Commerce System

Hello!

I would like to propose the implementation of a commerce system in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, which will explain in greater detail momentarily. This new system would give veteran players a reason to revisit early areas of the game as well as work with newer players. Of course, there would be rewards for participating. Now, please allow me to explain two different scenarios below:

1. Grand Company-based Commerce

In this system, players would pick up a mission via their Grand Company headquarters or perhaps even the various camps/settlements around the world. To initiate the mission, you would travel to the starting point and select "Initiate" from the Journal, similar to how leves work. Once there, the player would be mounted atop a Commerce Chocobo (which can be upgraded to carry more goods. First you would get a chocobo with saddlebags/light load, single chocobo-drawn cart/medium loads, double chocobo-drawn cart/heavy loads) and would travel to a certain destination (a settlement, city, or camp). Along the way, Beast Tribesmen, bandits, or Garleans of a level similar to yours would spawn at certain points along your journey and attempt to stop you by destroying your goods. Once your goods' HP is reduced to 0, commerce would end and the player would fail the mission. Some of these encounters, you could attempt to avoid but every once in awhile, you would be surrounded or ambushed. Trying to avoid encounters by going around the spawned enemies would put your goods in danger. Once you arrive at your destination, you would be awarded Gil and Allied Seals. As you continue to commerce, the player would unlock longer trips, which would be more dangerous, but more rewarding at the same time. Eventually, you'd be able to take goods from Gridania to Ul'Dah, Ul'dah to Limsa Lominsa, or any combination. These missions can be attempted solo, light party, or fully party. The more people participate, the greater the rewards but the more encounters also.

2. Ul'dah-based Merchant Guild

In this alternate system, players would pick up the quest to unlock the commerce system from Ul'dah, since it is known for trading and would make sense lore-wise. In this system, the combat and design would be the same as mentioned previously, but in order to unlock longer trips, the player would have to increase their reputation through trading. Each trip would reward the player with reputation points (similar to the Beast Tribe quests). These commerce trips could be attempted solo, light party, or full party as before.

In summary:

1. Trade goods to city-states, settlements, and camps via Grand Company or Merchant Guild in Ul'dah.
2. Party up with others for greater challenge/greater reward.
3. Three types of Commerce Chocobo (light saddlebags, medium single chocobo-drawn cart, heavy double chocobo-drawn cart).
4. Allied Seals/Gil as rewards, possibly new Commerce-themed minions/gear/achievements (possibly section added to the Challenge Log) for sale for Allied Seals.
5. Reputation points to unlock longer/more difficult trips.

All in all, I think this would be a really fun way to make more Allied Seals and meet other people. If you like this idea or have any suggestions or questions, please feel free to discuss below.

This seems like a really good idea. I'm surprised a system like this isn't already implemented. I would definitely go for something like this.

What you're describing was actually implemented towards the end of version 1.0 - it was called 'Caravan Security' and was a requirement for creating relic weapons. Presumably SE decided it was too complex or difficult though and instead cut it down to the basic 'escort FATEs' we now have in ARR.

If you're after Allied Seals, just do the daily and weekly Hunts, you'll soon gain a fair few seals. :)

The idea is interesting and I like it but I think you'd need a better reward then Allied Seals to entice the end-gamers to do so much work. Maybe add Eso Tomes to the higher level missions and a good amount of EXP for lower level?