Interim Report – Sorry to keep you all waiting!

[Arcon]

My comments just aren't focused on levels. The above examples: Doing missions, winning battlefields, progressing through events and building your character by improving on skill and gear... I am addressing that as well. I just don't think a player should have to be level 99 to do it, or have fun.

I agree on the fun part, but disagree on the statement that a low level player should be able to do that. Because building your character is an extension of the leveling system, it's what happens after levels can't go any further. Developing your character at level 50 is pointless if it becomes obsolete again just a few levels later. Of course leveling should be fun, but it isn't, and I can't even think of a way how it possibly could be, unless you make it play through a pre-programmed course that forces you to fight through customized mission-style battles to progress.

The major complaint I have with EXP is that it was a boring and tedious grind. If SE were able to magically fix that somehow, then yes, it may be fun again. But first, it wouldn't do anything for high level players, which is almost everyone by now, and second, it's pretty much impossible to implement. If you can think of a fun way to introduce EXPing again, do tell. But for the first reason, I will still be against it.

Edit: As for the road to 99 being a minor part of the game, SE has tossed 75% of their enjoyable story content out of the window for new players by focusing so much on the rate of climb to 99. The vets have their levels and endgame content galore but SE axed their beginning content when they removed level caps for zones and lifted the level cap past 75. It threw off the balance and challenge of many of the expansions, storyline areas and storyline quests.

Very true. But here's the thing: people who are actually leveling without leeching and want to experience that content while they're leveling can still do that, and some of them still do it, and they don't complain about it. You do.

Have you replayed CoP, Zillart as level 99? It just seems like a dev's afterthought now. It doesn't do justice to any of the creators.

I have, and again, I agree. It's no issue for me, because I've already done it, as have most people who still play. Same as before, SE made a conscious decision to introduce new content tailored to older players in favor of newer players, which is a rational choice given the distribution of the player population. If they left the level cap, they would have made it almost impossible to complete for new players, because fewer people are around, and of those fewer are willing to help, and of those even fewer are prepared. The times of keeping extra level capped gear is over (and it was before the level cap increase too), and everyone just syncs their equipment, which isn't nearly as good as proper weapons.

Eh? A MAJOR problem with forming a six man party dynamic is the dreaded LFP flag. This has been a #1 complaint for years and years...

Dead wrong. It is a major annoyance, but not a problem at all. If you wanna party, you type /inv. If you're looking for members, you type /sea all <whatever criteria you desire>. It has never prevented anyone from teaming up for anything. I have never heard anyone complain that it was actually preventing them to party up with people.

Ummm... that's exactly what SE wants. Players who can play casual if they wish (and take part in group events and have fun) and other players who want more from FFXI and wish to take it up a knotch and keep increasing their powers for a change of pace.

But what's the motivation in "taking it up a knotch [sic]" if you still do the same crap as the Lv20 guy? Level-scaled content can exist, but it will never work simultaneously. The Lv20 guy can not fight the same mob as the Lv99 guy, and he can not get the same reward. And if that's the case, why fight it at Lv20? Why not level to 99 and fight it then?

I used to believe that leveling still held some merit, even if I personally don't really care for it. Now I just say levels are an entire unnecessity. SE should auto-cap everyone to 99.