Item Levels

[Kojo]

It's not going to happen they've already put that gear in the wild. It already broke what could've been when they created item scaling. Unless they give layers free unlocks to match the scaling they already have people are going to be extremely upset either way.

Right now the only thing we can hope for is a complete 180 in the decision making process. If there is anyone who supports scaling in marits speak up otherwise the developers will continue done this distructive item based scaling that further degrades the will to play.

It is destructive.

1. Creates a class system that separates the player base.

2. Creates more content to fill the already limited storage.

3. Forces players to utilize only the current expansion for main growth.

4. All gear content becomes fodder each passing update as its obsoleted in favor of replacements.

5. It's not motivating. Growth is one directional you need to get a specific set or sets of gear to scale up.

I used to be able to mix and match sets from all content. I could generally do well with anything that had good stats. Now we're tied into specific gear sets as a requirement. There is no longer a sense of individuality or personal taste. If you want to get stronger oder content isn't even an option and should just be stored to collect DUST.

I'm not motivated to upgrade because in a few months I'll need to start over to upgrade another exotic item just so it can get outdated (OBLITERATED) again. At least with a merit based scaling I know that the work I invest in my character will remain there no matter what gear I wear. If this was the direction the developers took people won't be all restricted to new content.


The biggest issue is the player opinions of players who cancel instead of speaking up.

SE look at your subscription numbers, if the numbers are dropping FAST it's because of the design choices are failing. Please listen and make the game better. Addictive game play will always win over a frustrating world full of boring endless throw away content. If the merit system was the place scaling was sent to then players across the board would benefit in a positive way.

I know it's very unlikely, but I don't think it's impossible and at this point, I don't think it could hurt much.

Also, the fact that you can fall 6-10 levels or more by taking off a weapon you got in a day and putting on one that took months, or years for some, doesn't sit well with me.

[Jerbob]

Expand equipment variation laterally
This would be preserving the original style of the game up until now.
Keeping relics, mythics, and empyreans at the top, add gear that can be used depending on the situation without creating higher tiers of equipment. No changes to the level 99 cap.


Boost equipment variation vertically
This is the current plan.
Add equipment that surpasses relics, mythics, and empyrean. Player level cap of 99 remains unchanged, but growth takes place via equipment.

This is the root of the problem I have with the whole item level idea. Vertical progression is a TERRIBLE idea for FFXI. As you've already said, it destroys how things have worked for the entirety of the game so far. I understand that you guys want to mix things up a bit and do something radical, but this really is not appropriate. The horizontal progression in FFXI is something extremely positive about the game - sure, it has some drawbacks, but everything does, and as a design paradigm it generally works. I can dabble in a few events, do something different each day or week, and work towards things that aren't mutually excusive while having fun in a varied game.

I do not want to have to replace all of my new equipment every 2 months. I do not want to exclusively spam one piece of content forever in order to move up to the next tier which is already outdated by the time I reach it. I do not want the people I play with who have more or less time than me to perpetually be several "gear tiers" above or below me. I do not want to feel like I'm constantly "in a race" to stay ahead of the New Content Wave, lest I be drowned in the next update and forced down the gear tiers.

I appreciate the in-depth description that you have provided for us, but my answer is No, I do not want this.

[Oddwaffle]

[*]Why not increase the level cap?
To be extremely frank, increasing the level cap was never an option.

So then what were our options?

Below are the two plans:

1. Expand equipment variation laterally
   This would be preserving the original style of the game up until now.
   Keeping relics, mythics, and empyreans at the top, add gear that can be used depending on the situation without creating higher tiers of equipment. No changes to the level 99 cap.
   
   
2. Boost equipment variation vertically
   This is the current plan.
   Add equipment that surpasses relics, mythics, and empyrean. Player level cap of 99 remains unchanged, but growth takes place via equipment.

I believe that there were quite a few who recall that there was a lot of feedback in the past about content difficulty and item stats not matching up, and a lot of equipment having similar stats.

We had come to see the limits of continuing to expand equipment variation laterally, and due to the fact that it wouldn't be possible to change monster strength without character growth as well as the fact that it would be difficult to make a variety of exciting content, the result would turn into only expanding areas, which we did not think was desirable.

As a result based on thorough discussions, while considering the current state of the game as well as the future, we decided to boost the variation of equipment vertically.

There were also a number of other reasons why increasing the level cap was not added as an option.

As I am sure you are all aware, increasing the level cap would cause a number of balance related issues to arise, such as whether the support jobs would remain at 49 or if they could be allowed to go higher, limitations on job abilities and job traits, and also how high the staged increases of job traits would go.

Also, the current UI system used in FINAL FANTASY XI was not created for levels to go above 99, so in order to display parameters for levels over 99 it would be necessary to completely reconstruct portions of the UI.

---

I don't like the direction the game is heading. It took a lot of effort for me to obtain a relic weapon and now Matsui is saying they will introduce more equipments to surpass relic, empy and mythic weapons? So even with the update to REM, FFXI will soon get more items that will render those weapons obsolete?

I don't really feel like playing anymore. Maybe I'll take a break and play something else until I think FFXI is worth playing again.

[Masamune11]

What Matsui doesn't understand is that it makes more sense to find a leach party (especially now when most of the top players have the top gear and can afford leachers) then to spend countless hours trying to get gear that isn't as good as Delve. Leaching NM kills and doing plasm farming is WAY WAY WAY WAY too easy. You already basically ruined what you were shooting for. These July and August updates (besides the storyline) are meaningless. Nobody is going to do anything but Delve when it's easy to leach and the other content is inferior.

Your big mistake was making the best gear content require 18 people. You're into your 11th year of this game. 18 people party requirements should NEVER be an option.

How do you guys not see this?

[Belmonts]

More than ever I would so much wish there is a dislike button to simply express ourselves about what do we think about this Vertical Boost Equipment. Is ridiculous.

It mostly states: "R/E/M users thanks for grinding for years, but your unique weapons, with unique models, unique names, unique ws', are now outdated with a weapon that its model looks like an every day Joe can have, just with an insane base damage. ta-ta"

So sad.

[Zhronne]

Participation on FFXI forums is so limited that it would hardly make a difference Belmonts (compare it to the level of participation you see on FFXIV forums).
Even if 300 people were to press a dislike button on Matsui's post, it's "too late" to change things now.
What Matsui expressed is a core concept upon which they based the ENTIRE EXPANSION, not just what we saw now, but what's about to come (which is not ready yet, but it's been "thought" and conceptualized for sure).

So yeah... this is the saddest part for me. It's something so huge, so big, and yet even if we all agreed it sucks (alas we don't) they would be unable to go back now, it's too late...
Sigh, pure sadness. It's such a frustrating feeling.

[pretre]

maybe im missing something but I didn't read any mention that there was going to be any r/e/m updates at all, did I just miss something as there is allot of posts here asking when r/e/m updates will be

[Umichi]

Item levels help us break past level 99 basically SE is saying Item level is the limit breaker on our damage right?


Edit: and defense maybe?

[Umichi]

also because if they are going to introduce regular level 150 monsters (which would be scary as they'd be on par with NM or something from delve) they would check as IT++ everytime.... makes sense to me they balance the xp since people who still farm merits lose xp still... and even if they don't they use XP to stay caped and maybe just use level 99 as a xp tank thingy.

[FrankReynolds]

I don't know what you just said kid, but you're special.