/SAM/BLU with NPC holding 4+ mobs" in Dynamis posts :|

[Camate]

Greetings!

From a technical standpoint, there are no problems preventing adventuring fellows to access Tu’Lia and Promathia fields/dungeons. However, the development team will need to look into whether there are any problems lore-wise for this.

In regards to Dynamis, Abyssea, and battlefields (including ENMs), these areas are heavily battle oriented and have been balanced with the supposition that fellows would not enter. Also, for battle fields, fellow behavior cannot be completely addressed, which makes it difficult to open up these places to fellows.

[Tsukino_Kaji]

Greetings!

From a technical standpoint, there are no problems preventing adventuring fellows to access Tu’Lia and Promathia fields/dungeons. However, the development team will need to look into whether there are any problems lore-wise for this.This is a TERRIBLE responce and who ever is perpetuating it, SE needs to seriously look at why that individual still has a job there. Camte tell them this. If you, the player/adventurer, can go to these realms. Then what prevents other people in the world from accessing them as well? You've already proven that the NPC can wander aimlessly and fall through a hole to the past.

[Karbuncle]

Not to mention Lore kinda went out the window when alternate dimensions and time travel got thrown into the equation...

[Kaisha]

the development team will need to look into whether there are any problems lore-wise for this.


<Me> Hey Fellow, want to follow me to this location you've never been to before?
<Fellow> Sure!

[hideka]

and another reason on my list of "why my faith is gone"

[Mifaco]

<Me> Hey Fellow, want to follow me to this location you've never been to before?
<Fellow> Sure!

(at Hall of the Gods gate)
Fellow: The crystal hasn't chosen me ;_; I can't go with you. Sorry!

Seriously, rewatch the cutscene where you get Sky access and it will make sense.

[Alhanelem]

Basically, the fellow can't go places that he can't conceivably have been without being a clone of the player.

[Helel]

I didn't realize this game still cares about lore. The last "lore" aspect of the game that I can remember was WotG. I don't consider abyssea to be lore, even though it's supposed to connect back to CoP. But if we are supposedly "caring" about the lore, why are players allowed to fight Shinryu, who never fought Promathia? In fact, if you really cared about the lore, PCs should not have been allowed to enter abyssea at all, who hadn't first completed CoP. That's just one example... I'm sure you can fudge the lore for fellows as well as you have for PCs.

[Phafi]

40,000 groups of six save the world multiple times? no problem
allowing a few hundred to take a friend to some of these areas? NOPE

edit: brought it up on vent
<Phen> Travel through time? YUP
<Phen> Get on a boat? can't do that.

[Rylet]

Funny how "Lore" is SE's reason for preventing fellows access to these areas and yet I don't recall the Near East nations getting involved in the Crystal War and yet we can still get Near East relic(cor, blu, pup) from Dynamis.
I do remember SE saying that they were planning on adding cor, blu and pup relic coming from a different event(probably Nyzul or Einherjar at the time) but decided against it due to the difficulty of those jobs to get relic gear since ppl did dynamis for the purpose of getting relic gear/currency etc.
SE bent the "Lore rules" once for the player base I'm sure they can do it again

[Puck]

It makes far LESS sense that the NPC can go through WotG maws, given that (player) and Lilisette are special exceptions for a bunch of spoilery reasons, and NPC has no involvement in that. For Sea there's a damn airship that takes you there once you get that far in the story, there's nothing lore-wise that would prevent NPC from getting to Tavnazia and boarding the airship with you. And actually, as Sueleen tells us every time, the airship has that "auto-pilot" thing Prishe was talking about. So NPC doesn't even need you to get there and back.

[SpankWustler]

I think this post more perfectly encapsulates the two feelings I have towards almost every Development Bros post than any post ever before.


From a technical standpoint, there are no problems preventing adventuring fellows to access Tu’Lia and Promathia fields/dungeons. However, the development team will need to look into whether there are any problems lore-wise for this.

This is the most ridiculous thing ever. They'll have to look into something that they could render workable with just two or three lines of flavor text? Do those guys perform an hour of soul and bowel searching meditation before they poop, too?


In regards to Dynamis, Abyssea, and battlefields (including ENMs), these areas are heavily battle oriented and have been balanced with the supposition that fellows would not enter. Also, for battle fields, fellow behavior cannot be completely addressed, which makes it difficult to open up these places to fellows.

This bit makes much more sense. For some things, particularly proc-heavy affairs, I'd even consider it a detriment if some simple soul called forth his or her NPC to "help".

[Septimus]

There is a good lore reason as to why Adventuring Fellows could not access Sky, only the player possesses a Cerulean crystal.

With that said, it would be a trivially matter to come up with a quest where you go and get another Cerulean crystal for your Adventuring Fellow. It could be written up in a good 10 minutes. (Maybe a bit longer since the different personality types require different lines.)

As for Sea, I would imagine that you would need Cid's permission to take someone aboard the C.I.D., once more, a trivial matter that could be solved with a quest. You could even save time by combining them into one quest. Hell, I will even offer to write it for free if it means more spots to take NPCs.

[SpankWustler]

As for Sea, I would imagine that you would need Cid's permission to take someone aboard the C.I.D., once more, a trivial matter that could be solved with a quest. You could even save time by combining them into one quest. Hell, I will even offer to write it for free if it means more spots to take NPCs.

The quest could be collecting two Cerulean Crystals. One to give your Adventuring Galka, and one for Cid so he can do science to it and make it part of his demonic dentures or use it seal the space-time rip in his pants.

Problem solved!

[Muras]

I'd just like to point out that lore has virtually no meaning in this game, since when you change nations you have the opportunity to do the magicite quest three times for the Arch Duke of Jeuno, whom you proceed to kill three times later as well, along with killing the Shadow Lord three times, and so on. When you change nations, you're told your memories are being sealed, not the entire fabric of space time is being altered.

...Also, I swear I see other players up in Tu'lia all the time, but apparently I'm the only one with a Cerulean Crystal since according to the cutscenes, there's only one and I found it in the Quicksand caves because it was stolen from the gate at some point. I guess I'm just crazy. \(O.o)/

(In case someone doesn't get the point, from our perspective an NPC is just another player. If other players can be in the same place as your character, it makes just as much sense for NPCs to be there).

I always get the impression the dev team just says whatever seems convenient and convincing enough at the time to avoid having to actually do something later. But every time, the players can pick out the fishy parts, and once we do, we get ignored since SE said their bit and they're sticking to it. SE can't be mistaken about anything, ever, unless it's on a catastrophic level like FF14, apparently.

They need to start making decisions based on what's better for the game and what adds to the enjoyment rather than "balance" and "lore". When it comes to games, sometimes things don't need to make sense; They just need to be fun.

[Granny]

it makes you think why did I bother leveling my npc for all those countless hours... . almost nothing they are good for anymore, sorry not almost, there is nothing worthwhile lol.

[Septimus]

The quest could be collecting two Cerulean Crystals. One to give your Adventuring Galka, and one for Cid so he can do science to it and make it part of his demonic dentures or use it seal the space-time rip in his pants.

Problem solved!

Cid: "[Player name], you have, no doubt, heard of the explosion in the Palborough Mines fifteen years ago. History tells us that on that frightful day many miners died, but I also lost my teeth in the accident. Afterwards I was distraught at the thought of having to gum soft food for the rest of my days- but at heart I am an engineer, and sought a way to replace my missing molars. I have tried every material imaginable to create realistic dentures: silver, gold, brass, iron, bronze, darksteel, cermet, carbon-composite, even adamant, I cannot find a substance that doesn't look like choppers fit for an unholy Clydesdale. The mere utterance of my name is enough to frighten even the the brattiest of children in the Republic to brush and floss every night and to line up to see the dentist! I thought that my quest would be fruitless, but I have heard rumors of a palace floating above Delkfutt's Tower, held aloft by a giant crystal. I suspect that crystal may be what I need to create passable bridgework! You and [Adventuring Fellow's Name] must go to this place and bring back a sample of that crystal to me. Do that, and I will allow you both free access to go to and forth to Al'Taieu on the C.I.D."

You know what, I think we could make a full expansion from this...


http://images.bluegartr.com/bucket/gallery/1addbffc59de4710e33009481e09b561.png


Cid becomes possessed by the evil spirits of the Zilart in his new crystalline teeth and tries to tear the mothercrystals out of the ground with giant denture-shaped digging machines. You eventually learn that you must use the dimensional rift in the seat of his pants (this is a real thing, go the the Metalworks and look) to lure the Zilartian spirits from Cid's body to free him.

...

Anyway, not being able to take our Adventuring Fellows to sky and sea is a trivial matter that could be solved with a quest... And waiting for weather is boring.

[Return1]

I just want to point out that if your NPC can make it to the past, they could easily find a way to Tu'Lia. If you follow the lore, a group of pirates made it up there accidentally and were slaughtered horribly by Brigandish Blade.

[Godofgods]

Greetings!

From a technical standpoint, there are no problems preventing adventuring fellows to access Tu’Lia and Promathia fields/dungeons. However, the development team will need to look into whether there are any problems lore-wise for this.

In regards to Dynamis, Abyssea, and battlefields (including ENMs), these areas are heavily battle oriented and have been balanced with the supposition that fellows would not enter. Also, for battle fields, fellow behavior cannot be completely addressed, which makes it difficult to open up these places to fellows.

They may be 'heavily battle oriented', but content like farming Dyna and especially abyssea, are all low maned now anyway. A lot of players that might actually need help defeating something usually cant get help form other players. We see it all the time. A player shouts for help and the only response they get is: 'that can be soloed/duoed'.

So adding fellows to some of those areas would actually be helpful. And allow players to act a little more independently. (Which was the point of Fellows anyway) The only thing that would need to be addressed would be exp gain for them inside those zones.

Side note: having 2 real players would still be better then solo with fellow due to control over actions. So its rly not going to change balance. At most, it will just let more ppl actually do stuff...

[Camiie]

When you do one of the limit breaks or just give Luto a new weapon for your NPC, it's obvious he/she is off adventuring when you aren't around. Even though it may not show up in their leveling or gear for gameplay reasons, as far as the storyline is concerned they don't just hang around their Mog House waiting for you to call.

It's not inconceivable that they could find a way to get to the same places we have. It may be a similar way, or it may be a different one. Heck, make it a running gag that our fellow can manage to stumble into places that we must put forth a great deal of effort to enter.

[Zerich]

However, the development team will need to look into whether there are any problems lore-wise for this.

So does that mean that SMN will no longer be allowed to enter Windurst, and COR will be unable to enter White Gate?

[Kristal]

So does that mean that SMN will no longer be allowed to enter Windurst, and COR will be unable to enter White Gate?

There's no lore that forbids adventurers from taking up SMN. It was a stipulation in the armistice between Windurst and the Yagudo Theocracy that Windurst would not employ summoners in it's armed forces, I believe. (I think there also was another reason, possibly to do with Fenrir, but I can't recall it atm. I think the last missions in Windurst deal with that.)

Similar situation with COR. They aren't forbidden from entering Whitegate, but they are supposed to have gone extinct 200 years earlier. And Nashmeira has stopped Aht Urhgan from showing any more aggression against those with Ephramad ancestry.

For the fellow to enter areas previously inaccessible, they would either need to retcon lore or make new lore and quests to expand on the new areas opening up to the fellow.

[Karbuncle]

How is being able to kill the Archduke 3 Times, Shadow Lord 3 times, and Talk to people like they've never met you when you switch nations any less of a retcon than letting NPCs go to new areas? Pretty sure erasing my memory can't bring the dead back to life.

(This isn't all toward you Kristal.) But, forgive me for being quite frank, But my care for "Lore" Goes out the window the second its used as an excuse to hold off any positive content that would help the playerbase. If I'm not mistaken, Lore says our NPC is an Adventurer just like us, there is absolutely nothing keeping them from reaching sky any more than what kept every single other Adventurer in Vana'diel.

Here's a quest:

NPC: "I found a crystal, Its blue!"
Me: "Yah, That takes you to Tu'Lia, land of the gods"
NPC: "Neat, Wanna go there?"
Me: "Sure."
END OF F**KING DIALOGUE

Or:


"Oh, I found this Blue crystal, And asked around, found a Mithra in Rabao who had one very similar"
"she mentioned giving you one! she said you told her it took you to an ancient city?" (Hint: If you talk to the Mithra you got the crystal for after Zilart, You tell her it took you to Tu'Lia, But shes like "YAH RIGHT LOL")
"That lead me here."
Your NPC Has Sky access yay

I mean, you get your Crystal from some Mithra sitting in Rabao who has no idea what it is. You literally buy it from some junk peddler, LORE BRO. your NPC for all we know could find it while out exploring any of the countless hours they're doing it, because according to lore, thats what they do when you don't call them, Adventure.

It would take 1 line of text to explain why your NPC can visit anywhere:

"Your Adventuring Fellow is an Adventurer just like yourself".

Oh Wait, Thats the already in the Lore. They are as special as you are. They are an adventurer. They can do the same things you can, They just haven't. Give me a quest to get them to those places. They jumped into Atomos with me to (S), they can do everything else.

The real reason its not being considered is frankly Devs don't have enough time to devote to meaningful things, and NPCs aren't exactly "popular". Plus they have to consider balance in places like Dynamis, Which frankly is baffling to me, as Balance went out the window with DipperYuly and FaithfulFalcor, bringing in an NPC Healer would just make me consider going on THF more than BST.

To combat what NPCs could bring to Dynamis, they could simply increase the ammount of Enemies a small portion, Or reduce their respawn timers, But that'd be too beneficial, and You'd have to consider what that would do to currency supply.

Really, I don't envy their job of "Balancing" FFXI, But, I wish sometimes they'd just be like "fk balance" and give us something we can really enjoy, instead of worrying so much about balance than half the stuff they introduce is boring, stale, and so ridiculous that its not even fun. They're so gung-ho about balancing this game they forget that its actually a game. Its suppose to be fun.

[Zerich]

There's no lore that forbids adventurers from taking up SMN. It was a stipulation in the armistice between Windurst and the Yagudo Theocracy that Windurst would not employ summoners in it's armed forces, I believe. (I think there also was another reason, possibly to do with Fenrir, but I can't recall it atm. I think the last missions in Windurst deal with that.) So I shouldn't be able to do Windy missions as SMN.


Similar situation with COR. They aren't forbidden from entering Whitegate, but they are supposed to have gone extinct 200 years earlier. And Nashmeira has stopped Aht Urhgan from showing any more aggression against those with Ephramad ancestry.
COR job-quest cutscene anyone? Imperial BLU's should aggro CORs.

Alas, I'm just being the devil's advocate. But I'm just trying to make sense with their justification of lore.

[Miera]

Well if the adventuring Fellows are so much like us how come they aren't updated with on spells and why don't they have job traits? Kind of sucks that they don't have auto refresh..

[Bulrogg]

I thought Stalwart Shield had auto-refresh trait. <.<

[Kristal]

So I shouldn't be able to do Windy missions as SMN.


COR job-quest cutscene anyone? Imperial BLU's should aggro CORs.

Alas, I'm just being the devil's advocate. But I'm just trying to make sense with their justification of lore.

You're not with the armed forces of Windurst. As an adventurer, you're not bound by any agreements that Windurst made.

And that COR cutscene takes place well before Nashmeira takes the throne.

[Camiie]

I thought Stalwart Shield had auto-refresh trait. <.<

It does, but Soothing Healer doesn't. That's probably what they meant.

[Shadotter]

Actually, judging by the titles you get when buying CP items, adventurers are considered a part of the armed forces.

[Twille]

I want my NPC to be able to go everywhere that I can go. I'd even be willing to do all sorts of tedious quests to make it happen, as long as it was eventually possible. "Lore" is a cop-out. If it's that big of a deal, give us a quest line to get our NPCs Sky access, or a quest line for Dynamis access, etc.