What other MMO has done this, and why does SE think it's a good idea?

http://www.meh.ro/original/2010_02/meh.ro3567.jpg

Realized I never actually addressed the original topic!

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Originally Posted by Bluevann

So yes, if anyone knows of any other game who made an expansion so strict in its requirements as to force one to beat the whole base game before giving even so much as area access, and was successful, please let me know, cause as of now I really cannot understand SE's decision with this.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic, but that made sense because the entire thing was/is essentially a single-player RPG running on MMO servers, and the expansion planets are a continuation of that linear story. The only real draw is the ongoing story, anyway, so nobody felt cheated.

Though SWTOR's first expansion (haven't tried the second yet) also added a bunch of high-level enemies and objectives onto existing planets that didn't require the expansion at all. That worked... about as badly as you might think for level 16 characters walking past that shiny new level 50+ zone.

There are always pros and cons to any way developers can handle expansion packs. I'm desperately clinging to the vain hope that, in the end, the pros will outweigh the cons. This time, at least.

Well it'll be much more difficult for bots to take advantage of Heavensward content.

Honestly I think this is a great idea. It wouldn't make sense lore wise if you are able to get into Ishgard right away. Since during the whole 2.X story line it is stated time and time again that Ishgard has closed it's gate to all outsiders.

I'm more surprised at the fact people are still not caught up with the story quests outside if the people who only recently joined.

Not to mention to make a thread on the forums like there is something somehow wrong with the devs decision especially when you have quite literally 3months + to finish a storyline that will take you maybe a day or two to catchup on assuming your reading and watching everything...
Loltheseforums.

Hmm, it's a bit surprising that access to the actual location will require completion of all main story quests.

I am slowly getting caught up in the game, and may not finish the main story by 3.0. But so long as I can play an Au Ra and start leveling my current 50's as soon as the expansion is released, I'm okay with being late to the Ishgard party. I'm half expecting the new jobs to be locked away in Ishgard though, which would be kind of disappointing. I was kind of hoping to finish my main story as an Astrologian.

In regards to the second SW:TOR expansion, I believe you do have to complete the story that had been introduced in the previous few patches to access the new areas, as it was a lead-in to the expansion's story. This story had required flashpoints (dungeons); however, they introduced one-time solo versions of these with the expansion so everyone could easily catch up with the story and jump into the expansion.

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Originally Posted by Bluevann

Um, first, I've used FFXI as an example because it's the only game I have played.

Second, you got it all wrong. I'm not talking about people who don't buy the expansion. I'm talking about those who buy it but can't access Ishgard before they do the whole 2.0-2.55 MSQ first.

Thank you for your very constructive, attentive and overall rude answer though.

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A large majority of threads in General Discussion are QQ/Whine and troll bait threads, which is why I sometimes come off rather aggressively when I post here, I apologise.

Now, I know this isn't an MMORPG (it still is an MMOG however), off the top of my head, you need to complete ACT IV in Diablo 3 to play ACT V onwards (expansion pack)

Completly normal to make u play the game before u can pass to the expansion.

Lots of MMO dont even have a main story (L2) btw :S and the ones focused on that will ask u to go tru (The Secret World for example.. u cant just jump to Tokyo expansion without finish the main story), Other like Aion ask u to reach certain point of the Main Story to unlock stuff (Abyss- maps). If u dont like Story focused games prolly a FF its not a good choise for u.

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Originally Posted by Bluevann

Did not try Seekers of Adoulin yet, but I think it's similar to how Treasures of Aht Urhgan worked.

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I only tried it for a month, going in there with respectable gear from abyssea = missfest, barely able to hit things even with sushi. Then they introduced ilvl in FFXI with ridiculous stats.

But alot of MMO does this, at least the Korean ones, Aion, TERA, the new areas are all beyond the current level cap.

I'm honestly a bit annoyed with how they lock so much content behind the main quests. I will have way over the required ilvl by the time I can access the HM Dungeon Roulette because of just one dungeon that is locked way down the road, far, far after the final main quest that starts to give you access to endgame stuff. I know what they are trying to do (hold my hand, and make sure I'm ready for the content, but I'm now i80, tomorrow I'll be i85 probably), and it's just odd. I don't absolutely hate it, I just don't understand why this "lock everything behind main quests" has been taken to the extant that it has.

For example, finally being able to ride a mount! Goodness, I remember thinking I'd never be able to do that, what with being given the run around.

Me: "When do I get to ride my mounts that I got with my game?"

My FC: "At level 20."

Me at level 20: "Why can't I still ride a mount, I thought I could at level 20?"

My FC: "You have to join a Grand Company first."

Me: "How do I do that?"

My FC: "By continuing your main story quest."

Me, forever years later: "Yay! I joined a Grand Company and no-" Frustration mounting. "-I still can't ride my mounts!"

My FC: "Yeah, you have to go do leves until you get 2000 Grand Company Seals."

Me: ".............." The silence chills the air and freezes all who approach my Lalafell for the following few hours.

Anyways, I think I've made my example pretty clear. It just feels a bit excessive the way everything is locked behind main quests.