For The New Players! Single Completion, Single Player Dungeons.

there had been multiple cases of toxicity and new player feedback on dungeons of all kinds. cases that include players within a party rushing objectives and skipping cut-scenes with valuable information and lore, leaving new players in the dust.

it is a flawed game design to force new players to play dungeons with other try-hard veterans just to progress the story.

this cannot happen forever, which is why i suggest giving us modified single player dungeons that can be completed once and only once. this will allow players to get a good perception of the dungeons and work better with other players the next time they play the same dungeon.

"just watch the cut-scenes via Inn/youtube"

there is nothing like playing a dungeon and keeping a consistent flow with cut-scenes while playing the dungeon.

"ask players nicely"

while i do not doubt that there are good players out there, i do not believe that every player you come across is going to be nice.

"this is not a single player game"

so suddenly adding single player dungeons that can only be played once makes the game single-player? of course it doesn't.

I see very little toxicity agaisnt new players, and forcing them to play alone until the end seems like a poor idea honestly...

The only place its an issue is castrum and praetorium, but even then, its typically little more than left behind.

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Originally Posted by MrSmiley

The only place its an issue is castrum and praetorium, but even then, its typically little more than left behind.

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This. You can blame the devs for implementing absurdly long cutscenes in the middle of a duty.

Veterans queuing via DF is what allows new players to clear those dungeons and trials in a reasonable time frame, though?

Unfortunately people like to prove why we can't have nice things. That said, I've also run into new/returning players that refuse to listen to my advice (my mentor tag isn't for show like most), or are outright disdainful; this toxicity runs both ways.

tl;dr it's not a design flaw. Just people not behaving around others.

There's only a few instances of cut-scenes being obnoxiously skipped in a dungeon leaving ppl behind. That's the ones nearing the end of the base game content. SE has since learned from that mistake and now no dungeon has that problem. The cutscenes will always be before you queue up and/or after you finish.

For those few exceptions at level 50, yeah it sucks. But changing it will be unlikely since it would require a lot of programming and re-balancing for something that is only a problem once per person. Your best solution will be to find a friend or FC member that would be willing to do the dungeon while taking it slow.

Knowing that my friend was at that dungeon, I invited him for an unsynced run where I just browsed the web for a bit while he was watching the cutscenes.

While there are issues with toxic players, I don't think its healthy for mmos to facilitate single player behavior. FFXIV is one of the few mmos where you can't do everything solo and I think it needs to keep this unique distinction. It's good for the longevity of the game and encourage's group play. Something a lot of mmos lack.

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Originally Posted by MrSmiley

I see very little toxicity agaisnt new players, and forcing them to play alone until the end seems like a poor idea honestly...

The only place its an issue is castrum and praetorium, but even then, its typically little more than left behind.

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not forcing. simply an option. i never mentioned this before, but that's character limit for you. basically, i would want every dungeon to have one time only single player mode, but the mode itself to be completely optional.

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Originally Posted by rachcouture

Veterans queuing via DF is what allows new players to clear those dungeons and trials in a reasonable time frame, though?

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this is not the case if they do not have to when the devs could modify each dungeon for a single player run.

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Originally Posted by Selova

While there are issues with toxic players, I don't think its healthy for mmos to facilitate single player behavior. FFXIV is one of the few mmos where you can't do everything solo and I think it needs to keep this unique distinction. It's good for the longevity of the game and encourage's group play. Something a lot of mmos lack.

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then this concept of outdated. people like single player regardless and it would not drastically affect the game if each dungeon is available for single player once.

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Originally Posted by Aerowaffle

There's only a few instances of cut-scenes being obnoxiously skipped in a dungeon leaving ppl behind. That's the ones nearing the end of the base game content. SE has since learned from that mistake and now no dungeon has that problem. The cutscenes will always be before you queue up and/or after you finish.

For those few exceptions at level 50, yeah it sucks. But changing it will be unlikely since it would require a lot of programming and re-balancing for something that is only a problem once per person. Your best solution will be to find a friend or FC member that would be willing to do the dungeon while taking it slow.

Knowing that my friend was at that dungeon, I invited him for an unsynced run where I just browsed the web for a bit while he was watching the cutscenes.

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it does not matter if the developers can edit each dungeon for one single player run. i do not doubt they can do it, that is one reason why i pay money for this game.

The only toxicity I keep seeing are "veteran" players losing their tempers and being terrible to jump potion users verses treating them like the sprouts with lots of buttons they actually are.

I can't decide if every jump potion player I've met being a peach is damn good luck or the result of me not blaming them for wanting to enter the newer and better content as soon as they could and treating them the same as any other newbie...

Is this thread about dividing new players and vets, so the devs can remove level-synch from the roulettes?

This isn't a single player game.

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Originally Posted by Mysticdraggon

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Just because players like something, in this case solo play, it does not mean it's a good idea. Not every game/mmo needs to cater to the enigma that is the solo player in a online game. If you don't like it then go play a game that caters to solo players. Not every mmo needs to be the same.

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Originally Posted by Mysticdraggon

then this concept of outdated. people like single player regardless and it would not drastically affect the game if each dungeon is available for single player once.

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Yeah, I like single player in my single player games. Not in my MMOs.

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Originally Posted by Mysticdraggon

this is not the case if they do not have to when the devs could modify each dungeon for a single player run.

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Which only worsens the situation by removing yet another method in which players learn to work together as a party, and arguably the most important one.

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Originally Posted by Mysticdraggon

this cannot happen forever, which is why i suggest giving us modified single player dungeons that can be completed once and only once. this will allow players to get a good perception of the dungeons and work better with other players the next time they play the same dungeon.

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No, if you want to play a single player game, play a single player game.

Here's where I think a fair compromise can be done:

Remember the complaints about queues? Put a time-out mechanism into them so that if insufficient tank/healer/dps join in 5 minutes, slot in an AI player (not applicable to roulette) by asking the player who selected the duty
"Wait for more players or continue with:
(you) (role)
(filled) (role)
(unfilled) (role)
(filled) role

Duty will start when (unfilled role) is filled or you may proceed with (NPC NAME) as (Role)
"
That can cut the queue down for leveling older content by slotting in a NPC that we've already seen do combat in a single player instance.

The point I want to make about Alphinaud and Alisaie, is that they should only appear in content for which they were part of the storyline.

Pre-HW you should have access to
Y'shtola (Conjurer)
Thancred (Rogue)
Yda (Pugilist)
Papalymo (Thaumaturge)

And the storyline NPC's for classes
Gladiator - Mylla, Aldis
Maurader - Wyrnzoen

Conjurer - Sylphie

And various NPC guildmasters and rivals's involved with the DPS storylines if that class has been unlocked.

On level 30+ content the Job NPC's should also be available.

Thancred would not be available until after ARR's main scenario is complete. Y'shtola, Thancred, Yda and Papalymo would not be available for HW content. Y'shtola and Thancred would only be available after they've been recovered during HW's storyline, and can not be used in the 51-59 dungeons. Lyse replaces Yda and is available for all content after Baelsar's Wall.

The player does not get to pick which NPC fills that spot but the priority will be given to story-centric characters. So Level 16-28 duties will always pick one of the 4 Scions first, then one of the class jobs NPC's. On 32-49 content it will pick one of the Scions first, then one of the Job NPC's over the class NPC's.

But I'd stress that the NPC companions in this case would be equal to selecting "minimum ilevel", as the AI would behave exactly as the developers intended the dungeon to be played, so you will not be able to do big pulls with them.

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Originally Posted by Valinis

This. You can blame the devs for implementing absurdly long cutscenes in the middle of a duty.

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Well how else would they have gotten the world record?

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Originally Posted by Mysticdraggon

it does not matter if the developers can edit each dungeon for one single player run. i do not doubt they can do it, that is one reason why i pay money for this game.

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lol at that entitlement, you are NOT the only one paying for the game here, this is an MMORPG, so if you do't like it, there are plenty of solo games out there.

Devs should really, really just convert Castrum and Praetorium into solo duties and convert the Ultima and Lahabrea fights into a proper trial. Would also give the devs an excuse to really drop the ilvl sync down to like i60 so that the fight isn't a complete joke anymore.

(Devs should also drop ilvl sync for Thordan down to i180 too.)

Not sure if this has been mentioned by anyone before or thought of but what about a Novice Duty Finder? The DF equivalent to the Novice Network?

They could just add a warning when queuing for Cm or Praet. "the dungeon you're about to enter contains a large amount of cutscenes, make sure your party sets aside enough time to watch them. Consider using the party finder to form a group."
It's just those 2 dungeons, but they leave a bad taste in every newbie's mouth after being forced to sprint through it.

Hmmm... this is a serious problem that SE refuses to fix because I'm assuming the restructuring of all the code and assets might be too much when they are busy at work for the next patch/expansion. I've been thinking about forming an FC on Lamia for any new players to play through the whole story with other players who want to play for the story as well so they can avoid queue times in the DF. Unfortunately, I hate guilds and I don't really want to run or be in one. However, I also like helping people and it makes me feel good when I do. What to do, what to do... D:

I wouldn't suggest this for all dungeons. Just retool Castrum Meridianum and The Praetorium to be forced to use the NPC adventurers we're supposedly getting in 4.1 (all ARR jobs though only, and maybe make it so you can't join as an RDM/SAM), and there you go. As a result, you can only do it once per character, but you tackle it at your OWN pace. Probably wouldn't even need to worry about rebalancing the dungeon since they'll already be taken into account with the NPC adventurers too.

Max one of each job though. So you'd DEFINITELY have WHM/SCH/WAR/PLD in the group. So maybe one example party makeup could be as follows:
PLD (OT)
WAR (MT)
WHM (MH)
SCH (OH)
DRG (player)
MNK
BRD
BLM

Why Castrum/Praetorium only? Because they're the major problematic dungeons for the cutscenes. Nothing else is as bad that the vast majority of players will refuse to wait behind for players watching cutscenes.

Oh, and one thing I forgot to add: Just make them all the default derplander (you all know the one I'm talking about). Just give them their standard job gear too.

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Originally Posted by KisaiTenshi

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Currently, the IA looks terrible for NPC's, then, unless they pretty much improve IA, thanks, but no.

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Originally Posted by LunaFaye

Well how else would they have gotten the world record?

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There is no world record for Castrum and Praetorium. Or do you mean the credits after it?

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Originally Posted by DynamoAce

Not sure if this has been mentioned by anyone before or thought of but what about a Novice Duty Finder? The DF equivalent to the Novice Network?

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It's roulette. Vets help novices to fill up the party slots.
All what it still need is a stricter ilevel-synch of the equip.

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Originally Posted by rachcouture

Which only worsens the situation by removing yet another method in which players learn to work together as a party, and arguably the most important one.

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that is what the Hall of Novice tutorial is for.

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Originally Posted by Mysticdraggon

that is what the Hall of Novice tutorial is for.

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Hall of Novice don't teach real party play, because the party is missing there.
It is like comparing a theory test with a praxis test.

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Originally Posted by Mysticdraggon

that is what the Hall of Novice tutorial is for.

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You mean that thing so many new players I see don't do because it's not a requirement and they don't know you get a dungeon set and a ring for it?

By the way Square. Make it required.