Can Someone Knowledgable or a Dev Please Address This Materia Question/Concern?

Why is it that items don't by default tell you their materia caps? I think it would help with this game's attempt to reach a broader audience if instead of keeping it some secret crafters have to discover, each item told you up front what the materia cap was.

For example, if the materia cap for an item is +6 Vit and the item indicated so UP FRONT, I may opt to purchase one +6 Vit materia or one +4 materia and one +2 materia.

Right now, I have to leave the game and google specific items and their materia caps. IMO, I shouldn't have to leave the game to find information like this.

Am I missing something and the game does in fact tell you the materia cap of an item or are there any plans to change this?

The current window prompt prior to melding materia isn't sufficient. By time you've gotten to that window you have already purchased the materia. It would be helpful to know UP FRONT what the materia caps are for items. Without having to attempt to meld it first.
Thank you!

Hmm.. Not sure, but I use the stats that are on the items as a guide. Or the Libra app, look at the HQ version and figure that's what the stat cap will be. Main stats (Str, Dex, Vit, Int, Mnd, Pie) and secondary stats (Det, Spd, Acc, Crt). Hypothetical example: If HQ Gold Ear Cuffs have 10 Vit, I imagine the cap for Str is 10. If Accuracy is at 12, then I imagine Crit cap is 12 as well. I don't really know for sure, but I'm sure that guess is close enough to accurate based on the lower level stuff I've melded throughout the game.

Maybe there is a formula to figure it out.. I'm probably not qualified to answer this question now that I think about it lol

Thank you for the response WhiskeyBravo! I'll have to check that out.
For the people new to MMOs or FF for that matter, simply telling them up front what they can and can't meld to an item would be immensely helpful.
Personal example: I purchased a Mind materia IV for a crap load of money thinking I could add it to a Vanya Robe of Healing. I knew nothing about crafting or materia, but knew enough to get the mats I needed to get my robe crafted. I saved up a ton of gil to purchase the Mind materia, just to find out that the materia couldn't be added to my robe. My simple understanding of materia melding was, if an item has a slot, you can add materia in that slot. These hidden stat caps seem silly IMO. I dont mind a stat cap, but knowing up front that the cap exists would be very helpful to know. Why make it hidden?
I hope they make the system of materia melding and item stat caps more transparent and easier to understand.

Yea it's not very apparent to first timers, probably should have experimented before trying to meld Vanya :D

As a rule of thumb, most stats that are on the item already are close to max, if HQ they probably are maxed. Materia is more for rounding your gear out with additional stats (critical, accuracy, determination), not so much boosting the main stats like Mind, Strength, Vitality, etc.

I don't understand why even have the caps set up like they do? I mean on some gear using a +6 only nets you +5...well why not just allow it the +6...I mean we are talking 1point or 2 per piece of gear.

I agree with what your saying, if these odd caps are to stay in play, an easier way to see what cap is would be nice. Along with that inventory management needs some love, they need to make it so when you it shows you how many of item you have it displays like total ((amt on person/amt on retainer)....its increasingly hard to track so many items.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zeddy

Right now, I have to leave the game and google specific items and their materia caps. IMO, I shouldn't have to leave the game to find information like this.

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From the story you posted, you didn't use google and look it up.

Either way, Whiskey's method is close. Anything HQ on the marketboard will be automatically maxed on main stats and vit. Usually they'll have 2 secondary stats of which one will be maxed and the other will be short. Once you know the max for that peice of gear for that level, you'll know the numbers for all gears of that level for other classes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hybris-Maenad

From the story you posted, you didn't use google and look it up.

Either way, Whiskey's method is close. Anything HQ on the marketboard will be automatically maxed on main stats and vit. Usually they'll have 2 secondary stats of which one will be maxed and the other will be short. Once you know the max for that peice of gear for that level, you'll know the numbers for all gears of that level for other classes.

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Thats the point. I subsequently used Google. Which, IMPO, seems a bit ridiculous. Instead of keeping this a secret to be found out on the interwebs or figured out by the folks like you, why not just make it clear IN THE GAME what the caps are? Then, I can come to folks like you IN THE GAME with the exact ingredients I need and a big smile on my face to get my materia melding on! ;)

Greetings,

We realize that displaying the stat caps for materia on all equipment would be convenient; however, this would significantly increase the amount of information displayed for each item, and if you are a player that doesn’t have any interest in melding materia this information will be superfluous and may cause confusion. Due to this we do not have any plans of adding this information.

How about adding NPCs in each town? This npc would allow you to select an item in your inventory and then they will display the "hidden potential" of each item.

This information would be relevant in the Materia Melding window, or in some portion of that interface. For example, display the additional capacity for the materia type currently hovered. That's a fairly small amount of data to display at once, and very pertinent to the person performing the activity in question at the time.

Meld->Select item to meld to->While choosing materia to meld additional capacity is shown for the attribute the currently highlighted materia enhances.