Do people really favor an FFXI grindfest format?

[Spitfire]

Actually, I'd rather see this setup:

* Main method of leveling: Story-rich quest-based leveling
* Alternative methods: Instanced dungeon parties, leves

And then I guess if you really like, you can resort to good old-fashioned grinding. But grinding random monsters as a method of leveling is archaic and personally holds no appeal for me. I only do it in MMOs when it's necessary for rep grinding or farming.

My opinion on leves is that they shouldn't have been the backbone of leveling. They should have been 'dailies' to fill in the SP gaps and to keep gil flowing. The reason they are boring is the same reason that grinding is boring. The same reason that people get sick of doing their dailies in WoW. Nobody wants to do the same thing over and over forever. And to make them the primary method of leveling was a mistake, IMO.

But to answer the original question posed here, no, I don't prefer FFXI-style grinding. But the real problem is that we don't have many options. I'm hoping that will change with the implementation of instanced dungeons. Partying, exp, loot. Good times.

I agree with this 100% and the reason I think this should be the focus is that it takes your mind away from the grind. Lets say you and some friends are mid 30's and you run a dungeon a few times per night most of the time you're having so much fun you don't even realize you gain a level. With leves and grind you are constantly reminded how far you are tnl to the point where you feel like you make no progress.

[Doho]

it's definitely a matter of preference. I personally can't stand leves, and like Spitfire is saying, they remind me of the ominous tnl (which is too damn high. the rent is too damn high). the monotonous running back in forth between groups of lizards in Ranine, doesn't help. usually the monsters are obliterated in a matter of seconds and you could literally auto-follow without anyone noticing.

for me, sp grinding, as a very select few have taken it upon themselves to enjoy (SHOUT OUT TO SPEERAL AND MY HOMIES ON FIGARO) is for the most part more enjoyable for the following reasons.

1) the mob tends to last longer. (until battle regimen the sucker to hell, which is awesome if you haven't tried it)
2) depending on where you camp they can yield anywhere from 300-400 SP each.
3) there is for the most part, a greater focus on player skill/coordination/development/party mechanics etc. etc. blah blah.

The only downside is, it can be considerably slower than leves (wtf no SP bonus, no chains?) Leves give ridiculous SP bonuses with Guardian's Favor and linking. The only reason people tolerate leves is because of the latter. It's a means to an end. At least grinding makes you think a little. I could go on and on about how bad leves are. Try doing Broken Water leves during JP primetime on a weekend.. I double dare you.

[Tezz_Xivectro]

I actually don't mind leves. It's the running around that kills it for me. The fact that the majority of the leve is just running back & forth.
I really hope they expand on the task board & that quest hubs aren't going to be the same old bland city side-quest material we've been getting.

Behests are slightly better. I was so excited for them, until you get to the bosses. I wish Behest bosses were epic and made those 8 random people forced to work together to take it out (which would reward a decent chunk of SP/EXP(and items?) to make it worth teaming up for).

The only thing FF14 hasn't attempted in terms of leveling systems is the instanced dungeon/raids. I don't see them pulling it off either.

[Speeral]

Nononono, my dear Speeral you misread! I LOVE THE PARTY GRIND. Why, I do it everyday. I was addressing the topic - "Do people really favor an FFXI grindfest format?" To which I proclaim, YES! And anyone who disagrees, well they can sit in Ul'dah and stare at a wall.

P.S. Needs moar chain system.

P.P.S. And some level sync would be nice.

He he he he I know I was mucking with ya, its a gifthorse thread who can be serious in one of these? SP pt tonight? im in trqnuil area if you wanna crawl the cellars:P or we can get 1-2 more people and kill us some raptors?

[Xatsh]

FFXI party leveling > FFXIV Leve Partys

Issue with leves is they are not balanced at all and with 8 people only in party now chances are unless you fail them everytime you will not get triple links anymore. Which makes Leve Sp sorta subpar to grind partys.

FFXI partys where simply more fun. IN my linkshell I enjoy the off leve days we have where we say go to kill raptors or head to NineIves and kill efts far more then doing leves.

Square adding back the sp/chain system that XI had would make a ton of people happy. They can leave the leves alone for those who hate leveling in a traditional mmo sense.

[Speeral]

it's definitely a matter of preference. I personally can't stand leves, and like Spitfire is saying, they remind me of the ominous tnl (which is too damn high. the rent is too damn high). the monotonous running back in forth between groups of lizards in Ranine, doesn't help. usually the monsters are obliterated in a matter of seconds and you could literally auto-follow without anyone noticing.

for me, sp grinding, as a very select few have taken it upon themselves to enjoy (SHOUT OUT TO SPEERAL AND MY HOMIES ON FIGARO) is for the most part more enjoyable for the following reasons.

1) the mob tends to last longer. (until battle regimen the sucker to hell, which is awesome if you haven't tried it)
2) depending on where you camp they can yield anywhere from 300-400 SP each.
3) there is for the most part, a greater focus on player skill/coordination/development/party mechanics etc. etc. blah blah.

The only downside is, it can be considerably slower than leves (wtf no SP bonus, no chains?) Leves give ridiculous SP bonuses with Guardian's Favor and linking. The only reason people tolerate leves is because of the latter. It's a means to an end. At least grinding makes you think a little. I could go on and on about how bad leves are. Try doing Broken Water leves during JP primetime on a weekend.. I double dare you.

Ick leves I only keep the battle leve's now to spend time with the ls otherwise, I would so rather be out in the field killing anything. Doho and I have a nice little network of fellow adventurers and we plow through mobs like its no ones business. We prefer that set up and very much cannot wait for a sp chain system to come out, add on dungeon crawling using that same sp system

Yes yes it'll be fun

[Hayze]

My two pennies worth ..... yes.

I miss the mile stones in FFXI that XP grinding brought. You would/could only stay at a certain camp for 5 or so levels (pre level sync ofc) before being forced to move to a new area. You were constantly exploring the world via leveling. In FFXIV its just a race to 33 then a perpetual cycle of rinse & repeat dunesfolk/reveries/cracked up to 50.

In my opinion levequests should not be the main form of SP'ing. They should be a alternative to those who wish to solo or do not have enough time to spend in a long SP party. A suppliment only really. If they must become the main source of SP'ing then for the love of god give us more variety.

[rainfish]

The problem with people that say they liked the old XI party system is they quit that game, there are so many people with rose tinted glasses about the pt system it's unbelievable. As I mentioned in a previous post, the party system was killed off in FFXI itself, in a game where everyone was used to that system so what hope would there be in a new game with a smaller player base and with other solo xp systems there alrready?

Party systems only work if you have a large number of players to build a party from, even then you have long LFG times. Added to that, if you let people solo with leves that will further lower the people lfg, it just really won't work unless they removed all other means of gaining XP and force everyone to do it.

[Demacia]

I prefer to call it the funfest format. Am I right guys

[Archadius]

I think that what many players want (although they may be misguided by frustration) is a system that requires their attention. After all, an MMO is supposed to be a distraction/escape from the hardships of the real world. Let me give you some examples of two very different games and why they both have issues that cause a player to lose interest.

Forsaken World - a F2P MMORPG
I started playing this just as a change and to hang with some friends online. Now, there is something essential for exp in that game called "God's Trial". When doing this (and most other battle-related events tbh) all I do is spam 1 2 3 (skills I've set in my action bar) for about an hour straight. How is this, in any way, exciting or engaging? I don't even really look at the screen because it's just a flurry of special effects, long battles, and very little user input.

Final Fantasy XIV
Been playing FFXIV since beta and have stuck with it mainly because of FFXI nostalgia and the general loyalty to SE and the FF franchise. A problem with this battle system is that you also don't have to pay attention. My example here is that I have rolled with an LS static on leves for some time now, took my THM from like R30 to R49. We would use the same leves every couple days to maximize SP and I was main (and often the only) healer/mage. Doing these leves is so boring/effortless that I can watch movies/shows while we do our runs and have little-to-no consequence from my lack of in-game attention. Once again, not engaging/exciting at all, and SE needs to realize/fix this problem.

It seems like everything is tipping towards shooting up to max rank/level and grabbing all the gear you can as fast as you can, all under the guise of "being the best". I guess maybe it takes a certain kind of player to understand, but once you get there you will realize... It's not having a maxed out character with awesome gear and reputation that makes a player feel satisfied, it's the journey you took to get there. If your entire flight was on auto-pilot, then have you really learned anything, or can you truly say you've experienced an adventure?