PaaM (Play as a Monster) Thoughts and Speculation (PaaMTaS) [Archive]

Dragoy

04-25-2012, 09:42 PM

So... PaaM... what do you think? :eek:
While cautiously curious, I am personally not sure what to think!

What would you want it to be like, and what would you not want it to be like?

><)))°3

Edit:

Changed the title a bit even though it doesn't really change it (Cttabetidrci).

Sotek

04-25-2012, 09:52 PM

Could be PvP? Sort of like Left4Dead, one side plays as monsters, the other battles them. If it's not that, it should be.

IDK, I think they've upset a lot of SMN, DRG and BLUs with this though. All their new 2Hrs wont be "Become an Avatar/Dragon/Soulflayer for X minutes" and instead there will be a new event where anyone can play as whatever for the duration.

Daniel_Hatcher

04-25-2012, 10:17 PM

Sotek

04-25-2012, 10:28 PM

Who the hell wanted to be an "Avatar/Dragon/Soulflayer?"

Granted the Avatar suggestion was rare, but I've seen more than a few people suggest DRGs 2hr be "Turn into a Dragon" and I'm down right amazed you've never heard of BLUs suggesting "Become a Soulflayer" as anything, let alone a 2hr.

Kristal

04-26-2012, 12:07 AM

Granted the Avatar suggestion was rare, but I've seen more than a few people suggest DRGs 2hr be "Turn into a Dragon" and I'm down right amazed you've never heard of BLUs suggesting "Become a Soulflayer" as anything, let alone a 2hr.

Lord of the Rings has a monsterplay feature, and if I'd translate that to FFXI, you basically have a dedicated map with a permanent campaign going on. Players and monsterplayers fight for control over key features on the map. NPCs on both sides keep the battle going, but they need PCs/MPCs to turn the tide of the battle. It would be a PVP event the likes of which FFXI has never seen.

PCs would earn new armor and weapons through a point system, while monsters can upgrade through a similar system.
You probably need to earn points on both sides for the good gear to unlock, etc.

Sayomi

04-26-2012, 01:14 AM

I wanna be Bubbly Bernie.

Tile

04-26-2012, 03:50 AM

Hope its not some PvP thing, Would love it if it had some story to it.

Here's this continent we've never been to cause only monsters live there and they dont let people in, so we going to disguise you as a monster so you can find out whats there.

~Want afew different monster looks. but not to many. Maybe a quest or 2 there for new monster look.
~What monster you are only effect your stats alittle. rest would still be your job. (Smn would still get summons)
~If we all have to play as the same monster let us get some decorations to personalize it.

If we are going to be those Mole mobs in the picture. hope its not something crazy like dig more dungeons, Or over throw the Mole king and free all the poor mole men

Dragoy

04-26-2012, 05:13 AM

There was at least one proposal for something like this in the not-so-distant-past, actually, but I can't find it with a quickie search right now... perhaps later.

Whether it influenced this at all or not is anyone's guess, but in any case, it will be interesting to see some details about it even if I'm not particularly excited about such a feature.

Urteil

04-26-2012, 06:06 AM

I hope it isn't some kind of PvP thing too because it sounds terrible.

Sotek

04-26-2012, 06:29 AM

I honestly don't see this being a serious event, I'd lump it with Pankration and Chocobo Racing until we know more. Presumably if your playing as a rabbit you wont have access to your equipment or spells/abilities, so I really can't see this being a real event.

If this is a serious event like the last two they added (lol) then I'd place it way below both Legion and Provenance. Playing as a monster is a huge gimmick and while that might work, they've been less than great at events without gimmicks recently, so I wont hold my breath. Best I expect is Brenner with the stupid objectives removed and the Red team playing as rabbits.

Tile

04-26-2012, 07:29 AM

i always wished there was More quests and Missions with the Beastmen, all we got was those Head Gear no one did.

Missions with the Moblins to Reclaim an old Movalpolos or something. they could had done so much with the beastmen, but they just ignored them

Mifaco

04-26-2012, 02:07 PM

I've always wanted to ruin a Dynamis alliance's run by doing Oblivion Smash on them. I hope this will allow us to kill players.

Alpheus

04-26-2012, 02:25 PM

It'll be PvP and when you get a kill streak going you can call in a air strike.....or a HNM to blast away with its signature move.
>.>

lol could you imagine? I mean it would seem impossible but would be fun lol

Jile

04-26-2012, 04:14 PM

Kristal

04-26-2012, 06:42 PM

Personally, I'd like to go into West Ronfaure, become a sheep and chase level 1 question mark ppl around and kill them lol.... but perhaps I'm just being too optimistic on what they mean by playing as a monster.

Heh.. that won't happen for sure. While funny at first, you know it's going to be abused for griefing and exploits etc.

Monsterplay is shown as a pretty big feature on the roadmap, 3 rows high no less! Not sure if that means anything, but it seems to be the next big thing coming to FFXI. The other changes in the last 4 months of 2012 are minor upgrades to existing content. (Although Salvage upgrades might be important for mythic weapons)

Luvbunny

04-26-2012, 10:32 PM

Perhaps they took inspiration from FFXIII-2? I mean that game manage to implement "pokemon" inspired mechanic in a good way and a big success. I posted idea on how that can translate to FFXI. They already have the game mechanic in place, and even though pankration is a huge fail, perhaps they will revamp it like everything else old that become new in this game.

Vivivivi

04-27-2012, 01:59 AM

I could see this working 1 of 2 ways.

1: It would be restricted to specific new zones, with its own set of combat rules (like Abyssea). Come in, set some configuration (atma), and do your thing. I could also envision this working like Abyssea where you are rewarded for defeating certain NMs to get a KI to become a new monster (like atma). I have no idea what kind of storyline explanation would be involved to make this happen. Perhaps some moogle magic will let us explore the Orcish Empire and become undedicated as a threat by becoming a monster... (the new furry armor and yeti mob hints at something involving cold weather).

2: The less likely scenario, the play as a monster feature would in fact be a new job. It would be a way to introduce a new job without having to design new AF1, 2, and 3 gear. Why this would be unlikely is because of beast master obviously.

Kaisha

04-27-2012, 03:26 AM

Sotek

04-27-2012, 04:03 AM

I expect PaaM to just be Pankration, where rather than giving your mob pet general guidance, you just choose its TP move instead, which it'll use whenever the hell it feels like.

Nothing more, and it'll use the football field in Fort_K for it. Be sure to bookmark this post!

Wasn't there a unused part of the Colosseum where this could take place? They damn well better not waste my Tarutaru football pitch (where the Taru are the ball) on this tripe.

inb4 "The new play-as-a-monster system will let you play football as a monster".

All I know is this damn sure better not be an addon or expansion. A whole expansion with this gimmick? The story would be utter tripe. "If you're not disguised you cant enter", does no one see how stupid that sounds? What the hell are the monsters going to do to stop us entering? Lore-wise we're practically gods at this point, even before Abyssea. The whole thing will either have a story that makes no sense or it will play out like those Assaults where you get warped back to the start when the beastmen see you - also known as the most god damned fucking annoying Assaults ever. Anyone suggesting that as a core mechanic just made my Death Note list.

The only other way I can spin "playing as a monster" into a storyline is by copying the plot of Avatar, which is reason enough for anyone to not do such a thing. A wizard did it would be an improvement, but that didn't sit well with CoP.

Kaisha

04-27-2012, 04:10 AM

Isn't much room in the Colosseum for large mobs, but I guess it'd have the bonus if being usable by more than one person at once since I recall it being split up into four instances like the Pankration part of the same map is.

Granted I'd still prefer it to be used as a 1-on-1 PVP arena since the odds of us getting a proper dueling system inplace are not happening, ever.

You don't need to steal a plot. An NPC will conjure up some BS about how a soulplate snapshot you take can be used to project a controllable monster within a constrained specialized area (re: the arena) that your friends can fight against for fun.

DaBackpack

04-27-2012, 09:08 AM

Dibs on Cactrot Rapido.

Ravenmore

04-27-2012, 11:45 AM

I see another DOA event coming. Really they flat out suck at any kinda of PvP and will take the easist path aka you get PvP but only playing as monsters so they don't have to worry about balancing the 20 jobs around the monsters to. Oh and you have to go pokemon them first.

Trisscar

04-28-2012, 08:05 PM

Who the hell wanted to be an "Avatar/Dragon/Soulflayer?"

The soul flayer idea has been suggested before, and it's a stupid one.

And a casual look through some other forums (like on ffxiclopedia, for example) it has been a long running demand to play as beastmen and/or monsters.

But really, Squaresuck should pass up on this idea. It's a stupid and ludicrous one suggested by a minority of players.

Tile

04-28-2012, 08:41 PM

But really, Squaresuck should pass up on this idea. It's a stupid and ludicrous one suggested by a minority of players.

So was Chocobo Racing and Pankeration. Though Pankeration was their gateway to PW. So maybe they'll add a new Super HNM at the end on PaaM, who knows maybe we'll get Ultros.

Luvbunny

05-02-2012, 02:31 AM

I think the success will depend on two things: fun gameplay + battle content AND rewards. If the risk/rewards are crap and the gameplay sucks, this will be DOA. Or if you need certain job ability to remotely have good success rate - neo nyzul with embrava....

Camate

05-09-2012, 03:07 AM

Arciel

05-09-2012, 04:14 AM

im thinking PaaM might be a new area playground event. like.. Abyssea but different.

firstly, a lobby area for you to choose the monsters you play as, and maybe buffs you can receive.
secondly, an open area with a bunch of monsters for players to fight and get the hang of things with. battles could net you some new kind of point system that will go towards investing into buffs/enhancing yourself as a monster.

am thinking maybe each player can only start off using a certain number of monsters.. and will gradually have to unlock more either through a point-based system or drops from NMs within the zone (which you must fight as monsters). and that each family will have some kind of tiered progression..
eg. hill lizard > raptor > bugard > peiste > adamantoise, altho each type would have its innate special abilities.

and players can go back with their stronger monster forms to fighter stronger NMs, eventually unlocking some god tier of monsters (i'm thinking cerberus / botulus / zilant / etc) and rewards. rewards from these battles will probably be things that can be used outside as well, but with specific uses that cater to the event as well..
for example, substantial effects for "Vs Family" gear, killer effects and a few unique job specific pieces

Vivivivi

05-09-2012, 04:59 AM

Would be funny if there is no combat when you play as a monster... Just gives you the ability to craft "beast-made items" XD

Unleashhell

05-09-2012, 05:11 AM

I can't believe resources are actually being put towards playing as a monster.....

How about scrap that idea and put resources into revamps for Salvage, Limbus, Einherjar and a new full expansion............

Bulrogg

05-09-2012, 05:35 AM

Maybe they found a use for the Colosseum? Perhaps you go through a Bule mage ritual and get to choose a monster you want to fight as vs other players or NPC.

Or maybe not.

hideka

05-09-2012, 07:03 AM

Greetings!

There seems to be quite a bit of speculation as to what the "Play-as-a-Monster System" will be.
While we can’t give away much right now, I can tell you:

It has nothing to do with Windurst conflict
It’s separate from Pankration

We are hoping to go a bit in depth on the system details and description during VanaFest 2012, so please make sure to tune into the live stream!

please dont screw this up. make it into the morpher job. let us fuse monster souls together and turn into monsters and stuff. do a good job on it. dont make another failure event that like 2 people on the whole server like.

Eric

05-09-2012, 07:41 AM

I keep on thinking of the different ways in which they could implement this idea, and they all seem equally retarded.

Savlyn

05-09-2012, 08:31 AM

I honestly think that if they do this correctly, it could be a huge benefit to the life of the game. If it is a new area like Abyssea where we just play as monsters and get different buffs/rewards, etc, then this could be huge. It would be like introducing new jobs while not breaking the rest of the game (because they would only be available in the specific zone).

It could also be: One team as monsters, another as players and have a new PvP system. Add in rewards and it sounds like a win.

Really though, I would have never expected them to add something like this, and I was shocked and excited when it was announced on the timeline. It could suck, yeah, but if they do it correctly, it could be awesome and just what this game needs. Frankly anything that differs from the past three systems (Neonyzul, VW, and somewhat Legion) sounds great in my book.

Urteil

05-09-2012, 01:27 PM

Just increase Ballista rewards.
Voiddust buyable with Ballista Points.
6000-8000CP to each person on a winning team.
Alexandrite/Ancient Currency singles 10-15 to each person on a winning team.
Gil.
Anything, if you don't like the above.

Remove OM's from Brenner, literally /nobody/ did or does those.

Can you advertise Ballista matches through a system message in cities maybe? Just link the reward to awesome consumables/teleport items/cosmetics and all the cannon fodder will come flocking.

Dear God I hope this is not a PvP thing, please let it be something silly. LotR did it and it was pretty awful.

If it isn't PvP I'm down for running around as a Mandragora in an event that has little correlation to the character's we've made, identities we've forged, becomes boring, and does little to satiate needs for glory, vengeance, prowess, and skill.

Holy shit.

Windwhisper

05-10-2012, 04:59 AM

Greetings!

There seems to be quite a bit of speculation as to what the "Play-as-a-Monster System" will be.
While we can’t give away much right now, I can tell you:

It has nothing to do with Windurst conflict
It’s separate from Pankration

We are hoping to go a bit in depth on the system details and description during VanaFest 2012, so please make sure to tune into the live stream!

for some reason this sounds to me, that the whole event will be as famous as Pankration, Chocoboracing, Chocobocaring, feast of swords, doll festival, summerfestival....

or in other words. once tested, twice shied. ^^;

SpankWustler

05-10-2012, 08:44 PM

After reading this topic, I have surmised that the Play-as-a-Monster system is going to be a mirror into the human soul.

People who liked the arena-thing in Final Fantasy XIII-2 see that kind of thing as possible.

People who want something with meaningful rewards see that as possible.

Urteil sees BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA BALLISTA...

This event will allow us to gaze into ourselves and realize that we are the real monsters. We've been the real monsters all along.

Luvbunny

05-12-2012, 12:34 AM

for some reason this sounds to me, that the whole event will be as famous as Pankration, Chocoboracing, Chocobocaring, feast of swords, doll festival, summerfestival....

or in other words. once tested, twice shied. ^^;

Probably, unless they learned their lesson in Abyssea and end up creating the second blockbuster content that is easy, fun, enjoyable and addictive. I have a feeling they will end up releasing all new content with extremely high difficulty and then gradually lowering it to get as much mileage as possible and extend the life of the contents so that you cannot consume it in one go, unless you are sadomasochist and just love being beaten and let down over and over. This way the hardcore will be pleased that they get to brag about overcoming challenge early on, while the casual promptly ignore such contents. 8-12 months later, when the content is adjusted and challenge is lowered, all the casual can go at it and also have fun, while the hardcore already move on to the next one.