[dev1079] Optional level Cap for dungeons/raids and possibly other content

Hello everyone,

I am starting this thread even though there are other threads discussing this because I want to put in a fresh new idea with a Dev tag.

Here is something I thought about that could satisfy both the people who wants a level cap on dungeon so that the content remain challenging even when going in at higher level and people who wants uncapped dungeon so that people can play the way they want and waltz through lower content if they so wish.

While both have their good points and bad points, I do see that giving more freedom to people is usually a better design. Therefore here is what I think would satisfy the best of both worlds:

Giving the options to cap or not the dungeon.

Capping the dungeon will make all players over the cap be at the cap level (so i.e. if the cap is 30 and a level 50 goes in a capped run, he will be level 30 for the run). by doing so, the boss/bosses have a chance to drop novelty items like special/silly gears, mounts (if they put in more than chocobos, or special chocobos) or maybe even special materia and HQ+3 version of the gears that would drop in uncapped runs (similar to heroic dungeons in WoW BUT with the advantage of have great replay value even when the max level is raised). Even just an achievement for doing so would be better than nothing at this point but it might be just too weak a reward to have players do it and also nullifies the replay value it might gain from cap option.

What do you guys think? Please don't flame, you are entitled to your opinion but just state your opinion and say the why(s) of it while remaining respectful of other's opinions.

Edit: While I know that the current dungeons won't have a cap options since it was confirmed on a french thread that they are uncapped. Please keep in mind that this is a suggestion to improve the game's replay value and longevity for both existing and upcoming players. There is nothing preventing them from implementing something like this in furture updates.

This is a good suggestion, but I think you mean to say in your OP:

Rank 50 character delevel-sync to rank 25 and enters rank 25 dungeon: loot and gear rewards are valuable to reflect the effort and difficulty required to complete the dungeon at the specified level.


Rank 50 character stays at rank 50 and enters rank 25 dungeon just for fun: loot and gear rewards are superficial and visual only - nothing that would be too valuable and ruin game balance because it took minimal effort for the rank 50 to blast through the dungeon.

Is that what you mean?

I don't think leaving the choice up to the player is a good idea because everyone will just stick it on easy mode simply because it's available and they want to save time to do something else. We can speculate all we like, but they will never devise a system that allows players to "choose" that still offers equal risk-reward factor to both parties. Thus one side will always suffer discontent.

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Originally Posted by Rentahamster

This is a good suggestion, but I think you mean to say in your OP:

Rank 50 character delevel-sync to rank 25 and enters rank 25 dungeon: loot and gear rewards are valuable to reflect the effort and difficulty required to complete the dungeon at the specified level.


Rank 50 character stays at rank 50 and enters rank 25 dungeon just for fun: loot and gear rewards are superficial and visual only - nothing that would be too valuable and ruin game balance because it took minimal effort for the rank 50 to blast through the dungeon.

Is that what you mean?

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No I mean the opposite because doing the dungeon with the cap would rewards novelty items or HQ version of the gears, while doing it uncapped will just reward normal drops. Rewarding for harder/skillful play while still allowing players to beat it easily if they just want normal items and move on.

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Originally Posted by Archadius

I don't think leaving the choice up to the player is a good idea because everyone will just stick it on easy mode simply because it's available and they want to save time to do something else. We can speculate all we like, but they will never devise a system that allows players to "choose" that still offers equal risk-reward factor to both parties. Thus one side will always suffer discontent.

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Well if they want they novelty items or best gears they would have to go the hard way, but it still gives the options for normal drops if they want to just do the dungeon the easy way.

Just wanted to add that people who just want to go through content will/should be pleased enough with their reward. Those who wants a challenge but still be rewarded for their effort will be able to do so in those capped runs while not giving them such an advantage over others that it makes capped runs mandatory.

Of course, right now the level 50 dungeon is capped to level 50 so either make the special rewards available now OR later after the level cap is raised so it gives those dungeons (assuming there will be more coming) a replay value.

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Originally Posted by Perrin_Aybarra

No I mean the opposite because doing the dungeon with the cap would rewards novelty items or HQ version of the gears, while doing it uncapped will just reward normal drops. Rewarding for harder/skillful play while still allowing players to beat it easily if they just want normal items and move on.

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Huh? Doing a low level dungeon when you are uncapped is going to be easier because you are 25 levels above the monsters.

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Originally Posted by Rentahamster

Huh? Doing a low level dungeon when you are uncapped is going to be easier because you are 25 levels above the monsters.

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Yup, therefore just giving the normal drops (like level 30 gears). So no harm done.

If on the other hand you do it while under the cap, you have a chance to get novelty/fun items for show OR they can go further and reward HQ version of the gears, so if you are running it to gear your lower class, you have an incentive to run it under the cap and not just going the easy way and one shot everything on your level 50.

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Originally Posted by Perrin_Aybarra

Yup, therefore just giving the normal drops (like level 30 gears). So no harm done.

If on the other hand you do it while under the cap, you have a chance to get novelty/fun items for show OR they can go further and reward HQ version of the gears, so if you are running it to gear your lower class, you have an incentive to run it under the cap and not just going the easy way and one shot everything on your level 50.

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Oh now, that you edited your OP, I see what you mean. You added the HQ stuff, so that would then indeed be more rare, powerful, and valuable to reflect the effort needed to complete the dungeon the hard way.

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Originally Posted by Rentahamster

Oh now, that you edited your OP, I see what you mean. You added the HQ stuff, so that would then indeed be more rare, powerful, and valuable to reflect the effort needed to complete the dungeon the hard way.

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Yup that's what i meant. I think it would give more options and please every type of player. Rewarding players accordingly. And either you are casual or "hardcore" as some likes to put it, it will still be available for everyone. Casuals are entitled to challenging content and appropriate rewards as well.

the lvl cap to the low one should be the starting point for the high one. It would be lame if you were stuck in the middle and not able to enjoy one of the only things to do in the game. Also the dungeons should automatically adjust mob lvls according to the party much like the leve star system but without the player being able to select to keep it challenging.