[Dev 1024] Linkshell Administration Options

Since the old thread got locked, I feel it's time for a new one. As far as I'm aware we haven't been given any kind of specifics on when we'll be getting these options. If we have then please disregard this :p

Despite the amazing announcement of FFXIV 2.0, this issue still looms over the game. It is extremely important that we receive Linkshell administration options as soon as possible. Linkshell leaders need to have the ability to add, remove, promote and demote members regardless of their online status or position in the world.

Linkshell management is a chore in itself as it is now. To add a member you must find them in the world and add them in person, not really a bad thing but a minor inconvenience. Promoting and demoting members is the same, not necessarily awful but an inconvenience nonetheless. The biggest issue has always been removing members who are either not online or not in your immediate vicinity.

I feel this has become even more of an issue now with subscription fees coming up. The game will lose people, this is an unfortunate truth. What is even more unfortunate for Linkshell leaders is that if these people do not leave the linkshell before quitting they will be forced to entirely re-create the Linkshell. Many have gone through this a handful of times already since launch and it is not good for the community.

So in short, it is extremely important that we receive Linkshell administration options as soon as possible. An update would suffice but these kind of options are very important for Linkshells trying to keep the community alive.

No one thinks this is an important issue anymore? Really? The best response I could find is this:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mocchi

I spoke with Minagawa regarding the linkshell list and friends list.

The dev. team is well aware of the issues with the linkshell list and friends list, but it’s going to be very difficult to address in its current state. Therefore, the devs are going to be performing a complete overhaul of the system. With this overhaul, the team is planning to add functions that have been previously requested by the community. These functions include LS messages, the ability to remove players from the linkshell, more variations of LS crests, etc.

There are certain functions that he could add in the current state of the system, but considering how it ties to the communication within the LS, it needs to be checked thoroughly. Therefore, it isn’t something that can be implemented immediately.

I apologize for the inconvenience these issues may be causing, but we promise to improve the LS list, friends list, companies, searching for other players, etc. With these improvements, we believe the communication between the players will become much easier than it is in its current state.

With that said, we would like you to continue providing feedback.

---

While I understand that it's a hard issue to fix, at the very least we need the option to exile regardless of player location or online status. Without Linkshells must be disbanded and created again to get rid of inactive players which is never good for its community. I mean the exile option is currently already there in the menu, I can't imagine how hard it would be to just remove the restrictions on that one option.

((Your topic must have got lost in the dozen pages of threads created since the 2.0 info went live.))

It looks as if the Linkshell system is being rebuilt for version 2.0.

However, this doesn't deal with the next 12 months.

The power to remove a Linkshell Member WITHOUT them standing right next to you or even being online. Seriously, that's all we really need...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Catapult

((Your topic must have got lost in the dozen pages of threads created since the 2.0 info went live.))

It looks as if the Linkshell system is being rebuilt for version 2.0.

However, this doesn't deal with the next 12 months.

The power to remove a Linkshell Member WITHOUT them standing right next to you or even being online. Seriously, that's all we really need...

---

Essentially. I'm fine with waiting for the Free Company system, we just need an exile option that works regardless of location or online status really.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Arcell

Essentially. I'm fine with waiting for the Free Company system, we just need an exile option that works regardless of location or online status really.

---

Actually, I thought I read somewhere that Yoshi-P said that Crystal Tools was so complex, there was no way to reasonable add FFXI-like Linkshell features to the current system...? I'm not to sure about this, though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Liminality

Actually, I thought I read somewhere that Yoshi-P said that Crystal Tools was so complex, there was no way to reasonable add FFXI-like Linkshell features to the current system...? I'm not to sure about this, though.

---

Well my thing is, the exile option is already used in the menu. I don't know how it's programmed but I can't imagine it's that obnoxiously difficult to just remove the location and online status restrictions on it.

I have to agree with the whole Linkshell issue. Right now our LS is full of members that have come from FFXI when FFXIV was released then left the game and haven't been on since then. Same with other people we have recruited into our Social. It saddens me that the only way to remedy this situation is that we have to create a new linkshell and repearl all currently active members. Which means the forum on lodestone will have to have everything moved over on it as well. /sigh
It would be nice if there was an option to remove LS members whether they are online or offline. To have to find someone in the game and remove them you would have to be very decietful and invite them to a pt or event or something then get rid of them that way. Hopefully they do fix the current issue with Linkshell management options as well as add an /lsmes feature to it.

Thankfully the dev team knows how big of an issue this is, sadly we will still have to wait for patch 1.21 before we see this implemented, hopefully it won't get bumped or pushed back. Once they fix and really improve the LS system that will be the last big thing of grips I have for the time being.

I can't wait to see what Yoshi and his team comes up with. :)

Sadly, it's just one of those BAD (Broken as Designed) code issues that can be fiddled with a little, but not properly fixed till a system overhaul.

And that's what 2.0 is for.

se needs to hire a core group of really good programmers who excel at reverse engineering the current game. so who did they outsource the game to ?

My site emails me everytime someone updates a linkshell that has been retired. I then have to go verify my site didnt mess up and delete them. I get like 20 emails a day and constant requests for data to be merged from 1 shell to the other.

SE need to do something, this is just getting so frustrating. Ok that sounds a bit selfish but I bet its worse ingame lol.

lol PV thats shitty. if there is anything i can do to help hit me up.

they've already said it' not possible until 2.0.

is this engine being used for anything else? if not open source it so the community can work with it til patch so we can make our own game better.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Seth_Ahriman

is this engine being used for anything else? if not open source it so the community can work with it til patch so we can make our own game better.

---

What? And undermine the engine v2.0 in development?

That's not how a businessman thinks.

is 2.0 gonna be on the same engine? i honestly do not know some of this, and was just thinking how to get things done. Maybe release code samples so people could help and maybe hire a couple people that are good with it?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Molly_Millions

they've already said it' not possible until 2.0.

---

My only issue is, what makes it impossible to take the online/location restrictions off of the Exile command? Honestly, just THAT would alleviate most of the issues. The Exile command exists in the LS menu, all they have to do is take the restrictions off of it. I'm not sure why that specifically would be impossible until 2.0 but then again I'm not one of the devs so it's hard to say.

I understand that the whole big new LS system will be in place for 2.0, I just hope we get that one feature before then. It's one of the biggest issues that's been around since launch.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Seth_Ahriman

is 2.0 gonna be on the same engine? i honestly do not know some of this, and was just thinking how to get things done. Maybe release code samples so people could help and maybe hire a couple people that are good with it?

---

*facepalm*
No. V2.0 is going to be on a completely new engine.
And SE are paying good money to good people to develop it, specifically to suit this game. There is nothing technical that a modder can or should do at this point to assist - I wouldn't want a stranger telling me how to do MY job. Suggestions and ideas on direction offered through these forums are fine, but not the back-end fiddling.

Now once the engine and UI for v2.0 enter a state considered "finalised", that's a different matter. Then you can go nuts. And Yoshi-P has indicated an interest in eventually opening up the UI source code of v2.0 to facilitate this, but not until it's ready at a base level. They have a plan to follow through on first.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Arcell

My only issue is, what makes it impossible to take the online/location restrictions off of the Exile command? Honestly, just THAT would alleviate most of the issues. The Exile command exists in the LS menu, all they have to do is take the restrictions off of it. I'm not sure why that specifically would be impossible until 2.0 but then again I'm not one of the devs so it's hard to say.

I understand that the whole big new LS system will be in place for 2.0, I just hope we get that one feature before then. It's one of the biggest issues that's been around since launch.

---

I don't think it's that easy. The way this game is set up is that every region is divided between several servers, the reason you can't add or remove somebody at a distance is because their character is actually on a different server. It seems like the limitation is in place because the servers do not communicate to each other well enough. This is essentially the reason they are being replaced in 2.0. So no, from what I've read it's not as easy as just removing the restrictions, they also must completely overhaul the server structure first.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Molly_Millions

I don't think it's that easy. The way this game is set up is that every region is divided between several servers, the reason you can't add or remove somebody at a distance is because their character is actually on a different server. It seems like the limitation is in place because the servers do not communicate to each other well enough. This is essentially the reason they are being replaced in 2.0. So no, from what I've read it's not as easy as just removing the restrictions, they also must completely overhaul the server structure first.

---

Its not really a good excuse when you can kick + invite into party from any region. (Which used to be restricted in beta).

There must be more, or the linkshell system must just be seriously locked down and completely broken.

How it got this bad i have no idea, it wasnt 1-2 developers fault, there are plenty of people who worked on it, and all of them broke something so simple, so bad.

i think they could design a simple oust function to work cross servers. the servers gotta communicate with each other anyway.

when the games fre 2 play sure, i dont mind the awful LS management, if if they wanna charge for this crap then at least give us ousting.