Petition against possible reduction of Linkshells.

First off, the source. An interview from Eorzeapedia in early March:

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Q. You previously stated that: “significant changes to the battle system are necessary to create a style of combat that lends itself to the enjoyment of quests and miniquests.” What did you mean by that? What changes to the battle system are we in store for?

A. The current system, which contemplates fifteen-person parties, is very difficult to balance, especially with the current class system. The first fundamental change for Yoshida-san is to reduce this target party size to 8, although he also wants to allow parties as small as 4 to be fully functional.

Yoshida-san admits that currently the role of each class is very vague, and that one of the major initiatives is to make each class unique. According to Yoshida-san, each class should have an identity of its own – including a specific and defined role in the party. The changes related to this initiative will lead to tactics in a battle setting – which Yoshida-san made clear was one of his ultimate goals.

Related, but as an aside, Sundi added that the current trend in the MMO genre is for smaller parties, but also smaller linkshells/guilds. In other words, a move away from the 200+ person linkshells/guilds, and a move towards smaller, 10 person linkshells/guilds. FFXIV intends to follow, and support, this trend.

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This thread could easily just need a clarification, because it wouldn't surprise me if eorzeapedia exaggerated this. Just in case though I'd like to bring it up and discuss it.


Now I'm not really sure what this trend is they are talking about. I have yet to be in a linkshell/guild in any game, especially a endgame LS/guild that had less than 30 members. In fact the smallest endgame LS/guild I've ever seen was 17 people, all were very active, and that size LS is rather uncommon.

I personally am 100% against such a drastic decrease. A LS around 10 people wouldn't even be enough for me and all of my friends, let alone my friends friends. I prefer LS's with at least 25-30 active members, with at least 15 very active members, and I would like content to support such members.

I think reduction of party size is one thing, but a reduction in LS size would not be well liked by many. This is a MASSIVE multi-player game. Let us be social with as many people as we want.


Also lol@200+ person LS's. Who does that?

When companies come into the picture, it is reasonable to conclude that they will take the form of the large linkshell/guild system, and linkshells themselves would become small cliques. Having the ability to have 8 linkshells currently would mean you could still have contact with up to 72 other people, all of whom could be in the same company. I am reserving judgment until I see what they have in store. I would suggest everyone do the same. Then we can raise hell if we need to.

Personally, I have not witnessed this trend they speak of, so I can't say how accurate it is. But I'll give them a chance. If they screw it up, then I'll be in line to sign your petition.

Sounds like they want to make LS's more like static groups/parties and have the companies be the proper guilds.

Best to take a wait and see approach, although some more clarification wouldn't go amiss.

I already tried, all you will get in your thread are the worthless brain dead trolling fanbois. Good luck though, have fun with the forum ninjas.

I simply think that they're moving the *focus* away from large linkshells, meaning that even smaller linkshells should be able to tackle the content, instead of needing big numbers to be able to organize anything sizable.

I seriously doubt they're going to reduce the maximum number of players in a LS, as it would come with very big logistical problems.

Uhm, where is the petition?

Well I'm going to assume it's some kind of a translation error or it was blown out of proportion for the sake of example. I doubt they would reduce the size of a linkshell to 10 members but the focus would likely be shifted to something under 100. It may also be talking about moving content designed for linkshells away from the 200+ (hell even 60+) numbers and moving it down towards the smaller numbers simply so then more linkshells can participate or even set up multiple groups to do so.

I wouldn't mind if they tossed a bone to the people with smaller linkshells, but I'd hate to see them do anything to interfere with larger groups.

As it stands now, there's a pretty good working formula to the FF mmo linkshell systems. One that I think far surpasses the other mmo systems in place.

Players usually all agree that you can only have one endgame shell, unless the endgame is broken up into totally separate areas... Like, one general endgame and one dynamis shell back in FFXI and that sort of thing. That works out pretty well.

Then in addition to that, people have their smaller 10 people-ish friends shells, and some slightly bigger general social shells, and etc, and that is all part of makes an mmo fun and enjoyable.

In other mmo's I've played, you are allowed only one 'guild'. Period. Doesn't matter what it's for or whatever else... So if you have a shell with a lot of friends, that doesn't really do any endgame, you have to choose between friends or doing content. That's a garbage system imo, so I really hope they don't do that. It kind of isn't quite as garbage in context of those other games, because usually each character is short lived, then you make another, and can join another shell.

I like how the FF games gives a focus to having one character, and being able to level any class on that same character without arbitrary limits. But, you need the multiple shells for people to be free to socialize with whoever they want. A one company limit, then pushing the endgame stuff to them would be okay, as long as they still let linkshells be what they are now. Expanding on it would be fine too, as long as they don't start hacking things away.

The whole reason I like FFXIV is because it's unique, and not a clone of the other mmo's around right now... If they start following all the trends that make other mmo's boring to me, I'll be very disappointed in SE. ;/

Our linkshell has around 100 active members, so this would suck. :(

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Originally Posted by Dreamer

Our linkshell has around 100 active members, so this would suck. :(

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Ditto. Its one of the questions I asked in my GENERAL QUESTIONS FOR THE FF14 STAFF & YOSHI-P. I really hope it doesn't mean what it sounds like. I do suspect it is a case of integration with the companies though.

Like i tried to state earlier, but the trolls and harassers just couldn't resist trolling and harassing...

This change will do nothing but make people who actually do content in larger groups, and enjoy it, leave. There are far better solutions to the problem they think they have than capping group size at 8; like say reducing sp for each group member above 8 until at current max (15 I believe) the SP that each person gets from killing a mob is no different than the SP they would have gotten solo.

That fixes the "zerg grind" issue, while still allowing people who enjoy larger groups to play the game as they have been since release.

They wont reduce linkshells

itd serve no purpose to do so, so dont even worry about it
no gameplay purpose, no social puprose, nothing

As soon as we heard this was the direction they were taking we thought big LS's would not be needed so instead we built a smaller LS with quality players over going the quantity and have been waiting for these changes to be implemented so that we can jump straight on whatever they through at us.

I'm glad to see our planning hasn't been wasted.

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Originally Posted by Kazimir

it wouldn't surprise me if eorzeapedia exaggerated this

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Very likely this is the case. Eorzeapedia is not exactly a bastion of accurate reporting, even when they aren't focusing their attention on their useless podcasts that maybe two people listen to (which is most of the time).

Limiting the size of linkshells would be a bad idea, because it's the primary form of communication in the game, and the only one that allows us to talk to multiple people at once regardless of what area they're currently in. It would not be a good idea to compartmentalize the community like that.

all it reads is they will support smaller not reduce Linkshells. So it ppl not reading the info corrrectly. If they were going to reduce the size it would say "we may reduce the size" It don't.

tbh that was writen a while ago, yet people are NOW seeing it as them reducing LS sizes.

It doesn't say they are reducing them. Only supporting smaller sizes. Meaning for LS based content allow for smaller sizes to parket if given choice.
mak you threaten to rage quit over SE choosing to limit party sizes.

Having 15 man parties seemed good in therory, but even I agree is too much. If you are always with your friend and never made new ones, you will stop getting along with your friends. You started that post, you went berserk when no one agreed... civily.

You don;t nreed to ALWAYS group with the same people. It gets stale after a while and soon what would you guys share for game stories if you are always together?Anyway

they are not reducing LSsizes or they would have done so already. Or make mention of it.

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I am sure this doesn't mean the LS limit will ever lower all the way down to 10. That would be plain retarded.

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Originally Posted by Mishakai

Like i tried to state earlier, but the trolls and harassers just couldn't resist trolling and harassing...

This change will do nothing but make people who actually do content in larger groups, and enjoy it, leave. There are far better solutions to the problem they think they have than capping group size at 8; like say reducing sp for each group member above 8 until at current max (15 I believe) the SP that each person gets from killing a mob is no different than the SP they would have gotten solo.

That fixes the "zerg grind" issue, while still allowing people who enjoy larger groups to play the game as they have been since release.

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This thread is about LS sizes not group sizes.... don't summon the moderator :). Oh too late.

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Originally Posted by Melodicya

Hello!

Posts were made in this thread that were unrelated to the purpose of the forum and thread. Please keep all discourse civil and follow the forum rules when making posts for a trouble-free and productive exchange of information.

Please visit the following page for reference on the forum guideline:

FINAL FANTASY XIV FORUM Guidelines
http://support.na.square-enix.com/rule.php?id=902&la=1

-SQUARE ENIX Moderator

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epic name. :) kudos you now have scared the .... out of a 26 year old. :)

(not sarcastic)