Raise the minimum allowable job level in Abyssea from 30 to 70+

[Damane]

oh please all this over dramatization of EXPing before abyssea... if you hated it that much, how are you still here.

If the EXP was raised even further for parties outside Abyssea, the grind would not be anywhere near as bad as it used to be, and then Abyssea entry could be raised to 70/75 without a problem.

Please stop. I lvld 4 Jobs to 75 pre ToAU (When CoP was still the thing). 5 additonal Jobs to mid WotG missions. Old exp is OLDE. I am plaiyng this game since 7 years+ Abyssea exping is the best thing that could ever happen, I have still my 9 Jobs, I didnt lvl an addtional Job with Abyssea, but I find it GREAT. Old exp days were garbage, especially pre ToAU ones and pre Level Sync ones. I enjoy now endgame content, I get on and do stuff. And the best part is I lvld myself a whm mule WITH abyssea, so I can have even more Flexibility in doing stuff.

I have no problem now getting my 9 jobs to lvl 90, I even left some at 75 still, but I plan to get them up when I have interest, because its not anymore such a timesink.

Seriously I dont understand all this bitching. Leeching in Abyssea is fine, period. Everyone who disagrees, just envies those people or is a masochist.

OH and to answer your question, even tough I didnt like old exping, there was something called "Endgame" that kept me in FFXI. You know the stuff we call Salvage, Einherjar, Limbus, Camping etc. etc. and Friends.

[RAIST]

This threaed about to hit the 1000 mark... wow. Just... WOW!

but, back to the debate:

It's not like there aren't ways to "game" the xp grind outside of Abyssea already. Granted, Astral Burns aren't as efficient, but it is an option. And couple the double xp tweak with the ability to spam FoV pages now, you kind of have a lite version of Dominion in old areas to shoot all the way to about 76 pretty quick if you are organized (you can always find a target to FOV on with EM+ targets to chain with a group all the way through to 75 if you have Sky Access, often times in camps with quick access to a book).

Now for the story to maybe put some perspective on the debates:

I used to be kind of neutral on the issue, but now after actually running jobs up in multiple environments (details to follow), I think it is just fine as is. This will be a long post, but there is a point behind it.

I made the choice to continue leveling my remaining 4 jobs I planned to take to 75 in the old areas first before taking them to abyssea even though I was able to get my 6 75's to 80, 85, and 90 so fast via abyssea. Considering they were leveled, didn't really have much else to do but merit, do magians, and farm items for AF3. So...I finally started doing my other jobs--DRG, DRK, WAR, BST, and they were all at 51.

I admit it was a bit of a grind. Got them to 60/63 pretty much solo via FOV and got a little tired of it and LS started getting more involved in Abyssea again and the 90 cap came out, so got distracted for a while. Took me about a month to get DRG to 75, then shot it to 85, then 90 each stage during one weekend, and it was done. Started up DRK and it was a bit better, but still slow. Got to take advantage of some teamups via level synch and eventually got it to 72 after about 3 weeks. Then... the double xp came...and doing those jobs took on a whole different feel to them. Then, free spamming of FOV and omg... the levels flew. I started DRK magian scythe when I hit 75...by the time I completed the stage to make it 75, I was 78 DRK because I mixed in some Bastions with each level I dinged to grab a quick buffer (oftentimes netting 8k a pop) and was doing FoV along with my targets when possible. So I continued and it took me just over 3 weeks to hit 85 DRK from 60. That was about half the time as DRG--and I REALLY pushed DRG in the old system, even spent entire days in abyussea doing Bastion at one point to get one level a day on DRG, and it still took me a total of a month.

Now for the real kicker...taking up WAR. With the new tweaks on it from the start...in short it just FLEW by. 10 Days, all solo. From 60 to 85, and completed a Magian GA in 10 days solo (except for a few teamups for magian trials where we raped mobs for 50/kill). Then came BST. I had a crazy weekend planned and was going to have limited time to play and the LS was planning another one of those Fell Cleave runs where one gorup continuosly farms TE so the LS can form groups to leech, skillup, get TE to break off and farm NM's. So I secured a spot for my BST and leeched it from 60 up while I was running around all day doing RL stuff. By the time I got back home and was able to focus on the game that day, it was 85 and my axes were uncapped again so I started swinging them and skilled up to get bora axe unlocked and hit 90 BST. Then started rotating other jobs in and skilling up/topping them off and such. Managed to get to where I just need a few more levels and all 10 of my jobs will be 90 and I can concentrate on all the other crap I want to do in the game--exp'ing is no longer an issue for me.

Now, I can see the argument for how slow xping is in old areas versus abyssea. Yes, there is a stark difference there--1 day versus 10 days between two jobs. But you ALSO have compare the before and after witht he OLD CONTENT areas--1 MONTH vs. 2 WEEKS to accomplish basically the same goal.

The point is, the older zones have already gotten a CONSIDERABLE shot in the arm in the XP category. It has MORE than doubled the xp rate (2x the xp per kill, and you can run FoV pages as fast as you can kill stuff instead of just once per game day now). And yet...people still do Abyssea more than they do the older content.

The problem isn't so much an issue with the mechanics of how to get their xp. They can still astral burn. They can now spam FoV for enhanced xp. They can go to abyssea. But it all still comes down to CHOICE. What is your priority--enjoying the challenges the game has to offer, or sit on your butt to get the xp so you can move on to doing other content without worrying about forming up xp parties? The game now provides environments for both types of players. It just happens that with the larger contingent of long-term players that have simply had enough of the old-school grind that they are opting to take the easy mode so they can get back to doing more of the content they have come to enjoy rather than grinding the xp out.

It is feeling more and more like the new players I think are just jealous that these other guys have the resources to take advantage of the new battlefield. Well guess what, they all had to pay their dues for (in some cases) 7 YEARS. So, you have to suffer a little discomfort for a couple weeks, maybe a month or so before you get easy mode. BIG WOOP! It used to be a LOT worse.

New players practically have everything outside of Abyssea handed to them on a silver platter now in comparison to how it was even just a year ago. This game has already been accelerated to the point that it is almost broken now. Things are simply off-kilter from all the sudden changes made recently, and it is going to take some time to level off. Eventually, everyone will be done xp'ing their jobs to 90 and it will get back to being focused more on content again--I've already seen this starting to take shape in my LS with more people taking time out to help people with Rank Runs and what not.

Also, SE has already announced it's intent on working towards game balance before releasing any more level cap increases. They obviously have at least a short list of changes to implement. How about give them some time to play catch up?

/endrant

Raist

[Vivik]

Isn't the point of an MMO you pay for is to have Exclusiveness? Whats the driving force of every single MMO player out there? Exclusivity. That is why so many people sink so much of their time into an MMO. To be better than the next person. Lowering the limit to 1 would completely destroy that. At that point a F2P mmo would have more to enjoy than FFXI.
When Abyssea first started the limit at that time should have been 70+. It's entirely too late for that now. Every single player has already taken advantage of the exp gain at low levels it would be unfair to those that may be starting the game new, or returning. But please don't ruin it even further by lowering the level requirement for entrance even more.

Yes I want to be exclusive like every other monk and whm out there in abyssea right now, that makes total sense.

There is little to no difference starting abyssea at level 30 or level 1. You don't learn how to play your job at level thirty, there is no magical button to press for skill. The fact still remains that people who cannot play their jobs will never be able to play them no matter how they level.
Raising the level restrictions to enter wont change anything. Just like changing them to 1 wont change anything.

That is the worst thing that could happen to this game, they might as well just start everyone at level 99 when they make a new character -.-

Why? If you're going to say it's the worst thing ever you could at least provide an argument to back it up.

[Niklz]

Why? If you're going to say it's the worst thing ever you could at least provide an argument to back it up.

Whats your argument for it being a good thing. I'm curious. Do you think it would be good? If so please explain how.

With the steady population decline in the game lowering the abyssea requirements from 30-1 is the next logical step for SE to ensure that everyone can have the opportunity to enjoy their endgame content.

Edit: Found this post of yours. Why would it be logical for them. Just so people can get to endgame quicker? What entitles "endgame" these days. Abyssea is not endgame. There definitely wouldn't be any endgame if everyone can get to it on day 1.
It's like inserting a game into the console, then hitting a button that makes the ending credits pop up. Does that sound logical?

[Vivik]

Whats your argument for it being a good thing. I'm curious. Do you think it would be good? If so please explain how.

Actually I said it would not make a difference. Which it won't.

Edit: Found this post of yours. Why would it be logical for them. Just so people can get to endgame quicker? What entitles "endgame" these days. Abyssea is not endgame. There definitely wouldn't be any endgame if everyone can get to it on day 1.
It's like inserting a game into the console, then hitting a button that makes the ending credits pop up. Does that sound logical?

Leveling as we know it is dead. Why should anyone have to wait to 30 to go into abyssea? I say again, what is the difference between entering and leeching or chest bitching at 30 and doing the same at level 1? Skill? Experience playing the job? Do you actually think that someone who has leveled to 30 has that much more up on someone entering at level 1?

As far as endgame goes, I guess it would be what you consider end game these days. There really is none anymore. Anything that was endgame before cannot be considered endgame now. I was simply using it as a descriptor for what people do once they hit the temporary max level, nothing more.

[vordox]

I did the solo grind on blm bst smn blu and duoed thf and nin to 75 before the update that introduced lollevelsynch. I wont say I never level synched but I never went 4 levels below or let my skills get 4 levels behind. I always capped my skills then moved on. So now my 16 level 90 jobs all have capped skills and did not have to stand in port casting magic on myself like I see others do. I happen to like the grind thats why I will slow grind that last jobs of pup cor dnc and sch to 90 the hard way. Sch solo ftw.. lol

[magnius]

I say again, what is the difference between entering and leeching or chest bitching at 30 and doing the same at level 1? Skill? Experience playing the job?

I think the reason they put level restrictions on certain activities, or at one time, is because of RMT.

[Alhanelem]

Also, SE has already announced it's intent on working towards game balance before releasing any more level cap increases.

Where did they announce this?

The level cap should be raised to it's maximum, where it will be for the rest of the game, before they worry about this. Any changes made before that would just be messed up by the cap increases.

Once again sounding that there's no reason to change abyssea entry requirements. You don't like a low level chest key-er, then just form your own party and don't use one.

[Penance]

The thing is Square enix is trying to take everyones consideration into account.
Currently you can solo / party inside and outside of abyssea fast or slow. This gives you the option to chose.

There are people who can learn a job very quickly and people who dont know how to do it after doing it slowly (non-abyssea) to 75. Thats not the fault of abyssea, but their unwillingness to learn (or being unable to understand).

Square enix expansions have all started at around level 30. I dont see any point in discussing this as people have different opinions and that will never change. For FF12 some people thought it was one of the best, i thought one of the worst. What ive loved most about Final Fantasy throughout these years is the storyline and the avatars (not the mindless experience farming), on FF11 it includes the friends ive made. For you that might be different but the way its currently implemented allows both ways. FF is not restricting you or forcing you to experience in abyssea nor is it forcing us to stay if we dont like it.

What a few days of no FF makes me reply to

[RAIST]

Where did they announce this?

It was announced a couple months ago in some interviews in JP with gaming mags. Created quite a buzz just before the last update when everyone was expecting a level cap increase to be announced and it wasn't. The implied message was sometime in the summer for the next level increase.

Raist