Originally Posted by
rwyan
Just an example of a system that allows players to play "their" way. As the current Relic weapon quest does, it takes advantage of existing content. Rather than "forcing" players to engage specific content, it "encourages".
At some point during the relic weapon quest, you are provided a de-activated relic. In order to activate, you have to acquire 10,000 relic seals (it could be any number really). You can only get relic seals when the de-activated relic is equipped.
Relic seals are rewarded via a variety of ways:
1. Killing mobs that are of at least level 50 have a random chance of dropping a relic seals. In this case, RNG would be driven by the level of the mob and the number of players in the group (high level mob, more players = more likely to get a seal).
2. Completing leves would also provide players with a chance of getting a seal. Faction and Company leves would offer the best chance.
3. Completing hamlet would guarantee a certain number of seals. A higher score would randomly increase the number of seals rewarded.
4. Attempting hamlet with some degree of success would randomly reward seals.
5. Completing Ifrit, Moogle and Garuda would guarantee a certain number of seals in addition to randomly rewarding more.
6. Attempting Ifrit, Moogle, and Garuda with some degree of success would randomly reward seals.
7. Completing any of the high-level instanced dungeons would guarantee a certain number of seals.
8. Attempting any of the high-level instanced dungeons with some degree of success would randomly reward a number of seals.
9. Earning an achievement would provide you with a seal.
This is just an example. But, it rewards a variety forms of gameplay. Progress is measureable. Randomness is sometimes involved (but only to provide an *extra* reward). It still requires time and the "higher risk" content would provide the best rewards. It recycles already established content mechanisms. Players aren't "forced" to engage content that already has a barrier of entry (full group, time, etc...). In this case, the only crux is having to use a de-activated relic which may increase the challenge of some content.