Dev response to Server Merge please.

[Dale]

I don't know what time limits you are talking about but 30mins in a battlefield is fine imo, Delves never really an issue of time either.

I've done a lot of skirmishes where time is a serious factor. For example: trying to 2 man a Ra'Ka skirmish in the amount of time they give you is pretty hard. At least for us. We've been able to 3 man it - but even then there wasn't a lot of room for error. And we are pretty well geared. Not amazingly geared but well enough.

Also, the time limits on a lot of those notorious monster fights in Adoulin are way too short. A lot of casual players (like me) would like to be able to work on our plasm reserves in our off-time but can't, because there just isn't enough time for me to solo them. And I miss the days when I could wander around soloing NMs for fun while waiting for my friends to get online as I used to do in abyssea when that place mattered.

In my opinion time limits are an uncreative way to add challenge to any fight and should only be implemented on a very limited occasion. To rely on them as your chief source of challenge is flawed game design IMHO. It's also an impediment to a smaller group of friends being able to get things done.

[InpendingDeath]

Maybe but I doubt it. Chances are the amount of open-minded players would be drowned out by the influx of new elite-minded players; especially in regards to activities on shout. Rarely if ever do I see people shouting for all-comers. They usually always want very specific and ideal job combinations - the cookie-cutter set ups as you refer to them. And I doubt this would change after a server merge even though having these specific set ups isn't necessary at all.

Part of the problem is after someone views themselves as becoming an elite and taste the so-called endgame they have this habit of viewing the entire game in that very limited context. So even when doing something as simple as a chapter 1 REM battlefield for example they act as if they are getting ready to do some very difficult endgame alliance raid. I see it happen all the time. A battlefield you can solo yet I see players making a huge fuss about what job and gear everyone has. It's silly and very punishing to casuals who are trying to gear up I agree. I wish I could change their minds but I can't. They are set in their ways and for some it makes them feel special to exclude others.

I don't really think there is a good solution to this. I wish there was. But there isn't. That's why my best advice is to try and build a circle of friends you can depend on to help you with content and not nitpick of every minor detail. But I do now recognize that may be more difficult to do in today's climate. Most of my friends are from older times when the difficulty on this game was merciless and people were all but forced to befriend each other if they wanted to succeed. That is less the case now - so I'm sure that has lead to people being a lot more anti-social.

Yeah I agree, Tho I can understand if there trying chapters on Difficult or VD why they want their PLDs with ochain aegis and such. I agree with a lot of people being anti-social but I think it's more the case I have the items I want I don't need to do that shout content, but if I didn't I would join. I haven't noticed but do you get CP at the end of Merit BCs or only SKCBCs? Even if they added that if it wasn't there it's such a small amount I don't think it'd drive someone into joining a shout.

[InpendingDeath]

I've done a lot of skirmishes where time is a serious factor. For example: trying to 2 man a Ra'Ka skirmish in the amount of time they give you is pretty hard. At least for us. We've been able to 3 man it - but even then there wasn't a lot of room for error. And we are pretty well geared. Not amazingly geared but well enough.

Also, the time limits on a lot of those notorious monster fights in Adoulin are way too short. A lot of casual players (like me) would like to be able to work on our plasm reserves in our off-time but can't, because there just isn't enough time for me to solo them. And I miss the days when I could wander around soloing NMs for fun while waiting for my friends to get online as I used to do in abyssea when that place mattered.

In my opinion time limits are an uncreative way to add challenge to any fight and should only be implemented on a very limited occasion. To rely on them as your chief source of challenge is flawed game design IMHO. It's also an impediment to a smaller group of friends being able to get things done.

I can understand why they wouldn't want the outside delve NMs to be timeless for the fact people would hold up other groups trying to do the same content, I've always just done shout skirmish and there always full so never worried about time I'd have to try doing with less people to really reply on that.

[Dale]

Yeah I agree, Tho I can understand if there trying chapters on Difficult or VD why they want their PLDs with ochain aegis and such. I agree with a lot of people being anti-social but I think it's more the case I have the items I want I don't need to do that shout content, but if I didn't I would join. I haven't noticed but do you get CP at the end of Merit BCs or only SKCBCs? Even if they added that if it wasn't there it's such a small amount I don't think it'd drive someone into joining a shout.

I did a difficult battlefield other day with a pair of dragoons and no mages and I don't have an aegis or ochain. Least not yet (working on the latter ^^). So even on higher difficulties these ideal set ups aren't really necessary. The reject jobs as they were referred to earlier are more than capable.

Most shout groups I see tend to be expecting normal difficulty. I think the higher difficulty levels are meant more as an extra challenge for seasoned players who are skilled at playing with one another to push their limits. I don't really think SE intended them for pick up groups. But that's just a guess because I'm not channeling the thought-processes of SE's staff.

As far as capacity points - I can't remember if I got any or not. I know everyone gets a chapter and some gil out of it. Maybe they should add a NPC that lets players exchange 3 chapters they don't need for one they do - like they do with the job capes. That might would help.

[Dale]

I can understand why they wouldn't want the outside delve NMs to be timeless for the fact people would hold up other groups trying to do the same content, I've always just done shout skirmish and there always full so never worried about time I'd have to try doing with less people to really reply on that.

I don't remember it being much of an issue in Abyssea when they allowed it. In any case, they could at least increase the time some so people could solo them for beads. I don't see what harm that would do.

[InpendingDeath]

I don't remember it being much of an issue in Abyssea when they allowed it. In any case, they could at least increase the time some so people could solo them for beads. I don't see what harm that would do.

Yeah, I've noticed also a lot of Abyssea monsters have 3 spawn points where others just have 1.

[Olor]

I'm not sure what you mean when you say this game punishes people for being casuals. I can certainly understand how other players do. But if you could elaborate on why you feel the game does I would comment.

Because Normal and below battlefields drop essentially nothing (except chapters), and no, special snowflake jobs with average gear cannot clear higher difficulties. Normal should be at least a reasonable drop rate - or the entry fee for entering lower difficulty fields should be lower so that people can do them more times (so still rewarding higher difficulties by making them more efficient, without making it unrealistic to even bother trying to get items on lower difficulties)

This is a game design flaw, not a player design flaw. Again, look at abyssea - that content was designed to be welcoming to new players and casuals because the entry fee was low and the rewards were able to be shared better (every monster dropping several things pretty much, and then ATMA as an infinitely shareable reward)

Forcing people to use full amount of seals/merits to do lower difficulties means there is a HUGE disincentive to fool around/be causal/help people out. Essentially people are being elitists about it because the time sink to even qualify to enter the content is so large.

[Dale]

Yeah, I've noticed also a lot of Abyssea monsters have 3 spawn points where others just have 1.

Yeah some did. So they could always add more points like that if it became a problem too.

[Dale]

Because Normal and below battlefields drop essentially nothing (except chapters), and no, special snowflake jobs with average gear cannot clear higher difficulties. Normal should be at least a reasonable drop rate - or the entry fee for entering lower difficulty fields should be lower so that people can do them more times (so still rewarding higher difficulties by making them more efficient, without making it unrealistic to even bother trying to get items on lower difficulties)

I'm not sure what you mean when you say special snowflake jobs with average gear.

What I do know is you do not need the ideal or cookie-cutter set up to complete difficult content on this game. I know this from personal experience. And difficult content isn't meant for average players anyway. It's not suppose to be easy and is meant to be a test for above-average players. That is the whole reason for having the higher difficulty levels to begin with. And casual players can be just as skilled as other players after all.

All that being said, I really wouldn't have a problem with increasing the drop rates for normal modes though. That's fine by me. So I'm not really in disagreement with you on this point. I'm just clarifying that it's a myth you need certain jobs or certain set ups to complete difficult content on this game. Because you don't.

[InpendingDeath]

Sorry I wasn't accusing you. I was saying that someone would do it.

Devs haven't responded to this topic yet, but there are plenty they have and which people continue to inquire. H-P Bayld being one off the top of my head.

On a side note, Looked back in the dev responses as far back as 2011 and didn't see them mention anything on the subject. While some agree/disagree with it would be nice for them to acknowledge it and give some sort of statement so people would know/quit asking about it.