New 2-hour Abilities

[saevel]

Heh thought you guys would get a kick out of this.

Tanaka's Bible

and

Players Responce to Tanaka's Bible

Then finally

Tanaka's answer to the Players responce

[Dragoy]

A couple of days late bye... for years upon years I have been saying that the 2 hour wait is unneeded, and that it should be reduced to preferably 30 minutes, or at least, 45-60. I had to read the post quite a few times to believe in that it is actually, finally, being thought upon!

I guess anything and everything really is possible. ^^

Not that I believe my word(s) have been seen, but it is nice to see that there are at least some people within the developer ranks who think the same way. So even if it is early to say this, I say thank you, for it will certainly improve my gaming experience if I am still playing at the time. It's not really a big deal all in all, but sometimes it is the small things that matter the most!

Even if I were not to play at the time, I will still look from afar with great interest, how the world of Vana'diel evolves.


Likewise, deciding to separate the new abilities from each other (recast timers) I agree just as well, and I guess anyone could have seen the Embrava and Perfect Defense 'nerfs' coming. It will not affect me, I guess, since I've never even been cast Embrava upon, and only a few times have I been under the effect of Perfect Defense. Obviously I do not do NYzul Isle Investigation II nor Legion due to obvious reasons.

While I do not have any suggestions and thoughts to share really before I can do more testing, I just wanted to say: ありがとう, because I like the direction this is going (for now at least).

It will also be interesting to see if anything will finally be done about the 'locking of buffs' as well with the changes to content that heavily seem to depend upon Embrava and Perfect Defense, since that surely is not intended game-play...


Blubb!

[Tamarsamar]

One thing that I liked about Matsui's post is that he actually grasps the concept of "game balance." Game balance (in terms of a PvE game like FFXI) is impossible when the game is a constant arms race between the players and newer, more strongerer and double-unkillable mobs. That's actually the exact opposite of game balance, where the game becomes a farce of its former self reduced to one dominant strategy at a time.

It certainly didn't help that in FFXI's earlier years, balance heavily relied upon players not knowing what certain statistics did. Turning "Attack" into damage is a needlessly convoluted process, as a prime example (versus, say, Magic Attack Bonus for spell damage, though Magic Resistance is pretty convoluted itself).

What game balance actually is, to get back to my original point, is ensuring that the game doesn't reduce to the ridiculous arms race mentioned above. Always "more power" a la Tim Taylor will eventually cause your game to collapse (also a la Tim Taylor). The players are actually the crux of this problem for the game designer: they will always pursue what's the most powerful option for them. You fix the TP return on Weapon Skills so Monks can't Asuran Fists back-to-back-to-back, and the players ruthlessly and relentlessly sing a years-long dirge on the "nerfing" of Dragoon's Penta Thrust WS. I feel that lately (over the past few years), the dev team has been too scared of player feedback to cut back on innate player power any more, barring obvious extreme situations, and has instead pursued balance between the jobs with buffs buffs and yet more buffs. In pursuit of making more challenging content, more and more obscenely powerful monsters are designed to compete with the players. And the players whine and complain for more buffs.

This continues ad infinitum in a vicious cycle until someone says "enough is enough." While what Matsui has said regarding PD and Embrava is all-in-all a rather modestly proposed cutback, it's an important step in the right direction. If Matsui is the man to say "enough," to rein the game back under control before players are ambushed by Hundred Fist TP-Draining Enfeeble-immune mobs in Adoulin, the game can only benefit in the long run as a result.

[saevel]

The concept behind EVERY FFXI BOSS

FFXI BOSS's

[Sekhmet]

I just thought of a new Sp ability for bst, since it's pretty unanimous that the pet absorbing one is undesirable to the player base. How about the SP ability calls a random jug pet at normal power levels according to the bsts' current lvl. This pet would only stay for 5 mins, otherwise the bst would have a free pet constantly. This would be a kind of 'oh crap' button for bst if they lose their pet in the middle of a fight, and call beast isn't up yet. this fits with the player base idea that without a pet, bst is helpless.

[Caketime]

I just thought of a new Sp ability for bst, since it's pretty unanimous that the pet absorbing one is undesirable to the player base. How about the SP ability calls a random jug pet at normal power levels according to the bsts' current lvl. This pet would only stay for 5 mins, otherwise the bst would have a free pet constantly. This would be a kind of 'oh crap' button for bst if they lose their pet in the middle of a fight, and call beast isn't up yet. this fits with the player base idea that without a pet, bst is helpless.

It's not an idea that BST is helpless without a pet, it's a fact. Next time you get a chance, use Leave during an NM fight and tank with your chin. Also, I anticipate an ability like this consistently summoning the most useless pet possible in nearly every situation.

[Calatilla]

It's not an idea that BST is helpless without a pet, it's a fact. Next time you get a chance, use Leave during an NM fight and tank with your chin. Also, I anticipate an ability like this consistently summoning the most useless pet possible in nearly every situation.

Not to mention, if Charm was relevant BST wouldn't need an ability to summon a useless pet every 5 mins

[Sekhmet]

It's not an idea that BST is helpless without a pet, it's a fact. Next time you get a chance, use Leave during an NM fight and tank with your chin. Also, I anticipate an ability like this consistently summoning the most useless pet possible in nearly every situation.

I appreciate your opinion, but I do not appreciate your tone. If my use of the word apparently offended you, I apologize. I simply believe that everyone should be aware that there are people who think differently, and their opinions should not be dismissed out of hand. If everyone who thought differently was dismissed, none of us would be using these wonderful computers, or talking on cell phones, or using electric lighting.

I was merely suggesting an alternative ability because the ones suggested by the developers were apparently underwelming to the player base. The ability I suggested is not supposed to replace call beast or the jug pets, It is meant as a temporary measure until the bst can use call beast again. It is more in the vein of a defensive ability then an offensive ability. Look on it like a bst version of the pup ability Deus Ex Automata. As for the pet having a high chance of being inappropriate to the danger at hand, how many bsts carry a full compliment of jugs for every situation? In my experience, the only pet I see being used on a regular basis is Falcorr. However, if the random aspect is too disappointing for you, make it so the last pet called with call beast is called by this ability. Also, Catatilla, This ability would have an hour recast, 30 mins with merits, So the pet would only be around for 5 mins out of 30, maximum.

[Caketime]

I appreciate your opinion, but I do not appreciate your tone. If my use of the word apparently offended you, I apologize. I simply believe that everyone should be aware that there are people who think differently, and their opinions should not be dismissed out of hand. If everyone who thought differently was dismissed, none of us would be using these wonderful computers, or talking on cell phones, or using electric lighting.

I was merely suggesting an alternative ability because the ones suggested by the developers were apparently underwelming to the player base. The ability I suggested is not supposed to replace call beast or the jug pets, It is meant as a temporary measure until the bst can use call beast again. It is more in the vein of a defensive ability then an offensive ability. Look on it like a bst version of the pup ability Deus Ex Automata. As for the pet having a high chance of being inappropriate to the danger at hand, how many bsts carry a full compliment of jugs for every situation? In my experience, the only pet I see being used on a regular basis is Falcorr. However, if the random aspect is too disappointing for you, make it so the last pet called with call beast is called by this ability. Also, Catatilla, This ability would have an hour recast, 30 mins with merits, So the pet would only be around for 5 mins out of 30, maximum.

Ah, condescension. My favorite form of flattery. This suggestion is bad, BST who aren't dumb bring multiple pets to the field and would never have a reason to use this, just like the current proposed two hour ability. It's like a novelty bong, it's fun th first few times but it's just not practical.

[Zhronne]

FANTASTIC NEWS.

Nobody can know how this will play out on the long run and if they will really be able to keep their promises, but so far it's looking good and looks like Matsui REALLY knows this game, what's going on, what's working and what's broken.