[Suggestion] ~ Building off of Final Fantasy XI: Content Concepts
Prethread Warning: If you're opposed to "Final Fantasy XI-2" or believe there's no difference between borrowing concepts and flatout remakes, this topic is regarding their decision to step away from certain XI aspects -- Also this forum is hard to browse and keep up with certain topics as they all eventually derail.
Regarding:
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/261-dev1001-Quests-revolving-around-the-danger-facing-Eorzea
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/291-dev1031-Design-and-release-of-notorious-monsters
"Instance" Content
Many people believe that Final Fantasy XIV "should be it's own game" and "can succeed without being "Final Fantasy XI-2" -- This is true, however sometimes people will say Final Fantasy XIV should use concepts from X,Y,Z MMORPG because they're "standards" -- This always left me confused because why is it bad for it to borrow from it's predecessor but not from a totally unrelated MMORPG?
Predecessor - Every Final Fantasy before it, including XI.
2. Yoshi-P has stated that Dungeons would be more like the "Dungeons" you find in other MMORPGs rather than Final Fantasy XI styled -- One major type of content from Final Fantasy XI was Arena styled fights, for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LPN1xSEMjQ&feature=related
&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHzY0G-e1pU&feature=related (just part 1)
Which are generally accessed through trading an item or mission/quest spec/bought item -- Final Fantasy XIV has these in terms of Quests/Main Scenario Quest, but in terms of general content? Not so much. For example the general content was gaining an orb through trading 20-99 Kindred/Beastmen/etc seals to an NPC in Port Jeuno, this lead to gaining sought after equipment and magic scrolls and so on.
Basically focusing on party/alliance based content. Due to the nature of Classes being changed to give more definition/uniqueness (this is pretty much regarding party based content) my suggestion would be to have the 4 player party setup he's looking at to be dedicated to smaller content like BCNM Arenas from XI, while larger party (8/Alliance) be in regards to the "instance" content from XI like the Odin Fight, or fights like this from the add-on scenario:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlpJfV4-Jk0
Abyssea ~ "Beginning of the end"
(http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Abyssea)
In a nutshell, this content is pretty much the definition of giving players something to do and rewarding you greatly, basically it onslaughts you with a ton of NMs to fight with the eventual goal to fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aHUcgWPju8
One of the Final Fantasy staple bosses. You can either use this content (abyssea) as a means of leveling post 30 (you're leeching at this level though lol) or for the quests to obtain your 3rd version of Artifact Armor (job specific gear) or NMs that will let you upgrade it to +2 -- The overall goal of this content.
Customize your Weapons - Magian Trials
(http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_the_Magians)
This is one of those love it or hate it recent content additions - Basically you're given a base weapon that's..crap to say the least then you go through a series of trials based on what your goal is for the weapon -- From killing a ton of NMs to killing x amount in a specific family. Aside class uniqueness this could also bring about more variations in even currently offered weapons, e.g not two people would have the same Falchion, one could be imbued with Accuracy +20 and one could be with Fire Damage +100 (Example.)
Lay Siege
Assault and Campaign -- Two systems that were more designed for casual players at the time. Assaults are a system where you do objectives at different staging points to gather Assaults points to use for either Salvage (http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Salvage) or to obtain gear. (http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Assault)
Campaign is basically the Crystal War lore to FFXI -- Where you're sent back into the past and can actually participate. It's akin to what the MMO "Rift" built off of. (http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Campaign)
No, I'm not saying to make Final Fantasy XIV into a "Final Fantasy XI-2" -- It shows that XIV could have done well to build off of these content concepts because it would have better gave classes and the battle system more definition, which they now have to work toward. Currently in FFXIV "Guildleves" -- which by the way are:
http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Fields_of_Valor
and
http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Hunt_Registry
Were more built for players with little to no time, yet it's also the only active content found in XIV besides sidequests, which mean it really wasn't built for "party play" and therefore the current armory system works pretty well for it, but you can leve link for better rewards -- but it was typically designed for solo play, which is the whole issue with the armory system when it comes to other type of content.
Abyssea is a very good concept in regards to quests/battle content regarding the dangers (catastrophic event i.e Abyssea or Ragnarok type?) since it not only can give you a great story to go with it, but for those who simply must have it as a form of character progression it can also be the alternate means of leveling.