Suggestion to fix low level problems...

[Fanugu]

Okay so I've seen quite a few posts where people whine about the level requirement for Abyssea at level 30. Some people want it raised to 65 (70, 75, etc..) and some people want it removed so everyone can enter. The arguments for raising the cap are to prevent people from leeching their jobs from 30-75, thus making it much harder to level outside of Abyssea if you don't want to leech or can't find a party in which you can leech.
The arguments for removing the cap seem to be, "XP is so great in Abyssea, and levelling pre-Abyssea sucks!"
I've also seen a lot of posts regarding skill-ups and I'm primarily focusing on skilling up those weapon skills that have been ignored for years but now need capping for Abyssea staggers. (Club skill for example, on my RDM)
Well I had this idea, and I posted it on another thread (which didn't precisely fit into the context of that thread - so I got flamed lol) but anyway...
I suggest the addition of new Abyssea zones, each with specific level ranges (a requirement to enter, and a level which, if exceeded would cap/sync your level at the high limit.) These Abyssea zones could, perhaps, mirror the traditional xp party camps for that level range. So, for example, Abyssea-Qufim (Lv. 20-30), Abyssea-Yuhtunga Jungle (Lv.30-50), and Abyssea-Cape Terrigan (or Purgo-Nurgo Isle^^) (Lv.50-75).
SE could then decide whether or not to raise the level requirement for existing Abyssea zones.
My thoughts are that people could use these zones to level up their "lowbie" jobs in the same way that people do now in Abyssea, but that people could do so without "leeching" their xp. Everyone would be able to participate (even the people who are sync'ed) and would receive appropriate xp. Furthermore, they'd be able to skill up their magic/combat skills. This way you won't see level 90 WAR with 120 skill Great Axe or 90 RDM with lvl 100 enfeebling. People could use these lower level Abyssea zones to skill up their previously ignored weapon skills as well, so they could raise them high enough to adequately skill up in existing Abyssea zones.
It would also be cool if there were Notorious Monsters, similar in structure to the existing zones (combination of popped NMs, timed pops, lottery pops, etc.), that dropped gear appropriate for the level range corresponding to that zone.
I think this would bring some life back to the pre-endgame side of FFXI, and allow new players to feel welcome and part of the game. (Right now there are very few xp parties at any given time outside of Abyssea, so people are obligated to either solo, hope to find a leech/keyperson position, or hope to find enough people interested in a level-sync party. I'm sure this would be disheartening and discouraging for new players)
The only downside I see to this, is that people are probably interested in seeing some non-abyssea content added to the game.
So what do you guys think? =P
I'd add a dev tag to this, but I wanted to see what the community thought about it first.

[rog]

Doesn't seem worth the effort. We could just keep leeching in uncapped areas like we do now.

[Chronofantasy]

I wonder if it'd be easy to alleviate the current exp system outside of abyssea and just mimic it for every single zone while allowing the same chests to drop to build those lights but if you leave the zone you lose your light builds of course and exp can scale up in certain zones up to a maximum. The highest lvls of the mobs can remain the same and maybe have it where you don't need to fight the same type of mobs to build this exp too and you also can get rid of some chests like TE and you definitely don't need cruor chests/drops per mob unless the chests gets replaced with 250-1k conquest points, imperial standings, etc. depending which region you're exping in.

[rog]

I wonder if it'd be easy to alleviate the current exp system outside of abyssea and just mimic it for every single zone while allowing the same chests to drop to build those lights but if you leave the zone you lose your light builds of course and exp can scale up in certain zones up to a maximum. The highest lvls of the mobs can remain the same and maybe have it where you don't need to fight the same type of mobs to build this exp too and you also can get rid of some chests like TE and you definitely don't need cruor chests/drops per mob unless the chests gets replaced with 250-1k conquest points, imperial standings, etc. depending which region you're exping in.That's actually not a bad idea.

[Fanugu]

Yeah I like that idea too ^^

[Fanugu]

They did add those vultures right outside of Tavnazia... I think the /c as DC to 90, they could just add a ton of mobs, similar to abyssea fashion in original zones. We just wouldn't have access to all of our xp/stat enhancing abyssites lol

[Chronofantasy]

I think at a lower lvl having the atmas and such would be a bit overpowered if you're lvl 20 for example or anything below lvl 70. It would be helpful of course but probably not necessary since if the abyssea exp system existed on all zones, exping would be too quick especially if you have a PL as well and you can exp with more than just one single pty to kill fast without any exp penalty. You also wouldn't need to level sync down either so everyone can skill up and not have to worry about their lvl 20 uncapped skills being capped in a level 15 sync'd pty.

[Anela]

. We just wouldn't have access to all of our xp/stat enhancing abyssites lol

I think there-in lies the rub. People have gotten so used to the Abyssite's and Atma's, and dont want to play without them. I know I sure miss them when I am playing outside the Aby zones.. hehe

[Fanugu]

Speaking of overpowered... I'd be interested in knowing whether a lv 30 with the right job (for access to weaponskills or the right spells) could use a brew and solo an NM in Abyssea too... Cuz a Lv 30 with 9999hp/999mp and 999 every stat wouldn't be too much different then a Lv 90... Just don't know if the +999 to every stat is enough to compensante for the difference in combat/magic skill. Bah, off-topic anyway...

Yeah I guess it would require a lot of work on the part of the developers to create new zones specifically for pre-endgame levelling/skilling. It was just a thought =P

It would be nice if they could revamp the xp system outside abyssea... They have been increasing the xp gained per kill but so far, on Siren at least, it wasn't enough to start a trend of levelling outside of Abyssea again. Did a few /sea all 20-65 inv during the few days before the disaster and would see btwn 3 and 6 ppl lol... rarely including a tank lol.

Guess I'll stick to solo'ing DNC so I can duo /DNC with my NPC on FoV pages.

[Lilbitz]

idk if this is off subject but ill reply. I know alot of players who dont like to level sync, me included due to the fact of leveling and not skilling up. If there was a way higher level ppl could get skill ups in a sync party, im sure there would be more exp partys.

[Vivik]

I like the idea of making the whole game one big abyssea zone. I'm sure it would not be hard to make lower level atmas and putting level restrictions on the ones already in use would have to be done for balance of course. It's an easy solution to pretty much everyone's bitch about the current abyssea system.

[RAIST]

You do realize they just gave us a psuedo-dominion way to xp outside of abyssea, right? And double XP outside Abyssea? And you can get enhanced skillups outside Abyssea?

They've done a LOT to enhance the non-abyssea experience--just about everything EXCEPT new content. The problem isn't so much the addition of Abyssea as the attitude of the playerbase. Too many people who suffered the "grind" for years and are simply opting out of even TRYING the older areas now.

I was pleasently surprised at how much XP I was getting while helping lower level players a couple weeks ago. It has made a HUGE difference. Grab a couple friends and go hit some Sky pages on your 75's (or level synch to someone) and just watch the xp and skillups roll in now compared to before. I think if they would just give it a shot, they may like it.

[Vivik]

You do realize they just gave us a psuedo-dominion way to xp outside of abyssea, right? And double XP outside Abyssea? And you can get enhanced skillups outside Abyssea?

1600xp complared to 5000xp, not even close. 250xp compared to 600xp, not even close. I will give you skillups though.

That's not even considering that there are no atmas outside of abyssea either.

[RAIST]

yes, but it takes a while to build up to the 600xp, and the camps get so overcamped in primetime (at least on my server--good luck gettinga doll camp close to the sergeant in Altep on the weekends). Outside abyssea, you can chain right away and keep the xp floweing a lot easier. Granted, it's not as high a reward...but it's hardly to the point of not being worth the effort now. I've also made a fair amount of gil crafting/selling stuff I get from the mobs and chests as well.

I only "leeched" one job to 90 btw, partially from 60-85. All my other jobs I xp'ed them. Abyssea alliances post 76--but they were xp'ed outside abyssea to 75/76 first. It isn't nearly as bad as people try to make it out to be--it's just there are too many that would rather sit around Jueno all day hoping for that coveted spot in Abyssea. While they sit on their butts, I get a level or two and skillup a few points on all my weapons. Win-win for me.