Why IS the savage lockout system the way it is?

So this is something that has been kind of annoying to figure out, but is there a reason as to why the savage loot lockout system is the way it is? Like an actual live letter or any kind of conversation involving the FFXIV team at some point?

When I search online for the reasons why the lockout is the way it is, I just end up finding articles that talk about why the lockout system should change.

https://www.mmorpg.com/columns/the-s...ken-2000106634

Like this article from 2017 talks about it and I remember reading it, but then when I try to google search this whole thing nothing official shows up anywhere.

To sum it up, it feels like the entire decision was just made and then despite articles like that one being made, there's been no active conversation from anyone on the FFXIV team as to why the system is the way it is.

The approach being used seems very atypical for the kind of game that FFXIV is, especially since it is touted as being a casual friendly MMO. It would probably be a welcomed thing to at least having it as a subject in a live letter or some conversation.

Predatory "Fear of Missing Out" design to keep you subbed.

People will defend it, say its always been that way so its fine, but thats the truth. Its like that so you can't rush to BiS, so they can make more sub money.

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Originally Posted by Oizen

Predatory "Fear of Missing Out" design to keep you subbed.

People will defend it, say its always been that way so its fine, but thats the truth. Its like that so you can't rush to BiS, so they can make more sub money.

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Half correct.

It's so that people don't blow through the new content within the first couple of weeks and cry later that there's nothing else to do. Its meant to stretch the content, I doubt the majority of people base their sub on savage gear alone. I'd apply the word predatory to the housing system we have though.

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Originally Posted by LianaThorne

Half correct.

It's so that people don't blow through the new content within the first couple of weeks and cry later that there's nothing else to do. Its meant to stretch the content, I doubt the majority of people base their sub on savage gear alone. I'd apply the word predatory to the housing system we have though.

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Is it really "new content" when you're running the same fight, over and over and over and over?

People who really care about this content rushed through it in a month or so and ran out of things to do a while back.

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Originally Posted by Oizen

Is it really "new content" when you're running the same fight, over and over and over and over?

People who really care about this content rushed through it in a month or so and ran out of things to do a while back.

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Yes, because not everyone raids Day 1. Some people did other content first and are just getting into Savage now, as I see new statics still being formed daily on the PF. If you choose to rush through it the first week or two for the flex or bragging rights, that's your choice. It's not one for everyone though.

For the record, I started first week but had to take a month off the game. I'm happy this system is still in place because I still have a chance to get my drops before the next tier drops and not feel rushed.

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Originally Posted by LianaThorne

Half correct.

It's so that people don't blow through the new content within the first couple of weeks and cry later that there's nothing else to do. Its meant to stretch the content, I doubt the majority of people base their sub on savage gear alone. I'd apply the word predatory to the housing system we have though.

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I think it's hard to say you blow through it in a couple weeks when the game effectively forces you to clear for potentially 7-8 weeks to get BiS on one job. I think honestly the loot should be role locked instead of character locked so you have the option to run it multiple times a week on multiple roles so you can gear up more than one role, especially in a game where they encourage you to play multiple jobs. Though my opinion doesn't mean much as I don't have the time/will to PF savage anymore.

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Originally Posted by Oizen

Is it really "new content" when you're running the same fight, over and over and over and over?

People who really care about this content rushed through it in a month or so and ran out of things to do a while back.

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Thing is that's speculation rather than an actual answer from the FFXIV team. The only thing that we can comment on our end about it is the effect the system has on how we play the game. The system causes a lot of social problems among players that doesn't seem to get talked about much. It can and has forced people to choose between playing with friends and playing with those that are more about completing the content, and the system also negatively impacts the quality of life being provided by the party finder tools. It definitely feels like the devs haven't given it much thought if they haven't even bothered to talk about it.

Yoshi-P said he could "write a book" about why the weekly lockout is necessary on tomestones. We can probably assume this applies to anything else with a weekly lockout.

This game allows you the freedom to be casual or hardcore and rewards both, but if there wasn't something to motivate you to login for at least 1 hour in the following weeks, then activity would drop off a lot faster and there would be less people to help you clear new content if you start late.

It's both a stretch of content aswell as burnout protection. Having to clear it multiple times in the first place to get all your gear forces you to be a bit more consistent than just getting in one lucky clear if the fight design doesnt already enforce that.

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Originally Posted by Jeeqbit

Yoshi-P said he could "write a book" about why the weekly lockout is necessary on tomestones. We can probably assume this applies to anything else with a weekly lockout.

This game allows you the freedom to be casual or hardcore and rewards both, but if there wasn't something to motivate you to login for at least 1 hour in the following weeks, then activity would drop off a lot faster and there would be less people to help you clear new content if you start late.

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The tomestone lockout is absolutely necessary for the game and generally is a non-issue since it doesn't impact how people play the content: They just play certain content less after hitting the cap. That and no one really is asking them to get rid of weekly lockouts on savage. More so the design of how the lockout works is suspect and it would help a lot of they did officially talk about the lockout system for savage and why it is the way it is.