Unity Concord [dev1237]

[Maledict]

I read the update notes on this feature and the first possible outcome that came to mind with the data provided was that people would immediately pick Aldo or Maat Concord because most of their characters/bazaars are already in Lower Jeuno, then pressure their LSes to do the same in order to maximize that Concord's points. One month later the scoreboard would look something like:

1. Aldo 99999pt
2. Maat 10000pt
3. Pleuje 100pt
4. Flaviria 50pt
5. Naja Salaheem 10pt
6. Ayame 1pt
6. Apururu 1pt
6. Jacoh Wacondalo 1pt
9. Invincible Shield 0pt

So I showed up here to post. Turns out I wasn't the only one. To summarize with the few posts in this thread only thus far:

I am just wondering - do you also plan to motivate people to stay on teams that don't do as well? I can see people all switching to the team that does the best, and no team ever being able to beat it.

This is a main concern of mine. If the system allows for everyone to be on a single Unity and there's nothing unique or desirable about separate Unities, then we'll be bypassing a large reason behind this content simply to have better drops.

[...]

My take of it atm is essentially VW v2 that comes packaged with 1 of 9 additional server wide chat channels, with the best one receiving better loot, causing everyone to flock to it. Gear strength is up in the air as always. I hope by now you've learned that content lives and breaths on the gear you add to it.

I like the idea of joining my favourite Hero's team, my only concern with this so far is it sounds like people will feel compelled to leave their personal favourite Hero team and join the Hero team with the most points and better success/rewards.

Its a fun idea for a system, I like the sound of it but I have concerns about everybody joining the team with the most points.

[Quote emphasis mine.]

Some reading here may not be aware of this, but I've been playing since NA PS2 release and I know for certain that this scenario has happened once before, at XI's population height: where most servers were 90% San d'Orian citizens and Bastok consistently came dead last in Conquest because non-Sandy nations were determined to be "marginally less convenient" and everyone went to the nation their friends went to regardless of personal opinion.

Matsui-tachi, I sure hope you have some way of preventing this from happening again--because if you don't you're likely to be spending multiple months trying to correct the situation or abandoning the system altogether. Please say you have a way.

(P.S.: I should also remind you that this same player behavior is what's currently resulting in people /yelling for only seven jobs in all Adoulin 119+ content--but that's beyond the scope of this post.)