Interim Report – Sorry to keep you all waiting!

[Mirage]

Because grinding for gear doesn't count as "put in work for your rewards". Are you serious?

[Prrsha]

I've been thinking of deleting my character and washing my hands of MMO's, but I read on the XIV forums that a group of them started again at Phoenix. Are you part of that group? Entertaining the idea of hopping over.

I'm working on it but I am trying to get many of my old friends to form the backbone of this group. Like I said above, the game mechanics don't really reward teamwork like they did in the "old days" so it's a hard sell to win them back to the game. So far I have around 20+ intrested people. When the number gets to around 50 or so, I plan to launch it with some full time leaders so the shell grows quick in a short amount of time (thus will have alot of staying power). I lead MP for 5+ years and it still endures today but RPing LSes are a thing of the past sadly.

Once everything is hammered out (the site, gameplay rules and staff) I plan to launch it around Feb. We have been tossing around ideas for names for the LS, so far none have stuck per say. The rules have already been drafted up and I have been slowly collecting people looking for shells like this on the ala boards and such. If people are going to vest time and money into such an idea, I want it to be a success, so I am proceeding slowly.

My e-mail is Prrsha@hotmail.com if you ever wish to contact me (or any other like minded people who wish to play FFXI in the six party dynamic). Some baseline rules are doing old content at the level cap it was intended to be done at. I have several characters at certain levels just for synching purposes (as do many other members) so yeah, the framework is there. We just need a large tally so there will be enough people on at all time zones so people can find friends and statics to form 6 man PTs with.

Also the LS will heavly focus on mentoring new players and keeping them in game. We will have a few set players just patrolling starting areas looking for new blood. We want FFXI to succeed as well as everyone else does and for that to happen, it needs new player retention.

[Prrsha]

Because grinding for gear doesn't count as "put in work for your rewards". Are you serious?

Oh it does, I just find it odd that Acron finds exping and obtaining gear not one in the same time sink.

[Byrth]

ToAU-ish Level 75 events:
Sky - Farm pops, pop gods with pretty simple AI, kill gods, get gear.
Sea - Farm pops, pop jailers with unique AI, kill jailers, get gear.
EXP - Fight monsters for RL weeks, eventually obtain level 75
Ground - Bot harder than the next LS, fight an easy battle (for anyone who can count to potato), get gear.
Einherjar - Clear mini-dungeons with unique bosses, clear boss dungeon, get gear.
Buffering - Fight the same monsters for short bursts, continue being 75
Nyzul Isle - Climb down/up the randomly generated dungeon floors, clear boss fight, get gear.
Salvage - Clear unique dungeon, kill NMs, kill boss, get gear.
Meriting - Fight the same monsters for RL weeks, eventually cap merits
Assault - Fulfill unique objectives, clear dungeon, get gear.
Dynamis - Coordinate an 18+ man alliance to clear challenging dungeons, get gear.

Can you spot the difference? I'll give you a hint. Three of the listed events are actually just boring grinds put into the game due to cover for the lack of other endgame content.

[Mirage]

Oh it does, I just find it odd that Acron finds exping and obtaining gear not one in the same time sink.

Probably because it is less repetitive, and actually starts to touch that part of the game where you need to know what you're doing. Considering it is pretty different from how you played during exp, and that you'll be doing it for a longer time, the knowledge and skills you acquire here are actually useful.

[Caketime]

Treating an NM like a Pinata until the particular piece of candy you want comes out is not any less repetitive than stabbing crustaceans for experience points over and over again. I don't think it helps anyone learn anything either, other than spawn conditions.

[Prrsha]

ToAU-ish Level 75 events:
Sky - Farm pops, pop gods with pretty simple AI, kill gods, get gear.
Sea - Farm pops, pop jailers with unique AI, kill jailers, get gear.
EXP - Fight monsters for RL weeks, eventually obtain level 75
Ground - Bot harder than the next LS, fight an easy battle (for anyone who can count to potato), get gear.
Einherjar - Clear mini-dungeons with unique bosses, clear boss dungeon, get gear.
Buffering - Fight the same monsters for short bursts, continue being 75
Nyzul Isle - Climb down/up the randomly generated dungeon floors, clear boss fight, get gear.
Salvage - Clear unique dungeon, kill NMs, kill boss, get gear.
Meriting - Fight the same monsters for RL weeks, eventually cap merits
Assault - Fulfill unique objectives, clear dungeon, get gear.
Dynamis - Coordinate an 18+ man alliance to clear challenging dungeons, get gear.

Can you spot the difference? I'll give you a hint. Three of the listed events are actually just boring grinds put into the game due to cover for the lack of other endgame content.

Exactly my point. SE needs to add low-mid level content so the climb to 75 (end game) is not just the primary focus for new players.

Again this link is really relevant: http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode...cing-for-skill

FFXI has turned into a "FOO"fest and exping right now is a primary example it.

If the dev thinks the exp system is just an afterthought in the FF universe then like I said, it is best to leave FFXI as the golden game it was and make a different "vision" of a new MMO (I am speaking in terms of backbone game design) in another game.

Respect FFXI as the game it was designed to be and leave it as a game in the "Golden Era" in the series that is called Final Fantasy. If you want the "future" of a MMO make a new game in SE's so called "modern era" (FF14). (They named and placed games in eras not me) :P

[Mirage]

Lv75 is midgame

[Prrsha]

Lv75 is midgame

Midgame currently but not in past... but yeah I get your joke. XD

I was speaking in terms of the void that existed of things to do before the level cap was raised... problems that still exist now. Sure there is garrison, ecowarrior and expeditionary force but like another poster pointed out they were a bit flawed. You always needed a clearer in most of them of higher level (which really didn't get to participate in the event itself).

Frankly speaking, I'd like SE just to add a simple option for now. A choice to cap CoP areas when you enter them or not. It would make doing them the old way easier for those players who wish more of a challenge. A simple toggle switch wouldn't be too hard to code, I wouldn't think. That way players of both mindset could have a choice, not be forced to do so. Synching down is a pain in the but right now. You always need a puppet character needed of that level.

Another thing that needs addressing asap for new player retention is the placement of level 80 mobs in areas 1 or 2 zones from starting towns. It makes doing low level quests a royal pain in the butt for new people. Why there are bats that can slaughter the entire town of Bastok, a zone a way (where the NPCs mine) is just silly.

[Mirage]

Well, it makes no sense to refer to what was midgame in 2006 when it currently is 2012, just like you wouldn't call level 25-30 midgame when the level cap was 75, even if it was midgame when the cap was 50.

Actually, when you're about lv 60(and that is most certainly midgame), there is a lot of stuff you can actually do without raising your level even further. You can start doing your AF quests, for example, which offer somewhat interesting storylines in some cases. You can quest a lot of scrolls, you can do a lot of missions without needing help, and you can probably get past all the promyvions. You can unlock a lot of the advanced jobs as well.

It's not the game's fault that people wait until they are level 99 before they start doing these things. People just usually do it when they've hit the cap because it's easier.